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Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held talks with Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena on the sidelines of the fourth BIMSTEC Summit here.
“Good and positive exchange of views on strengthening development cooperation and other areas of bilateral relationship (between India and Sri Lanka),” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar tweeted.
Modi is also scheduled to meet other heads of state and government taking part in the summit.
(IANS)
The State president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) B S Yeddyurappa, on Wednesday, August 29, alleged that the state government was tapping his and Congress leader Siddaramiah’s phones.
Speaking to the media, Yeddyurappa said, “There is no doubt that my phone is being tapped. Siddarmaiah and other leaders’ private conversations are also tapped,” and warned the state government to stop it immediately or face the consequences.
He also said that several top leaders of the Congress and officials were in touch with him about pledging allegiance to the BJP.
Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy denied these allegations. Speaking to the media at Ramanagar, the CM said that he was ready for an inquiry into the matter. “BJP is in power at the Centre. Let Yeddyurappa complain to the central government about the matter. I am ready to take action if any wrongdoings are found,” he added.
The government has instructed all the regional commissioners, zonal police inspectors, district administration and police superintendents that no lender should force or harass the debtors who belong to below the poverty line farmer families.
Based on Chief Minister Kumaraswamy’s instructions, Chief Secretary T M Vijaya Bhaskar has issued a circular to this effect.
The state cabinet had passed the “Karnataka Debt Relief Bill 2018”, in a move to ease the financial burden on small farmers, agricultural labourers and other weaker sections of the society.
This follows pre-election assurances made by Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on behalf of his party Janata Dal (Secular) of making farmers “debt free.”
Accordingly, the government has now instructed all the authorities to ensure that no lender will harass or force any debtors who belong to below the poverty line farmer families.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday spoke to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio and took stock of the flood and landslides situation in the state and assured him that the NDRF will be sent for rescue and relief operations.
Rio briefed Rajnath Singh about the latest situation in the state.
The Home Minister spoke to the Chief Minister a day after he sought the Centre’s help following incessant rain in the state since July that has caused floods and landslides in several areas there claiming at least 12 lives and rendering thousands homeless.
“Nagaland needs your help. Incessant rain has caused floods and landslides in several parts of the state and has affected many,” Rio tweeted on Wednesday.
Following the interaction between the two, Rajnath Singh tweeted: “Spoke to Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio regarding the situation arising due to floods and landslides in several places of the state. The NDRF teams are being rushed to the state by the MHA to carry out rescue and relief operations.”
A Home Ministry official said that over half a dozen teams of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), comprising 45 personnel each, are being sent to the affected areas in Nagaland.
The colorful exhibition of Akriti was inaugurated by cine actress Kavya Shetty in Hotel Lalit Ashok. Akritti was back to Bengaluru on 29th & Aug, 2018 & 30th Aug. 2018 at Lalit Ashok with special designers from all over India. In recent years Akriti had tie-ups with designers who understand the South Indian market very well and can cater to all the needs of the buyers. As witnessed, Akwriti had the focus on showcasing a range of Designer Wear, Lehengas, Sarees, Suits, Jewellery, Footwear & fashion accessories et al at the most competitive prices. It’s a one stop shop for all the buyers, to fulfil all their shopping needs. With more than 7 years of experience, Akritti with a great come back is all set to rock the Bengaluru Market.
Speaking on the occasion Sashi Nahata – the Exhibition Organizer averred, “The Expo aims at giving a 1 stop solution for visitors with varied artificial jewellery & clothing (Indian aawell as western ) for the festive season.”
Some of the designers are Sheetall Nahata NIFT graduate, REINS from Indore, Sonia Punwani & lehanga specialists Sonali & Deepali from Hyderabad, Simran, Tabu, Inara, from Mumbai, Vismaya from Banaras, Vima from Bangalore, Deepak Khanna, unique fancy sarees from Jaipur, Mandy from Chandigarh, Bobby & Dilip Khemka from Kolkata and more than 60 designers to fulfill everyone’s needs.
Akritti has been a well-known brand for its elite exhibitions in South India. Akritti has won several awards recognitions and in the recent past, it was awarded The “Best Exhibition Award” by Telangana Chamber of Events Industry (TCEI) & “Best Exhibition Organizer” award by Ritz Magazine.
England decided to bat after winning the toss against India in the fourth Test here today.
For the first time in 39 Tests that he has captained, Virat Kohli has fielded an unchanged eleven that won against England at Trent Bridge.
England have included Moeen Ali and Sam Curran in the starting XI.
Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Lokesh Rahul, Ajinkya Rahane, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hardik Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Ravichandran Ashwin, Mohammed Shami, Jasprit Bumrah, Ishant Sharma
England: Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Joe Root (captain), Jonny Bairstow, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (Wicketkeeper), Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Adil Rashid, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.
A Buddhist monk of Bodh Gaya’s Prajna Jyoti Buddhist School and Meditation Centre was on Wednesday taken into custody for alleged sexual abuse of 15 children from Assam, who were studying at the institution.
“The children had complained about the monk to their respective guardians. Also, they informed us that they were thrashed, mistreated and sexually abused while staying in the school. We are investigating the matter now and will take relevant action,” DSP Rajkumar Shah said.
This comes at a time when the Bihar government is being strongly criticised by the Opposition parties over the growing number of cases of sexual harassment in the state.
Earlier this year, Mumbai’s leading research institute -Tata Institute of Social Sciences – stated in a report that the girls are falling prey to sexual abuse at a shelter home in Muzaffarpur.
The police had rescued 44 girls living in the vicinity and had arrested 11 employees working at the shelter home on July 24. The medical reports of twenty-nine girls indicated that sexual contact was established with them.
The Supreme Court today held that a member of a Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community cannot claim the benefit of reservation in government employment in other states if his or her caste is not notified there.
A five-judge Constitution bench headed by Justice Ranjan Gogoi unanimously held that a person belonging to Scheduled Caste in one state cannot be deemed to be a Scheduled Caste in other states where he migrated for the purpose of employment or education.
The bench, which also comprised Justices N V Ramana, R Banumathi, M Shantanagoudar and Justice S A Nazeer, held “A person notified as Scheduled Caste in state A cannot claim the same status in another state on the basis that he is declared as Scheduled Caste in state A.”
Justice Banumathi, however, disagreed with the majority view on the aspect of applicability of central reservation policy on SC/ST in the national capital territory, Delhi.
The bench with a majority of 4:1 held that so far as Delhi is concerned, the central reservation policy regarding SC/ST would be applicable here.
The verdict came on a batch of petitions that had raised the issue whether a SC/ST in one state can seek reservation in another state where his caste is not notified as SC/ST.
The bench was also seized of the question whether SC/ST people of other states can seek quota benefits for government jobs in Delhi.
With the coalition government completing 100 days, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy on Thursday met Congress president Rahul Gandhi and urged him to decide on expanding the state Cabinet.
“I have requested the Congress president to take a decision on the expansion of the Cabinet and appointments to boards and corporations,” Kumaraswamy told reporters here after a brief meeting with Rahul. Kumaraswamy’s discussions with Rahul came on the eve of the JD(S)-Congress Coordination Committee meeting convened to iron out the irritants in the alliance that has cropped up after former chief minister Siddaramaiah’s remarks about returning as chief minister.
“The coalition government is secure under the leadership of Siddaramaiah,” the chief minister said. He said Rahul was happy at the functioning of the coalition government. “Our government is stable and functioning smoothly,” Kumaraswamy said.
The chief minister said he did not complain to Rahul about Siddaramaiah expressing his desire to return to power. “Anybody can aspire to be chief minister. Even R V Deshpande can aspire to become chief minister,” he said referring to the senior Congress leader who was with him. Kumaraswamy said
Siddaramaiah has already clarified that he would become chief minister after the next election if the people desire.
Expelled DMK leader and former Union Minister M.K. Alagiri on Thursday said he will accept his younger brother and party President M.K. Stalin as “leader” — if he was taken back into the party.
Alagiri had publicly stated earlier that he cannot consider anyone as his leader other than the late M. Karunanidhi, his father and party President who died earlier this month.
Alagiri was expelled from the DMK by Karunanidhi for anti-party activities.
Speaking to reporters here, Alagiri said the current leadership of the DMK — a reference to Stalin — was not willing to re-admit him despite his requests.
He said the DMK did not consist just of the General Council, which has elected Stalin as the DMK President, and that “genuine party cadres” were with him.
Asked if he would accept Stalin’s leadership, Alagiri said: “If I am in the party, then I will.”
In a show of strength, Alagiri is preparing to organise a rally in which he says over 100,000 people would take part.
On August 27, Alagiri warned in Madurai that if the DMK leadership did not take him back, then its leadership will have to face “consequences”. He did not elaborate.
Alagiri was opposed to Stalin becoming the DMK President. After the death of his father, he spoke in riddles claiming that the DMK would face difficulties if it ignored him.