Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh and his Bahrain counterpart held productive session

The Union Home Minister, Shri Rajnath Singh visiting the Bahrain National Museum, in Manama on October 25, 2016.

The Union Home Minister Shri Rajnath Singh, who is on a three-day visit to Bahrain, held extensive talks with his Bahrain counterpart, Minister of Interior Lt. General Shaikh Rashid bin Abdullah Al Khalifa in capital Manama yesterday.

The two sides held a productive session, in which the Bahrain Interior Minister welcomed the Union Home Minister and his delegation with an opening speech. Lt. General Shaikh Rashid stated that Bahrain has throughout history been a link between East and West. He also discussed Bahrain's special relationship with India due to the large Indian community in the Kingdom. He added that Bahrain is a tolerant, peaceful and open country.

Lt. General Shaikh Rashid also invited Shri Rajnath Singh to visit temples and community centres that reflect the diversity of Bahraini society. Lt. General Shaikh Rashid said Bahrainis and Indians have lived together for generations and encouraged additional development in the ties between the two governments.

Lt. General Shaikh Rashid hailed the first meeting of the Bahraini-Indian Joint Steering Committee as part of the agreement signed between the two sides on counter-terrorism to reinforce security cooperation, especially regional terrorism issues. He highlighted that Bahrain has experienced terrorist acts that caused loss of life and horrific injuries and damage to infrastructure.

The Bahrain Interior Minister said: “We look forward to working together in the fight against terrorism and in strengthening our mutual and regional security. He said the Joint Steering Committee should look at how we can work together to address challenges and to follow up the progress of the agreed decision through exchange of visits and expertise and working to achieve common goals.”

The Union Home Minister expressed thanks and appreciation to the Bahrain Interior Minister, hailing the historical ties between the two friendly countries that are based on love and peace. Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted during the meeting that Bahrain is a civilised and open society that promotes unity and co-existence. He said mutual visits will develop bilateral ties. He also stated that terrorism is a threat to the whole world and that India is ready to reinforce joint counter-terrorism cooperation with Bahrain.

The two sides agreed that the historical visit of the King of Bahrain to India in February 2014 built a basic foundation toward a strong partnership between the two countries, as well as the creation of opportunities to develop bilateral relations in various sectors.

The two sides also agreed that the exchange of high level visits has contributed to the implementation of important agreements between the two countries. They discussed the visit of the Bahrain Interior Minister to India in December, 2015 that included the signing of the cooperation agreement on international counter-terrorism and trafficking of narcotics, psychotropic substances and chemical precursors.

They agreed on their strong stances against all forms of terrorism, saying terrorism is a hazard to all countries and communities. They rejected the linking of terrorism to any race, religion or culture. They agreed that a terrorist in one country cannot be glorified as freedom fighters by another, and the two sides called upon all states to reject the use of terrorism against other countries, to refrain from interfering in the internal affairs of the state, and to fight terrorist infrastructure whenever it exists.

The two sides also agreed to actively implement the counterterrorism agreement for which a joint committee was formed that held its first meeting in the sideline of the visit. They decided to hold regular committee meetings, in accordance to the clauses of the agreement.

The two sides agreed to reinforce cooperation in exchange of information on ongoing terrorism-related investigations, exchange of information of ongoing organised crime investigations, including terrorism and drug trafficking, determine and exchange information on terrorism financing and organised crime sources and confiscation of terrorism money in accordance to the laws of both countries, study youth extremism and the use of the internet and how to tackle the issue, further cooperation in e-security and fight money laundering.

They also agreed to promote participation in training courses and seminars that are held by the two countries for security officials to exchange expertise on crime fighting and other unconventional threats. They welcomed cooperation in anti-human trafficking and the fight against emerging security threats of the two countries. The two sides agreed to continue high level communication to reinforce security cooperation.

Will not re-visit 1995 judgement on 'Hindutva': SC

New Delhi, Oct 25 (PTI) The Supreme Court today ruled out re-visiting the famous 'Hindutva' verdict holding Hinduism as a "way of life' making it clear that it would not go into the "larger debate" as the issue did not find mention in the reference made by a five-judge bench.

"We will not go into the larger debate as to what is 'Hindutva' or what is its meaning. We will not re-consider the 1995 judgement and also not examine 'Hindutva' or religion at this stage," a seven-judge constitution bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur said.

The court, to which the issue has been referred by a five-judge bench, is examining the "scope and width" of section 123(3) of the Representation of the People (RP) Act which deals with electoral malpractices amounting to "corrupt practices", among other things.

"The appeal by a candidate or his agent or by any other person with the consent of a candidate or his election agent to vote or refrain from voting for any person on the ground of his religion, race, caste, community or language or the use of, or appeal to religious symbols or the use of, or appeal to, national symbols..., for furtherance of the prospects of the election of that candidate or for prejudicially affecting the election of any candidate" would amount to corrupt practices, the provision says.

Dealing with the reference, the bench said, "At this stage, we will confine ourselves to the issue raised before us in the reference. In the reference, there is no mention of the word 'Hindutva'".

"If anybody will show that there is a reference to the word 'Hindutva', we will hear him. We will not go into 'Hindutva' at this stage," the bench, also comprising Justices M B Lokur, S A Bobde, A K Goel, U U Lalit, D Y Chandrachud and L Nageshwar Rao, said.

The remarks were made by the bench after senior advocate K K Venugopal, appearing for one O P Gupta who is seeking to intervene in the ongoing proceedings, said that he should also be heard if the bench is going into the question of Hindutva and seeking of votes on the basis of religion.

Social activist Teesta Setalvad had earlier sought to intervene in the matter with an application stating that religion and politics should not be mixed and a direction be passed to de-link religion from politics.

Haji Ali Dargah to grant access to women: SC told

New Delhi, Oct 24 (PTI) Women will be granted access to the sanctum sanctorum of the Haji Ali shrine in Mumbai on par with men, the Dargah Trust told the Supreme Court today and sought four weeks to make the requisite infrastructural changes.

A bench comprising Chief Justice T S Thakur and Justices D Y Chandrachud and L Nageswara Rao granted time to the trust and disposed off its appeal against the Bombay High Court order asking it to give equal access to women also.

Senior advocate Gopal Subramanium, appearing for the trust, said an additional affidavit has been filed on behalf of the Dargah trust saying it is willing to allow women inside the shrine.

The apex court, on October 17, had extended the stay granted by Bombay High Court to facilitate an appeal against its decision to lift the ban on entry of women near the sanctum sanctorum of the Dargah in Mumbai.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had expressed hope that the Trust, which had challenged the high court judgement, "will take a stand which is progressive".

Subramanium, had also assured the bench that he was on a "progressive mission" and said all holy books and scriptures promoted equality and nothing which is regressive in character should be suggested.

The bench had also remarked that "if you are not allowing both men and women to go beyond a point, there is no problem.

But if you are allowing some to go beyond a point while others are not, it is a problem." 

The counsel, appearing for a women's group which has challenged the practice of the Trust not to allow women near the sanctum sanctorum, had submitted that the position was different before 2011 than what it is today.

Cyrus Mistry ousted as Tata chief; Ratan Tata returns

Mumbai, Oct 24 (PTI) In a sudden and dramatic turn of events, Cyrus Mistry was today sacked as Chairman of India's largest conglomerate Tata Group and replaced by his predecessor Ratan Tata in the interim, triggering a possible confrontation between the single-largest shareholder and the company's founding family.

Mistry's family firm Shapoorji Pallonji Group, which has 18.4 per cent in Tata Sons -- the holding company of USD 100- billion salt-to-software conglomerate -- is believed to be considering fighting out the "illegal" removal.

In the suprise development, the board of Tata Sons, where 66 per cent shares are held by philanthropic trusts endowed by members of Tata family, ousted Chairman Mistry saying it was acting "for the long-term interest" of the firm.

No reason was given for removing Mistry who was brought in less than four years back with much fanfare, but it is believed there were differences over management style and his approach of selling assets after writing them down.

The board named a five-member search committee, which includes Tata, to choose a successor within four months.

"Tata Sons Board met today and decided to replace him as Chairman with immediate effect. The Tatas Sons board in its collective wisdom and on the recommendation of principal shareholder decided that it may be appropriate to consider a change for the long term interest of Tata Sons and the Tata group," a Group spokesperson said.

Mistry, 48, who replaced Tata, 78, as chairman in December 2012, was only the sixth group Chairman in nearly 15 decades and the first from outside the Tata family. He will remain a director of the individual companies, though his tenure as Chairman is the shortest so far at the group.

Tata will be interim head of the group while a Selection Committee appointed by the company searches for a replacement.

The spokesperson said the Committee has been constituted with a mandate to complete the process in four months.

Also, there will be no change at the level of CEOs in the operating company, he said. .

SP on brink of split as CM sacks Shivpal; Ramgopal expelled

Lucknow, Oct 23 (PTI) Ruling Samajwadi Party appeared to be headed for a split today as Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and his party supremo and father Mulayam Singh were engaged in an open face-off, sacking each other's loyalists Shivpal Yadav and Ramgopal Yadav.

While Akhilesh sacked Shivpal, his uncle and party's state unit chief, along with three other "pro-Amar Singh" ministers from his Cabinet, his father hit back by dismissing Ramgopal, pro-CM cousin and SP's national general secretary, from the party for six years.

The fast-paced developments unfolded this morning when Akhilesh held a meeting of party legislators, a day ahead of a mega meeting of party MPs, MLAs, MLCs and ministers called by Mulayam where some more tough decisions were likely to be taken.

After the meeting, the Chief Minister recommended to Governor Ram Naik that Shivpal, Narad Rai and Om Prakash Singh (all Cabinet ministers) and Sayeda Shadab Fatima (MoS - Independent charge) be sacked from his ministry. This was accepted immediately.

While the meeting was underway, hundreds of Akhilesh's supporters collected outside his residence, raising slogans in his favour.

Significantly, before Akhilesh announced the sacking of Shivpal and three other ministers, Ramgopal issued a letter written to party workers, expressing support to the Chief Minister and warning those opposing him.

"Those who oppose Akhilesh won't be able to show their faces in the legislative assembly. Where Akhilesh is, victory follows," he said in the letter.

After his sacking, Shivpal met Mulayam at his residence, which is just nearby that of the CM's bungalow.

Hours later, he announced that the SP chief had expelled Ramgopal from the party for six years.

Shivpal told mediapersons that Ramgopal was colluding with BJP and had thrice met a senior leader of the saffron party to save himself and his son from a CBI probe in connection with alleged involvement in the Yadav Singh Noida scam probe.

He said he was not worried about being dropped from the government and declared that the state Assembly elections would be fought under leadership of Mulayam.

Launching a scathing attack on Ramgopal, Shivpal said he was tarnishing the image of SP by dabbling in corruption, colluding with BJP and weakening Mulayam's leadership.

"On Mulayam's directive, Ramgopal is being stripped of his posts of party spokesman and national general secretary and is being expelled from the party for six years," Shivpal said, giving rise to intense speculation about an imminent split.

India triumph in Kabaddi World Cup, maintain dominance / PM Congratulates

PM congratulates Indian team for winning Kabaddi World Cup

The Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has congratulated the Indian Kabaddi team for winning the Kabaddi World Cup.

“Congratulations to Indian team for winning the Kabaddi World Cup. The team showed exceptional skills, grit and determination. Well done!”, the Prime Minister said.

Ahmedabad, Oct 22 (PTI) India on Saturday triumphed in the 2016 Kabaddi World Cup for a third straight time as they staged a remarkable fightback to overcome a tough Iran 38-29 in the title clash, maintaining their dominance in the sport.

This was India's third title triumph on the trot in a sport they have dominated for long.

Incidentally, Iran tasted defeat to India in the last two World Cup finals and at the Asian Games.

Ajay Thakur was the star performer of the final, claiming 12 points.

Iran fought bravely and took the lead going into the first half break at 18-13, but Thakur changed the complexion in the second half and he was helped by some resolute defending from the hosts.

Clinton's win would result in spread of ISIS: Trump

Washington, Oct 22 (PTI) Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump today slammed his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, saying her victory in the upcoming US presidential elections would result in "four more years of Obama" and the "spread of ISIS".

"Let me tell you, if Hillary Clinton gets elected, we have got four more years of (Barack) Obama. We have a disaster. We have ISIS all over," Trump said during his address in North Carolina.

"We won't win anymore. And your taxes are going up. And she wants to double up and triple up on Obamacare, which has to be repealed and replaced. It is a disaster," he said.

Trump, 70, said he will renegotiate NAFTA and stand up for "foreign cheating" to stop the jobs from leaving the US.

"We are going to start making things in America again. We are going to start making things in North Carolina again. We are bringing back our jobs. America first," he said.

Noting that he would create an "America Desk" to bring all trade related issues at one point, Trump said all trade policy will be consolidated into one office.

"It will report to a thing called the American Desk," Trump said.

He said the mission of the desk will be to protect the economic interest of the American worker and national interest of the US.

"We are losing our manufacturing all over the country," he alleged.

Trump alleged that Clinton allowed the release of thousands of criminals as their home countries would not take them back.

"They don't want to take back killers and drug dealers and all of the people that we are sending back. It was just reported, and Hillary took it - she said, bring them back, bring them back. They won't take them," he said.

"We are going to take these people out day one, the people that are the criminals, drug lords, gang members, killers," he said.

Sensex gripped by US rate hike fears, slips into red zone

Mumbai, Oct 21 (PTI) Market showed some signs of restraint as the Sensex ended up in the red today after RIL earnings failed to move investors and on heightened prospects of a US rate hike amid mixed Asian cues.

However, for the week, the Sensex and the Nifty recorded gains by rising 403.58 points, or 1.45 per cent, and 109.65 points, or 1.27 per cent, respectively.

Foreign investors held themselves back due to the surge in US dollar index led by increasing certainty of higher US borrowing costs.

"FIIs were not active in the market due to the surge in US dollar index led by increasing certainty of Fed rate hike. As expected, ECB maintained status quo and ruled out possibility of sudden end in QE which provided breather to the market," said Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit BNP Paribas Fin Services.

The 30-share index stayed in the negative zone for the most part. But some fag-end value buying meant it recovered a bit before closing at 28,077.18, down 52.66 points, or 0.19 per cent.

The broader Nifty also succumbed to the pressure before recovering to close lower by 6.35 points, or 0.07 per cent at 8,693.05.

A mixed trend prevailed in rest of Asia following an earthquake in western Japan, which weighed on equities. Hong Kong markets were shut due to a typhoon.

In contrast, broader markets were in a better shape, with the mid-cap and small-cap indices closing higher by 0.31 per cent and 0.10 per cent, respectively.

Brokers said selling by funds as well as retailers gathered momentum after Reliance Industries yesterday reported a 23 per cent drop in its second quarter consolidated net profit, which had a bearing on stock movement.

RIL shares fell 2.21 per cent to Rs 1,064.40 after the consolidated net profit in July-September came in at Rs 7,206 crore, 22.9 per cent lower than Rs 9,345 crore in the same period a year ago.

Shares of cement maker ACC plunged 3.10 per cent to Rs 1,562.05 after the company said its consolidated net profit fell 29 per cent to Rs 81.97 crore for the September quarter.

Sectorwise, the BSE consumer durables index fell by 1.70 per cent and metal index shed 0.62 per cent. Realty gained the most by surging 0.86 per cent followed by IT 0.69 per cent.

Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) bought shares worth a net Rs 7.30 crore yesterday, as per provisional data released by the stock exchanges.

Globally, a mixed trend emerged in other Asian bourses, helping key indices on the domestic bourses trim their losses, the brokers added.

Japan's Nikkei came off six-month highs by falling 0.30 per cent after the quake while Shanghai Composite rose 0.21 per cent.

In Europe, most indices rose in their early deals after the European Central Bank quashed talks regarding its future monetary policy. Key indices in France, Germany and London rose between 0.04 per cent and 0.12 per cent. .

Gavaskar to receive Lifetime Achievement Award from SJAM

Mumbai, Oct 21 (PTI) As a part of its golden jubilee celebrations, the Sports Journalists' Association of Mumbai (SJAM) will present cricket legend Sunil Manohar Gavaskar with the Lifetime Achievement award here on December 11 at the Cricket Club of India.

The award will be presented to the former India captain on the fourth day of the fourth Test match between India and England at the Wankhede Stadium, said a media release from SJAM.

The SJAM's first Lifetime Achievement award was presented to badminton legend Nandu Natekar in September 2013.

Gavaskar has completed a memorable 50-year connect with the Indian cricket. He made his first class debut representing Vazir Sultan XI against Dungarpur XI in the quarter-final of the Moin-Ud-Dowlah Gold Cup in October 1966.

He made his debut for Bombay in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Mysore at the Brabourne Stadium in March 1970.

After recording a phenomenal aggregate of 774 runs in his debut Test series on the 1970-71 tour of the West Indies in 1971, Gavaskar became the first batsman in annals of Test cricket to cross the 10,000 run mark.

He was a part of the Indian team led by Kapil Dev that won the third Prudential World Cup in 1983. He was the captain of the team that won the Benson and Hedges World Championship tournament in Australia in 1985.

Gavaskar played 125 Test matches and scored 10,122 runs with 34 centuries. He also represented India in 108 ODIs tallying over 3,000 runs.

After his retirement from international cricket in 1987, Gavaskar occupied a number of posts such as Chairman of the BCCI's Technical Committee and ICC Cricket Committee. He has been an ICC Match Referee, Chairman of the Mumbai Cricket Association's Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC), batting coach of the Indian team.

He has also stepped in as coach when Ajit Wadekar fell ill in a tournament in Sharjah.

In 2014, the Supreme Court nominated him President BCCI for the IPL tournament held in the UAE and in India.

BSF kills 7 Pak Rangers, one terrorist on Jammu border

Jammu, Oct 21 (PTI) BSF today said it had killed 7 personnel of Pakistani Rangers and a terrorist while retaliating to a ceasefire violation on the International Border in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir in which one BSF jawan was injured.

Pakistan Rangers, the border force of Pakistan, resorted to sniper attacks at Indian posts at Hira Nagar in Kathua at around 9.35 AM, BSF said.

The Indian border guarding force launched an aggressive offensive against the Pakistani firing, BSF said in a release, adding seven Rangers and a terrorist were shot dead in the retaliatory firing.

Seeking to suggest that the killings had been corroborated by Pakistani media, the BSF said "source input" claimed that a media organisation in that country was running a news item about death of 5 Rangers.

The strong response by the BSF came after one of Constables Gurnam Singh was injured in a sniper fire attack by Pakistani Rangers this morning in the same area.

Singh, whose condition is considered to be critical, was evacuated with the cover fire to Government Medical College, Jammu.

This firing from Pakistan was effectively retaliated and that has claimed the casualties of Pakistani forces, the release said. .