Top news: Pakistan claims it has detained a brother of Masood Azhar, 43 others

Pakistan claims it has detained Masood Azhar’s brother and 43 others linked to banned outfits

Pakistani authorities have detained 44 members of banned organisations, including Masood Azhar’s brother Mufti Abdur Rauf, the country’s Interior Ministry claimed in a press conference on Tuesday. Shehryar Afridi, the minister of state for the interior, said the government would take action against all proscribed organisations.

SP-BSP alliance: Akhilesh Yadav says Congress is also part of tie-up in Uttar Pradesh

Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav said on Tuesday that the Congress is part of the Opposition’s alliance in Uttar Pradesh for the Lok Sabha elections. The Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and the Rashtriya Lok Dal are part of the Opposition alliance in the state.

Karnataka: BJP demands action against Congress leader who called for assassination of Narendra Modi

The Karnataka unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday sought action against Congress leader Belur Gopalakrishna for calling for the assassination of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “Instigating for assassination of PM of a country is a [national] threat,” the saffron party said in a tweet. The party tagged the Union Ministry of Home Affairs and Bengaluru Police Commissioner Suneel Kumar, and sought immediate legal action.

IAF air strikes: Defence minister says Centre will not provide casualty figure

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday refused to provide a figure for the number of Jaish-e-Mohammad terrorists said to have been killed in the Indian Air Force’s strikes on the outfit’s camp in Pakistan’s Balakot on February 26. “The Foreign Secretary [Vijay Gokhale] didn’t give a figure,” she told reporters. “He gave a statement. That is the Government of India’s position.”

Rajasthan to include captured ‘IAF pilot Abhinandan’s story of bravery’ in its school syllabus

The Congress government in Rajasthan has decided to include the story of “Indian Air Force pilot Abhinandan Varthaman’s bravery” in the syllabus for state schools. Rajasthan Education Minister Govind Singh Dotasra made the announcement on Facebook.

‘Don’t weaken morale’: BJP criticises Digvijaya Singh for calling Pulwama attack an accident

Several Bharatiya Janata Party leaders on Tuesday criticised Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for describing the Pulwama suicide attack an “accident”. “Has Digvijaya Singh reduced himself to such a low level that he will call the most heinous terrorist attack on 45 CRPF jawans an accident?” Union Law Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said.

Navy chief says they have reports of terrorists being trained to attack via sea

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba on Tuesday said that they have information that terrorists are being trained to conduct attacks on India, including via sea. He was speaking at the Indo-Pacific regional dialogue event organised by the Navy and the National Maritime Foundation.

Congress rules out alliance with AAP in Delhi, says decision is unanimous and final

The Congress on Tuesday reiterated that there will be no alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party in Delhi for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. The elections will be held this summer.

Lok Sabha polls: DMK allies with CPI(M), Vaiko’s MDMK in Tamil Nadu

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Tuesday had tied up with the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam for the Lok Sabha elections.

Hooch deaths: Assam government orders ban on molasses, which is used to make country liquor

The Assam government on Monday banned molasses across the state, days after more than 150 people died after consuming spurious alcohol in Golaghat and Jorhat districts. Molasses – a byproduct of sugar-refining – is used to make country liquor “sulai”.

IAF strike: Amit Shah’s claim that 250 terrorists were killed is an estimate, says Union minister Union minister VK Singh on Tuesday defended Bharatiya Janata Party chief Amit Shah’s claim that more than 250 terrorists were killed in the cross-border strike in Balakot in Pakistan on February 26.

Ahmedabad: PM Narendra Modi launches mega pension scheme announced in interim Budget

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday launched the government’s mega pension scheme – Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maandhan Yojana – in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Pakistan Navy claims it foiled infiltration attempt by Indian submarine

The Pakistan Navy on Tuesday claimed it had detected an Indian submarine trying to enter its territorial waters and successfully thwarted the attempt, Dawn reported, quoting the Navy’s spokesperson.

Yes Bank fined Rs 1 crore by RBI for not complying with SWIFT norms

The Reserve Bank of India has fined private sector lender Yes Bank Rs 1 crore for not complying with its direction about messaging software SWIFT.

Gurugram worst in the world in 2018, six other Indian cities in top 10, shows study

Gurugram in the National Capital Region was the most polluted city in the world in 2018, according to a new study by Swiss-based company IQAir AirVisual and non-profit organisation Greenpeace. The report said Delhi was the most polluted capital in the world.

BJP website hacked, homepage showed meme of Narendra Modi and Angela Merkel

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s official website was hacked on Tuesday around 11.30 am and later remained inaccessible. The party’s IT cell was trying to fix the issue.

‘We will ensure earlier system for faculty reservation in universities is applied’: HRD minister

Union Human Resource Development Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday reiterated the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government’s commitment to the 200-point roster system for faculty reservation in universities.

Andhra Pradesh ‘data theft’: Complaint part of cyber conspiracy, claims CM Chandrababu Naidu

The Telugu Desam Party on Monday demanded that a case relating to the alleged theft of data of the Andhra Pradesh government be shifted to the state from Telangana according to provisions of the Criminal Procedure Code.

Sheena Bora murder case: CBI rejects Indrani Mukerjea’s offer to undergo lie-detector test

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Monday rejected Indrani Mukerjea’s offer to undergo a polygraph or a lie-detector test in connection with the murder of her daughter Sheena Bora, a report said.

Pakistan Navy claims it foiled infiltration attempt by Indian submarine

The Pakistan Navy on Tuesday claimed it had detected an Indian submarine trying to enter its territorial waters and successfully thwarted the attempt, reports said. “The Pakistan Navy used its specialised skills to ward off the submarine, successfully keeping it from entering Pakistani waters,” said a statement from the spokesperson.

European MPs urge Centre to release detained rights activists, express concern at crackdown

Several European MPs have expressed concern at the crackdown on human rights activists and organisations in India and called upon the government to work towards a more open civil society space.

Jammu and Kashmir: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants killed in gunfight in Tral, say police

At least two militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Tral area of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday. A civilian, who was injured in the gunfight, was taken to a hospital in Srinagar for treatment and is now stable, the police said in a statement.

Yes Bank fined Rs 1 crore by RBI for not complying with SWIFT norms

The Reserve Bank of India has fined private sector lender Yes Bank Rs 1 crore for not complying with its direction about messaging software SWIFT. SWIFT, short for Society for Worldwide Interbank Financial Telecommunications, is a messaging system used by lenders the world over to transfer money between banks, particularly foreign currency funds.

US President Donald Trump says he plans to end preferential trade treatment for India

United States President Donald Trump on Monday said he will end India’s preferential trade treatment under a programme that allows $5.6 billion, around Rs 397 crore, worth of Indian exports to enter the country duty-free.

Adivasi, Dalit rights groups call for Bharat Bandh on Tuesday demanding ordinance to secure rights

Adivasi rights organisations have called for a nation-wide bandh on Tuesday demanding that the Centre promulgate an ordinance to secure the forest rights of tribals. Dalit rights groups will also take part in the strike, demanding that the department-wise recruitment system in universities be nullified.

‘One Nation One Card’: PM Modi launches mobility card that can be used for transport across country

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday launched a National Common Mobility Card that can be used to make payments at public transport across the country, including metro and rail services, bus transport, and toll tax. Dubbed as “One Nation, One Card”, it was launched while Modi inaugurated the first phase of Ahmedabad metro train service on Monday.

Maharashtra: CPI(M) suspends state secretary for his speech which ‘hurt party’s image’

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday said it has suspended its Maharashtra Secretary Narasayya Adam from the Central Committee – the party’s highest decision making body – for three months. He reportedly praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at a public event.

Air India orders crew to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every flight announcement

Air India on Monday issued a circular to all its cabin and cockpit crew, directing them to say “Jai Hind” after every flight announcement, “with much fervour”. The directive is effective immediately, said the circular, which was issued by Director of Operations Amitabh Singh.

West Bengal: CPI(M) proposes ‘no mutual contest’ with Congress on six Lok Sabha seats

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday proposed “no mutual contest” for six Lok Sabha seats held by the Congress and the Left Front in West Bengal for the upcoming General Elections.

Indian Air Force jet shoots down Pakistani drone near Rajasthan border: Reports

An Indian Air Force Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft shot down a Pakistani drone in the Bikaner Nal sector near the international border in Rajasthan on Monday. Indian planes engaged with the drone and shot it down after it was detected by air defence radars.