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The seven-hour meeting between the Centre and farmers today failed to end the deadlock, with farmers’ representatives saying nothing less than the scrapping of the contentious laws will satisfy them. Union agriculture minister Narendra Tomar, who led the negotiations, said the government “has no ego”. The next meeting will be held on Saturday. “We will ask the government tomorrow whether they will scrap the law and if they refuse, we may not attend the December 5 meeting,” said Jagmohan Singh, the general secretary of Bharatiya Kisan Union (Dakaunda). Farmers who warned that today’s meeting was the government’s “last chance” to repeal the contentious laws had refused to accept food, team and even water from the government.

Veteran BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi on Wednesday filed his nomination papers for by-election to a Rajya Sabha seat in Bihar which has been necessitated by the death of Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan. Sushil Kumar Modi filed his nomination papers at the Patna Commissioner office in presence of a host of leaders of the ruling NDA, most notable being Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, whose deputy he had been for more than a decade, sharing an excellent rapport that has been a stuff of legend in the states political circles. “I have come here to congratulate my former colleague. He is currently an MLC and formerly been a member of the Lok Sabha and an MLA before that.” “With his election to the Rajya Sabha he will hold the a distinction of having been a member of both houses of the Parliament and the state legislature”, Nitish Kumar told reporters smilingly. Nitish Kumar, who has two BJP legislators Tarkishor Prasad and Renu Devi as his deputies in his fourth tenure that began last month, rem

A former High Court judge, CS Karnan, was arrested today over offensive comments he allegedly made against woman judges and wives of judges, which were posted on YouTube. The ex-judge was arrested by the Chennai police. He had allegedly made defamatory and offensive comments against Supreme Court and High Court judges, the wives of judges and uploaded them online. The Madras High Court had recently come down heavily on the police for not acting in the case. In 2017, ex-Justice Karnan became the first sitting high court judge to have been sentenced to jail. He was sentenced to six months for contempt of court at a time he was a judge of the Calcutta High Court.

The farmers’ representatives have turned down the Centre’s second pitch for a committee to discuss the contentious farm laws, protests against which are intensifying by the day. “Now is not the time for a committee,” sources quoted farmers’ representatives as saying at the meeting with three central ministers this evening. A second meeting will be held on December 3. More farmers from Punjab and khaps from Haryana are making their way to the national capital, demanding that the laws be repealed. The farmers have said they will continue the protest if their demands are not accepted. Agriculture minister Narendra Tomar had suggested the formation of a committee, asking farmers to put down the names of their representatives who would be part of it, sources said. The committee, he said, should also have people from the government and agricultural experts to discuss the farm laws. “We wanted a small group, but they (the farmers) said they will talk together. We don’t mind that. We would lik

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in Hyderabad on Sunday to campaign for next week’s municipal election, highlighted the floods that brought the city to a standstill last month, and asked voters for “one chance” to show how the BJP could change the city for the better, and take it from “dynasty to democracy” and from “corruption to transparency”. Addressing a public rally on the final day of campaigning, Mr Shah also said the BJP wanted to “rid Hyderabad of the Nawab-Nizam culture”, would not tolerate “appeasement of any community” and would ensure “no one will be a second class-citizen”. “If you give the BJP one chance, we will remove all illegal construction which blocks water exits and make sure the city never gets flooded again,” he said, attacking Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, or KCR, over his government’s handling of the situation. “We follow the news as well. We did not see the Chief Minister oversee rescue operations or meet with officials or do on-ground inspectio

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the agitation of farmers against the new farm laws and said no government in the world can stop farmers fighting the “battle of truth”. The former Congress chief’s attack on the government came as thousands of farmers, carrying flags and shouting slogans, gathered at various entry points into the national capital in a determined bid to push their way through as part of their ”Delhi Chalo” march against the new farm laws while police blocked them with barricades, teargas shells and batons. Later, the farmers were allowed to enter the national capital and hold peaceful agitation, the Delhi Police said. In a tweet in Hindi, Mr Gandhi said the prime minister should remember that whenever arrogance takes on truth, it gets defeated. “No government in the world can stop the farmers who are fighting the battle of truth,” the former Congress chief said. “The Modi government will have to agree to the demands of the

US President-elect Joe Biden on Wednesday (local time) said the US is on track to begin immunisation against the COVID-19 by late December-early January next year as there have been “significant record-breaking progress” in developing a vaccine. “There’s been significant record-breaking progress made recently in developing a vaccine and several of these vaccines look extraordinarily effective. It happens to be on track for the first immunisation to begin by late December-early January,” Biden said at Delaware on the occasion of Thanksgiving. He added that there will be a need to put in place a distribution plan to get the entire country immunised as soon as possible “which we will do, but it’s going to take time.” “I hope with the news of the vaccine will serve as an incentive to every American to take the simple steps to get control of the virus,” the President-elect said. Biden said that the American people are at war against the virus that originated from Wuhan and not with one anot

India and the United States have extended the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation on nuclear energy for 10 more years. According to a joint statement issued on Tuesday, “Marking the tenth year of cooperation between the United States and India at the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership (GCNEP) and the signing of the extension, for an additional ten years, to the Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of India Concerning Cooperation with the Global Centre for Nuclear Energy Partnership, India, signed at New Delhi on November 7, 2010 (the GCNEP MOU).” The joint statement also recognizing India’s important commitment in 2010 to establish the GCNEP with a vision to promote safe, secure, and sustainable nuclear energy for the service of mankind through global partnership. “India and the US, recognizing and appreciating the strength of the enduring partnership between the two countries on matters

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi a flurry of questions in connection to the anticipated vaccine for the COVID-19, raising issues like funding, timing, and priority of candidates. The former Congress President’s queries on Twitter came in the backdrop of a spike in fresh COVID-19 cases from several states like Delhi and Gujarat in the past few days and also the expected arrival of a vaccine in the market as announced by Oxford University as well as drug-makers like Pfizer and Moderna. His queries came a day after he criticised the central government’s mishandling of the lockdown announced in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping India since January. The Prime Minister had on Friday held a meeting to review the country”s vaccination strategy in which important issues related to the progress of COVID-19 vaccine development, regulatory approvals, and procurement were discussed, according report. He had also reviewed various issues like prioritisat

The first meeting of the newly constituted ”gau cabinet” (cow cabinet) in Madhya Pradesh began on Sunday with an aim to bolster the economy based on cow for making the state self-reliant. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan chaired the meeting through virtual mode from his residence and wished participants on the occasion of ”Gopashtami”, a festival dedicated to Lord Krishna and cows, a source said. The CM on Wednesday announced setting up of a separate “cabinet” for the protection and promotion of the cow. Ministers of Animal Husbandry, Forest, Panchayat and Rural Development, Revenue, Home and Farmers” Welfare departments will be part of this cabinet, said to be the first such body in the country, he had informed.

In the last one and half years after the start of the government’s Jal Jeevan Mission, more than 2.6 crore families have been provided piped drinking water in their homes, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday. He said that under the scheme, “the life of our mothers and sisters has become easier due to easy water access at the comfort of their homes and added that it has led to a reduction of many diseases like cholera, typhoid, encephalitis caused by dirty water”. “During the last one and half years from the start of Jal Jeevan Mission more than 2 crore 60 lakh families have been provided piped drinking water connection to their homes including lakhs of families in Uttar Pradesh as well,” PM Modi said after laying the foundation stone of rural drinking water supply projects in Mirzapur and Sonbhadra districts of Vindhyachal region of Uttar Pradesh via video conference. During the event, the Prime Minister also interacted with Village Water and Sanitation Committee. Union Ministe

Suspended DMK member and former Member of Parliament, KP Ramalingam on Saturday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Chennai. “I joined in BJP today, I will dedicate my life for the development of the party,” said Mr Ramalingam. “For 30 years I was in DMK and faced seven elections… During the Covid-19 situation, DMK called for an all-party meeting. I released a statement against the meeting, after that I was suspended. Now I have taken 8 months’ time and under no pressure joined BJP,” he said. Further talking about his suspension, Mr Ramalingam said he will urge that DMK chief MK Stalin’s brother MK Alagiri to follow his footsteps. “I have close relations with MK Alagiri (DMK chief MK Stalin’s brother). I will try to bring him to Bharatiya Janata Party,” he added.

US President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday accused Donald Trump of brazenly damaging democracy as the incumbent pressed on with a campaign to reverse his election loss through fraud claims and personal outreach to election authorities. Trump is behind “incredibly damaging messages being sent to the rest of the world about how democracy functions,” Biden told reporters in his home state of Delaware. Asked about Trump’s calls with officials in Michigan, which Biden won on November 3 election by 155,000 votes, Biden said it was “another incident where he will go down in history as being one of the most irresponsible presidents in American history.” “It’s hard to fathom how this man thinks,” Biden said. “I’m confident he knows he hasn’t won, is not going to be able to win and we’re going to be sworn in January 20th.” Trump has refused to accept his loss on November 3, despite his opponent getting over six million more votes. Biden also won the Electoral College votes that ultimately decide w

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said that his government has sought the Centre’s go-ahead to allow it to shut for a few days markets that may emerge as COVID-19 hotspots amid a coronavirus surge in the national capital. The state is also looking at reducing the number of people allowed for weddings back to 50. Mr Kejriwal’s remarks come a day after his government said that the city would not be put under another lockdown, adding that a third wave of COVID-19 had already peaked out. “Since cases are rising in Delhi, we are sending a general proposal to the Centre so that, if required, the state government can shut for a few days those markets where social distancing norms are not being followed and they are on the verge of becoming local COVID-19 hotspots,” Mr Kejriwal said in an online media briefing today. I hope the crowd in the markets will thin out and there will be no need to close them, he added.  “Delhi had allowed up to 200 people at weddings, in keeping with the Cen

Nitish Kumar is set to be sworn in as Chief Minister for the fourth straight term but with the results this time downgrading him to second place in the ruling alliance, he is likely to have two deputies from ally BJP instead of one, say sources. The BJP is also set to take the post of Speaker in the Bihar assembly. The decision was reportedly taken at a late night meeting between Nitish Kumar and top Bihar BJP leaders. Some reports suggest Tarkishore Prasad and Renu Devi could be the new deputies to the Chief Minister. Mr Prasad has already been named the leader of the BJP legislature party. Renu Devi, asked about the reports, said she would follow the party’s orders. Sushil Kumar Modi had been Deputy Chief Minister to Nitish Kumar since 2005 except for the time the Chief Minister formed government with the RJD and the Congress. When Nitish Kumar dumped the alliance and resurrected his ties with the BJP, Sushil Kumar Modi once again took over as his number two. The two are believed to

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday targeted the government over the state of the economy, claiming the country has entered into a recession for the first time in history due to the policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “India has entered into recession for the first time in history. Mr Modi’s actions have turned India’s strength into its weakness,” he said on Twitter. Gandhi cited a news report wherein the Reserve Bank of India has said that the country’s GDP is likely to contract by 8.6 per cent in the July-September quarter, which means the Indian economy is likely to enter into a technical recession for the first time in history.

In his speech to mark the victory in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi made an oblique but significant reference to Bengal, where elections will be held next year. Without naming Bengal or Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, the Prime Minister warned that “the killing of BJP workers is not acceptable in a democracy” and those responsible would be punished by the people. At a grand celebration at the BJP office in Delhi a day after the Nitish Kumar-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) won in Bihar, the PM segued into Bengal as he talked about his government’s hard work being acknowledged by voters. “But today, those unable to challenge us, some of those people have adopted the path of murder of our workers. In some parts of the country they think that by killing BJP workers they will fulfil their ambitions. I do not think I need to warn them, because in a democracy, the people speak,” PM Modi said to a rousing applause and slogan shouting by party workers gathered at the BJP headquarter

The opposition alliance, considered at one point knocked out of the contest for Bihar, has made a thrilling recovery and is now just a few seats behind the ruling NDA. Initially, it was Tejashwi Yadav’s Rashtriya Janata Dal which snagged the largest party spot from the NDA. Then the ruling coalition, which stayed above the majority mark in the 243-member assembly for the better part of the day, started slipping. The biggest hit has been taken by Nitish Kumar, whose Janata Dal United is trailing in a chunk of seats — an outcome brought about by voters’ anger and the solo contest of Lok Janshakti Party’s Chirag Paswan, which appears to have benefitted the BJP. A tight contest is on in 20 seats, with the margin of lead is 600 votes and below. The ruling NDA is leading in 120 seats and the opposition alliance in 116 seats, in Bihar Election Results. The BJP is leading in 72 seats, the JDU in 41. The RJD is ahead in 77 seats, the Congress in 20 and the CPI-ML in 11 seats. Describing the con

Against the backdrop of some leaders questioning the reliability of EVMs, the Election Commission (EC) asserted on Tuesday that the machines are “absolutely robust and tamper-free”. After the ruling NDA took a lead over the opposition Grand Alliance in the poll trends for Bihar on Tuesday, Congress leader Udit Raj raised questions on the reliability of EVMs, asking why the machines cannot be hacked if satellites can be controlled from the earth. But another Congress leader, Karti Chidambaram, said the electronic voting machine (EVM) system is robust, accurate and dependable. “This has always been my view. I stand by it. There have been doubters of the EVM from across political parties, particularly when the results don’t go in their favour. Till now no one has demonstrated scientifically their claims. Whatever be the outcome of any election, it’s time to stop blaming the EVM. In my experience, the EVM system is robust, accurate and dependable,” he tweeted. Responding to a question on d

The Congress is a member of the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) – an alliance of mainstream political parties in J&K fighting to restore special status – and will contest district-level elections as part of the group, National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah said Sunday. Mr Abdullah, who is also the PAGD’s President, stressed: “We are fighting the elections together.” “Where have they separated? There should be no misconception. The Congress is part of the alliance and we are fighting the DDC (district development council) elections together,” he said. Mr Abdullah’s comment came a day after the Congress said it would field candidates of its own for the DDC election, which will take place between November 28 and December 22. Asked to respond, he said: “When you heard this… yesterday was different and today Mir sahib (J&K Congress chief GA Mir) came to meet me and said we are fighting the election together.” “They are together this time. National Conference, Cong