There will be no bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their Pakistani counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China.

Swaraj, who departed for a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will participate in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24, where India became a full member in 2017.

Meanwhile, on the same day, Sitharaman will take part in the SCO defence ministers' meeting.

Both events will be attended by the respective ministers from Pakistan.

On a related note, no meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which concluded recently, was held.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present to lead the Pakistani delegation.

There will be no bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their Pakistani counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China

There will be no bilateral meeting between External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, and their Pakistani counterparts on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) in China. Swaraj, who departed for a two-nation visit to China and Mongolia on Saturday, will participate in a ministerial-level meeting of the SCO on April 24, where India became a full member in 2017. Meanwhile, on the same day, Sitharaman will take part in the SCO defence ministers' meeting. Both events will be attended by the respective ministers from Pakistan. On a related note, no meeting between India and Pakistan on the sidelines of Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), which concluded recently, was held. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi attended the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in London. Pakistan Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was also present to lead the Pakistani delegation.

No bilateral meeting with Pakistan on sidelines of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 for a "heart-to-heart" chat to explore a new paradigm for India-China ties and find ways to address the contentious issues like the border dispute.

Conceived on the lines of the ice-breaking visit undertaken by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 and his far-reaching talks with China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, setting a new tone for the relations after the 1962 war, the Xi-Modi dialogue in the central Chinese city of Wuhan was aimed at a working a new paradigm for the bilateral relations for the next 15 years, informed sources told PTI here.&nbsp

At the "informal summit" with a few officials and aides at a picturesque location, the two leaders plan to spend several hours exchanging their vision and perspectives about global and domestic scenarios and explore ideas to address the contentious bilateral issues like the border dispute, they said.&nbsp

The talks will focus on adhering to the principle that both countries should be sensitive to each other's concerns and aspirations, the sources said.

At the summit, Modi and Xi will try to work out a general framework for relations to move ahead without much of great expectations about the outcome, they said.

It is a leadership-driven summit, providing a leadership driven-direction and a way forward to more stable bilateral ties, the sources said.&nbsp

While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, the two leaders will have candid talks on the contentious issues like Xi's pet project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) whose flagship project, the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties.&nbsp

India protested about CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) disregarding India's sovereignty concerns.&nbsp

Last year turned out to be an extremely complex and difficult year for Sino-Indian ties with a host of festering differences like China blocking India's entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as attempts to list Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. The 73-day standoff at Dokalam also hit bilateral ties.

The Wuhan summit is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations to navigate through the maze of differences and build strategic trust and communication between themselves, they said.

It will be the fourth visit by Modi to China since he took over power in 2014 and a second bilateral visit. He made first bilateral visit in 2015 followed by a visit to Hangzhou to take part in the G-20 summit in 2016 and BRICS summit in Xiamen last year.

He is again due to visit Chinese city of Qingdao in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.

The two leaders decided to meet ahead of SCO meet as the summit of the eight-member group will offer little time and space for a lengthy interaction, the sources said.

The Modi-Xi meeting has been worked out by both sides following an understanding between the two governments that positive relations without much of tensions are most important for the development of both the countries.

While China sees India as a country of faster economic growth and safe destination for Chinese investments, and regard good ties with it is important for its peaceful rise, the thinking in India too is that peaceful relations with China is important for the progress of initiatives like the 'Make in India', they said.

At their summit, the two leaders were expected to have a "heart-to- heart" chat and look at the big picture of the bilateral ties, they said.

The summit is taking place as Xi, now regarded as the most powerful leader of China is poised for a longer tenure in the office after the last month's removal of the two-term limit for President.&nbsp

The summit provides an opportunity for the 64-year-old Chinese leader to elaborate on the contours of his oft-stated Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, while Modi was expected to highlight the importance of campaigns like the 'Make in India' and his vision of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", (world as a single family) they said.&nbsp

The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December, the first after the Dokalam standoff.

It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

 
&nbsp

It will be the fourth visit by Modi to China since he took over power in 2014 and a second bilateral visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold a summit in China's Wuhan city from April 27 to 28 for a "heart-to-heart" chat to explore a new paradigm for India-China ties and find ways to address the contentious issues like the border dispute. Conceived on the lines of the ice-breaking visit undertaken by late prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1988 and his far-reaching talks with China's paramount leader Deng Xiaoping, setting a new tone for the relations after the 1962 war, the Xi-Modi dialogue in the central Chinese city of Wuhan was aimed at a working a new paradigm for the bilateral relations for the next 15 years, informed sources told PTI here. At the "informal summit" with a few officials and aides at a picturesque location, the two leaders plan to spend several hours exchanging their vision and perspectives about global and domestic scenarios and explore ideas to address the contentious bilateral issues like the border dispute, they said. The talks will focus on adhering to the principle that both countries should be sensitive to each other's concerns and aspirations, the sources said. At the summit, Modi and Xi will try to work out a general framework for relations to move ahead without much of great expectations about the outcome, they said. It is a leadership-driven summit, providing a leadership driven-direction and a way forward to more stable bilateral ties, the sources said. While no major agreements were expected to be reached at the summit, the two leaders will have candid talks on the contentious issues like Xi's pet project, the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) whose flagship project, the USD 50 billion China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has become a major stumbling block for the bilateral ties. India protested about CPEC as it is being laid through Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) disregarding India's sovereignty concerns. Last year turned out to be an extremely complex and difficult year for Sino-Indian ties with a host of festering differences like China blocking India's entry into the elite Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) as well as attempts to list Jaish-e-Muhammad leader Masood Azhar as a terrorist by the UN. The 73-day standoff at Dokalam also hit bilateral ties. The Wuhan summit is aimed at giving an "honest try" by the two leaders to work out an understanding at the top on the future course of relations to navigate through the maze of differences and build strategic trust and communication between themselves, they said. It will be the fourth visit by Modi to China since he took over power in 2014 and a second bilateral visit. He made first bilateral visit in 2015 followed by a visit to Hangzhou to take part in the G-20 summit in 2016 and BRICS summit in Xiamen last year. He is again due to visit Chinese city of Qingdao in June this year to take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit. The two leaders decided to meet ahead of SCO meet as the summit of the eight-member group will offer little time and space for a lengthy interaction, the sources said. The Modi-Xi meeting has been worked out by both sides following an understanding between the two governments that positive relations without much of tensions are most important for the development of both the countries. While China sees India as a country of faster economic growth and safe destination for Chinese investments, and regard good ties with it is important for its peaceful rise, the thinking in India too is that peaceful relations with China is important for the progress of initiatives like the 'Make in India', they said. At their summit, the two leaders were expected to have a "heart-to- heart" chat and look at the big picture of the bilateral ties, they said. The summit is taking place as Xi, now regarded as the most powerful leader of China is poised for a longer tenure in the office after the last month's removal of the two-term limit for President. The summit provides an opportunity for the 64-year-old Chinese leader to elaborate on the contours of his oft-stated Chinese dream of national rejuvenation, while Modi was expected to highlight the importance of campaigns like the 'Make in India' and his vision of "Vasudeva Kutumbakam", (world as a single family) they said. The Modi-Xi summit meeting is taking place in the backdrop of a series of high level interactions between both the two countries starting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to India in December, the first after the Dokalam standoff. It was followed by two meetings between National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and his Chinese counterpart Yang Jiechi and the visit early this year by Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale to Beijing.

Modi-Xi to chart a new course for India-China ties at Wuhan summit

Subramanian Swamy on Sunday claimed that he has often been ignored by party chief Amit Shah who, he said, has&nbsp;often did not allow his programmes to take place.&nbsp;

''Shah does not allow any of my programmes to happen in this country. He calls me and asks to cancel my programme,"&nbsp;Swamy quipped.&nbsp;

With reference to Yashwant Sinha's decision to&nbsp;quit the party, he said&nbsp;"I fight for principles that’s why I tolerate it. He will have to face God, it doesn’t mean that I leave the party. Therefore, I don’t favour Yashwant Sinha on leaving the party."

Senior leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday quit the BJP. The veteran BJP leader has on many occasions criticised the BJP and the Narendra Modi government in the past.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/party-gave-yashwant-sinha-a-lot-but-he-acted-like-a-congress-leader-bjp-131908">Party gave Yashwant Sinha a lot but he acted like a Congress leader: BJP</a>

Sinha made the announcement at the opposition rally at Patna. He said democracy is under threat and slammed the Modi-led NDA government.&nbsp;

Senior leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha has on Saturday quit the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The veteran leader has on many occasions criticised the BJP and the Narendra Modi government

Subramanian Swamy on Sunday claimed that he has often been ignored by party chief Amit Shah who, he said, has often did not allow his programmes to take place. ''Shah does not allow any of my programmes to happen in this country. He calls me and asks to cancel my programme," Swamy quipped. With reference to Yashwant Sinha's decision to quit the party, he said "I fight for principles that’s why I tolerate it. He will have to face God, it doesn’t mean that I leave the party. Therefore, I don’t favour Yashwant Sinha on leaving the party." Senior leader and former finance minister Yashwant Sinha on Saturday quit the BJP. The veteran BJP leader has on many occasions criticised the BJP and the Narendra Modi government in the past. Also read: Party gave Yashwant Sinha a lot but he acted like a Congress leader: BJP Sinha made the announcement at the opposition rally at Patna. He said democracy is under threat and slammed the Modi-led NDA government.

Subramanian Swamy accuses Amit Shah of ignoring him, but won't quit BJP

The BBC on Friday apologised for mistakenly referring to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a live news broadcast of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last night.

The Sri Lankan President was seen disembarking from his car at the entrance of Buckingham Palace to join the other heads of government for the CHOGM launch hosted by Queen Elizabeth II when the BBC host said Modi, "the Prime Minister of India since May 2014 arriving at Buckingham Palace".

"This was a mistake made during a live broadcast and we apologise for our error," a BBC spokesperson said.

According to reports, the news presenter on duty was given incorrect information which she went out to read out on air.

This is not the first time the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) finds itself in this embarrassing position.&nbsp

In December last year, the public broadcaster aired clips from the 1976 box-office hit 'Kabhi Kabhie' with actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor in song sequences when referencing the death of actor Shashi Kapoor.

"BBC 'News at Ten' is very sorry wrong images were used to mark the death of Shashi Kapoor. Not our usual standards and I apologise for any upset," News At Ten' editor Paul Royall said in a statement on Twitter soon after the broadcast on December 5, 2017.

"This was a mistake made during a live broadcast and we apologise for our error," a BBC spokesperson said.

The BBC on Friday apologised for mistakenly referring to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a live news broadcast of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) last night. The Sri Lankan President was seen disembarking from his car at the entrance of Buckingham Palace to join the other heads of government for the CHOGM launch hosted by Queen Elizabeth II when the BBC host said Modi, "the Prime Minister of India since May 2014 arriving at Buckingham Palace". "This was a mistake made during a live broadcast and we apologise for our error," a BBC spokesperson said. According to reports, the news presenter on duty was given incorrect information which she went out to read out on air. This is not the first time the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) finds itself in this embarrassing position. In December last year, the public broadcaster aired clips from the 1976 box-office hit 'Kabhi Kabhie' with actors Amitabh Bachchan and Rishi Kapoor in song sequences when referencing the death of actor Shashi Kapoor. "BBC 'News at Ten' is very sorry wrong images were used to mark the death of Shashi Kapoor. Not our usual standards and I apologise for any upset," News At Ten' editor Paul Royall said in a statement on Twitter soon after the broadcast on December 5, 2017.

BBC mixes up Modi with Sri Lankan President, apologises

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-narendra-modi-at-commonwealth-bats-for-developmental-assistance-to-small-states-131515">PM Narendra Modi at Commonwealth bats for developmental assistance to small states</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced doubling of India's contribution to the Commonwealth fund for technical cooperation and stressed the need to focus on providing developmental assistance to small island states, the External Affairs Ministry said today.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/entertainment-4-indians-featured-on-times-100-most-influential-people-of-2018-pm-modi-not-on-the-list-131512">4 Indians featured on Time's '100 Most Influential People' of 2018, PM Modi not on the list</a>

Time magazine on Thursday, April 19, revealed it’s annual “100 Most Influential People” list for 2018 celebrating leaders in entertainment, politics, sports, technology, activism and more.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-unpleasant-response-if-us-drops-nuclear-deal-report-131514">Iran warns of 'unpleasant' response if </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-unpleasant-response-if-us-drops-nuclear-deal-report-131514">US</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/iran-warns-of-unpleasant-response-if-us-drops-nuclear-deal-report-131514"> drops nuclear deal: Report</a>

Iran warned the United States on Thursday of "unpleasant" consequences if Washington pulls out of a multinational nuclear deal, Iranian state TV reported.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cubas-new-president-vows-to-defend-legacy-of-castro-revolution-131510">Cuba's new president vows to defend </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cubas-new-president-vows-to-defend-legacy-of-castro-revolution-131510">legacy</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/cubas-new-president-vows-to-defend-legacy-of-castro-revolution-131510"> of Castro revolution</a>

Cuba's new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, began his term on Thursday with a promise to defend the socialist revolution led by the Castro brothers since 1959, giving a sober speech that also emphasized the need to modernize the island's economy.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/south-africas-ramaphosa-cuts-short-britain-trip-to-deal-with-protests-at-home-131503">South Africa's Ramaphosa cuts short Britain trip to deal with protests at home</a>

South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has cut short his visit to Britain by a day to return home to deal with protests in the country's North West province, his office said on Thursday.

PM Narendra Modi at Commonwealth bats for developmental assistance to small states Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced doubling of India's contribution to the Commonwealth fund for technical cooperation and stressed the need to focus on providing developmental assistance to small island states, the External Affairs Ministry said today. 4 Indians featured on Time's '100 Most Influential People' of 2018, PM Modi not on the list Time magazine on Thursday, April 19, revealed it’s annual “100 Most Influential People” list for 2018 celebrating leaders in entertainment, politics, sports, technology, activism and more. Iran warns of 'unpleasant' response if US drops nuclear deal: Report Iran warned the United States on Thursday of "unpleasant" consequences if Washington pulls out of a multinational nuclear deal, Iranian state TV reported. Cuba's new president vows to defend legacy of Castro revolution Cuba's new president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, began his term on Thursday with a promise to defend the socialist revolution led by the Castro brothers since 1959, giving a sober speech that also emphasized the need to modernize the island's economy. South Africa's Ramaphosa cuts short Britain trip to deal with protests at home South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has cut short his visit to Britain by a day to return home to deal with protests in the country's North West province, his office said on Thursday.

News brief: Big stories of the day

Describing the latest incident of outrageous rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in India as "revolting", IMF chief Christine Lagarde today hoped that the Indian authorities starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would pay more attention to it.

Her sharp remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

"What has happened (in India) is just revolting. I would hope that the Indian authorities, starting with Prime Minister Modi pay more attention because it is needed for the women of India," Lagarde said.

"When I was last in Davos after Prime Minister Modi's speech, I did tell him that he had not mentioned the women of India enough. And it's not just a question of talking about them," the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund said.

She quickly clarified that this was her personal position and not that of the IMF. "By the way this is not an IMF official position. It is my position," she said.&nbsp

Describing the latest incident of outrageous rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in India as "revolting", IMF chief Christine Lagarde today hoped that the Indian authorities starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would pay more attention to it

Describing the latest incident of outrageous rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in India as "revolting", IMF chief Christine Lagarde today hoped that the Indian authorities starting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi would pay more attention to it. Her sharp remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. "What has happened (in India) is just revolting. I would hope that the Indian authorities, starting with Prime Minister Modi pay more attention because it is needed for the women of India," Lagarde said. "When I was last in Davos after Prime Minister Modi's speech, I did tell him that he had not mentioned the women of India enough. And it's not just a question of talking about them," the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund said. She quickly clarified that this was her personal position and not that of the IMF. "By the way this is not an IMF official position. It is my position," she said.

PM Modi need to pay more attention to women: IMF chief Christine Lagarde

China today backed its all-weather ally Pakistan and called on the international community to support its counter-terrorism efforts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the neighbouring country as a "terror export factory".

"Terrorism is the enemy faced by all. The international community should work together to fight against it," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a media briefing here when asked about China's response to Modi terming Pakistan as a "terror export factory" during a speech in London.

"We hope the international community could support the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism and forge effective cooperation with it in that regard," Hua said putting up a strong defence for China's all-weather ally.

While speaking at the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London on Wednesday, warning Pakistan, Modi had said India will not tolerate those who export terror and will respond to them in the language they understand, referring to the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the LoC.

"When someone has put a terror export factory in place and makes attempts to attack us from the back, Modi knows how to answer in the same language," he had said.

Hua's comment also came ahead of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here, to be held early next week.

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is arriving here tomorrow to take part in the meeting to be held on April 24. She is due to meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday.

Separately Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too will attend the SCO Defence Ministers meeting on the same day.

These are the first meetings of the SCO after India and Pakistan were admitted into the eight-member group in which China and Russia plays an influential role.

Both events are to be attended by the respective Ministers from Pakistan. SCO consists China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan.

Modi is also due to attend this year's SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June.

Hua said issues related to terrorism will be discussed at the meeting of SCO Foreign Ministers.

"We believe it is a purpose of the SCO to promote relevant cooperation in that field. Security has been a priority of the SCO since its inception," she said.

"So the upcoming SCO Foreign Ministers meeting will see participants exchanging views on the relevant issues, major international and regional issues and all the participants will uphold the Shanghai sprit to consolidate more consensus and to move forward the development of the SCO," she said.

China today backed its all-weather ally Pakistan and called on the international community to support its counter-terrorism efforts

China today backed its all-weather ally Pakistan and called on the international community to support its counter-terrorism efforts after Prime Minister Narendra Modi described the neighbouring country as a "terror export factory". "Terrorism is the enemy faced by all. The international community should work together to fight against it," foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said during a media briefing here when asked about China's response to Modi terming Pakistan as a "terror export factory" during a speech in London. "We hope the international community could support the efforts made by Pakistan in counter-terrorism and forge effective cooperation with it in that regard," Hua said putting up a strong defence for China's all-weather ally. While speaking at the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' programme at the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London on Wednesday, warning Pakistan, Modi had said India will not tolerate those who export terror and will respond to them in the language they understand, referring to the 2016 surgical strikes conducted across the LoC. "When someone has put a terror export factory in place and makes attempts to attack us from the back, Modi knows how to answer in the same language," he had said. Hua's comment also came ahead of the meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) here, to be held early next week. External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is arriving here tomorrow to take part in the meeting to be held on April 24. She is due to meet her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Sunday. Separately Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman too will attend the SCO Defence Ministers meeting on the same day. These are the first meetings of the SCO after India and Pakistan were admitted into the eight-member group in which China and Russia plays an influential role. Both events are to be attended by the respective Ministers from Pakistan. SCO consists China, Russia, India, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan. Modi is also due to attend this year's SCO summit to be held in the Chinese city of Qingdao in June. Hua said issues related to terrorism will be discussed at the meeting of SCO Foreign Ministers. "We believe it is a purpose of the SCO to promote relevant cooperation in that field. Security has been a priority of the SCO since its inception," she said. "So the upcoming SCO Foreign Ministers meeting will see participants exchanging views on the relevant issues, major international and regional issues and all the participants will uphold the Shanghai sprit to consolidate more consensus and to move forward the development of the SCO," she said.

International community should support Pakistan on counter-terrorism efforts: China

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a series of bilateral meetings including discussions with Seychelles President Danny Faure and his Mauritius counterpart Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on the sidelines of the multilateral Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here.

"Friend in an extended neighbourhood! PM @narendramodi and President of Seychelles, Danny Faure met on the sidelines of #CHOGM18 and discussed cooperation in areas of trade and investment and other bilateral issues," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.

The bilateral talks between Faure and Modi assumes significance after Seychelles ordered an inquiry into the leak of a highly classified agreement signed with India to develop infrastructure on Assumption Island, which lies southwest of the mainland of Mahe.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> PM Narendra Modi met PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHOGM2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHOGM2018</a> in London. <a href="https://t.co/Lrk3QCpu98">pic.twitter.com/Lrk3QCpu98</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986985644550512641?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The opposition in Seychelles has decided not to ratify the pact because of Assumption's relative proximity to Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the world's largest population of giant tortoises.

Cementing close friendship with Mauritius, Prime Minister Modi met his Mauritius counterpart Jugnauth and talked about cooperation in trade and investment, maritime cooperation and people-to-people ties, Kumar said. 
The "pull-aside meetings" with world leaders included an interaction with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Rick Houenipwela.

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PM Narendra Modi met President of Seychelles Danny Faure and PM of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley on the sidelines of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CHOGM2018?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CHOGM2018</a> in London. <a href="https://t.co/wZoTc44Iyo">pic.twitter.com/wZoTc44Iyo</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986980234464460803?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 19, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Modi also interacted with President of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda, Gaston Browne.

Some of the other world leaders expected to have one-on-one deliberations with Modi include Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness.

Additionally, Modi is likely to interact with Dr Keith C. Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago.

"The summit offers ample opportunity for leaders to interact in meeting rooms for bilateral discussions on matters of mutual interest as well as cooperation over Commonwealth issues," a senior official said.

Officials had earlier indicated that no meeting or interaction has been requested or scheduled with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

The bilateral talks took place as the formal heads of government meeting got underway in London today, following a formal launch by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Modi was scheduled to address the second plenary meeting of the heads of government during the closed-door executive session of CHOGM.

At the launch of the CHOGM executive session at Lancaster House open to the media, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The great strength of the Commonwealth is that all our members have equal status, an equal voice, and an equal right to make that voice heard. So, as we tackle these challenges, I want to hear from everyone, and everyone will have chance to speak."

"We face many challenges in the world today. But the Commonwealth is a unique organisation and, at this summit, we have an opportunity to deliver lasting change that benefits all of our 2.4 billion people." 
Later today, the 91-year-old monarch will host a dinner for all 53 heads of government at the palace.

"I had not been able to visit the last summit and this time, it was an honour that Prince Charles came personally to India last year to invite me for it. The Queen herself wrote a personal letter to me, a matter of great pride for India," Modi had said during his 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event in London last evening.

An Indian Prime Minister is attending CHOGM, held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having skipped CHOGMs in Perth, Colombo and Malta since 2009. The Indian government has said that this symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums.

The executive session of the summit today will be followed by a retreat at Windsor Castle tomorrow, when the leaders get together in an informal setting without any pre-set agenda or being accompanied by their close aides.

The summit concludes tomorrow when leaders will issue their communique and a leaders' statement after their retreat.&nbsp;CHOGM takes place every two years in different Commonwealth countries, with the next host country also to be announced at the end of this summit.

Following the retreat, Modi will head back to India after a brief stopover in Berlin, Germany for his meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Officials had earlier indicated that no meeting or interaction has been requested or scheduled with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today had a series of bilateral meetings including discussions with Seychelles President Danny Faure and his Mauritius counterpart Pravind Kumar Jugnauth on the sidelines of the multilateral Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here. "Friend in an extended neighbourhood! PM @narendramodi and President of Seychelles, Danny Faure met on the sidelines of #CHOGM18 and discussed cooperation in areas of trade and investment and other bilateral issues," Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted. The bilateral talks between Faure and Modi assumes significance after Seychelles ordered an inquiry into the leak of a highly classified agreement signed with India to develop infrastructure on Assumption Island, which lies southwest of the mainland of Mahe. #WATCH PM Narendra Modi met PM of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina on the sidelines of #CHOGM2018 in London. pic.twitter.com/Lrk3QCpu98 — ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2018 × The opposition in Seychelles has decided not to ratify the pact because of Assumption's relative proximity to Aldabra atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that is home to the world's largest population of giant tortoises. Cementing close friendship with Mauritius, Prime Minister Modi met his Mauritius counterpart Jugnauth and talked about cooperation in trade and investment, maritime cooperation and people-to-people ties, Kumar said. The "pull-aside meetings" with world leaders included an interaction with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Gambian President Adama Barrow, Fiji Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama, St. Lucia Prime Minister Allen Chastanet and Prime Minister of Solomon Islands, Rick Houenipwela. PM Narendra Modi met President of Seychelles Danny Faure and PM of Trinidad and Tobago Keith Rowley on the sidelines of #CHOGM2018 in London. pic.twitter.com/wZoTc44Iyo — ANI (@ANI) April 19, 2018 × Modi also interacted with President of Kiribati, Taneti Maamau, and Prime Minister of Antigua & Barbuda, Gaston Browne. Some of the other world leaders expected to have one-on-one deliberations with Modi include Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades and Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Michael Holness. Additionally, Modi is likely to interact with Dr Keith C. Rowley, Prime Minister of Trinidad & Tobago. "The summit offers ample opportunity for leaders to interact in meeting rooms for bilateral discussions on matters of mutual interest as well as cooperation over Commonwealth issues," a senior official said. Officials had earlier indicated that no meeting or interaction has been requested or scheduled with Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. The bilateral talks took place as the formal heads of government meeting got underway in London today, following a formal launch by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace. Prime Minister Modi was scheduled to address the second plenary meeting of the heads of government during the closed-door executive session of CHOGM. At the launch of the CHOGM executive session at Lancaster House open to the media, British Prime Minister Theresa May said: "The great strength of the Commonwealth is that all our members have equal status, an equal voice, and an equal right to make that voice heard. So, as we tackle these challenges, I want to hear from everyone, and everyone will have chance to speak." "We face many challenges in the world today. But the Commonwealth is a unique organisation and, at this summit, we have an opportunity to deliver lasting change that benefits all of our 2.4 billion people." Later today, the 91-year-old monarch will host a dinner for all 53 heads of government at the palace. "I had not been able to visit the last summit and this time, it was an honour that Prince Charles came personally to India last year to invite me for it. The Queen herself wrote a personal letter to me, a matter of great pride for India," Modi had said during his 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event in London last evening. An Indian Prime Minister is attending CHOGM, held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having skipped CHOGMs in Perth, Colombo and Malta since 2009. The Indian government has said that this symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums. The executive session of the summit today will be followed by a retreat at Windsor Castle tomorrow, when the leaders get together in an informal setting without any pre-set agenda or being accompanied by their close aides. The summit concludes tomorrow when leaders will issue their communique and a leaders' statement after their retreat. CHOGM takes place every two years in different Commonwealth countries, with the next host country also to be announced at the end of this summit. Following the retreat, Modi will head back to India after a brief stopover in Berlin, Germany for his meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.

PM Modi meets leaders at CHOGM; no interaction scheduled with Pak PM Abbasi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that it is shameful to play politics over the issues related to rapes and sexual assaults in the country.

Prime Minister Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao.

Addressing a gathering at the event 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' in London, Prime Minister Modi said, "A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters?"

"When a child is raped, do we compare metrics versus earlier governments? That is shameful. We cannot say there were this many rapes in our government and that many of yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issue," the prime minister added.

He further said that there is nothing worse than a child is raped, while raising a question to the audience that why do the parents get worried when their girl child comes late to home but never asks the boy child about his whereabouts.

The person who is "committing the sin" is somebody's son Prime Minister Modi said while calling the rape incidents as a cause of concern for the entire nation.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/live-pm-modi-set-to-speak-at-central-hall-westminster-131249">Read the full text of Modi's address at Central Hall Westminster</a>

In the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl was allegedly drugged, tortured and gang-raped continuously for a week by eight people in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January.

In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job.

Modi said making India a secured nation for women is one of his utmost priority. "When I addressed the nation for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort, I expressed anguish over the hardship faced by our women. Why they have to fear for their safety each evening after it gets dark?"

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Live from London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath</a> event at Central Hall Westminster. <a href="https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy">https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy</a>
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Earlier, Modi had on Friday referred to the Kathua rape incident during his address on Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary, saying, "Our daughters will get justice". His detractors, however, called the response inadequate, demanding a formal statement to be issued by the Prime Minister's Office.

'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May for the leaders of the Commonwealth Nations.

Later on Thursday (local time), he will take part in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting along with the other Commonwealth leaders.

(With inputs from ANI)

The prime minister did not specify if he was talking about a particular instance of rape but it was clear that his comments were in the context of the Kathua and Unnao gangrape cases.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that it is shameful to play politics over the issues related to rapes and sexual assaults in the country. Prime Minister Modi's remarks come in the backdrop of a nationwide outrage over the rape cases in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua and Uttar Pradesh's Unnao. Addressing a gathering at the event 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' in London, Prime Minister Modi said, "A rape is a rape. How can we tolerate this exploitation of our daughters?" "When a child is raped, do we compare metrics versus earlier governments? That is shameful. We cannot say there were this many rapes in our government and that many of yours. There cannot be a worse way to deal with this issue," the prime minister added. He further said that there is nothing worse than a child is raped, while raising a question to the audience that why do the parents get worried when their girl child comes late to home but never asks the boy child about his whereabouts. The person who is "committing the sin" is somebody's son Prime Minister Modi said while calling the rape incidents as a cause of concern for the entire nation. Read the full text of Modi's address at Central Hall Westminster In the Kathua case, an eight-year-old girl was allegedly drugged, tortured and gang-raped continuously for a week by eight people in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua in January. In the Unnao case, the victim has alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at his residence on June 4, 2017, where she had gone with a relative seeking a job. Modi said making India a secured nation for women is one of his utmost priority. "When I addressed the nation for the first time from the ramparts of Red Fort, I expressed anguish over the hardship faced by our women. Why they have to fear for their safety each evening after it gets dark?" #WATCH Live from London: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at #BharatKiBaatSabkeSaath event at Central Hall Westminster. https://t.co/fqYzelOaHy — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × Earlier, Modi had on Friday referred to the Kathua rape incident during his address on Dr BR Ambedkar's birth anniversary, saying, "Our daughters will get justice". His detractors, however, called the response inadequate, demanding a formal statement to be issued by the Prime Minister's Office. 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi. Prime Minister Modi is scheduled to attend a dinner hosted by United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May for the leaders of the Commonwealth Nations. Later on Thursday (local time), he will take part in the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting along with the other Commonwealth leaders. (With inputs from ANI)

Rape is rape, don't politicise such issues: PM Narendra Modi at London event

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday hosted a black-tie dinner for the leaders of 53 Commonwealth Nations.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi after attending the Westminster's Central Hall's event "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" departed for the dinner.

Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom as part of which he will attend the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to take place on April 19.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister had a bilateral talk with PM Theresa May in which they discussed economic offenders including Vijay Mallya and the much-talked attacked ex Russian spy Sergei Skripal.

He was earlier honoured in a private audience with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, an event which has been organised previously for only three nations.

Earlier,&nbsp;'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi.

(With inputs from ANI)

Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom

United Kingdom Prime Minister Theresa May on Wednesday hosted a black-tie dinner for the leaders of 53 Commonwealth Nations. Prime Minister Narendra Modi after attending the Westminster's Central Hall's event "Bharat Ki Baat Sabke Saath" departed for the dinner. Prime Minister Modi is on a three-day visit to the United Kingdom as part of which he will attend the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled to take place on April 19. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister had a bilateral talk with PM Theresa May in which they discussed economic offenders including Vijay Mallya and the much-talked attacked ex Russian spy Sergei Skripal. He was earlier honoured in a private audience with Queen Elizabeth at Buckingham Palace, an event which has been organised previously for only three nations. Earlier, 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' event took place in the Westminster's Central Hall in London and was moderated by noted Indian lyricist Prasoon Joshi. (With inputs from ANI)

PM Modi attends dinner hosted by Theresa May for Commonwealth leaders

On his four-day-long visit to the UK, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be served with special, all-vegetarian gourmet Indian cuisine.&nbsp;

According to reports, Shenoy Karmani, Executive chef at St. James Court, Taj Hotel in Buckingham Gate, has been appointed to prepare some of the meals for Prime Minister at various events during his visit.&nbsp;

Karmani and his team of eight members are vested with the responsibility to serve pure vegetarian "Ghar Ka Khana" to Prime Minister Modi.

For his breakfast with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, PM Modi enjoyed a heart-warming spread comprising tea and coffee, Poha, Upma, Puri-Bhaji and Seera.

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi along with his delegation team was served lunch at the Buckingham's Taj hotel.

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Since the whole delegation is in London, our focus is on "home cooked food" so that the delegation don't feel they are away from India. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will be Gujarati food that he loves: Chef Shenoy Karmani. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/London?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#London</a> <a href="https://t.co/qVysb6f4W1">pic.twitter.com/qVysb6f4W1</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986379057762848771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
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The lunch was prepared under the guidance of Chef Shenoy Karmani. The menu is believed to be high on the special Gujarati delicacies like Khaman, Dhokla, Khandvi, Dal, Dal Pakora, Torai Masala, Stuffed Karela, Paneer Bhurji, Khichdi, among other dishes.

All food items for PM Modi were and will be cooked in pure clarified butter (ghee).

Later at night, British Prime Minister Theresa May will host&nbsp;dinner for the leaders of all the Commonwealth nations who are participating in the CHOGM summit.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Chef Shenoy Karmani and his team of eight members are vested with the responsibility to serve pure vegetarian "Ghar Ka Khana" to Prime Minister Modi

On his four-day-long visit to the UK, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be served with special, all-vegetarian gourmet Indian cuisine. According to reports, Shenoy Karmani, Executive chef at St. James Court, Taj Hotel in Buckingham Gate, has been appointed to prepare some of the meals for Prime Minister at various events during his visit. Karmani and his team of eight members are vested with the responsibility to serve pure vegetarian "Ghar Ka Khana" to Prime Minister Modi. For his breakfast with UK Prime Minister Theresa May, PM Modi enjoyed a heart-warming spread comprising tea and coffee, Poha, Upma, Puri-Bhaji and Seera. Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi along with his delegation team was served lunch at the Buckingham's Taj hotel. Since the whole delegation is in London, our focus is on "home cooked food" so that the delegation don't feel they are away from India. For Prime Minister Narendra Modi, it will be Gujarati food that he loves: Chef Shenoy Karmani. #London pic.twitter.com/qVysb6f4W1 — ANI (@ANI) April 17, 2018 × The lunch was prepared under the guidance of Chef Shenoy Karmani. The menu is believed to be high on the special Gujarati delicacies like Khaman, Dhokla, Khandvi, Dal, Dal Pakora, Torai Masala, Stuffed Karela, Paneer Bhurji, Khichdi, among other dishes. All food items for PM Modi were and will be cooked in pure clarified butter (ghee). Later at night, British Prime Minister Theresa May will host dinner for the leaders of all the Commonwealth nations who are participating in the CHOGM summit. (With inputs from agencies)

Poha, Upma, Puri-Bhaji and Seera: PM Modi's heart-warming breakfast with Theresa May

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM Theresa May discussed the issue of economic offenders during their meeting today. According to sources, both the leaders raised the issue of economic offenders, like Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi, who have sought refuge in the UK.

Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, during a press briefing, confirmed that the issue of economic offenders was also raised during the meet.

"The issue of economic offenders was also raised and this was among a number of consular issues that were raised," Gokhale said.

Mallya is wanted in India in a money laundering case and an alleged bank fraud case in the country.

He left India after defaulting on loans that run into hundreds of crores.

India has submitted more than thousand pages dossier in the London court as part of the evidence against Mallya.

Modi and May also agreed to strengthen cooperation and take decisive actions against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities including Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates.&nbsp;

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During PM Modi & British PM Theresa May's discussion on economic offenders, the case of Vijay Mallya was also discussed, say sources. <a href="https://t.co/hN88uXuqaA">pic.twitter.com/hN88uXuqaA</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986620981870579713?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, India and UK agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit and conduct attacks on innocent people.&nbsp;

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The issue of economic offenders was also raised & this was among a number of consular issues that were raised. I have already covered the issue of mobilising professionals & students & the like.Views were also exchanged on current international & multilateral issues: Foreign Secy <a href="https://t.co/L5exZsm5kO">pic.twitter.com/L5exZsm5kO</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986616670142844929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence in 10 Downing Street and discussed a range of issues.

(With inputs from agencies) &nbsp;

PM Modi met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence in 10 Downing Street

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and British PM Theresa May discussed the issue of economic offenders during their meeting today. According to sources, both the leaders raised the issue of economic offenders, like Vijay Mallya and Lalit Modi, who have sought refuge in the UK. Indian Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale, during a press briefing, confirmed that the issue of economic offenders was also raised during the meet. "The issue of economic offenders was also raised and this was among a number of consular issues that were raised," Gokhale said. Mallya is wanted in India in a money laundering case and an alleged bank fraud case in the country. He left India after defaulting on loans that run into hundreds of crores. India has submitted more than thousand pages dossier in the London court as part of the evidence against Mallya. Modi and May also agreed to strengthen cooperation and take decisive actions against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities including Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates. During PM Modi & British PM Theresa May's discussion on economic offenders, the case of Vijay Mallya was also discussed, say sources. pic.twitter.com/hN88uXuqaA — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, India and UK agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit and conduct attacks on innocent people. The issue of economic offenders was also raised & this was among a number of consular issues that were raised. I have already covered the issue of mobilising professionals & students & the like.Views were also exchanged on current international & multilateral issues: Foreign Secy pic.twitter.com/L5exZsm5kO — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × PM Modi met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence in 10 Downing Street and discussed a range of issues. (With inputs from agencies)

India, UK discussed economic offenders like Vijay Mallya taking refuge in Britain: Sources

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM).

UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here.

Johnson said he was "excited" about the growing India-UK bilateral trade and that the visit will help build on "huge economic advantages".

"..Thanks to our shared history, we have a living bridge between us? and now we want to build on the incredible tech sector where both India and the UK are making giant strides together," Johnson said in a statement.

Modi is set for a packed day of official engagements today, starting with his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street.

The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the return of illegal immigrants, which had expired in 2014, will be officially renewed to take into account biometric and other developments in the field, along with a range of nearly a dozen MoUs across different sectors.

Modi will then head to the Science Museum in London to visit the '5000 Years of Science and Innovation' exhibition where he will interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK.

The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network for evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda.

A brief stop to garland the Basaveshwara statue -- which Modi had inaugurated during his last visit to the UK in 2015 -- on the banks of the river Thames will then be followed by his second meeting with May at an event hosted by the British prime minister at the Francis Crick Institute.&nbsp;

After an interaction with Indian-origin scientists working on cancer research, malaria and other tropical diseases, both leaders will initiate the India-UK CEOs Forum.

Modi is then scheduled for a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event, to be telecast live from the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London today.

The event, billed as the centrepiece of the 'Living Bridge' theme of the India-UK bilateral visit, will involve Modi addressing questions from across the world which have already been received via social media.

At the end of the live telecast, he will join Heads of Government from 52 other Commonwealth countries at a dinner hosted by the British prime minister as a formal welcome to CHOGM.

This will be followed by the executive session of the heads in London tomorrow before they head to Windsor for the CHOGM retreat, where the world leaders will interact on an informal basis.&nbsp;

This will conclude Modi's UK visit after which he will leave for India.&nbsp;

According to official estimates, the India-UK bilateral trade stands at USD 13 billion, with the UK among the largest G20 investors into India.&nbsp;

Modi's visit will have a particular focus on the India-UK technological partnership as well as an enhanced role in the Commonwealth.

"India's engagement is absolutely brilliant? there is a recognition that the Commonwealth offers a great opportunity for India and within that opportunity lies an opportunity for the rest of the Commonwealth," says Lord Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC).

An Indian prime minister will attend the Commonwealth summit, which is held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having last attended the 2009 CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago.

The Indian government has said that Modi's attendance at the summit this year symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums. This stepped-up engagement is likely to take the form of increased activity within the Commonwealth, including greater resources and manpower as well as financial contributions.&nbsp;

Modi was received at Heathrow by British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson. He will be in the UK on a four-day visit

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here. Johnson said he was "excited" about the growing India-UK bilateral trade and that the visit will help build on "huge economic advantages". "..Thanks to our shared history, we have a living bridge between us? and now we want to build on the incredible tech sector where both India and the UK are making giant strides together," Johnson said in a statement. Modi is set for a packed day of official engagements today, starting with his bilateral meeting with British Prime Minister Theresa May at 10 Downing Street. The two leaders are expected to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, including separatism, cross-border terrorism, visas and immigration. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the return of illegal immigrants, which had expired in 2014, will be officially renewed to take into account biometric and other developments in the field, along with a range of nearly a dozen MoUs across different sectors. Modi will then head to the Science Museum in London to visit the '5000 Years of Science and Innovation' exhibition where he will interact with Indian-origin and other scientists and innovators based in the UK. The event, hosted by Prince Charles, will include the launch of a new Ayurvedic Centre of Excellence, aimed at creating a first-of-its-kind global network for evidence-based research on yoga and Ayurveda. A brief stop to garland the Basaveshwara statue -- which Modi had inaugurated during his last visit to the UK in 2015 -- on the banks of the river Thames will then be followed by his second meeting with May at an event hosted by the British prime minister at the Francis Crick Institute. After an interaction with Indian-origin scientists working on cancer research, malaria and other tropical diseases, both leaders will initiate the India-UK CEOs Forum. Modi is then scheduled for a private audience with Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace before the 'Bharat Ki Baat, Sabke Saath' diaspora event, to be telecast live from the iconic Central Hall Westminster in London today. The event, billed as the centrepiece of the 'Living Bridge' theme of the India-UK bilateral visit, will involve Modi addressing questions from across the world which have already been received via social media. At the end of the live telecast, he will join Heads of Government from 52 other Commonwealth countries at a dinner hosted by the British prime minister as a formal welcome to CHOGM. This will be followed by the executive session of the heads in London tomorrow before they head to Windsor for the CHOGM retreat, where the world leaders will interact on an informal basis. This will conclude Modi's UK visit after which he will leave for India. According to official estimates, the India-UK bilateral trade stands at USD 13 billion, with the UK among the largest G20 investors into India. Modi's visit will have a particular focus on the India-UK technological partnership as well as an enhanced role in the Commonwealth. "India's engagement is absolutely brilliant? there is a recognition that the Commonwealth offers a great opportunity for India and within that opportunity lies an opportunity for the rest of the Commonwealth," says Lord Marland, chairman of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC). An Indian prime minister will attend the Commonwealth summit, which is held every two years, after a hiatus of nearly a decade, having last attended the 2009 CHOGM in Trinidad and Tobago. The Indian government has said that Modi's attendance at the summit this year symbolises the country's wider efforts to step up its role across global forums. This stepped-up engagement is likely to take the form of increased activity within the Commonwealth, including greater resources and manpower as well as financial contributions.

Modi lands in London for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May discussed a range of issues today.

Both the leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and take decisive actions against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities including Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates.&nbsp;

According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, May and Modi agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit and conduct attacks on innocent people.

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The British PM & PM Modi agreed that terrorist & extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit & conduct attacks on innocent people for this all countries need to work together to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing & movement of terrorists: MEA
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986585625783685120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"For this, all countries need to work together to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing and movement of terrorists," the leaders noted.&nbsp;

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2nd issue was issue of terrorism&radicalism. PM described extremism,radicalism,terrorism as a rising challenge for both countries&for countries across the globe. It was agreed that one area where we need to enhance cooperation substantially is in cyber security field:Foreign Secy <a href="https://t.co/P59369u7ZC">pic.twitter.com/P59369u7ZC</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/986615678055649280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 18, 2018</a></blockquote>
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PM Modi met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence in 10 Downing Street.

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British Prime Minister Theresa May and PM Narendra Modi discussed co-operation between the 2 countries on legal matters: Downing Street spokesperson
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The UK PM was quick to greet the Indian prime minister, "very welcome to London, Prime Minister," she said.

The two leaders held a breakfast meeting while discussing a wide range of issues of mutual interest.

"It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara," PM Modi said during his meeting with the British PM Theresa May.

"I hope we can work together for the people of both India and UK," Theresa May told the PM.

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It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara: PM Modi in meeting with British PM Theresa May in London <a href="https://t.co/4Dn0wCI9fW">pic.twitter.com/4Dn0wCI9fW</a>
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British Prime Minister and PM Narendra Modi also discussed co-operation between India and UK on legal matters. The leaders discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, expressing concern and making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons by any party in any circumstances.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here.

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

May and Modi agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his British counterpart Theresa May discussed a range of issues today. Both the leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation and take decisive actions against globally-proscribed terrorists and terror entities including Lashkar-e-Tayibba, Jaish-e-Mohammad, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Haqqani Network, Al Qaeda, ISIS and their affiliates. According to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs, May and Modi agreed that terrorist and extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit and conduct attacks on innocent people. The British PM & PM Modi agreed that terrorist & extremist organisations need to be denied space to radicalise, recruit & conduct attacks on innocent people for this all countries need to work together to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing & movement of terrorists: MEA — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × "For this, all countries need to work together to disrupt terrorist networks, their financing and movement of terrorists," the leaders noted. 2nd issue was issue of terrorism&radicalism. PM described extremism,radicalism,terrorism as a rising challenge for both countries&for countries across the globe. It was agreed that one area where we need to enhance cooperation substantially is in cyber security field:Foreign Secy pic.twitter.com/P59369u7ZC — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × PM Modi met UK prime minister Theresa May at her official residence in 10 Downing Street. British Prime Minister Theresa May and PM Narendra Modi discussed co-operation between the 2 countries on legal matters: Downing Street spokesperson — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × The UK PM was quick to greet the Indian prime minister, "very welcome to London, Prime Minister," she said. The two leaders held a breakfast meeting while discussing a wide range of issues of mutual interest. "It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara," PM Modi said during his meeting with the British PM Theresa May. "I hope we can work together for the people of both India and UK," Theresa May told the PM. It is a matter of happiness for me that I will get to interact with people here on the birth anniversary of Lord Basaveshwara: PM Modi in meeting with British PM Theresa May in London pic.twitter.com/4Dn0wCI9fW — ANI (@ANI) April 18, 2018 × British Prime Minister and PM Narendra Modi also discussed co-operation between India and UK on legal matters. The leaders discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, expressing concern and making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons by any party in any circumstances. Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the UK today for a four-day visit of bilateral engagements as well as multilateral discussions as part of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM). UK Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson received Modi at the Heathrow airport here. (With inputs from agencies)

India, UK agree to take decisive action against LeT, Jaish, IS & other terror organisations

India and the United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday reflected on the progress made on bilateral defence and security cooperation and agreed to continue working together closely to combat terrorism, radicalisation and online extremism.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May this morning and they discussed on various topics including the defence cooperation, chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, legal matters, Chennai six, etc.

Both the leaders "reflected on the progress made on bilateral defence and security cooperation since the Prime Minister's (Theresa May) visit to India in 2016 and the agreement to a number of Defence Capability Partnerships in key strategic areas, with closer military-to-military ties underpinned by a succession of high level visits and exchanges," a Downing Street spokesperson said, in a statement.

The two sides also discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, expressing concern and making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons by any party in any circumstances. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's position on Russia's recent destabilising behaviour, underlined by the attack in Salisbury and the protection provided for the Syrian regime's repeated use of chemical weapons against its people.

The leaders discussed their shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific and committed to working more closely together to ensure it remained free and open. The two leaders also discussed co-operation between the two countries on legal matters.British PM May welcomed the return to the UK of the Chennai Six.

British PM May updated Prime Minister Modi on the progress of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, saying the implementation period agreed in March gives Indian companies and investors the confidence that market access will continue on current terms until the end of 2020.

"Finally they looked forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting tomorrow and agreed on the importance of working together to build a more sustainable, prosperous, secure and fairer future for all Commonwealth citizens," the statement added.

The two sides also discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria

India and the United Kingdom (UK) on Wednesday reflected on the progress made on bilateral defence and security cooperation and agreed to continue working together closely to combat terrorism, radicalisation and online extremism. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with his British counterpart Theresa May this morning and they discussed on various topics including the defence cooperation, chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, legal matters, Chennai six, etc. Both the leaders "reflected on the progress made on bilateral defence and security cooperation since the Prime Minister's (Theresa May) visit to India in 2016 and the agreement to a number of Defence Capability Partnerships in key strategic areas, with closer military-to-military ties underpinned by a succession of high level visits and exchanges," a Downing Street spokesperson said, in a statement. The two sides also discussed the chemical weapons attacks in Salisbury and Syria, expressing concern and making clear their opposition to the use of chemical weapons by any party in any circumstances. The Prime Minister reiterated the UK's position on Russia's recent destabilising behaviour, underlined by the attack in Salisbury and the protection provided for the Syrian regime's repeated use of chemical weapons against its people. The leaders discussed their shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific and committed to working more closely together to ensure it remained free and open. The two leaders also discussed co-operation between the two countries on legal matters.British PM May welcomed the return to the UK of the Chennai Six. British PM May updated Prime Minister Modi on the progress of the UK's withdrawal from the EU, saying the implementation period agreed in March gives Indian companies and investors the confidence that market access will continue on current terms until the end of 2020. "Finally they looked forward to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting tomorrow and agreed on the importance of working together to build a more sustainable, prosperous, secure and fairer future for all Commonwealth citizens," the statement added.

Modi meets May: India, UK review defence cooperation

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday came out in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked Manmohan Singh not to compare his days as prime minister with that of Modi's.

PM spoke strongly on rape incidents terming them shameful and inhuman, Prasad said in a statement and added ''Dr. Manmohan Singh, unlike your observation, when PM Modi says something it's heard and action is taken.''

''Please, Dr.Manmohan Singh, don't compare your days with that of Modi Ji's,'' he further said.&nbsp;

Manmohan Singh in an interview to a leading daily hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his long silence over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua and the alleged rape of a teenager by a BJP MLA in Unnao.

The former prime minister Manmohan Singh told that Modi “should follow his own advice to me” and “speak more often”.

He said that he was glad that Modi finally broke his silence last Friday at an event in Delhi commemorating the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, when he said the “daughters of India” will get justice and the guilty won’t be spared.

Asked about the manner in which the BJP would taunt him, calling him ‘Maun-Mohan Singh’ when he chose silence over speech on several matters during the last months of his government, the former PM said he “had lived with comments like these his whole life”.

Manmohan Singh in an interview to a leading daily hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his long silence over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua and the alleged rape of a teenager by a BJP MLA in Unnao.

Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday came out in support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and asked Manmohan Singh not to compare his days as prime minister with that of Modi's. PM spoke strongly on rape incidents terming them shameful and inhuman, Prasad said in a statement and added ''Dr. Manmohan Singh, unlike your observation, when PM Modi says something it's heard and action is taken.'' ''Please, Dr.Manmohan Singh, don't compare your days with that of Modi Ji's,'' he further said. Manmohan Singh in an interview to a leading daily hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his long silence over the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua and the alleged rape of a teenager by a BJP MLA in Unnao. The former prime minister Manmohan Singh told that Modi “should follow his own advice to me” and “speak more often”. He said that he was glad that Modi finally broke his silence last Friday at an event in Delhi commemorating the birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar, when he said the “daughters of India” will get justice and the guilty won’t be spared. Asked about the manner in which the BJP would taunt him, calling him ‘Maun-Mohan Singh’ when he chose silence over speech on several matters during the last months of his government, the former PM said he “had lived with comments like these his whole life”.

Ravi Shankar Prasad tells Manmohan not to compare his days as PM with that of Modi's

Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes.&nbsp;

"In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter.&nbsp;

"At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame," the letter says, before going on to add, "Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty."&nbsp;

The letter blames the Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) and Unnao (UP) attacks on the BJP, which is in power in both states.&nbsp;

"This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function," it says, before going on to suggest a to-do list for Prime Minister Modi to make amends.&nbsp;

The full text of the letter is reproduced below:&nbsp;

&nbsp;

We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution.

We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed.

Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings.

The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty.

Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values – but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao.&nbsp;

In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide.

In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent.

In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it.

And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar.

Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function.

And to this end we call upon you to do the following:

● Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us.

● Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado.

● In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority.

● Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and 
hate speeches.

● Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively.

It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope.

Signed: 
1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 
2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 
3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 
4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 
5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 
6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 
7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 
8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 
9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 
10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 
11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 
12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 
13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 
14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 
15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 
16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 
17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 
18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 
19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 
20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 
21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 
22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 
23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 
24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 
25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 
26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 
27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 
28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 
29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 
30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 
31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 
32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 
33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 
34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 
35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 
36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 
37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 
38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 
39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 
40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 
41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 
42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 
43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 
44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 
45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 
46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 
47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 
48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 
49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra

'This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point — the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function,' the bureaucrats write in their letter

Forty-nine former bureaucrats have written a scathing open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi after the Kathua and Unnao gang rapes. "In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble," the bureaucrats write in their letter. "At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame," the letter says, before going on to add, "Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty." The letter blames the Kathua (Jammu and Kashmir) and Unnao (UP) attacks on the BJP, which is in power in both states. "This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function," it says, before going on to suggest a to-do list for Prime Minister Modi to make amends. The full text of the letter is reproduced below: We are a group of retired civil servants who came together last year to express our concern at the decline in the secular, democratic, and liberal values enshrined in our constitution. We did so to join other voices of protest against the frightening climate of hate, fear and viciousness that the ruling establishment had insidiously induced. We spoke then as we do now: as citizens who have no affiliations with any political party nor adherence to any political ideology other than the values enshrined in our Constitution. We had hoped that as someone sworn to upholding the Constitution, the government that you head and the party to which you belong would wake up to this alarming decline, take the lead in stemming the rot and reassure everyone, especially the minorities and vulnerable sections of society, that they need not fear for their life and liberty. This hope has been destroyed. Instead, the unspeakable horror of the Kathua and the Unnao incidents shows that the government has failed in performing the most basic of the responsibilities given to it by the people. We, in turn, have failed as a nation which took pride in its ethical, spiritual and cultural heritage and as a society which treasured its civilisational values of tolerance, compassion and fellow feeling. By giving sustenance to the brutality of one human being against another in the name of Hindus we have failed as human beings. The bestiality and the barbarity involved in the rape and murder of an eight year old child shows the depths of depravity that we have sunk into. In post-independence India, this is our darkest hour and we find the response of our government, the leaders of our political parties inadequate and feeble. At this juncture, we see no light at the end of the tunnel and we hang our heads in shame. Our sense of shame is all the more acute because our younger colleagues who are still in service, especially those working in the districts and are required by law to care for and protect the weak and the vulnerable, also seem to have failed in their duty. Prime Minister, we write to you not just to express our collective sense of shame and not just to give voice to our anguish or lament and mourn the death of our civilisational values – but to express our rage. Rage over the agenda of division and hate your party and its innumerable, often untraceable offshoots that spring up from time to time, have insidiously introduced into the grammar of our politics, our social and cultural life and even our daily discourse. It is that which provides the social sanction and legitimacy for the incidents in Kathua and Unnao. In Kathua in Jammu, it is the culture of majoritarian belligerence and aggression promoted by the Sangh parivar which emboldened rabid communal elements to pursue their perverse agenda. They knew that their behaviour would be endorsed by the politically powerful and those who have made their careers by polarising Hindus and Muslims across a sectarian divide. In Unnao in UP, it is the reliance on the worst kinds of patriarchal feudal mafia dons to capture votes and political power that gives such persons the freedom to rape and murder and extort as a way of asserting their own personal power. But even more reprehensible than such abuse of power, it is the response of the state government in hounding the victim of rape and her family instead of the alleged perpetrator that shows how perverted governance practices have become. That the government of UP finally acted only when it was compelled to do so by the high court shows the hypocrisy and half-heartedness of its intent. In both cases, Prime Minister, it is your party which is in power. Given your supremacy within the party and the centralised control you and your party president exercise, you, more than anyone else, have to be held responsible for this terrifying state of affairs. Instead of owning up and making reparations, however, you had until yesterday chosen to remain silent, breaking your silence only when public outrage both in India and internationally reached a point when you could no longer ignore it. And even then, while you have condemned the act and expressed a sense of shame, you have not condemned the communal pathology behind the act nor shown the resolve to change the social, political and administrative conditions under which such communal hate is bred. We have had enough of these belated remonstrations and promises to bring justice when the communal cauldron is forever kept boiling by forces nested within the Sangh Parivar. Prime Minister, these two incidents are not just ordinary crimes where, with the passage of time, the wounds inflicted on our social fabric, on our body politic and the moral fibre of our society will heal and it will soon be business as usual. This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point – the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function. And to this end we call upon you to do the following: ● Reach out to the families of the victims in Unnao and Kathua and seek their forgiveness on behalf of all of us. ● Fast-track the prosecution of the perpetrators in the Kathua case and request for a court directed SIT in the Unnao case, without further ado. ● In the memory of these innocent children and all other victims of hate crime, renew a pledge to offer special protection to Muslims, to Dalits, to members of other minority communities, to women and children so that they need not fear for their life and liberty and any threat to these will be extinguished with the full force of State authority. ● Take steps to remove from government anyone who has been associated with hate crimes and hate speeches. ● Call for an all party meeting to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively. It is possible that even this may be too little too late but it will restore some sense of order and give hope that the free fall into anarchy can be arrested. We live in hope. Signed: 1. SP Ambrose, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Secretary, Ministry of Shipping and Transport, GoI 2. Vappala Balachandran, IPS (Retd). Former Special Secretary, Cabinet Secretariat, GoI 3. Chandrashekhar Balakrishnan. IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 4. Pradip Bhattacharya, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Development & Planning and Administrative Training Institute, Govt. of West Bengal 5. Meeran C Borwankar, IPS (Retd). Former DGP, Bureau of Police Research and Development, GoI 6. Sundar Burra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 7. Javid Chowdhury, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 8. Anna Dani, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Maharashtra 9. Surjit K. Das. IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of Uttarakhand 10. Vibha Puri Das. IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, GoI 11. Nareshwar Dayal. IFS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs and High Commissioner to the United Kingdom 12. Keshav Desiraju, IAS (Retd). Former Health Secretary, GoI 13. M.G. Devasahayam, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Govt. of Haryana 14. Sushil Dubey, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Sweden 15. K.P. Fabian, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Italy 16. Meena Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Environment & Forests, GoI 17. Ravi Vira Gupta, IAS (Retd). Former Deputy Governor, Reserve Bank of India 18. Wajahat Habibullah, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, GoI and Chief Information Commissioner 19. Sajjad Hassan, IAS (Retd). Former Commissioner (Planning), Govt. of Manipur 20. M.A. Ibrahimi, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary (rank) Bihar 21. Ajai Kumar, Indian Forest Service (Retd). Former Director, Ministry of Agriculture, GoI 22. Arun Kumar, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, GoI 23. Harsh Mander, IAS (Retd). Govt. of Madhya Pradesh 24. Aditi Mehta, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of Rajasthan 25. Sunil Mitra, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Finance, GoI 26. Sobha Nambisan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Secretary (Planning), Govt. of Karnataka 27. Amitabha Pande, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Inter-State Council, GoI 28. Niranjan Pant,IA&AS (Retd). Former Deputy Comptroller & Auditor General of India 29. P. R. Parthasarathy, IPS (Retd). Former Director, Anti-Corruption Bureau, Govt. of Maharashtra 30. Alok Perti, IAS (Retd) Former Secretary, Ministry of Coal, GoI 31. N.K. Raghupathy, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, GoI 32. M.Y. Rao, IAS (Retd). 33. Sujatha Rao, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Health, GoI 34. Julio Ribeiro, IPS (Retd). Former Adviser to Governor of Punjab & Ambassador to Romania 35. Aruna Roy, IAS (Resigned) 36. Manabendra N. Roy, IAS (Retd). Former Additional Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 37. Umrao Salodia, IAS (Retd). Former Chairman, Rajasthan Road Transport Corporation, Govt. of Rajasthan 38. Deepak Sanan, IAS (Retd). Former Principal Adviser (AR) to Chief Minister, Govt. of Himachal Pradesh 39. E. A.S. Sarma, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Department of Economic Affairs, Ministry of Finance, GoI 40. N.C. Saxena, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Planning Commission, GoI 41. Ardhendu Sen, IAS (Retd). Former Chief Secretary, Govt. of West Bengal 42. Abhijit Sengupta, IAS (Retd). Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI 43. Aftab Seth, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Japan 44. Navrekha Sharma, IFS (Retd). Former Ambassador to Indonesia 45. Har Mander Singh, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, ESI Corporation, GoI 46. Jawhar Sircar, IAS (Retd). Former Secretary, Ministry of Culture, GoI, & CEO, Prasar Bharati 47. K.S. Subramanian, IPS (Retd). Former Director General, State Institute of Public Administration & Rural Development, Govt. of Tripura 48. Geetha Thoopal, IRAS (Retd). Former General Manager, Metro Railway, Kolkata 49. Ramani Venkatesan, IAS (Retd). Former Director General, YASHADA, Govt. Of Maharashtra

'Our darkest hour,' 49 former bureaucrats write to PM Modi after Kathua, Unnao gang rapes

India was today ranked 1<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-to-address-world-from-same-london-venue-as-gandhi-martin-luther-king-130623">0th on a new Commonwealth Innovation Index</a>, topped by the UK, Singapore and Canada.&nbsp;

The index was launched as part <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/unprecedented-welcome-awaits-modi-in-britain-say-officials-130550">of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub </a>on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here.

It has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII).&nbsp;

It is aimed at providing a tool that allows member states, organisations and citizens to benchmark themselves against 53 countries of the Commonwealth, with the new innovation hub offering a dedicated online space for Commonwealth countries to showcase what they have to offer and share with other members.

"Nearly 60 per cent of the Commonwealth population is under 30 with a lot of talent and innovation and with this new digital platform, we now get to pool it and share it," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said.

"This is part of the reform and renewal process of the organisation, which will take it into a higher energy orbit and into the information age. It makes the Commonwealth even more relevant and fit for its sharing and caring purpose," she said.

The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) will work as the delivery partner to host a new Commonwealth Innovation Fund (CIF), which will use GIF's existing due diligence processes for sourcing, evaluating and investing to generate a high-quality portfolio of enterprises that are aligned with the Commonwealth Secretariat's priorities.&nbsp;

The GIF will manage the fund and its investments, which will be targeted at innovative projects across Commonwealth countries that "save and improve lives".

During the ongoing CHOGM, the CIF will engage with member-countries to gain financial and other support for the fund and India is expected to be among the key countries to collaborate.

"Sectors such as health-care, innovation, digital technology and cybersecurity will be among the core focus areas during the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in reference to his UK visit for CHOGM this week.

The CIF will deploy grant, equity and debt investments to support innovators across the Commonwealth to accelerate the development, testing and scaling up of evidence-based and market-tested innovations.&nbsp;

The target size of the new fund, with financial commitments from member-countries, is expected to be 25 million pounds of initial funds to prove the new model.

The index was launched as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here

India was today ranked 10th on a new Commonwealth Innovation Index, topped by the UK, Singapore and Canada. The index was launched as part of a new Commonwealth Innovation Hub on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) here. It has been created in partnership with the United Nations World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) and its annual Global Innovation Index (GII). It is aimed at providing a tool that allows member states, organisations and citizens to benchmark themselves against 53 countries of the Commonwealth, with the new innovation hub offering a dedicated online space for Commonwealth countries to showcase what they have to offer and share with other members. "Nearly 60 per cent of the Commonwealth population is under 30 with a lot of talent and innovation and with this new digital platform, we now get to pool it and share it," Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said. "This is part of the reform and renewal process of the organisation, which will take it into a higher energy orbit and into the information age. It makes the Commonwealth even more relevant and fit for its sharing and caring purpose," she said. The Global Innovation Fund (GIF) will work as the delivery partner to host a new Commonwealth Innovation Fund (CIF), which will use GIF's existing due diligence processes for sourcing, evaluating and investing to generate a high-quality portfolio of enterprises that are aligned with the Commonwealth Secretariat's priorities. The GIF will manage the fund and its investments, which will be targeted at innovative projects across Commonwealth countries that "save and improve lives". During the ongoing CHOGM, the CIF will engage with member-countries to gain financial and other support for the fund and India is expected to be among the key countries to collaborate. "Sectors such as health-care, innovation, digital technology and cybersecurity will be among the core focus areas during the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted in reference to his UK visit for CHOGM this week. The CIF will deploy grant, equity and debt investments to support innovators across the Commonwealth to accelerate the development, testing and scaling up of evidence-based and market-tested innovations. The target size of the new fund, with financial commitments from member-countries, is expected to be 25 million pounds of initial funds to prove the new model.

India ranked 10th on new Commonwealth innovation index

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-gang-rape-victims-father-seeks-transfer-of-case-from-jk-130778">Kathua </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-gang-rape-victims-father-seeks-transfer-of-case-from-jk-130778">gang rape</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-gang-rape-victims-father-seeks-transfer-of-case-from-jk-130778">: Victim's father seeks transfer of </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-gang-rape-victims-father-seeks-transfer-of-case-from-jk-130778">case</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/kathua-gang-rape-victims-father-seeks-transfer-of-case-from-jk-130778"> from J&K</a>

The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) government on a petition filed by Kathua rape victim's father seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/in-a-first-swedish-pm-stefan-lofven--to-receive-modi-at-airport--130780">In a first, Swedish PM Stefan Lofven to receive Modi at airport</a>

As Narendra Modi lands in Sweden in a few hours, he will be received by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the airport as an ''exceptional gesture'', said &nbspMonika Mohta Indian ambassador to Sweden and Latvia.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/our-ties-with-russia-too-strong-to-be-broken-by-macron-turkey-130805">Our ties with Russia too strong to be broken by Macron: Turkey</a>

Turkey's ties with Russia are too strong to be broken by France's president, foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, after Emmanuel Macron said Ankara's support of missile strikes on Syria showed it had "separated" from Russia.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/entertainment-new-york-indian-film-festival-to-pay-tribute-to-sridevi-shashi-kapoor--130788">New York Indian Film Festival to pay tribute to Sridevi, Shashi Kapoor</a>

More than 70 films and documentaries focusing on diverse themes of women's issues, gay rights, terrorism and youth will be showcased at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) in the month of May.&nbsp

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2018-match-preview-of-delhi-vs-kolkata-130773">IPL 2018: Match preview of Delhi vs Kolkata</a>

The thirteenth clash of Indian Premier League 2018 will be between Kolkata and Delhi at the Eden Garden Stadium in a humid temperature (likely to rain) but still, it is expected that it is going to be a full house clash as the support for Kolkata team at their home ground has been immense.

Kathua gang rape: Victim's father seeks transfer of case from J&K The Supreme Court today issued a notice to the Jammu and Kashmir(J&K) government on a petition filed by Kathua rape victim's father seeking transfer of the case to Chandigarh. In a first, Swedish PM Stefan Lofven to receive Modi at airport As Narendra Modi lands in Sweden in a few hours, he will be received by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the airport as an ''exceptional gesture'', said &nbspMonika Mohta Indian ambassador to Sweden and Latvia. Our ties with Russia too strong to be broken by Macron: Turkey Turkey's ties with Russia are too strong to be broken by France's president, foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Monday, after Emmanuel Macron said Ankara's support of missile strikes on Syria showed it had "separated" from Russia. New York Indian Film Festival to pay tribute to Sridevi, Shashi Kapoor More than 70 films and documentaries focusing on diverse themes of women's issues, gay rights, terrorism and youth will be showcased at the New York Indian Film Festival (NYIFF) in the month of May. IPL 2018: Match preview of Delhi vs Kolkata The thirteenth clash of Indian Premier League 2018 will be between Kolkata and Delhi at the Eden Garden Stadium in a humid temperature (likely to rain) but still, it is expected that it is going to be a full house clash as the support for Kolkata team at their home ground has been immense.

WION evening news brief, April 16, 2018

As Narendra Modi lands <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/modi-heads-to-sweden-clean-technologies-skill-development-india-needs-what-nordic-countries-can-teach-it-130739">in Sweden in a few hours</a>, he will be received by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the airport as an ''exceptional gesture'', said &nbsp;Monika Mohta Indian ambassador to Sweden and Latvia.

Modi&nbsp;will be reaching Stockholm on Monday&nbsp;evening.&nbsp;PM Modi is on a five-day official visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom.

"An exceptional gesture is being made by Sweden. Swedish Prime Minister will go, for the first time ever, to receive any foreign dignitary at the airport. We are proud of the fact that he will be there to receive our prime minister'', said Monika Mohta.

The Indian ambassador called it a "historic visit" since this would be the&nbsp;first prime ministerial visit from India to Sweden after 30 years. India's late&nbsp;PM Rajiv Gandhi&nbsp;visited Sweden in 1988.

Mohta added that a busy schedule has been lined up for the PM. On the agenda will be issues such as innovation and technology.

During the course of this visit, Modi is scheduled to participate in first ever India-Nordic Summit and this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London.

On Tuesday, Modi and his Swedish counterpart, Stefan Lofven will hold a bilateral summit during which bilateral, regional and global issues are expected to be discussed.

During Modi's visit, an India-Sweden Innovation Partnership is also expected to&nbsp;launch&nbsp;first ever India-Nordic Summit, where, apart from Modi and Lofven, the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway will also be present.

After attending the summit PM Modi will be meeting CEOs of Sweden and will interact with the Indian community.

Modi will leave for the UK on April 17, where he will hold a bilateral summit with UK prime minister Theresa May.

<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/fMUcOk88mlk" width="560"></iframe>

'An exceptional gesture is being made by Sweden. Swedish Prime Minister will go, for the first time ever, to receive any foreign dignitary at the airport. We are proud of the fact that he will be there to receive our prime minister', said Monika Mohta

As Narendra Modi lands in Sweden in a few hours, he will be received by Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven at the airport as an ''exceptional gesture'', said Monika Mohta Indian ambassador to Sweden and Latvia. Modi will be reaching Stockholm on Monday evening. PM Modi is on a five-day official visit to Sweden and the United Kingdom. "An exceptional gesture is being made by Sweden. Swedish Prime Minister will go, for the first time ever, to receive any foreign dignitary at the airport. We are proud of the fact that he will be there to receive our prime minister'', said Monika Mohta. The Indian ambassador called it a "historic visit" since this would be the first prime ministerial visit from India to Sweden after 30 years. India's late PM Rajiv Gandhi visited Sweden in 1988. Mohta added that a busy schedule has been lined up for the PM. On the agenda will be issues such as innovation and technology. During the course of this visit, Modi is scheduled to participate in first ever India-Nordic Summit and this year's Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London. On Tuesday, Modi and his Swedish counterpart, Stefan Lofven will hold a bilateral summit during which bilateral, regional and global issues are expected to be discussed. During Modi's visit, an India-Sweden Innovation Partnership is also expected to launch first ever India-Nordic Summit, where, apart from Modi and Lofven, the Prime Ministers of the other four Nordic countries of Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Norway will also be present. After attending the summit PM Modi will be meeting CEOs of Sweden and will interact with the Indian community. Modi will leave for the UK on April 17, where he will hold a bilateral summit with UK prime minister Theresa May.

In a first, Swedish PM Stefan Lofven  to receive Modi at airport

A Remote tribal village in Amravati's Bulumgavhan in Maharashtra got electrified after 70 years of independence.

The initiative has been taken under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana - 'Saubhagya'.

According to reports, around 105 homes have received electricity in the village.

One of the villagers said, "It was difficult when there was no electricity, our children could not study after it turned dark. We are very happy now."

The village sets an ideal example of collective efforts of the Government administration and villagers.

With the population of just over 500, nearest town from the village is at the distance of 112 Km.

Rural Development Fellows Scheme under the Government played a key role in the development. The villagers looked rejoiced and filled with enthusiasm with the development.

The initiative has been taken under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana - 'Saubhagya'

A Remote tribal village in Amravati's Bulumgavhan in Maharashtra got electrified after 70 years of independence. The initiative has been taken under the Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana - 'Saubhagya'. According to reports, around 105 homes have received electricity in the village. One of the villagers said, "It was difficult when there was no electricity, our children could not study after it turned dark. We are very happy now." The village sets an ideal example of collective efforts of the Government administration and villagers. With the population of just over 500, nearest town from the village is at the distance of 112 Km. Rural Development Fellows Scheme under the Government played a key role in the development. The villagers looked rejoiced and filled with enthusiasm with the development.

Maharashtra tribal village gets electricity after 70 years of independence

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday broke his silence on the Unnao and Kathua rape cases and said that those who commit crimes against women will not be spared.

''Incidents being discussed since past two days cannot be part of a civilised society. As a country, as a society, we all are ashamed of it. I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice,'' Modi said during the inauguration of Dr Ambedkar National Memorial in New Delhi.&nbsp;

The Prime Minister said the people of the country need to work together to free the society from the evil of rape and sexual violence against women. For this, he said, change should begin with the family by inculcating social values in the children.

"When a daughter comes home late, we're quick to ask them where they have been. But when a son returns late at night, we should ask them the same question," he said.

Both Unnao and Kathua rape allegations have shocked the nation and several political leaders and activists have questioned the silence of Modi and several BJP leaders on the issue. &nbsp;

The Prime Minister said the people of the country need to work together to free the society from the evil of rape and sexual violence against women.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday broke his silence on the Unnao and Kathua rape cases and said that those who commit crimes against women will not be spared. ''Incidents being discussed since past two days cannot be part of a civilised society. As a country, as a society, we all are ashamed of it. I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice,'' Modi said during the inauguration of Dr Ambedkar National Memorial in New Delhi. The Prime Minister said the people of the country need to work together to free the society from the evil of rape and sexual violence against women. For this, he said, change should begin with the family by inculcating social values in the children. "When a daughter comes home late, we're quick to ask them where they have been. But when a son returns late at night, we should ask them the same question," he said. Both Unnao and Kathua rape allegations have shocked the nation and several political leaders and activists have questioned the silence of Modi and several BJP leaders on the issue.

Modi breaks silence on Unnao, Kathua rape cases; says 'Our daughters will get justice'

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the BJP government strengthened the law against atrocities on Dalits.&nbsp;

Speaking after dedicating the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial to the nation in New Delhi, Modi said ''In 2015, we strengthened the law against atrocities on Dalits. We have increased the number of crimes against Dalits enlisted in the law from 22 to 47.''&nbsp;

Modi also came down heavily on the previous Congress government for not recognising the contribution of Dr. Ambedkar to the country and said that Congress insulted Baba Saheb .&nbsp;

''Congress used all its power to remove any mention of Baba Saheb from the country's history. This is the bitter truth of history that when Baba Saheb was alive, Congress left no stone unturned to insult him,''Modi said.&nbsp;

After Atal Ji's government, when Congress came to power they closed the files related to this project, Modi said and added that when he was given a chance to serve people in 2014, he dug out the files and worked on it.&nbsp;

Many governments came to power after independence but what should have been done much before has happened now, after decades, Modi noted. This memorial is a tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, he further said during his address.&nbsp;

Baba Saheb would not have imagined that after independence govt with a working culture of 'latkana, atkana & bhatkana' will come to power. In the last 4 years our government has re-started work on programs and schemes that have been pending for many-many years, Modi said.&nbsp;

Earlier Modi interacted with the Delhi metro commuters and posed for selfies on his way to 26, Alipur Road, where he dedicated Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial to the nation.&nbsp;

'Congress used all its power to remove any mention of Baba Saheb from the country's history. This is the bitter truth of history that when Baba Saheb was alive, Congress left no stone unturned to insult him,' Modi said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the BJP government strengthened the law against atrocities on Dalits. Speaking after dedicating the Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial to the nation in New Delhi, Modi said ''In 2015, we strengthened the law against atrocities on Dalits. We have increased the number of crimes against Dalits enlisted in the law from 22 to 47.'' Modi also came down heavily on the previous Congress government for not recognising the contribution of Dr. Ambedkar to the country and said that Congress insulted Baba Saheb . ''Congress used all its power to remove any mention of Baba Saheb from the country's history. This is the bitter truth of history that when Baba Saheb was alive, Congress left no stone unturned to insult him,''Modi said. After Atal Ji's government, when Congress came to power they closed the files related to this project, Modi said and added that when he was given a chance to serve people in 2014, he dug out the files and worked on it. Many governments came to power after independence but what should have been done much before has happened now, after decades, Modi noted. This memorial is a tribute to Baba Saheb Ambedkar, he further said during his address. Baba Saheb would not have imagined that after independence govt with a working culture of 'latkana, atkana & bhatkana' will come to power. In the last 4 years our government has re-started work on programs and schemes that have been pending for many-many years, Modi said. Earlier Modi interacted with the Delhi metro commuters and posed for selfies on his way to 26, Alipur Road, where he dedicated Dr. Ambedkar National Memorial to the nation.

BJP government strengthened law against atrocities on Dalits: Modi

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of the State.

“Hon PM sir, there isn’t a day when we don’t hear you speak about things that are important to you yet there are times when you are completely silent about things that are important to others,” he tweeted.

Abdullah requested the Prime Minister not to let the girl be “someone you choose to remain silent about”.

Abdullah also asked the ministers who supported the killers and threatened the police not to make arrests in the case to step down and said that they have no right to stay in the cabinet.

''Ministers who supported the killers of Kathua rape and murder case victim and threatened police not to make arrests have no right to stay in the cabinet. Mehbooba Mufti should take action just like she took against Haseeb Drabu (ex J&K FM), whose crime wasn't this heinous,'' Omar Abdullah said.&nbsp;

The rape and killing of the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, has become a national issue. Details of the crime surfaced following filing of charges.

The girl had disappeared from a spot near her house close to Rasana village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area.

A Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the incident, has arrested eight people, including two special police officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence.

 
&nbsp;

“Hon PM sir, there isn’t a day when we don’t hear you speak about things that are important to you yet there are times when you are completely silent about things that are important to others,” he tweeted.

Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence over the rape and killing of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district of the State. “Hon PM sir, there isn’t a day when we don’t hear you speak about things that are important to you yet there are times when you are completely silent about things that are important to others,” he tweeted. Abdullah requested the Prime Minister not to let the girl be “someone you choose to remain silent about”. Abdullah also asked the ministers who supported the killers and threatened the police not to make arrests in the case to step down and said that they have no right to stay in the cabinet. ''Ministers who supported the killers of Kathua rape and murder case victim and threatened police not to make arrests have no right to stay in the cabinet. Mehbooba Mufti should take action just like she took against Haseeb Drabu (ex J&K FM), whose crime wasn't this heinous,'' Omar Abdullah said. The rape and killing of the girl, who belonged to the nomadic Bakerwal Muslim community, has become a national issue. Details of the crime surfaced following filing of charges. The girl had disappeared from a spot near her house close to Rasana village in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua on January 10. A week later, her body was found in the same area. A Special Investigation Team, formed to probe the incident, has arrested eight people, including two special police officers (SPOs) and a head constable, who was charged with destroying evidence.

Kathua rape and murder: Omar Abdullah asks PM Modi to break silence

As PM Narendra began his fast on Thursday, Union minister Piyush Goyal began&nbsp;observing a fast in Thane, Maharashtra along with other party leaders as a protest against the Parliament "washout"&nbsp;during the Budget session.

In Delhi, several BJP leaders observed fast in the Townhall.

''The way in which Congress & other opposition parties did not let the Budget session run, is condemnable, to say the least," Piyush Goyal said.

BJP MPs in Bengaluru have also been&nbsp;observing&nbsp;a day-long fast over the disruption in Parliament during the Budget session.

Meanwhile, Narendra Modi is observing a day-long fast along as he announced yesterday. He continued his day on fast while inaugurating the DefExpo at Mahabalipuram.

Party president Amit Shah will take part in a sit-in at Hubli-Dharwad against the Siddaramaiah government in poll-bound Karnataka.

The BJP has blamed Congress for practising divisive politics accusing it of taking parliamentary proceedings "to a new low".

On last day of budget session PM Modi had announced his decision to observe a fast and urged all his BJP parliamentarians to do the same.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had responded saying "farce of a fast by the Modi government and BJP".

Congress said BJP should be on a fast to seek an apology over issues like banking frauds, CBSE paper leak and dilution of SC/ST Act.

BJP MPs in Bengaluru as well are observing a fast in over the parliament disruptions during the budget session

As PM Narendra began his fast on Thursday, Union minister Piyush Goyal began observing a fast in Thane, Maharashtra along with other party leaders as a protest against the Parliament "washout" during the Budget session. In Delhi, several BJP leaders observed fast in the Townhall. ''The way in which Congress & other opposition parties did not let the Budget session run, is condemnable, to say the least," Piyush Goyal said. BJP MPs in Bengaluru have also been observing a day-long fast over the disruption in Parliament during the Budget session. Meanwhile, Narendra Modi is observing a day-long fast along as he announced yesterday. He continued his day on fast while inaugurating the DefExpo at Mahabalipuram. Party president Amit Shah will take part in a sit-in at Hubli-Dharwad against the Siddaramaiah government in poll-bound Karnataka. The BJP has blamed Congress for practising divisive politics accusing it of taking parliamentary proceedings "to a new low". On last day of budget session PM Modi had announced his decision to observe a fast and urged all his BJP parliamentarians to do the same. Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala had responded saying "farce of a fast by the Modi government and BJP". Congress said BJP should be on a fast to seek an apology over issues like banking frauds, CBSE paper leak and dilution of SC/ST Act.

BJP MPs in Bengaluru, Maharashtra & Delhi observe fast along with Modi

Amid fasting over the "washout" of the Budget session of Parliament, PM Modi today inaugurated the&nbsp;DefExpo at Mahabalipuram even as&nbsp;political parties staged protests&nbsp;over the Cauvery issue on Thursday.

Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader Velmurugan and other protesters were detained by police as they were protesting outside the airport when PM Modi arrived in Chennai.&nbsp;

The Cauvery issue has become the focal point of attention in the city even hitting the cricket IPL with the BCCI on Wednesday deciding to shift the venue for the Chennai matches due to the ongoing Cauvery agitation.

"Over 40 countries have sent their delegation to the event,"&nbsp;PM Modi said at the event, adding that India has one of the largest peacekeeping forces in the world.&nbsp;

"Commitment to peace is a commitment to our people,"&nbsp;the PM said while speaking at the event. "It is wonderful to see 500 firms at this Expo," the PM said.

"We are taking all steps to equip our forces,"&nbsp;he added.

"We have increased FDI in defence to 49 per cent,"&nbsp;Modi said at the event, adding that India is committed to building defence corridors.

"The defence corridors will be made in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu,"&nbsp;PM Modi&nbsp;informed. "Make in India will boost innovation," he said.

"We encourage defence-based startups, we want to transform not tinker," PM Modi declared.&nbsp;

Speaking at the DefExpo,&nbsp;Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said&nbsp;50 per cent of Expo manufacturers consisted of Indians, most of them small and medium industries.

According to the Defence Ministry, over 670 defence firms including 154 foreign manufacturers are participating in the exhibition of weapons and military hardware.

It is being attended by official delegations from over 47 countries including the US, the UK, Russia, Afghanistan and Sweden, Finland, Italy, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nepal, Portugal, Seychelles and Vietnam.

Heavy security measures have been put in&nbsp;place in the city over&nbsp;PM Modi's visit.&nbsp;There were reports of protests near the airport in Alandur area.

Earlier this week, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth had called for IPL venue to be shifted out of Chennai in view of the ongoing Cauvery row and the plight of the farmers.

Rajinikanth had said&nbsp;he felt "embarrassed" that the IPL matches are being held in the city. The BCCI confirmed on Wednesday evening that Chennai will no longer host the IPL matches in the city as a result.

Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth had called for IPL venue to be shifted out of Chennai in view of the ongoing Cauvery row and the plight of the farmers.

Amid fasting over the "washout" of the Budget session of Parliament, PM Modi today inaugurated the DefExpo at Mahabalipuram even as political parties staged protests over the Cauvery issue on Thursday. Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi leader Velmurugan and other protesters were detained by police as they were protesting outside the airport when PM Modi arrived in Chennai. The Cauvery issue has become the focal point of attention in the city even hitting the cricket IPL with the BCCI on Wednesday deciding to shift the venue for the Chennai matches due to the ongoing Cauvery agitation. "Over 40 countries have sent their delegation to the event," PM Modi said at the event, adding that India has one of the largest peacekeeping forces in the world. "Commitment to peace is a commitment to our people," the PM said while speaking at the event. "It is wonderful to see 500 firms at this Expo," the PM said. "We are taking all steps to equip our forces," he added. "We have increased FDI in defence to 49 per cent," Modi said at the event, adding that India is committed to building defence corridors. "The defence corridors will be made in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu," PM Modi informed. "Make in India will boost innovation," he said. "We encourage defence-based startups, we want to transform not tinker," PM Modi declared. Speaking at the DefExpo, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said 50 per cent of Expo manufacturers consisted of Indians, most of them small and medium industries. According to the Defence Ministry, over 670 defence firms including 154 foreign manufacturers are participating in the exhibition of weapons and military hardware. It is being attended by official delegations from over 47 countries including the US, the UK, Russia, Afghanistan and Sweden, Finland, Italy, Madagascar, Myanmar, Nepal, Portugal, Seychelles and Vietnam. Heavy security measures have been put in place in the city over PM Modi's visit. There were reports of protests near the airport in Alandur area. Earlier this week, actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth had called for IPL venue to be shifted out of Chennai in view of the ongoing Cauvery row and the plight of the farmers. Rajinikanth had said he felt "embarrassed" that the IPL matches are being held in the city. The BCCI confirmed on Wednesday evening that Chennai will no longer host the IPL matches in the city as a result.

At DefExpo, PM Modi says India will build defence corridors

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Chennai, actor Kamal Haasan released a video on Twitter where he sought justice for Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery issue.

"People of Tamil Nadu are fighting for justice. Justice has been given but it is not being executed. People have started to believe that this delay is due to Karnataka elections, and your interest in it. I want this belief to be dispelled for people are more important than elections," Haasan said in his video.

"With your previous experiment with Narmada Water Authority, you could easily deliver the justice that Tamil Nadu is asking," Haasan said. "Please do justice with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," he added in nearly 2-minute-long video.

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To my Honourable Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KamalAppealToPM?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KamalAppealToPM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://t.co/FXlM7dDO9x">pic.twitter.com/FXlM7dDO9x</a>
— Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) <a href="https://twitter.com/ikamalhaasan/status/984299305182806016?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Though the PM is in Chennai to <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/protests-in-chennai-over-cauvery-row-as-pm-modi-arrives-in-city-129994">inaugurate the DefExpo</a>, political parties have chosen his visit as an occasion to stage protests over the Cauvery issue.

Since April 1, the state has been witnessing protests by political parties, pro-Tamil outfits, student groups and voluntary organisations seeking setting up of the Cauvery Management Board.

Last week, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth had said that Centre would <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cauvery-row-rajinikanth-says-centre-will-earn-tamil-nadus-wrath-if-it-drags-feet-galaxy-of-actors-at-protest-129097">earn the wrath of Tamil Nadu people</a> if it fails to constitute the Cauvery Management Board on an urgent basis. Rajinikanth, along with other actors like Kamal Haasan, Dhanush, Vijay, Surya, Sathyaraj, Sivakumar, Nassar, Vishal, Karthi and Sivakarthikeyan took part in a day-long protest over demand for formation of the board.

The ongoing protests over the issue have led the shifting of <a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/cauvery-protests-all-matches-moved-out-of-chennai-confirms-ipl-chairman-129912">Indian Premier League matches out of Chennai</a> due to security reasons. Three policemen are attacked during an anti-IPL protest over the Cauvery issue on Wednesday after which the decision was taken to move all the matches from Chennai to Pune.

On February 16, the Supreme Court had raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin.

The court had granted six weeks time to the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page judgement on the decades-old Cauvery dispute, which modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award of 2007.

The six-week period ended on March 29.

Since April 1, the state has been witnessing protests by political parties, pro-Tamil outfits, student groups and voluntary organisations seeking setting up of the Cauvery Management Board.

As Prime Minister Narendra Modi reached Chennai, actor Kamal Haasan released a video on Twitter where he sought justice for Tamil Nadu on the Cauvery issue. "People of Tamil Nadu are fighting for justice. Justice has been given but it is not being executed. People have started to believe that this delay is due to Karnataka elections, and your interest in it. I want this belief to be dispelled for people are more important than elections," Haasan said in his video. "With your previous experiment with Narmada Water Authority, you could easily deliver the justice that Tamil Nadu is asking," Haasan said. "Please do justice with Tamil Nadu and Karnataka," he added in nearly 2-minute-long video. To my Honourable Prime Minister #KamalAppealToPM @narendramodi @PMOIndia pic.twitter.com/FXlM7dDO9x — Kamal Haasan (@ikamalhaasan) April 12, 2018 × Though the PM is in Chennai to inaugurate the DefExpo, political parties have chosen his visit as an occasion to stage protests over the Cauvery issue. Since April 1, the state has been witnessing protests by political parties, pro-Tamil outfits, student groups and voluntary organisations seeking setting up of the Cauvery Management Board. Last week, Tamil superstar Rajinikanth had said that Centre would earn the wrath of Tamil Nadu people if it fails to constitute the Cauvery Management Board on an urgent basis. Rajinikanth, along with other actors like Kamal Haasan, Dhanush, Vijay, Surya, Sathyaraj, Sivakumar, Nassar, Vishal, Karthi and Sivakarthikeyan took part in a day-long protest over demand for formation of the board. The ongoing protests over the issue have led the shifting of Indian Premier League matches out of Chennai due to security reasons. Three policemen are attacked during an anti-IPL protest over the Cauvery issue on Wednesday after which the decision was taken to move all the matches from Chennai to Pune. On February 16, the Supreme Court had raised the 270 tmcft share of Cauvery water for Karnataka by 14.75 tmcft and reduced Tamil Nadu's share while compensating it by allowing extraction of 10 tmcft groundwater from the river basin. The court had granted six weeks time to the Centre to formulate a scheme to ensure compliance of its 465-page judgement on the decades-old Cauvery dispute, which modified the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal award of 2007. The six-week period ended on March 29.

Cauvery issue: Kamal Haasan seeks 'justice for Tamil Nadu' in video message to PM Modi

The Unnao gang rape case has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation after the intervention of the Prime Minister's Office, ANI reported Thursday quoting sources.&nbsp;

An Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA is the main accused in the gang rape case.&nbsp;

Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been booked by UP Police on various charges including rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation in connection with the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl.&nbsp;

The police have however refused to arrest him, saying the CBI will do it.&nbsp;

The case came to light after the girl and her family tried to commit suicide outside UP Chier Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence recently.&nbsp;

A few days later the girl's father died, reportedly in police custody.&nbsp;

It was after that that Adityanath said his government would take action, and that nobody — no matter how powerful — would be spared.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Police have booked BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for rape and kidnapping but have not arrested him, saying the CBI will do it

The Unnao gang rape case has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation after the intervention of the Prime Minister's Office, ANI reported Thursday quoting sources. An Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA is the main accused in the gang rape case. Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been booked by UP Police on various charges including rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation in connection with the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl. The police have however refused to arrest him, saying the CBI will do it. The case came to light after the girl and her family tried to commit suicide outside UP Chier Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence recently. A few days later the girl's father died, reportedly in police custody. It was after that that Adityanath said his government would take action, and that nobody — no matter how powerful — would be spared.

Unnao gang rape case handed over to CBI after intervention of Prime Minister's Office: Sources

Priyanka Chopra is in India for a brief visit and the actress is making the most of it. On Wednesday, dressed in a white traditional outfit, the actress met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in regards to an upcoming conference of Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH). 
 
The actress posted a photo with PM Modi on her Instagram page informing her followers about the meet.&nbsp 
 
She, along with the delegation, including Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and former President of Chile and incoming chair of PMNCH Board Michelle Bachelet, invited the Prime Minister to join the upcoming PMNCH Partners` Forum, to be held in New Delhi on December 12-13. 
 
In her post, the actor, who is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, expressed gratitude to PM Modi for meeting them and described the conversation with the Prime Minister as "insightful". 
"Very grateful to the honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to meet me, Shri J.P. Nadda (Indian Health Minister) and Mrs. Michelle Bachelet, (former President of Chile, incoming #PMNCH Chair) in regards to being a patron for the Partners` Forum which is being held in New Delhi in December this year. The aim is very important - the improvement and transformation of access to quality healthcare at at every life stage for women, children and adolescents, in an effort to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030," she wrote in her post.

"This year, India will play host to the largest ever Partners` Forum, with more than 1,200 delegates from more than 92 countries." 
 
It was an insightful, positive conversation which was very heartening and inspiring because of the personal commitment of everyone at the meeting. We covered a lot of ground from the various efforts being taken by individual countries & partners to building a collective environment that could help propel the change we seek for a better world."We started something important today and I am looking forward to what is being set in motion," the post further read.&nbsp

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<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BhcCY8VAQI1/" style=" color:#000 font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px text-decoration:none word-wrap:break-word" target="_blank">Very grateful to the honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to meet me, Shri J.P. Nadda (Indian Health Minister) and Mrs. Michelle Bachelet, (former President of Chile, incoming #PMNCH Chair) in regards to being a patron for the Partners' Forum which is being held in New Delhi in December this year. The aim is very important - the improvement and transformation of access to quality healthcare at at every life stage for women, children and adolescents, in an effort to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. This year, India will play host to the largest ever Partners' Forum, with more than 1,200 delegates from more than 92 countries. It was an insightful, positive conversation which was very heartening and inspiring because of the personal commitment of everyone at the meeting. We covered a lot of ground from the various efforts being taken by individual countries & partners to building a collective environment that could help propel the change we seek for a better world. We started something important today and I am looking forward to what is being set in motion. @narendramodi #JPNadda #MichelleBachelet #2018PMNCHLive #PMNCH #PartnersForum</a>

<p style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px margin-bottom:0 margin-top:8px overflow:hidden padding:8px 0 7px text-align:center text-overflow:ellipsis white-space:nowrap">A post shared by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/priyankachopra/" style=" color:#c9c8cd font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px font-style:normal font-weight:normal line-height:17px" target="_blank"> Priyanka Chopra</a> (@priyankachopra) on <time datetime="2018-04-11T17:11:52+00:00" style=" font-family:Arial,sans-serif font-size:14px line-height:17px">Apr 11, 2018 at 10:11am PDT</time>
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The actress recently wrapped up shoot for the third season of 'Quantico'. Reports suggest that the actress is keen on taking up a Bollywood project. Rumours also suggest that Priyanka has given her nod to Ali Abbas Zafar for his next film 'Bharat' opposite Salman Khan but there has not been official confirmation on it from the actress so far.

The actress posted a photo with PM Modi on her Instagram page informing her followers about the meet.

Priyanka Chopra is in India for a brief visit and the actress is making the most of it. On Wednesday, dressed in a white traditional outfit, the actress met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in regards to an upcoming conference of Partnership for Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (PMNCH). The actress posted a photo with PM Modi on her Instagram page informing her followers about the meet. She, along with the delegation, including Union Health Minister J.P. Nadda and former President of Chile and incoming chair of PMNCH Board Michelle Bachelet, invited the Prime Minister to join the upcoming PMNCH Partners` Forum, to be held in New Delhi on December 12-13. In her post, the actor, who is also a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador, expressed gratitude to PM Modi for meeting them and described the conversation with the Prime Minister as "insightful". "Very grateful to the honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to meet me, Shri J.P. Nadda (Indian Health Minister) and Mrs. Michelle Bachelet, (former President of Chile, incoming #PMNCH Chair) in regards to being a patron for the Partners` Forum which is being held in New Delhi in December this year. The aim is very important - the improvement and transformation of access to quality healthcare at at every life stage for women, children and adolescents, in an effort to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030," she wrote in her post. "This year, India will play host to the largest ever Partners` Forum, with more than 1,200 delegates from more than 92 countries." It was an insightful, positive conversation which was very heartening and inspiring because of the personal commitment of everyone at the meeting. We covered a lot of ground from the various efforts being taken by individual countries & partners to building a collective environment that could help propel the change we seek for a better world."We started something important today and I am looking forward to what is being set in motion," the post further read. Very grateful to the honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi to meet me, Shri J.P. Nadda (Indian Health Minister) and Mrs. Michelle Bachelet, (former President of Chile, incoming #PMNCH Chair) in regards to being a patron for the Partners' Forum which is being held in New Delhi in December this year. The aim is very important - the improvement and transformation of access to quality healthcare at at every life stage for women, children and adolescents, in an effort to help achieve the Sustainable Development Goals in 2030. This year, India will play host to the largest ever Partners' Forum, with more than 1,200 delegates from more than 92 countries. It was an insightful, positive conversation which was very heartening and inspiring because of the personal commitment of everyone at the meeting. We covered a lot of ground from the various efforts being taken by individual countries & partners to building a collective environment that could help propel the change we seek for a better world. We started something important today and I am looking forward to what is being set in motion. @narendramodi #JPNadda #MichelleBachelet #2018PMNCHLive #PMNCH #PartnersForum A post shared by Priyanka Chopra (@priyankachopra) on Apr 11, 2018 at 10:11am PDT × The actress recently wrapped up shoot for the third season of 'Quantico'. Reports suggest that the actress is keen on taking up a Bollywood project. Rumours also suggest that Priyanka has given her nod to Ali Abbas Zafar for his next film 'Bharat' opposite Salman Khan but there has not been official confirmation on it from the actress so far.

Priyanka Chopra meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/indian-economy-to-grow-at-73-per-cent-this-fiscal-76-per-cent-in-2019-20-asian-development-bank-129728'">Indian economy to grow at 7.3 </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/indian-economy-to-grow-at-73-per-cent-this-fiscal-76-per-cent-in-2019-20-asian-development-bank-129728'">per cent</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/indian-economy-to-grow-at-73-per-cent-this-fiscal-76-per-cent-in-2019-20-asian-development-bank-129728'"> this fiscal, 7.6 </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/indian-economy-to-grow-at-73-per-cent-this-fiscal-76-per-cent-in-2019-20-asian-development-bank-129728'">per cent</a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/business-&-economy/indian-economy-to-grow-at-73-per-cent-this-fiscal-76-per-cent-in-2019-20-asian-development-bank-129728'"> in 2019-20: Asian Development Bank</a>

Manila-based Asian Development Bank(ADB) today projected India's economic growth to pick up to 7.3 per cent this fiscal.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/south-asia/facebook-needs-to-do-more-to-stop-hate-speech-in-myanmar-says-zuckerberg-to-us-lawmakers-129710">Facebook needs to do more to stop hate speech in Myanmar,' says Zuckerberg to US lawmakers</a>

Embattled Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg faced a US congressional committee over data leak to Cambridge Analytica on Tuesday.

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-bjp-lawmakers-to-fast-tomorrow-over-parliament-washout-129708">PM Modi, BJP lawmakers to fast tomorrow over Parliament 'washout'</a>

Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with BJP lawmakers will be observing a day-long fast on Thursday in Delhi against the recent Parliment washout by the opposition parties.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/ipl-2018-jadeja-hits-second-last-ball-six-to-give-chennai-its-2nd-win-129701">IPL 2018: Jadeja hits second last ball six to give Chennai its 2nd win</a>

Ravindra Jadeja hit a six at the second last ball of the match to give Chennai its second win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018.&nbsp;

<a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-roma-crush-barcelona-enter-semi-final-129717">Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter </a><a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/champions-league-roma-crush-barcelona-enter-semi-final-129717">semi-final</a>

AS Roma made a historic comeback in the Champions League encounter against Barcelona dumping the former champions with an impressive 3-0 scoreline.

Indian economy to grow at 7.3 per cent this fiscal, 7.6 per cent in 2019-20: Asian Development Bank Manila-based Asian Development Bank(ADB) today projected India's economic growth to pick up to 7.3 per cent this fiscal. Facebook needs to do more to stop hate speech in Myanmar,' says Zuckerberg to US lawmakers Embattled Facebook chief Mark Zuckerberg faced a US congressional committee over data leak to Cambridge Analytica on Tuesday. PM Modi, BJP lawmakers to fast tomorrow over Parliament 'washout' Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with BJP lawmakers will be observing a day-long fast on Thursday in Delhi against the recent Parliment washout by the opposition parties. IPL 2018: Jadeja hits second last ball six to give Chennai its 2nd win Ravindra Jadeja hit a six at the second last ball of the match to give Chennai its second win in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018. Champions League: Roma crush Barcelona, enter semi-final AS Roma made a historic comeback in the Champions League encounter against Barcelona dumping the former champions with an impressive 3-0 scoreline.

WION Morning News Brief,  April 11, 2018

The Congress today dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed hunger strike over the non-functioning of parliament as a "photo-op", even as the party demanded sacking of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Unnao rape case.

Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the proposed fast by the BJP MPs led by the prime minister tomorrow was a "drama", adding that time has come for the PM to take 'sanyas' (retirement).

"It is only a photo opportunity. The BJP did not allow the parliament, the country's temple of democracy, to function when they were in the opposition and neither are they allowing it to function now when they are in power.

"Prime Minister ji, it is not the time to observe fast, in view of your failures... It is time to take retirement instead. If you do not wake up now, you should understand that the time of your retirement will come in 2019 when people will vote you out," he said.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi earlier today hit out at the Centre over the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman by a BJP MLA and the custodial death of her father in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district.

"The brutality unleashed on a father seeking justice for his daughter in Uttar Pradesh has shamed humanity. I hope the prime minister will soon observe a fast over the atrocities committed on women, failure of law and order and rising anarchy under the BJP rule," he tweeted in Hindi.

Gandhi also posted a purported video in which the victim's father is seen speaking against the BJP MLA.

The video, in which the victim's father alleged that he was mercilessly beaten up by the MLA's brother and others, went viral and was shown by several TV channels.

Surjewala said justice for women in BJP-ruled states had become a "mirage" as the "BJP's eco-system is influencing the legal process by building a false narrative".

"Exploiting the religion/caste of the rape victim, threatening her family, even killing her father is the new modus operandi of the vigilante groups mushrooming under the patronage of the BJP!

"Rampant abuse of political power to influence and subvert legal process and shield is the chief characteristic of the BJP which politically exploited the Nirbhaya rape case, and is now doing the same with rape cases in Kathua (J&K) and Unnao (UP)," he said.

Taking a dig at the BJP's popular slogans on saving the girl child, the Congress communications in-charge said, "'Beti Bachao' has now become 'Beti Ke Pita Ko Bhi Marwao' and the slogan of 'Bahut Hua Naari Par Vaar..' is now a cruel joke on the women of India".

He also hit out at the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for withdrawing a 7-year-old rape case against former MoS Chinamayanand in the Vajpayee government.

"If 'goondas' (hooligans) are going to be protected in this fashion by UP chief minister and the BJP government, he has no right to continue as the chief minister," Surjewala alleged.

"Ever since he (Adityanath) has taken over, number of rape cases have gone up by 36 per cent in the northern state. Incidents of rape between April 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 stand at 15,000," he said.

The Congress leader also cited the data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stating that Uttar Pradesh topped the country in 2016 with 4,816 cases of rape. The other two states with the highest rates of crime against women were Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, both ruled by the BJP, he said.

Surjewala added that 803 incidents of rape and 729 murders were reported in the first two months of Adityanath's tenure.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi earlier today hit out at the Centre over the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman by a BJP MLA and the custodial death of her father in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district.

The Congress today dismissed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's proposed hunger strike over the non-functioning of parliament as a "photo-op", even as the party demanded sacking of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the Unnao rape case. Congress communications in-charge Randeep Surjewala said the proposed fast by the BJP MPs led by the prime minister tomorrow was a "drama", adding that time has come for the PM to take 'sanyas' (retirement). "It is only a photo opportunity. The BJP did not allow the parliament, the country's temple of democracy, to function when they were in the opposition and neither are they allowing it to function now when they are in power. "Prime Minister ji, it is not the time to observe fast, in view of your failures... It is time to take retirement instead. If you do not wake up now, you should understand that the time of your retirement will come in 2019 when people will vote you out," he said. Congress president Rahul Gandhi earlier today hit out at the Centre over the alleged rape of an 18-year-old woman by a BJP MLA and the custodial death of her father in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district. "The brutality unleashed on a father seeking justice for his daughter in Uttar Pradesh has shamed humanity. I hope the prime minister will soon observe a fast over the atrocities committed on women, failure of law and order and rising anarchy under the BJP rule," he tweeted in Hindi. Gandhi also posted a purported video in which the victim's father is seen speaking against the BJP MLA. The video, in which the victim's father alleged that he was mercilessly beaten up by the MLA's brother and others, went viral and was shown by several TV channels. Surjewala said justice for women in BJP-ruled states had become a "mirage" as the "BJP's eco-system is influencing the legal process by building a false narrative". "Exploiting the religion/caste of the rape victim, threatening her family, even killing her father is the new modus operandi of the vigilante groups mushrooming under the patronage of the BJP! "Rampant abuse of political power to influence and subvert legal process and shield is the chief characteristic of the BJP which politically exploited the Nirbhaya rape case, and is now doing the same with rape cases in Kathua (J&K) and Unnao (UP)," he said. Taking a dig at the BJP's popular slogans on saving the girl child, the Congress communications in-charge said, "'Beti Bachao' has now become 'Beti Ke Pita Ko Bhi Marwao' and the slogan of 'Bahut Hua Naari Par Vaar..' is now a cruel joke on the women of India". He also hit out at the BJP-led Uttar Pradesh government for withdrawing a 7-year-old rape case against former MoS Chinamayanand in the Vajpayee government. "If 'goondas' (hooligans) are going to be protected in this fashion by UP chief minister and the BJP government, he has no right to continue as the chief minister," Surjewala alleged. "Ever since he (Adityanath) has taken over, number of rape cases have gone up by 36 per cent in the northern state. Incidents of rape between April 1, 2017 and January 31, 2018 stand at 15,000," he said. The Congress leader also cited the data of National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) stating that Uttar Pradesh topped the country in 2016 with 4,816 cases of rape. The other two states with the highest rates of crime against women were Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, both ruled by the BJP, he said. Surjewala added that 803 incidents of rape and 729 murders were reported in the first two months of Adityanath's tenure.

Congress terms PM's fast 'photo-op'; seeks UP CM's resignation

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