The IT department noted that Mr Sidhu had failed to provide documentary evidence in support of his claim during the course of assessment proceedings.

The Income Tax (IT) department on Thursday seized two bank accounts of Punjab Minister Navjot Singh Sidhu for non-payment of taxes.

While the former cricketer’s tax dues stand at Rs. 52 lakh, payments to be made were towards dress expenses (Rs. 28,38,405), tour and traveling expenses (Rs. 38,24,282), salary expense (Rs. 47,11,400) and petrol and diesel expenses (Rs. 17,80,358).

The IT department noted that the Congress leader had failed to provide documentary evidence, such as bills or invoices in support of his claim during the course of assessment proceedings. Since the authenticity of the transactions could not be established, 30 percent of the total expenses were disallowed in order to prevent leakage of revenue.

“The assessee had gone in to appeal against the order on January 17 last year, but the Commissioner of Income-tax (Appeals) or CIT (A) passed the order favouring the revenue and not provided any relief to the assessee, as he had failed to provide any documentary evidence in support of his claim,” an official statement noted.

Sharad Yadav, the rebel JD(U) leader said the upcoming Assembly elections in Karnataka in May, resembled a semi-final to the next Lok Sabha elections and it was his party’s objective to vanquish the BJP at any cost.

Addressing a press meet on Friday Yadav said “The entire nation is watching the Karnataka elections. We should make India BJP free. I have come to Karnataka for this” He included that JD(U) had not chose to back either the Congress or JD(S).

“I am here for two days. I will address party leaders and let you know,” he included.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah today took a dig at BJP president Amit Shah for calling him ‘AHINDU’ (anti-Hindu), saying that the latter is a Jain and he should first clarify whether he is AHINDU.

Shah had said at a press conference at Davangere two days ago that Siddaramaiah is not an ‘AHINDA’ leader (a Kannada acronym for minorities, backward classes and Dalits) but ‘AHINDU’ leader (anti-Hindu).

Siddaramaiah told reporters in Mysuru that Shah should first clarify his position whether he is “AHINDU or not.”
“Amit Shah is a Jain. He needs to clarify first whether he is AHINDU. Jain is a separate religion. How can he talk about me like that,” Siddaramaiah said.
He said Shah was scared of him due to which he was making all “baseless” allegations against him.

Days after embarrassing BJP by calling his own party chief ministerial candidate B S Yeddyurappa corrupt, BJP national president on Friday delivered the denouement saying that though he made a mistake, the people of Karnataka will not.

Shah during his visit to Mysuru on March 30, said tat though in a slip of tongue he said that Yeddyurappa government is corrupt instead of Siddaramaih’s, but the people of Karnataka will not make such mistake while voting in the election.

It may be recalled that addressing a press conference Shah made a blooper and said “If ever there is a competition on the most corrupt, then Yeddyurappa government will be awarded number one,”

Soon after the faux pas, the Congress was quick to taunt the BJP for ‘speaking the truth.’ “The Truth can never be suppressed. Even Amit Shah agrees that Yeddyurappa led the Most Corrupt Government ever,” tweeted the Karnataka Congress.

Another BJP leader Prahlad Joshi who translated Amit Shah’s address, on the same day publicly said that Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, will not do anything for the downtrodden like Dalits, poor, and backward classes and Modi will harm the nation.

The series of goof ups happened on the day Election Commission announced the dates of much-awaited Assembly polls. Karnataka will vote on May 12 and the counting and announcement of results will be held on May 15.

Lingayat support to the BJP surged in 1990, when Congress leader and former premier Rajiv Gandhi abruptly removed a Lingayat leader as Chief Minister

For nearly three decades, the Lingayats, a powerful upper caste group in Karnataka, have voted for the BJP, whose presumptive Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa is the most statured leader of the community. The prosperous Lingayats were believed till recently to form 17% percentage of the state’s population and are governed by a cluster of about 1,000 mathas or religious seminaries, each with its own spiritual head.

Two days ago, it was one of these leaders that presented BJP chief Amit Shah with a letter that is being interpreted as a new couple alert – a pairing of the Lingayats with the Congress, which just a week back said that the Lingayats should be recognized as a religious minority – like the Jains or Sikhs or Buddhists. The BJP says the Congress is trying to skim political support with a move that will divide Hindus.

But Lingayats have long held that they are not to be mixed with Hindus. “Those who believe this decision threatens the Hindu religion are exaggerating. It’s too vast and rooted to be in any danger,” said the Siddalinga Swami of a prominent Lingayat seminary in North Karnataka. “We are not anti-Hindu, but we don’t subscribe to some tenets of Hinduism. This can pose a problem only to those people who speak in favour of an undivided Hindu society, but never act against the ills that plague it. They want to maintain status quo, we are challenging it.”

Unexpectedly, the Lingayats are now the central flash point between the Congress and the BJP. Rahul Gandhi visited a large Lingayat math in February. Amit Shah tweeted that he visited another today.

The Lingayats were formed as a sect in the 12th century by the social reformer Basavanna who rejected the caste system and championed gender equality. Their support to the BJP surged in 1990, when Congress leader and former premier Rajiv Gandhi abruptly removed a Lingayat leader as Chief Minister. When the BJP won Karnataka in 2008, marking its first government in the south, the Lingayats were a large part of its success. The community influences the results of at least 100 of the 224 constituencies in the state.

On May 12, Karnataka will vote for its next government. The incumbent Congress administration, led by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, congregates the support of Hindu minorities, backward classes and Dalits, collectively acronym-ed “AHINDA”.

Word play on that was offered earlier this week by Amit Shah when he said the Chief Minister is “not AHINDA but A-Hindu or anti-Hindu.” His speech was made at a rally in Central Karnataka. He urged Lingayat spiritual leaders to keep the community united in support of the BJP.

Win Myint on Friday was sworn-in as the new President of Myanmar, two days after he was elected by Parliament to replace Htin Kyaw, who resigned last week over health concerns.

He was elected after defeating two other candidates on Wednesday,

High-level officials, including State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, attended the swearing in ceremony.

Myint, 66, was a former political prisoner jailed under the last military junta.

Ruling party National League for Democracy (NLD) veteran, Myint is one of the the small circle of collaborators and trusted men of Suu Kyi’s.

He replaces Htin Kyaw, who resigned on March 21 after the government revealed the former president, 71, had travelled abroad several times to undergo medical treatment.

Although the constitution grants broad powers to the head of state, Suu Kyi is expected to continue in her important role as State Counsellor.

The Nobel Peace laureate was given this post as she was not eligible for the presidency due to a constitutional rule that vetoes candidates with foreign relatives, in her case two children with British passports.

Apart from the new president, the other two candidates also took office as vice presidents.

The last military junta was dissolved in 2011 and passed power to a civilian government formed by former generals, which was later replaced by the NLD.

The Myanmar Constitution reserves broad powers for the armed forces, including a quarter of Parliament seats and key ministries such as Interior, Defence and Borders.

Facing criticism over the government’s inefficiency to control the riots and communal violence in Bihar, the JD(U) on Thursday in a sharp message to the BJP asked the saffdron party to restrain its its leaders who are seen to have contributed to the violence.

JD(U) general secretary Shyam Rajak said, “Nitishji never compromises on the law and order from… and for this, we are willing to pay any price”.

Earlier in March, Nitish Kumar had voiced his discomfort with ally BJP saying that he would not compromise with those trying to divide the society.

“Please remember, neither did I compromise with corruption, nor I will compromise with those trying to divide the society. I’m for complete communal and social peace… I want to make it clear that this country will march ahead on the basis of love, compassion and communal harmony,” he said.

Nitish Kumar had formed an alliance with the BJP last year after dumping Lalu Yadav-led JD(U) and the Congress.

Communal clashes have been reported from various parts of Bihar in the recent past, with opposition parties like the RJD and the Congress accusing the BJP of inciting violence and charging JD(U) president and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with being “helpless” before the coalition partner.

RJD supremo and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav after being brought to Delhi for treatment at AIIMS on Thursday had said that “Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is now finished”.

Pointing out the riots and incidents of violence in Bihar, Lalu Yadav said that the “BJP has set the whole state ablaze”.

According to PTI, members of two communities clashed on Wednesday over taking out a religious procession in Bihar’s Nalanda district, leaving more than 20 persons, including four security personnel, injured.

Nalanda is the native district of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar. Communal clashes have erupted in several districts in the state since Ram Navami last Sunday.

Seething with anger against the Central government for not setting up the Cauvery Management Board (CMB), political parties in Tamil Nadu are resorting to hunger strike or hoisting black flags in condemnation.

Speaking at a wedding function in Madurai around 500 km from here on Friday, AIADMK Coordinator and Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam said the AIADMK would go on a day’s hunger strike on April 2 at all district headquarters.

He said this would be against the Central government’s failure to set up the CMB despite Supreme Court orders.

The six-week deadline laid by the apex court for forming the CMB and the Cauvery Water Regulatory Committee (CWRC) ended on Thursday.

Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar told reporters here that the state government would fight for its rights and it was “friendly” with the Modi government only to get various developmental projects approved.

He said the Tamil Nadu government would move the apex court on the issue.

Meanwhile, PMK activists led by party founder S. Ramadoss and former Union Minister Anbumani Ramadoss hoisted black flags on their houses.

On its part, a DMK Executive Council meeting here condemned both the Central and state governments.

The DMK also decided to meet all other political parties and decide the next course of action over the Cauvery issue.

Tamil Nadu parties allege that the Modi government did not set up the CMB as it does not want to alienate voters in neighbouring Karnataka, which is opposed to the Supreme Court order.