LIVE: Major terror plan averted in Jammu on Pulwama anniversary, 4 held

A major terrorist plan to set off an explosion at a crowded place in Jammu on the second anniversary of the Pulwam

2:01 AM

Gujarat to bring law against 'love jihad', says CM Rupani

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani on Sunday said his government will soon bring a strict law against 'love jihad' in the state.
 

He made the announcement while addressing a poll rally in Vadodara ahead of themunicipal corporation elections.
 

"We are going to bring a lawagainst love jihad in the Assembly. Such activities being done in the name of love jihad will not be tolerated...The BJP government will bring strict laws against love jihad in the coming days," he said.
 

In the recent past, Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh, both ruled by the BJP, have brought religious freedom laws to stop conversion through marriage or by any other fraudulent means.
 

Rupani said his government has also framed strict laws against 'gunda' (anti-social) elements and land grabbers with provisions of up to 10 and 14 years of imprisonment to protect the interests of the common man.
 

"In the past Assembly sessions, our government had come up with stringent laws. We have made an Act against gundas. To ensure that such elements do not cause trouble to the common man and get strict punishment of 10 years, we brought the Act.
 

"We also came up with the Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Act so that people do not enter others' land and take over others' property using bogus documents. We brought this law with a provision of 14 years of punishment," he said.
 

The chief minister added that the BJP government at the Centre has fulfilled the promises made to the people regarding construction of Ram temple, scrapping of Article 370, and took revenge for Pulwama by launching an air strike.
 

According to Rupani, Gujarat will witness a "golden age of development" when the BJP rules "from panchayat to the Parliament".
 

1:59 AM

Police say Nicki Minaj's father killed by hit-and-run driver

The 64-year-old father of rapper Nicki Minaj has died after being struck by a hit-and-run driver in New York, police said.
 

Robert Maraj was walking along a road in Mineola on Long Island at 6:15 p.m. Friday when he was hit by a car that kept going, Nassau County police said. Maraj was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead Saturday.
 

Police are asking any witnesses to the fatal crash to come forward.
 

Minaj, 38, was born Onika Tanya Maraj in Trinidad and was raised in the New York City borough of Queens. She has not made any public statement about her father's death.
 

1:06 AM

Catalans vote for regional govt, test the separatists' power

The strength of the separatist movement in Spain's northeastern region of Catalonia was tested Sunday in a regional election held under tight restrictions to reduce the spread of the coronavirus.
 

Salvador Illa, Spain's health minister until last month, leads the ticket of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez's Socialist Party.
 

Illa is hoping to end the hold that pro-independence lawmakers have held in the regional parliament for the past decade.
 

Polls, however, predict a tight race between the Socialists and the two leading pro-secession parties, the left-wing Republic Left of Catalonia and the center-right Together for Catalonia.
 

Some 5.3 million people are eligible to vote.
 

9:10 PM

All central government employees to attend offices on working days

All central government employees to attend offices on working days: Personnel Ministry. PTI

8:57 PM

Won't let govt sit in peace till farmers' demands met: Rakesh Tikait

Upping the ante against the government, Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait on Sunday said they won't let it sit in peace till the farmers' demands are met.

 

Addressing a farmers' "mahapanchayat" at the Indri grain market in the district, Tikait said the 40 leaders spearheading the agitation against the Centre's farm laws will tour the entire country to drum up support for the stir.

 

"Till the time the government does not decide in our favour, talks to the committee (spearheading the agitation) and does not agree to the demands, we won't let it sit in peace," Tikait said, demanding the repeal of the laws.

8:46 PM

Major terror plan averted in Jammu on Pulwama anniversary, four held

A major terrorist plan to set off an explosion at a crowded place here on the second anniversary of the Pulwama attack was scuttled with the recovery of a powerful IED from a nursing student who was arrested along with three others, a top police officer said on Sunday.

 

Inspector General of Police, Jammu Range, Mukesh Singh also said six pistols and 15 small Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) were seized from Samba district in a separate operation.

 

"Over the past four days we were on high alert because there was general intelligence input that terror groups want to trigger a major blast in Jammu city on the second anniversary of the Pulwama attack. The security around all important locations were strengthened and checking intensified," he told reporters here. Read more...

8:39 PM

Air quality 'severe' in Ghaziabad, Noida; 'very poor' in Faridabad

The average air quality was recorded "severe" in Ghaziabad, Noida, Greater Noida, while it was "very poor" in Fridabad and "poor" in Gurgaon, according to data issued by a government agency on Sunday.

 

Pollutants PM 2.5 and PM 10 also remained in the air of the five immediate neighbours of Delhi, according to the air quality index (AQI) maintained by the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB).

 

 

According to the index, an AQI between zero and 50 is considered 'good', 51 and 100 'satisfactory', 101 and 200 'moderate', 201 and 300 'poor', 301 and 400 'very poor', and 401 and 500 'severe'.

7:47 PM

Congress will not let CAA be implemented if voted to power in Assam: Rahul

Accusing the BJP and the RSS of "dividing" Assam, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday said his party will protect every principle of the Assam Accord and will not let the Citizenship (Amendment) Act be implemented if voted to power in the upcoming assembly polls.

 

Sounding the Congress' poll bugle in the state, Gandhi attacked the Modi government repeatedly alleging that it was working with an approach of 'Hum do, Hamare do' -- a term he recently used while speaking in Lok Sabha to claim that the country is being run by only four people.

7:08 PM

Looking at building quality infrastructure of Rs 110 trillion: Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who launched various new projects of central public sector organisations in Kerala's Kochi on Sunday, announced that his government us looking at building infrastructure worth Rs 110 lakh crore to power India's rise.

During his flying visit, amid tight security, to Kerala's commercial capital, Modi who inaugurated the five new projects from a single venue, said the definition and scope of infrastructure has changed and it includes roads and connectivity.

"We are looking at quality and quantity infrastructure of Rs 110 lakhs crore. India is embarking on broadband connectivity for all our villages. Likewise, India has given top most importance to 'blue economy'... I call upon researchers and fisheries sector for creating more infrastructure, which will be a great tribute to our fishermen," he said.

6:53 PM

PM Modi forges ahead with Tamil culture pitch, sets stage for positive campaign in TN polls

Setting the stage for a positive campaign for the Tamil Nadu Assembly polls, likely in April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday latched on to Tamil culture and justice for people and backed the aspirations of Sri Lankan Tamils.

Signalling a united fight against the background of belligerence of expelled AIADMK leaders T T V Dhinakaran and his aunt V K Sasikala, Modi gestured to Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on the dias to join and lift hands with him.

All smiles, the three leaders quickly interlocked their hands amid applause and the unmistakable political subtext of the event that saw the launch of completed infra projects and laying the foundation for new initiatives was not lost on anyone.

5:19 PM

PM Modi catches a 'fleeting' view of the India vs England test

On a day when the England cricket team was bundled out for just 134 runs against India here, Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems to have got a bird's eye view of the 'interesting' contest.

The Prime Minister was in the city to launch various government projects and lay the foundation stone for others.

On Twitter, he uploaded a picture of the MA Chidambaram stadium and said he caught a 'fleeting' view of the second day's game between the two teams.

4:46 PM

Greta Thunberg toolkit case: Court sends 21-year-old climate activist to 5-day custody

A Delhi court on Sunday sent a 21-year-old climate activist to five days police custody in connection with allegedly being involved in sharing a "toolkit" on social media related to the farmers' protest.

Disha Ravi, arrested by a Cyber Cell team of the Delhi Police from Bengaluru on Saturday, was produced before a court here and police sought her seven days' custody.

The police said her custody was required to probe an alleged larger conspiracy against the government of India and to ascertain her alleged role relating to the Khalistan movement.

During the hearing, Ravi broke down inside the courtroom and told the judge that she had edited only two lines and that she wanted to support the farmers' protest.

Duty Magistrate Dev Saroha allowed the Delhi Police to quiz Ravi for five days.

4:40 PM

Did not forgive, will not forget: CRPF on Pulwama terror attack anniversary

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) that lost 40 troopers in the 2019 Pulwama terror attack said on Sunday that the country "did not forgive" and "will not forget" the supreme sacrifice made by the personnel.

A wreath-laying ceremony was held at CRPF camp in Lethpora in Jammu and Kashmir to mark the second anniversary of the deadly attack.

Senior officers of the paramilitary based at its headquarters in Delhi participated in the event in the virtual mode, CRPF spokesperson deputy inspector general (DIG) Moses Dhinakaran said.

"Did not Forgive, will not Forget: Salute to our brothers who made the supreme sacrifice for the nation in #PulwamaAttack. Read on...

4:17 PM

PM Modi lauds TN farmers for record food grain production, urges them to follow 'per drop more crop' mantra

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the farmers of Tamil Nadu for record food grain production and advised them to remember the mantra of "per drop more crop" stating that this will help future generations.

Speaking after inauguration and foundation stone laying ceremony of several key projects in Chennai, the Prime Minister said, "I want to appreciate farmers of Tamil Nadu for record food grain production and good use of water resources. For thousands of years, this Anicut canal has been a lifeline to the rice bowl. The Grand Anicut is a living testimony of our glorious past. From Chennai today we begin key infrastructure projects which are symbols of innovation and indigenous development. These projects will further the growth of Tamil Nadu," he said.

"This programme is special because we lay the foundation modernise 636 kilometres long Anicut canal. The impact is going to be very good. It will improve irrigation facilities for 2.27 lakh acres of land. Districts of Tanjore and Pudhukottai will get benefit," he added.

4:13 PM

FinMin to infuse Rs 3,000 cr in general insurance companies this quarter

The Finance Ministry will infuse Rs 3,000 crore capital into state-owned general insurance companies during the current quarter in a bid to improve their financial health.

Last year, the Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared proposal to provide capital support to National Insurance, Oriental Insurance and United India Insurance.

The cabinet had also decided to increase the authorised share capital of National Insurance Company Limited (NICL) to Rs 7,500 crore and that of United India Insurance Company Limited (UIICL) and Oriental Insurance Company Limited (OICL) to Rs 5,000 crore each to give effect to the capital infusion decision.

Recently, the government sought Parliament nod for gross additional expenditure of Rs 6.28 lakh crore for 2020-21 as part of second and final batch of supplementary demands for grants.

3:11 PM

Uttarakhand glacier burst: Eight bodies recovered from Tapovan, Raini hydel project sites; toll rises to 46

Eight bodies were recovered on Sunday from the flash flood-ravaged hydel project sites in Tapovan and Raini of Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, taking the toll in the calamity to 46, even as search and rescue operations were intensified.

Five bodies were recovered from the intake adit tunnel of the NTPC's 520 MW Tapovan-Vishnugad project. These are the first bodies to be recovered from the site where muck-clearing and drilling operations have been underway on a war-footing since last Sunday. Three others were recovered from Raini, where a 13.2 MW hydel project along the Rishiganga was destroyed in the calamity.

The recoveries take the toll in the disaster to 46, while 158 people remain missing, officials said.

The bodies have been kept at a temporary mortuary built in Tapovan, they added.

3:07 PM

Modi affirms India's support for Lankan Tamils

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said his government has always taken care of the welfare of Sri Lankan Tamils and 'consistently' flagged the issue of their rights with the leaders in the island nation.

India was always committed to ensuring that the Tamils there lived with equity, equality, justice, peace and dignity, he said here, after launching various government projects in railways and defence sectors.

Modi recalled the various welfare initiatives taken by the Centre in the housing and health sectors aimed at benefiting the Lankan Tamils, and said he was the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Jaffna (in 2015) in northern Sri Lanka.

2:29 PM

CRPF pays floral tributes to personnel killed in Pulwama terror attack

The Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) on Sunday paid floral tributes to the 40 jawans in Lethpora here on the second anniversary of the 2019 Pulwama terror attack.

Earlier in the day, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh paid tribute to the CRPF personnel who lost their lives in the Pulwama terror attack in which a suicide bomber rammed an IED-laden vehicle into the convoy carrying them in 2019.

Taking to Twitter, Shah said India will never forget their exceptional courage and supreme sacrifice."I bow down to the brave martyrs who lost their lives in the gruesome Pulwama attack on this day in 2019. India will never forget their exceptional courage and supreme sacrifice," Shah tweeted.

"I pay homage to those brave CRPF personnel who sacrificed their lives in 2019 Pulwama terror attack. India will never forget their service to the nation and their supreme sacrifice. We continue to stand with their families, who had to suffer due to this attack," the Defence Minister tweeted.

2:09 PM

PM launches several crores worth projects in Tamil Nadu

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension and laid the foundation stone for several other infrastructure projects in different sectors, including railways, in Tamil Nadu, describing them as symbols of innovation and indigenous development.

He also said the decade was going to belong to India, adding the entire world was looking at it with positivity.

At a grand event at the Nehru Indoor Stadium here, he flagged off the 9.01 km service from Washermanpet to Wimco Nagar in North Chennai, completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore.

With this extension, the PhaseI covers a total length of 54.05 km and people can travel from the north Chennai locality to the airport in the south using the Metro rail.

1:34 PM

Rail tracks to canal: PM Modi inaugurates projects worth Rs 4,400 crore in TN

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurated projects worth more than Rs 4,400 crore in Tamil Nadu, visiting the state ahead of assembly elections.

 

Modi, at event in Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor stadium, handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to the Indian Army. The tank is indigenously designed and developed at Avadi near Chennai. He later paid floral tributes to the portraits of late AIADMK leaders and former Chief Ministers M G Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa.

 

He inaugurated the 9.05-km long extension of Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I, which will cost Rs 3,770 crore to link North Chennai with the airport and Central Railway Station. He inaugurated a fourth railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu: a 22.1-km section laid at a cost of Rs 293.40 crore. The line traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts and will ease road traffic around Chennai Port. READ MORE...

1:21 PM

PM Modi inaugurates Chennai Metro Phase-I extension

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday inaugurate the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project, which has been completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crore. The 9.05 km long extension will link north Chennai with the Airport and Central Railway Station.

 

He also inaugurated the fourth Railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. This 22.1 km section, laid at a cost of Rs 293.40 crores, traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were also present there. Earlier in the day, PM Modi handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to Army Chief General MM Naravane in Chennai.

1:15 PM

This year's budget shows the government's commitment to reforms, says PM Modi in Chennai

This year's budget shows the government's commitment to reforms, says PM Modi in Chennai

1:15 PM

Ensured hospitals for our Tamils in Sri Lanka. Jaffna culture centre will be opened soon: PM Modi

We have ensured hospitals for our Tamils in Sri Lanka. We are happy to announce that the Jaffna culture centre will be opened soon: PM 

1:11 PM

Issue of Tamil rights has been taken up by us consistently with Sri Lanka: PM Modi

The issue of Tamil rights has been taken up by us consistently with Sri Lanka. We are committed to ensuring that they live with equality, justice, peace and dignity: PM Modi in Chennai

1:11 PM

Currently, there are no Indian fishermen in Srilankan custody: PM Modi

1:06 PM

PM Modi lays foundation stone for Discovery Campus of IIT Madras

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone for the Discovery Campus of IIT Madras on Sunday. The campus will be built at Thaiyur near Chennai at an estimated cost of Rs 1,000 crores in the first phase, over an area of 2 lakh square metres. Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam were also present.

 

PM Modi also inaugurated the Chennai Metro Rail Phase-I extension project, which has been completed at a cost of Rs 3,770 crores.The 9.05 km long extension will link north Chennai with the Airport and Central Railway Station.He also inaugurated the fourth Railway line between Chennai Beach and Attipattu. This 22.1 km section, laid at a cost of Rs 293.40 crores, traverses through Chennai and Thiruvallur districts.Earlier in the day, PM Modi handed over the Arjun Main Battle Tank (MK-1A) to Army Chief General MM Naravane in Chennai.

 

The tank has been indigenously designed, developed and made by the Combat Vehicles Research and Development Establishment, attached to the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), along with 15 academic institutions, 8 labs and several MSMEs, according to a release by the Prime Minister's Office.

1:06 PM

The culture of Tamil Nadu is popular globally: PM Modi

The culture of Tamil Nadu is popular globally. The central government has accepted the request to recognise Devendra Kula Vellalar community: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.

1:00 PM

Discovery campus of IIT Madras will have a 200,000 square metre of infrastructure: PM Modi

The discovery campus of IIT Madras will have a 200,000 square metre of infrastructure to house the world-class research centre. This Research Centre will be a leading centre of discovery: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai.

12:59 PM

Budget 2021 has provisions to ensure modern fishing harbours for our fishermen: PM Modi

India is proud of its fishermen community. Budget 2021 has provisions to ensure modern fishing harbours for our fishermen. Modern fishing harbours will begin in 5 centres including Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Chennai

12:57 PM

PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to 2019 Pulwama martyrs; says we are proud of our security forces

PM Narendra Modi pays tributes to 2019 Pulwama martyrs; says we are proud of our security forces