LIVE! UP Congress leader booked over remarks on Modi

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Sat, 01 April 2023

UP Congress leader booked over remarks on Modi

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20:26 UP Congress leader booked over remarks on Modi

The Uttar Pradesh Police on Saturday booked Congress state general secretary Sachin Chaudhary over his alleged objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The case under relevant sections of the law was registered at Sambhal Kotwali based on a complaint filed by the BJP's youth wing leader Akshit Agarwal, Additional Superintendent of Police Shrish Chandra said.

Agarwal, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) district unit office in-charge, told reporters that the Congress leader made the remarks against the prime minister during a press conference in Sambhal on Friday.

At the press meet, Chaudhary targeted Prime Minister Modi over the Adani issue.

He said a video clip of the Congress leader's "indecent and objectionable" remarks has gone viral on social media.

The Congress leader also made certain objectionable remarks against Hinduism, he alleged.

Agarwal said he also submitted a video clip of the Congress leader's remarks to the police. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday reviewed India's security challenges and operational readiness of the armed forces to deal with them at a key conclave of top commanders from the army, navy and air force in Bhopal.

The defence ministry said Modi called upon the three services to stay ready to deal with the new and emerging threats, emphasising that all steps are being taken to equip the armed forces with necessary weapons and technologies.

It is learnt that India's security challenges along the frontier with China and ways to deal with cross-border terrorism from Pakistan were among the key issues that figured at the annual Combined Commanders' Conference.

Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar could not attend the valedictory session as he tested positive for COVID-19, people familiar with the matter said, adding he is asymptomatic.

The prime minister was briefed by Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan about the various discussions conducted at this year's Combined Commanders' conference.

"Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi reviewed the security situation and operational readiness of the armed forces during the valedictory session of Combined Commanders' Conference 2023 in Bhopal on April 1," the ministry said in a statement.

It said Modi complimented the armed forces for their role in nation-building and providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) assistance to friendly countries.

During the final day of the session, various topics including aspects of digitisation, cyber security, challenges of social media, 'Aatmanirbharta', absorption of Agniveers and jointness were discussed.

"In a significant development from the past, the scope of the conference was expanded this year, wherein, a few multi-layered and interactive sessions were conducted with the participation of soldiers from every command of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force, including the Tri-Services Andaman and Nicobar Command," the defence ministry said.

China has issued visas to over 18,000 Indians in the last three months, a Chinese diplomat said.

Interacting with a group of journalists in Kolkata, Minister Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in India, Chen Jianjun, said he was looking forward to more Chinese being given visas by India.

"The number of visa applications for China has been on the rise. Since January, we have given visas to 18,560 Indians," he said.

"Since August, 9,409 student visas have been issued to Indian students," he said.

However, Jianjun said, the number of visa applications is yet to reach the pre-pandemic levels.

In June last year, China announced plans to provide visas to Indian professionals and their families stranded in India following the strict restrictions imposed by Beijing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Separately, it also started processing visa applications of thousands of Indian students studying in Chinese universities who conveyed their interest to rejoin their colleges and universities. About 23,000 Indian students, mostly studying medicine were stranded back home due to the restrictions.

Jianjun said China was working with India for an early resumption of direct flights between the two countries.

Flight services between the two countries have been disrupted ever since coronavirus was first reported in Wuhan in late 2019 and spread across the world.

The flight disruption turned out to be a major problem for hundreds of Indian students as well as families of Indians working in China and businessmen to travel back and forth.

Indians are currently travelling to China through Sri Lanka, Nepal and Myanmar, and some other countries, shelling out an exorbitant amount of money on steep airfares.

Jianjun also said that his country was looking forward to a more fair and friendly business environment in India. -- PTI

19:47 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits Nepal

A moderate intensity earthquake was recorded with its epicentre at Suri in the Dolakha district of Nepal on Saturday morning.

The earthquake of 5.2 magnitude was recorded at 11.27 am in Dolakha, 180 km east of Kathmandu, according to the National Seismological Centre here.

The tremor was also experienced in neighbouring Okhaldhunga, Ramechhap, Sindhupal Chowk, and Nuwakot districts as well as the Kathmandu Valley.

However, there were no immediate reports of any damage or human casualty from the earthquake.

Earlier, an earthquake measuring 4.2 magnitude was recorded at 3.19 am on Saturday with the epicentre at Gorkha district, 130 km west of Kathmandu.

In April 2015, a devastating earthquake of 7.8 magnitudes rocked Nepal, killing nearly 9,000 people and wounding nearly 22,000 others. It also damaged over 800,000 houses and school buildings. -- PTI

India's unemployment rose to a three-month high in March to 7.8 per cent as the country's labour markets deteriorated, according to data from the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy.

Unemployment rate in the country surged in December 2022 to 8.30 per cent but declined in January to 7.14 per cent. It edged up again in February to 7.45 per cent, the CMIE data released on Saturday showed.

During March, the unemployment rate in urban areas was at 8.4 per cent while in the rural areas it was at 7.5 per cent.

"India's labour markets deteriorated in March 2023. The unemployment rate increased from 7.5 per cent in February to 7.8 per cent in March. The effect of this is compounded by the simultaneous fall in the labour force participation rate, which fell from 39.9 per cent to 39.8 per cent," CMIE managing director Mahesh Vyas told PTI.

This led to a fall in the employment rate from 36.9 per cent in February to 36.7 per cent in March, Vyas said, adding that employment fell from 409.9 million to 407.6 million.

Among the states, unemployment was the highest in Haryana at 26.8 per cent closely followed by Rajasthan at 26.4 per cent, Jammu and Kashmir at 23.1 per cent, Sikkim 20.7 per cent, Bihar 17.6 per cent and Jharkhand 17.5 per cent.

Unemployment was the lowest in Uttarakhand and Chhattisgarh at 0.8 per cent each followed by Puducherry at 1.5 per cent, Gujarat 1.8 per cent, Karnataka 2.3 per cent and Meghalaya and Odisha at 2.6 per cent each.

CIEL HR Services Director and CEO Aditya Mishra said that post the festive season of October-January, employment in retail, supply chain, logistics, financial services and e-commerce has declined.

"Our sectors of IT, Technology and Startups have tightened their belts leading to a slowdown in fresh hiring. Thirdly, March being the month of financial year-end and examinations, the sectors of leisure travel, tourism, entertainment and hospitality are not witnessing high demand.

"These factors have reduced the employment drive. Manufacturing, engineering, construction and infrastructure have kept the job markets warm. The results of March are a combination of all these factors. We will see a pickup in April," he added.

The Congress on Saturday accused the government of making no efforts to bring about a compromise with the opposition to help end the deadlock in Parliament.

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that no middle path has been found in Parliament yet, and added the budget session may well turn out to be a washout for the first-time ever.

He also took a swipe at the government over the passage of key bills and the budget without any discussion in Parliament amid disruptions. "If the JPC demand is in the bin, the bills will be passed in the din, sadly," he said.

The second part of the budget session of Parliament that began on March 13 has mostly seen disruptions caused by the opposition and the treasury benches. The budget session is set to end on April 6.

While the opposition unitedly has been demanding a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) investigation into the Adani issue, the treasury benches are demanding an apology from Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his "democracy under threat" remarks made in the United Kingdom and for seeking foreign intervention, which they allege are an insult to India and its institutions.

Ramesh said the government got the finance bill passed amid a din in the Lok Sabha and the same was returned by the Rajya Sabha in a similar situation.

He claimed that more such bills may be passed in the coming days.

"If the JPC demand is in the bin, the bills will be passed in the din, sadly. The demand is for the JPC in the Adani issue. All 19 opposition parties stand united on the JPC demand on the Adani issue and this will continue on Monday," he said.

He claimed that the government pushed the Competition Act Amendment Bill and the Finance Bill amid a din.

"There is no middle path that has been found, there has been no communication between the government and the opposition parties. Absolutely none. There has been one attempt made by the Speaker and one attempt made by the (Rajya Sabha) chairman, but no attempt is made by the ruling party to work out a compromise," he also said.

Ramesh noted that the Rajya Sabha chairman during his meeting with the opposition parties did not give any formula for a compromise and only told them to be less rigid.

"The question of an apology by Rahul Gandhi is an academic issue because they got him disqualified," Ramesh quipped, junking the ruling party's demand for an apology from the Congress leader.

Ramesh said the government's move to send key bills to select committees instead of standing committees is "absolutely identical" to its earlier decision to term some bills as money bills which do not require the assent of Rajya Sabha, where the BJP did not enjoy a majority then.

19:05 JD-S leader and 4-term K'taka MLA joins BJP

Senior Janata Dal-Secular leader A T Ramaswamy joined the Bharatiya Janata Party in New Delhi on Saturday in presence of Union Minister Anurag Thakur, BJP national general secretary Dushyant Gautam and Rajya Sabha member Lehar Singh Siroya.

With the Karnataka Assembly elections scheduled on May 10, the JD-S leader resigned from the State Legislative Assembly on Friday.

"It is a great pleasure for me to announce that I am joining the BJP because of love and affection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai and former Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa," Ramaswamy told reporters after joining the national party in New Delhi.

Ramaswamy said he is joining the BJP without any condition as he was impressed with the way the party is functioning and the country is progressing. "It is mostly because of the core values and ideas of the top most leadership in the BJP," he said.

"As a politician in public life, I have never aspired any benefits or facilities from the government. I am a victim of the money power because I spoke against corruption," Ramaswamy said.

"I have not asked for anything from BJP including the MLA seat but if given an opportunity I will serve people," he said.

With Ramaswamy's exit, JD-S suffered yet another blow, which recently witnessed the Gubbi MLA S R Srinivas joining the Congress while Arasikere MLA Shivalinge Gowda too had announced that he would join the grand old party shortly.

The party's another MLA K Srinivasa Gowda had long back identified himself with the Congress during the cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha elections. -- PTI

A Dubai-bound cargo plane suffered a bird hit soon after take off on Saturday morning and returned to the Delhi airport, according to an official.

A full emergency was declared at the airport for the landing of the aircraft and there was apparently a crack in the windshield due to the bird hit, the official said.

The official also said the aircraft, operated by FedEx, returned to the airport at around 10.50 am.

After safety checks, the aircraft took off for Dubai at around 1.40 pm.

A FedEx spokesperson confirmed the incident. -- PTI

18:23 Navjot Sidhu walks out of jail after 10 months

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu walked free on Saturday after spending nearly 10 months in Patiala central jail in a 1988 road rage death case.

He was wearing a sky blue jacket when he came out of jail.

There were expectations that he would be released by afternoon but he came out of jail at 5:53 pm.

The 59-year-old's supporters had assembled since morning outside the prison to accord him a grand welcome upon his release and they could be heard chanting 'Navjot Sidhu zindabad'.

Several Congress leaders including Amritsar MP Gurjit Aujla, former Punjab Congress chiefs Shamsher Singh Dullo, Mohinder Singh Kaypee and Lal Singh, former MLA Navtej Singh Cheema, other leaders Ashwani Sekhri, Sukhwinder Singh Danny were also waiting for the return of Sidhu.

The former state Congress chief was jailed on May 20 last year after being sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court over the death of the 65-year-old Gurnam Singh in a road rage case in 1988. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said some people are hellbent to dent his image and are colluding with people inside and outside the country, and have given a "supari" (contract) for this.

He was addressing a gathering at Rani Kamalapati railway station after flagging off the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train.

"Earlier, governments were busy in vote bank appeasement but we are busy satisfying people," the prime minister said.

"They (the previous governments) considered one family as the first family of the country and ignored the poor and middle class. Railways is a living example of this," he added.

He said some people are hell-bent to dent his image and are colluding with the people inside and outside the country. "They gave a 'supari' for it," the prime minister added. -- PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday appealed to the remaining active militants of the Northeast to join the mainstream.

Addressing a rally in Aizawl after virtually inaugurating and laying the foundation stone for 11 projects worth Rs 2,414 crore, he asserted that the establishment of peace in Mizoram is an example of the victory of Indian democracy.

"I appeal to the few remaining active militant organisations in the Northeast to return to the mainstream, become a part of the democratic process and contribute to the development of the region and the country as a whole," he said.

"Peace has been established in Mizoram, which had faced insurgency. This is an unprecedented example of the victory of India's democracy," he said.

Shah also inaugurated the new Assam Rifles battalion headquarters complex in the state. -- PTI

A 63-year-old Swedish national was arrested for allegedly molesting a crew member onboard an IndiGo flight, a Mumbai police official said on Saturday.

Accused Klas Erik Harald Jonas Westberg was allegedly in an inebriated state when the incident took place on Thursday onboard the IndiGo 6E-1052 Bangkok-Mumbai flight, the Sahar police station official said.

He is accused of touching a crew member inappropriately while making an in-flight food purchase and also assaulted a co-passenger who intervened, the official said.

Westberg was handed over to Mumbai police when the flight landed in the metropolis and was booked under Indian Penal Code section 354 (molestation) and other provisions of Aircraft Act, the police official said.

He was released on bail by the Andheri metropolitan magistrate court on Friday, the official added.

Westberg is the eighth airline passenger arrested in India in the past three months for alleged unruly behaviour.

On March 23, two men were arrested for drinking alcohol, hurling abuses at co-passengers and crew on board a Dubai-Mumbai IndiGo flight, official added. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Bhopal-Delhi Vande Bharat Express train in Madhya Pradesh capital.

The semi-high speed train was flagged off at the Rani Kamalapati railway station in Bhopal city in the afternoon.

Addressing a gathering after the flagging-off ceremony, PM Modi said, "Our endeavour is to transform railway sector and make travel convenient for citizens."

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had earlier said that this is the eleventh Vande Bharat train service in the country.

The indigenously designed train set of Vande Bharat Express is equipped with state-of-the-art passenger amenities. It will provide faster, comfortable and convenient travel experience to rail users, boost tourism and promote economic development in the region, it said.

PM Modi, who arrived in Bhopal in the morning, attended the Combined Commanders' Conference before flagging off the train.

Assembly elections in the Bharatiya Janata Party-ruled Madhya Pradesh are due by the end of this year. -- PTI

The Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), which sells its dairy products under the popular brand name 'Amul', on Saturday increased milk prices by Rs 2 per litre in the state.

Prices of Amul milk have been raised across Saurashtra, Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar markets in Gujarat from Saturday, GCMMF sources said.

Sources said 'Amul Gold' will now be available for Rs 32 per 500 ml, 'Amul Standard' for Rs 29 per 500 ml, 'Amul Taaza' for Rs 26 per 500 ml and 'Amul T-Special' for Rs 30 per 500 ml, among others.

This is the first hike in Amul milk prices in the state since December's Assembly polls, which were won by the Bharatiya Janata Party with a record 156 out of 182 seats.

GCMMF had last raised Amul milk prices, by Rs 2 per litre, in Gujarat in August last year.

On February 3 this year, GCMMF had hiked milk prices by Rs 2 per litre for all markets in the country except Gujarat.

Currently, the member unions of GCMMF procure an average 264 lakh litres of milk every day from 36 lakh milk producers in 18,154 villages in Gujarat. -- PTI

Income Tax officials on Saturday conducted searches at the Hassan District Cooperative Central Bank, which has Janata Dal-Secular leaders on its board, sources said.

This comes just days after the schedule for Assembly polls in Karnataka was announced as the Model Code of Conduct came into effect across the state on March 29.

Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda's grandson and former state minister H D Revanna's son Suraj Revanna,who is also the Janata Dal-Secular MLC, party MLA C N Balakrishna and former Janata Dal-Secular MLC Patel Shivaram are among the directors of the cooperative bank, the HDCC website shows.

Sources said the IT officials are checking the files since Friday and continued their operation on Saturday. They also seized some documents.

There was deployment of police at the bank and no person other than bank authorities were allowed to enter the premises, sources added.

Neither the bank officials nor the IT sleuths were available for comment. -- PTI

Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Kamal Nath on Saturday alleged that illegal constructions carried out on the stepwell led to the Indore temple tragedy in which 36 people lost their lives.

The local civic body did not pull down the unauthorised constructions on the stepwell due to the pressure from the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, he claimed and threatened to file a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Madhya Pradesh high court if these constructions were not removed within seven days.

Nath, who visited the accident site of Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal temple in Patel Nagar, said if the Congress is voted to power in the upcoming state Assembly polls, his party-led government would will enact a law for mandatory security audit of public places in the state.

The Congress leader also visited the private hospital, where those injured in the incident are undergoing treatment, to enquire about their health.

Thirty-six persons, including 21 women and two children, died after the floor of the temple, built over the stepwell, caved in on Thursday. A 'havan' (fire ritual) was going on at the place on the occasion of Ram Navami when the mishap occurred.

After the accident, the administration has closed the main gate of the temple and the route to the stepwell by putting an iron sheet.

"This incident is a result of illegal constructions done on the stepwell, which has tarnished the image of Indore in the country and the world. If these illegal constructions are not removed within seven days, we will file a PIL in the high court to get them removed," he told reporters.

The former Madhya Pradesh chief minister alleged that the Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) did not remove the illegal constructions around the stepwell due to political pressure from the ruling BJP.

"Indore is called a 'smart city', but the local administration did not have the necessary equipment to rescue the people who fell into the stepwell after the accident," he said.

He said the Army was called in for the rescue operation 12 hours after the mishap, but it was too late by then.

Most of India, barring parts of northwest and peninsular region, is expected to experience above-normal maximum temperatures from April to June, the India Meteorological Department said on Saturday.

It said above-normal heatwave days are predicted in most parts of central, east and northwest India during this period.

"A significantly higher number of heatwave days are predicted over parts of Bihar, Jharkhand, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Punjab and Haryana," IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mahapatra said in a virtual press conference.

"During the 2023 hot weather season (April to June), most parts of the country are expected to experience above-normal maximum temperatures, except for south peninsular India and some parts of northwest India where normal to below-normal maximum temperatures are likely," the IMD said.

Normal to above-normal minimum temperatures are very likely over most parts of the country, barring some areas in northeast and northwest India and isolated pockets of the peninsular region, it said.

The weather bureau said India is expected to see normal rainfall in April.

Normal to above normal precipitation is expected over most parts of northwest, central and peninsular region, while below normal rain is predicted in east and northeast India, it said. -- PTI

A fresh CCTV footage has surfaced on social media purportedly showing Papalpreet Singh, a close aide of radical preacher Amritpal Singh, in a "dera" in a village in Hoshiarpur even as police continued their search for them in the district on Saturday.

The footage is said to be of March 29, a day after a team of the counter intelligence wing of the Punjab Police chased an Innova vehicle from Phagwara after it suspected that fugitive Amritpal Singh and his aide could be travelling in it.

The "dera" (a place for religious congregation) whose footage has surfaced is located in village Tanauli, just two to three km away from Marnaian village in Hoshiarpur where the police had launched their massive search for the duo.

Sources said Papalpreet Singh was spotted in the CCTV footage of the dera of Wednesday morning. It is suspected that Papalpreet and Amritpal got separated in Hoshiarpur following the police chase of their vehicle.

Papalpreet Singh is considered one of Amritpal Singh's mentors who had been advising him on various issues.

Police on Friday had expanded their search for Amritpal Singh to "deras" and other possible hideouts of the fugitive preacher in Hoshiarpur district. Police had even deployed a drone to trace the suspects.

The radical preacher has been on the run since a police crackdown on his outfit Waris Punjab De on March 18. He has, however, appeared in two purported videos and an audio clip released on social media in the past few days.

In the video, the Khalistan sympathiser asserted he was not a fugitive and would soon appear before the world.

In the audio clip, he debunked speculation he was negotiating his surrender and nudged the Akal Takht for the second time to summon a "sarbat khalsa" congregation to discuss issues related to the Sikh community.

The hunt to nab Amritpal Singh was launched in Hoshiarpur district Tuesday night following inputs that the radical preacher and his aides could be there. -- PTI

The Delhi Police on Saturday filed an 800-page chargesheet against seven accused in the Kanjhawala hit-and-drag case in which a 20-year-old woman was killed after being dragged under a car in the early hours on January 1.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sanya Dalal has posted the matter for consideration of the final report on April 13.

The police had arrested Deepak Khanna, Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mithun and Manoj Mittal in the case on January 2.

Two other accused -- Ashutosh Bhardwaj and Ankush -- were earlier given bail by the court. Deepak Khanna's bail plea was rejected by a sessions court.

According to the police, seven men were arrested and upon completion of the investigation, a chargesheet of around 800 pages was prepared with around 117 witnesses.

"On the basis of the material and evidences collected during the investigation, to the best of capabilities, sufficient material has come on record to prosecute the accused," the police said.

According to the chargesheet, Amit Khanna, Krishan, Mithun and Manoj Mittal have been booked for murder. Ashutosh and Amit Khanna were also booked under provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

It said all the accused were booked for criminal conspiracy, destruction of evidence, harbouring offender, common intention and false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person.

The Delhi Police has levelled additional charges against Amit Khanna for rash driving and causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others.

The high court of Karnataka has extended the stay on proceedings against state Congress chief D K Shivakumar in the disproportionate assets case being probed by the CBI till April 6.

The interim stay was extended on Friday by the single judge bench of Justice K Natarajan, which heard the petition by the Congress leader seeking to quash the proceedings against him.

The court also granted time till April 6 for the state government to file objections to another petition filed by Shivakumar challenging the sanction granted to prosecute him and adjourned the hearing.

The CBI had registered a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act in 2020 after the state government gave consent for a probe.

During Friday's hearing, the CBI advocate mentioned that the court had stayed the proceedings against Shivakumar and the central agency has filed an application seeking to vacate the stay which should be considered.

The government counsel informed the court that since the date for the Assembly election has been announced, more time was required to file objections to Shivakumar's petition against the government's sanction to the CBI to prosecute him. Four weeks time was sought by the government advocate.

The court, however, pointed out that while the CBI was seeking early hearing, the government was seeking more time. The case was adjourned to April 6 and the government was directed to file its objections by then. -- PTI

Naxalites on Saturday torched a bus in Chhattisgah's Dantewada district after asking the passengers to alight, police said.

The incident occurred in the morning between Malewahi and Bodli police camps when the private passenger bus was on its way to Dantewada from Narayanpur town, Dantewada Additional Superintendent of Police R K Barman said.

"Around two dozen Maoists, some of them armed, stopped the bus, and set it ablaze after allowing passengers to get off," he said.

None of the passengers or crew was harmed. But the bus was completely damaged in the incident, he said.

Security forces have rushed to the spot and combing operations to apprehend the Naxalites were underway, he added.

Passengers are now being sent to their respective destinations, the officer said. -- PTI

Union Home Minister Amit Shah has cancelled his tour of Sasaram in Bihar where prohibitory orders are in place following communal tension sparked off during Ram Navami festivities, state Bharatiya Janata Party chief Samrat Choudhary said on Saturday.

Addressing a press conference at the party's state headquarters in Patna, Choudhary said Shah, who will be reaching Patna on Saturday evening, will address party workers in Nawada Lok Sabha constituency on Sunday as per schedule, even as he squarely blamed the Nitish Kumar government in Bihar for the cancellation of the function at Sasaram, organised to celebrate the birth anniversary of Emperor Asoka.

"It is clear that Nitish Kumar is not in control of the administration. Even Bihar Sharif, which falls in the chief minister's home district of Nalanda, is in turmoil. So are many other parts of the state," alleged Choudhary.

Union Home Minister of State Nityanand Rai had approached the state government with the offer of providing additional forces as per requirement but the entire administrative machinery seems to be in a state of sleep, he fumed.

"The imposition of Section 144 of CrPC in Sasaram is a clear indication that no large gatherings can take place. Hence, the honourable Home Minister has cancelled his visit to the town for Samrat Ashok's birth anniversary celebrations," said the state BJP president, whose party was last year dumped by Kumar, resulting in loss of power in Bihar.

Widely regarded as the BJP's principal strategist, Shah has been visiting Bihar with a greater frequency than before since it lost power and found itself pitted against the Mahagathbandhan, a multi-party formation which Kumar has joined.

The BJP-led NDA, which had bagged all but one of the 40 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, faces an uphill task next year with Kumar's Janata Dal-United in the opponents' camp and another valuable ally, Ram Vilas Paswan, dead and his LJP fractured.

Upon his arrival in the state capital on Saturday evening, Shah is expected to put up at a city hotel and hold parleys with party office bearers. The Home Minister may also hold a meeting with administrative officials to get a feel of the situation on the ground.

Tight security arrangements are in place for the tour and besides security personnel, drones have been pressed into service at places Shah is expected to visit before boarding his return flight on Sunday afternoon. -- PTI

People, who have the right to know about the academic qualification of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, are 'stunned' by the Gujarat high court's verdict, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said on Saturday.

The Gujarat high court on Friday quashed a seven-year-old order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) which had asked the Gujarat University to provide information on Modi's degree to Kejriwal.

Allowing the Gujarat University's appeal against the CIC order, Justice Biren Vaishnav also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Kejriwal and asked him to deposit the amount within four weeks to the Gujarat State Legal Services Authority (GSLSA).

"Entire country is stunned by the high court's order because there should be a freedom of seeking information and asking questions in a democracy," Kejriwal said at a press conference in New Delhi.

"The high court's order has increased the suspicion over the prime minister's education," he charged.

If the prime minister had studied from Gujarat University or Delhi University, they should have been celebrating it, instead they are hiding the information, the Delhi chief minister said.

"If there is a valid degree of Modi, why Gujarat University is not showing it," he asked.

There can only be two reasons why Gujarat university is not ready to give information on the prime minister's academic qualification -- it's either due to Modi's arrogance, or, his degree is fake, Kejriwal said.

He, however, went on to add that being illiterate is not "a crime or sin" as there is so much poverty in the country.

"Many of us are not in a position to get formal education due to financial conditions in the families," he said.

Such rank poverty continues to afflict the nation even after 75 years of independence, he added.

13:18 Modi is PM because Gandhi, Nehru...: Gehlot

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday slammed the Centre over the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha and said that the Congress leader was not given a chance to speak (in the Parliament) to present his case.

Gehlot said that Narendra Modi is the Prime Minister today because MK Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru established democracy in India.

"Today PM Modi is the PM because Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru established democracy in the country 75 yrs ago. BJP is misusing the ED and CBI and all other central institutions. Rahul Gandhi's disqualification was planned by them. PM did not answer any of Rahul Gandhi's questions. No one gave him (Rahul Gandhi) chance to speak," Gehlot alleged.

"Rahul Gandhi raised the Adani issue, and the government should answer in Parliament but they didn't. Instead of answering his question, they pushed him out of the Parliament," Gehlot said in Ajmer.

Where is the country heading? Democracy is in danger. ED, IT and CBI raids are ongoing. The judiciary is under pressure. How long will this go on, asked the CM.

"It affects the country, it affects democracy and it affects Constitution. So, citizens should understand that the situation in the country is a matter of concern," the Rajasthan CM said.

The government's total liabilities rose to Rs 150.95 lakh crore in December quarter from Rs 147.19 lakh crore in the three months ended September 2022, according to the latest public debt management report.

The increase reflects a quarter-on-quarter increase of 2.6 per cent in October-December 2022-23.

In absolute terms, the total liabilities, including liabilities under the 'Public Account' of the government, jumped to Rs 1,50,95,970.8 crore at the end of December 2022.

As of September 30, the total liabilities stood at Rs 1,47,19,572.2 crore.

The report released by the finance ministry on Saturday said public debt accounted for 89 per cent of the total outstanding liabilities in December quarter, compared to 89.1 per cent at the end of September.

Nearly 28.29 per cent of the outstanding dated securities had a residual maturity of less than 5 years.

During Q3 of FY23, it said, the Centre raised an amount worth Rs 3,51,000 crore through dated securities, as against notified amount of Rs 3,18,000 crore in the borrowing calendar.

During the quarter an amount of Rs 85,377.9 crore due for redemption was repaid on maturity date, it said.

Weighted average yield of primary issuances hardened to 7.38 per cent in Q3 FY23, from 7.33 per cent in Q2 of FY23, it added.

The weighted average maturity of new issuances of dated securities elongated to 16.56 years in Q3 of FY23, as compared to 15.62 years in Q2 of FY23.

During October-December 2022, it said, the government did not raise any amount through the Cash Management Bills.

The Reserve Bank did not conduct Open Market operations for government securities during the quarter.

The net daily average liquidity absorption by RBI under Liquidity Adjustment Facility (LAF) including Marginal Standing Facility and Special Liquidity Facility was at Rs 39,604 crore during the quarter, the report said.

With regard to the yield, the report said, interest rate on 10-year benchmark security softened from 7.40 per cent at the close of the quarter on September 30, 2022 to 7.33 per cent at the close on December 30, 2022, thus softening by 7 bps during the quarter.

On December 7, 2022 the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) decided to hike the policy repo rate by 35 bps, from 5.90 per cent to 6.25 per cent largely with an intention to contain inflation.

On February 8, the Reserve Bank hiked the key benchmark policy rate by 25 basis points to 6.5 per cent, citing sticky core inflation. -- PTI

12:36 India, Malaysia can now trade in Indian rupee

India and Malaysia can now use the Indian rupee to settle trade in addition to other currencies, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Saturday.

The move follows the decision by the Reserve Bank of India in July last year to allow settlement of international trade in Indian currency.

"Trade between India and Malaysia can now be settled in Indian Rupee (INR) in addition to the current modes of settlement in other currencies," the MEA said.

"This follows the decision by the Reserve Bank of India in July 2022 to allow settlement of international trade in Indian Rupee," it said in a statement.

The MEA said the RBI's initiative is aimed at facilitating the growth of trade and supporting the interests of the global trading community in the Indian rupee.

"India International Bank of Malaysia (IIBM), based in Kuala Lumpur, has operationalised this mechanism by opening a special Rupee Vostro account through its corresponding bank in India that is Union Bank of India," it said.

Vostro accounts are used to make payments in domestic currency. -- PTI

Uddhav Thackeray faction leader and MP Sanjay Raut has allegedly received a death threat message from Lawrence Bishnoi gang, Mumbai Police said on Saturday.

Raut has filed a written complaint in this regard and an investigation into the matter is underway, the police said.

"Sanjay Raut received death threats stating that he will meet Sidhu Moose Wala's fate. He got the threat from the Lawrence Bishnoi gang. The message said that if you met in Delhi, will kill you with AK 47. He wrote a letter to the police complaining about the matter," the police said.

The police are trying to trace the number from which Raut received the threat message.

Earlier, a threat was also received by Bollywood actor Salman Khan stating that he will "end up like Sidhu Moose Wala". The accused, Dhakad Ram who is a resident of Luni in the Jodhpur district of Rajasthan, was arrested and handed over to Mumbai Police.

"In the case registered in Bandra police station of threats to kill Salman Khan via email, the Mumbai police team and Luni police team in joint action caught Dhakad Ram, a resident of Luni in Jodhpur district," Luni Police Station Officer, Jodhpur Ishwar Chand Pareek had told ANI earlier.

Last week, Mumbai Police booked jailed gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi, Goldie Brar and Rohit Garg for allegedly sending threatening emails to actor Salman Khan's office. Bandra Police registered a case under sections 506(2),120(b) and 34 of IPC.

Donald Trump raised over USD 4 million towards his 2024 presidential run in 24 hours after a Manhattan grand jury indicted the former United States president on charges related to paying off a porn star, his office has said.

According to the former president's campaign, over 25 per cent of donations came from first-time donors to the Trump Campaign, further solidifying his status as the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary.

"This incredible surge of grassroots contributions confirms that the American people see the indictment of President Trump as a disgraceful weaponisation of our justice system by a Soros-funded prosecutor, it said in a statement on Friday.

"With an average contribution of only USD 34, Trump's 2024 campaign is funded by an unmatched coalition of hardworking patriots who are fed up with special interest donors like Soros spending billions of dollars to influence our elections," it said.

Americans from across all 50 states donated to President Trump's campaign within the first five hours of the "sham indictment", the statement said.

The grand jury on Thursday voted to indict Trump, a Republican, for his role in paying money to porn star Stormy Daniels in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair.

Trump, who is the first former US president to face a criminal charge, will be arraigned on Tuesday.

The indictment remains under seal and it is not clear what crimes and how many criminal counts Trump has been charged with.

On Thursday, within minutes of Trump's indictment, the Trump campaign fired off a fundraising email soliciting contributions toward the 76-year-old's 2024 campaign.

It was the first of more than half a dozen fundraising emails sent out by the Trump campaign after the indictment.

The White House has refused to comment on the indictment of the former president.

"I have no comment on that," President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday.

India's defence exports reached an all-time high of Rs 15,920 crore in the financial year 2022-2023, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Saturday describing the rise as a remarkable achievement.

The country's defence exports in 2021-22 was Rs 12,814 crore, according to official data.

"India's defence exports have reached an all-time high of Rs 15,920 crore in FY 2022-2023. It is a remarkable achievement for the country," Singh said on Twitter.

"Under the inspiring leadership of PM Shri @narendramodi, our defence exports will continue to grow exponentially," he said.

India exported military hardware worth Rs 8,434 crore in 2020-21, Rs 9,115 crore in 2019-20, and Rs 10,745 crore in 2018-19, according to details provided by Singh.

The amount in 2017-18 was Rs 4,682 crore and Rs 1,521 crore in 2016-17. -- PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Bhopal on Saturday morning to take part in the ongoing combined commanders' conference and to flag off a Vande Bharat Express train that will run between the state capital and Delhi.

Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai Patel and Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan welcomed Modi at the city airport on his arrival around 9.30 am.

The prime minister then proceeded to the Kushabhau Thakre International Convention Centre in the city, where the combined commanders' conference is underway, official sources said.

The state Bharatiya Janata Party had earlier planned a mega roadshow in Bhopal to welcome PM Modi, but it was cancelled in the wake of the Indore temple tragedy that occurred on Thursday, in which 36 persons lost their lives, party's state unit president Vishnu Dutt Sharma said.

Around 3.15 pm, Modi will flag off the Vande Bharat train from Rani Kamalapati station in Bhopal, the sources said. -- PTI

Police deployment in a trouble-hit area of Nalanda district of Bihar/ANI

10:56 Over 20 held for clash during Ram Navami in Bihar

Over 20 people were arrested after a clash broke out in Nalanda district of Bihar between two groups following a Ram Navami procession on March 31, in which eight persons were injured, a police official said on Saturday.

The clash broke out on the 10th day of Ram Navami celebrations near Gagan Diwan under the Laheri police station area in Biharsharif, which is the district headquarters of Nalanda.

Miscreants pelted stones and set around half a dozen vehicles ablaze.

According to the police, three people sustained bullet injuires in firing in the clash.

Personnel of police and administration forces were deployed at the spot and security has been increased in the district and police are patrolling the area.

The police and security personnel are deployed and patrolling the district in wake of the clash.

Section 144 also imposed in Bihar's Nalanda and also in Sasaram, which reported a clash on March 31.

Superintendent of police, Nalanda, Ashok Mishra has appealed to the people not to believe rumours and to maintain peace.

"Police are patrolling the area, and are on alert. We're maintaining peace. Over 20 people were arrested. Eight people were injured and three sustained bullet injuries. People should not believe rumours. The situation under control now," Mishra said. -- ANI

Representational image

10:35 5 Congress workers sustain burns injuries during mashaal march in Chhattisgarh

Five Congress workers sustained burns during the 'mashaal march' campaign launched by the party against the Centre over Rahul Gandhi's disqualification and "to save democracy" in Jagdalpur on Friday.

"Four of them have 10-15 per cent burns, while the other one has suffered more than 30 per cent burns. The condition of all of them is stable and out of danger," said Dr Sanjay Prasad, civil surgeon, at Maharani Hospital, Jagdalpur. -- ANI

09:58 Italy bans ChatGPT, to probe privacy breach

Authorities in Italy have blocked chatbot ChatGPT with immediate effect in the country.

With this, Italy becomes the first European country to block the advanced Artificial Intelligence software, which is capable of emulating and elaborate human conversations among other actions.

Italian data protection authority on Friday (local time) has said that it is blocking the Microsoft-backed chatbot developed by US start up OpenAI and will investigate whether it complied with the country's General Data Protection Regulation.

A data breach affecting ChatGPT users' conversations and information on payments by subscribers to the service had been reported on March 20, the Italian watchdog said.

Several countries like China, Russia, Iran and North Korea have blocked ChatGPT, which came into existence in November 2022.

The Italian Data Protection Authority (Garante per la protezione dei dati personali) said it has opened an investigation against ChatGPT and the US company OpenAI.

"No way for ChatGPT to continue processing data in breach of privacy laws. The Italian SA imposed an immediate temporary limitation on the processing of Italian users' data by OpenAI, the US-based company developing and managing the platform. An inquiry into the facts of the case was initiated as well," the authority stated as per a release on its website. -- ANI

09:53 Amit Shah to visit Mizoram Saturday

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit Mizoram on Saturday to inaugurate development projects worth Rs 2,414 crore, officials said.

Shah will inaugurate the Assam Rifles battalion headquarters complex at Zokhawsang and the integrated command and control centre under the smart city scheme.

The home minister will lay the foundation stone for construction of Zorinpui- Longmasu section of the National Highway 502A, other officials said.

Besides, the Union home minister will also lay the foundation stone for the construction of two sections of the Aizawl bypass (package 1 and package 2) and the construction of Laldenga centre.

Security has been beefed up across Mizoram in view of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state, a senior police officer said.

Mizoram inspector general of police (law and order) Lalbiakthanga Khiangte told PTI that all police units across the state have been alerted and proper security arrangements made in the state capital. -- PTI

Former US president Donald Trump raised over $4 million in 24 hours after a grand jury in Manhattan voted to indict him for his role in paying hush money to a porn star, his office has said.

Significantly, over 25 per cent of donations came from first-time donors to the Trump Campaign, further solidifying his status as the clear frontrunner in the Republican primary, a media release said on Friday.

With an average contribution of only $34, Trump's 2024 campaign is funded by an unmatched coalition of hardworking patriots who are fed up with special interest donors like Soros spending billions of dollars to influence our elections, it said.

"Americans from across all 50 states donated to President Trump's campaign within the first five hours of the sham indictment," the release said.

The White House has refused to comment on the indictment of the former president.

"I have no comment on that," President Joe Biden told reporters on Friday.

Vice President Kamala Harris told reporters in Zambia, "I am not going to comment on an ongoing criminal case as it relates to the former president." -- PTI

09:03 Press conference at noon today, tweets Sidhu

Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu will speak to the media outside the Patiala jail on Saturday.

"Will address the media outside Patiala jail around noon,' said Sidhu in a tweet on Saturday morning.

Sidhu is likely to be released from the Patiala jail on Saturday, said his counsel HPS Varma on Friday.

The 59-year-old was serving a one-year sentence in a 1988 road rage case.

Representational image

08:54 Commercial LPG cylinder prices slashed by Rs 91.50 in Delhi

Petroleum and oil marketing companies reduced the price of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 91.50 per unit with immediate effect from Saturday, sources said.

A 19 kg of commercial LPG cylinder will now cost Rs 2,028 in the national capital.

However, no changes have been made in the prices of the domestic LPG cylinders, sources said.

The petroleum and oil marketing companies had on March 1 this year hiked the prices of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 350.50 per unit and domestic LPG cylinders by Rs 50 per unit.

Earlier, on January 1, commercial cylinder prices were increased by Rs 25 per unit.

The prices of the commercial cylinders were reduced the last time in September 1 last year by Rs 91.50.

On August 1, 2022, too, the prices of commercial LPG cylinders were reduced by Rs 36.

Prior to that, on July 6, rates for the 19-kilogram commercial cylinder were cut by Rs 8.5 per unit. -- ANI

Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com

08:15 Georgia legislature in US passes resolution condemning Hinduphobia

The Georgia assembly has passed a resolution condemning Hinduphobia, making it the first American state to take such a legislative measure.

Condemning Hinduphobia and anti-Hindu bigotry, the resolution said Hinduism is one of the world's largest and oldest religions with over 1.2 billion adherents in over 100 countries and encompasses an array of diverse traditions and belief systems with values of acceptance, mutual respect and peace.

The resolution was introduced by Representatives Lauren McDonald and Todd Jones from Forsyth County in the suburbs of Atlanta, home to one of the largest Hindu and Indian-American diaspora communities in Georgia.

The resolution observed that the American-Hindu community has been a major contributor to diverse sectors such as medicine, science and engineering, information technology, hospitality, finance, academia, manufacturing, energy, retail trade, among others.

It also noted that the community's contributions of Yoga, ayurveda, meditation, food, music, arts have enriched the cultural fabric and have been widely adopted in American society and enhanced the lives of millions.

Stating that there have been documented instances of hate crimes against Hindu-Americans over the last few decades in many parts of the country, the resolution said Hinduphobia is exacerbated and institutionalised by some in academia who support the dismantling of Hinduism and accuse its sacred texts and cultural practices of violence and oppression. -- PTI

The accused in the Jaipur serial bomb blast arriving at court, in Jaipur/PTI

08:10 Jaipur blasts: Raj to challenge acquittal of 4 men

The Rajasthan government has decided to challenge in the Supreme Court the acquittal of four accused in the Jaipur serial blasts case by the high court, an official said.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot said the government will file a special leave petition in this matter in the top court.

An official spokesperson said the decision was taken at a high-level meeting chaired by Gehlot at his residence Friday night.

Gehlot said the state government is determined that the culprits are given the harshest punishment.

A special leave petition will be filed in the Supreme Court against the decision of the Rajasthan high court, he said in the meeting.

The chief minister also decided to terminate the services of additional advocate general Rajendra Yadav, who was appointed to appear in this case, the spokesperson said.

After examining in a high-level meeting, a decision has been taken to appeal in the Supreme Court against the high court's decision in the Jaipur bomb blast case.

The state government will ensure justice to the victims by engaging the best lawyers, Gehlot tweeted. -- PTI

At least 800 shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out in a multi-storey commercial building and quickly spread to adjacent towers in the Bansmandi area in Kanpur early Friday, a senior official said.

Despite the continuous efforts of fire officials of Kanpur and its nearby districts, the fire could not be doused even till late evening, officials said.

Prime facie the fire broke out due to a short circuit following a massive dust storm.

The blaze started at 2 am in AR Tower also known as Afaq Rasool Tower and spread to Maqsood, Humraz complex and Nafees towers charing about 800 shops located in these four towers, the official said, adding strong winds fanned the flames.

"It has been over 20 hours since we started dousing off the fire. As many as 60 fire tenders have been pressed into operation and they have been refilled over 400 times altogether to put the fire out," said BP Jogdand police commissioner.

According to the senior official, goods and cash worth about Rs 150 crore have been gutted in the blaze.

A four-member committee headed by Additional DM (Finance and Revenue) Rajesh Kumar and comprising additional municipal commissioner, joint director trade tax and chief fire officer as members have been formed to probe the incident and assess the losses, said district magistrate Vishal G Ayyar.

The committee has been formed following instructions of deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak who also inspected the incident site and met the shopkeepers whose shops and establishments were destroyed in the blaze, DM added. -- PTI

The alcohol limit of a man accused of running over and killing a jogger was 137 milligrams in 100 millilitres of blood, much higher than the 30mg per 100 ml permissible content set as per the Motor Vehicles Act, Mumbai police said while opposing his bail plea. Rajalakshmi Ramakrishnan, a tech firm CEO, was hit by a speeding car during her morning walk on the Worli seaface promenade last week.

Accused Sumer Merchant, who was allegedly driving the vehicle, has claimed in his bail plea that he did not see the woman since it was a blind spot.

The police, in its written response filed before the court, also contended the vehicle was at a speed of 95-100 kilometres per hour.

The police also said they were probing if there was any "foul play" in the incident. The court will hear Merchant's bail argument on April 5.

The magistrate's court had earlier refused him bail in the case after holding that there appeared to be no blind spot on that road stretch as per record and photographs. -- PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi

01:02 Rahul's K'taka event postponed to April 9 as it coincide with Modi's programme

Poll-bound Karnataka will witness a 'clash of the Titans' on April 9 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress top leader Rahul Gandhi will have different events that day, with the opposition party rescheduling Gandhi's programme that would now coincide with that of the PM.

Disqualified Congress MP Gandhi's scheduled event, 'Satyameva Jayate' at Kolar on April 5 has been postponed to April 9, a senior Congress functionary said on Friday.

The new date for the event coincides with the golden jubilee celebration of "Project Tiger", which PM Modi will launch on April 9.

"Rahul Gandhi lost his Lok Sabha membership after the court sentenced him to two years jail for his speech. Hence, the party has decided to launch its fight to save the Constitution from Kolar," the party's state working president Saleem Ahmed told reporters in Kolar.

He added the current developments in India made one think whether it is still a democratic country.

According to Congress sources, the party intentionally chose April 9 to launch its event when Modi will be in Mysuru. -- PTI

Priyank Kanoongo/ANI

00:34 Police beat me in Kolkata: Child rights panel chief

National Commission for Protection of Child Rights chairperson Priyank Kanoongo on Friday claimed that he was roughed up by the police officers while visiting the residence of a minor girl in Kolkata's Tiljala area, who was killed by a neighbour earlier this week.

The police, however, rubbished Kanoongo's allegation and said officers had cooperated with him, and it was the NCPCR chief who "misbehaved" with them.

"Bengal police officer Biswak Mukherjee beat me up at Tiljala police station in West Bengal. Policemen were secretly recording our investigation proceedings. They beat me up for protesting against this," Kanoongo tweeted in Hindi.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Commission for Protection of Child Rights chief Sudeshna Roy claimed that Kanoongo "insulted her and her colleagues", and that she was contemplating lodging a police complaint in this regard.

"The NCPCR team went there without informing us. When I reached the spot, he (Kanoongo) started speaking in a very insulting tone. He also tried to assault me," she told PTI.

Roy had on Thursday written to NCPCR, stating that its proposed visit to West Bengal over the murder of a girl in Kolkata and the rape of another minor in Malda was "not really necessary". -- PTI

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