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Rahul Gandhi leads Cong fast against communalism, non-functioning of Parliament

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Congress president Rahul Gandhi on Monday led his party in a nationwide daylong fast against caste violence, communalism and the non-functioning of Parliament, for which the UPA major blames the ruling BJP. Congress workers are observing a daylong fast in all state and district headquarters to voice their protest against the BJP government and to promote communal harmony and peace across the country.

Mysuru : AICC President Rahul Gandhi speaks during his Janashirvada Yatra in Srirangapatna town on Sundday. PTI Photo by Shailendra Bhojak(PTI3_25_2018_000158B)


Senior Congress leaders Kamal Nath, Sheila Dikshit, P C Chacko, the party’s Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken and Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala were among the leaders at Rajghat, where the fast is being observed.

Party leaders Sajjan Kumar and Jagdish Tytler, both accused in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots, were asked to not sit on the main stage at the protest venue when Gandhi was about to arrive, party leaders said. Kumar left the venue immediately after he was told about it.

Surjewala was quick to hit out at the BJP over the controversy. “Some conspirators in BJP see meaning in everything, he added. Tytler and Kumar are charged with having a role in the riots in the aftermath of prime minister Indira Gandhi’s assassination by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.

Violation of code of conduct, leaders booked for serving food in meetings

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An First Information Report (FIR) has been filed against minister Pramod Madhwaraj by the Electoral authorities, referring to violation of code of conduct.

According to the authorities the minister is found guilty of the above offense as he had issued articulation promising government employment and Rs 25 lakh in cash by the state government to weight lifter, Gururaj Poojary, for having won silver medal in weight lifting at Commonwealth Games.

The media had conveyed the news that the minster had said that Gururaj Poojary would be qualified for occupation and cash reward out terms of the sports policy as of late adopted by the state government.

British PM lashes out at Syria, backers, including Russia

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British Prime Minister Theresa May says the Syrian regime “and its backers, including Russia, must be held to account” if the government is found to be responsible for a suspected poison gas attack in the country.

May says those who back “the brutal actions by (Syrian President Bashar) Assad and his regime … they need to look very carefully at the position they have taken.” She calls Saturday’s suspected attack on the besieged town of Douma “a reprehensible attack,” adding Britain is in talks with its allies about “what action is necessary.”

After meeting with her Danish counterpart Lars Loekke Rasmussen during a visit to Copenhagen, May said: “it is a brutal regime that is attacking its own people and we are very clear that it must be held to account.

Dinesh Gundo Rao : Siddaramaiah ‘front-runner’ for CM’s post

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Karnataka PCC working president Dinesh Gundu Rao on Monday said he was confident about Congress returning to power in the May 12 state assembly polls.

Incumbent Siddaramaiah will be the “front-runner” for the Chief Minister’s post, he said.

Asserting that there was no anti-incumbency against the Siddaramaiah government, he took a dig at BJP, saying its president Amit Shah is becoming a “star campaigner” for the ruling party. He also raised questions about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “absence from campaigning.”

“Congress is going for election under the leadership of Chief Minister, it has been stated. It is under his leadership entire campaign is being run…he is the face of the election, he is the captain of our team,” Rao told PTI.

“CM will be decided after the election, if we win, CLP will meet and decide, but he (Siddaramaiah) is the captain of our team, so obviously if we win again, he will be the front-runner,” he said.

Though the party has not announced any chief ministerial candidate, it has named Siddaramaiah as its face.

Rao said he was confident about the Congress performing better than it did during the 2013 assembly polls when it won 122 out of 224 seats.

“I think we will do better than last time because last time the election was based upon anti or negative BJP (wave)…this time in the election people are not only unhappy with BJP, but they are happy with the Congress in Karnataka.”

Rao also claimed that there was no anti-incumbency, adding, instead, “there is pro-incumbency.”

“We will improve than last time, but we will have to get the ticket distribution everything done correctly.”

“We should see to it that deserving people get the ticket, if we do that correctly, then I think definitely there will be no other problem,” he said.

When it was pointed out that after 1985 no party in the state has been able to retain power consecutively, he observed that they were unable to come back due to reasons like division or dissidents within the party. However, there was nothing of that sort this time, he said.

“We have given a very stable, good government, and have delivered on our promises which have reached the people. This is a pro-incumbency government, people are preferring us to other parties,” he said.

Ruling out “Modi wave”, Rao said the “Modi factor or phenomenon is going down because people are not seeing tangible results.”

He pointed out that Modi has not come to Karnataka for the last one-and-half months and has been cancelling his programmes.

“Why is he cancelling? Why is he not coming to Karnataka? Why is only Amit Shah touring? Modi himself is apprehensive I think,” Rao said.

Shah’s repeated visits to the poll-bound state have had no impact, Rao claimed.

“I think Amit Shah is becoming a star campaigner for the Congress, because whatever he is doing is helping us,” he said, citing his “gaffes.”

He claimed that Shah coming to the state has also suffocated the BJP, as state leaders have “become voiceless”,

“The more Amit Shah campaigns for BJP, the better it is for Congress,” he said.

Responding to a question on former prime minister Deve Gowda’s JDS, Rao said, post-election, the party that talked about secular credentials may join hands with the BJP.

He said as both these parties know that they cannot get the majority on their own, they have an internal pact to thwart Congress from getting a majority.

Asked about joining hands with JDS in case of a hung assembly, as Congress has worked with the party in the past, Rao said: “The problem is they (JDS) are not reliable.”

“They don’t have ideology and philosophy… How can you have any plan based upon them?” he said.

Hitting out at the BJP for calling Congress and Rahul Gandhi “election Hindu,” and defending visits to mutts and religious places, Rao said, the opposition is more aggressively doing it.

“Amit Shah is even conducting meetings of swamijis, which is so political,” he said.

Claiming that Congress leaders have been to temples in the past also while campaigning, he said: “it is an attempt by BJP to target Rahul Gandhi by accusing him of trying to get political mileage….which is not true.”

Rao also said the party has nothing to do with the issue of religious minority status to Lingayats and Veerashaiva Lingayats and the issue will not make much impact in the polls.

“Lingayat has nothing to do with the poll prospects or politics; Congress party does not have a stand on this, we have not taken any stand,” he said.

Terming it is a “community issue”, Rao said the chief minister has followed procedure following the demand from the community.

On addressing internal bickerings and disgruntlement within the party ahead of the election, Rao, also a former minister, said: “Things will happen, but we will have to see to that we limit such disturbances…”

BJP pioneer S M Krishna probably come back to Congress

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A huge misfortune for the BJP, as the former Union Minister and Chief Minister of Karnataka, S M Krishna, who joined the BJP a year ago, is probably going to come back to Congress, as indicated by sources.

KPCC President Dr G Parameshwar and minister D K Shiva Kumar have effectively held first round of talks with the veteran leader. The issue has been likewise conveyed to the notice of state in-charge K C Venugopal and Congress president Rahul Gandhi. The Congress High Command too has given green flag to welcome Krishna back.

The senior leader is purportedly angry with the BJP for denying any position in the party and is probably going to change the party. Krishna was expecting a ticket for his daughter from RR Nagar or Maddur constituency. After his meeting with the Congress, he has requested that his supporters take a free choice amid elections.

It is learnt that the supporters of Krishna likewise met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah. In the event that Krishna rejoins the Congress it would be a spirit sponsor for the Congress and a tremendous loss for the BJP the upcoming polls.

Krishna was most recently seen with the BJP leaders in ‘Parivarthana Yatre’. He was not found in any of BJP campaigns after that.

BJP MLA rape case: Victim’s father dies; magisterial probe ordered

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Unnao (UP): The father of an 18-year-old woman, who alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his brothers, today died in custody here, prompting her to charge that he was killed inside the jail at the behest of the lawmaker. Pappu Singh, around 50, was rushed to a hospital from the district jail last night and died during treatment today.

District Magistrate Ravi Kumar NG said that the postmortem examination of the victim would be conducted by a panel of doctors to ascertain the exact cause of death. After her father’s death, the gang-rape victim alleged that he was “killed at the behest of the BJP MLA” inside the jail.

“We were getting threats and they killed my father,” she told reporters. UP cabinet minister and government spokesman Srikant Sharma told reporters here that a magisterial probe had been ordered. “If the allegations are true, it’s a very unfortunate incident. For a fair probe, the inquiry has been shifted to Lucknow from Unnao. The state government is committed to ensuring justice to the victim’s family,” he said.

Superintendent of Police, Unnao, Pushpanjali said four accused — Sonu, Baua, Vinit and Shailu — named in the FIR had been arrested and Makhi police station SHO Ashok Kumar Singh had been suspended. Director General of Police O P Singh said a team of Lucknow police had been constituted to probe the entire matter.

“Whosoever is found guilty, strict action will be taken. None will be spared. Pappu was arrested on April 5 under the Arms Act after he was allegedly beaten up by Anil Singh, the MLA’s brother. The daughter of the deceased had yesterday tried to immolate herself near the chief minister’s residence in Lucknow, alleging that she was raped by the BJP MLA and his brothers.

The immolation bid was, however, foiled by the police. Attacking the BJP government, Samajwadi Party supremo Akhilesh Yadav said in a tweet, “In (UP) state a girl, going for coaching classes is being shot dead…Another girl accusing BJP MLA of gangrape tried to immolate herself in front of CM’s residence after disappointment from the government. Is this fear of the government of ‘encounter’ that instead of criminals, woman are getting terrified?(sic)”

Gautampalli police station inspector Vijaysen Singh said, “The incident took place outside the Golf Club gate (near the official residence of the chief minister), where the girl from Unnao alleged that she was raped. She also alleged that the Unnao police had not registered a case against the BJP MLA despite her complaint and no action was taken.”

Sengar represents the Bangermau constituency in Unnao district, around 90 km from the state capital. The police inspector said the girl was made to appear before Rajiv Krishan, the Additional Director General of Police, Lucknow, who ordered a probe by the Lucknow police.

When contacted, Sengar refuted the allegations against him and said, “It is a conspiracy hatched by my political opponents to tarnish my image and damage my reputation…I have no problem with any probe. Let a probe be conducted, and the guilty be given the stringent punishment. If I am found guilty in the probe, I am ready to face punishment.”

(PTI)

IPL-2018: KKR ride Rana, Narine show to beat Kohli’s RCB by 4 wickets

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Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) rode on Nitish Rana’s all-round show and Sunil Narine’s whirlwind 19-ball 50 to beat Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) by four wickets in an Indian Premier League (IPL) clash here on Sunday.

In front of a packed Eden Gardens and co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, part time off-spinner Rana (2/11) picked up the big wickets of A.B. de Villiers and skipper Virat Kohli in successive deliveries to reduce the visitors to 127/4 in 14.3 overs.

Later, Mandeep Singh’s 18-ball 37 helped RCB to a challenging 176/7, but mystery spinner Narine — used effectively as a destructive opener by KKR since last season — made light of the target with a fiery 19-ball 50 (4×4, 5×6) along with Rana who scored a vital 25-ball 34 to steer the hosts over the line with seven balls to spare.

Narine brought up his fifty in 17 balls only to perish two balls later without adding to the tally, his wicket pocketed by Umesh Yadav.

While Narine and vice captain Robin Uthappa (13) associated for a 49-run stand for the second wicket, newly appointed skipper Dinesh Karthik, who was unbeaten on 35 off 29 balls, joined hands with Rana for a 55-run partnership for the fourth wicket.

For RCB, Yadav (2/27) bowled well to bag the wickets of Narine and Uthappa (13) while English pacer Chris Woakes (3/36) was the pick of the bowlers, picking up the wickets of big-hitting Australian opener Chris Lynn (5), Rinku Singh (6) and Andre Russell (15).

Earlier, veterans De Villiers (44) and opener Brendon McCullum (43) batted well for the three-time finalists before Mandeep’s cameo.

KKR took wickets at regular intervals but in the last over, Mandeep’s pyrotechnics guided RCB to a fighting total.

As many as 16 runs were leaked in the final over by Vinay Kumar who had a forgettable comeback for KKR. Two wickets also fell in that over.

De Villiers was at his imperious best, his 23-ball 44 laced with five sixes and one four. McCullum too looked good for his 27-ball 43 at the start.

De Villiers and Kohli (31) stitched together a third wicket stand of 64 runs off just 36 balls.

KKR however were off to a bad start as Vinay Kumar (2/30) leaked 14 runs in the first over, McCullum flicking him down the leg side for a four in the very first ball.

The visitors lost Quinton De Kock (4) early, the South African wicketkeeper-batsman trying to reverse sweep Piyush Chawla (1/31) and picking out Vinay Kumar at short third man.

McCullum and Kohli then engineered a 45-run stand for the second wicket.

But just when the visitors were looking steady with McCullum looking in fine touch and Kohli at ease playing second fiddle, Narine (1/30) got rid of the dangerous Kiwi with a shortish offbreak that dislodged the stumps.

In came de Villiers and took the bowlers to the cleaners in his trademark fashion. The 34-year-old smashed Kuldeep Yadav for two consecutive sixes in the 10th over and then hit Mitchell Johnson for a four and a six two overs later.

De Villiers survived a Decision Review System in the 12th over when the umpire gave him caught behind but reviews showed the ball missing the bat. He was then on 23.

In just 27 balls, the pair brought up the 50-run partnership before Rana got the back of the duo in successive balls. De Villiers mistimed Rana and Johnson took the catch between long on and deep mid wicket. Kohli was yorked.

Sarfraz Khan, who was retained by the franchise, managed just six runs with Johnson (1/30) taking his wicket while Mandeep and Woakes (5) fell to Vinay in the last over.

This match was also Kohli and Uthappa’s 150th match in the IPL.

Brief scores: vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Sunil Narine 50, Nitish Rana 34; Chris Woakes 3/36, Umesh Yadav 2/27 beat Royal Challengers Bangalore: 176/7 (Brendon McCullum 43, AB De Villiers 44, Mandeep Singh 37; R. Vinay Kumar 2/30, Nitish Rana 2/11)

(IANS)

China says won’t interfere in Nirav Modi’s arrest

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China on Monday hinted it won’t push for fugitive Indian jeweller Nirav Modi’s arrest, who is suspected to be in Hong Kong, saying the Chinese autonomous region has its own set of judicial rules and India can deal with the authorities directly.

India has reportedly asked Hong Kong to arrest the main accused in the $2billion fraud bank fraud who is believed to be in Chinese territory, a former British colony which enjoys a high degree of autonomy.

“According to the one country two system and basic laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) and the assistance and authorization of the central government, the Hong Kong SAR can make a proper arrangement on judicial mutual assistance with other countries,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said.

“If India has made a relevant request to the Hong Kong SAR (Special Administrative Region), we leave the matter to the Hong Kong SAR and hope that it will follow the basic laws and relevant judicial system agreement with India to deal with the relevant issue,” Geng said.

Hong Kong has its own independent system where China has its say only in defence and external affairs. While India has an extradition treaty with Hong Kong, there is no such agreement with China.

Modi, a regular on the lists of rich and famous Indians since 2013, along with his group companies — Diamond R US, Stellar Diamond and Solar Exports, and an uncle and business partner and others have been named in the huge scam, admitted by the PNB in February and leading to a massive upheaval in the country’s banking system.

Modi owned a chain of boutiques in Hong Kong.

Over 100 injured amid student protests across B’desh

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As violence spread across the campus, thousands of male and female students launched into pitched battles with police.

Thousands of students across Bangladesh staged protests and sit-ins Monday after clashes at the country’s top university left at least 100 people injured.
Police fired rubber bullets and tear gas at Dhaka University students fighting what they consider “discriminatory” government job quotas in favour of special groups.
It was one of the biggest protests faced by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her decade in power.

A minister was due to meet protest leaders in Dhaka on Monday.

But students at state-run universities in Chittagong, Khulna, Rajshahi, Barisal, Rangpur, Sylhet and Savar boycotted classes and staged sit-ins, police and media said.

“More than 1,000 students joined the demonstrations at Jahangirnagar University,” said Ataur Rahman, a protester in Savar where the university is located.

The clashes, which began Sunday night and went into the early hours of Monday, turned Dhaka University into a battleground.

Copycat protests soon started in other major cities as thousands of students boycotted classes and staged sit-ins.

Organisers in Dhaka said they were holding peaceful protests when police started firing tear gas and rubber bullets. They used batons and water cannon to clear a central square.

As violence spread across the campus, thousands of male and female students launched into pitched battles with police.

“More than 100 people were injured,” police inspector Bacchu Mia said, adding they were treated in hospital but their condition was not serious.

Protesters threw rocks, vandalised the home of the Dhaka University vice-chancellor, torched two cars and ransacked the fine arts institute, said senior police officer Azimul Haque.

Fifteen people were detained, police said.

The students are angry at the government’s decision to set aside 56 percent of civil service jobs for the families of veterans from the 1971 war of independence and for disadvantaged minorities. That leaves most university graduates to fight for only 44 percent of the jobs.

Hasan Al Mamun, a leader of the protests, said tens of thousands of students joined the demonstrations nationwide. Police declined to estimate the number.

Al Mamun said the quota for top-grade jobs should be reduced to only 10 percent.

“These quotas are discriminatory. Due to the quota system, 56 percent of the jobs are set aside for five percent of the country’s population. And 95 percent of the people can compete for the 44 percent,” he said.

Students are particularly upset at the 30 percent quota set aside for descendants of veterans of the independence war.

Sheikh Hasina, whose father was the architect of the country’s independence from Pakistan, has rejected demands to slash the quotas.

Runway closure hits 120 flights in Mumbai

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Some 120 flights were cancelled and many more rescheduled due to a two-day closure of the Mumbai International Airport runway starting from Monday.

An official said the planned closure was necessitated “on account of pre-monsoon maintenance activities” and requested all passengers to contact their respective airlines for revised travel schedules.

Though airport officials did not reveal the exact number of flights affected due to the closure, individual airlines have been announcing cancellations or rescheduling of services to and from Mumbai.

Air India has announced cancellation of at least 34 flights and rescheduled around half a dozen other services till Tuesday evening.

While Jet Airways has cancelled at least 18 flights, Spicejet has also cancelled around 70 services.

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