Army giving befitting response to ceasefire violations:Jaitley
New Delhi: Indian troops are giving appropriate response whenever Pakistan violates the ceasefire along the border, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said on Thursday. “Whenever ceasefire violations take place our soldiers give appropriate response at the border,” he told reporters here. The Minister was asked about the continuing ceasefire violations on the sidelines of a conference of Tourism Ministers here. There have been 12 ceasefire violation in the past ten days along the Indo-Pak border by Pakistani troops. India had called off the talks between Foreign Secretaries of the countries slated for August 25, telling Pakistan bluntly to choose between an Indo-Pak dialogue or hobnobbing with the separatists. PTI
Soren too hooted by crowds in Modi’s presence
Ranchi: After Maharashtra and Haryana Chief Ministers, it was the turn of Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren to be hooted by crowds in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a function here on Thursday to inaugurate a power project. The audience that included BJP activists chanted ‘Modi, Modi’ as soon as Soren, the JMM leader who runs a coalition with Congress and RJD, took the microphone. Soren, however, continued with his speech as Modi waved at the people for restraint. The shouts carried on all through Soren’s speech. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda was recently booed by a crowd at a public event in the Prime Minister’s presence, after which he said he would never share the stage with him again. At a function on Saturday last, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan had to stop speaking midway as alleged BJP supporters started chanting Modi’s name at a function attended by the Prime Minister. Chavan had on Thursday said he would not attend Modi’s function in Nagpur on Thursday to perform bhumi-pujan of a Metro project. (PTI)
PMK chief wants TN to take cue from Ker in anti-liquor drive
Chennai: Lauding Kerala for its drive against liquor, PMK on Thursday asked Tamil Nadu government to take a cue and go in for phased or complete prohibition in the state. Party founder S Ramadoss, citing Kerala government statistics, said since the closing down of 418 liquor bars in that state, there has been a dip in incidents of drunken driving and crimes against women and children, among others. It was widely being expected that Kerala could implement prohibition in its state by 2016 and such a move would usher in healthy and happy conditions, he said in a statement. “But Tamil Nadu government is declining to close down bars and retail outlets selling liquor and is further opening up new ones like Elite Bar and exclusive beer outlets,” he said. Ramadoss, a strong votary of prohibition in the state where government retails liquor through its state-run outlets, claimed due to such a situation there was a hike in crimes, including those against women and children. Such a situation could lead to deterioration of law and order in the state, he said adding the government must not be keen on the approximate Rs 22,000 crore revenue from liquor sales but look beyond that, on issues affecting common man. (PTI)
Manjhi questions Modi’s Jharkhand visit during bypoll in Bihar
Patna: Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi on Thursday questioned the visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in neighbouring Jharkhand when bypolls in 10 Assembly seats were taking place in Bihar. “Prime Minister Narendra Modi is laying foundation of several projects and making speech in neighbouring Jharkhand when bypolls in 10 Assembly seats in Bihar is taking place …this can influence voting in the by-elections,” Manjhi told reporters. He drew the attention of the Election Commission towards it. The Bihar CM said that “Modi magic” was in the wane now. “By making false promises during parliamentary election and in the name of caste and religion, the BJP won the general election…but Modi magic will not work in future as people have seen the reality,” Manjhi, who succeeded Nitish Kumar on the chair of Bihar CM, said. People of Bihar would not be taken for a ride again by the BJP, he remarked. Asked if stake is high for the secular alliance in the bypoll, the CM said JD(U), RJD and Congress are making an experiment of fighting poll together to stop division of votes. (PTI)
Health Minister directs DHO to file case against Ebola rumour
Mangalore: Karnataka Health Minister U T Khader has asked the District Health Officer of Dakshina Kannada to lodge a complaint with the cyber cell police in Bangalore against persons spreading rumours on social media claiming Ebola virus had entered the city. Some people had spread a WhatsApp message last month that a student had died at the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NITK) at Suratkal, near here, after being infected with the Ebola virus, even after the doctors treating him confirmed that he died of lung disease. Khader directed DHO H S Shivakumar to file a complaint to bring to book the pranksters who misused technology to create panic and confusion, officials here said. Both State and Central Governments had been working in unison to ensure that Ebola virus would not enter India. (PTI)