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Maha Shivratri, also known as the ‘Great night of Lord Shiva,’ is a Hindu festival observed by devotees from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with much fervour.

While Shivratri falls on the 14th day of each month of the lunar calendar, Maha Shivratri is celebrated only once a year before the arrival of summer. On this holy day, devotees worship Lord Shiva and seek his divine guidance. In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or Herath.

On this holy day to worship Lord Shiva, be meditative and seek his divine guidance.

While the festival is popularly celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, there is much more significance to this festival. For instance, according to Puranas, Shivrati marks the night Lord Shiva saved the human kind by consuming a pot of poison during Samudra Manthan- mythical churning of the ocean.

According to Shaivism, the festival marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the divine dance of creation, preservation and, destruction.

On this day, to please their Lord, devotees observe the special Maha Shivratri fast and throng Shiva temples across the country to offer fruits and milk to the Shivaling, an iconic representation of Shiva.

While some perform Puja to pray for moksha or salvation, many women pray to be blessed with a good husband.

Many temples across the country organise fairs and cultural programmes to mark the occasion.

This year’s Maha Shivratri will also mark the closing day of the mega holy event Ardh Kumbh Mela. On this auspicious day, devotees will take the last holy dip in the sacred waters considered a confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers.

Devotees conclude the festival by chanting some powerful Shiva mantras including Om Namah Shivaay, chanted for eradicating fear, Om Namo Bhagwate Rudraay, to seek Lord Shiva's blessings, and Mahamrityunjay mantra, to increase increasing longevity.

While fasting is a significant part of custom, the rituals also call for preparation of satvik delicacies that are consumed during the fast and after breaking the fast post offering the final prayers.

Fruits are an irreplaceable part of every religious festival in India. From offering to the deities to consuming during fast, no celebration is complete without fruits. On Shivratri, many devotees, after performing their morning prayers, indulge in some lips smacking fruit chaat.

For people who like to constantly munch on something to feel full, dry fruits are the best option. A bowl of dry fruits is perfect to keep the stomach busy so that is doesn’t constantly crave for food.

In beverages, people consume fresh fruit juice, milk, tea, fruit milk shakes, thandai and lemonade.

Potato chips, sabudana khichdi and tikki, kuttu atta pakaodas and millet pulao are considered satvik food items and are consumed during and post fast. 
Dry fruit kheer, badam barfi, coconut barfi, potato halwa, rabdi and sabudana kheer are some of the traditional desserts that are considered the heart of this festival.

From standing in long temple queues to munching on traditional dishes, the festival not only celebrates the divinity of Lord Shiva but also brings families together.

Maha Shivratri, also known as the ‘Great night of Lord Shiva,’ is a Hindu festival observed by devotees from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with much fervour. While Shivratri falls on the 14th day of each month of the lunar calendar, Maha Shivratri is celebrated only once a year before the arrival of summer.

Maha Shivratri, also known as the ‘Great night of Lord Shiva,’ is a Hindu festival observed by devotees from Kashmir to Kanyakumari with much fervour. While Shivratri falls on the 14th day of each month of the lunar calendar, Maha Shivratri is celebrated only once a year before the arrival of summer. On this holy day, devotees worship Lord Shiva and seek his divine guidance. In Kashmir Shaivism, the festival is called Har-ratri or Herath. On this holy day to worship Lord Shiva, be meditative and seek his divine guidance. While the festival is popularly celebrated as the wedding anniversary of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, there is much more significance to this festival. For instance, according to Puranas, Shivrati marks the night Lord Shiva saved the human kind by consuming a pot of poison during Samudra Manthan- mythical churning of the ocean. According to Shaivism, the festival marks the night when Lord Shiva performed the divine dance of creation, preservation and, destruction. On this day, to please their Lord, devotees observe the special Maha Shivratri fast and throng Shiva temples across the country to offer fruits and milk to the Shivaling, an iconic representation of Shiva. While some perform Puja to pray for moksha or salvation, many women pray to be blessed with a good husband. Many temples across the country organise fairs and cultural programmes to mark the occasion. This year’s Maha Shivratri will also mark the closing day of the mega holy event Ardh Kumbh Mela. On this auspicious day, devotees will take the last holy dip in the sacred waters considered a confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati rivers. Devotees conclude the festival by chanting some powerful Shiva mantras including Om Namah Shivaay, chanted for eradicating fear, Om Namo Bhagwate Rudraay, to seek Lord Shiva's blessings, and Mahamrityunjay mantra, to increase increasing longevity. While fasting is a significant part of custom, the rituals also call for preparation of satvik delicacies that are consumed during the fast and after breaking the fast post offering the final prayers. Fruits are an irreplaceable part of every religious festival in India. From offering to the deities to consuming during fast, no celebration is complete without fruits. On Shivratri, many devotees, after performing their morning prayers, indulge in some lips smacking fruit chaat. For people who like to constantly munch on something to feel full, dry fruits are the best option. A bowl of dry fruits is perfect to keep the stomach busy so that is doesn’t constantly crave for food. In beverages, people consume fresh fruit juice, milk, tea, fruit milk shakes, thandai and lemonade. Potato chips, sabudana khichdi and tikki, kuttu atta pakaodas and millet pulao are considered satvik food items and are consumed during and post fast. Dry fruit kheer, badam barfi, coconut barfi, potato halwa, rabdi and sabudana kheer are some of the traditional desserts that are considered the heart of this festival. From standing in long temple queues to munching on traditional dishes, the festival not only celebrates the divinity of Lord Shiva but also brings families together.

Significance to celebration: All you need to know about Maha Shivratri 2019

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the opposition for doubting the armed forces on the anti-terror air strike in Pakistan and said the country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jets as the results could have been different if India had these aircraft.

He said the country has seen the influence of India's foreign policy after the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan within three days of his capture.

Modi took on the opposition over the issue of air strike, saying while the entire world stood behind India in its fight against terror, some parties in the country were questioning and raising doubts.

He also hit out at his detractors, saying they are free to criticise him but their anti-Modi tirade should not harm the country's security interests and help terrorists such as Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed.

"India is feeling the absence of Rafale. The entire country is saying in one voice today if we had Rafale probably the result would have been different. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale," he said at the India Today Conclave.

He hit out at his detractors and said in their obsession to attack him, such people were harming the country and its security interests.

"One of the challenges before the country is some people opposing their own country. When the entire nation today is standing with the armed forces, some parties are casting doubts on them.

"These are the parties whose statements and articles are being used by Pakistan against India. In their fixation with criticising Modi, they are opposing the country and compromising its interests," the PM said.

"I want to ask these people whether they trust the capability of our armed forces or doubt it...A person like Modi will come and go, but India will remain...I want to tell such people that they are free to oppose Modi and point out shortcomings in the government's work, but do not help those harbouring terrorism.

"If you want to oppose Modi, do so, but do not oppose national interests. They should take care that their anti-Modi obsession and not help terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed," he said at the gathering.

He said that India's unity has scared many within the country and outside. He said there was fear in the neighbouring country of the bravery and valour of Indian armed forces and it was good to learn that.

Modi said, "I can say with full confidence that the 21st century belongs to India."&nbsp;

On pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's release, he said, "Going by the events in the last few days, you would have seen the influence of India's foreign policy. Have you seen or not."&nbsp;

Modi said people had raised doubts over his experience in foreign policy issues when he took over as prime minister. 
Tearing into the Congress, Modi alleged its rule saw many defence scams. "They began with jeeps and later graduated to weapons, submarines, helicopters. The defence sector suffered in the process," he said.

"Those who ruled the nation for many many years had interests in two things - doles and deals. The culture of doles and deals harmed our nation's development journey greatly.

"Why is it that those who ruled the nation for so many years have so many defence scams in their era? They began with Jeeps and later graduated to weapons, submarines, helicopters. In the process, the defence sector suffered.

"If a deal could not happen, defence modernisation could not happen. Who is every dealmaker close to? Who is every middle-man close to? The entire nation knows. And Lutyens' Delhi, surely knows," he told the gathering.

Modi said during his tenure, 2.3 lakh bulletproof jackets were bought while previous Congress-led government ignored the proposal since 2009. The jackets he said were most important for the life of a soldier.

"You would be ashamed to know that not one, I repeat not one bulletproof jacket was obtained from 2009 to 2014," he said.

"In our tenure, the corridors of power are also free from middlemen because they know, this government will not tolerate any corruption," he said.

"While they (Congress) worked for 10 per cent commission, our governments work for 100 per cent mission," he noted.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attacking Modi over the Rafale deal, alleging corruption and favouritism. The government has denied the charges.

The prime minister also criticised the previous Congress governments for not doing anything to implement the OROP (One rank, one pension) scheme for armed forces and asked why was there no war memorial for the martyred soldiers.

Modi noted that unlike in the past, now no one can dare to threaten India and said, "the new India is a leader, fearless and decisive", adding that his government was decisive due to the unity of the people of the country.

Modi said his government's 55 months in power and 55 years of others' rule had given two contrasting approaches to governance. Previous governments had a "token approach", "we have a total approach'," he said.

Modi said Congress government gave away doles that were not aimed at empowering the poor, who remained at the mercy of the political class.

"The best example of this is the farm loan waivers. No economist or policy expert will ever say farm loan waivers can solve our agrarian issues. It is a temporary balm at best," he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the opposition for doubting the armed forces on the anti-terror air strike in Pakistan and said the country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jets as the results could have been different if India had these aircraft.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday hit out at the opposition for doubting the armed forces on the anti-terror air strike in Pakistan and said the country is feeling the absence of Rafale fighter jets as the results could have been different if India had these aircraft. He said the country has seen the influence of India's foreign policy after the release of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman by Pakistan within three days of his capture. Modi took on the opposition over the issue of air strike, saying while the entire world stood behind India in its fight against terror, some parties in the country were questioning and raising doubts. He also hit out at his detractors, saying they are free to criticise him but their anti-Modi tirade should not harm the country's security interests and help terrorists such as Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed. "India is feeling the absence of Rafale. The entire country is saying in one voice today if we had Rafale probably the result would have been different. The country has suffered a lot due to selfish interests earlier and now politics over Rafale," he said at the India Today Conclave. He hit out at his detractors and said in their obsession to attack him, such people were harming the country and its security interests. "One of the challenges before the country is some people opposing their own country. When the entire nation today is standing with the armed forces, some parties are casting doubts on them. "These are the parties whose statements and articles are being used by Pakistan against India. In their fixation with criticising Modi, they are opposing the country and compromising its interests," the PM said. "I want to ask these people whether they trust the capability of our armed forces or doubt it...A person like Modi will come and go, but India will remain...I want to tell such people that they are free to oppose Modi and point out shortcomings in the government's work, but do not help those harbouring terrorism. "If you want to oppose Modi, do so, but do not oppose national interests. They should take care that their anti-Modi obsession and not help terrorists like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed," he said at the gathering. He said that India's unity has scared many within the country and outside. He said there was fear in the neighbouring country of the bravery and valour of Indian armed forces and it was good to learn that. Modi said, "I can say with full confidence that the 21st century belongs to India." On pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's release, he said, "Going by the events in the last few days, you would have seen the influence of India's foreign policy. Have you seen or not." Modi said people had raised doubts over his experience in foreign policy issues when he took over as prime minister. Tearing into the Congress, Modi alleged its rule saw many defence scams. "They began with jeeps and later graduated to weapons, submarines, helicopters. The defence sector suffered in the process," he said. "Those who ruled the nation for many many years had interests in two things - doles and deals. The culture of doles and deals harmed our nation's development journey greatly. "Why is it that those who ruled the nation for so many years have so many defence scams in their era? They began with Jeeps and later graduated to weapons, submarines, helicopters. In the process, the defence sector suffered. "If a deal could not happen, defence modernisation could not happen. Who is every dealmaker close to? Who is every middle-man close to? The entire nation knows. And Lutyens' Delhi, surely knows," he told the gathering. Modi said during his tenure, 2.3 lakh bulletproof jackets were bought while previous Congress-led government ignored the proposal since 2009. The jackets he said were most important for the life of a soldier. "You would be ashamed to know that not one, I repeat not one bulletproof jacket was obtained from 2009 to 2014," he said. "In our tenure, the corridors of power are also free from middlemen because they know, this government will not tolerate any corruption," he said. "While they (Congress) worked for 10 per cent commission, our governments work for 100 per cent mission," he noted. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has been attacking Modi over the Rafale deal, alleging corruption and favouritism. The government has denied the charges. The prime minister also criticised the previous Congress governments for not doing anything to implement the OROP (One rank, one pension) scheme for armed forces and asked why was there no war memorial for the martyred soldiers. Modi noted that unlike in the past, now no one can dare to threaten India and said, "the new India is a leader, fearless and decisive", adding that his government was decisive due to the unity of the people of the country. Modi said his government's 55 months in power and 55 years of others' rule had given two contrasting approaches to governance. Previous governments had a "token approach", "we have a total approach'," he said. Modi said Congress government gave away doles that were not aimed at empowering the poor, who remained at the mercy of the political class. "The best example of this is the farm loan waivers. No economist or policy expert will ever say farm loan waivers can solve our agrarian issues. It is a temporary balm at best," he said.

PM Modi says country missing Rafale, slams opposition for doubting Balakot air strike

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the issue is strictly internal to the country, New Delhi asserted Saturday, in reaction to a resolution on the matter by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/it-is-a-diplomatic-victory-for-india-rajnath-singh-on-indias-invite-to-oic-meet-200709">two-day foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi</a>.

"As regards the resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, our stand is consistent and well known. We reaffirm that Jammu &amp; Kashmir is an integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Raveesh Kumar said.

Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office said that the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC concluded with a resolution that "supported" Pakistan on the Kashmir issue.

"In a resolution, the OIC member states reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir remains the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution is indispensable for the dream for peace in South Asia," it claimed.

The resolution also "expressed deep concern" over the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, the Pakistan Foreign Office claimed, adding that the resolution also reminded the international community of its obligation to ensure implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Kashmir dispute.

The OIC is a grouping of 57 countries, majority of which are Muslim-dominated. It has usually been supportive of Pakistan and, often sided with Islamabad on the Kashmir issue.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC on Friday. She was the first Indian minister to address the OIC meeting.

India's participation came despite strong demand by Pakistan to rescind the invitation to Swaraj to address the grouping which was turned down by the host UAE, resulting in Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi boycotting the plenary.

Swaraj attended the meeting in Abu Dhabi on March 1 as the guest of honour at the invitation extended by the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates.

"We deeply appreciate this historic gesture on the 50th anniversary of their first meeting," the MEA spokesperson said.

The OIC also called for "restraint and de-escalation" in South Asia as well as the need to resolve outstanding issues through peaceful means, the Pakistan Foreign Office said.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the issue is strictly internal to the country, New Delhi asserted Saturday, in reaction to a resolution on the matter by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in its two-day foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi.

Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and the issue is strictly internal to the country, New Delhi asserted Saturday, in reaction to a resolution on the matter by the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in its two-day foreign ministers' conclave in Abu Dhabi. "As regards the resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir, our stand is consistent and well known. We reaffirm that Jammu & Kashmir is an integral part of India and is a matter strictly internal to India," Spokesperson in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Raveesh Kumar said. Earlier, the Pakistan Foreign Office said that the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC concluded with a resolution that "supported" Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. "In a resolution, the OIC member states reiterated that Jammu and Kashmir remains the core dispute between Pakistan and India and its resolution is indispensable for the dream for peace in South Asia," it claimed. The resolution also "expressed deep concern" over the alleged human rights violations in Kashmir, the Pakistan Foreign Office claimed, adding that the resolution also reminded the international community of its obligation to ensure implementation of UN Security Council resolutions on the Kashmir dispute. The OIC is a grouping of 57 countries, majority of which are Muslim-dominated. It has usually been supportive of Pakistan and, often sided with Islamabad on the Kashmir issue. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj attended the inaugural plenary of the 46th session of the Council of Foreign Ministers (CFM) of OIC on Friday. She was the first Indian minister to address the OIC meeting. India's participation came despite strong demand by Pakistan to rescind the invitation to Swaraj to address the grouping which was turned down by the host UAE, resulting in Pakistan's Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi boycotting the plenary. Swaraj attended the meeting in Abu Dhabi on March 1 as the guest of honour at the invitation extended by the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates. "We deeply appreciate this historic gesture on the 50th anniversary of their first meeting," the MEA spokesperson said. The OIC also called for "restraint and de-escalation" in South Asia as well as the need to resolve outstanding issues through peaceful means, the Pakistan Foreign Office said.

Jammu and Kashmir integral to us: India in reaction to OIC resolution

In the latest development with respect to the Pulwama terror attack, an audio clip has emerged which is believed to carry a message from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's brother.&nbsp;

In the clip, accessed by WION, the JeM leader admits damage to its training centre by Indian aircraft. The clip has surfaced even when Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan has denied the presence of any terror camps in Balakot when the Indian Air Force carried out strikes earlier this week.&nbsp;

The audio message is believed to be delivered by Azhar's younger brother Maulana Amman who is heard admitting that the Indian aircraft have bombed shelters where jihadis were being trained.

Pakistan has maintained that India bombed what was apparently a forest reserve.

Meanwhile, an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/up-to-50-killed-in-indian-air-strike-on-pakistans-balakot-italian-journalist-quoting-eyewitness-200787">Italian journalist has told WION</a> that between 40 to 50 people were killed in the Indian air strikes on Pakistan's Balakot on Tuesday night. The air strikes — carried out by Mirage 2000s — Indian authorities have said, targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp.&nbsp;

Reports in the Indian media had earlier said the death toll may have been as high as 350. The Pakistanis had said there had been no deaths at all.&nbsp;

The journalist — Francesca Marino — told WION that she had got confirmation from her source that the death toll was between 40 and 50, and the wounded between 35 to 40.&nbsp;

She told WION's Bhairavi Singh her source was a person living in the area.&nbsp;

"Yesterday I've got confirmations... 100% reliable confirmations," Marino, who was speaking from Rome, told WION.&nbsp;

She added that the dead included 12 young trainees of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group who had all been sleeping in the same area.&nbsp;

Marino told WION that the dead included a JeM trainer called Mufti Moeen, and a bomb expert called Usman Ghani. &nbsp;

Mario added that "the population there is very scared, it is very difficult to get evidence out of there" but that "I am confident I will also get some video proof".&nbsp;

In the latest development with respect to the Pulwama terror attack, an audio clip has emerged which is believed to carry a message from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's brother.

In the latest development with respect to the Pulwama terror attack, an audio clip has emerged which is believed to carry a message from Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) chief Masood Azhar's brother. In the clip, accessed by WION, the JeM leader admits damage to its training centre by Indian aircraft. The clip has surfaced even when Pak Prime Minister Imran Khan has denied the presence of any terror camps in Balakot when the Indian Air Force carried out strikes earlier this week. The audio message is believed to be delivered by Azhar's younger brother Maulana Amman who is heard admitting that the Indian aircraft have bombed shelters where jihadis were being trained. Pakistan has maintained that India bombed what was apparently a forest reserve. Meanwhile, an Italian journalist has told WION that between 40 to 50 people were killed in the Indian air strikes on Pakistan's Balakot on Tuesday night. The air strikes — carried out by Mirage 2000s — Indian authorities have said, targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp. Reports in the Indian media had earlier said the death toll may have been as high as 350. The Pakistanis had said there had been no deaths at all. The journalist — Francesca Marino — told WION that she had got confirmation from her source that the death toll was between 40 and 50, and the wounded between 35 to 40. She told WION's Bhairavi Singh her source was a person living in the area. "Yesterday I've got confirmations... 100% reliable confirmations," Marino, who was speaking from Rome, told WION. She added that the dead included 12 young trainees of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group who had all been sleeping in the same area. Marino told WION that the dead included a JeM trainer called Mufti Moeen, and a bomb expert called Usman Ghani. Mario added that "the population there is very scared, it is very difficult to get evidence out of there" but that "I am confident I will also get some video proof".

In audio message, JeM admits damage to training camp in Pakistan after Indian strikes

Intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain reports on social media about <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/jem-chief-masood-azhar-suspected-to-be-afflicted-with-renal-failure-undergoes-regular-dialysis-200758">the death of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group chief Masood Azhar in Pakistan,</a>&nbsp;officials said on Sunday.

The officials said they had no information other than that Azhar was undergoing treatment at an army hospital after suffering renal failure.

A resident of Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province, Azhar formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed in 2000.

The 50-year-old Azhar, who was released by the NDA government in 1999 in exchange of hostages of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane IC-814, has been accused of being the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack, suicide attack on Jammu and Kashmir state assembly, attack on Pathankot IAF base and the latest Pulwama terror strike.

The social media was filled with reports that Azhar had died, but there was no confirmation as of now, the officials said.&nbsp;

Jaish terror group's Balakot camp, where training was imparted to recruits to carry out suicide attacks, was targeted by the IAF in an air strike last week, following the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed.

The government has claimed that it achieved spectacular success by destroying the facility.

In an interview to CNN, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi earlier admitted that the JeM chief is in Pakistan and is "very unwell", but said the government can act against him only if India presents "solid" and "inalienable" evidence that can stand in a court of law.

"He is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is unwell to the extent that he can't leave his house, because he's really unwell," Qureshi said.&nbsp;

Intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain reports on social media about the death of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group chief Masood Azhar in Pakistan, officials said on Sunday.

Intelligence agencies were trying to ascertain reports on social media about the death of Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group chief Masood Azhar in Pakistan, officials said on Sunday. The officials said they had no information other than that Azhar was undergoing treatment at an army hospital after suffering renal failure. A resident of Bahawalpur in Pakistan's Punjab province, Azhar formed the Jaish-e-Mohammed in 2000. The 50-year-old Azhar, who was released by the NDA government in 1999 in exchange of hostages of the hijacked Indian Airlines plane IC-814, has been accused of being the mastermind of the 2001 Parliament attack, suicide attack on Jammu and Kashmir state assembly, attack on Pathankot IAF base and the latest Pulwama terror strike. The social media was filled with reports that Azhar had died, but there was no confirmation as of now, the officials said. Jaish terror group's Balakot camp, where training was imparted to recruits to carry out suicide attacks, was targeted by the IAF in an air strike last week, following the Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed. The government has claimed that it achieved spectacular success by destroying the facility. In an interview to CNN, Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi earlier admitted that the JeM chief is in Pakistan and is "very unwell", but said the government can act against him only if India presents "solid" and "inalienable" evidence that can stand in a court of law. "He is in Pakistan, according to my information. He is unwell to the extent that he can't leave his house, because he's really unwell," Qureshi said.

Is JeM chief Masood Azhar dead? Intelligence agencies verifying reports, say officials

Bihar Chief Minister<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-nitish-kumar-share-stage-after-9-years-both-remember-pulwama-martyrs-at-sankalp-rally-200875"> Nitish Kumar and NDA leaders from Bihar </a>Sunday resolved to win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats from the state in order to bring back Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country.

"People have turned up at the rally in very large numbers. The Lok Sabha polls are impending...I want to assure you 'Pradhan Mantri jee' (Prime Minister) that we will win 40 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the general elections. "This is our Sankalp (resolve)," Kumar said while addressing NDAs 'Sankalp' rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna.

Kumar also congratulated the Prime Minister, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force for taking action against terror outfits and those who promote terrorism.

Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan early Tuesday. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing over 40 soldiers.&nbsp;

There is no question of compromising on the issue of terrorism, he said, adding that the government would ensure all possible and necessary steps to counter it.

He also praised the Modi government and the armed forces for forcing Pakistan to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman.

Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupendra Yadav, Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh, Bihar minister and state president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Pashupati Kumar Paras, ministers Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and a host of other NDA leaders also attended the 'Sankalp rally'.

The weather was initially sunny but later turned out to be rainy. It continued to drizzle throughout the PM's speech.

Kumar also assured the PM that work on providing toilet facility to every household in the state will be completed by October 2, 2019, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.

PM Modi, later during his speech, appreciated Nitish Kumar for his resolve to complete the construction of toilets by October 2.

Earlier, people attending the rally started raising slogans as they were getting impatient to hear the PM.

Invoking 'seven social sins' as enumerated by Mahatma Gandhi, Kumar apparently attacked the opposition RJD saying there are people who amassed properties after coming to power, though Mahatma Gandhi termed "acquiring assets without work as sin".

Without naming anyone, Kumar said, "What we did after coming to power and what they did after coming to power is known to people."

Kumar said people should be aware of such persons who are more interested in getting 'mewa' (power, position and money) instead of doing 'sewa' (service).

Lauding the work done by both the NDA governments at the Centre and in the state, the CM enumerated various schemes and projects meant for the welfare of the poor.

Giving LPG connections under the Ujjwala scheme, Rs 5 lakh medical cover to 10.74 crore families as identified on the basis of Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data, PM-KISAN scheme which envisage Rs 6,000 per year as assistance to the farmers, are among the few schemes which Kumar named besides enumerating his much talked about 'Saat Nischay' scheme and 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections of unreserved category after getting the necessary amendments passed by the state legislature.

The central government has been quite helpful and cooperative in Bihar's development, he said.&nbsp;

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NDA leaders from Bihar Sunday resolved to win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats from the state in order to bring back Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and NDA leaders from Bihar Sunday resolved to win all the 40 Lok Sabha seats from the state in order to bring back Narendra Modi as the Prime Minister of the country. "People have turned up at the rally in very large numbers. The Lok Sabha polls are impending...I want to assure you 'Pradhan Mantri jee' (Prime Minister) that we will win 40 out of 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar in the general elections. "This is our Sankalp (resolve)," Kumar said while addressing NDAs 'Sankalp' rally at Gandhi Maidan in Patna. Kumar also congratulated the Prime Minister, the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force for taking action against terror outfits and those who promote terrorism. Indian fighters bombed terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed's biggest training camp near Balakot, deep inside Pakistan early Tuesday. The Indian strike on the JeM camp came 12 days after the terror outfit claimed responsibility for a suicide attack on a CRPF convoy in Kashmir, killing over 40 soldiers. There is no question of compromising on the issue of terrorism, he said, adding that the government would ensure all possible and necessary steps to counter it. He also praised the Modi government and the armed forces for forcing Pakistan to release Wing Commander Abhinandan Vardhaman. Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Radha Mohan Singh, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi, Bihar BJP in-charge Bhupendra Yadav, Bihar BJP chief Nityanand Rai, Bihar JD(U) chief Bashishtha Narayan Singh, Bihar minister and state president of Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) Pashupati Kumar Paras, ministers Mangal Pandey, Nand Kishore Yadav and a host of other NDA leaders also attended the 'Sankalp rally'. The weather was initially sunny but later turned out to be rainy. It continued to drizzle throughout the PM's speech. Kumar also assured the PM that work on providing toilet facility to every household in the state will be completed by October 2, 2019, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. PM Modi, later during his speech, appreciated Nitish Kumar for his resolve to complete the construction of toilets by October 2. Earlier, people attending the rally started raising slogans as they were getting impatient to hear the PM. Invoking 'seven social sins' as enumerated by Mahatma Gandhi, Kumar apparently attacked the opposition RJD saying there are people who amassed properties after coming to power, though Mahatma Gandhi termed "acquiring assets without work as sin". Without naming anyone, Kumar said, "What we did after coming to power and what they did after coming to power is known to people." Kumar said people should be aware of such persons who are more interested in getting 'mewa' (power, position and money) instead of doing 'sewa' (service). Lauding the work done by both the NDA governments at the Centre and in the state, the CM enumerated various schemes and projects meant for the welfare of the poor. Giving LPG connections under the Ujjwala scheme, Rs 5 lakh medical cover to 10.74 crore families as identified on the basis of Socio-Economic Caste Census (SECC) data, PM-KISAN scheme which envisage Rs 6,000 per year as assistance to the farmers, are among the few schemes which Kumar named besides enumerating his much talked about 'Saat Nischay' scheme and 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections of unreserved category after getting the necessary amendments passed by the state legislature. The central government has been quite helpful and cooperative in Bihar's development, he said.

Nitish Kumar assures PM of winning all 40 Lok Sabha seats in Bihar

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Sunday the project to manufacture the AK-203 Kalashnikov rifle in UP's Amethi. The AK-203, a successor to the iconic AK-47, will be manufactured along with a Russian firm.&nbsp;

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Smriti Irani were also present&nbsp;

"One of the most advanced rifles in world AK-203 will be made in Amethi. It will be made by a joint venture of India and Russia. I express my gratitude to my friend President Vladimir Putin, this venture was made possible in such a short time by his support," Modi said Sunday.&nbsp;

"The factory will provide new opportunities for the youth in Amethi and will also open doors for new country's development and security, " he added.&nbsp;

He also said&nbsp;that though they lost the election in Amethi, their party won the hearts of the people.

"In last 5 years, Smriti ji has worked so hard for the development of this region. She never made you feel whether you made her win or lose, she worked more than the person who won here."&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi is the MP from Amethi.&nbsp;

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Amethi: We might have lost election here but we won your hearts. In last 5 years, Smriti ji has worked so hard for development of this region. She never made you feel whether you made her win or lose, she worked more than the person who won here. <a href="https://t.co/IPoaMQWN2Y">pic.twitter.com/IPoaMQWN2Y</a>
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Attacking the Congress he said, "The army in 2005 had told the government about their requirement for modern weapons, the MP from Amethi had also inaugurated it in 2007 and the work was expected to start from 2010. Three years since the inauguration, the government could not decide on what type of arms and ammunition to be made".

He further targetted the Congress and said, "Some people have the tendency to forget the public after getting their votes. They want to keep the poor in poverty so they can say 'gareebi hatao' generation after generation. We are giving strength to the poor to bring them out of poverty".

PM Modi was in Amethi to launch several development projects. He was also accompanied with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Sunday the project to manufacture the AK-203 Kalashnikov rifle in UP's Amethi. The AK-203, a successor to the iconic AK-47, will be manufactured along with a Russian firm.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi unveiled Sunday the project to manufacture the AK-203 Kalashnikov rifle in UP's Amethi. The AK-203, a successor to the iconic AK-47, will be manufactured along with a Russian firm. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Union Minister Smriti Irani were also present "One of the most advanced rifles in world AK-203 will be made in Amethi. It will be made by a joint venture of India and Russia. I express my gratitude to my friend President Vladimir Putin, this venture was made possible in such a short time by his support," Modi said Sunday. "The factory will provide new opportunities for the youth in Amethi and will also open doors for new country's development and security, " he added. He also said that though they lost the election in Amethi, their party won the hearts of the people. "In last 5 years, Smriti ji has worked so hard for the development of this region. She never made you feel whether you made her win or lose, she worked more than the person who won here." Congress president Rahul Gandhi is the MP from Amethi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Amethi: We might have lost election here but we won your hearts. In last 5 years, Smriti ji has worked so hard for development of this region. She never made you feel whether you made her win or lose, she worked more than the person who won here. pic.twitter.com/IPoaMQWN2Y — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 3, 2019 × Attacking the Congress he said, "The army in 2005 had told the government about their requirement for modern weapons, the MP from Amethi had also inaugurated it in 2007 and the work was expected to start from 2010. Three years since the inauguration, the government could not decide on what type of arms and ammunition to be made". He further targetted the Congress and said, "Some people have the tendency to forget the public after getting their votes. They want to keep the poor in poverty so they can say 'gareebi hatao' generation after generation. We are giving strength to the poor to bring them out of poverty". PM Modi was in Amethi to launch several development projects. He was also accompanied with Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Smriti Irani and Nirmala Sitharaman.

Smriti Irani has worked harder for Amethi than person who won from here: PM Modi

US President <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/indias-high-tariff-on-harley-davidson-motorcycle-unfair-says-trump-32799">Donald Trump </a>on Saturday (local time) accused India of being a “high tariff nation” and threatened to impose “<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/trump-threatens-india-china-with-reciprocal-tax-35261">a reciprocal tax</a>” to match the heavy duties that New Delhi imposes on goods imported from the United States.

Addressing the last day of a four-day annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, the US President said, “India is a very high tariff nation. When we send a motorcycle to India, they charge 100 per cent tariff. When India sends a motorcycle to us, we charge nothing. I want a reciprocal tax, at least I want to charge a tax.”

A reciprocal tax is a form of tariff applied to imports from other countries that charge a similar duty on goods exported by the US President Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs.

“We cannot allow a country to charge 100 per cent and we get nothing for the same exact product. For one thing, they don’t respect us. They think we are stupid,” Trump said.

“But let me tell you something. The world respects our country. They respect us,” the President added.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many times, has advocated foreign investments in the country as a part of his ‘Make in India’ campaign to transform India into a manufacturing hub and generate employment to the youth.

However, President Trump has pressed US manufacturing companies to return home as part of his ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign.

In a major disciplinary action against India’s trade and investment policies, Washington on February 6, considered to withdraw the policy of zero tariffs on Indian exports to the US.

The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), under which India enjoys tariff concession costing to USD 5.6 billion of exports to the US, has been the world’s largest beneficiary of a scheme that has been in force since the 1970s.

The move to withdraw the GSP program marks a draconian action taken by Trump-led US government to reduce the US deficit with large economies.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) accused India of being a “high tariff nation” and threatened to impose “a reciprocal tax” to match the heavy duties that New Delhi imposes on goods imported from the United States.

US President Donald Trump on Saturday (local time) accused India of being a “high tariff nation” and threatened to impose “a reciprocal tax” to match the heavy duties that New Delhi imposes on goods imported from the United States. Addressing the last day of a four-day annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland, the US President said, “India is a very high tariff nation. When we send a motorcycle to India, they charge 100 per cent tariff. When India sends a motorcycle to us, we charge nothing. I want a reciprocal tax, at least I want to charge a tax.” A reciprocal tax is a form of tariff applied to imports from other countries that charge a similar duty on goods exported by the US President Trump has repeatedly called out India for its high tariffs. “We cannot allow a country to charge 100 per cent and we get nothing for the same exact product. For one thing, they don’t respect us. They think we are stupid,” Trump said. “But let me tell you something. The world respects our country. They respect us,” the President added. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, many times, has advocated foreign investments in the country as a part of his ‘Make in India’ campaign to transform India into a manufacturing hub and generate employment to the youth. However, President Trump has pressed US manufacturing companies to return home as part of his ‘Make America Great Again’ campaign. In a major disciplinary action against India’s trade and investment policies, Washington on February 6, considered to withdraw the policy of zero tariffs on Indian exports to the US. The Generalised System of Preferences (GSP), under which India enjoys tariff concession costing to USD 5.6 billion of exports to the US, has been the world’s largest beneficiary of a scheme that has been in force since the 1970s. The move to withdraw the GSP program marks a draconian action taken by Trump-led US government to reduce the US deficit with large economies.

Want 'reciprocal tax' on India to match tariffs on US exports, says Donald Trump

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-says-it-is-seeking-information-on-whether-pakistan-used-f-16s-to-shoot-down-indian-jet-200891">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/us-says-it-is-seeking-information-on-whether-pakistan-used-f-16s-to-shoot-down-indian-jet-200891"> says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet</a>

The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/iaf-pilot-sustained-injuries-in-one-of-his-ribs-after-assault-from-pakistani-mob-sources-200899">Wing Commander Abhinandan's lower spine, rib hurt: Sources</a>

Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive by the Pakistanis for two days after his jet was shot down in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has suffered injuries to his lower spine and rib.&nbsp;

The news agency ANI quoted sources as saying Abhinandan might have hurt his spine while ejecting from his MiG-21.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/russia-says-it-will-prevent-us-military-intervention-in-venezuela-tass-200896">Russia says it will prevent US military intervention in Venezuela: TASS</a>

Russia will do all possible to prevent a US military intervention in Venezuela, the TASS news agency quoted the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament as saying on Sunday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/spacex-dragon-capsule-successfully-docks-on-international-space-station-nasa-200895">SpaceX capsule docks successfully at International Space Station: NASA</a>

SpaceX's new Dragon capsule successfully docked on the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA and SpaceX confirmed during a live broadcast of the mission.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/al-qaeda-linked-syria-group-kills-21-regime-forces-monitor-200898">Al-Qaeda-linked Syria group kills 21 regime forces: Monitor</a>

A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

US says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

US says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan. Wing Commander Abhinandan's lower spine, rib hurt: Sources Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, who was held captive by the Pakistanis for two days after his jet was shot down in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, has suffered injuries to his lower spine and rib. The news agency ANI quoted sources as saying Abhinandan might have hurt his spine while ejecting from his MiG-21. Russia says it will prevent US military intervention in Venezuela: TASS Russia will do all possible to prevent a US military intervention in Venezuela, the TASS news agency quoted the speaker of Russia's upper house of parliament as saying on Sunday. SpaceX capsule docks successfully at International Space Station: NASA SpaceX's new Dragon capsule successfully docked on the International Space Station on Sunday, NASA and SpaceX confirmed during a live broadcast of the mission. Al-Qaeda-linked Syria group kills 21 regime forces: Monitor A Syrian jihadist group linked to Al-Qaeda killed 21 regime and allied forces Sunday near Idlib province, in one of the deadliest breaches of a six-month-old truce deal, a monitor said.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Accusing the Congress-led UPA of running a 'terrible' government and even a 'more terrible' opposition, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said their statements have hurt India's national interest and gave handle to Pakistan to discredit the country.

Within days of India's air strike at Balakot, the 21 opposition parties led by the Congress passed a resolution accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama and Balakot incidents.

"Statements made by opposition parties (after IAF's counter terror operation in Balakot) hurt India's national interest. They give smiles to Pakistan and become an instrument in Pakistan's hands to discredit India's operation against terrorism," Jaitley said in a blog, stressing that on such occasions the nation ought to speak in one voice as was done by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Jan Sangh during the 1971 war.

Terming the resolution passed by 21 opposition parties as inappropriate, he said, it gave a handle to the enemy and Pakistan's media used the statement as a trump card.

The government had twice taken the leaders of opposition parties into confidence, he said.

Referring to the statement of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the finance minister said that he sought to elevate himself to the status of a neutral third party while raising doubts about India's right to defend its sovereignty from those who want to damage it through terrorism.

"I was most disappointed with a brief but a highly objectionable statement of the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh," Jaitley said.

While receiving the PV Narasimha Rao Award for the lifetime achievement, Singh had stated that he was disturbed with the "Mad rush of mutual self-destruction" by the two nations. Singh further went on to argue that poverty, ignorance and disease were the real problems in the two countries and that saner counsel on both sides needed to think on the issue.

Jaitley wondered that there was no condemnation of terrorism in that speech of the former prime minister.

Implicitly, he doubts India's right to defend its sovereignty from those who want to damage it through terrorism, he said.

Jaitley further said: "The Congress led UPA Government from 2004 to 2014 ran a terrible Government. From 2014 to 2019, it was even a more terrible Opposition".

Pointing that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went a step further, he said, she started doubting the veracity of the incident and wanted to know the operational details.

"The credibility of both the Government and our Air Force is being doubted. Even Congress leaders have raised similar questions," he said in a facebook post titled India's Opposition Has A Lot To Learn.

Jaitley emphasised that the Opposition is entitled to oppose and ask questions, but then restrain and statesmanship are also essential ingredients of public discourse.

He expressed hope that India's Opposition revisits its position and does not let down the nation.

Jaitley also pointed out that the retaliatory attack by Pakistan's F-16 was the most botched up operation and the neighbouring country was globally isolated.

"Not only was Pakistan globally isolated, the issue of its terrorism has reached the Security Council. So helpless was the situation that it was in no position to even admit the attack at Balakot. If it had admitted the attack and its consequences, the evidence of a terrorist camp in existence and the list of dead terrorists would have been international issue," he said.&nbsp;

Accusing the Congress-led UPA of running a 'terrible' government and even a 'more terrible' opposition, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said their statements have hurt India's national interest and gave handle to Pakistan to discredit the country.

Accusing the Congress-led UPA of running a 'terrible' government and even a 'more terrible' opposition, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Sunday said their statements have hurt India's national interest and gave handle to Pakistan to discredit the country. Within days of India's air strike at Balakot, the 21 opposition parties led by the Congress passed a resolution accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of politicising the Pulwama and Balakot incidents. "Statements made by opposition parties (after IAF's counter terror operation in Balakot) hurt India's national interest. They give smiles to Pakistan and become an instrument in Pakistan's hands to discredit India's operation against terrorism," Jaitley said in a blog, stressing that on such occasions the nation ought to speak in one voice as was done by Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Jan Sangh during the 1971 war. Terming the resolution passed by 21 opposition parties as inappropriate, he said, it gave a handle to the enemy and Pakistan's media used the statement as a trump card. The government had twice taken the leaders of opposition parties into confidence, he said. Referring to the statement of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the finance minister said that he sought to elevate himself to the status of a neutral third party while raising doubts about India's right to defend its sovereignty from those who want to damage it through terrorism. "I was most disappointed with a brief but a highly objectionable statement of the former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh," Jaitley said. While receiving the PV Narasimha Rao Award for the lifetime achievement, Singh had stated that he was disturbed with the "Mad rush of mutual self-destruction" by the two nations. Singh further went on to argue that poverty, ignorance and disease were the real problems in the two countries and that saner counsel on both sides needed to think on the issue. Jaitley wondered that there was no condemnation of terrorism in that speech of the former prime minister. Implicitly, he doubts India's right to defend its sovereignty from those who want to damage it through terrorism, he said. Jaitley further said: "The Congress led UPA Government from 2004 to 2014 ran a terrible Government. From 2014 to 2019, it was even a more terrible Opposition". Pointing that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee went a step further, he said, she started doubting the veracity of the incident and wanted to know the operational details. "The credibility of both the Government and our Air Force is being doubted. Even Congress leaders have raised similar questions," he said in a facebook post titled India's Opposition Has A Lot To Learn. Jaitley emphasised that the Opposition is entitled to oppose and ask questions, but then restrain and statesmanship are also essential ingredients of public discourse. He expressed hope that India's Opposition revisits its position and does not let down the nation. Jaitley also pointed out that the retaliatory attack by Pakistan's F-16 was the most botched up operation and the neighbouring country was globally isolated. "Not only was Pakistan globally isolated, the issue of its terrorism has reached the Security Council. So helpless was the situation that it was in no position to even admit the attack at Balakot. If it had admitted the attack and its consequences, the evidence of a terrorist camp in existence and the list of dead terrorists would have been international issue," he said.

Opposition remarks hurting India's national interest: Arun Jaitley

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention and sought two new railway divisions at Rourkela and Jajpur districts to unify the railways under one administrative zone in Odisha.

Patnaik said he had come to know from media reports that Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has announced setting up of a new zone, South Coast Railway (SCoR), which will be formed by carving out part of the East Coast Railway's (ECoR's) Waltair division.

The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief said it had come as a "rude shock" to the people of the state.

"Till such (formation of new divisions) time, I would request in the interest of the people of Odisha, not to operationalise the declared South Coast Railway zone at Visakhapatnam which has been done without consultation with Odisha," Patnaik said in a letter to Modi.

Patnaik wrote the letter hours after the ruling BJD members staged a demonstration before the headquarters of the ECoR here.

At present, about 70 per cent of Odisha is under the jurisdiction of the ECoR that has its headquarters in Bhubaneswar. The state has the maximum resources of almost all major minerals like coal, iron ore, bauxite and manganese ore.

"With our thrust on industrialisation and Make in Odisha, we have been able to add value to these minerals within the State," Patnaik said.

The chief minister said an efficient and strong railway network with a single administrative structure within the state was necessary to maintain the impetus of growth. Currently, the major minerals like iron ore and coal are under Zonal Railways.

"My Government has also come forward to invest heavily to bridge the gap in investment in Railway Infrastructure, as in Haridaspur Paradip and Angul

Sukinda new lines. The State has provided land free of cost for Khurda Road Bolangir, Jeypore Malkangiri, Jeypore Nabarangpur Projects," he added.

"The commitment of my government to railway projects stands today in excess of Rs 5,000 crores, signifying our focus and priority to this sector," Patnaik said.

It is in this backdrop that Odisha has been asking for the reorganisation of railways in Odisha and unifying the railways in the state under one administrative zone of ECoR, Bhubaneswar, he said.

As the Centre has created the SCoR, the similar demand of Odisha may be considered likewise, Patnaik said.

"In view of our genuine concern and demand, I urge your kind intervention to declare two new Railway Divisions at Rourkela and Jajpur to unify Railways in Odisha under one administrative Zonal Headquarters of ECoR, Bhubaneswar," he added.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention and sought two new railway divisions at Rourkela and Jajpur districts to unify the railways under one administrative zone in Odisha.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention and sought two new railway divisions at Rourkela and Jajpur districts to unify the railways under one administrative zone in Odisha. Patnaik said he had come to know from media reports that Railway Minister Piyush Goyal has announced setting up of a new zone, South Coast Railway (SCoR), which will be formed by carving out part of the East Coast Railway's (ECoR's) Waltair division. The Biju Janata Dal (BJD) chief said it had come as a "rude shock" to the people of the state. "Till such (formation of new divisions) time, I would request in the interest of the people of Odisha, not to operationalise the declared South Coast Railway zone at Visakhapatnam which has been done without consultation with Odisha," Patnaik said in a letter to Modi. Patnaik wrote the letter hours after the ruling BJD members staged a demonstration before the headquarters of the ECoR here. At present, about 70 per cent of Odisha is under the jurisdiction of the ECoR that has its headquarters in Bhubaneswar. The state has the maximum resources of almost all major minerals like coal, iron ore, bauxite and manganese ore. "With our thrust on industrialisation and Make in Odisha, we have been able to add value to these minerals within the State," Patnaik said. The chief minister said an efficient and strong railway network with a single administrative structure within the state was necessary to maintain the impetus of growth. Currently, the major minerals like iron ore and coal are under Zonal Railways. "My Government has also come forward to invest heavily to bridge the gap in investment in Railway Infrastructure, as in Haridaspur Paradip and Angul Sukinda new lines. The State has provided land free of cost for Khurda Road Bolangir, Jeypore Malkangiri, Jeypore Nabarangpur Projects," he added. "The commitment of my government to railway projects stands today in excess of Rs 5,000 crores, signifying our focus and priority to this sector," Patnaik said. It is in this backdrop that Odisha has been asking for the reorganisation of railways in Odisha and unifying the railways in the state under one administrative zone of ECoR, Bhubaneswar, he said. As the Centre has created the SCoR, the similar demand of Odisha may be considered likewise, Patnaik said. "In view of our genuine concern and demand, I urge your kind intervention to declare two new Railway Divisions at Rourkela and Jajpur to unify Railways in Odisha under one administrative Zonal Headquarters of ECoR, Bhubaneswar," he added.

Naveen seeks PM's intervention seeking single railway zone in Odisha

An Italian journalist has told WION that between 40 to 50 people were killed in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/did-not-face-any-physical-torture-but-went-through-a-lot-of-mental-harassment-abhinandan-on-his-captivity-in-pakistan-200734">the Indian air strikes on Pakistan's Balakot</a> on Tuesday night. The air strikes — carried out by Mirage 2000s — Indian authorities have said, targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp.&nbsp;

Reports in the Indian media had earlier said the death toll may have been as high as 350.

The Pakistanis had said there had been no deaths at all.&nbsp;

The journalist — Francesca Marino — told WION that she had got confirmation from her source that the death toll was between 40 and 50, and the wounded between 35 to 40.&nbsp;

She told WION's Bhairavi Singh her source was a person living in the area.&nbsp;

"Yesterday I've got confirmations... 100% reliable confirmations," Marino, who was speaking from Rome, told WION.&nbsp;

Marino said her source told her ambulances arrived at the site after the air strikes, that the cellphones of the ambulance staff were taken away, and that at least 35 bodies were carried away (see video above).&nbsp;

She added that the dead included 12 young trainees of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group who had all been sleeping in the same area.&nbsp;

And that they included a retired Pakistani Army colonel and another colonel. (Marino wrote Saturday morning in an Indian newspaper that "a former Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer known locally as 'Colonel Salim'&nbsp;was killed in the bombing, while a 'Colonel Zarar Zakri'&nbsp;was injured.")&nbsp;

Marino told WION that the dead included a JeM trainer called Mufti Moeen, and a&nbsp;bomb expert called Usman Ghani. &nbsp;

Marino added that "the population there is very scared, it is very difficult to get evidence out of there" but that "I am confident I will also get some video proof".&nbsp;

Marino's Twitter handle describes her as a South Asia specialist and a co-author of the book 'Apocalypse Pakistan'.&nbsp;&nbsp;

An Italian journalist has told WION that between 40 to 50 people were killed in the Indian air strikes on Pakistan's Balakot on Tuesday night. The air strikes — carried out by Mirage 2000s — Indian authorities have said, targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp.

An Italian journalist has told WION that between 40 to 50 people were killed in the Indian air strikes on Pakistan's Balakot on Tuesday night. The air strikes — carried out by Mirage 2000s — Indian authorities have said, targeted a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp. Reports in the Indian media had earlier said the death toll may have been as high as 350. The Pakistanis had said there had been no deaths at all. The journalist — Francesca Marino — told WION that she had got confirmation from her source that the death toll was between 40 and 50, and the wounded between 35 to 40. She told WION's Bhairavi Singh her source was a person living in the area. "Yesterday I've got confirmations... 100% reliable confirmations," Marino, who was speaking from Rome, told WION. Marino said her source told her ambulances arrived at the site after the air strikes, that the cellphones of the ambulance staff were taken away, and that at least 35 bodies were carried away (see video above). She added that the dead included 12 young trainees of the Jaish-e-Mohammed terror group who had all been sleeping in the same area. And that they included a retired Pakistani Army colonel and another colonel. (Marino wrote Saturday morning in an Indian newspaper that "a former Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officer known locally as 'Colonel Salim' was killed in the bombing, while a 'Colonel Zarar Zakri' was injured.") Marino told WION that the dead included a JeM trainer called Mufti Moeen, and a bomb expert called Usman Ghani. Marino added that "the population there is very scared, it is very difficult to get evidence out of there" but that "I am confident I will also get some video proof". Marino's Twitter handle describes her as a South Asia specialist and a co-author of the book 'Apocalypse Pakistan'.

Between 40 to 50 killed in Indian air strike on Pakistan's Balakot: Italian journalist quoting eyewitness

The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/us-seeks-information-on-potential-misuse-of-f-16-by-pakistan-200652">which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan</a>.

Pakistan says it did not use F-16s in shooting down an Indian warplane when it crossed the Line of Control that acts as a de facto border in Kashmir. Islamabad says this was an act of self defence.

"We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information," a US Embassy spokesperson told Reuters. "We take all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously."

US often inserts restrictions on how its exported military hardware can be used through so-called end-user agreements.&nbsp;

The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan.

The United States is "seeking information" on whether Pakistan used US-built F-16 jets to down an Indian warplane, the US Embassy in Islamabad said on Sunday, which may violate the F-16 sale agreements between Washington and Pakistan. Pakistan says it did not use F-16s in shooting down an Indian warplane when it crossed the Line of Control that acts as a de facto border in Kashmir. Islamabad says this was an act of self defence. "We are aware of these reports and are seeking more information," a US Embassy spokesperson told Reuters. "We take all allegations of misuse of defense articles very seriously." US often inserts restrictions on how its exported military hardware can be used through so-called end-user agreements.

US says it is 'seeking information' on whether Pakistan used F-16s to shoot down Indian jet

The Bihar unit of CPI on Saturday told Mahagathbandhan leaders that it will not accept anything less than three-four Lok Sabha seats under the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming general elections in the state.

It also stressed that the seat distribution process should be worked out within a week.

CPIs Bihar unit secretary, Satya Narain Singh said categorically that the party will fight Begusarai seat, irrespective of whether or not it forms part of the mahagathbandhan comprising RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM(S), Mukesh Sahni Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP).

Bihar has a total 40 Lok Sabha seats.

Singh said that the party has already taken a decision to field Kanhaiya Kumar,the former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president, from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat.

We are of the view that there should be alliance among left democratic secular forces in order to defeat the BJP which is trying its level best to harp on the peoples sentiments in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, Singh told reporters here at the party office.

We are of the firm view that if the alliance is sealed among left democratic secular forces in Bihar, we will defeat BJP convincingly. But for that, there should be alliance among these forces and the issue of seat-sharing must be decided at the earliest preferably within a week, he added.

The Bihar unit of CPI has identified six seats- Begusarai, Khagaria, Madhubani, Banka, Motihari and Gaya (SC)- which it wants to contest in the coming Lok Sabha polls, the party's state secretary said.

He, however, said that the party may decide to forego one or two seats in favour of greater alliance but we will not at all accept one Lok Sabha seat (Begusarai) which is being discussed in the media, as it is not honourable seat sharing arrangement.

Partys senior leader and Rajya Sabha member D Raja, who met RJD chief Lalu Prasad about a month ago in RIMS in Ranchi, made it clear to him (Prasad) that CPI will be contesting at least four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, he said.

In the past, the party has won Begusarai seat nine times, Madhubani seven terms while Motihari on five occasions, he said adding that the party has not staked its claim on seats like Jehanabad and Patna which it has won seven and three times respectively in the past.

Interestingly, CPI(ML-Liberation), which also want to be the part of the mahagathbandhan, has also sought six Lok Sabha seats for itself while giving ample hint that it was not rigid on the numbers provided it is offered a respectful number of seats.

Stating that CPI held a very impress rally at Gandhi Maidan on October 25, 2018, he said that Congress party is demanding 11-15 seats despite its February 3, 2019 rally at Gandhi Maidan "which was not impressive one".

We had organized a bigger rally than the Congress at Gandhi Maidan. Our mass base is much more bigger and stronger than Congress in each and every Lok Sabha constituency but despite all these facts Congress is claiming 11-15 seats, Singh said.

The CPI leader said I can understand that they (RJD) may be giving Congress more seats due to several reasons, but our genuine demand should also be looked into.&nbsp;

The Bihar unit of CPI on Saturday told Mahagathbandhan leaders that it will not accept anything less than three-four Lok Sabha seats under the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming general elections in the state.

The Bihar unit of CPI on Saturday told Mahagathbandhan leaders that it will not accept anything less than three-four Lok Sabha seats under the seat-sharing formula for the upcoming general elections in the state. It also stressed that the seat distribution process should be worked out within a week. CPIs Bihar unit secretary, Satya Narain Singh said categorically that the party will fight Begusarai seat, irrespective of whether or not it forms part of the mahagathbandhan comprising RJD, Congress, RLSP, HAM(S), Mukesh Sahni Vikassheel Insan Party (VIP). Bihar has a total 40 Lok Sabha seats. Singh said that the party has already taken a decision to field Kanhaiya Kumar,the former Jawaharlal Nehru University Students Union president, from the Begusarai Lok Sabha seat. We are of the view that there should be alliance among left democratic secular forces in order to defeat the BJP which is trying its level best to harp on the peoples sentiments in the aftermath of Pulwama terror attack, Singh told reporters here at the party office. We are of the firm view that if the alliance is sealed among left democratic secular forces in Bihar, we will defeat BJP convincingly. But for that, there should be alliance among these forces and the issue of seat-sharing must be decided at the earliest preferably within a week, he added. The Bihar unit of CPI has identified six seats- Begusarai, Khagaria, Madhubani, Banka, Motihari and Gaya (SC)- which it wants to contest in the coming Lok Sabha polls, the party's state secretary said. He, however, said that the party may decide to forego one or two seats in favour of greater alliance but we will not at all accept one Lok Sabha seat (Begusarai) which is being discussed in the media, as it is not honourable seat sharing arrangement. Partys senior leader and Rajya Sabha member D Raja, who met RJD chief Lalu Prasad about a month ago in RIMS in Ranchi, made it clear to him (Prasad) that CPI will be contesting at least four Lok Sabha seats in Bihar, he said. In the past, the party has won Begusarai seat nine times, Madhubani seven terms while Motihari on five occasions, he said adding that the party has not staked its claim on seats like Jehanabad and Patna which it has won seven and three times respectively in the past. Interestingly, CPI(ML-Liberation), which also want to be the part of the mahagathbandhan, has also sought six Lok Sabha seats for itself while giving ample hint that it was not rigid on the numbers provided it is offered a respectful number of seats. Stating that CPI held a very impress rally at Gandhi Maidan on October 25, 2018, he said that Congress party is demanding 11-15 seats despite its February 3, 2019 rally at Gandhi Maidan "which was not impressive one". We had organized a bigger rally than the Congress at Gandhi Maidan. Our mass base is much more bigger and stronger than Congress in each and every Lok Sabha constituency but despite all these facts Congress is claiming 11-15 seats, Singh said. The CPI leader said I can understand that they (RJD) may be giving Congress more seats due to several reasons, but our genuine demand should also be looked into.

Lok Sabha 2019: CPI won't accept anything less than 3-4 seats in 'grand alliance' in Bihar says State general secretary

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed NDA's Sankalp rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan in Bihar. The Prime Minister started his address by paying homage to the martyrs of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pulwama-terror-attack-pakistans-denial-mode-on-jaish-involvement-continues-200626">Pulwama terror attack</a>. He said that the "new India" will not tolerate the killings of its jawaans.&nbsp;

"I salute the martyrs of Pulwama, and the sons of Bihar who laid their lives down for the country. The whole nation is with the families of the jawans," he stated. &nbsp;

PM Modi slammed the Congress and its allies, accusing them of making statements that "demoralises our security forces".&nbsp;

"Why are they giving statements which are benefitting our enemies?" he asked.&nbsp;

"While I want to eliminate terror, opposition parties are conspiring to finish me," he noted.&nbsp;

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PM Narendra Modi in Patna: I salute the martyrs of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Pulwama?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Pulwama</a>, the whole nation is standing with the families of the jawans <a href="https://t.co/p8wDSGtPUx">pic.twitter.com/p8wDSGtPUx</a>
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During the rally, the Prime Minister took a jibe at those who criticise him and call&nbsp;him 'Chowkidar'. He said that "this chowkidar will always be alert" for the service of the nation. He also told the people of Bihar that the BJP government "dared to end the culture of corruption and middlemen which had been a normal practice in the country for decades."

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PM Narendra Modi in Patna: These days a competition is underway to abuse the 'Chowkidaar', but you be assured, this 'Chowkidaar' of yours is as alert as ever. <a href="https://t.co/uK1iNR0nuw">pic.twitter.com/uK1iNR0nuw</a>
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Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also spoke at the rally, sharing the stage with PM Modi after 9 years.&nbsp;

Kumar lauded PM Modi's effort in taking action against terror.&nbsp;

"The way investigations have been done against the perpetrators of terror is commendable, also <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/no-deal-was-negotiated-to-get-back-abhinandan-government-sources-to-wion-200766">the way they got our pilot back</a>," the Bihar CM stated.&nbsp;

The Sankalp rally is aimed at taking a resolve to make a new and secure India under the leadership of PM Modi, BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav said Saturday.&nbsp;The rally sounded the bugle for NDA's Lok Sabha election campaign.&nbsp;

The ruling coalition's Sankalp rally at Gandhi Maidan will also be addressed by Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, news agency PTI reported.&nbsp;

Workers and leaders of all the three NDA constituents - BJP, JD(U) and LJP- worked tirelessly to make the rally a grand success, Yadav said on Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed NDA's Sankalp rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan in Bihar. The Prime Minister started his address by paying homage to the martyrs of the Pulwama terror attack.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday addressed NDA's Sankalp rally at Patna's Gandhi Maidan in Bihar. The Prime Minister started his address by paying homage to the martyrs of the Pulwama terror attack. He said that the "new India" will not tolerate the killings of its jawaans. "I salute the martyrs of Pulwama, and the sons of Bihar who laid their lives down for the country. The whole nation is with the families of the jawans," he stated. PM Modi slammed the Congress and its allies, accusing them of making statements that "demoralises our security forces". "Why are they giving statements which are benefitting our enemies?" he asked. "While I want to eliminate terror, opposition parties are conspiring to finish me," he noted. PM Narendra Modi in Patna: I salute the martyrs of #Pulwama, the whole nation is standing with the families of the jawans pic.twitter.com/p8wDSGtPUx — ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2019 × During the rally, the Prime Minister took a jibe at those who criticise him and call him 'Chowkidar'. He said that "this chowkidar will always be alert" for the service of the nation. He also told the people of Bihar that the BJP government "dared to end the culture of corruption and middlemen which had been a normal practice in the country for decades." PM Narendra Modi in Patna: These days a competition is underway to abuse the 'Chowkidaar', but you be assured, this 'Chowkidaar' of yours is as alert as ever. pic.twitter.com/uK1iNR0nuw — ANI (@ANI) March 3, 2019 × Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar also spoke at the rally, sharing the stage with PM Modi after 9 years. Kumar lauded PM Modi's effort in taking action against terror. "The way investigations have been done against the perpetrators of terror is commendable, also the way they got our pilot back," the Bihar CM stated. The Sankalp rally is aimed at taking a resolve to make a new and secure India under the leadership of PM Modi, BJP General Secretary Bhupendra Yadav said Saturday. The rally sounded the bugle for NDA's Lok Sabha election campaign. The ruling coalition's Sankalp rally at Gandhi Maidan will also be addressed by Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan, news agency PTI reported. Workers and leaders of all the three NDA constituents - BJP, JD(U) and LJP- worked tirelessly to make the rally a grand success, Yadav said on Saturday.

While I want to eliminate terror, opposition is conspiring to finish me: PM Modi during Sankalp rally in Patna

Amid factionalism and hurdles in its mass outreach programme, the West Bengal unit of the BJP, which has set a target of winning over 23 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, is carrying out a survey to assess the winnability of its candidates.

With more than 60-70 aspirants throwing their hats into the ring for one seat, especially in the northern and southern part of the state, the party is grappling with internal dissent over ticket distribution.

Several factions, including the ones led by leaders who switched to the BJP from the TMC, are staking claims to the same seat, forcing the state unit to seek an assessment of its candidates to meet its 23-seat target, set by the saffron party's national president Amit Shah.

"It is unprecedented that we have been receiving such a huge number of applications for some seats. Ten years back, we used to have a tough time convincing people to contest on our ticket," a BJP state unit leader said, adding that a section of leaders has appealed to the central leadership to ensure that old timers don't feel sidelined.

The state unit, in consultation with the central leaders, has roped in an external agency to assess its prospects in the Lok Sabha constituencies, he said.

BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told PTI that a candidate list will be prepared based on inputs by the external agency and the party's senior leaders.

"We have launched both external and internal surveys to assess the winnability of seats and candidates. The survey will cover aspects such as a candidate's potential in winning a seat and his popularity. Based on inputs from the internal survey and the external agency, we will prepare our list," he said.

Asked about internal dissent, Vijayvargiya said the BJP is a disciplined party and once the names of candidates are announced, every member will work to ensure their victory in the elections.

According to sources within the party, the state unit will send names of at least three candidates for every Lok Sabha seat to the central unit, which would then take a final call on the matter.

BJP state president Dilip Ghosh claimed that the party is putting in equal efforts in all constituencies, notwithstanding its target of winning at least 23 seats.

"Our party president had given us a target of 23 seats, but if the elections are held in a fair manner, we are in a position to win at least 26 seats," Ghosh told PTI.

The state unit has already categorized the seats as 'A plus', 'A', 'B'and 'C' as per their prospects, according to another senior leader of the party.

"The classification of the constituencies into four categories was done on the basis of five criteria - BJP's organisational strength, the demographic situation (number of Muslims, Hindu and Hindu refugee population), its organisational weakness, the geographical location and the potential of the candidate," he said.

The party has kept Darjeeling and Asansol seats out of the survey's purview as it is confident of retaining them.

Of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Trinamool Congress bagged 34 seats in 2014, the Congress secured four seats, while CPI(M) and the BJP won two seats each.

"We have identified 18-20 seats in north and south Bengal, where our chances of winning is as high as 70-80%. This study was done keeping in mind our performance in those seats in the last few elections," the BJP leader added.

However, despite all its efforts, the BJP is still scouting for answers over its "inability" to constitute booth committees at all polling stations in the state.

Shah, during its visit to Bengal in September 2017, had sought booth committee formation at 77,000 polling stations in the state, but the party has been able to achieve only 75 percent of the target so far.

"We have not been able to reach out to all the booths, especially the ones in minority-dominated areas. We have a support base, but no one is ready to man the booth committees fearing backlash by the Trinamool Congress. We hope things will change in the days to come," Ghosh said.&nbsp;

Amid factionalism and hurdles in its mass outreach programme, the West Bengal unit of the BJP, which has set a target of winning over 23 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, is carrying out a survey to assess the winnability of its candidates.

Amid factionalism and hurdles in its mass outreach programme, the West Bengal unit of the BJP, which has set a target of winning over 23 of 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, is carrying out a survey to assess the winnability of its candidates. With more than 60-70 aspirants throwing their hats into the ring for one seat, especially in the northern and southern part of the state, the party is grappling with internal dissent over ticket distribution. Several factions, including the ones led by leaders who switched to the BJP from the TMC, are staking claims to the same seat, forcing the state unit to seek an assessment of its candidates to meet its 23-seat target, set by the saffron party's national president Amit Shah. "It is unprecedented that we have been receiving such a huge number of applications for some seats. Ten years back, we used to have a tough time convincing people to contest on our ticket," a BJP state unit leader said, adding that a section of leaders has appealed to the central leadership to ensure that old timers don't feel sidelined. The state unit, in consultation with the central leaders, has roped in an external agency to assess its prospects in the Lok Sabha constituencies, he said. BJP national general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya told PTI that a candidate list will be prepared based on inputs by the external agency and the party's senior leaders. "We have launched both external and internal surveys to assess the winnability of seats and candidates. The survey will cover aspects such as a candidate's potential in winning a seat and his popularity. Based on inputs from the internal survey and the external agency, we will prepare our list," he said. Asked about internal dissent, Vijayvargiya said the BJP is a disciplined party and once the names of candidates are announced, every member will work to ensure their victory in the elections. According to sources within the party, the state unit will send names of at least three candidates for every Lok Sabha seat to the central unit, which would then take a final call on the matter. BJP state president Dilip Ghosh claimed that the party is putting in equal efforts in all constituencies, notwithstanding its target of winning at least 23 seats. "Our party president had given us a target of 23 seats, but if the elections are held in a fair manner, we are in a position to win at least 26 seats," Ghosh told PTI. The state unit has already categorized the seats as 'A plus', 'A', 'B'and 'C' as per their prospects, according to another senior leader of the party. "The classification of the constituencies into four categories was done on the basis of five criteria - BJP's organisational strength, the demographic situation (number of Muslims, Hindu and Hindu refugee population), its organisational weakness, the geographical location and the potential of the candidate," he said. The party has kept Darjeeling and Asansol seats out of the survey's purview as it is confident of retaining them. Of the 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state, the Trinamool Congress bagged 34 seats in 2014, the Congress secured four seats, while CPI(M) and the BJP won two seats each. "We have identified 18-20 seats in north and south Bengal, where our chances of winning is as high as 70-80%. This study was done keeping in mind our performance in those seats in the last few elections," the BJP leader added. However, despite all its efforts, the BJP is still scouting for answers over its "inability" to constitute booth committees at all polling stations in the state. Shah, during its visit to Bengal in September 2017, had sought booth committee formation at 77,000 polling stations in the state, but the party has been able to achieve only 75 percent of the target so far. "We have not been able to reach out to all the booths, especially the ones in minority-dominated areas. We have a support base, but no one is ready to man the booth committees fearing backlash by the Trinamool Congress. We hope things will change in the days to come," Ghosh said.

West Bengal: BJP launches survey to assess winnability of candidates ahead of Lok Sabha

As the wait for Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's return to India from captivity in Pakistan came to an end on Friday, good wishes poured in from across the country and world.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres&nbsp;welcomed the Wing Commander&nbsp;and called on the two countries to sustain the "positive momentum" and engage in further constructive dialogue.

"UN chief Guterres welcomes the news of the release of the Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told news agency PTI.

The IAF Wing Commander returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero's welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down.

In a statement French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian said, "I welcome the easing of tensions between India and Pakistan as well as the release of the Indian Air Force pilot detained in Pakistan."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;welcoming<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/wing-commander-abhinandan-varthaman-returns-to-india-from-pakistan-200585">&nbsp;Abhinandan</a>'s return to India, said the nation is proud of his exemplary courage.

He also said the country's armed forces are an inspiration for the 130 crore Indians.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Twitter said, "Welcome Home! The entire nation is proud of Wing Commander Abhinandan."

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Welcome Home! The entire Nation is proud of Wing Commander Abhinandan.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) <a href="https://twitter.com/rajnathsingh/status/1101515015599853568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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BJP national president Amit Shah too tweeted, "Dear Wing Commander Abhinandan, entire nation is proud of your courage and valour. India is glad to have you back. May you continue to serve the nation and IAF with unparalleled passion and dedication. Best wishes for your bright future."

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Dear Wing Commander Abhinandan, entire nation is proud of your courage and valour. 
 
India is glad to have you back. 
 
May you continue to serve the nation and IAF with unparalleled passion and dedication. Best wishes for your bright future.
— Amit Shah (@AmitShah) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmitShah/status/1101512822171742209?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also appreciated Abhinandan’s valour and grit. She tweeted, "Proud of you Wing Commander #Abhinandan Varthaman. The entire nation appreciates your valour and grit. You held your calm in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to our youth. Salute. Vande Mataram."

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Proud of you Wing Commander <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/AbhinandanVarthaman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#AbhinandanVarthaman</a>. The entire nation appreciates your valour and grit. You held your calm in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to our youth. Salute. Vande Mataram.
— Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) <a href="https://twitter.com/nsitharaman/status/1101518188649435137?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Congress president Rahul Gandhi also expressed his happiness and also said that he is proud of the Air Force officer."Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, your dignity, poise, and bravery made us all proud. Welcome back and much love,"&nbsp;tweeted Gandhi.

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🇮🇳 Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, your dignity, poise and bravery made us all proud. Welcome back and much love. 🇮🇳
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/1101513385722683392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2019</a></blockquote>
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&nbsp;

As the wait for Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's return to India from captivity in Pakistan came to an end on Friday, good wishes poured in from across the country and world.

As the wait for Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman's return to India from captivity in Pakistan came to an end on Friday, good wishes poured in from across the country and world. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres welcomed the Wing Commander and called on the two countries to sustain the "positive momentum" and engage in further constructive dialogue. "UN chief Guterres welcomes the news of the release of the Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told news agency PTI. The IAF Wing Commander returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero's welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down. In a statement French Foreign Minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian said, "I welcome the easing of tensions between India and Pakistan as well as the release of the Indian Air Force pilot detained in Pakistan." Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcoming Abhinandan's return to India, said the nation is proud of his exemplary courage. He also said the country's armed forces are an inspiration for the 130 crore Indians. Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Twitter said, "Welcome Home! The entire nation is proud of Wing Commander Abhinandan." Welcome Home! The entire Nation is proud of Wing Commander Abhinandan. — Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) March 1, 2019 × BJP national president Amit Shah too tweeted, "Dear Wing Commander Abhinandan, entire nation is proud of your courage and valour. India is glad to have you back. May you continue to serve the nation and IAF with unparalleled passion and dedication. Best wishes for your bright future." Dear Wing Commander Abhinandan, entire nation is proud of your courage and valour. India is glad to have you back. May you continue to serve the nation and IAF with unparalleled passion and dedication. Best wishes for your bright future. — Amit Shah (@AmitShah) March 1, 2019 × Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also appreciated Abhinandan’s valour and grit. She tweeted, "Proud of you Wing Commander #Abhinandan Varthaman. The entire nation appreciates your valour and grit. You held your calm in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to our youth. Salute. Vande Mataram." Proud of you Wing Commander #AbhinandanVarthaman. The entire nation appreciates your valour and grit. You held your calm in the face of adversity. You are an inspiration to our youth. Salute. Vande Mataram. — Nirmala Sitharaman (@nsitharaman) March 1, 2019 × Congress president Rahul Gandhi also expressed his happiness and also said that he is proud of the Air Force officer."Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, your dignity, poise, and bravery made us all proud. Welcome back and much love," tweeted Gandhi. 🇮🇳 Wing Cdr. Abhinandan, your dignity, poise and bravery made us all proud. Welcome back and much love. 🇮🇳 — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) March 1, 2019 ×

Welcome wishes pour in for IAF pilot Abhinandan Varthaman after his return

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the return of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthman from captivity in Pakistan and called on the two countries to sustain the "positive momentum" and engage in further constructive dialogue.

The IAF Wing Commander returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero's welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down.

"UN chief Guterres welcomes the news of the release of the Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told when asked about the Secretary-General's response to the development.

"The Secretary-General calls on both parties to sustain this positive momentum and engage in further constructive dialogue. His good offices remain available should both sides agree," Dujarric said.

Varthaman's release was being watched with bated breath across India as the IAF pilot was accorded a hero's welcome as he crossed onto India through the Wagah Border.

The IAF pilot's release was seen as a major step towards defusing a near-war situation triggered by India's retaliation over Pakistan's continued support for terrorism.

Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir on February 14.

Amid mounting outrage, the IAF carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan retaliated with a large air formation, comprising 24 fighter jets, including F-16s.

Varthaman was in one of the eight MiG-21s that took on the invader and shot down an F-16, according to officials.

During the dogfight, his plane was hit and he bailed out, landing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where he was taken into custody by the Pakistani army.

On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told a special joint sitting of Parliament that his government was releasing the pilot as a "peace gesture". However, India has been maintaining that the Pakistani decision is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.&nbsp;

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the return of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthman from captivity in Pakistan and called on the two countries to sustain the "positive momentum" and engage in further constructive dialogue.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Friday welcomed the return of Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthman from captivity in Pakistan and called on the two countries to sustain the "positive momentum" and engage in further constructive dialogue. The IAF Wing Commander returned to India from Pakistan on Friday to a hero's welcome, nearly 60 hours after he was captured following a dogfight when his MiG 21 was shot down. "UN chief Guterres welcomes the news of the release of the Indian pilot by Pakistani authorities," his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric told when asked about the Secretary-General's response to the development. "The Secretary-General calls on both parties to sustain this positive momentum and engage in further constructive dialogue. His good offices remain available should both sides agree," Dujarric said. Varthaman's release was being watched with bated breath across India as the IAF pilot was accorded a hero's welcome as he crossed onto India through the Wagah Border. The IAF pilot's release was seen as a major step towards defusing a near-war situation triggered by India's retaliation over Pakistan's continued support for terrorism. Tensions between India and Pakistan flared up after a suicide bomber of Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) killed 40 CRPF personnel in Kashmir on February 14. Amid mounting outrage, the IAF carried out a counter-terror operation, hitting what it said was a JeM training camp in Balakot, deep inside Pakistan on February 26. The next day, Pakistan retaliated with a large air formation, comprising 24 fighter jets, including F-16s. Varthaman was in one of the eight MiG-21s that took on the invader and shot down an F-16, according to officials. During the dogfight, his plane was hit and he bailed out, landing in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, where he was taken into custody by the Pakistani army. On Thursday, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan told a special joint sitting of Parliament that his government was releasing the pilot as a "peace gesture". However, India has been maintaining that the Pakistani decision is in consonance with the Geneva Conventions.

UN chief welcomes IAF pilot's return, urges India, Pak to sustain 'positive momentum'

The national capital and its adjoining areas such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida on Saturday woke up to scattered rainfall bringing some respite from the cold wave and air pollution.

The thunderstorm with hail is predicted for Sunday too and a generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle has been forecast for Monday, March 4, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD).

The rainfall is due to a western disturbance that lies as a cyclonic circulation over East Afghanistan and as an induced cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood, the country`s apex weather agency said.

At 8 in the morning, the Air Quality Index was&nbsp;docking at 173 which falls in the "moderate category".

Overall air quality over Delhi is in moderate category but it is predicted to enter into the &nbsp;"poor" category on Sunday owing to increased moisture in the air and normalisation of wind speed which was becoming high during the day time for the past few days, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR).

However, moisture is not going to last longer and may precipitate bringing back the AQI to "moderate" from Sunday onwards, it said.

According to Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, "On March 2, another fresh Western Disturbance will approach the northern hills which will once again induce a cyclonic circulation over the northwestern plains. A trough will also extend from circulation up to south Uttar Pradesh. This trough will be responsible for giving scattered rain and thundershowers over Delhi-NCR on March 2 and 3. Thereafter, the weather systems will once again weaken and move eastwards, leading to commencement of dry and cold northwesterly winds," Skymet added.&nbsp;

The national capital and its adjoining areas such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida on Saturday woke up to scattered rainfall bringing some respite from the cold wave and air pollution.

The national capital and its adjoining areas such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Ghaziabad and Noida on Saturday woke up to scattered rainfall bringing some respite from the cold wave and air pollution. The thunderstorm with hail is predicted for Sunday too and a generally cloudy sky with light rain or drizzle has been forecast for Monday, March 4, according to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD). The rainfall is due to a western disturbance that lies as a cyclonic circulation over East Afghanistan and as an induced cyclonic circulation over southwest Rajasthan and neighbourhood, the country`s apex weather agency said. At 8 in the morning, the Air Quality Index was docking at 173 which falls in the "moderate category". Overall air quality over Delhi is in moderate category but it is predicted to enter into the "poor" category on Sunday owing to increased moisture in the air and normalisation of wind speed which was becoming high during the day time for the past few days, according to System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR). However, moisture is not going to last longer and may precipitate bringing back the AQI to "moderate" from Sunday onwards, it said. According to Skymet Weather, a private weather forecasting agency, "On March 2, another fresh Western Disturbance will approach the northern hills which will once again induce a cyclonic circulation over the northwestern plains. A trough will also extend from circulation up to south Uttar Pradesh. This trough will be responsible for giving scattered rain and thundershowers over Delhi-NCR on March 2 and 3. Thereafter, the weather systems will once again weaken and move eastwards, leading to commencement of dry and cold northwesterly winds," Skymet added.

Delhi wakes up to light showers, air quality remains 'moderate'

Five people died after a bus, on its way from Surinsar towards Srinagar, rolled into a deep gorge at Majalta in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Friday night.

All five people died on spot. The rescue operation is currently underway.

This comes days after a bus rammed into an auto rickshaw and two cars after the driver became unconscious in Telangana's Ranga Reddy area on Wednesday.

Before that, a truck driver died and at least 15 people were injured after a collision between a truck and a Delhi Transport Corporation bus near ITO in the national capital in the early hours of Tuesday.&nbsp;

Five people died after a bus, on its way from Surinsar towards Srinagar, rolled into a deep gorge at Majalta in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Friday night.

Five people died after a bus, on its way from Surinsar towards Srinagar, rolled into a deep gorge at Majalta in Jammu and Kashmir's Udhampur district on Friday night. All five people died on spot. The rescue operation is currently underway. This comes days after a bus rammed into an auto rickshaw and two cars after the driver became unconscious in Telangana's Ranga Reddy area on Wednesday. Before that, a truck driver died and at least 15 people were injured after a collision between a truck and a Delhi Transport Corporation bus near ITO in the national capital in the early hours of Tuesday.

J&K: 5 dead after bus falls into deep gorge in Udhampur

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for playing the nuclear and Muslim cards against India and denounced Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfits, describing these as “demon” outfits.

Attacking Khan, he said the Pakistan Prime Minister makes “weird” comments in his country’s Parliament.“He (Khan) says we have atom bomb, etc. Do we not have those? We also have,” Owaisi said addressing a gathering in Hyderabad.

He also asked Khan to desist from playing the Muslim card to target India.“Muslims of this country know better. Handle your ‘Lashkar-e-Shaitaan’ (a reference to Lashkar-e-Taiba) and Jaish-e-Shaitaan (a reference to Jaish-e-Mohammad),” the Lok Sabha member said, in his message to the Pakistan Prime Minister.

The Muslim leader also denounced JeM chief Masood Azhar, saying he should not be called a “Maulana” but a “devil’s dog and butcher of humanity”.

“Exploding bombs, attacking people is not Islam,” the MP from Hyderabad said, adding “India’s enemies are our (Muslims’) enemies too.”

Owaisi also slammed Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who said yesterday that Masood Azhar is in Pakistan but “too ill”.

“He (Qureshi) asked for evidence. What more evidence do they need? His organisation (Jaish-e-Mohammad) is banned,” he said.

Owaisi said Khan was also misrepresenting the role of Tipu Sultan and Bahadur Shah Zafar in his speeches.

“Tipu Sultan was never against Hindus but against the regimes, whosoever led those,” he said.

He expressed happiness over the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was in Pakistan’s captivity after his MiG-21 fighter plane was shot down on February 27.

The AIMIM chief also went on to add, “We praised the government over air strikes (on JeM camp in Balakot) in response to the Pulwama terror attack. But, now the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) needs to answer, how the terrorists were able to procure explosives? How they got hold of American weapons? Why was there intelligence and diplomatic failures? ”

Addressing a gathering in Hyderabad on the occasion of 61st revival day of AIMIM, he said, “Sixty years ago, at this very place, Jinnah came. We didn’t accept Jinnah’s message. We said India is our country.Those who understood Islam, stayed in India while the ‘razakars’ (volunteers), who adhered to the message of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, went to Pakistan,” the AIMIM chief said.

Owaisi also claimed that all sorts of allegations were levelled against him in the last four years. “What was our mistake? Are we against Hindus? Are we against Dalits?” he questioned.

“You may doubt because I am a Muslim but if BJP is saying ‘mera booth, sabse mazboot (my booth is the strongest), then I am saying ‘mera sarhad majboot toh desh mazboot (if my borders are protected, then my country is protected’.

So when you vote, keep in mind what is good for the nation and not the strength of someone’s booth,” AIMIM chief told the gathering. He also vowed to `finish BJP from Secundarabad and Congress from entire Telangana`.

&nbsp;

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for playing the nuclear and Muslim cards against India and denounced Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfits, describing these as “demon” outfits.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday hit out at Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for playing the nuclear and Muslim cards against India and denounced Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terror outfits, describing these as “demon” outfits. Attacking Khan, he said the Pakistan Prime Minister makes “weird” comments in his country’s Parliament.“He (Khan) says we have atom bomb, etc. Do we not have those? We also have,” Owaisi said addressing a gathering in Hyderabad. He also asked Khan to desist from playing the Muslim card to target India.“Muslims of this country know better. Handle your ‘Lashkar-e-Shaitaan’ (a reference to Lashkar-e-Taiba) and Jaish-e-Shaitaan (a reference to Jaish-e-Mohammad),” the Lok Sabha member said, in his message to the Pakistan Prime Minister. The Muslim leader also denounced JeM chief Masood Azhar, saying he should not be called a “Maulana” but a “devil’s dog and butcher of humanity”. “Exploding bombs, attacking people is not Islam,” the MP from Hyderabad said, adding “India’s enemies are our (Muslims’) enemies too.” Owaisi also slammed Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi who said yesterday that Masood Azhar is in Pakistan but “too ill”. “He (Qureshi) asked for evidence. What more evidence do they need? His organisation (Jaish-e-Mohammad) is banned,” he said. Owaisi said Khan was also misrepresenting the role of Tipu Sultan and Bahadur Shah Zafar in his speeches. “Tipu Sultan was never against Hindus but against the regimes, whosoever led those,” he said. He expressed happiness over the return of Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman, was in Pakistan’s captivity after his MiG-21 fighter plane was shot down on February 27. The AIMIM chief also went on to add, “We praised the government over air strikes (on JeM camp in Balakot) in response to the Pulwama terror attack. But, now the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) needs to answer, how the terrorists were able to procure explosives? How they got hold of American weapons? Why was there intelligence and diplomatic failures? ” Addressing a gathering in Hyderabad on the occasion of 61st revival day of AIMIM, he said, “Sixty years ago, at this very place, Jinnah came. We didn’t accept Jinnah’s message. We said India is our country.Those who understood Islam, stayed in India while the ‘razakars’ (volunteers), who adhered to the message of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, went to Pakistan,” the AIMIM chief said. Owaisi also claimed that all sorts of allegations were levelled against him in the last four years. “What was our mistake? Are we against Hindus? Are we against Dalits?” he questioned. “You may doubt because I am a Muslim but if BJP is saying ‘mera booth, sabse mazboot (my booth is the strongest), then I am saying ‘mera sarhad majboot toh desh mazboot (if my borders are protected, then my country is protected’. So when you vote, keep in mind what is good for the nation and not the strength of someone’s booth,” AIMIM chief told the gathering. He also vowed to `finish BJP from Secundarabad and Congress from entire Telangana`.

Exploding bombs, attacking people is not Islam: Asaduddin Owaisi to Masood Azhar

Four security personnel, including two policemen and two CRPF jawans, succumbed to their injuries during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara town of Kupwara district on Friday.

A civilian was also killed in the encounter, officials said.

Based on credible input about the presence of terrorists in Babagund area of Kralgund in Handwara, a cordon and search operation was launched on Friday jointly by police and security forces in the area, the police said.

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Kupwara encounter: Firing stopped, search operation underway. Four security personnel and one civilian lost their lives in the encounter that broke out yesterday. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>
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The encounter broke out after the terrorists fired indiscriminately on the search party.

The two police personnel who lost their lives have been identified as Sg Ct Naseer Ahmad Kholi and Sg Ct Ghulam Mustafa Barah, while the two CRPF personnel have been identified as Inspector Pintu and Ct Vinod.

The civilian has been identified as Waseem Ahmad Mir.

"Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosive materials if any," the police said in a statement. 
&nbsp;

Four security personnel, including two policemen and two CRPF jawans, succumbed to their injuries during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara town of Kupwara district on Friday.

Four security personnel, including two policemen and two CRPF jawans, succumbed to their injuries during an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Handwara town of Kupwara district on Friday. A civilian was also killed in the encounter, officials said. Based on credible input about the presence of terrorists in Babagund area of Kralgund in Handwara, a cordon and search operation was launched on Friday jointly by police and security forces in the area, the police said. Kupwara encounter: Firing stopped, search operation underway. Four security personnel and one civilian lost their lives in the encounter that broke out yesterday. #JammuAndKashmir — ANI (@ANI) March 2, 2019 × The encounter broke out after the terrorists fired indiscriminately on the search party. The two police personnel who lost their lives have been identified as Sg Ct Naseer Ahmad Kholi and Sg Ct Ghulam Mustafa Barah, while the two CRPF personnel have been identified as Inspector Pintu and Ct Vinod. The civilian has been identified as Waseem Ahmad Mir. "Citizens are requested not to venture inside the encounter zone since such an area can prove dangerous due to stray explosive materials. People are requested to cooperate with police till the area is completely sanitised and cleared of all the explosive materials if any," the police said in a statement.

J&K: 4 security personnel, 1 civillian killed in Kupwara encounter

India has made it clear, that it will not talk to Islamabad unless it takes immediate and verifiable action against terrorism emanating from territories under its control. A source told WION, it is Pakistan that has to create a "conducive environment" for talks.

The development comes as part of New Delhi's long-standing policy that talks and terror cannot go together.&nbsp;

Reiterating India's stance, Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma said in an interview to a Russian news agency, "New Delhi is ready for a dialogue with Pakistan when Islamabad can take really serious actions to combat terrorist groups".

Islamabad is facing global isolation from New York to Abu Dhabi to Paris. In New York, France along with Russia, US and UK have backed the proposal to list Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as an international terrorist under the 1267 committee of the United Nations Security Council. JeM was responsible for the Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 personnel of the CRPF were killed.

In Abu Dhabi, India was the Guest of Honour at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and despite Pakistan's insistence that invite to Delhi should be cancelled, the pleas were not taken into consideration. Without naming Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who represented India said, "If we want to save the humanity then we must tell the states who provide shelter and funding to the terrorists, to dismantle the infrastructure of the terrorist camps and stop providing funding and shelter to the terror organisations, based in their country."&nbsp;

In Paris during the FATF meet(Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism ), Pakistan received an admonition with the country being asked to take make more efforts to combat the terrorist groups based on its territory.

India has made it clear, that it will not talk to Islamabad unless it takes immediate and verifiable action against terrorism emanating from territories under its control.

India has made it clear, that it will not talk to Islamabad unless it takes immediate and verifiable action against terrorism emanating from territories under its control. A source told WION, it is Pakistan that has to create a "conducive environment" for talks. The development comes as part of New Delhi's long-standing policy that talks and terror cannot go together. Reiterating India's stance, Indian Ambassador to Russia Venkatesh Varma said in an interview to a Russian news agency, "New Delhi is ready for a dialogue with Pakistan when Islamabad can take really serious actions to combat terrorist groups". Islamabad is facing global isolation from New York to Abu Dhabi to Paris. In New York, France along with Russia, US and UK have backed the proposal to list Masood Azhar, the chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) as an international terrorist under the 1267 committee of the United Nations Security Council. JeM was responsible for the Pulwama terror attack in which more than 40 personnel of the CRPF were killed. In Abu Dhabi, India was the Guest of Honour at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and despite Pakistan's insistence that invite to Delhi should be cancelled, the pleas were not taken into consideration. Without naming Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj who represented India said, "If we want to save the humanity then we must tell the states who provide shelter and funding to the terrorists, to dismantle the infrastructure of the terrorist camps and stop providing funding and shelter to the terror organisations, based in their country." In Paris during the FATF meet(Financial Action Task Force on Money Laundering and Financing of Terrorism ), Pakistan received an admonition with the country being asked to take make more efforts to combat the terrorist groups based on its territory.

New Delhi asks Pakistan to create conducive environment for talks by shunning support to terror

India did not negotiate any deal to bring back its <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/did-not-face-any-physical-torture-but-went-through-a-lot-of-mental-harassment-abhinandan-on-his-captivity-in-pakistan-200734">Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman </a>and Pakistan on its accord announced that it will return him back, Government sources told WION.

Pakistan on Wednesday launched strikes against Indian military installations. About 20 Pakistani Air Force aircraft launched the attack at 9.45 am, out of which Indian Airforce downed one of PAF's F16 using its MiG 21. In the aerial combat, Abhinandan's aircraft was shot and he was captured.

India was firm that there will not be any repetition of Kandahar of 1999 in which an entire nation was "held ransom". New Delhi was clear from the start, Pakistan has to send back its Air Force personnel immediately and treat him in a humane manner. India also did not demand any consular access.

The Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday, just a day after his capture announced in the Parliament that he will be released.

He arrived in India on Friday and was taken from Amritsar to Delhi's Army hospital where he underwent a full body check-up. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa both met Abhinandan.

The Defence Ministry in a statement said, "Raksha Mantri met Wing Commander Abhinandan at RR hospital, interacted and enquired about his health. The officer was in high spirit and was happy to meet RM".

Wing Commander's family was also present when the Defence minister was present.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi in the Pakistani Parliament on Friday had said Abhinandan will be released in the afternoon, but this was delayed by the Pakistani side and he finally came to India at 9.21 PM on Friday via the Wagah border.

India did not negotiate any deal to bring back its Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and Pakistan on its accord announced that it will return him back, Government sources told WION.

India did not negotiate any deal to bring back its Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman and Pakistan on its accord announced that it will return him back, Government sources told WION. Pakistan on Wednesday launched strikes against Indian military installations. About 20 Pakistani Air Force aircraft launched the attack at 9.45 am, out of which Indian Airforce downed one of PAF's F16 using its MiG 21. In the aerial combat, Abhinandan's aircraft was shot and he was captured. India was firm that there will not be any repetition of Kandahar of 1999 in which an entire nation was "held ransom". New Delhi was clear from the start, Pakistan has to send back its Air Force personnel immediately and treat him in a humane manner. India also did not demand any consular access. The Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan on Thursday, just a day after his capture announced in the Parliament that he will be released. He arrived in India on Friday and was taken from Amritsar to Delhi's Army hospital where he underwent a full body check-up. Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Air Force Chief Birender Singh Dhanoa both met Abhinandan. The Defence Ministry in a statement said, "Raksha Mantri met Wing Commander Abhinandan at RR hospital, interacted and enquired about his health. The officer was in high spirit and was happy to meet RM". Wing Commander's family was also present when the Defence minister was present. The Pakistani Foreign Minister SM Qureshi in the Pakistani Parliament on Friday had said Abhinandan will be released in the afternoon, but this was delayed by the Pakistani side and he finally came to India at 9.21 PM on Friday via the Wagah border.

No deal was negotiated to get Abhinandan back: Government sources to WION

Abhinandan's moustache takes internet by storm

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Army Commander of Northern Command Lt Gen Ranbir Singh visited White Knight Corps on Saturday to review the operational preparedness of the forces in the Corps Zone in view of the current situation along Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB).

Lt Gen Paramjit Singh briefed General Rawat on the action taken to meet the challenges of increased ceasefire violations and measures put in place to thwart the nefarious designs of the adversary.

The Army chief was also briefed on the measures reinforced in the hinterland in the Area of Responsibility towards ensuring peace and stability.

General Rawat commended all soldiers for their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism.

He was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations in the Corps Zone to minimise the casualties due to ceasefire violations and infiltration bids.

The Army Chief also exhorted all soldiers on the need to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the enemy and anti-national elements.

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Army Commander of Northern Command Lt Gen Ranbir Singh visited White Knight Corps on Saturday to review the operational preparedness of the forces in the Corps Zone in view of the current situation along Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB).

Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat and Army Commander of Northern Command Lt Gen Ranbir Singh visited White Knight Corps on Saturday to review the operational preparedness of the forces in the Corps Zone in view of the current situation along Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB). Lt Gen Paramjit Singh briefed General Rawat on the action taken to meet the challenges of increased ceasefire violations and measures put in place to thwart the nefarious designs of the adversary. The Army chief was also briefed on the measures reinforced in the hinterland in the Area of Responsibility towards ensuring peace and stability. General Rawat commended all soldiers for their unwavering dedication to duty, selfless devotion and high standard of professionalism. He was appreciative of the measures and standard operating procedures instituted by the units and formations in the Corps Zone to minimise the casualties due to ceasefire violations and infiltration bids. The Army Chief also exhorted all soldiers on the need to remain vigilant to counter the nefarious designs of the enemy and anti-national elements.

Army Chief visits White Knight Corps in Jammu, reviews operational preparedness of forces

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