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Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was Saturday taken into custody by the Pune Police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave, a senior official said here.

Rao was so far under house arrest in Hyderabad.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Pune Police) Shivaji Bodakhe said an extension of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High Court expired on November 15.

On October 26, the Pune Police had taken into custody co-accused Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves, while Sudha Bharadwaj was taken into custody the next day.

Left-leaning activists Rao, Ferreira, Gonsalves, Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested in August after the Pune Police conducted raids at various places in the country in connection with the Koregaon Bhima violence case.

Navlakha has not been taken into custody yet.

The police alleged that the activists had links with the Maoists, who backed Elgar Parishad held in Pune on December 31 last year. The Parishad, the police alleged, instigated violence near Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune district the next day.

However, the activists were put under house arrest on Supreme Court's order. The apex court subsequently said the Pune Police can go ahead with the probe.

Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was Saturday taken into custody by the Pune Police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave, a senior official said here.

Telugu poet Varavara Rao, accused of having Maoist links, was Saturday taken into custody by the Pune Police from Hyderabad in a case related to Elgar Parishad conclave, a senior official said here. Rao was so far under house arrest in Hyderabad. Joint Commissioner of Police (Pune Police) Shivaji Bodakhe said an extension of his house arrest granted by the Hyderabad High Court expired on November 15. On October 26, the Pune Police had taken into custody co-accused Arun Ferreira and Vernon Gonsalves, while Sudha Bharadwaj was taken into custody the next day. Left-leaning activists Rao, Ferreira, Gonsalves, Bharadwaj and Gautam Navlakha were arrested in August after the Pune Police conducted raids at various places in the country in connection with the Koregaon Bhima violence case. Navlakha has not been taken into custody yet. The police alleged that the activists had links with the Maoists, who backed Elgar Parishad held in Pune on December 31 last year. The Parishad, the police alleged, instigated violence near Koregaon Bhima war memorial in Pune district the next day. However, the activists were put under house arrest on Supreme Court's order. The apex court subsequently said the Pune Police can go ahead with the probe.

Bhima Koregaon violence case: Varavara Rao taken into custody by Pune Police

Top functionaries of the government and the ruling BJP Saturday discussed the situation in Assam arising out of the exclusion of 40 lakh people during the update of the NRC, officials said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reviewed the ongoing exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of Assam's residents.

The meeting stressed on the need for ensuring inclusion of all genuine Indians in the NRC, an official privy to the meeting said.

The Supreme Court has fixed December 15 as the deadline for filing of claims and objections for inclusion of names in the NRC.

The meeting came amidst reports that the central government was considering a proposal to grant work permits, among other measures, to people living in Assam who do not qualify for inclusion in the NRC.

The central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act, to grant Indian nationality to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan also figured in the meeting, the official said.

As per the bill, these designated classes of people will be granted citizenship after six years of residence in the country, instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document.

A large section of people in Assam have vehemently opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to illegal immigrants.

A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently examining the provisions of the bill and the panel is expected to table its report in the Winter Session of the Parliament beginning December 11.

The chief minister briefed the meeting about the situation arising due to the protests against the bill, recent violence perpetrated by the ULFA and the general law and order situation in Assam, another official said.

Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain were among those who attended the meeting.

The update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy.

The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state and it was carried out only in Assam, which faced an influx of people from the neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century.

When the NRC was first prepared in Assam way back in 1951, the state had 80 lakh citizens.

As per the 2011 census, Assam's total population is over 3.11 crore. The process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam has been widely debated and has become a contentious issue in the state's politics.

A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979.&nbsp;

It culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985, in the presence of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.&nbsp;

Top functionaries of the government and the ruling BJP Saturday discussed the situation in Assam arising out of the exclusion of 40 lakh people during the update of the NRC, officials said.

Top functionaries of the government and the ruling BJP Saturday discussed the situation in Assam arising out of the exclusion of 40 lakh people during the update of the NRC, officials said. Home Minister Rajnath Singh, BJP president Amit Shah, Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval reviewed the ongoing exercise to update the National Register of Citizens (NRC), a list of Assam's residents. The meeting stressed on the need for ensuring inclusion of all genuine Indians in the NRC, an official privy to the meeting said. The Supreme Court has fixed December 15 as the deadline for filing of claims and objections for inclusion of names in the NRC. The meeting came amidst reports that the central government was considering a proposal to grant work permits, among other measures, to people living in Assam who do not qualify for inclusion in the NRC. The central government's move to amend the Citizenship Act, to grant Indian nationality to Hindu, Sikh, Jain, Buddhists, Christians and Parsis of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan also figured in the meeting, the official said. As per the bill, these designated classes of people will be granted citizenship after six years of residence in the country, instead of 12, even if they don't possess any proper document. A large section of people in Assam have vehemently opposed the Citizenship Amendment Bill saying it will nullify the provisions of the 1985 Assam Accord which fixed March 24, 1971 as the cut-off date for granting citizenship to illegal immigrants. A Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) is currently examining the provisions of the bill and the panel is expected to table its report in the Winter Session of the Parliament beginning December 11. The chief minister briefed the meeting about the situation arising due to the protests against the bill, recent violence perpetrated by the ULFA and the general law and order situation in Assam, another official said. Union Home Secretary Rajiv Gauba and Director Intelligence Bureau Rajiv Jain were among those who attended the meeting. The update of the NRC, a massive Supreme Court-monitored exercise to identify genuine Indian nationals living in Assam, excluded over 40 lakh people from the draft list published on July 30, creating a huge political controversy. The exercise is aimed at identifying illegal immigrants in the state and it was carried out only in Assam, which faced an influx of people from the neighbouring Bangladesh since the early 20th century. When the NRC was first prepared in Assam way back in 1951, the state had 80 lakh citizens. As per the 2011 census, Assam's total population is over 3.11 crore. The process of identification of illegal immigrants in Assam has been widely debated and has become a contentious issue in the state's politics. A six-year agitation demanding identification and deportation of illegal immigrants was launched by the AASU in 1979. It culminated with the signing of the Assam Accord on August 15, 1985, in the presence of then prime minister Rajiv Gandhi.

Rajnath Singh, Amit Shah, Sonowal, Doval discuss NRC for Assam

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same.&nbsp;

Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said.

"Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now.

"By rule, they can tell me even next year," the minister said at the annual ET Awards in Mumbai.

"I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on news reports?" she said.&nbsp;

Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same.

She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government.

The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in concluding the contract, the BJP leader said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business.

The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition.

Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) for implementing the offset obligation in the deal.

"There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...So they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said.

Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and added that it had achieved feats like making defence acquisitions middlemen-free.

"For a party which has never had that kind of approach for governance with transparency, they think they probably will definitely be lucky to get something sticking on to us," she said in an apparent dig at the Congress.&nbsp;

The minister also said that her ministry had been able to increase the 'Make in India' component for purchases.

She said a proposal was on the anvil to induct women into institutions like the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, but it will take long for posting women in border areas.&nbsp;

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman Saturday said India cannot put pressure on French aircraft maker Dassault Aviation to share details of offset partners related to the Rafale deal just because the Opposition wanted to know the same. Dassault, the Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) in the Rafale fighter jet deal, is obliged to share details of the offset partners under contract with India, but has a year's time to do so, she said. "Just because my Opposition wanted to know it (offset partner details) yesterday, I cannot put pressure on my OEM saying the Opposition wants it now, give it now. "By rule, they can tell me even next year," the minister said at the annual ET Awards in Mumbai. "I am waiting for it. Once I come to know, I will tell you. Before that, why should I speculate based on news reports?" she said. Sitharaman explained that as part of the Rs 58,000 crore deal, the French firm has to give details of the offsets of over 30 per cent of the total contract value, and the Indian government has the right to know the same before giving it the required credits for the same. She said the Congress, which had alleged a scam in the deal, was moving from one point to another after being unable to prove anything and hoping that something would stick to the BJP-led government. The Congress first alleged the deal was signed to benefit an offset partner with a malafide intention and is now questioning the "haste" shown by the prime minister in concluding the contract, the BJP leader said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi influenced the Rafale deal to save "debt-ridden" Reliance group chairman Anil Ambani's business. The Centre and the Reliance group have repeatedly denied any irregularities or favouritism in the deal, under which the country is buying 36 Rafale jets in fly-away condition. Last week, the Centre told the Supreme Court that as per the Defence Offset Guidelines, the OEM was free to select its Indian Offset Partners (IOPs) for implementing the offset obligation in the deal. "There isn't anything wrong with the procedure, with the methodology, with the price, with the technical details, with the list of ammunition...So they (Congress) do not know how far they have to go on with it hoping that something will stick on to us," the defence minister said. Sitharaman asserted that the Rafale controversy will not be able to blemish the Centre's record on corruption and added that it had achieved feats like making defence acquisitions middlemen-free. "For a party which has never had that kind of approach for governance with transparency, they think they probably will definitely be lucky to get something sticking on to us," she said in an apparent dig at the Congress. The minister also said that her ministry had been able to increase the 'Make in India' component for purchases. She said a proposal was on the anvil to induct women into institutions like the National Defence Academy and the Indian Military Academy, but it will take long for posting women in border areas.

Can't pressure Dassault to share offset partner details: Nirmala Sitharaman

Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih takes office on Saturday, seeking help from India and the United States to climb out from under a mountain of Chinese debt that his predecessor racked up in a breakneck development of the coral islands.

The surprise defeat of pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen has opened a window for India, the strategic outpost's traditional political partner, to regain ground lost to Beijing in their tussle for regional dominance.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the highest ranking visitor at the inauguration at the national soccer stadium in the capital Male. By contrast, China's highest-ranking attendee will be Culture and Tourism Minister Luo Shugang.

"I will convey to the new Maldivian government ... the desire of my government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity and human resource development," the Indian prime minister said in a post on Facebook.

Modi's presence signals the end of years of frosty relations because of Yameen's embrace of China, a relationship that had deepened India's anxieties about being encircled by countries leaning towards Beijing.

In Sri Lanka, an island nation to the southeast of India, the rivalry between New Delhi and Beijing has been one of the triggers for a political crisis in recent weeks.

"India-first"

The low-key Solih, a veteran lawmaker, has promised an "India first" policy in the Maldives, saying the small nation of a little over 400,000 people needs solid ties with its immediate neighbour.

His team is also reviewing millions of dollars of investments from China, as well as the related debt that the country has run up from Chinese lenders and how to restructure it. Solih has said investigations will be launched to find out what happened and fix accountability, Adam Azim, a member of his transition committee, told reporters on Thursday.

"We were led to believe it's about $1.5 billion, the Chinese debt, but it could be worse," said another member of Solih's top economic team, which has been holding discussions with finance ministry officials during the transition following the election in September.

He said the team had already reached out to India, the United States and Saudi Arabia for financial assistance so it could tackle the debt.

"We straightaway need 200-300 million dollars to kick-start the budgetary support," the adviser said.

Debt of $1.5 billion would be more than a quarter of the country's annual gross domestic product. Another member of the incoming president's economic team said firm proposals for assistance had been discussed with Indian and U.S. officials.

"Friendship"&nbsp;bridge

Signs of the infrastructure boom are everywhere in Male, from where tourists are whisked off in high speed boats to luxury resorts built on atolls in the turquoise waters.

Some 400 Chinese workers this year completed the mile-long China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, which towers over the city connecting the airport on one island to the capital on another.

The airport itself is undergoing expansion, with a second runway to accommodate the thousands of tourists who arrive each day.

The airport development is an especially sore point with India, after the Maldivian government cancelled a $511 million deal with India's GMR Infrastructure and later gave the contract to Beijing Urban Construction Group Company Limited.

The Yameen administration also threw open new islands and lagoons from the 1,192 islands that make up the necklace-shaped archipelago for development of resorts.

"There is such secrecy surrounding all these deals that it will take us weeks to figure out what went on," said Mariya Ahmad, an MP and spokeswoman for Solih.

Sensing an opportunity, India has told Solih's team it stands ready to help, Indian government officials in New Delhi and Maldivian authorities in Male said.

India had provided a $75 million credit line some years ago, of which a third had been utilised before the diplomatic chill set in with the previous administration, an Indian government official said.

There is also a currency swap agreement between the Reserve Bank of India and the Maldives Monetary Authority that could help maintain financial stability, the official said.

Modi, making his first visit since taking office in 2014, will hold talks with Solih before the inauguration.

India has had a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives, providing coastal security and patrols of its exclusive economic zone. But Yameen saw such co-operation as a cover for surveillance and had asked India to withdraw two military helicopters along with 50 military personnel this year.

The Indians had refused and now officials in Delhi said they expected the visas of the personnel involved in the operations to be renewed.

"In keeping with its neighbourhood first policy, India looks forward to closely working with Maldives in further deepening the partnership," Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said.

A diplomatic source said the United States was also set to increase its engagement with the Maldives. Its relations had also become strained because of Yameen's crackdown on political rivals and supreme court justices.

But China remains a big player, given the investments by its state companies and as Chinese tourists pour in. That means the relationship is unlikely to completely unravel.

Between January to October this year, 247,911 Chinese tourists arrived, accounting for a fifth of all visitors. India, which is much closer geographically, provided just 5 per cent.

China's embassy did not respond to a request for comment about concerns that its projects had pushed the Maldives into financial difficulties. Soon after Solih's victory, Beijing had said it hoped the new government would maintain continuity in its policies and create good conditions for Chinese firms.

Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih takes office on Saturday, seeking help from India and the United States to climb out from under a mountain of Chinese debt that his predecessor racked up in a breakneck development of the coral islands.

Maldives' President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih takes office on Saturday, seeking help from India and the United States to climb out from under a mountain of Chinese debt that his predecessor racked up in a breakneck development of the coral islands. The surprise defeat of pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen has opened a window for India, the strategic outpost's traditional political partner, to regain ground lost to Beijing in their tussle for regional dominance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the highest ranking visitor at the inauguration at the national soccer stadium in the capital Male. By contrast, China's highest-ranking attendee will be Culture and Tourism Minister Luo Shugang. "I will convey to the new Maldivian government ... the desire of my government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity and human resource development," the Indian prime minister said in a post on Facebook. Modi's presence signals the end of years of frosty relations because of Yameen's embrace of China, a relationship that had deepened India's anxieties about being encircled by countries leaning towards Beijing. In Sri Lanka, an island nation to the southeast of India, the rivalry between New Delhi and Beijing has been one of the triggers for a political crisis in recent weeks. "India-first" The low-key Solih, a veteran lawmaker, has promised an "India first" policy in the Maldives, saying the small nation of a little over 400,000 people needs solid ties with its immediate neighbour. His team is also reviewing millions of dollars of investments from China, as well as the related debt that the country has run up from Chinese lenders and how to restructure it. Solih has said investigations will be launched to find out what happened and fix accountability, Adam Azim, a member of his transition committee, told reporters on Thursday. "We were led to believe it's about $1.5 billion, the Chinese debt, but it could be worse," said another member of Solih's top economic team, which has been holding discussions with finance ministry officials during the transition following the election in September. He said the team had already reached out to India, the United States and Saudi Arabia for financial assistance so it could tackle the debt. "We straightaway need 200-300 million dollars to kick-start the budgetary support," the adviser said. Debt of $1.5 billion would be more than a quarter of the country's annual gross domestic product. Another member of the incoming president's economic team said firm proposals for assistance had been discussed with Indian and U.S. officials. "Friendship" bridge Signs of the infrastructure boom are everywhere in Male, from where tourists are whisked off in high speed boats to luxury resorts built on atolls in the turquoise waters. Some 400 Chinese workers this year completed the mile-long China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, which towers over the city connecting the airport on one island to the capital on another. The airport itself is undergoing expansion, with a second runway to accommodate the thousands of tourists who arrive each day. The airport development is an especially sore point with India, after the Maldivian government cancelled a $511 million deal with India's GMR Infrastructure and later gave the contract to Beijing Urban Construction Group Company Limited. The Yameen administration also threw open new islands and lagoons from the 1,192 islands that make up the necklace-shaped archipelago for development of resorts. "There is such secrecy surrounding all these deals that it will take us weeks to figure out what went on," said Mariya Ahmad, an MP and spokeswoman for Solih. Sensing an opportunity, India has told Solih's team it stands ready to help, Indian government officials in New Delhi and Maldivian authorities in Male said. India had provided a $75 million credit line some years ago, of which a third had been utilised before the diplomatic chill set in with the previous administration, an Indian government official said. There is also a currency swap agreement between the Reserve Bank of India and the Maldives Monetary Authority that could help maintain financial stability, the official said. Modi, making his first visit since taking office in 2014, will hold talks with Solih before the inauguration. India has had a long-standing defence cooperation agreement with the Maldives, providing coastal security and patrols of its exclusive economic zone. But Yameen saw such co-operation as a cover for surveillance and had asked India to withdraw two military helicopters along with 50 military personnel this year. The Indians had refused and now officials in Delhi said they expected the visas of the personnel involved in the operations to be renewed. "In keeping with its neighbourhood first policy, India looks forward to closely working with Maldives in further deepening the partnership," Indian foreign ministry spokesman Raveesh Kumar said. A diplomatic source said the United States was also set to increase its engagement with the Maldives. Its relations had also become strained because of Yameen's crackdown on political rivals and supreme court justices. But China remains a big player, given the investments by its state companies and as Chinese tourists pour in. That means the relationship is unlikely to completely unravel. Between January to October this year, 247,911 Chinese tourists arrived, accounting for a fifth of all visitors. India, which is much closer geographically, provided just 5 per cent. China's embassy did not respond to a request for comment about concerns that its projects had pushed the Maldives into financial difficulties. Soon after Solih's victory, Beijing had said it hoped the new government would maintain continuity in its policies and create good conditions for Chinese firms.

PM Modi embraces Maldives as new leader Solih takes office

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday said relations between India and Pakistan cannot improve till the neighbouring country's military is tamed.

"Imran Khan or any other Khan cannot do much till they control their military, which has vested interests in continuing border tensions with India," Singh said at a literary festival here.

"By and large, people in Pakistan also want peace with India but their military feels otherwise,"&nbsp;he added.

He said that during his last stint as chief minister, relations between the two countries had "warmed up" to quite an extent.

The Punjab chief minister said he regretted that the bilateral relations soured again and blamed the Pakistan Army for it.

Singh said though Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI continues to foment trouble in Punjab, he does not foresee a revival of terrorism in the state.

"People here want peace and have seen what terrorism did to the state," he said.

Admitting that the state's youths were frustrated due to unemployment, he said his government's 'Ghar Ghar Naukri' programme was showing results.

About 4.5 lakh youths have been given employment in the past 18 months under this programme, he said.

Singh claimed his government had "by and large" controlled the drug menace.

"Nowhere in the world have drugs disappeared, but we are taking all steps to cut their supply chain and for the rehabilitation of the addicts," he said.

The chief minister said heroin was being smuggled into Punjab from across the country and the police had recently seized a consignment which had come from Mandavi in Gujarat.&nbsp;

This, he claimed, shows that a systematic game plan is in place to destabilise the state.

Singh said he would not allow this to happen and his government will continue its crackdown on drug dealers and traders.

He also dismissed the comparison between his government's decision to make sacrilege of religious books punishable with life imprisonment and Pakistan's blasphemy laws.

"If anyone thinks that they can get away by indulging in sacrilege, by burning a Guru Granth Sahib, a Bible, a Quran or any other religious scripture, they should know that we would not allow it and they will have to pay the price for such misadventures," Singh warned.

On prospects of the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said the party is on the path of recovery and will form the government at the Centre.

Singh said Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be the party's prime ministerial candidate.&nbsp;

He said he is personally confident that the party chief would prove to be a successful prime minister.&nbsp;

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday said relations between India and Pakistan cannot improve till the neighbouring country's military is tamed. "Imran Khan or any other Khan cannot do much till they control their military, which has vested interests in continuing border tensions with India," Singh said at a literary festival here.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Friday said relations between India and Pakistan cannot improve till the neighbouring country's military is tamed. "Imran Khan or any other Khan cannot do much till they control their military, which has vested interests in continuing border tensions with India," Singh said at a literary festival here. "By and large, people in Pakistan also want peace with India but their military feels otherwise," he added. He said that during his last stint as chief minister, relations between the two countries had "warmed up" to quite an extent. The Punjab chief minister said he regretted that the bilateral relations soured again and blamed the Pakistan Army for it. Singh said though Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI continues to foment trouble in Punjab, he does not foresee a revival of terrorism in the state. "People here want peace and have seen what terrorism did to the state," he said. Admitting that the state's youths were frustrated due to unemployment, he said his government's 'Ghar Ghar Naukri' programme was showing results. About 4.5 lakh youths have been given employment in the past 18 months under this programme, he said. Singh claimed his government had "by and large" controlled the drug menace. "Nowhere in the world have drugs disappeared, but we are taking all steps to cut their supply chain and for the rehabilitation of the addicts," he said. The chief minister said heroin was being smuggled into Punjab from across the country and the police had recently seized a consignment which had come from Mandavi in Gujarat. This, he claimed, shows that a systematic game plan is in place to destabilise the state. Singh said he would not allow this to happen and his government will continue its crackdown on drug dealers and traders. He also dismissed the comparison between his government's decision to make sacrilege of religious books punishable with life imprisonment and Pakistan's blasphemy laws. "If anyone thinks that they can get away by indulging in sacrilege, by burning a Guru Granth Sahib, a Bible, a Quran or any other religious scripture, they should know that we would not allow it and they will have to pay the price for such misadventures," Singh warned. On prospects of the Congress in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he said the party is on the path of recovery and will form the government at the Centre. Singh said Congress president Rahul Gandhi will be the party's prime ministerial candidate. He said he is personally confident that the party chief would prove to be a successful prime minister.

Relations can't improve till Pakistan Army is tamed: Amarinder Singh

After a day's respite, the air quality in the National Capital again deteriorated to 'very poor'&nbsp;category on Saturday as the dispersion of pollutants slowed down.

The PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres) level was recorded at 339 in the morning in New Delhi.

According to the forecasting agency, the fog will lift in the morning with maximum and minimum temperatures hovering around 27 degrees Celsius and 15-degree Celsius.

The humidity in the region will plummet to 78 per cent with the wind speed of 8 kilometres per hour.

An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'hazardous'.

"Air pollution is on the path of reversal and increased after the impact of rain is over and AQI is entering in 'very poor'&nbsp;range. Likely to deteriorate further by tomorrow but will remain in the very poor category. Although surface wind speed is better (higher) but air holding capacity is also high due to moisture which is unfavourable. fire counts from stubble burning increased in past 24 Hours. Although less possibility of direct intrusion but horizontal dispersion may contribute marginally (8-10 per cent) to Delhi pollution," System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said.

Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) Chairman Bhure Lal on Friday also expressed his concern over the air pollution crisis and stated that more crop burning residue has been recorded this year. He also criticised farmers who continue to burn stubble, instead of turning crop residue into useful products.

Recently, NASA had released a couple of images of burning stubble in Punjab and Haryana. The organisation has stated that stubble burning in these two states have increased significantly within a span of 10 years and the biggest victims are Ambala, Karnal, Sirsa Amritsar and Hisar.

However, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh denied Lal's claim and stated, "We have westerly winds most of the year and if stubble burning was responsible for Delhi`s pollution then Chandigarh`s air should have been as polluted."

The recent report issued by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in October, has also stated paddy stubble burning incidents in Punjab have significantly declined this Kharif season.

The data from PPCB stated that 7503 cases of stubble burning were reported in the state till October 26 this year. There were 13,364 and 19,879 cases recorded during the same period in 2017 and 2016 respectively.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution, on the other hand, can be just as deadly.

In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6 per cent of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together.

Nearly 90 per cent of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

After a day's respite, the air quality in the National Capital again deteriorated to 'very poor' category on Saturday as the dispersion of pollutants slowed down.

After a day's respite, the air quality in the National Capital again deteriorated to 'very poor' category on Saturday as the dispersion of pollutants slowed down. The PM2.5 (particles in the air with a diameter of fewer than 2.5 micrometres) level was recorded at 339 in the morning in New Delhi. According to the forecasting agency, the fog will lift in the morning with maximum and minimum temperatures hovering around 27 degrees Celsius and 15-degree Celsius. The humidity in the region will plummet to 78 per cent with the wind speed of 8 kilometres per hour. An Air Quality Index (AQI) between 0 and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'hazardous'. "Air pollution is on the path of reversal and increased after the impact of rain is over and AQI is entering in 'very poor' range. Likely to deteriorate further by tomorrow but will remain in the very poor category. Although surface wind speed is better (higher) but air holding capacity is also high due to moisture which is unfavourable. fire counts from stubble burning increased in past 24 Hours. Although less possibility of direct intrusion but horizontal dispersion may contribute marginally (8-10 per cent) to Delhi pollution," System of Air Quality and Weather Forecasting And Research (SAFAR) said. Environment Pollution (Prevention and Control) Authority (EPCA) Chairman Bhure Lal on Friday also expressed his concern over the air pollution crisis and stated that more crop burning residue has been recorded this year. He also criticised farmers who continue to burn stubble, instead of turning crop residue into useful products. Recently, NASA had released a couple of images of burning stubble in Punjab and Haryana. The organisation has stated that stubble burning in these two states have increased significantly within a span of 10 years and the biggest victims are Ambala, Karnal, Sirsa Amritsar and Hisar. However, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh denied Lal's claim and stated, "We have westerly winds most of the year and if stubble burning was responsible for Delhi`s pollution then Chandigarh`s air should have been as polluted." The recent report issued by Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) in October, has also stated paddy stubble burning incidents in Punjab have significantly declined this Kharif season. The data from PPCB stated that 7503 cases of stubble burning were reported in the state till October 26 this year. There were 13,364 and 19,879 cases recorded during the same period in 2017 and 2016 respectively. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 3 million deaths a year are linked to exposure to outdoor air pollution. Indoor air pollution, on the other hand, can be just as deadly. In 2012, an estimated 6.5 million deaths (11.6 per cent of all global deaths) were associated with indoor and outdoor air pollution together. Nearly 90 per cent of air-pollution-related deaths occur in low and middle-income countries.

Thick fog engulfs Delhi, air quality dips to 'very poor'

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from the "likes of" Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani.

Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation ahead of the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, Gandhi alleged that Modi made the honest people suffer through the 2016 exercise, but spared the rich.

Addressing a poll rally in Koriya district, he alleged that the prime minister had waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore of a few rich people, but not those of the poor farmers.

"As soon as the Congress forms the government here, Modiji, you count 10 days. The Congress will waive the loans of each farmer in Chhattisgarh within 10 days," Gandhi said.

He claimed that BJP leaders used to question the previous Congress-led UPA government about the source of money for granting loan waiver.

"Modiji, the money for the loan waiver for Chhattisgarh's farmers will come from the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Anil Ambani...We will take their money and implement the loan waiver," the Congress chief said.

He alleged that "liquor baron Mallya fled the country with Rs 10,000 crore of the banks, while Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi fled with Rs 35,000 crore".

Addressing a rally in Ambikapur, Modi had Friday claimed that the Congress was "worried" because he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke.

"Something rankles them (Congress) in such a way that they are still not able to sleep...No one sitting here is crying. Only one family is crying," Modi had said, while justifying demonetisation.

Gandhi reiterated his charge that the prime minister had helped industrialist Anil Ambani get Rs 30,000 crore in the "Rafale scam".

Turning to demonetisation, he said Modi "robbed the poor and the honest" through the exercise, which invalidated the old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, and made them stand in queues to exchange the scrapped notes.

"Modiji had said he would fight against black money. He had (recently) said those who had stashed money in their houses and or kept it hidden under pillows were thieves and that he had taken action against them.

"I want to tell you (people) that you have not committed any theft. The person who has committed a theft is Narendra Modi. He made the honest people stand in queues. Have you ever seen those wearing suit-boot and crorepatis standing in queues (outside banks)?" Gandhi asked the crowd.

He said the Congress had always delivered on its promises, unlike the BJP.

"The intention of the Congress is very clear. It never makes false promises. In fact, you can listen to my speeches of the last 15 years. I never made false promises. Whatever I promised, I fulfilled it," Gandhi said.

He added that the previous UPA government had brought in measures like the Tribal Bill, the Right to Food Act, the Right To Information Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the Land Acquisition Bill etc.

"You can check the records. On the contrary, Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh did not fulfil the promises they had made to farmers," the Congress MP said.

Modi and Singh did not fulfil their promises like good returns to farmers on their produce and loan waiver, he said.

"In the last four-and-a-half years, Modiji has waived loans worth Rs 3.50 lakh crore of a few rich people, but he has not spoken about farm loan waiver. Similarly, Raman Singh has snatched the bonus of the farmers," Gandhi alleged.

He accused the prime minister of remaining "silent" on the "corruption charges" against Singh.

"Modi used to speak about corruption in his earlier speeches, but why has he not spoken about the corruption of Raman Singh?" the Congress chief asked.

He claimed that the names of Singh and his wife had surfaced in the alleged Rs 36,000-crore civil supply scam.

"A Rs 5,000-crore chit fund scam was also perpetrated in the state. His (Singh's) son Abhishek Singh was named in the Panama Papers scandal, but no action was taken in any of these cases," Gandhi said.

The final phase of polling for 72 seats will be held in Chhattisgarh on November 20. The first phase for 18 seats was held on November 12. The results will be announced on December 11.&nbsp;

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from the "likes of" Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday promised to waive farm loans in Chhattisgarh within 10 days of assuming power in the state and said the money for it would come from the "likes of" Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Anil Ambani. Stepping up his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over demonetisation ahead of the second and final phase of the Chhattisgarh polls, Gandhi alleged that Modi made the honest people suffer through the 2016 exercise, but spared the rich. Addressing a poll rally in Koriya district, he alleged that the prime minister had waived loans worth Rs 3.5 lakh crore of a few rich people, but not those of the poor farmers. "As soon as the Congress forms the government here, Modiji, you count 10 days. The Congress will waive the loans of each farmer in Chhattisgarh within 10 days," Gandhi said. He claimed that BJP leaders used to question the previous Congress-led UPA government about the source of money for granting loan waiver. "Modiji, the money for the loan waiver for Chhattisgarh's farmers will come from the likes of Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Anil Ambani...We will take their money and implement the loan waiver," the Congress chief said. He alleged that "liquor baron Mallya fled the country with Rs 10,000 crore of the banks, while Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi fled with Rs 35,000 crore". Addressing a rally in Ambikapur, Modi had Friday claimed that the Congress was "worried" because he took away all the money its "minions and friends" had stashed under their beds and in sacks in one stroke. "Something rankles them (Congress) in such a way that they are still not able to sleep...No one sitting here is crying. Only one family is crying," Modi had said, while justifying demonetisation. Gandhi reiterated his charge that the prime minister had helped industrialist Anil Ambani get Rs 30,000 crore in the "Rafale scam". Turning to demonetisation, he said Modi "robbed the poor and the honest" through the exercise, which invalidated the old Rs 1,000 and Rs 500 currency notes, and made them stand in queues to exchange the scrapped notes. "Modiji had said he would fight against black money. He had (recently) said those who had stashed money in their houses and or kept it hidden under pillows were thieves and that he had taken action against them. "I want to tell you (people) that you have not committed any theft. The person who has committed a theft is Narendra Modi. He made the honest people stand in queues. Have you ever seen those wearing suit-boot and crorepatis standing in queues (outside banks)?" Gandhi asked the crowd. He said the Congress had always delivered on its promises, unlike the BJP. "The intention of the Congress is very clear. It never makes false promises. In fact, you can listen to my speeches of the last 15 years. I never made false promises. Whatever I promised, I fulfilled it," Gandhi said. He added that the previous UPA government had brought in measures like the Tribal Bill, the Right to Food Act, the Right To Information Act, the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MNREGA), the Land Acquisition Bill etc. "You can check the records. On the contrary, Modi and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh did not fulfil the promises they had made to farmers," the Congress MP said. Modi and Singh did not fulfil their promises like good returns to farmers on their produce and loan waiver, he said. "In the last four-and-a-half years, Modiji has waived loans worth Rs 3.50 lakh crore of a few rich people, but he has not spoken about farm loan waiver. Similarly, Raman Singh has snatched the bonus of the farmers," Gandhi alleged. He accused the prime minister of remaining "silent" on the "corruption charges" against Singh. "Modi used to speak about corruption in his earlier speeches, but why has he not spoken about the corruption of Raman Singh?" the Congress chief asked. He claimed that the names of Singh and his wife had surfaced in the alleged Rs 36,000-crore civil supply scam. "A Rs 5,000-crore chit fund scam was also perpetrated in the state. His (Singh's) son Abhishek Singh was named in the Panama Papers scandal, but no action was taken in any of these cases," Gandhi said. The final phase of polling for 72 seats will be held in Chhattisgarh on November 20. The first phase for 18 seats was held on November 12. The results will be announced on December 11.

Money for farm loan waiver will come from Anil Ambani, Mallya, Nirav: Rahul

Hinting at a possible<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/bjp-seat-offer-for-ls-election-not-respectable-kushwaha-177856"> rift with its alliance in Bihar</a>,&nbsp;Upendra Kushwaha, the leader of&nbsp;Rashtriya Lok Samata Party said on Saturday that the conflict of seat sharing with the NDA may pose a threat for the alliance in future.

"Our party has decided not to accept the number of seats offered to us (RLSP) by BJP for the General Elections 2019. We tried to meet BJP chief but could not meet him. Now that the issue is not sorted it might pose a great threat for NDA in future".

He further said that there were some people in Bihar's NDA who do not want to see Narendra Modi as the prime minister in 2019.&nbsp;

Khushwaha also added that the BJP should decide the number of seats for the RLSP by November end.&nbsp;

"BJP should decide a respectful number of seats for our party by November end. Now I'll not make any move from my end to meet anyone from BJP. However, I'll try to meet PM once. There are some people&nbsp;in Bihar's NDA who don't want to see Modi Ji be the PM in 2019", he said.

The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level).

Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

&nbsp;

Hinting at a possible rift with its alliance in Bihar, Upendra Kushwaha, the leader of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party said on Saturday that the conflict of seat sharing with the NDA may pose a threat for the alliance in future.

Hinting at a possible rift with its alliance in Bihar, Upendra Kushwaha, the leader of Rashtriya Lok Samata Party said on Saturday that the conflict of seat sharing with the NDA may pose a threat for the alliance in future. "Our party has decided not to accept the number of seats offered to us (RLSP) by BJP for the General Elections 2019. We tried to meet BJP chief but could not meet him. Now that the issue is not sorted it might pose a great threat for NDA in future". He further said that there were some people in Bihar's NDA who do not want to see Narendra Modi as the prime minister in 2019. Khushwaha also added that the BJP should decide the number of seats for the RLSP by November end. "BJP should decide a respectful number of seats for our party by November end. Now I'll not make any move from my end to meet anyone from BJP. However, I'll try to meet PM once. There are some people in Bihar's NDA who don't want to see Modi Ji be the PM in 2019", he said. The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level). Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

Seat sharing issue may pose threat for NDA in future: RLSP leader Upendra Kushwaha

Polling for the first phase of panchayat election in Jammu and Kashmir began Saturday amidst stringent security arrangements.

Voting began at 8 AM at 3,296 polling stations -- 1,303 in Kashmir and 1,993 in Jammu -- and would end at 2 PM, officials said.

They said 687 polling stations have been categorized as "hypersensitive", including 491 in Kashmir division and 196 in Jammu division.

The officials said that in the first phase polling, 85 sarpanch and 1,676 panch have been elected unopposed while voting is taking place on the remaining 420 sarpanch and

1,845 panch seats, for which 5,585 candidates are in the fray.

They said there are 4,45,059 electors for sarpanch seats and 2,72,792 for panch constituencies.

All necessary arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the polls, the officials said, adding massive security arrangements, including deployment of Central Armed

Police Forces (CAPF), have been made to ensure peaceful election.

The government has declared holiday on the day of poll in the panchayat areas where polls are taking place so as to enable the voters to cast their vote.

While the polls are being conducted on the non-party basis, the NC, PDP and the CPI(M) have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court.

The NC and the PDP have asked the Centre to make its stand clear in the apex court on the constitutional provision and urged it to defend its continuation in the court.

They had also boycotted the municipal polls which were conducted last month.

Separatists in Kashmir Valley have called for boycott of the polls and asked people to observe a shutdown on Saturday.

Polling for the first phase of panchayat election in Jammu and Kashmir began Saturday amidst stringent security arrangements. Voting began at 8 AM at 3,296 polling stations -- 1,303 in Kashmir and 1,993 in Jammu -- and would end at 2 PM, officials said.

Polling for the first phase of panchayat election in Jammu and Kashmir began Saturday amidst stringent security arrangements. Voting began at 8 AM at 3,296 polling stations -- 1,303 in Kashmir and 1,993 in Jammu -- and would end at 2 PM, officials said. They said 687 polling stations have been categorized as "hypersensitive", including 491 in Kashmir division and 196 in Jammu division. The officials said that in the first phase polling, 85 sarpanch and 1,676 panch have been elected unopposed while voting is taking place on the remaining 420 sarpanch and 1,845 panch seats, for which 5,585 candidates are in the fray. They said there are 4,45,059 electors for sarpanch seats and 2,72,792 for panch constituencies. All necessary arrangements are in place for the smooth conduct of the polls, the officials said, adding massive security arrangements, including deployment of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF), have been made to ensure peaceful election. The government has declared holiday on the day of poll in the panchayat areas where polls are taking place so as to enable the voters to cast their vote. While the polls are being conducted on the non-party basis, the NC, PDP and the CPI(M) have announced to stay away from the electoral exercise due to the legal challenge to Article 35-A of the Constitution in the Supreme Court. The NC and the PDP have asked the Centre to make its stand clear in the apex court on the constitutional provision and urged it to defend its continuation in the court. They had also boycotted the municipal polls which were conducted last month. Separatists in Kashmir Valley have called for boycott of the polls and asked people to observe a shutdown on Saturday.

Jammu and Kashmir Panchayat Elections: Voting begins for first phase

Activist Trupti Desai, who was forced to return to Pune without visiting Sabarimala Temple owing to a possible disruption of law and order, said she will next visit the hill shrine unannounced using "guerilla tactics"

"When we landed at the Kochi airport, protestors gathered there hurled abuses at us and threatened us to go back. The police, too, requested us to leave saying anything can happen. We didn't want anything to happen to the people of the state because of us, so we decided to return. Police have told us that they'll provide us security the next time we visit. This time we went there after announcing, but the next time we won`t announce that we`re visiting, but will follow guerrilla tactics," she told ANI.

Narrating her ordeal, Desai said that cab drivers were not ready to take her and her 7-member team to Sabarimala fearing agitation.

"Two taxis did arrive at the airport to take us to Sabarimala. However, protestors said they would destroy the cars and attack us. Therefore, the cabs denied to take us to Sabarimala," she explained.

The activist further said the Kerala government had failed in providing security to women wanting to visit Sabarimala. She further condemned the "hooliganism" witnessed at the Kochi airport upon her arrival.

"Protesters were resorting to violence and hooliganism, they should not have done that. They call themselves Lord Ayyappa`s devotees but I don't think they can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return only after Darshan. They were scared and hence stopped us at the airport itself," she added.

Desai, who is the founder of the Bhumata Brigade, landed in Mumbai a few hours ago. However, she was stranded in the airport itself as protesters had gathered outside the airport to oppose her decision to visit Sabarimala. She and the other women were later brought out with the help of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans and Mumbai police personnel.

The social activist had, on November 14, written a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating that she would not leave Kerala if she was not allowed to enter the holy hill shrine.

The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests recently over the Supreme Court`s decision to quash restrictions on the entry of females aged between 10 and 50 years into the shrine.

As the Temple reopened yesterday for a two-month long pilgrimage season, Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba, and Sannidhanman as a precautionary measure.

Activist Trupti Desai, who was forced to return to Pune without visiting Sabarimala Temple owing to a possible disruption of law and order, said she will next visit the hill shrine unannounced using "guerilla tactics" "When we landed at the Kochi airport, protestors gathered there hurled abuses at us and threatened us to go back.

Activist Trupti Desai, who was forced to return to Pune without visiting Sabarimala Temple owing to a possible disruption of law and order, said she will next visit the hill shrine unannounced using "guerilla tactics" "When we landed at the Kochi airport, protestors gathered there hurled abuses at us and threatened us to go back. The police, too, requested us to leave saying anything can happen. We didn't want anything to happen to the people of the state because of us, so we decided to return. Police have told us that they'll provide us security the next time we visit. This time we went there after announcing, but the next time we won`t announce that we`re visiting, but will follow guerrilla tactics," she told ANI. Narrating her ordeal, Desai said that cab drivers were not ready to take her and her 7-member team to Sabarimala fearing agitation. "Two taxis did arrive at the airport to take us to Sabarimala. However, protestors said they would destroy the cars and attack us. Therefore, the cabs denied to take us to Sabarimala," she explained. The activist further said the Kerala government had failed in providing security to women wanting to visit Sabarimala. She further condemned the "hooliganism" witnessed at the Kochi airport upon her arrival. "Protesters were resorting to violence and hooliganism, they should not have done that. They call themselves Lord Ayyappa`s devotees but I don't think they can be his devotees. They were verbally abusing us and threatening us. If they wanted to oppose us, they should have protested in Nilakkal but they knew that if we reached Nilakkal, we would advance to Pamba and return only after Darshan. They were scared and hence stopped us at the airport itself," she added. Desai, who is the founder of the Bhumata Brigade, landed in Mumbai a few hours ago. However, she was stranded in the airport itself as protesters had gathered outside the airport to oppose her decision to visit Sabarimala. She and the other women were later brought out with the help of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawans and Mumbai police personnel. The social activist had, on November 14, written a letter to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, stating that she would not leave Kerala if she was not allowed to enter the holy hill shrine. The Sabarimala temple and surrounding areas witnessed a string of protests recently over the Supreme Court`s decision to quash restrictions on the entry of females aged between 10 and 50 years into the shrine. As the Temple reopened yesterday for a two-month long pilgrimage season, Section 144 of Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) was imposed in Nilakkal, Pamba, and Sannidhanman as a precautionary measure.

Will visit Sabarimala unannounced, using guerilla tactics: Trupti Desai

The polling for the first of the nine-phased panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded a large voters turnout.

While Jammu recorded a polling percentage of 79.5 per cent, Kashmir valley's voter turnout was 64.5 per cent.

Polling started at 8 am on Saturday morning under tight security arrangements and ended at 2 pm.

Heavy deployment of police and central paramilitary forces were made to ensure a peaceful polling process.

Separatists had called for a protest shutdown on Saturday asking the people to stay away from these elections. 
&nbsp;

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The polling percentage in the first phase of Panchayat elections are 79.5% and 64.5% in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively.
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1063807399398699009?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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This was the first of the nine-phased Panchayat polls, being held in the state after seven years.

The last phase of voting will be held on December 11.

The polling for the first of the nine-phased panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded a large voters turnout. While Jammu recorded a polling percentage of 79.

The polling for the first of the nine-phased panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday recorded a large voters turnout. While Jammu recorded a polling percentage of 79.5 per cent, Kashmir valley's voter turnout was 64.5 per cent. Polling started at 8 am on Saturday morning under tight security arrangements and ended at 2 pm. Heavy deployment of police and central paramilitary forces were made to ensure a peaceful polling process. Separatists had called for a protest shutdown on Saturday asking the people to stay away from these elections. The polling percentage in the first phase of Panchayat elections are 79.5% and 64.5% in Jammu and Kashmir, respectively. — ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018 × This was the first of the nine-phased Panchayat polls, being held in the state after seven years. The last phase of voting will be held on December 11.

J&K records large voter turnout in first phase of panchayat elections

A day after Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/after-andhra-west-bengal-withdraws-general-consent-to-cbi-bjp-sees-grand-alliance-of-corrupt-parties-177777">withdrew the "general consent"</a> accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out probe in the state, Finance minister Arun Jaitley rebuked the two governments saying scams cannot be wiped off by such a decision.

At the launch of the party mainifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the finance minister targetted the two governments saying that only those who have a lot to hide will take steps to keep the CBI out of the state.

He further added that the CBI was created initially for employees of the Central government and then to investigate very serious cases referred to it either by states or on court orders.&nbsp;

Targetting the West Bengal government Jaitley&nbsp;referred to the Sarada ponzi scam and the Narada sting operation which involved cash bribes and senior Trinamool Congress leaders.

In Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the decision to keep the CBI away was not motivated by any particular case but by the fear of "what is likely to happen". "It is only those who have a lot to hide will take step of saying let CBI not come to my state," he said.&nbsp;

Responding to the withdrawal, BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said leaders of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and the Gandhi family of the Congress were facing probe in "corruption" cases. He further added that the steps taken by the two governments was to ensure that its "corruption" was not exposed.

The Congress, on the other hand, had cited the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to claims that states do not have faith in the CBI and other central agencies due to their "misuse" by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre.

(With inputs from agencies)

A day after Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal withdrew the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out probe in the state, Finance minister Arun Jaitley rebuked the two governments saying scams cannot be wiped off by such a decision.

A day after Andhra Pradesh and West Bengal withdrew the "general consent" accorded to the CBI to conduct raids and carry out probe in the state, Finance minister Arun Jaitley rebuked the two governments saying scams cannot be wiped off by such a decision. At the launch of the party mainifesto for the upcoming assembly polls in Madhya Pradesh, the finance minister targetted the two governments saying that only those who have a lot to hide will take steps to keep the CBI out of the state. He further added that the CBI was created initially for employees of the Central government and then to investigate very serious cases referred to it either by states or on court orders. Targetting the West Bengal government Jaitley referred to the Sarada ponzi scam and the Narada sting operation which involved cash bribes and senior Trinamool Congress leaders. In Andhra Pradesh, the minister said the decision to keep the CBI away was not motivated by any particular case but by the fear of "what is likely to happen". "It is only those who have a lot to hide will take step of saying let CBI not come to my state," he said. Responding to the withdrawal, BJP spokesperson G V L Narasimha Rao said leaders of the Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal and the Gandhi family of the Congress were facing probe in "corruption" cases. He further added that the steps taken by the two governments was to ensure that its "corruption" was not exposed. The Congress, on the other hand, had cited the Andhra Pradesh government's decision to claims that states do not have faith in the CBI and other central agencies due to their "misuse" by the Narendra Modi government at the Centre. (With inputs from agencies)

They have a lot to hide: Jaitley rebukes West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh govt over CBI withdrawal

A tussle for dominance has ended in Maldives, at least for the time being.&nbsp;Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/solih-sworn-in-as-maldives-president-replacing-pro-china-leader-177868"> inaugurated on Saturday</a> as the new president of the country after the opposition unity dislodged the&nbsp;pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen in September elections.

With <a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pm-modi-meets-maldives-president-ibrahim-mohamed-solih-in-male-177884">PM Modi</a> as the highest ranking visitor at the inauguration ceremony of the new president Mohd Solih in the Maldives - and with the defeat of Abdulla Yameen -- India is hoping to regain lost ground.

Solih has promised an 'India first policy' and his team is reviewing millions of dollars worth of investment from China - as well as debt and how to restructure it to reduce its dependence on the Chinese.

But while he plans to tighten his grip, he also hopes to get at least 200 to 300 million from friendly nations - like India, Saudi Arabia, and the US to pay back China it's whopping US 1.5 billion of debt - which is more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product.

How will the Maldives pay back the debt? And until its paid, are the Chinese very much the stakeholder?

This year alone - the Chinese have completed a mile-long China-Maldives friendship bridge Which connects the airport on one island to the capital on another.

The Chinese are also expanding the airport itself. The airport development is an especially sore point with India after the Maldivian government canceled a US $511 million deal with India's GMR Infrastructure and later gave the contract to Beijing.&nbsp;

The Chinese also own many lagoons and islands with the Maldives archipelago

It could take months to rid the Maldives of the Chinese influence and many of these deals are enveloped in secrecy.

But India is willing to help and has in the past provided a US $75 million credit line of which a third had been utilised before the diplomatic chill set in with the previous administration.

There is also currency swap agreement between the two nations and defence deals which have seen several recent setbacks under the Yameen administration who withdrew from agreements and sent back Indian military helicopters as well.

So India will hope to get back some of those defense agreements and access to key ports and islands which are strategically important to India.

But China remains a big player. Which means the relationship is unlikely to completely unravel anytime soon.

A tussle for dominance has ended in Maldives, at least for the time being. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was inaugurated on Saturday as the new president of the country after the opposition unity dislodged the pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen in September elections.

A tussle for dominance has ended in Maldives, at least for the time being. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih was inaugurated on Saturday as the new president of the country after the opposition unity dislodged the pro-China strongman Abdulla Yameen in September elections. With PM Modi as the highest ranking visitor at the inauguration ceremony of the new president Mohd Solih in the Maldives - and with the defeat of Abdulla Yameen -- India is hoping to regain lost ground. Solih has promised an 'India first policy' and his team is reviewing millions of dollars worth of investment from China - as well as debt and how to restructure it to reduce its dependence on the Chinese. But while he plans to tighten his grip, he also hopes to get at least 200 to 300 million from friendly nations - like India, Saudi Arabia, and the US to pay back China it's whopping US 1.5 billion of debt - which is more than a quarter of the country's gross domestic product. How will the Maldives pay back the debt? And until its paid, are the Chinese very much the stakeholder? This year alone - the Chinese have completed a mile-long China-Maldives friendship bridge Which connects the airport on one island to the capital on another. The Chinese are also expanding the airport itself. The airport development is an especially sore point with India after the Maldivian government canceled a US $511 million deal with India's GMR Infrastructure and later gave the contract to Beijing. The Chinese also own many lagoons and islands with the Maldives archipelago It could take months to rid the Maldives of the Chinese influence and many of these deals are enveloped in secrecy. But India is willing to help and has in the past provided a US $75 million credit line of which a third had been utilised before the diplomatic chill set in with the previous administration. There is also currency swap agreement between the two nations and defence deals which have seen several recent setbacks under the Yameen administration who withdrew from agreements and sent back Indian military helicopters as well. So India will hope to get back some of those defense agreements and access to key ports and islands which are strategically important to India. But China remains a big player. Which means the relationship is unlikely to completely unravel anytime soon.

The Maldives win: What it means for India

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E&nbsp;Palaniswami regarding the situation in the state raised due to cyclone Gaja and assured all possible help from the Centre.

Taking to his Twitter handle, the Prime Minister tweeted, "Spoke to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Edappadi K&nbsp;Palaniswami regarding the situation arising due to cyclone conditions in the state. Assured all possible help from the Centre. I pray for the safety and well-being of the people of Tamil Nadu."

"My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to cyclonic conditions in parts of Tamil Nadu. I pray for the quick recovery of those injured. Officials are working towards providing all possible assistance in the wake of the cyclone," he added.

Earlier in the day, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister confirmed that 11 people have lost their lives after the landfall of cyclone Gaja.

He also announced that the government will give Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those injured severely and Rs 25,000 to people who have suffered minor injuries.

Cyclone Gaja crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam on Thursday evening and unleashed mayhem in several districts of the state including Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami regarding the situation in the state raised due to cyclone Gaja and assured all possible help from the Centre.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday spoke to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister E Palaniswami regarding the situation in the state raised due to cyclone Gaja and assured all possible help from the Centre. Taking to his Twitter handle, the Prime Minister tweeted, "Spoke to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Edappadi K Palaniswami regarding the situation arising due to cyclone conditions in the state. Assured all possible help from the Centre. I pray for the safety and well-being of the people of Tamil Nadu." "My thoughts are with the families of those who lost their lives due to cyclonic conditions in parts of Tamil Nadu. I pray for the quick recovery of those injured. Officials are working towards providing all possible assistance in the wake of the cyclone," he added. Earlier in the day, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister confirmed that 11 people have lost their lives after the landfall of cyclone Gaja. He also announced that the government will give Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the deceased, Rs 1 lakh to those injured severely and Rs 25,000 to people who have suffered minor injuries. Cyclone Gaja crossed Tamil Nadu and Puducherry coast between Nagapattinam and Vedaranniyam on Thursday evening and unleashed mayhem in several districts of the state including Nagapattinam, Tiruvarur, and Thanjavur.

Cyclone Gaja: PM Modi assures all possible help to Tamil Nadu

The Editors Guild of India Friday put out an updated list of its members, which continued to include former Union minister M J Akbar and former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, who are both accused of sexual misconduct.

Their names have been featured in the updates list of the guild members despite of the calls for their removal within the media body.

Akbar has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women over his tenure as a senior editor as part of the #MeToo movement, while Tejpal has been charged with rape and is currently out on bail.

The list also includes senior journalist Gautam Adhikari, who has also been accused of sexual misconduct.

Akbar had resigned last month as the minister of state for external affairs in the wake of sexual harassment allegations levelled against him.

The Editors Guild of India last month had asked him to withdraw the criminal defamation case he filed against journalist Priya Ramani.

It had also offered legal support to women journalists who have levelled the allegations against Akbar in case he did not withdraw the present case or files such cases against other women too.

Earlier this month, the Guild had said it is tracking with "great concern" fresh allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar and a decision on his membership of the top editors' body will be taken after "due process" is completed.

The Guild's statement on his membership had come after a US-based editor of a leading media house accused the former Union minister of raping her in India 23 years ago.

"In accordance with the decision of the Guild's last EGM (extraordinary general meeting), as ratified at the subsequent meeting of the executive, membership of those editors, whose profession has changed from journalism goes dormant. Mr Akbar's membership is also therefore dormant," the statement had said.

The Editors Guild of India Friday put out an updated list of its members, which continued to include former Union minister M J Akbar and former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, who are both accused of sexual misconduct.

The Editors Guild of India Friday put out an updated list of its members, which continued to include former Union minister M J Akbar and former Tehelka editor-in-chief Tarun Tejpal, who are both accused of sexual misconduct. Their names have been featured in the updates list of the guild members despite of the calls for their removal within the media body. Akbar has been accused of sexual misconduct by several women over his tenure as a senior editor as part of the #MeToo movement, while Tejpal has been charged with rape and is currently out on bail. The list also includes senior journalist Gautam Adhikari, who has also been accused of sexual misconduct. Akbar had resigned last month as the minister of state for external affairs in the wake of sexual harassment allegations levelled against him. The Editors Guild of India last month had asked him to withdraw the criminal defamation case he filed against journalist Priya Ramani. It had also offered legal support to women journalists who have levelled the allegations against Akbar in case he did not withdraw the present case or files such cases against other women too. Earlier this month, the Guild had said it is tracking with "great concern" fresh allegations of sexual misconduct against Akbar and a decision on his membership of the top editors' body will be taken after "due process" is completed. The Guild's statement on his membership had come after a US-based editor of a leading media house accused the former Union minister of raping her in India 23 years ago. "In accordance with the decision of the Guild's last EGM (extraordinary general meeting), as ratified at the subsequent meeting of the executive, membership of those editors, whose profession has changed from journalism goes dormant. Mr Akbar's membership is also therefore dormant," the statement had said.

MJ Akbar, Tarun Tejpal feature in Editors Guild's updated list of members

The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 32 candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections on Saturday. It has fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh against Chief Minister Vansundhara Raje in the Jhalrapatan constituency.

The list was released by party general secretary and in charge of Rajasthan unit Mukul Wasnik. The party had declared 152 candidates in the first list on Thursday night.

Manvendra Singh, a former BJP MLA from Sheo, in September quit the saffron party to join the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections.

Senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and CP Joshi, are contesting the elections.

The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 32 candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections on Saturday. It has fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh against Chief Minister Vansundhara Raje in the Jhalrapatan constituency.

The Congress on Saturday released its second list of 32 candidates for the December 7 Rajasthan Assembly elections on Saturday. It has fielded former BJP leader Jaswant Singh’s son Manvendra Singh against Chief Minister Vansundhara Raje in the Jhalrapatan constituency. The list was released by party general secretary and in charge of Rajasthan unit Mukul Wasnik. The party had declared 152 candidates in the first list on Thursday night. Manvendra Singh, a former BJP MLA from Sheo, in September quit the saffron party to join the Congress ahead of the Assembly elections. Senior Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot, Sachin Pilot and CP Joshi, are contesting the elections.

Congress releases second list for Rajasthan, Manvendra Singh to take on Vasundhara Raje

The Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS), Saturday announced four candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana.

The four nominees include Kapilavai Dileep Kumar (Malkajgari in Hyderabad), Janardhan Reddy (Medak), Chindam Raj Kumar (Dubbak) and Bhavani Reddy (Siddipet).

The party is expected to contest eight seats as part of the alliance. The total number of assembly segments is 119.

TJS said in a media release that other details would be announced Sunday.

November 19 is the last date for filing nominations.

TJS is headed by M Kodandaram, who was the Chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC). The JAC was in the forefront of the separate Telangana agitation.

It comprised several political parties, including TRS and various people's organisations.

However, differences cropped up between Kodandaram and the TRS after the latter assumed power in separate Telangana in 2014.

The Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS), Saturday announced four candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana.

The Telangana Jana Samiti (TJS), a partner in the "grand alliance" (comprising Congress, TDP, CPI and TJS), Saturday announced four candidates for the December 7 assembly elections in Telangana. The four nominees include Kapilavai Dileep Kumar (Malkajgari in Hyderabad), Janardhan Reddy (Medak), Chindam Raj Kumar (Dubbak) and Bhavani Reddy (Siddipet). The party is expected to contest eight seats as part of the alliance. The total number of assembly segments is 119. TJS said in a media release that other details would be announced Sunday. November 19 is the last date for filing nominations. TJS is headed by M Kodandaram, who was the Chairman of the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC). The JAC was in the forefront of the separate Telangana agitation. It comprised several political parties, including TRS and various people's organisations. However, differences cropped up between Kodandaram and the TRS after the latter assumed power in separate Telangana in 2014.

Telangana Jana Samiti announces 4 candidates for December 7 assembly elections

BJP president Amit Shah launched a broadside against the Congress Saturday, terming the party an "ATM" that dispensed "false promises", instead of development, when problems were inserted in it.

Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh ahead of the second and final phase of the polls, Shah accused the Congress of not doing anything for the state (part of Madhya Pradesh earlier) during its 55-year rule.

He also lavished praise on the incumbent Raman Singh government for turning Chhattisgarh into a developed state from a "bimaru" (ailing or backward) one.

"The Congress is known for making false promises. I say this several times, the Congress is such an ATM that if you insert a problem in it, you do not get development in response, but false promises," Shah told the gathering.

The BJP chief ridiculed the leaders of the Congress, including its president Rahul Gandhi, for "daydreaming" that the opposition party would form government in the state.

He alleged that the people of Chhattisgarh did not get adequate electricity under the Congress's watch and setting up a factory too was a pipe dream in the Naxal-hit state.

"The same Chhattisgarh is taking India forward in the production of aluminium, steel, cement. Chief Minister Raman Singh has done that job," Shah said.

The election to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly is being held in two phases. The first phase of polling for 18 seats was held on November 12. The second round of voting for the remaining 72 seats will be held on November 20 and the results will be announced on December 11.&nbsp;

BJP president Amit Shah launched a broadside against the Congress Saturday, terming the party an "ATM" that dispensed "false promises", instead of development, when problems were inserted in it.

BJP president Amit Shah launched a broadside against the Congress Saturday, terming the party an "ATM" that dispensed "false promises", instead of development, when problems were inserted in it. Addressing a rally in Chhattisgarh ahead of the second and final phase of the polls, Shah accused the Congress of not doing anything for the state (part of Madhya Pradesh earlier) during its 55-year rule. He also lavished praise on the incumbent Raman Singh government for turning Chhattisgarh into a developed state from a "bimaru" (ailing or backward) one. "The Congress is known for making false promises. I say this several times, the Congress is such an ATM that if you insert a problem in it, you do not get development in response, but false promises," Shah told the gathering. The BJP chief ridiculed the leaders of the Congress, including its president Rahul Gandhi, for "daydreaming" that the opposition party would form government in the state. He alleged that the people of Chhattisgarh did not get adequate electricity under the Congress's watch and setting up a factory too was a pipe dream in the Naxal-hit state. "The same Chhattisgarh is taking India forward in the production of aluminium, steel, cement. Chief Minister Raman Singh has done that job," Shah said. The election to the 90-member Chhattisgarh Assembly is being held in two phases. The first phase of polling for 18 seats was held on November 12. The second round of voting for the remaining 72 seats will be held on November 20 and the results will be announced on December 11.

Congress an ATM that dispenses false promises: Amit Shah

The Ministry of Labour and Employment on Friday clarified that there is a proposal to pay employers for extended maternity benefit from government budget and not from any labour welfare cess.

"The Ministry of Labour and Employment is in the process of obtaining necessary budgetary grant and approvals of Competent Authorities. The reports that it will be funded from Labour Welfare Cess, is also incorrect, as no such cess exists under this Ministry," read an official statement.

Furthermore, the Ministry informed that it is working on an incentive scheme wherein seven weeks'&nbsp;wages would be reimbursed to employers who employ women workers with wage ceiling up to Rs. 15000 and provide maternity benefit of 26 weeks'&nbsp;paid leave.

Around Rs 400 crores would be the financial implication for the Labour Ministry for implementing the proposed incentive scheme, the statement further noted.

The Ministry said that if approved and implemented, the proposed scheme shall ensure that women in this country gain equal access to employment and other approved benefits along with adequate safety and security.

Also, women shall continue to bear the major share of household work as well as childcare. The workplaces will be more and more responsive to the family needs of the working women, it added.

The ministry said that the proposal has been made as it was noted that the 26 weeks` maternity leave provision is good in Public Sector, but not good in Private Sector and in contract jobs.

The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 regulates the employment of women in certain establishments for certain period before and after childbirth and to provide maternity and other benefits.

The Act was amended through the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 which, inter alia, has increased the paid maternity leave to women employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment on Friday clarified that there is a proposal to pay employers for extended maternity benefit from government budget and not from any labour welfare cess.

The Ministry of Labour and Employment on Friday clarified that there is a proposal to pay employers for extended maternity benefit from government budget and not from any labour welfare cess. "The Ministry of Labour and Employment is in the process of obtaining necessary budgetary grant and approvals of Competent Authorities. The reports that it will be funded from Labour Welfare Cess, is also incorrect, as no such cess exists under this Ministry," read an official statement. Furthermore, the Ministry informed that it is working on an incentive scheme wherein seven weeks' wages would be reimbursed to employers who employ women workers with wage ceiling up to Rs. 15000 and provide maternity benefit of 26 weeks' paid leave. Around Rs 400 crores would be the financial implication for the Labour Ministry for implementing the proposed incentive scheme, the statement further noted. The Ministry said that if approved and implemented, the proposed scheme shall ensure that women in this country gain equal access to employment and other approved benefits along with adequate safety and security. Also, women shall continue to bear the major share of household work as well as childcare. The workplaces will be more and more responsive to the family needs of the working women, it added. The ministry said that the proposal has been made as it was noted that the 26 weeks` maternity leave provision is good in Public Sector, but not good in Private Sector and in contract jobs. The Maternity Benefit Act, 1961 regulates the employment of women in certain establishments for certain period before and after childbirth and to provide maternity and other benefits. The Act was amended through the Maternity Benefit (Amendment) Act, 2017 which, inter alia, has increased the paid maternity leave to women employees from 12 weeks to 26 weeks.

Maternity leave pay to be reimbursed from government budget

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-economy/facebook-investors-want-zuckerberg-to-step-down-after-report-emerged-that-company-hired-pr-firm-to-smear-critics-177852">Investors want Zuckerberg to step down after report emerges that Facebook hired PR firm to smear critics</a>

Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-arrives-in-maldives-to-attend-president-elect-solihs-inauguration-177859">PM Modi arrives in </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-arrives-in-maldives-to-attend-president-elect-solihs-inauguration-177859">Maldives</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-arrives-in-maldives-to-attend-president-elect-solihs-inauguration-177859"> to attend President-elect Solih's inauguration</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/french-protesters-block-roads-over-higher-fuel-taxes-one-dead-in-accident-177860">French protesters block roads over higher fuel taxes, one dead in accident</a>

A motorist accidentally hit and killed a protester taking part in a campaign of road blockades across France on Saturday, as thousands gathered on motorways in a backlash against higher fuel taxes.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/argentine-navy-submarine-found-a-year-after-disappearing-with-44-aboard-177865">Argentine Navy submarine found a year after disappearing with 44 aboard</a>

The Argentine Navy submarine that went missing a year ago off the country's Atlantic Coast was found by a private company involved in what had been a massive search for the vessel and its 44-member crew, the Navy announced by tweet on Saturday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-asks-goa-governor-for-special-session-to-prove-majority-177851">Congress asks Goa governor for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-asks-goa-governor-for-special-session-to-prove-majority-177851">special</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/congress-asks-goa-governor-for-special-session-to-prove-majority-177851"> session to prove majority</a>

The Congress demanded Saturday that Goa governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority.

Investors want Zuckerberg to step down after report emerges that Facebook hired PR firm to smear critics Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday.

Investors want Zuckerberg to step down after report emerges that Facebook hired PR firm to smear critics Facebook investors have called on the company's chief executive Mark Zuckerberg to step down as chairman following reports that the company hired a public relations firm to smear its critics, a media report said on Saturday. PM Modi arrives in Maldives to attend President-elect Solih's inauguration Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September. French protesters block roads over higher fuel taxes, one dead in accident A motorist accidentally hit and killed a protester taking part in a campaign of road blockades across France on Saturday, as thousands gathered on motorways in a backlash against higher fuel taxes. Argentine Navy submarine found a year after disappearing with 44 aboard The Argentine Navy submarine that went missing a year ago off the country's Atlantic Coast was found by a private company involved in what had been a massive search for the vessel and its 44-member crew, the Navy announced by tweet on Saturday. Congress asks Goa governor for special session to prove majority The Congress demanded Saturday that Goa governor Mridula Sinha summon a special session of the legislative assembly and ask the BJP-led coalition government to prove its majority.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Mehul Choksi's counsel told a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Mumbai on Saturday that his client was medically unfit to travel from Antigua to India to record his statement.

Sanjay Abbot, Choksi`s counsel, told the court, "Presently he is not medically fit to travel. So his statement can either be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can go to Antigua and record his statement or wait for three months if his conditions improve, he will come back to record his statement."

The court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate`s application to declare Choksi as a `fugitive economic offender.`

On November 6 this year, Deepak Kulkarni, an associate of fugitive businessman Choksi, was arrested by the ED in Kolkata upon his arrival from Hong Kong.

Kulkarni was the director of Choksi`s dummy firm in Hong Kong. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against him.

Earlier in September, Choksi had said that all allegations levelled against him by the ED were "false and baseless."

Calling himself a "soft target in a small country," Choksi had said that he was undergoing media trial in connection with the alleged US $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud scam.

Choksi also held the public sector bank PNB responsible for misinforming the probe agencies, adding that it was unprecedented how his company came to a complete standstill without thorough investigation.

Mehul Choksi's counsel told a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Mumbai on Saturday that his client was medically unfit to travel from Antigua to India to record his statement.

Mehul Choksi's counsel told a special Enforcement Directorate (ED) court in Mumbai on Saturday that his client was medically unfit to travel from Antigua to India to record his statement. Sanjay Abbot, Choksi`s counsel, told the court, "Presently he is not medically fit to travel. So his statement can either be recorded through video conferencing or ED officers can go to Antigua and record his statement or wait for three months if his conditions improve, he will come back to record his statement." The court was hearing the Enforcement Directorate`s application to declare Choksi as a `fugitive economic offender.` On November 6 this year, Deepak Kulkarni, an associate of fugitive businessman Choksi, was arrested by the ED in Kolkata upon his arrival from Hong Kong. Kulkarni was the director of Choksi`s dummy firm in Hong Kong. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the ED had earlier issued a lookout circular against him. Earlier in September, Choksi had said that all allegations levelled against him by the ED were "false and baseless." Calling himself a "soft target in a small country," Choksi had said that he was undergoing media trial in connection with the alleged US $2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud scam. Choksi also held the public sector bank PNB responsible for misinforming the probe agencies, adding that it was unprecedented how his company came to a complete standstill without thorough investigation.

Mehul Choksi medically unfit, can't travel from Antigua to India: Counsel to court

Bilaspur division with 24 Assembly seats, the highest among the five divisions in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the winner.

Bilaspur division, located in the centre of the state, comprises five districts -- Bilaspur, Mungeli, Korba, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh.

While the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh for 18 seats took place on November 12, the second phase for the remaining 72 constituencies will be held on November 20.

In the 2013 polls, the 24 seats in the five districts of Bilaspur division saw a neck-to-neck contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 12, the Congress 11 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) winning one.

The BSP, which won Jaijaipur seat in the division, however, managed to come second in two constituencies and third in seven.

With the BSP tying up with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), a three-way fight between the BJP, Congress and the Jogi-led alliance is very much on the cards.

While the BSP is contesting 10 of the 24 seats in Bilaspur division, the JCC(J) has fielded candidates on the rest.

"People are fed up with the politics of the BJP and the Congress in the state and this time they are considering our alliance as an option to bring change," BSP's state chief Omprakash Batchpayi told PTI.

"The alliance is in a good position in Bilaspur division and will win more than 12 segments there," he said confidently.

The Mayawati-led party had got 4.27 per cent of votes in the 2013 Assembly polls, a decrease from the 6.11 per cent it garnered in the 2008 polls.

On the other hand, Jogi's new outfit is seeking political space in the state, and Bilaspur region, with a sizable presence of people from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, is expected to help the new party.

Of the 24 seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and four for the Scheduled Caste (SC).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati have campaigned in the region, a reflection of its significance.

The opposition Congress, which was trying to forge an alliance with the BSP, believes the Jogi-led alliance will not affect its chances.

State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said, "Jogi is going to lose the election from Marwahi. There is no question of the alliance affecting the prospects of the Congress. We are confident of improving our tally and win more seats in this division."

Ajit Jogi is contesting from Marwahi segment where the BJP and the Congress have fielded new faces, Archana Porte and Gulab Singh, respectively.

The Congress has fielded 10 new faces in this division this time.

Marwahi, Kota, Akaltara, Jaijaipur, Pamgarh, Lormi, Bilha, Chandrapur, Sarangarh and Shakti constituencies are among keenly watched seats from Bilaspur division during the second phase of voting on November 20.

The Kota seat will see a three-cornered contest between incumbent MLA Renu Jogi (JCC-J), Vibhor Singh of the Congress and BJP's Kashi Sahu.

Similarly, in Akaltara seat, Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa Jogi (BSP) is likely to give a tough fight to Saurabh Singh (BJP) and incumbent MLA Chunnilal Sahu (Congress).

In Lormi Seat, former MLA Dharmjeet Singh (JCC-C) has been pitted against incumbent MLA and BJP candidate Tokhan Sahu and Congress's Shatrughan Chandrakar.

The lone BSP MLA Keshav Chandra, who has been renominated from Jaijaipur, is pitted against BJP's Kailash Sahu and Congress' Anil Chandra.

Bilaspur is a prominent seat where a close contest is expected between state minister Amar Agrawal of BJP and Congress' Shailesh Pandey.

Eyeing a fourth consecutive term, the ruling BJP believes the Mayawati-Jogi alliance would impact the Congress' prospects in the election.

"Jogi's party would affect Congress votes, not that of the BJP in this election. We have set a target of winning 65 seats in Chhattisgarh, of which, more than 15 will be from Bilaspur division," BJP state spokesperson Sanjay Shrivastav said.&nbsp;

Bilaspur division with 24 Assembly seats, the highest among the five divisions in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the winner.

Bilaspur division with 24 Assembly seats, the highest among the five divisions in poll-bound Chhattisgarh, is expected to play a crucial role in deciding the winner. Bilaspur division, located in the centre of the state, comprises five districts -- Bilaspur, Mungeli, Korba, Janjgir-Champa and Raigarh. While the first phase of polls in Chhattisgarh for 18 seats took place on November 12, the second phase for the remaining 72 constituencies will be held on November 20. In the 2013 polls, the 24 seats in the five districts of Bilaspur division saw a neck-to-neck contest with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) winning 12, the Congress 11 and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) winning one. The BSP, which won Jaijaipur seat in the division, however, managed to come second in two constituencies and third in seven. With the BSP tying up with former chief minister Ajit Jogi's Janata Congress Chhattisgarh (J), a three-way fight between the BJP, Congress and the Jogi-led alliance is very much on the cards. While the BSP is contesting 10 of the 24 seats in Bilaspur division, the JCC(J) has fielded candidates on the rest. "People are fed up with the politics of the BJP and the Congress in the state and this time they are considering our alliance as an option to bring change," BSP's state chief Omprakash Batchpayi told PTI. "The alliance is in a good position in Bilaspur division and will win more than 12 segments there," he said confidently. The Mayawati-led party had got 4.27 per cent of votes in the 2013 Assembly polls, a decrease from the 6.11 per cent it garnered in the 2008 polls. On the other hand, Jogi's new outfit is seeking political space in the state, and Bilaspur region, with a sizable presence of people from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe communities, is expected to help the new party. Of the 24 seats, five are reserved for the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category and four for the Scheduled Caste (SC). Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP chief Amit Shah, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and BSP supremo Mayawati have campaigned in the region, a reflection of its significance. The opposition Congress, which was trying to forge an alliance with the BSP, believes the Jogi-led alliance will not affect its chances. State Congress chief Bhupesh Baghel said, "Jogi is going to lose the election from Marwahi. There is no question of the alliance affecting the prospects of the Congress. We are confident of improving our tally and win more seats in this division." Ajit Jogi is contesting from Marwahi segment where the BJP and the Congress have fielded new faces, Archana Porte and Gulab Singh, respectively. The Congress has fielded 10 new faces in this division this time. Marwahi, Kota, Akaltara, Jaijaipur, Pamgarh, Lormi, Bilha, Chandrapur, Sarangarh and Shakti constituencies are among keenly watched seats from Bilaspur division during the second phase of voting on November 20. The Kota seat will see a three-cornered contest between incumbent MLA Renu Jogi (JCC-J), Vibhor Singh of the Congress and BJP's Kashi Sahu. Similarly, in Akaltara seat, Jogi's daughter-in-law Richa Jogi (BSP) is likely to give a tough fight to Saurabh Singh (BJP) and incumbent MLA Chunnilal Sahu (Congress). In Lormi Seat, former MLA Dharmjeet Singh (JCC-C) has been pitted against incumbent MLA and BJP candidate Tokhan Sahu and Congress's Shatrughan Chandrakar. The lone BSP MLA Keshav Chandra, who has been renominated from Jaijaipur, is pitted against BJP's Kailash Sahu and Congress' Anil Chandra. Bilaspur is a prominent seat where a close contest is expected between state minister Amar Agrawal of BJP and Congress' Shailesh Pandey. Eyeing a fourth consecutive term, the ruling BJP believes the Mayawati-Jogi alliance would impact the Congress' prospects in the election. "Jogi's party would affect Congress votes, not that of the BJP in this election. We have set a target of winning 65 seats in Chhattisgarh, of which, more than 15 will be from Bilaspur division," BJP state spokesperson Sanjay Shrivastav said.

Chhattisgarh polls: Bilaspur division, with 24 seats, could hold key

Two days after ABVP suspended Ankiv Baisoya and asked him to resign from his post, Delhi University on Saturday expelled him after it found him faking his educational certificates.

A senior police officer said that they got the information from Delhi University that his (Baisoya) admission has been cancelled.&nbsp;

Sources said the police was informed of the cancellation after the university got a letter from the Thiruvalluvar University Registrar confirming that Baisoya was never a student of that university.&nbsp;

Baisoya, who was elected as the DU students union President two months back, said on Facebook on November 15, the day he was expelled, that he was resigning his post.&nbsp;

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student group to which he belonged, too, suspended Baisoya on November 15, asking him to step down from the DUSU post.&nbsp;

Baisoya has been expelled for submitting fake documents from Thiruvalluvar University at Vellore in Tamil Nadu to secure admission in Delhi University where he was a student of Buddhist Studies.&nbsp;

Two days after ABVP suspended Ankiv Baisoya and asked him to resign from his post, Delhi University on Saturday expelled him after it found him faking his educational certificates.

Two days after ABVP suspended Ankiv Baisoya and asked him to resign from his post, Delhi University on Saturday expelled him after it found him faking his educational certificates. A senior police officer said that they got the information from Delhi University that his (Baisoya) admission has been cancelled. Sources said the police was informed of the cancellation after the university got a letter from the Thiruvalluvar University Registrar confirming that Baisoya was never a student of that university. Baisoya, who was elected as the DU students union President two months back, said on Facebook on November 15, the day he was expelled, that he was resigning his post. Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad, the student group to which he belonged, too, suspended Baisoya on November 15, asking him to step down from the DUSU post. Baisoya has been expelled for submitting fake documents from Thiruvalluvar University at Vellore in Tamil Nadu to secure admission in Delhi University where he was a student of Buddhist Studies.

Delhi University expels former student leader Ankiv Baisoya 

A Delhi court on Saturday ordered framing of criminal conspiracy and other charges against former AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran in the alleged Election Commission bribery case related to two-leaves party symbol.

Special Judge Ajay Bharadwaj ordered to put Dinakaran on trial for the offence punishable under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act.

Dinakaran, who had floated Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam party after being expelled from the AIADMK, was arrested in April 2017 here and was later granted bail.

Alleged middleman Sukesh Chandansekar, who is currently in judicial currently, was also ordered to be put on trial in the case for the offence punishable under sections 120-B and 201 of IPC and under the PC Act.

The court directed Dhinakaran to appear before it on December 4, when it will formally frame the charges.

In 2017, Delhi Police's crime branch had filed the charge sheet alleging that Chandansekar had conspired with Dinakaran and others to bribe the poll panel officials to get the two leaves symbol for Sasikala-led AIADMK faction.

Dhinakaran had won the byelections held in Radha Krishnan Nagar Assembly constituency in December last year under the 'pressure cooker' symbol with a margin of over 40,000 votes.

A Delhi court on Saturday ordered framing of criminal conspiracy and other charges against former AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran in the alleged Election Commission bribery case related to two-leaves party symbol.

A Delhi court on Saturday ordered framing of criminal conspiracy and other charges against former AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran in the alleged Election Commission bribery case related to two-leaves party symbol. Special Judge Ajay Bharadwaj ordered to put Dinakaran on trial for the offence punishable under sections 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) of Indian Penal Code (IPC) and under the Prevention of Corruption (PC) Act. Dinakaran, who had floated Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam party after being expelled from the AIADMK, was arrested in April 2017 here and was later granted bail. Alleged middleman Sukesh Chandansekar, who is currently in judicial currently, was also ordered to be put on trial in the case for the offence punishable under sections 120-B and 201 of IPC and under the PC Act. The court directed Dhinakaran to appear before it on December 4, when it will formally frame the charges. In 2017, Delhi Police's crime branch had filed the charge sheet alleging that Chandansekar had conspired with Dinakaran and others to bribe the poll panel officials to get the two leaves symbol for Sasikala-led AIADMK faction. Dhinakaran had won the byelections held in Radha Krishnan Nagar Assembly constituency in December last year under the 'pressure cooker' symbol with a margin of over 40,000 votes.

Dinakaran to be put on trial as court orders framing of charges in bribery case

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.&nbsp;

This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011.&nbsp;

"I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity &amp; human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit.

He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future.&nbsp;

"We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said.

Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure".&nbsp;

"India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too," he said.&nbsp;

Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi.

The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then.

India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi.&nbsp;

Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Male on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Maldives President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, who surprisingly defeated strongman Abdulla Yameen in September. This is Modi's first visit to the Maldives as prime minister. The last visit by an Indian Prime Minister to the Indian Ocean island nation was by Manmohan Singh in 2011. "I will convey to the new Maldivian Government of Mr Solih the desire of the Indian Government to work closely for realisation of their developmental priorities, especially in areas of infrastructure, health care, connectivity & human resource development," Modi said in a series of tweets ahead of the visit. He said the recent elections in the Maldives represent the collective aspirations of the people for democracy, rule of law and a prosperous future. "We in India strongly desire to see a stable, democratic, prosperous and peaceful Republic of Maldives," the prime minister said. Modi also congratulated Solih on his victory in the recent elections and wished him "the very best for his tenure". "India and the Maldives share a strong partnership rooted in history, strong bonds between our peoples, and their shared aspiration for peace and prosperity. My Government's vision of inclusive development "Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikaas' extends to all our neighbours too," he said. Modi also said he will convey to Solih his wish to work with the new Maldives government in different areas to boost bilateral ties. Prime Minsiter Narendra Modi arrives in Malé. PM Modi is on a visit to Maldives to attend the inauguration ceremony of the President-elect Ibrahim Mohamed Solih in Malé. pic.twitter.com/IQPUZ4dVAI — ANI (@ANI) November 17, 2018 × Solih, the opposition Maldivian Democratic Party's candidate who surprisingly emerged victorious over incumbent president Yameen in the election held on September 23, had extended the invitation during a phone call by Modi. The Maldives is the only South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation SAARC country that Modi has not visited. His visit to the Maldives, a strategically vital island and a popular tourist destination, was cancelled in March 2015 due to the volatile political situation then. India-Maldives ties came under strain under Yameen who was perceived to be close to China. Some decisions by Yameen including imposition of restrictions on work visas for Indians and signing of a new Free Trade Agreement with Beijing also did not go down well with New Delhi. Relations between India and the Maldives deteriorated further after Yameen imposed emergency on February 5 this year. India had criticised his decision and asked his government to restore the credibility of the electoral and political process by releasing political prisoners. The emergency lasted for 45 days.

PM Modi arrives in Maldives to attend President-elect Solih's inauguration

NDA ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha said Saturday the BJP's offer of seats to his party for the 2019 general election was "not respectable".

He did not disclose the number of seats offered to the RLSP, saying he would not speak about it before a seat-sharing agreement is reached by NDA constituents in Bihar by November 30.

Kushwaha, the Union minister of state for HRD, was speaking to reporters after the RLSP state executive meeting here.

The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level.

Kushwaha appears to have picked up the word "neeche" from the statement and took it as an insult to himself as the RLSP chief was the topic of discussion.

He alleged that the remark was tantamount to calling him a lowly person.

He has also targeted BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi for defending Kumar, signalling his growing isolation within the coalition.

When asked about this, he had said, "I am in the NDA as of now."

Kushwaha, whose efforts to meet BJP president Amit Shah over the issue have not yielded results, said he will try to speak to "no other BJP leader except the prime minister."

Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

NDA ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha said Saturday the BJP's offer of seats to his party for the 2019 general election was "not respectable".

NDA ally Rashtriya Lok Samata Party president Upendra Kushwaha said Saturday the BJP's offer of seats to his party for the 2019 general election was "not respectable". He did not disclose the number of seats offered to the RLSP, saying he would not speak about it before a seat-sharing agreement is reached by NDA constituents in Bihar by November 30. Kushwaha, the Union minister of state for HRD, was speaking to reporters after the RLSP state executive meeting here. The RLSP chief is at loggerheads with Nitish Kumar over the Bihar chief minister's recent remarks against him. Kumar, also the JD(U) president, had refused to join issue with Kushwaha over seat-sharing between NDA partners in Bihar, saying "Itna neeche baat ko nahi le jaiye" (do not take the debate to such a low level. Kushwaha appears to have picked up the word "neeche" from the statement and took it as an insult to himself as the RLSP chief was the topic of discussion. He alleged that the remark was tantamount to calling him a lowly person. He has also targeted BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi for defending Kumar, signalling his growing isolation within the coalition. When asked about this, he had said, "I am in the NDA as of now." Kushwaha, whose efforts to meet BJP president Amit Shah over the issue have not yielded results, said he will try to speak to "no other BJP leader except the prime minister." Bihar has a total of 40 Lok Sabha seats. The BJP and the JD(U) have decided to contest equal number of seats. The fourth partner of the NDA in Bihar is Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party.

BJP seat offer for Lok Sabha election 'not respectable': Kushwaha

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