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[ad_1] UDHAGAMANDALAM: The faceoff between Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi and the state govt took a new turn with the former alleging that vice-chancellors of state universities were 'warned' by the govt not to participate in the two-day conference of VCs convened by Raj Bhavan on Friday. The DMK govt hit back at Ravi saying the VCs skipped the conference as it was 'illegal'.While the VCs of state-run universities were absent, VCs from central universities and deemed-to-be universities participated. "Unfortunately, none of the vice-chancellors of state universities are participating. They have informed me that they have been warned by the state govt," the governor said at the conference, which was inaugurated by VP Jagdeep Dhankhar.Guv organised conference 'adamantly in violation of law': TN higher edu mantri Accusing govt of threatening some VCs, Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi said: […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Taking serious objection to Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's remarks against V D Savarkar, Supreme Court virtually gagged him on Friday, warning him of suo motu action if he derided the freedom fighter and Hindutva proponent in the future. "...This is not the way you treat our freedom fighters," Justice Dipankar Datta said.A bench of Justices Datta and Manmohan granted relief to Gandhi by staying summon issued to him by a lower court, but only after giving him a history lesson and reminding him him that his grandmother Indira Gandhi too had praised Savarkar.The complaint was lodged after Gandhi, on Nov 17, 2022, allegedly described Savarkar as "receiver of pension from Britishers", and "a servant of Britishers" at a press conference in Akola, Maharashtra."Does your client know Mahatma Gandhi also used 'your faithful servant' while addressing the Viceroy?" […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: The mega Rs 63,887 crore (Euro 6.6 billion) deal with France for the direct acquisition of 26 Rafale-Marine fighter jets, which will primarily operate from the deck of indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, will be inked on Monday.With French defence minister Sebastien Lecornu unable to make it to India as previously scheduled, the deal for 22 single-seat Rafale-M jets and four twin-seat trainers, which includes some weapons, simulators, crew training, MRO (maintenance, repair and operations) and five-year performance-based logistics support, will be inked by senior Indian and French officials in New Delhi. The inter-governmental agreement will be inked "remotely" by the two defence ministers. The deal includes some spares and equipment for the 36 Rafales already inducted by IAF under the Rs 59,000 crore contract in Sept 2016, as reported by TOI earlier. [ad_2] Source link

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: A Delhi court refused on Friday to issue notice to former Congress presidents Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and others in the National Herald money-laundering case for now.The court of special judge (PC Act) Vishal Gogne of Rouse Avenue Courts was hearing an ED plea that claimed that cognisance of the chargesheet could not be taken without hearing the accused according to new provisions in the law."Giving a chance to them (accused) to come (before the court) and give their point before cognisance is taken (sic)," SV Raju, additional solicitor-general appearing for ED, submitted before the court. The judge, however, said he could not pass such an order before the court is satisfied that a notice is required. Before the court passes any order, it has to see if there is any deficiency, the judge said. After […]

[ad_1] Houses of 3 Pahalgam terrorists demolished In a stern message to local terrorists and their families, J&K administration on Friday demolished the houses of three terrorists involved in the Pahalgam attack.The houses of Adil Hussain Thoker alias Adil Guree in Bijbehara of Anantnag; Asif Sheikh in Awantipora; and Ahsan Sheikh in Pulwama were quietly razed on Thursday and Friday night.The administration ensured that none of their family members was inside when the houses were destroyed. In fact, a source indicated they were aware of the impending demolition as they had vacated the houses beforehand with their important belongings.The detonation was controlled to ensure adjacent dwellings were not damaged; the precision meant to convey the message that the authorities had no malice towards the general public. There may be more demolitions, according to the source. "The action is clearly aimed […]

[ad_1] SRINAGAR/NEW DELHI: J&K Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday asked Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi to hunt the perpetrators of the jihadi attack on tourists at Pahalgam on Tuesday."Every perpetrator and supporter of the Pahalgam terror attack, whatever his location or affiliation, must be hunted and they must pay the heavy price for the cowardly and dastardly act against our citizens," Sinha told General Dwivedi during a review meeting in Srinagar that was also attended by other officials.The Army chief reached Srinagar a day after PM Modi declared, while addressing a public meeting in Bihar Thursday, that India will "identify, track and punish every terrorist and their backers". LG said while the nation is proud of its security forces, all of them need to rise to the challenge by working in close synergy to identify perpetrators, enablers and over-ground […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: A day after India formally communicated to Pakistan that it was keeping Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) between the two countries in abeyance, Union home minister Amit Shah on Friday held a meeting on how swiftly the decision could be implemented and finalised a detailed roadmap, including quick desilting of rivers and dams as an immediate step to prevent the flow of river waters to the neighbouring country.The meeting, attended by Jal Shakti minister C R Paatil and senior officials, is learnt to have discussed implementation modalities in view of creating additional water storage infrastructure and speeding up work on hydro-power projects as medium- and long-term measures so that waters of the western rivers - Indus, Jhelum and Chenab - can be adequately used by India.Desilting of rivers and dams will be done on priority. It will augment […]

[ad_1] NEW DELHI: Union home minister Amit Shah Friday dialled state CMs, apprising them of Centre's decision to revoke all existing valid visas issued to Pakistani citizens across 14 categories - not including long-term visa, and diplomatic and official visa - with immediate effect and asking them to ensure that all affected Pakistanis in their jurisdiction are traced and made to leave India within the specified deadlines spanning from April 26 to 29."The Union home minister has personally spoken to almost all CMs, emphasising the strict time-limits set for Pakistanis on revoked visas to check their respective foreigners' registration records to identify Pakistani citizens currently in India, trace them at their reported addresses and ensure that they are on a flight back to Pakistan or to a third country by April 26 in case of Saarc visa and April 27 […]

[ad_1] VIJAYAWADA: The SIT remand report of Andhra Pradesh liquor scam suspect Booneti Chanakya, alias Prakash, names ex-CM Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy as "final recipient" of kickbacks from distilleries across the southern state.The alleged racket started in 2019 and was meticulously operated through a network that the SIT report says was controlled by Jagan's aide and prime accused K Rajasekhar Reddy, alias Raj Kasireddy. Chanakya played the "central role" in the syndicate.The SIT describes the alleged scam as a case of "state capture", with political clout being employed to "loot" the state's liquor industry.The remand report states that distilleries were allegedly coerced into paying up to 20% commission on payments released by Andhra Pradesh State Beverages Corporation Ltd. Failure to comply would result in their supply orders being withheld, it alleges.A meeting in a Hyderabad hotel allegedly involving YSRCP […]

[ad_1] Small arms fray LoC ceasefire NEW DELHI: The ceasefire with Pakistan along the Line of Control has begun to fray with firing of small arms being reported from multiple locations since Thursday night, though big guns like howitzers and large mortars are yet to open up from either side to blow it to smithereens.The escalation in the aftermath of the Pahalgam massacre came as Army chief General Upendra Dwivedi was in J&K to review the overall operational situation along the 778-km LoC as well as the counter-terror operations, with Udhampur-based Northern Command chief Lt-Gen M V Suchindra Kumar and his successor Lt-Gen Pratik Sharma, among other top officers."Gen Dwivedi directed all formations to remain on highest alert," an officer said, in the backdrop of PM Modi and other top ministers promising deadly retribution as all military options for limited […]