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<p>Security in Odisha's Malkangiri district has been beefed up to prevent further incursions of Maoists from Chhattisgarh following the killing of 15 naxals by security on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The situation in Malkangiri is currently under control, but police "cannot afford to be complacent," a senior police officer said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"After an exchange of fire, Maoists usually flee from the site of encounter in search of safe locations. As Malkangiri shares boundary with Chhattisgarh, the rebels may try to sneak into our territory," PTI quoted Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena as saying.</p>

<p>Sukma district - where the incident happened - has been sealed and security forces have been deployed at various areas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The vehicles entering into the district are being frisked at the border areas and the waterways have been put under strict vigil. Police patrolling has also been intensified in the vulnerable areas," he said, as quoted by PTI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The encounter took place on Monday near Sukma's Konta and Golapalli police station limits. The security forces have recovered 16 weapons from the killed insurgents.</p>


The situation in Malkangiri is currently under control, but police "cannot afford to be complacent."

Security in Odisha's Malkangiri district has been beefed up to prevent further incursions of Maoists from Chhattisgarh following the killing of 15 naxals by security on Monday. The situation in Malkangiri is currently under control, but police "cannot afford to be complacent," a senior police officer said. "After an exchange of fire, Maoists usually flee from the site of encounter in search of safe locations. As Malkangiri shares boundary with Chhattisgarh, the rebels may try to sneak into our territory," PTI quoted Superintendent of Police Jagmohan Meena as saying. Sukma district - where the incident happened - has been sealed and security forces have been deployed at various areas. "The vehicles entering into the district are being frisked at the border areas and the waterways have been put under strict vigil. Police patrolling has also been intensified in the vulnerable areas," he said, as quoted by PTI. The encounter took place on Monday near Sukma's Konta and Golapalli police station limits. The security forces have recovered 16 weapons from the killed insurgents.

Security alert in Odisha after 15 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh

<p>The recent rules approved by the Telecom Commission of India (TCI), the highest decision-making body within DoT, has laid down the framework for net neutrality in the country. Under these rules, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will not be able to block or slow down the speed of particular sites, which may belong to their competitors.<br />
<br />
But the government’s exemption to two broad categories of services — ‘critical IoT services’ and ‘specialised services’ need to be considered. IoT, which stands for ‘Internet of Things’, involves turning ‘dumb’ physical objects into ‘smart’ objects, examples of which include autonomous vehicles and remote diagnostic surgery. The DoT’s logic for exempting IoT services from net neutrality is that they provide ‘critical services’ and thus need a separate and dedicated bandwidth, which will be faster than normal.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At first glance, the logic seems sound. But it gets more problematic as one goes through the fine print. Under the current rules, IPTV (video streaming) and VoIP (voice communications and multimedia), can also come under the category of ‘specialised services’. What this means is that any ISP say JIO, Airtel, Idea, etc., can theoretically charge you a different rate based on your service (IPTV) usage as opposed to the rate you currently pay for your Internet usage.</p>

<p>This violates the premise of net neutrality, which means that for keeping the Internet neutral, customers can use whatever service they want at the same rate. If you are charged a different rate, that is not net neutrality. In the case of VoIP, an ISP can theoretically launch an App, which might perform better on its server than, say, WhatsApp. This again violates your right to use common services and forces you to opt for services that your ISP prefers. &nbsp;</p>

<p>The other issue to consider is why have the rules left these sections vague, especially when it is specifically clarified under other agreements. The Virtual Network Operator (VNO) licence agreement explicitly states: ‘Internet access means use of any device/technology/methodology to provide access to internet, including IPTV and all content available without access restriction on Internet...’ The question then arises: If access to and non-discriminatory use of IPTV has been stated here, why was it not mentioned in the rules formulated by the TCI? Currently, as it stands, not mentioning this would allow ISPs to charge what they like on video streaming. What is even worse is that there is a possibility that large conglomerates can launch IPTV services and monopolise the network. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Why does this matter? It matters because big services like YouTube, Netflix or TV channels aired online will get faster access. This heavy data of IPTV will monopolise Internet bandwidth which can ensure that people in ‘Internet vulnerable’ areas — such as students in rural areas — who are trying to use the Internet through the same ISP will suffer. India already suffers from poor connectivity and these people may have even more trouble connecting to the Internet, which again defeats the premise of net neutrality. It is the DoT’s responsibility to ensure that this does not happen and the vague wording doesn’t help.</p>

<p>The biggest issue though is the lack of clarity as to who will monitor the ISPs and what information they will have to provide to ensure they are complying with net neutrality norms. Currently, the rules do not make this clear. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) needs to ensure that ISPs provide sufficient capacity to users to ensure net neutrality. For this, they should require ISPs to fully disclose the scale of specialised services that they are offering.<br />
<br />
On that basis, TRAI can then assess whether sufficient capacity is being provided to ensure net neutrality and that the general quality of Internet access does not suffer by ISPs providing too many specialised services. In fact, going further, TRAI can and should only allow specialised services to be offered when it is convinced that the network capacity is sufficient. For this, tougher guidelines need to be set up.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The problem is that the wording of all these regulations is so vague that most ISPs or TSPs can get around it by arguing that they are not flouting net neutrality. One of the main arguments that they are likely to put forward is that IPTV is a service that requires a higher and specially-provisioned bandwidth and the traffic it generates does not intermix with the traffic and bandwidth set aside for other Internet sites.<br />
<br />
As a result, ISPs will claim that they are not violating net neutrality, while at the same time they will justify the higher rates for IPTVs. Without specific legislation, it is likely that such logic can and will prevail. To stop this, ISPs need firm monitoring and for that a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder body needs to be put in place, which represents government, different categories of ISPs, representatives from research and academia, civil society organisations and consumer representatives. So far though, that has not happened.</p>

<p>India fought hard for net neutrality and this was seen in 2015 when over 800,000 Indians sent emails in under a week to TRAI, demanding a ‘free and fair Internet.’ It is important for us to ensure that those protests were not in vain, and the right of every Indian to access all legally-authorised Internet sites, at a fair price, is not compromised by ambiguous rules.</p>

<p><em>(Prashant Mali is an international Cyber Lawyer and Cyber Thought leader)</em></p>

<p><em>(This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the <a href="http://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-free-and-fair-net-still-a-dream-2646455">original article</a>.)</em></p>

<p><em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em></p>

<p><br />
&nbsp;</p>


It is important for us to ensure tha the right of every Indian to access all legally-authorised Internet sites, at a fair price, is not compromised by ambiguous rules.

The recent rules approved by the Telecom Commission of India (TCI), the highest decision-making body within DoT, has laid down the framework for net neutrality in the country. Under these rules, Internet Service Providers (ISPs) will not be able to block or slow down the speed of particular sites, which may belong to their competitors. But the government’s exemption to two broad categories of services — ‘critical IoT services’ and ‘specialised services’ need to be considered. IoT, which stands for ‘Internet of Things’, involves turning ‘dumb’ physical objects into ‘smart’ objects, examples of which include autonomous vehicles and remote diagnostic surgery. The DoT’s logic for exempting IoT services from net neutrality is that they provide ‘critical services’ and thus need a separate and dedicated bandwidth, which will be faster than normal. At first glance, the logic seems sound. But it gets more problematic as one goes through the fine print. Under the current rules, IPTV (video streaming) and VoIP (voice communications and multimedia), can also come under the category of ‘specialised services’. What this means is that any ISP say JIO, Airtel, Idea, etc., can theoretically charge you a different rate based on your service (IPTV) usage as opposed to the rate you currently pay for your Internet usage. This violates the premise of net neutrality, which means that for keeping the Internet neutral, customers can use whatever service they want at the same rate. If you are charged a different rate, that is not net neutrality. In the case of VoIP, an ISP can theoretically launch an App, which might perform better on its server than, say, WhatsApp. This again violates your right to use common services and forces you to opt for services that your ISP prefers. The other issue to consider is why have the rules left these sections vague, especially when it is specifically clarified under other agreements. The Virtual Network Operator (VNO) licence agreement explicitly states: ‘Internet access means use of any device/technology/methodology to provide access to internet, including IPTV and all content available without access restriction on Internet...’ The question then arises: If access to and non-discriminatory use of IPTV has been stated here, why was it not mentioned in the rules formulated by the TCI? Currently, as it stands, not mentioning this would allow ISPs to charge what they like on video streaming. What is even worse is that there is a possibility that large conglomerates can launch IPTV services and monopolise the network. Why does this matter? It matters because big services like YouTube, Netflix or TV channels aired online will get faster access. This heavy data of IPTV will monopolise Internet bandwidth which can ensure that people in ‘Internet vulnerable’ areas — such as students in rural areas — who are trying to use the Internet through the same ISP will suffer. India already suffers from poor connectivity and these people may have even more trouble connecting to the Internet, which again defeats the premise of net neutrality. It is the DoT’s responsibility to ensure that this does not happen and the vague wording doesn’t help. The biggest issue though is the lack of clarity as to who will monitor the ISPs and what information they will have to provide to ensure they are complying with net neutrality norms. Currently, the rules do not make this clear. The Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) needs to ensure that ISPs provide sufficient capacity to users to ensure net neutrality. For this, they should require ISPs to fully disclose the scale of specialised services that they are offering. On that basis, TRAI can then assess whether sufficient capacity is being provided to ensure net neutrality and that the general quality of Internet access does not suffer by ISPs providing too many specialised services. In fact, going further, TRAI can and should only allow specialised services to be offered when it is convinced that the network capacity is sufficient. For this, tougher guidelines need to be set up. The problem is that the wording of all these regulations is so vague that most ISPs or TSPs can get around it by arguing that they are not flouting net neutrality. One of the main arguments that they are likely to put forward is that IPTV is a service that requires a higher and specially-provisioned bandwidth and the traffic it generates does not intermix with the traffic and bandwidth set aside for other Internet sites. As a result, ISPs will claim that they are not violating net neutrality, while at the same time they will justify the higher rates for IPTVs. Without specific legislation, it is likely that such logic can and will prevail. To stop this, ISPs need firm monitoring and for that a not-for-profit multi-stakeholder body needs to be put in place, which represents government, different categories of ISPs, representatives from research and academia, civil society organisations and consumer representatives. So far though, that has not happened. India fought hard for net neutrality and this was seen in 2015 when over 800,000 Indians sent emails in under a week to TRAI, demanding a ‘free and fair Internet.’ It is important for us to ensure that those protests were not in vain, and the right of every Indian to access all legally-authorised Internet sites, at a fair price, is not compromised by ambiguous rules. (Prashant Mali is an international Cyber Lawyer and Cyber Thought leader) (This article was originally published on The DNA. Read the original article.) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Free and fair net still a dream

<p>While imposing visa restrictions can reduce overall migration, it may push more would-be migrants into unauthorised channels, according to a study.</p>

<p>Researchers from the University College London in the UK investigated how individuals are likely to move from one country to another based on varying levels of restriction.</p>

<p>In particular, they looked at student and high-skilled visas, low-skilled and family visas.</p>

<p>The study, published in the journal PNAS, found that restricting students and those eligible for high-skilled visas does little to change the overall volume or composition of incoming migrants.</p>

<p>Whereas restricting family and low-skilled visas appears to reduce overall migration, it also diverts a significant portion of aspiring migrants to unauthorised channels.</p>

<p>Illegal reorientation is especially problematic when government restrictions are placed on family reunification, where roughly a quarter of all those who would have migrated legally would, instead, move abroad through illegal channels.</p>

<p>"We show that even minimal visa requirements can significantly reduce immigration, but this comes at the cost of reorienting aspiring migrants towards unauthorised channels," said Miranda Simon from University College London.</p>

<p>"The largest reorientation towards unauthorised channels happens when the family route is closed, because it is the most easily accessible out of those considered," said Simon.</p>

<p>"When restricting immigration policy, governments need to consider that they are also reducing aspiring migrants' already limited options for legal migration," Simon said.</p>

<p>The study found that under a baseline policy scenario in which anyone could migrate as long as they met minimal visa eligibility requirements, only 44 per cent of aspiring migrants moved abroad through legal channels.</p>

<p>When further restrictions are added, such as limiting work allowances for student migrants or increasing sponsorship burdens on families abroad, legal migration becomes increasingly difficult.</p>

<p>Restricting low-skilled worker or family migration reduced immigration by 21 and 32 per cent respectively from baseline levels, but also increased unauthorised immigration by 14 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively.</p>

<p>Results also show that enforcement of unauthorised migration is generally not an efficient solution as more than 80 per cent of unauthorised migrants would need to be apprehended to offset the effects of legal restrictions.</p>

<p>Researchers used a data-driven, agent-based computational model (ABM) to examine migration for one corridor - ie individuals moving from one origin country to one destination country.</p>

<p>They examined the effects of immigration policy restrictions on common channels such as family reunification, student, low-skilled work and high-skilled work across major destination countries.&nbsp</p>


Researchers from the University College London in the UK investigated how individuals are likely to move from one country to another based on varying levels of restriction.

While imposing visa restrictions can reduce overall migration, it may push more would-be migrants into unauthorised channels, according to a study. Researchers from the University College London in the UK investigated how individuals are likely to move from one country to another based on varying levels of restriction. In particular, they looked at student and high-skilled visas, low-skilled and family visas. The study, published in the journal PNAS, found that restricting students and those eligible for high-skilled visas does little to change the overall volume or composition of incoming migrants. Whereas restricting family and low-skilled visas appears to reduce overall migration, it also diverts a significant portion of aspiring migrants to unauthorised channels. Illegal reorientation is especially problematic when government restrictions are placed on family reunification, where roughly a quarter of all those who would have migrated legally would, instead, move abroad through illegal channels. "We show that even minimal visa requirements can significantly reduce immigration, but this comes at the cost of reorienting aspiring migrants towards unauthorised channels," said Miranda Simon from University College London. "The largest reorientation towards unauthorised channels happens when the family route is closed, because it is the most easily accessible out of those considered," said Simon. "When restricting immigration policy, governments need to consider that they are also reducing aspiring migrants' already limited options for legal migration," Simon said. The study found that under a baseline policy scenario in which anyone could migrate as long as they met minimal visa eligibility requirements, only 44 per cent of aspiring migrants moved abroad through legal channels. When further restrictions are added, such as limiting work allowances for student migrants or increasing sponsorship burdens on families abroad, legal migration becomes increasingly difficult. Restricting low-skilled worker or family migration reduced immigration by 21 and 32 per cent respectively from baseline levels, but also increased unauthorised immigration by 14 per cent and 24 per cent, respectively. Results also show that enforcement of unauthorised migration is generally not an efficient solution as more than 80 per cent of unauthorised migrants would need to be apprehended to offset the effects of legal restrictions. Researchers used a data-driven, agent-based computational model (ABM) to examine migration for one corridor - ie individuals moving from one origin country to one destination country. They examined the effects of immigration policy restrictions on common channels such as family reunification, student, low-skilled work and high-skilled work across major destination countries.

Visa restrictions can increase illegal migration: Study

<p>The Delhi government approved today a proposal to increase the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund from Rs 4 crore to 10 crore annually.</p>

<p>The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.</p>

<p>Informing the Delhi Assembly about the Cabinet's decision, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that it was a demand of every legislator to increase the MLALAD fund.</p>

<p>"The Cabinet has decided to increase the MLA LAD fund from the existing Rs 4 crore to Rs 10 crore in a year," Sisodia told the Assembly on the second day of the Monsoon Session.</p>

<p>In Delhi, an MLA currently gets Rs 4 crore in a year to execute various works in his or her constituency.</p>

<p>Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said that the Cabinet's decision will be implemented this year.</p>

<p>Sisodia said that the Cabinet has also approved another proposal to set up a foreign language academy in the national capital, apart from several Indian language academies like Telugu, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Gujarati, among others.&nbsp</p>


The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

The Delhi government approved today a proposal to increase the MLA Local Area Development (LAD) fund from Rs 4 crore to 10 crore annually. The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Informing the Delhi Assembly about the Cabinet's decision, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia said that it was a demand of every legislator to increase the MLALAD fund. "The Cabinet has decided to increase the MLA LAD fund from the existing Rs 4 crore to Rs 10 crore in a year," Sisodia told the Assembly on the second day of the Monsoon Session. In Delhi, an MLA currently gets Rs 4 crore in a year to execute various works in his or her constituency. Delhi Urban Development Minister Satyendar Jain said that the Cabinet's decision will be implemented this year. Sisodia said that the Cabinet has also approved another proposal to set up a foreign language academy in the national capital, apart from several Indian language academies like Telugu, Kashmiri, Malayalam, Gujarati, among others.

Delhi government to increase MLA Local Area Development fund from Rs 4 cr to 10 cr

<p>The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected 1993 Mumbai serial blast convict <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/delhi-patiala-house-court-convicts-abu-salem-in-2002-extortion-case--139986">Abu Salem's</a> plea seeking a 45-day parole to get married.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Salem, 46, sentenced to life imprisonment had moved the high court seeking release from prison on parole for a month as he wants to marry Kausar Bahar, a resident of Mumbra area in Thane district.</p>

<p>Salem is lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai and had approached the high court after the Navi Mumbai commissioner had rejected<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/abu-salems-extortion-quantum-of-punishment-likely-today-141691"> his plea in April</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Rejecting the petition, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice V K Tahilramani and Justice M S Sonak observed Salem has been convicted on the serious charge of terrorism and hence cannot be released on parole.</p>

<p>The applicant had said the parole request should be considered on "humanitarian grounds" as he cannot shun his duty towards the woman since he has promised to marry her, and that she also does not intend to marry anyone else.</p>

<p>Salem said he should be allowed to maintain family and social ties.</p>

<p>Previously, Salem had reportedly married Kausar over the phone while he was on a train to Lucknow for a court hearing. Further reports had said that she threatened to kill herself if she the court rejected her application to marry the jailed gangster.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The gangster is serving a life sentence in jail after being convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts that had killed 257 and injured 713 people. He has also been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment in 2002 extortion case by Delhi Court.&nbsp;</p>


Salem, 46, sentenced to life imprisonment had moved the high court seeking release from prison on parole for a month as he wants to marry Kausar Bahar, a resident of Mumbra area in Thane district.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday rejected 1993 Mumbai serial blast convict Abu Salem's plea seeking a 45-day parole to get married. Salem, 46, sentenced to life imprisonment had moved the high court seeking release from prison on parole for a month as he wants to marry Kausar Bahar, a resident of Mumbra area in Thane district. Salem is lodged in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai and had approached the high court after the Navi Mumbai commissioner had rejected his plea in April. Rejecting the petition, a division bench of Acting Chief Justice V K Tahilramani and Justice M S Sonak observed Salem has been convicted on the serious charge of terrorism and hence cannot be released on parole. The applicant had said the parole request should be considered on "humanitarian grounds" as he cannot shun his duty towards the woman since he has promised to marry her, and that she also does not intend to marry anyone else. Salem said he should be allowed to maintain family and social ties. Previously, Salem had reportedly married Kausar over the phone while he was on a train to Lucknow for a court hearing. Further reports had said that she threatened to kill herself if she the court rejected her application to marry the jailed gangster. The gangster is serving a life sentence in jail after being convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts that had killed 257 and injured 713 people. He has also been sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment in 2002 extortion case by Delhi Court.

Bombay High Court rejects Abu Salem's plea seeking parole to get married

<p>Supreme Court today warned the <a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/no-coercive-action-against-those-whose-names-are-not-on-nrc-assures-rajnath-singh-in-parliament-156700">Registrar General of India(RGI) and Assam</a> National Register of Citizens(NRC) coordinator for talking to media on modalities of addressing complaints.</p>

<p><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/those-not-in-draft-wont-be-jailed-or-deported-nrc-coordinator-157228">Also Read: Those not in </a><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/those-not-in-draft-wont-be-jailed-or-deported-nrc-coordinator-157228">draft</a><a href="http://wionews.com/india-news/those-not-in-draft-wont-be-jailed-or-deported-nrc-coordinator-157228"> won't be jailed or deported: NRC coordinator</a></p>

<p>Referring to news reports, India's apex court told the RGI and NRC coordinator: "Don't forget you are officials of the&nbsp;court, your job is to comply with orders, how can you go to the press like this."</p>

<p>The top court restrained the Assam NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela and RGI's S Shailesh from talking to media on NRC.</p>

<p>The court said the Assam NRC coordinator and RGI will have to seek leave before speaking to the media on NRC in the future.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Earlier Prateek Hajela, state coordinator of NRC had said that those people who didn't find their names in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft will not be "jailed or deported".</p>

<p>The NRC coordinator had further added that "no legal action" would be taken against people whose name are not in the list.</p>

<p>On July 30th, the Assam government had published the draft NRC in which 40 lakh names were missing leading to a major controversy. Several political parties including the TMC openly protested against the Central government questioning its&nbsp;draft report in Parliament.</p>

<p>The draft incorporated names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants.</p>


The top court restrained the Assam NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela and RGI's S Shailesh from talking to media on NRC.

Supreme Court today warned the Registrar General of India(RGI) and Assam National Register of Citizens(NRC) coordinator for talking to media on modalities of addressing complaints. Also Read: Those not in draft won't be jailed or deported: NRC coordinator Referring to news reports, India's apex court told the RGI and NRC coordinator: "Don't forget you are officials of the court, your job is to comply with orders, how can you go to the press like this." The top court restrained the Assam NRC coordinator Prateek Hajela and RGI's S Shailesh from talking to media on NRC. The court said the Assam NRC coordinator and RGI will have to seek leave before speaking to the media on NRC in the future. Earlier Prateek Hajela, state coordinator of NRC had said that those people who didn't find their names in the National Register of Citizens (NRC) draft will not be "jailed or deported". The NRC coordinator had further added that "no legal action" would be taken against people whose name are not in the list. On July 30th, the Assam government had published the draft NRC in which 40 lakh names were missing leading to a major controversy. Several political parties including the TMC openly protested against the Central government questioning its draft report in Parliament. The draft incorporated names of 2.89 crore people out of 3.29 crore applicants.

Don't forget you are officials of the court, your job is to comply with orders: Supreme Court to NRC coordinator

The Indian government has sort measures to limit social media for security purpose undet the IT act.

Indian government seeks curb on social media

<p>"The ideology of the BJP and RSS is that only men will run this country," Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi added that if women do belong anywhere, for the BJP "it is at the back". &nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi was speaking at the Mahila Adhikar Sammelan in Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi, who had just launched an <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/economic-failure-social-divisiveness-have-peaked-under-modi-rahul-gandhi-157535">attack on the PM</a> at the Congress Parliamentary party meet a few hours earlier, launched another saying "the PM doesn't say anything on the incidents of rape".&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that "what happened against women in these four years is something which didn't happen even in last 70 years".&nbsp;</p>

<p>That was a reversal of the usual BJP charge against Rahul — what did the Congress do for the 70 years it was in charge of the country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Also read: <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-mocks-rahul-says-lucky-that-he-got-such-opposition-143200">Amit Shah asks Rahul for </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-mocks-rahul-says-lucky-that-he-got-such-opposition-143200">account</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/amit-shah-mocks-rahul-says-lucky-that-he-got-such-opposition-143200"> of what Congress did in 70 years</a></p>

<p>"They (the BJP) talk a lot but Women's Reservation bill is long pending. Congress told them clearly that the entire party will stand by them the day they decide to pass it. But PM doesn't say anything. They said 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'. Hamein nahi samajh&nbsp;aaya beti kisse bachani thi," Gandhi said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Daughters need to be saved from BJP MLAs," Gandhi said.&nbsp;</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">If they table the Women's Reservation Bill, we will give them full support but if they don't, then as soon as Congress party comes to the power we will pass the bill: Congress President Rahul Gandhi at Mahila Adhikar Sammelan <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a> <a href="https://t.co/SNlCkOOuQ7">pic.twitter.com/SNlCkOOuQ7</a></p>
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<p>Gandhi was referring to the recent Kathua gang rape and the Unnao rape case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Two BJP MLAs from Jammu had to resign after they joined a procession in support of the men accused of the Kathua gang rape.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Another BJP MLA is the main accused in the Unnao rape case. The case was only taken up by the authorities a year after the alleged rape of the girl, when the girl and her family threatened to kill themselves outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's home.&nbsp;</p>


Gandhi was speaking at the Mahil Adhikar Sammelan in Delhi. 'Daughters need to be saved from BJP MLAs,' he said

"The ideology of the BJP and RSS is that only men will run this country," Congress president Rahul Gandhi said Tuesday. Gandhi added that if women do belong anywhere, for the BJP "it is at the back". Gandhi was speaking at the Mahila Adhikar Sammelan in Delhi. Gandhi, who had just launched an attack on the PM at the Congress Parliamentary party meet a few hours earlier, launched another saying "the PM doesn't say anything on the incidents of rape". He added that "what happened against women in these four years is something which didn't happen even in last 70 years". That was a reversal of the usual BJP charge against Rahul — what did the Congress do for the 70 years it was in charge of the country. Also read: Amit Shah asks Rahul for account of what Congress did in 70 years "They (the BJP) talk a lot but Women's Reservation bill is long pending. Congress told them clearly that the entire party will stand by them the day they decide to pass it. But PM doesn't say anything. They said 'Beti Bachao Beti Padhao'. Hamein nahi samajh aaya beti kisse bachani thi," Gandhi said. "Daughters need to be saved from BJP MLAs," Gandhi said. If they table the Women's Reservation Bill, we will give them full support but if they don't, then as soon as Congress party comes to the power we will pass the bill: Congress President Rahul Gandhi at Mahila Adhikar Sammelan #Delhi pic.twitter.com/SNlCkOOuQ7 — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × Gandhi was referring to the recent Kathua gang rape and the Unnao rape case. Two BJP MLAs from Jammu had to resign after they joined a procession in support of the men accused of the Kathua gang rape. Another BJP MLA is the main accused in the Unnao rape case. The case was only taken up by the authorities a year after the alleged rape of the girl, when the girl and her family threatened to kill themselves outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's home.

Ideology of BJP-RSS is only men will run this country: Rahul Gandhi

<p>JD(U) president Nitish Kumar Tuesday reached out to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, requesting the support of TRS for his party lawmaker and NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha.</p>

<p>The Bihar chief minister rang up the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president this morning and made the request, according to Rao’s office. Rao told him he would discuss the issue with his party colleagues and take a final decision, it said.</p>

<p>Kumar’s call comes as the NDA and the Opposition appeared to be heading for a showdown in the election. The Opposition has given a clear indication that it will contest the August 9 election. In the upper house, the BJP-led ruling alliance lacks a majority.</p>

<p>According to Opposition sources, Tiruchi Siva of DMK, Vandana Chavan of NCP and nominated member K T S Tulsi are front-runners for the post. The support of regional parties such as the AIADMK, BJD, TRS and YSR Congress are crucial in the poll.</p>

<p>The post of the deputy chairman has been lying vacant since June this year, following the retirement of P J Kurien, who had been elected to the upper house of Parliament on a Congress ticket from Kerala. The current strength of Rajya Sabha is 244 and support of 123 members would be needed for a win in the full house.</p>

<p>The BJP is the largest party in the house with 73 members. Its allies JD(U), Shiv Sena, Akali Dal have six, three and three members, respectively. Besides the nominated and independent members affiliated to it, the BJP is banking on the support of 13, nine, six and two members of the AIADMK, BJD, TRS, YSR Congress respectively, its floor managers said. If all four parties support the NDA candidate, then the numbers add up to 126.</p>

<p>However, if parties like BJD or TRS abstain from voting, then things will become more precarious for the ruling alliance. Both these parties had abstained during a vote on the recent motion of no-confidence against the government in the Lok Sabha while the AIADMK had voted with the treasury benches.</p>

<p>The BJP is hoping to get the support of four of the six independent members and three of the four nominated members. The Congress has 50 members.</p>


Nitish Kumar's call comes as the NDA and the Opposition appeared to be heading for a showdown in the election. The Opposition has given a clear indication that it will contest the August 9 election.

JD(U) president Nitish Kumar Tuesday reached out to Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, requesting the support of TRS for his party lawmaker and NDA candidate Harivansh Narayan Singh in the election to the post of Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha. The Bihar chief minister rang up the Telangana Rashtra Samithi president this morning and made the request, according to Rao’s office. Rao told him he would discuss the issue with his party colleagues and take a final decision, it said. Kumar’s call comes as the NDA and the Opposition appeared to be heading for a showdown in the election. The Opposition has given a clear indication that it will contest the August 9 election. In the upper house, the BJP-led ruling alliance lacks a majority. According to Opposition sources, Tiruchi Siva of DMK, Vandana Chavan of NCP and nominated member K T S Tulsi are front-runners for the post. The support of regional parties such as the AIADMK, BJD, TRS and YSR Congress are crucial in the poll. The post of the deputy chairman has been lying vacant since June this year, following the retirement of P J Kurien, who had been elected to the upper house of Parliament on a Congress ticket from Kerala. The current strength of Rajya Sabha is 244 and support of 123 members would be needed for a win in the full house. The BJP is the largest party in the house with 73 members. Its allies JD(U), Shiv Sena, Akali Dal have six, three and three members, respectively. Besides the nominated and independent members affiliated to it, the BJP is banking on the support of 13, nine, six and two members of the AIADMK, BJD, TRS, YSR Congress respectively, its floor managers said. If all four parties support the NDA candidate, then the numbers add up to 126. However, if parties like BJD or TRS abstain from voting, then things will become more precarious for the ruling alliance. Both these parties had abstained during a vote on the recent motion of no-confidence against the government in the Lok Sabha while the AIADMK had voted with the treasury benches. The BJP is hoping to get the support of four of the six independent members and three of the four nominated members. The Congress has 50 members.

Nitish Kumar reaches out to Telangana CM KCR as RS Deputy Chairman poll heats up

Anti-terror operation is underway in J&K and four army personnel have been martyred. Two terrorists are believed to be held up in the region.

Anti- terror operation underway in J&K

<p>Corruption, economic failure, incompetence and social divisiveness have peaked under the Modi government, PTI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying Tuesday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Congress President's remarks were made at a Congress Parliamentary party meeting.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders including Jyotiraditya Scindia, KC Venugopal & Ranjeet Ranjan arrive for Congress Parliamentary Party meeting. <a href="https://t.co/jqZiWFdLqd">pic.twitter.com/jqZiWFdLqd</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026687948480163847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>A BJP Parliamentary Party meeting also took place Tuesday morning at the Parliament library building.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Delhi: PM Narendra Modi arrives for BJP Parliamentary party meeting at Parliament library building. <a href="https://t.co/FhkuqQVcWJ">pic.twitter.com/FhkuqQVcWJ</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026681455420698624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The BJP's Ananth Kumar said after the meeting that the "PM has decided we'll celebrate 'Samajik nyay pakhwada' from 15-31 Aug."&nbsp;</p>

<p>He added that "we'll go to every part of India and make people aware of decisions we made for social justice and safety. From next year BJP will celebrate social justice week from 1-9 August every year."&nbsp;</p>


The Congress president added corruption and incompetence to his list of complaints.

Corruption, economic failure, incompetence and social divisiveness have peaked under the Modi government, PTI quoted Rahul Gandhi as saying Tuesday. The Congress President's remarks were made at a Congress Parliamentary party meeting. Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi and other party leaders including Jyotiraditya Scindia, KC Venugopal & Ranjeet Ranjan arrive for Congress Parliamentary Party meeting. pic.twitter.com/jqZiWFdLqd — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × A BJP Parliamentary Party meeting also took place Tuesday morning at the Parliament library building. Delhi: PM Narendra Modi arrives for BJP Parliamentary party meeting at Parliament library building. pic.twitter.com/FhkuqQVcWJ — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × The BJP's Ananth Kumar said after the meeting that the "PM has decided we'll celebrate 'Samajik nyay pakhwada' from 15-31 Aug." He added that "we'll go to every part of India and make people aware of decisions we made for social justice and safety. From next year BJP will celebrate social justice week from 1-9 August every year."

Economic failure, social divisiveness have peaked under the Modi govt: Rahul Gandhi

<p>The Union Home Ministry has relieved the paramilitary forces CRPF and ITBP from VVIP protection and given the responsibility to their sister agencies CISF and NSG that are already in the job for long, MoS Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said.</p>

<p>In his reply to the debate on CRPF's VIP duty in Lok Sabha, MoS Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said: "To ensure uniformity and standardization in the specialized task of personal protection duties, the Government has decided to progressively relieve CRPF from personal protection duties and assign this task to CISF and NSG,".</p>

<p>At present, in the SPG about 30% of officers are from CRPF on deputation and in NSG it is about 11%.</p>

<p>The CRPF has around 75 lists of VVIP security including BJP President Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Dineshar Sharma and Reliance Chief Mukesh Ambani. The force was roped into VVIP protection in 2014. The year NSG had shown its reluctance to provide its black cat commando's on personal protection deployment.</p>

<p>In contrast, ITBP only protects 17 high profile dignitaries including a dozen of apex court judges, politicians such as Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and CPI-M MLA Yusuf Tarigami.</p>

<p>ITBP commandos, however, have been on VVIP security deployment since early 1990's.</p>

<p>The NSG protects 14 high-risk category VVIP's after black cats were removed from RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's protection.</p>

<p>NSG's Special Ranger's Group (SRG), with personnel drawn on deputation from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Police forces, are deployed for guarding high-risk VIPs/VVIPs.</p>


At present, in the SPG about 30% of officers are from CRPF on deputation and in NSG it is about 11%.

The Union Home Ministry has relieved the paramilitary forces CRPF and ITBP from VVIP protection and given the responsibility to their sister agencies CISF and NSG that are already in the job for long, MoS Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said. In his reply to the debate on CRPF's VIP duty in Lok Sabha, MoS Home Affairs Hansraj Ahir said: "To ensure uniformity and standardization in the specialized task of personal protection duties, the Government has decided to progressively relieve CRPF from personal protection duties and assign this task to CISF and NSG,". At present, in the SPG about 30% of officers are from CRPF on deputation and in NSG it is about 11%. The CRPF has around 75 lists of VVIP security including BJP President Amit Shah, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, Dineshar Sharma and Reliance Chief Mukesh Ambani. The force was roped into VVIP protection in 2014. The year NSG had shown its reluctance to provide its black cat commando's on personal protection deployment. In contrast, ITBP only protects 17 high profile dignitaries including a dozen of apex court judges, politicians such as Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and CPI-M MLA Yusuf Tarigami. ITBP commandos, however, have been on VVIP security deployment since early 1990's. The NSG protects 14 high-risk category VVIP's after black cats were removed from RJD Chief Lalu Prasad Yadav's protection. NSG's Special Ranger's Group (SRG), with personnel drawn on deputation from Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and State Police forces, are deployed for guarding high-risk VIPs/VVIPs.

Government has decided to progressively relieve CRPF from VIP duties: Hansraj Ahir

<p>An Army major and three soldiers have been killed in Gurez in north Kashmir, officials said Tuesday morning.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The officials added that the armymen had been trying to thwart an infiltration attempt.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JammuAndKashmir?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JammuAndKashmir</a>: An infiltration bid has been foiled in Gurez Sector. Two terrorists killed. One Army officer and three soldiers lost their lives. Operations underway. More details awaited. <a href="https://t.co/p3kr6EcoTU">pic.twitter.com/p3kr6EcoTU</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026717102931988480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>PTI reported that two terrorists were killed in the encounter.</p>

<p>It added that the bodies of two more militants could be seen in the distance.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Reinforcements have been rushed to the encounter site.</p>

<p>PTI reported that the deceased have been identified as Major KP Rane, hawaldars Jamie Singh and Vikramjeet, and rifleman Mandeep.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Agar apne shaheed ho gaye hain to humko ye dekhna chahiye ki iska mukabla hamein karna padega. If Pakistan wants to maintain good relations with India, it is necessary that infiltration is stopped: Farooq Abdullah, Former J&K CM on Army officer & 3 jawans who died in Gurez sector <a href="https://t.co/axBKJ71RiM">pic.twitter.com/axBKJ71RiM</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026728507638829056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Initial reports said a group of eight had been trying to sneak voer the border.</p>

<p>The officials said four of them ran back to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the encounter broke.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>


The infiltration attempt took place in Gurez in north Kashmir. Two terrorists were killed in the encounter

An Army major and three soldiers have been killed in Gurez in north Kashmir, officials said Tuesday morning. The officials added that the armymen had been trying to thwart an infiltration attempt. #JammuAndKashmir: An infiltration bid has been foiled in Gurez Sector. Two terrorists killed. One Army officer and three soldiers lost their lives. Operations underway. More details awaited. pic.twitter.com/p3kr6EcoTU — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × PTI reported that two terrorists were killed in the encounter. It added that the bodies of two more militants could be seen in the distance. Reinforcements have been rushed to the encounter site. PTI reported that the deceased have been identified as Major KP Rane, hawaldars Jamie Singh and Vikramjeet, and rifleman Mandeep. Agar apne shaheed ho gaye hain to humko ye dekhna chahiye ki iska mukabla hamein karna padega. If Pakistan wants to maintain good relations with India, it is necessary that infiltration is stopped: Farooq Abdullah, Former J&K CM on Army officer & 3 jawans who died in Gurez sector pic.twitter.com/axBKJ71RiM — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × Initial reports said a group of eight had been trying to sneak voer the border. The officials said four of them ran back to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir after the encounter broke.

Kashmir: Army major, 3 soldiers killed thwarting infiltration attempt

<p>Ailing DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi's health condition has "declined" and maintaining his vital organ functions remains a “challenge” for doctors due to age-related ailments, Kauvery Hospital told media on Monday evening.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In the health bulletin, the hospital had said that the next 24 hours will be crucial for former Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi. Hearing the news of the deteriorating health of Karunanidhi, thousands of his supporters gathered outside Chennai's Kauvery Hospital.</p>

<p>DMK cadres are hopeful that their party president, even after being pushed to a critical health condition on Monday night, will bounce back to good health soon.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The members of DMK gathered outside Kauvery Hospital in Alwarpet were neither extremely depressed nor happy, but they believe their leader would soon return home.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Chennai's Kauvery Hospital issues the medical bulletin of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi states a decline in his medical condition. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> <a href="https://t.co/CSCUfOuE49">pic.twitter.com/CSCUfOuE49</a></p>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Supporters gather outside Chennai's Kauvery Hospital where DMK President M. Karunanidhi is undergoing treatment. The hospital had yesterday stated a decline in his medical condition. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TamilNadu?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TamilNadu</a> <a href="https://t.co/ajMbZ01poQ">pic.twitter.com/ajMbZ01poQ</a></p>
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<p>Karunanidhi was admitted to Kauvery hospital in Chennai following a drop in blood pressure on July 28. Since then, the medical status of the 94-year-old has gone through ups and downs.</p>

<p>After a health scare, the doctors extended his period of hospitalisation due to age-related overall decline in his general health, altered liver functions and haematological parameters.</p>

<p>A spate of visitors have visited the five times chief minister of Tamil Nadu during the past few days, including President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda.<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Karunanidhi was admitted to Kauvery hospital in Chennai following a drop in blood pressure on July 28.

Ailing DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi's health condition has "declined" and maintaining his vital organ functions remains a “challenge” for doctors due to age-related ailments, Kauvery Hospital told media on Monday evening. In the health bulletin, the hospital had said that the next 24 hours will be crucial for former Tamil Nadu CM Karunanidhi. Hearing the news of the deteriorating health of Karunanidhi, thousands of his supporters gathered outside Chennai's Kauvery Hospital. DMK cadres are hopeful that their party president, even after being pushed to a critical health condition on Monday night, will bounce back to good health soon. The members of DMK gathered outside Kauvery Hospital in Alwarpet were neither extremely depressed nor happy, but they believe their leader would soon return home. Chennai's Kauvery Hospital issues the medical bulletin of DMK Chief M Karunanidhi states a decline in his medical condition. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/CSCUfOuE49 — ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2018 × Supporters gather outside Chennai's Kauvery Hospital where DMK President M. Karunanidhi is undergoing treatment. The hospital had yesterday stated a decline in his medical condition. #TamilNadu pic.twitter.com/ajMbZ01poQ — ANI (@ANI) August 7, 2018 × Karunanidhi was admitted to Kauvery hospital in Chennai following a drop in blood pressure on July 28. Since then, the medical status of the 94-year-old has gone through ups and downs. After a health scare, the doctors extended his period of hospitalisation due to age-related overall decline in his general health, altered liver functions and haematological parameters. A spate of visitors have visited the five times chief minister of Tamil Nadu during the past few days, including President Ram Nath Kovind, Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda. (With inputs from agencies)

Karunanidhi's health deteriorates further, supporters throng hospital

<p>I have always found myself too invested in my writing, guilty of pouring out more than what I must. This is an attempt to share my struggle with an ill-fated reality. I will take you through my scuffle with one of my worst nightmares, a series of unimaginable experiences, crushed expectations and small victories in over a year old, ongoing battle with cancer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Undeniably, it is a ghastly word, probably one of the most dreaded on the face of the earth, the very reason why many people are not even aware of its sly existence within their bodies until it is too late.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In my mother's case also, it was too late. It all went by in a flash. A doctor's call changed my life like I had never imagined, the very next day I found myself benumbed, sitting in a stuffy train coach, en route to my hometown in Uttar Pradesh. In a few hours, I saw my mother in a state which screamed to be cured, demanded to be fixed but "could only be sustained" coupled with mitigated pain, the doctors stated, "the disease was terminal" -- in its last stage.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This was last February, after nearly over a year, I have the courage to go through those horrific moments over and over again, not to keep pricking my wound, but to be able to be critical about my experience and tell the story differently. How can my mother's battle with cancer help others prevent or cope with it in a better manner? Can it?&nbsp;</p>

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<h5>Rising incidents of cancer cases is a peculiar combination of lack of awareness and the abysmal state of cancer research funding.</h5>
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<p>After having my life altered without any control over it, the only thing that made sense was to urge everyone to be watchful of their lifestyle. Rising incidents of cancer cases is a peculiar combination of lack of awareness and the abysmal state of cancer research funding, not only in India but across the globe.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to an AFP report published last year, prevention can save millions of lives, "much more cheaply than treatment, yet it remains an underfunded, much-neglected weapon in the anti-cancer arsenal".</p>

<p>The World Health Organisation estimates nearly 14 million new cancer cases annually, a number that is expected to swell to over 20 million by 2030. &nbsp;</p>

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<h5>WHO estimates nearly 14 million new cancer cases annually, which is expected to swell to over 20 million by 2030.</h5>
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<p>In such a scenario, it becomes an unshakable responsibility of every nation to ensure an overhaul in cancer research and a bolstered funding mechanism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While global healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, it becomes an absolute necessity for the medical world to focus increasingly on preventive measures. Studies show, in most cases, people fail to detect cancer in its nascent stage and once advanced or metastasised, the disease gets challenging to contain and exceedingly expensive to treat.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Our battle began in my hometown in Uttar Pradesh, where there existed a gaping disconnect between the required cancer care and the available facilities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Travel deeper, farther to the remote areas and the situation becomes unfathomable. Patients, along with helpless, clueless family members, shuttle between cities for procedures as simple as a biopsy. Even the basic requirement to determine a positive case of cancer, the PET (positron emission tomography) scan, is not available in most small towns.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Christopher Wild, Director, WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) noted that in the next couple of decades, many countries, mostly the ones with limited resources and low/middle-income, will have the rate of cancer cases almost double, as reported by AFP.&nbsp;</p>

<p>These countries, unfortunately, suffer from the lack of proper and timely access to diagnosis and treatment while bearing the load of nearly two-thirds of the global cancer deaths which currently accounts to nearly 9 million people annually.</p>

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<h5>Low/middle income countries suffer from the lack of proper and timely access to cancer diagnosis and treatment.</h5>
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<p>Experts suggest around thirds of cancers can be avoided just by preventive measures, taking a cue from the same, I spoke to those who face the sombre reality every day, oncologists who deal with a range of cancers and hundreds of sufferers. Dr Devavrat Arya, Senior Oncologist at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket is one of the most empathetic and comforting oncologists I have come across. While striving to give his best to his patients, he also expresses regret over the current state cancer care in India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We lack the required infrastructure for cancer care. Smaller towns usually have one or no cancer care centre. There is a dearth of cancer care institutes across the country. Although the National Cancer Control Programme ensures funding to medical colleges to set up cancer care units, it will still take some time," Dr Arya noted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to him, the primary focus should be on tier-2, 3 cities. "It is the social responsibility of drug companies also to ensure cheaper cancer drugs, even free whenever possible, to those who can't bear the cost. Let us face it, for the majority, cancer treatment is not affordable," he shared.</p>

<p>"In India, cancer is still not the biggest killer. The disease contributes to 8-7 per cent of the total number of deaths in the country, however, now is the time to plan for the future," Dr Arya concluded.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Dr Ashutosh Pattnaik, Odisha-based DNB radiation oncologist and a close friend opens up about the bottlenecks in the path of optimum and effective cancer care in the country. &nbsp;For him, it all starts at the start and therefore he emphasises the importance of early detection and prevention.</p>

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<p>"People even in metropolitan cities are not fully aware of the various warning signs of the disease. People often tend to ignore an ulcer or abnormal bleeding long enough to become fully symptomatic," Dr Pattnaik noted. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Succinctly put, while prevention remains an undisputed hero in the fight against mounting cancer cases, it is equally important to ensure that patients from all walks of life, across the globe, have equal access to quality cancer care -- this is the change I yearn to see.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Cancer research should be pumped with mammoth funding so that no life is lost for the need of treatment, THIS should be India's priority.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>


Experts suggest around thirds of cancers can be avoided just by preventive measures, taking a cue from the same.

I have always found myself too invested in my writing, guilty of pouring out more than what I must. This is an attempt to share my struggle with an ill-fated reality. I will take you through my scuffle with one of my worst nightmares, a series of unimaginable experiences, crushed expectations and small victories in over a year old, ongoing battle with cancer. Undeniably, it is a ghastly word, probably one of the most dreaded on the face of the earth, the very reason why many people are not even aware of its sly existence within their bodies until it is too late. In my mother's case also, it was too late. It all went by in a flash. A doctor's call changed my life like I had never imagined, the very next day I found myself benumbed, sitting in a stuffy train coach, en route to my hometown in Uttar Pradesh. In a few hours, I saw my mother in a state which screamed to be cured, demanded to be fixed but "could only be sustained" coupled with mitigated pain, the doctors stated, "the disease was terminal" -- in its last stage. This was last February, after nearly over a year, I have the courage to go through those horrific moments over and over again, not to keep pricking my wound, but to be able to be critical about my experience and tell the story differently. How can my mother's battle with cancer help others prevent or cope with it in a better manner? Can it? Rising incidents of cancer cases is a peculiar combination of lack of awareness and the abysmal state of cancer research funding. × After having my life altered without any control over it, the only thing that made sense was to urge everyone to be watchful of their lifestyle. Rising incidents of cancer cases is a peculiar combination of lack of awareness and the abysmal state of cancer research funding, not only in India but across the globe. According to an AFP report published last year, prevention can save millions of lives, "much more cheaply than treatment, yet it remains an underfunded, much-neglected weapon in the anti-cancer arsenal". The World Health Organisation estimates nearly 14 million new cancer cases annually, a number that is expected to swell to over 20 million by 2030. WHO estimates nearly 14 million new cancer cases annually, which is expected to swell to over 20 million by 2030. × In such a scenario, it becomes an unshakable responsibility of every nation to ensure an overhaul in cancer research and a bolstered funding mechanism. While global healthcare costs continue to skyrocket, it becomes an absolute necessity for the medical world to focus increasingly on preventive measures. Studies show, in most cases, people fail to detect cancer in its nascent stage and once advanced or metastasised, the disease gets challenging to contain and exceedingly expensive to treat. Our battle began in my hometown in Uttar Pradesh, where there existed a gaping disconnect between the required cancer care and the available facilities. Travel deeper, farther to the remote areas and the situation becomes unfathomable. Patients, along with helpless, clueless family members, shuttle between cities for procedures as simple as a biopsy. Even the basic requirement to determine a positive case of cancer, the PET (positron emission tomography) scan, is not available in most small towns. Christopher Wild, Director, WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) noted that in the next couple of decades, many countries, mostly the ones with limited resources and low/middle-income, will have the rate of cancer cases almost double, as reported by AFP. These countries, unfortunately, suffer from the lack of proper and timely access to diagnosis and treatment while bearing the load of nearly two-thirds of the global cancer deaths which currently accounts to nearly 9 million people annually. Low/middle income countries suffer from the lack of proper and timely access to cancer diagnosis and treatment. × Experts suggest around thirds of cancers can be avoided just by preventive measures, taking a cue from the same, I spoke to those who face the sombre reality every day, oncologists who deal with a range of cancers and hundreds of sufferers. Dr Devavrat Arya, Senior Oncologist at Max Super Speciality Hospital, Saket is one of the most empathetic and comforting oncologists I have come across. While striving to give his best to his patients, he also expresses regret over the current state cancer care in India. "We lack the required infrastructure for cancer care. Smaller towns usually have one or no cancer care centre. There is a dearth of cancer care institutes across the country. Although the National Cancer Control Programme ensures funding to medical colleges to set up cancer care units, it will still take some time," Dr Arya noted. According to him, the primary focus should be on tier-2, 3 cities. "It is the social responsibility of drug companies also to ensure cheaper cancer drugs, even free whenever possible, to those who can't bear the cost. Let us face it, for the majority, cancer treatment is not affordable," he shared. "In India, cancer is still not the biggest killer. The disease contributes to 8-7 per cent of the total number of deaths in the country, however, now is the time to plan for the future," Dr Arya concluded. Dr Ashutosh Pattnaik, Odisha-based DNB radiation oncologist and a close friend opens up about the bottlenecks in the path of optimum and effective cancer care in the country. For him, it all starts at the start and therefore he emphasises the importance of early detection and prevention. We lack the required infrastructure for cancer care. There is a dearth of cancer care institutes in India: Dr Arya, Senior Oncologist, Max Saket, Delhi × "People even in metropolitan cities are not fully aware of the various warning signs of the disease. People often tend to ignore an ulcer or abnormal bleeding long enough to become fully symptomatic," Dr Pattnaik noted. Succinctly put, while prevention remains an undisputed hero in the fight against mounting cancer cases, it is equally important to ensure that patients from all walks of life, across the globe, have equal access to quality cancer care -- this is the change I yearn to see. Cancer research should be pumped with mammoth funding so that no life is lost for the need of treatment, THIS should be India's priority. (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL)

Opinion: Cancer research in India needs mammoth funding

<p>Supreme Court on Monday adjourned hearing petitions that challenged the validity of Article 35A. The Article empowers Jammu and Kashmir's state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provide special rights to them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We will only have to see whether Article 35A goes against the basic structure of the Constitution," the Supreme Court bench noted on Monday.</p>

<p>The apex court will hear the matter next on August 27, news agency ANI reported.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to reports, the J&K government on Friday moved an application before the top court to defer the hearing of the case.</p>

<p>The state government cited the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections as its reason to seek the delay in the hearing.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Supreme Court adjourns hearing petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A which empowers J&K state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provide special rights to them. SC to hear the matter on August 27. <a href="https://t.co/gIvVe0BGnn">pic.twitter.com/gIvVe0BGnn</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026340829638537217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p><strong>What is Article 35A?</strong></p>

<p>Article 35A was enacted on May 14, 1954, by President Rajendra Prasad. The law was included in the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir under which the citizens living in the state were given many privileges.</p>

<p>According to the article, those living outside Jammu and Kashmir cannot buy property in the state or become its residents.</p>

<p>Not only this, outsiders cannot take the advantage of the schemes provided by the state government and can also not work for its government.</p>

<p>According to the law, if a Kashmiri girl gets married to someone from any other Indian state, she will be stripped off the rights she received from the state. In such a case, the children will also have no right to enjoy the advantages given by the government of Jammu and Kashmir.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir confer special rights and privileges in public sector jobs, acquisition of property in the state, scholarships, and other public and welfare aid under the law.</p>

<p><strong>Why the&nbsp;</strong><strong>opposition?</strong></p>

<p>The petition against the law, filed by a non-governmental organisation, We the Citizens, challenges the validity of Article 35A.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It states that Article 35A is against the “very spirit of oneness of India” as it creates a “class within a class of Indian citizens”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The petitioners also state that stopping citizens of other states from finding employment or buying property in Jammu and Kashmir is a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.</p>


The apex court will hear the matter next on August 27.

Supreme Court on Monday adjourned hearing petitions that challenged the validity of Article 35A. The Article empowers Jammu and Kashmir's state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provide special rights to them. "We will only have to see whether Article 35A goes against the basic structure of the Constitution," the Supreme Court bench noted on Monday. The apex court will hear the matter next on August 27, news agency ANI reported. According to reports, the J&K government on Friday moved an application before the top court to defer the hearing of the case. The state government cited the upcoming panchayat and urban local body elections as its reason to seek the delay in the hearing. Supreme Court adjourns hearing petitions challenging the validity of Article 35A which empowers J&K state's legislature to define 'permanent residents' of the state and provide special rights to them. SC to hear the matter on August 27. pic.twitter.com/gIvVe0BGnn — ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2018 × What is Article 35A? Article 35A was enacted on May 14, 1954, by President Rajendra Prasad. The law was included in the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir under which the citizens living in the state were given many privileges. According to the article, those living outside Jammu and Kashmir cannot buy property in the state or become its residents. Not only this, outsiders cannot take the advantage of the schemes provided by the state government and can also not work for its government. According to the law, if a Kashmiri girl gets married to someone from any other Indian state, she will be stripped off the rights she received from the state. In such a case, the children will also have no right to enjoy the advantages given by the government of Jammu and Kashmir. Permanent residents of Jammu and Kashmir confer special rights and privileges in public sector jobs, acquisition of property in the state, scholarships, and other public and welfare aid under the law. Why the opposition? The petition against the law, filed by a non-governmental organisation, We the Citizens, challenges the validity of Article 35A. It states that Article 35A is against the “very spirit of oneness of India” as it creates a “class within a class of Indian citizens”. The petitioners also state that stopping citizens of other states from finding employment or buying property in Jammu and Kashmir is a violation of fundamental rights under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.

As Supreme Court adjourns crucial hearing, here's all you need to know about Article 35A

<p>A militant was arrested and eight grenades recovered from him in Jammu as police foiled a major terror plot to trigger blasts in the winter capital, days ahead of the Independence Day.</p>

<p>Acting on intelligence inputs, police intercepted a bus in Gandhi Nagar area here late last night and arrested a youth from Kashmir who was carrying eight hand grenades, a police officer said.</p>

<p>The militant was identified as Arfan Wani, a resident of Awantipora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. Eight live hand grenades and Rs 60,000 in cash were recovered from his possession, the officer said.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">A Kashmiri youth was arrested in possession of 8 grenades from Jammu's Gandhi Nagar area,last night.He was carrying the cache of grenades to Delhi to hand them over to someone&they could have been used to disrupt 15th August celebrations in Delhi:Dr SD Singh Jamwal,IGP Jammu Zone <a href="https://t.co/Ovx4aMuodF">pic.twitter.com/Ovx4aMuodF</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1026343636026318848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Police and other security agencies are alert in the wake of intelligence inputs that the Kashmiri militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen plan to carry out terror strikes in Jammu and New Delhi on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15.</p>

<p>In view of the arrest, a high alert has been sounded in Jammu. The militant is being put through sustained interrogation to ascertain about the plans and his contacts in the city and its outskirts, police said.</p>


In view of the arrest, a high alert has been sounded in Jammu.

A militant was arrested and eight grenades recovered from him in Jammu as police foiled a major terror plot to trigger blasts in the winter capital, days ahead of the Independence Day. Acting on intelligence inputs, police intercepted a bus in Gandhi Nagar area here late last night and arrested a youth from Kashmir who was carrying eight hand grenades, a police officer said. The militant was identified as Arfan Wani, a resident of Awantipora in Pulwama district of south Kashmir. Eight live hand grenades and Rs 60,000 in cash were recovered from his possession, the officer said. A Kashmiri youth was arrested in possession of 8 grenades from Jammu's Gandhi Nagar area,last night.He was carrying the cache of grenades to Delhi to hand them over to someone&they could have been used to disrupt 15th August celebrations in Delhi:Dr SD Singh Jamwal,IGP Jammu Zone pic.twitter.com/Ovx4aMuodF — ANI (@ANI) August 6, 2018 × Police and other security agencies are alert in the wake of intelligence inputs that the Kashmiri militants of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), and Hizbul Mujahideen plan to carry out terror strikes in Jammu and New Delhi on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15. In view of the arrest, a high alert has been sounded in Jammu. The militant is being put through sustained interrogation to ascertain about the plans and his contacts in the city and its outskirts, police said.

Militant arrested with 8 grenades in Jammu

<p>The Election Commission would use CCTV cameras installed by police at 10,000 locations across Madhya Pradesh to monitor the implementation of the model code of conduct for assembly polls later this year, a senior official said on Monday.</p>

<p>Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao said the EC will also use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems of police during the election.</p>

<p>Madhya Pradesh will go to elections later this year along with Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan.</p>

<p>"The police department has installed CCTV cameras at about 10,000 places in Madhya Pradesh. We will use these cameras for maintaining the law and order situation and for monitoring (implementation) of the model code of conduct. The cameras are also being installed in police vehicles," Rao told reporters at a press conference.</p>

<p>He said the poll watchdog is setting up command/control rooms at district and state levels for monitoring the poll code implementation through CCTV cameras.</p>

<p>"We will effectively use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems of the police during the election," he said.</p>

<p>The CEO said the CCTV cameras would be installed at the drop gates, check-posts and at the barriers at the inter-state borders.</p>

<p>Rao said police have been directed to deliver 80,000 non-bailable warrants in the state, apparently to crack down on the anti-social elements.</p>

<p>He said the final publication of voters list would be done on September 27.</p>

<p>Responding to a query, Rao said, "During electoral rolls revision work, the EC received 24 lakh applications for the removal of names, about 11 lakh for the addition of names and around 13 lakh requests for various corrections."</p>

<p>Compared to 2013 assembly elections, the number of poll booths in the central state has gone up to 65,340 from 53,000, he said.</p>

<p>The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are the main stakeholders in Madhya Pradesh politics.</p>

<p>The campaign for the Congress, which has been out of power since 2003, has been led by leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and state unit party president Kamal Nath.</p>

<p>The ruling BJP is steered by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has been at the helm since 2005.&nbsp;</p>


Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao said the EC will also use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems of police during the election.

The Election Commission would use CCTV cameras installed by police at 10,000 locations across Madhya Pradesh to monitor the implementation of the model code of conduct for assembly polls later this year, a senior official said on Monday. Madhya Pradesh Chief Electoral Officer V L Kantha Rao said the EC will also use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems of police during the election. Madhya Pradesh will go to elections later this year along with Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan. "The police department has installed CCTV cameras at about 10,000 places in Madhya Pradesh. We will use these cameras for maintaining the law and order situation and for monitoring (implementation) of the model code of conduct. The cameras are also being installed in police vehicles," Rao told reporters at a press conference. He said the poll watchdog is setting up command/control rooms at district and state levels for monitoring the poll code implementation through CCTV cameras. "We will effectively use the Crime and Criminal Tracking Network and Systems of the police during the election," he said. The CEO said the CCTV cameras would be installed at the drop gates, check-posts and at the barriers at the inter-state borders. Rao said police have been directed to deliver 80,000 non-bailable warrants in the state, apparently to crack down on the anti-social elements. He said the final publication of voters list would be done on September 27. Responding to a query, Rao said, "During electoral rolls revision work, the EC received 24 lakh applications for the removal of names, about 11 lakh for the addition of names and around 13 lakh requests for various corrections." Compared to 2013 assembly elections, the number of poll booths in the central state has gone up to 65,340 from 53,000, he said. The ruling BJP and the opposition Congress are the main stakeholders in Madhya Pradesh politics. The campaign for the Congress, which has been out of power since 2003, has been led by leaders like Jyotiraditya Scindia and state unit party president Kamal Nath. The ruling BJP is steered by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan who has been at the helm since 2005.

MP: EC to monitor poll code adherence through CCTV cameras at 10,000 spots

<p>Markets regulator Sebi never gave any clean chit report on fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to Antigua's citizenship-for-investment authority, a senior official said on Sunday.</p>

<p>The regulator is continuing with its probe into alleged violation of capital market regulations by Mehul Choksi-Nirav Modi duo and their associates including some brokers in connection with two listed firms -- PNB and Gitanjali Gems, the official added.</p>

<p>The regulator will now also consider sending the notices for Choksi to Antigua as the absconding businessman and Gitanjali Gems promoter has been granted a citizenship there, the official said.</p>

<p>Last week, an Antiguan media report quoted the Caribbean country's Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) as saying that Choksi was granted citizenship there last year after a background check on him got 'no adverse report' from Indian authorities, including police, passport office and Sebi.</p>

<p>As per the report, the CIU received documentation of two instances in which the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), in 2014 and 2017, opened investigations on a corporate entity owned by Choksi.</p>

<p>It further said the CIU requested updates on the status of the investigations and received documentary confirmation, issued by the Sebi, stating that in one case, the matter had been satisfactorily closed, and indicating in the other that there was not sufficient evidence to pursue the case further.</p>

<p>Reacting to this, Sebi issued a statement on Friday denying the claims.</p>

<p>"Sebi has neither received any request from the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua for updates on any investigation nor provided any such information to CIU," the regulator said.</p>

<p>Explaining further, the regulatory official today said Sebi is in an advanced stage of the probe against fugitive diamantaires Nirav Modi and Choksi for suspected trading and disclosure related issues in the matter of over Rs 14,000 crore fraud at state-run PNB and it may soon issue the orders.</p>

<p>The regulator is probing alleged fraudulent trading, corporate governance-related violations, insider trading and disclosure related issues in the case of Punjab National Bank and Gitanjali Gems.</p>

<p>The markets watchdog, in May, issued a warning letter to PNB as well for delaying disclosures to stock exchanges about the fraudulent transactions allegedly carried out by absconding Modi and Gitanjali Group of companies.</p>

<p>PNB was defrauded allegedly by the diamond trader and his associates by fraudulent use of letters of undertaking (LoUs) and foreign letters of credit (LoC) in connivance with certain bank officials.</p>

<p>The regulator has analysed the stock market trade details of all entities associated with Modi and Choksi, who has already been under the scanner for various cases including a brokerage default incident.</p>

<p>Incidentally, in July 2013, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in consultation with Sebi had debarred Gitanjali Gems chief and main promoter Choksi, among others, from trading, for securities market violations relating to trading in his company.</p>

<p>Further, they are also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).</p>

<p>As per Sebi's warning letter, there were delays of 1-6 days by PNB in making disclosures to the stock exchanges pertaining to the filing of complaints with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and CBI. This delay in informing the stock exchanges is a violation of the listing regulations.</p>

<p>Under these norms, companies need to inform stock exchanges about any price sensitive information in a timely manner.</p>

<p>Sebi's communication refers to various disclosures made by PNB to stock exchanges during February and March this year regarding certain fraudulent transactions with respect to Modi group, Gitanjali group and others, and referring of the same to law enforcement agencies.&nbsp</p>

<p>&nbsp</p>

<p><br />
&nbsp</p>


'Sebi has neither received any request from the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua for updates on any investigation nor provided any such information to CIU,' the regulator said.

Markets regulator Sebi never gave any clean chit report on fugitive businessman Mehul Choksi to Antigua's citizenship-for-investment authority, a senior official said on Sunday. The regulator is continuing with its probe into alleged violation of capital market regulations by Mehul Choksi-Nirav Modi duo and their associates including some brokers in connection with two listed firms -- PNB and Gitanjali Gems, the official added. The regulator will now also consider sending the notices for Choksi to Antigua as the absconding businessman and Gitanjali Gems promoter has been granted a citizenship there, the official said. Last week, an Antiguan media report quoted the Caribbean country's Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) as saying that Choksi was granted citizenship there last year after a background check on him got 'no adverse report' from Indian authorities, including police, passport office and Sebi. As per the report, the CIU received documentation of two instances in which the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), in 2014 and 2017, opened investigations on a corporate entity owned by Choksi. It further said the CIU requested updates on the status of the investigations and received documentary confirmation, issued by the Sebi, stating that in one case, the matter had been satisfactorily closed, and indicating in the other that there was not sufficient evidence to pursue the case further. Reacting to this, Sebi issued a statement on Friday denying the claims. "Sebi has neither received any request from the Citizenship by Investment Unit (CIU) of Antigua for updates on any investigation nor provided any such information to CIU," the regulator said. Explaining further, the regulatory official today said Sebi is in an advanced stage of the probe against fugitive diamantaires Nirav Modi and Choksi for suspected trading and disclosure related issues in the matter of over Rs 14,000 crore fraud at state-run PNB and it may soon issue the orders. The regulator is probing alleged fraudulent trading, corporate governance-related violations, insider trading and disclosure related issues in the case of Punjab National Bank and Gitanjali Gems. The markets watchdog, in May, issued a warning letter to PNB as well for delaying disclosures to stock exchanges about the fraudulent transactions allegedly carried out by absconding Modi and Gitanjali Group of companies. PNB was defrauded allegedly by the diamond trader and his associates by fraudulent use of letters of undertaking (LoUs) and foreign letters of credit (LoC) in connivance with certain bank officials. The regulator has analysed the stock market trade details of all entities associated with Modi and Choksi, who has already been under the scanner for various cases including a brokerage default incident. Incidentally, in July 2013, the National Stock Exchange (NSE) in consultation with Sebi had debarred Gitanjali Gems chief and main promoter Choksi, among others, from trading, for securities market violations relating to trading in his company. Further, they are also being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). As per Sebi's warning letter, there were delays of 1-6 days by PNB in making disclosures to the stock exchanges pertaining to the filing of complaints with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and CBI. This delay in informing the stock exchanges is a violation of the listing regulations. Under these norms, companies need to inform stock exchanges about any price sensitive information in a timely manner. Sebi's communication refers to various disclosures made by PNB to stock exchanges during February and March this year regarding certain fraudulent transactions with respect to Modi group, Gitanjali group and others, and referring of the same to law enforcement agencies.

Choksi-Nirav fraud: Sebi probe moves ahead, no clean chit to anyone

<p>Supreme Court judges, who are upset with the Centre for altering Justice Joseph's seniority, will be meeting CJI Dipak Misra today.</p>

<p>According to reports, SC judges, including Collegium members, will meet Chief Justice Dipak Misra today to discuss the issue.</p>

<p>The presidential notification listed Justice Joseph at number three in terms of his seniority making him the most junior judge in the apex court.</p>

<p>Justice KM Joseph was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on Saturday after much to and fro. Top court judges were angered when the appointment notification placed him below the other two appointed judges -- Justice Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Joseph's name was returned by the government after the Supreme Court collegium first recommended it and was only cleared after the collegium sent it back.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Justice Joseph's elevation to Supreme Court was recommended by the collegium in January and was flagged again on July 17 describing him as one of the ablest and most suitable candidates&nbsp;for the office. &nbsp;</p>

<p>While seniority is not the only criteria for elevation as a top court judge, the judiciary has been at loggerheads with the government over Joseph's elevation.</p>

<p>Justice Joseph is set to take oath on Tuesday along with Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Vineet Saran.&nbsp;</p>


Justice Joseph is set to take oath on Tuesday along with Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Vineet Saran.

Supreme Court judges, who are upset with the Centre for altering Justice Joseph's seniority, will be meeting CJI Dipak Misra today. According to reports, SC judges, including Collegium members, will meet Chief Justice Dipak Misra today to discuss the issue. The presidential notification listed Justice Joseph at number three in terms of his seniority making him the most junior judge in the apex court. Justice KM Joseph was appointed as a Supreme Court judge on Saturday after much to and fro. Top court judges were angered when the appointment notification placed him below the other two appointed judges -- Justice Indira Banerjee and Vineet Saran. Joseph's name was returned by the government after the Supreme Court collegium first recommended it and was only cleared after the collegium sent it back. Justice Joseph's elevation to Supreme Court was recommended by the collegium in January and was flagged again on July 17 describing him as one of the ablest and most suitable candidates for the office. While seniority is not the only criteria for elevation as a top court judge, the judiciary has been at loggerheads with the government over Joseph's elevation. Justice Joseph is set to take oath on Tuesday along with Justice Indira Banerjee and Justice Vineet Saran.

SC judges upset over Justice Joseph's appointment, will meet CJI today 

<p>A Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker was stabbed to death in Kerala on Sunday allegedly by BJP-RSS men, the party has claimed.&nbsp</p>

<p>According to police, the deceased – identified as Aboobacker Siddique (23), a CPI(M) activist was attacked by four bike-borne assailants at 11.30 pm on Sunday night.&nbsp</p>

<p>Siddique could not be saved even though he was rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru.&nbsp</p>

<p>The CPI(M) leadership has blamed the BJP-RSS for the attack.</p>

<p>The CPI(M) has called for a hartal in Manjeswaram taluk on Monday afternoon.</p>

<p>The rivalry between the BJP-RSS and the CPI-M spans more than four decades. The RSS has been trying to break into the CPM bastion, which has led to several killings.</p>


The rivalry between the BJP-RSS and the CPI-M spans more than four decades.

A Communist Party of India (Marxist) worker was stabbed to death in Kerala on Sunday allegedly by BJP-RSS men, the party has claimed. According to police, the deceased – identified as Aboobacker Siddique (23), a CPI(M) activist was attacked by four bike-borne assailants at 11.30 pm on Sunday night. Siddique could not be saved even though he was rushed to a hospital in Mangaluru. The CPI(M) leadership has blamed the BJP-RSS for the attack. The CPI(M) has called for a hartal in Manjeswaram taluk on Monday afternoon. The rivalry between the BJP-RSS and the CPI-M spans more than four decades. The RSS has been trying to break into the CPM bastion, which has led to several killings.

Kerala: CPI (M) worker stabbed to death allegedly by BJP workers

<p>India is eyeing to bring back bank fraud accused Mehul Choksi from Antigua under the provision of a law of the island nation which provides for extradition of a fugitive to a designated Commonwealth country, official sources said.</p>

<p>The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a gazette notification on August 3 to make the Antiguan law enforceable and bring back Choksi.</p>

<p>India and Antigua do not have a bilateral extradition pact.</p>

<p>"As per the provisions of the Extradition Act, 1993 of Antigua and Barbuda, a fugitive may be extradited to a designated Commonwealth Country or a State with which there are general or special arrangement or a bilateral treaty," said a source.</p>

<p>The notification specified that the provisions of India's Extradition Act, 1962 shall apply to Antigua and Barbuda with retrospective effect from 2001 when the Caribbean nation notified India as designated Commonwealth Country under its extradition law.</p>

<p>India has handed over a request to Antigua for the extradition of Mehul Choksi who is charged in connection with India's biggest banking fraud and is now living in the Caribbean nation after taking its citizenship.</p>

<p>The sources said the notification will constitute an extradition arrangement between India and Antigua under the island nation's Extradition Act of 1993.</p>

<p>A team comprising officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and other agencies was sent to Antigua a couple of days ago to request the Antiguan authorities to extradite Choksi, wanted in India in the USD 2 billion Punjab National bank scam.&nbsp</p>

<p>The team, led by Additional Secretary in the MEA's Consular and Passport Division here, also presented details of the case against Choksi who is one of the alleged masterminds of the scam along with his nephew Nirav Modi.</p>

<p>As per reports, Antiguan authorities cleared Choksi's citizenship in November 2017 after India did not give any adverse report to stall his application for it.&nbsp</p>

<p>Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15. His citizenship was cleared in November 2017.</p>


The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a gazette notification on August 3 to make the Antiguan law enforceable and bring back Choksi.

India is eyeing to bring back bank fraud accused Mehul Choksi from Antigua under the provision of a law of the island nation which provides for extradition of a fugitive to a designated Commonwealth country, official sources said. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) issued a gazette notification on August 3 to make the Antiguan law enforceable and bring back Choksi. India and Antigua do not have a bilateral extradition pact. "As per the provisions of the Extradition Act, 1993 of Antigua and Barbuda, a fugitive may be extradited to a designated Commonwealth Country or a State with which there are general or special arrangement or a bilateral treaty," said a source. The notification specified that the provisions of India's Extradition Act, 1962 shall apply to Antigua and Barbuda with retrospective effect from 2001 when the Caribbean nation notified India as designated Commonwealth Country under its extradition law. India has handed over a request to Antigua for the extradition of Mehul Choksi who is charged in connection with India's biggest banking fraud and is now living in the Caribbean nation after taking its citizenship. The sources said the notification will constitute an extradition arrangement between India and Antigua under the island nation's Extradition Act of 1993. A team comprising officials from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and other agencies was sent to Antigua a couple of days ago to request the Antiguan authorities to extradite Choksi, wanted in India in the USD 2 billion Punjab National bank scam. The team, led by Additional Secretary in the MEA's Consular and Passport Division here, also presented details of the case against Choksi who is one of the alleged masterminds of the scam along with his nephew Nirav Modi. As per reports, Antiguan authorities cleared Choksi's citizenship in November 2017 after India did not give any adverse report to stall his application for it. Choksi had fled India on January 4 this year and took oath of allegiance in Antigua on January 15. His citizenship was cleared in November 2017.

India looking at bringing back Choksi under Antiguan law applicable to Commonwealth countries

<p>Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday voiced hope that the Supreme Court will strike down the Article 35-A of the Constitution that grants special privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir.<br />
Calling it unconstitutional, Swamy told ANI that the Article 35-A is also against women's right.</p>

<p>"We can't be terrorised by all this. This is clear that they (protestors) all are doing it under the instigation of extremist elements and Pakistan to not allow any change. This Article 35A is against the rights for women and is unconstitutional too.</p>

<p>Therefore, we would like to see the Supreme Court strike it down," Swamy.</p>

<p>Yesterday, the National Conference (NC) leaders staged a protest against interference with Article 35A.</p>

<p>Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah while addressing a public gathering had asserted that any attempts made to assault Article 35A would be opposed by the NC.</p>

<p>Article 370 of the Constitution grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A disallows people from residing in Jammu and Kashmir, buying or owning immovable property in the state, settle permanently, or get state government jobs.</p>

<p>A non-governmental organisation, We the Citizens, filed a petitioned in the apex Court in 2014 to abolish the law on the grounds that it was "unconstitutional".</p>

<p>There are apprehensions, amongst sections of Kashmiris, that if the law is repealed or diluted, outsiders would settle in Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>The matter of 35-A has allegedly united Kashmiri separatists and mainstream politicians.&nbsp</p>


Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah while addressing a public gathering had asserted that any attempts made to assault Article 35A would be opposed by the NC.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy on Monday voiced hope that the Supreme Court will strike down the Article 35-A of the Constitution that grants special privileges to the residents of Jammu and Kashmir. Calling it unconstitutional, Swamy told ANI that the Article 35-A is also against women's right. "We can't be terrorised by all this. This is clear that they (protestors) all are doing it under the instigation of extremist elements and Pakistan to not allow any change. This Article 35A is against the rights for women and is unconstitutional too. Therefore, we would like to see the Supreme Court strike it down," Swamy. Yesterday, the National Conference (NC) leaders staged a protest against interference with Article 35A. Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah while addressing a public gathering had asserted that any attempts made to assault Article 35A would be opposed by the NC. Article 370 of the Constitution grants special status to Jammu and Kashmir, while Article 35A disallows people from residing in Jammu and Kashmir, buying or owning immovable property in the state, settle permanently, or get state government jobs. A non-governmental organisation, We the Citizens, filed a petitioned in the apex Court in 2014 to abolish the law on the grounds that it was "unconstitutional". There are apprehensions, amongst sections of Kashmiris, that if the law is repealed or diluted, outsiders would settle in Jammu and Kashmir. The matter of 35-A has allegedly united Kashmiri separatists and mainstream politicians.

Subramanian Swamy hopes Supreme Court repeals Article 35-A

<p>A bill to overturn a Supreme Court order concerning certain safeguards against arrest under the SC/ST law was unanimously passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.</p>

<p>The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.</p>

<p>It also provides that no preliminary enquiry will be required for registering a criminal case and an arrest under this law would not be subject to any approval.</p>

<p>Replying to the debate on the bill, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot asserted that the NDA government favoured reservation "and will continue to be in favour reservation for SC/ST".</p>

<p>The amendment, he said, will strengthen the legislative provisions to protect SC/ST.</p>

<p>The move to amend the Bill is being seen by the Opposition as a reach-out by the BJP-led NDA government to Dalits, ahead of their proposed nationwide protest later this month to demand restoration of the provisions of the law which, the Dalit groups allege, were diluted by a Supreme Court ruling of March 20.</p>

<p>These groups have been asking the government to overturn a Supreme Court ruling of March 20, saying it had "diluted" and rendered "toothless" the law against atrocities faced by the weakest sections of the society by putting additional safeguards against arrest of the accused.</p>

<p>Gehlot said after the Supreme Court put some restrictions on Article 18 of this Act, the law lost its importance.</p>

<p>"The review petition filed by the government is still pending. Due to delay in the Supreme Court and rising anger among the Dalit community, there was a need to amend Article 18," the Minister said.</p>

<p>He accepted that 6-7 per cent cases under the Indian Penal Code and 10-12 per cent cases under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were misused.</p>

<p>"But citing the misuse of the Act, we can't allow 88 per cent of Dalits to suffer," Gehlot asserted.</p>

<p>Participating in the debate, leader of Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said the government should have brought this bill as an Ordinance much earlier.</p>

<p>"In recent times, the government has brought as many six Ordinances, they could have brought the 7th Ordinance as well. If there was no public pressure, then the government would not have brought this bill," Kharge insisted.</p>

<p>The Congress leader urged the government to include the SC/ST Act in the ninth schedule of the Constitution so that it goes out of the jurisdiction of the courts.</p>

<p>Kharge also urged the government to withdraw cases against those people who had protested against Supreme Court judgement on April 20.</p>

<p>Citing National Crime Record Bureau data, he said in the last four years, there was a 40 per cent increase in atrocities against Dalits. "Every minute a Dalit suffers atrocities. In every week, 11 Dalit gets killed, but unfortunately the conviction rate is too low," he said.</p>

<p>Taking a jibe at the government, Kharge said, "There are 24 lakh vacancies in government jobs. So it should first fill all vacant posts."</p>

<p>He also alleged that people associated with the BJP were involved in lynching incidents against Dalits and Muslims.</p>

<p>P Ravindra Babu (TDP) said the government was not sincere about the concerns of Dalits, else it should have promulgated an ordinance to restore the provisions of the Act following the Supreme Court judgement.</p>

<p>Questioning its intent, he said the government had promulgated six ordinances but "waited" for the Monsoon Session to bring the amendment.</p>

<p>Besides, he said, the government rewarded the judge by making him chairperson of an important Tribunal.</p>

<p>Balka Suman (TRS) said if this government had any sympathy for the Dalits, the legislation should be included in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution. He also demanded the reservation in the higher judiciary.</p>

<p>Jitendra Choudhary (CPI-M) also pressed for inclusion of this legislation in the 9th Schedule, while Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP) said the legislation has once again proved the supremacy of Parliament. He too sought reservation in higher judiciary and removal of 50 per cent cap on the reservation.</p>

<p>Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) this was the "Shahbano moment" and sought to know if the government would call it appeasement of Dalits. He also demanded that Muslims be included in the SC/SC Act.</p>

<p>K Suresh (Cong) said the NDA government has rewarded one of the two Supreme Court judges who delivered the controversial judgement in the matter.</p>

<p>Among others who participated in the discussion include E T Mohammed Basheer (IUML), Rattan Lal Kataria (BJP), Kaushlendra Kumar (JD-U), Virender Kashyap (BJP), Dushyant Chautala (INLD), Kirit Solanki (BJP), P S Chandumajra (SAD).&nbsp</p>


The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order.

A bill to overturn a Supreme Court order concerning certain safeguards against arrest under the SC/ST law was unanimously passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday. The Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Amendment Bill 2018 rules out any provision for anticipatory bail for a person accused of atrocities against SC/STs, notwithstanding any court order. It also provides that no preliminary enquiry will be required for registering a criminal case and an arrest under this law would not be subject to any approval. Replying to the debate on the bill, Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment Thaawar Chand Gehlot asserted that the NDA government favoured reservation "and will continue to be in favour reservation for SC/ST". The amendment, he said, will strengthen the legislative provisions to protect SC/ST. The move to amend the Bill is being seen by the Opposition as a reach-out by the BJP-led NDA government to Dalits, ahead of their proposed nationwide protest later this month to demand restoration of the provisions of the law which, the Dalit groups allege, were diluted by a Supreme Court ruling of March 20. These groups have been asking the government to overturn a Supreme Court ruling of March 20, saying it had "diluted" and rendered "toothless" the law against atrocities faced by the weakest sections of the society by putting additional safeguards against arrest of the accused. Gehlot said after the Supreme Court put some restrictions on Article 18 of this Act, the law lost its importance. "The review petition filed by the government is still pending. Due to delay in the Supreme Court and rising anger among the Dalit community, there was a need to amend Article 18," the Minister said. He accepted that 6-7 per cent cases under the Indian Penal Code and 10-12 per cent cases under Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act were misused. "But citing the misuse of the Act, we can't allow 88 per cent of Dalits to suffer," Gehlot asserted. Participating in the debate, leader of Congress in the House Mallikarjun Kharge said the government should have brought this bill as an Ordinance much earlier. "In recent times, the government has brought as many six Ordinances, they could have brought the 7th Ordinance as well. If there was no public pressure, then the government would not have brought this bill," Kharge insisted. The Congress leader urged the government to include the SC/ST Act in the ninth schedule of the Constitution so that it goes out of the jurisdiction of the courts. Kharge also urged the government to withdraw cases against those people who had protested against Supreme Court judgement on April 20. Citing National Crime Record Bureau data, he said in the last four years, there was a 40 per cent increase in atrocities against Dalits. "Every minute a Dalit suffers atrocities. In every week, 11 Dalit gets killed, but unfortunately the conviction rate is too low," he said. Taking a jibe at the government, Kharge said, "There are 24 lakh vacancies in government jobs. So it should first fill all vacant posts." He also alleged that people associated with the BJP were involved in lynching incidents against Dalits and Muslims. P Ravindra Babu (TDP) said the government was not sincere about the concerns of Dalits, else it should have promulgated an ordinance to restore the provisions of the Act following the Supreme Court judgement. Questioning its intent, he said the government had promulgated six ordinances but "waited" for the Monsoon Session to bring the amendment. Besides, he said, the government rewarded the judge by making him chairperson of an important Tribunal. Balka Suman (TRS) said if this government had any sympathy for the Dalits, the legislation should be included in the 9th Schedule of the Constitution. He also demanded the reservation in the higher judiciary. Jitendra Choudhary (CPI-M) also pressed for inclusion of this legislation in the 9th Schedule, while Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP) said the legislation has once again proved the supremacy of Parliament. He too sought reservation in higher judiciary and removal of 50 per cent cap on the reservation. Asaduddin Owaisi (AIMIM) this was the "Shahbano moment" and sought to know if the government would call it appeasement of Dalits. He also demanded that Muslims be included in the SC/SC Act. K Suresh (Cong) said the NDA government has rewarded one of the two Supreme Court judges who delivered the controversial judgement in the matter. Among others who participated in the discussion include E T Mohammed Basheer (IUML), Rattan Lal Kataria (BJP), Kaushlendra Kumar (JD-U), Virender Kashyap (BJP), Dushyant Chautala (INLD), Kirit Solanki (BJP), P S Chandumajra (SAD).

Bill to restore original SC/ST atrocity law passed by Lok Sabha

<p>Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh has married the woman, who accused him of rape, four months after his career nose-dived owing to the crisis.</p>

<p>Things went haywire for the 25-year-old paddler as he attained a career-high 58th in the International Table Tennis Federation rankings, before being accused.</p>

<p>This year in March, he was accused of rape by an 18-year-old, that led to the two-time Olympian and India's youngest ever national champion hitting rock bottom.</p>

<p>"They say a sportsperson in India has to go through a lot to achieve something. The grind prepares you for the worst but what happened with me four months ago hit me hard and hit me out of nowhere. I did not know how to deal with it," Ghosh said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Everyone thought about the girl. That she was young. I was young too. If she was a minor, I was 22 when we started dating. I am still young. Having said that, there is no point looking back. I rather look ahead. Hope my court case is over soon and I get back to training," he added.</p>

<p>The skilful player will reportedly miss the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia.&nbsp;</p>

<p>An FIR against Ghosh was filed raised when he was playing in Germany. Fearing arrest on arrival in India, he chose to stay back in Europe and stayed in three-four different countries before returning home in May.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was only during that time, I found out who were actually my well-wishers. I was devastated. I was at the peak of my career, playing for a good club in Germany and then something like this happens.</p>

<p>"I would not name them yet but I survived that phase because of just two people and my parents of course," he said.</p>

<p>His teammates, the veteran Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai -- also stood by him.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the accuser and now wife of Ghosh said she will speak to the lawyer and ensure that her husband's future is not jeopardised.</p>

<p>"I have no idea about the legal formalities but I will speak to the lawyer and ensure that my husband's future is not jeopardised. It's a fresh beginning for both of us and we will do our best to overcome the misunderstandings and live happily," she said.</p>

<p>Ghosh's legal troubles could be over soon if gone by what wife said.</p>


This year in March, he was accused of rape by an 18-year-old.

Indian table tennis player Soumyajit Ghosh has married the woman, who accused him of rape, four months after his career nose-dived owing to the crisis. Things went haywire for the 25-year-old paddler as he attained a career-high 58th in the International Table Tennis Federation rankings, before being accused. This year in March, he was accused of rape by an 18-year-old, that led to the two-time Olympian and India's youngest ever national champion hitting rock bottom. "They say a sportsperson in India has to go through a lot to achieve something. The grind prepares you for the worst but what happened with me four months ago hit me hard and hit me out of nowhere. I did not know how to deal with it," Ghosh said. "Everyone thought about the girl. That she was young. I was young too. If she was a minor, I was 22 when we started dating. I am still young. Having said that, there is no point looking back. I rather look ahead. Hope my court case is over soon and I get back to training," he added. The skilful player will reportedly miss the upcoming Asian Games in Indonesia. An FIR against Ghosh was filed raised when he was playing in Germany. Fearing arrest on arrival in India, he chose to stay back in Europe and stayed in three-four different countries before returning home in May. "It was only during that time, I found out who were actually my well-wishers. I was devastated. I was at the peak of my career, playing for a good club in Germany and then something like this happens. "I would not name them yet but I survived that phase because of just two people and my parents of course," he said. His teammates, the veteran Sharath Kamal, G Sathiyan, Harmeet Desai -- also stood by him. Meanwhile, the accuser and now wife of Ghosh said she will speak to the lawyer and ensure that her husband's future is not jeopardised. "I have no idea about the legal formalities but I will speak to the lawyer and ensure that my husband's future is not jeopardised. It's a fresh beginning for both of us and we will do our best to overcome the misunderstandings and live happily," she said. Ghosh's legal troubles could be over soon if gone by what wife said.

TT player Soumyajit Ghosh marries girl who accused him of rape

<p>&nbspFormer Union minister and Indira Gandhi's close confidant R K Dhawan died here this evening at a local hospital. He was 81.</p>

<p>He breathed his last at the B L Kapur hospital around 7 pm, sources close to the family said.</p>

<p>Dhawan was admitted to the hospital last Tuesday for age-related ailments.</p>

<p>"Our homage to veteran Congress leader, Sh. R.K.Dhawan, who breathed his last today. His tireless spirit, immeasurable commitment & untiring dedication to the Congress ideals will always be remembered. RIP," Congress' communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala tweeted.</p>

<p>Rajinder Kumar Dhawan was a Rajya Sabha member and a private secretary to Indira Gandhi for a long time.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Deeply shocked at passing away of Shri RK Dhawan. Though he was ailing I had never expected that the end will come so soon. A close associate and colleague in Party and Government, he will forever be fondly remembered.</p>
— Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) <a href="https://twitter.com/CitiznMukherjee/status/1026487992171393025?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Saddened by the passing away of senior Congress leader n former RajyaSabha MP Sh. RK Dhawan ji... His contribution for congress party will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family members in this hour of grief. May god give them strength to bear this loss. RIP</p>
— Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) <a href="https://twitter.com/ashokgehlot51/status/1026486762284179466?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp</p>


Dhawan was admitted to the hospital last Tuesday for age-related ailments.

&nbspFormer Union minister and Indira Gandhi's close confidant R K Dhawan died here this evening at a local hospital. He was 81. He breathed his last at the B L Kapur hospital around 7 pm, sources close to the family said. Dhawan was admitted to the hospital last Tuesday for age-related ailments. "Our homage to veteran Congress leader, Sh. R.K.Dhawan, who breathed his last today. His tireless spirit, immeasurable commitment & untiring dedication to the Congress ideals will always be remembered. RIP," Congress' communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala tweeted. Rajinder Kumar Dhawan was a Rajya Sabha member and a private secretary to Indira Gandhi for a long time. Deeply shocked at passing away of Shri RK Dhawan. Though he was ailing I had never expected that the end will come so soon. A close associate and colleague in Party and Government, he will forever be fondly remembered. — Pranab Mukherjee (@CitiznMukherjee) August 6, 2018 × Saddened by the passing away of senior Congress leader n former RajyaSabha MP Sh. RK Dhawan ji... His contribution for congress party will always be remembered. My heartfelt condolences to his family members in this hour of grief. May god give them strength to bear this loss. RIP — Ashok Gehlot (@ashokgehlot51) August 6, 2018 ×

Indira Gandhi's private secretary Congress leader R K Dhawan dies

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