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New Delhi: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday hit out at the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh over the Chinmayanand case , alleging that a rape case was not filed as the administration was "protecting" the former Union minister. A post-graduate student from Shahjahanpur has accused Chinmayanand of rape. Taking to Twitter, Priyanka Gandhi also posted a media report that claimed that administrative officials performed Chinamayanand's 'aarti' a year ago. मात्र एक साल पहले शाहजहाँपुर के कई प्रशासनिक अधिकारी चिन्मयानंद की आरती उतारते दिखे। मामला अखबारों में उछला था। बलात्कार पीड़िता द्वारा पूरी आपबीती कहने के बावजूद बलात्कार का मुकदमा दर्ज नहीं हुआ, कैसे होता? जब पूरा महकमा गले लगाकर उनका बचाव कर रहा था। https://t.co/JmG27IjBKG — Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) September 29, 2019 "Just about a year ago, many administrative officials of Shahjahanpur were seen performing aarti of Chinmayanand. The matter was raised in newspapers,"

Shubho Mahalaya 2019 : Falling a week before West Bengal's most popular annual festival, Durga puja, comes Mahalaya. This year, the auspicious day falls on Saturday,  (28 September) , according to the Hindu calendar. On Mahalaya, from when the countdown of Durga Puja begins, almost every Bengali wakes up at 4 am in the morning, tunes into the radio to listen to the recital of Mahisasura Mardini by Birendra Krishna Bhadra to mark the beginning of the much-awaited festival. An idol of goddess Durga at a pandal, in Kolkata. Courtesy: SOLARIS IMAGES Celebrated at the end of Shradh or Pitru Paksha , a 16-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, the day is celebrated by Bengalis across the globe with much fervour and zeal. It is a popular belief that mantras called 'Mahisasura Mardini' invoke the goddess Durga; the most famous one being Jago Tumi Jago . The occasion is associated with different practices and rituals. Many people perform  tarpan  on this day t

India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) Syed Akbaruddin was prophetic in his words when a few days ago in response to a query on Kashmir, he said India will “soar high”, Pakistan may “stoop low”. He is a seasoned diplomat, who has for long been a part of the Indian establishment and has been closely dealing with Pakistan at the United Nations on various issues. Thus, he knew exactly how things may unfold at the United Nations General Assembly on Friday when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Pakistani counterpart Imran Khan were to speak. File image of Narendra Modi. ANI Modi’s speech — short, crisp and meaningful — was that of a statesman, a global leader with great appeal and vision, someone who inspired confidence and had the capability to ensure last-mile delivery. He did not take any names, either of any country or leader, least of all of Pakistan and Imran. It was not needed. He didn’t need to talk about Kashmir because it was an internal matter of

Narendra Modi to address 'Mann ki Baat' today after returning from US Asserting that the respect and enthusiasm for India have "increased significantly" on the world stage in the last five years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday was given a welcome by BJP workers on Saturday after he returned from nearly a week-long trip to the US. Addressing the gathering outside the Palam Airport, Modi noted that the 'Howdy, Modi' diaspora event in Houston saw the attendance of US president Donald Trump and both the Republicans and the Democrats. He said what stood out was the manner in which the Indian community in the US showcased their presence. "After assuming office in 2014, I went to the United Nations. I went to the United Nations even now. In these five years, I have seen a big change... in the eyes of the world and also the world leaders, the respect for India, the enthusiasm towards India has increased significantly. The main reason is because of th

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday met a group of Kashmiri students and talked of the importance of dialogue in democracy while urging them to share their trial and tribulations directly with him to resolve them. File image of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. PTI "We are living in a democratic society and it should be kept in mind that dialogue could be the most important medium in it. We have to make new efforts with this view in mind," the chief minister said while interacting with a group of 70 Kashmiri students studying in different colleges in the state. "We also need to understand what democracy actually means. There will be prosperity in our lives only when there is development. How could we become a part in the development process?" he said, adding the common people want basic facilities and employment guarantee. The Kashmiri students studying in the Aligarh Muslim University had on Friday decided against

Ramban/Jammu: Three terrorists were eliminated and an army jawan was also killed while rescuing a civilian hostage in a five-hour long operation the Batote area of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, an army officer said. The militants were encircled by the search parties inside a house in the main market after they managed their escape from the scene of the earlier encounter in the highway town in Ramban district, officials said. Two police officials were also injured in the operation. "Three terrorists have been killed. The hostage has been rescued. Two police officials sustained bullet injuries and an Army personnel died. Operation is over now. They are the same terrorists who were seen in the morning," Jammu Inspector General of Police (IG) Mukesh Singh told ANI. Earlier, a police spokesman said a group of five terrorists are trapped in the town. The trapped terrorists had fired at the Quick Reaction Team (QRT) of the Army in the morning and tried to escape but were chase

Washington: Indian-American lawmaker Pramila Jayapal along with 13 other US Congressmen have urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to address concerns over the human rights situation in Kashmir and lift the communications blackout. Representational Image. PTI A statement, addressed to the prime minister, was issued jointly by Congressmen Gilbert R. Cisneros, Jr, Judy Chu, Pramila Jayapal, Carolyn Maloney, Gerald Connolly, Ilhan Omar, Barbara Lee, Al Green, Zoe Lofgren, Andy Levin, Mike Levin, James P McGovern, Jan Schakowsky, and Katie Porter. "On behalf of thousands of families across the country who have been unable to contact family in Jammu and Kashmir, we are urging Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi to lift the communications blackout and address the ongoing humanitarian concerns," the lawmakers said in the joint statement. Restrictions were imposed when New Delhi had on 5 August scrapped the state's special status under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcate

New York : Prime Minister Narendra Modi has concluded his US visit, thanking the American people for the "exceptional welcome, warmth and hospitality" and expressed confidence that the diverse range of programmes he attended during the stay will greatly benefit India and its development trajectory. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. AP Just before emplaning the special aircraft, the prime minister detailed his week-long visit and the programmes he attended in the US, including his address to the 74th UN General Assembly in New York and the mega 'Howdy, Modi' diaspora event in Houston, Texas and thanked US president Donald Trump for attending it. "Community connect is at the heart of India-USA relations. I will never forget the #HowdyModi programme, made more special by the coming of @POTUS. That gesture showed how much he personally, and USA values ties with India as well as the role of o

Patna : Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday called a meeting for disaster management, via video conferencing, in the wake of heavy rains lashing Patna and other parts of Bihar. File image of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar. PTI Patna witnessed heavy downpour on Saturday, causing traffic jams and waterlogging in several parts of the city. The commuters on two-wheeler vehicles were seen wading through knee-deep water. Pedestrians were also stranded for hours due to water clogged roads and bridges. Water has entered many residential areas and hospitals and is causing trouble for the general population. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the city will receive moderate rainfall accompanied by a thunderstorm for the next two days. from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2lRckHQ Asian News International

Ramban/Jammu: Five terrorists are holed up inside a house in Batote along the Jammu-Kishtwar national highway and efforts are on to neutralise them, police said, as security forces launched a massive search operation after the ultras attacked an Indian Army team Saturday morning. The militants were encircled by the search parties inside the house after they managed their escape from the scene of the earlier encounter in the highway town in Ramban district, officials said. The officials said house owner, Vijay Kumar, is also believed to be trapped inside and efforts are on to evacuate him safely. "A group of five terrorists is trapped in Batote town. Joint parties of police, Army and CRPF cordoned the area and the exchange of fire ensued," a police spokesman said. He said the trapped terrorists had fired at the Quick Reaction Team (QRT) in the morning and tried to escape. After a hot chase, they entered the house of a civilian in Batote town which was immediately gheraoed

New Delhi :  The Supreme Court on Saturday set up a five-judge constitution bench headed by Justice NV Ramana to hear a batch of pleas related to abrogation of Article 370 provisions that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir. File image of the Supreme Court of India. Reuters From the beginning of next month, the bench will commence hearing to examine the constitutional validity of the scrapping of the article's provisions and the subsequent presidential orders on it, an official source said. While referring to the batch of petitions to the Constitution bench, a bench headed by chief justice Ranjan Gogoi in August had said the larger bench will commence hearing on the issue in the first week of October. Several petitions have been filed challenging the Centre's decision of abrogating the Article 370 provisions and bifurcating the state into Union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. The UTs will come into being on 31 October. Petitions have also been filed b

BJP leader Mukul Roy on Saturday appeared before the CBI probe team to face questioning in connection with Narada tapes scandal, agency sources said. Mukul Roy file image. ANI Roy had been asked to appear in the probe agency's office on Friday. But he did not go there citing "preoccupations" and sought more time. The former railway minister was then asked to come on Saturday. "Roy reached the CBI office at around 2.15 pm," the sources said. The CBI on Thursday arrested IPS officer SMH Mirza in the scandal, the first apprehension in the case since the tapes surfaced in 2016. In the footages, persons resembling senior Trinamool Congress leaders are seen accepting money from the representatives of a fictitious company in return for favours. Roy, who was then a Trinamool Congress MP, was purportedly shown conversing with Mathew Samuels who claimed to have conducted the sting operation in 2014. from Firstpost India Latest News https://ift.tt/2nt54SQ Pres

India on Saturday condoled the death of Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, a 42-year-old Indian-American Sikh police officer, who was shot at while conducting a traffic stop  in the US state of Texas. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in a tweet said that he was "deeply grieved" by the incident. Deeply grieved to learn of the shooting of Deputy Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal, a Sikh Indian-American officer in Houston. We have just visited that city. My condolences to his family. https://t.co/BBUJOFcjB8 — Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 28, 2019 Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh also took to Twitter and condoled the Sikh officer’s death. He also highlighted that Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal was the first turbaned police officer of America.   Deeply anguished to learn of the ruthless killing of Deputy Sheriff of Harris County, Sandeep Singh Dhaliwal. He represented the Sikh community with pride and was the first turbaned police officer of America. My condolences t

New York : Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday met Democratic party leader Tulsi Gabbard on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. Gabbard was not present at the mega 'Howdy, Mody!' event in Houston earlier this week due to prior commitments related to her scheduled presidential campaigns. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Democratic party leader Tulsi Gabbard. ANI "Namaste! I would like to extend a warm welcome to Prime Minister Modi on his latest visit to the US and I am sorry that I will not be able to join there in person due to previously scheduled presidential campaign events. I am really glad to see so many Indian Americans from all across our country as well as colleagues from Congress coming together there," she had said in a video message. Earlier in a tweet, Gabbard had informed that while she will not be able to attend the event, she hoped to meet Prime Minister Modi during his US visit. Referring to an article, s

Mumbai : Pakistan should be wary of the recent additions to our naval capacity as with them we could deliver them a bigger blow, said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the commissioning ceremony of the second Kalvari-class submarine INS 'Khanderi' on Saturday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaking at an event in Mumbai on Saturday. ANI "Pakistan should understand that with the strong resolve of our government and advancement in naval capacity with additions like INS Khanderi, we are capable of giving a much bigger blow to it," Singh said at an event. Lauding the name given to the Kalvari-class submarine, Rajnath said, "The name Khanderi is inspired by the dreaded 'Sword Tooth Fish,' a deadly fish known to hunt whilst swimming close to the bottom of the ocean. Khanderi is also the name of an island fort constructed by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. He was one of the few medieval rulers in the country who understood the significance of Naval supremacy.

Shubho Mahalaya 2019 : Falling a week before West Bengal's most popular annual festival, Durga puja, comes Mahalaya. This year, the auspicious day falls on Saturday,  (28 September) , according to the Hindu calendar. On Mahalaya, from when the countdown of Durga Puja begins, almost every Bengali wakes up at 4 am in the morning, tunes into the radio to listen to the recital of Mahisasura Mardini by Birendra Krishna Bhadra to mark the beginning of the much-awaited festival. An idol of goddess Durga at a pandal, in Kolkata. Courtesy: SOLARIS IMAGES Celebrated at the end of Shradh or Pitru Paksha , a 16-day period when Hindus pay homage to their ancestors, the day is celebrated by Bengalis across the globe with much fervour and zeal. It is a popular belief that mantras called 'Mahisasura Mardini' invoke the goddess Durga; the most famous one being Jago Tumi Jago . The occasion is associated with different practices and rituals. Many people perform  tarpan  on this day t

New York : Raising the Kashmir issue at the UN, China has told the General Assembly that the "dispute" should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and the bilateral agreement. China, a close ally of Pakistan, also stressed that no actions should be taken that would unilaterally change the "status quo". Representational image. Reuters "The Kashmir issue, a dispute left from the past, should be peacefully and properly addressed in accordance with the UN Charter, Security Council resolutions and bilateral agreement," State Councilor and Foreign Minister of China Wang Yi said in his address to the UN General Assembly on Friday. "No actions that would unilaterally change the status quo should be taken. As a neighbour of both India and Pakistan, China hopes to see the dispute effectively managed and stability restored to the relationship between the two sides," Wang said. India ended

New Delhi : The Delhi government will appoint 5,500 ex-home guards as marshals in DTC and cluster buses plying in the city to ensure safety of women passengers. The announcement was made by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at a meeting with former home guards outside his residence. Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal addressing ex-home guards on Friday. ANI This is the first time that marshals are being deployed in cluster buses operated by the Delhi Integrated Multi-Modal Transit System (DIMTS). Marshals are currently deployed in the evening shift in the buses of the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC). It has been decided to also deploy marshals in the morning shift in these buses. In a statement, the government said that the recruitment and appointment the marshals will be completed before Diwali. Kejriwal in a tweet said the Delhi government will appoint former home guards as marshals, saying that women in buses will feel safer. The government will seek an application for the po

New Delhi : MTech students in IITs will now have to pay more with the IIT Council on Friday approving a fee increase to bring it to the level of BTech courses. The Council chaired by Union HRD minister Ramesh Pokhriyal also approved the 'tenure track pathway' to decide whether a new faculty member is going 'up' or 'out' after a fifth-year review of his or her performance. Representational image. News18 The agenda item 'Reform of the MTech Programmes' stated that "Proactively increase the MTech fee and bring it at least to the level of BTech fee (Rs 2 lakh per year) over the next three years. Simultaneously the needy students should be supported directly by the government through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) or arranging educational loans." The proposal has been made based on the recommendations of a three-member committee on the reforms on the MTech programme in IITs. "The committee had recommended a uniform fee structure for M.Tech

New Delhi : Delhi Metro's Grey Line, which connects Dwarka to Najafgarh, has got the mandatory approval from the Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety (CMRS), and date for the commencement of operations is expected to be announced soon. CMRS Janak Kumar Garg carried out a safety inspection on the 4.29 kilometre-long corridor. "Grey Line Update, The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, Shri Janak Kumar Garg has accorded the mandatory approval for the commencement of passenger operations on the 4.295 kilometre long Dwarka-Najafgarh section. The date for commencement of operations shall be intimated shortly," the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) said in a tweet. Grey Line Update The Commissioner of Metro Rail Safety, Shri Janak Kumar Garg has accorded the mandatory approval for the commencement of passenger operations on the 4.295 km long Dwarka - Najafgarh section. The date for commencement of operations shall be intimated shortly. — Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (@Officia

New Delhi: In a bid to clean up the bureaucracy, the Centre has sacked 15 very senior Income Tax officers facing corruption charges. These officers are at the rank of Principal Commissioner of Income Tax (Pr. CIT), Commissioner of Income Tax (CIT) and Joint Commissioner of Income Tax (JCIT). So far, the government has sacked 64 high ranking tax offices, including 12 officers from Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) who were compulsorily retired under Fundamental Rule 56(J). File image of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. AFP The officers sacked by the government on Friday includes OP Meena, Pr.CIT. The CBDT said action against Meena is being taken due to serious doubts on the integrity of the officer. The CBDT documents said Meena, serving as CIT (Appeals) in September 2014, dealt with the case of advocate Prashant Chandra, who is also representing Meena in a case before the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) Lucknow bench. “OP Meena decided the appellate matter pending before hi

After his address at 'Howdy Modi' event at Houston in the United States of America (USA) earlier this week, Prime Minister Narendra Modi once again spoke at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Friday. Both the events created much anticipation and excitement among his followers, political commentators, and media personnel alike. But there was an important difference between the two events. In Houston, it was clearly Modi— the politician who enjoys the support of millions of Indians — who spoke with an intent to connect with his fans and followers gathered at the NRG Stadium. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Friday. AP In his speech, Modi, although stopped short of naming Pakistan, but his reference to "that country" was quite clear. He also spoke about "bidding farewell" to Article 370 — a temporary provision in the Indian Constitution that gave a semi-autonomous status to Ja

The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Friday said that the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar would reopen on 15 October. Speculating disruption in the Valley, the institute had suspended its classes on 3 August, three days before the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The students were asked to return to their respective states until further notice. After 56 days, the HRD ministry said that the situation is conducive to reopen the premium institute. The government also said that internships will be given to meritorious Kashmiri students in 2020. IIT Guwahati and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have also said they are planning to give internships to the youths of the Valley, reported CNN-News18 . #BREAKING – Government’s outreach to Jammu and Kashmir students. Centre to give internships to J&K students. HRD Ministry confirms reopening of NIT Srinagar on October 15. | @payalmehta100 with mor

The Ministry of Human Resource Development on Friday said that the National Institute of Technology (NIT) in Jammu and Kashmir's Srinagar would reopen on 15 October. Speculating disruption in the Valley, the institute had suspended its classes on 3 August, three days before the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir's special status. The students were asked to return to their respective states until further notice. After 56 days, the HRD ministry said that the situation is conducive to reopen the premium institute. The government also said that internships will be given to meritorious Kashmiri students in 2020. IIT Guwahati and All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) have also said they are planning to give internships to the youths of the Valley, reported CNN-News18 . #BREAKING – Government’s outreach to Jammu and Kashmir students. Centre to give internships to J&K students. HRD Ministry confirms reopening of NIT Srinagar on October 15. | @payalmehta100 with mor

New York : India on Friday said that Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan's threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualifies as "brinksmanship, not statesmanship". India's right to reply comes after Khan in his maiden at the 74th UNGA session made an attempt to "sharpen differences and stir up hatred". Pakistan prime minister Imran Khan addresses the 74th session of the United Nations General Assembly. Reuters Exercising India's right to reply to Khan's speech, First Secretary MEA Vidisha Maitra said that Pakistan's "virulent reaction" over the abrogation of Article 370 depicts that "those who thrive on conflict never welcome the ray of peace". She said, "I take the floor to exercise India's right of reply to the statement made by the prime minister of Pakistan. Every word spoken from the podium of this august Assembly, it is believed, carries the weight of history." "Unfortunately, what we heard today

India exercises right to reply at UN after Imran Khan's speech, says Pakistan's nuke threat brinksmanship, not statesmanship In a strong reply to Imran Khan's UNGA address on Kashmir issue, Vidisha Maitra, first secretary to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said that the Pakistani prime minister's threat of unleashing nuclear devastation qualified as brinksmanship and not statesmanship. Exercising India's right to reply to Khan's speech, Maitra said, "Citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from the ideology of hate." Vidisha Maitra, First Secretary MEA exercises India's right of reply to Pakistan PM Imran Khan's speech: Citizens of India do not need anyone else to speak on their behalf, least of all those who have built an industry of terrorism from the ideology of hate. https://t.co/sK89cd3VVy pic.twitter.com/sLkB7YXUei — ANI (@ANI) September 28, 20

New Delhi : The India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday said that isolated places over Bihar, Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat are likely to receive heavy rainfall. The weather forecasting agency further stated that areas over Sub-Himalayan, West Bengal and Sikkim are also likely to receive heavy downpour throughout the day. Representational image. ANI "Heavy to very heavy rainfall with extremely heavy falls is very likely at isolated places over Chhattisgarh, Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, East Rajasthan, Gangetic West Bengal, Jharkhand, Assam and Meghalaya," stated IMD in its All India Weather Warning Bulletin. Thunderstorm accompanied with lightning are very likely to occur at isolated places over Madhya Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Vidarbha and Odisha. Squally weather is likely to prevail over Gujarat coast and adjoining northeast Arabian Sea and east Indian Ocean and adjoining the southwest Bay of Bengal. Strong winds, speed r

With voting for the 90-member Haryana Assembly  scheduled for 21 October  in a single-phase election, the Election Commission is getting ready to conduct this most important exercise in a democratic setup. The term of the current Haryana Assembly will end on 2 November. Out of the 90 Assembly constituencies in the state, 17 are reserved for Scheduled Castes as per the Delimitation of Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies Order, 2008. The state has a total number of 1,81,91,228 people as general electors while 1,07,486 are enrolled as Service Voters taking the final electoral rolls to 1,82,98,714 who will exercise their right to franchise in 19,425 polling stations. The number of polling stations in 2019 has registered a 19.58 percent rise than 2014. According to the Election Commission, the last date for filing of nomination is 4 October and the date for scrutiny of nominations is 5 October. The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is 7 October. The date of counting is