Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Governor Ram Naik on Thursday mourned the demise of film actor and Lok Sabha MP Vinod Khanna.

In his message, Adityanath recalled his contribution to the Hindi film industry and called him a talented actor, adding that apart from his great work in his professional realm, Khanna was also a sensitive and popular public representative. 

Naik recalled his long association with the veteran actor and termed his death a personal loss.
 

The AAP went into a huddle on Thursaday to mull over its unimpressive show in the civic polls in Delhi, as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal urged his newly-elected councillors "not to betray AAP".

During the day, Punjab party affairs in-charge Sanjay Singh and his deputy Durgesh Pathak stepped down, following the resignations of Delhi AAP Convenor Dilip Pandey, Delhi campaign chief Ashish Talwar, and legislator Alka Lamba on Wednesday.

The Aam Aadmi Party won in 48 of the 270 wards of the three Delhi Municipal Corporations, polls for which were held on Sunday. The BJP swept the elections with 181.

Addressing the new AAP councillors at his residence here, Kejriwal administered them a "pledge of honesty" and cautioned them not to let themselves be lured or involved in corruption.

He claimed the three municipal corporations of Delhi were "most corrupt" civic bodies in India. 

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would try its best to wean them away but urged them to remain united.

"Always keep your recording devices (in mobile phones) on so that we can know if any such effort is made."

Kejriwal asked the AAP councillors to ensure a check on corruption in the civic bodies by raising their voice against it.

"This party has emerged from an anti-corruption movement; so, please work with full honesty," he said. 

"Maintain honesty and have the courage to raise voice against corruption in the MCDs. They (BJP) might send you to jail or try to suppress your voice, but do not fear," the Delhi Chief Minister said.

Kejriwal also told the newly-elected councillors not to leave movement against corruption even if someone lured them to join other parties by offering huge money. 

"It is a very pious movement. If you leave AAP, this movement, the people will then never be happy," Kejriwal said.

Kejriwal's AAP is battling a crisis following the unimpressive show in the elections to the three municipal corporations. The polls were held on April 23 and votes counted on April 26. 

Kejriwal also held a separate, closed-door meeting with the AAP legislators. 

Party sources told IANS that they discussed the poll performance and ways to "reinvent the momentum from the grass-roots".

A key decision towards this end was the appointment of Delhi Labour Minister Gopal Rai as the AAP's Delhi Convener after Pandey's resignation.

"Rai has been chosen for the post. However, any final decision will be taken in a meeting of the party's Political Affairs Committee," a party source said.

A private school in Meerut city of Uttar Pradesh on Thursday allegedly issued a diktat to its students to sport 'Yogi-style' hair cut, raising the hackles of shocked parents who protested.

The worked up parents alleged that Rishabh Academy School in Sadar area had warned students they will not be allowed to attend school till they got the buzz hair cut, akin to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's. The school denied the charge.

As the news spread, dozens of angry parents reached the school and protested.

Finally, the police mediated and pacified the irate parents before getting children entry to the school premises.

The students also accused school management of banning consumption of non-vegetarian food during recess.

The management, however, denied the allegations and said its Secretary Ranjeet Jain had merely asked students to be properly dressed and sport a "decent" hair cut while attending school.

"The idea is to ensure that children lead a disciplined school life. As for the ban on non-vegetarian food, that has been the case always. It is unfortunate that a communal colour is being given to a trivial issue," a school management official said.

To break the existing monopoly in the bus transport sector, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has mooted an open-door policy for bus permits, except on national highway routes.

An official spokesperson said taking forward his government’s agenda to reform the beleaguered transport system in the state, and free it from the monopolistic shackles created by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government, the CM suggested rationalisation of inter-state routes to make them more competitive.

Chairing a preliminary meeting of the Transport Department to draft the new transport policy, the CM directed the concerned officials to explore the modalities for interstate route rationalisation.

It was decided at the meeting to go for e-tendering on lucrative routes to make the business more viable and profitable, while providing a level-playing field to all players.

The draft policy, being prepared by the department, will be put before the state Cabinet for approval soon, according to an official spokesperson, who added that the policy was being aligned to the directives and observations of the Supreme Court as well as Punjab and Haryana High Court.

The policy is being drafted after taking views of stakeholders including private bus operators and mini bus operators.

In another step to eliminate the transport mafia, Capt Amarinder suggested permits to have registration numbers of buses mentioned thereon for plying.

He also suggested that GPS systems should be installed in all buses to ensure their effective tracking in order to prevent misuse of permits, which incidentally was rampant during the previous regime.

The CM also asked the department to work out the modalities of allowing transfer of permits after charging some fee. The transfer of permits was earlier allowed only on condemnation of a bus to a new bus or by way of inheritance. 

Underlining his government’s commitment to provide employment, the CM suggested measures to augment the intra-city transport system by introducing permits for small buses to youth under the 'Yaari Enterprise' and 'Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar' schemes proposed in the Congress manifesto for employment generation.

The BJP's Punjab unit has extended support to the Amarinder Singh government on the critical Sutlej Yamuna Link canal issue, as well as other significant matters in Punjab.

A delegation, led by Union Minister for Social Justice and the party's state chief Vijay Sampla met Chief Minister Amarinder Singh here on Thursday to discuss a wide range of issues regarding the state's welfare.

The SYL canal issue was discussed in the meeting and the BJP leaders assured their support for any steps taken by the state government in the connection, an official spokesman said.

Amarinder thanked the delegation for their support, saying it was important for political parties of all hues to come together in order to bring the state's growth and development back on track, the spokesman said.

The BJP leaders raised several issues, including setting up of a cancer hospital in Hoshiarpur, for which the land had already been allocated and the Centre had also released the necessary funds.

Acknowledging the importance of the project, the chief minister directed the health department to expedite work for construction of the hospital.

With cancer being a major problem in the state, it was important not to delay the matter any longer, he stressed.

The delegation suggested introduction of telemedicine services in Talwara (Hoshiarpur) government hospital to overcome the shortfall of doctors in the region.

Amarinder welcomed the suggestion and instructed the concerned officials to look into the feasibility of starting such services.

Responding to the BJP's plea in this regard, he also directed the concerned department to expedite the civil works at Adampur Airport to make it functional as soon as possible in order to facilitate travel to and from this important district of the state.

The chief minister promised to look into the delegation's suggestion to set up an auto industry in Hoshiarpur, reiterating his commitment to promote the much-needed industrial development across the state.

Another issue raised by the BJP delegation related to the disbursement of central government-funded SC scholarships post the matric scholarship scheme.

Amarinder instructed the concerned officials to ensure that the funds allocated for the purpose reach the intended beneficiaries at the earliest

As many as 12 young racing hopefuls, including one each from Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, will be seen in action when the second edition of Formula Racing Junior Series gets under way at the iconic Kari Motor Speedway this weekend.

The winner of the event, comprising ten-race and two- round championship, will earn a fully sponsored drive in the Formula LGB F4 Class of the 2017 National Racing Championship.

Conceived and promoted by Akbar Ebrahim's Meco MotorSports, the FJRS allows drivers to use inexpensive mechanical components from ordinary automobiles.

“The FJRS provides an affordable platform to young racers in the country to showcase their skills and break into the big league,” Akbar said, on the eve of the series. “The first edition was a super hit and helped us identify good talent at the entry level,” he added.

The upcoming series had drawn enthusiasts from different parts of the country, including Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Tamil Nadu, Coimbatore and Kolkata to underline the fact that a number of youngsters are keen on taking up motorsport as a career.

“The most encouraging news is that the winner will be able to race along with the best racers in the country free of charge,” Akbar pointed out.

The runner-up will get two free drives in the F4 Championship while the second runner-up will get one free drive. This opens the door for many young racers without the means to chase their dream of becoming a Formula Racer.

The Formula LGB 1300 car will be used in the Series, with instructors and well-qualified mechanics on standby to help the drivers.

The FJRS, which was launched last year to promote the sport at the grassroots level, is open only to drivers who haven't bagged a podium finish in any FMSCI recognized single-seater series championship.

Apart from the FLGB 1300, the competition will also feature four categories of motorcycle races, including one exclusively for ladies. The bikers will be racing in Novice class (upto 165 cc), Open Class (upto 300 cc and upto 400 cc) and Ladies class (upto 165 cc).

A day after Delhi civic election results were out, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday met the newly elected Aam Aadmi Party councillors and urged them to work honestly and "not to betray the party".

The BJP swept the civic elections last Sunday by bagging 181 of the 270 wards of Delhi's three municipal corporations, while the AAP won just 48 wards and the Congress 30.

Addressing the AAP councillors at his residence here, Kejriwal administered them a "pledge of honesty" and cautioned them not to let themselves be lured or involved in corruption as, he claimed, the three municipal corporations in Delhi were "most corrupt". 

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the AAP leader claimed, will try its level best to wean them away but they will have to remain united. "Always keep your recording devices (in mobile phones) on so that we can know if any such effort is made."

He urged the AAP councillors to ensure a check on corruption in the civic bodies by raising their voice against it.

"This party has emerged from an anti-corruption movement; so, please work with full honesty," Kejriwal said. 

"Maintain honesty and have the courage to raise voice against corruption in the MCDs. They (BJP) might send you to jail or try to suppress your voice, but do not fear," the Chief Minister said.

Kejriwal also told the newly-elected councillors not to leave movement against corruption even if someone lured them to join other parties by offering huge money. 

"It is a very pious movement. If you leave AAP, this movement, the people will then never be happy," Kejriwal said.

He also advised them to listen to party volunteers who campaigned and sought votes for the AAP.

"Volunteers will come to you for getting work done in their areas. If you do not do their work, they won't be able show their face in areas where they sought votes for you. So, please listen to them and get their works done," Kejriwal said.

Stressing the importance of sanitation employees of the three municipal corporations, the Chief Minister advised the councillors to treat them like family.

"They are poor and harassed; so treat them like your family member. Have a good rapport with the sanitation employees," Kejriwal said.
 

The excitement among fans is growing as the much awaited epic fantasy Baahubali: The Conclusion will hit the big screen on Friday.

The film, a sequel to the 2007 Baahubali: The Beginning directed by SS Rajamouli, is expected to deliver at the box office.

The Telugu film is said to inspire many businesses models and attracted various merchandise under the massive brand name across the nation. The makers claim that Baahubali 2 has become the first ever trailer to be watched more than 50,000 times in a single day. Now the trailer has reached an all-time high and has crossed 100 million views.

With the hype around the movie in the media, the film gaining popularity across the country.

In Ahmedabad, a restaurant named Rajwadu added a new item in its menu called Baahubali Thali.

There are also chocolates brands, which are producing limited editions under the name of the movie.

The telecom sector too could not remain untouched by the fever of film as there are companies launching new phone models based on the film’s theme.

The education sector too has been impacted by it. A new college named ‘Baahubali’ has been opened to pay tribute to the film in the southern part of country.

India has sought from Pakistan a certificate on the health condition of Kulbhushan Jadhav, sentenced to death by a military court there, the External Affairs Ministry said on Thursday.

MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said that the well being and state of Jadhav's health is a “matter of great concern” to India as the former Indian Navy officer has been in Pakistan's custody for more than a year on charges of espionage.

“We haven't seen, we haven't met (Jadhav). He has been in Pakistan's custody for more than a year. So the well being and state of health of Jadhav is a matter of great concern.

“We have asked Pakistani government earlier also, and yesterday our High Commissioner (to Pakistan Gautam Bambawale) made a request on providing a report on his medical condition. So we await Pakistan's response,” Baglay said.

Ashish Nanda, the director of the prestigious Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, has stepped down, more than a year before his tenure was scheduled to end, citing personal reasons.

Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairman of the Board of Governors, IIM-A, has accepted his resignation. Nanda has been asked to continue till September to facilitate the transition.

Nanda, a 1983 batch alumnus of IIM-A, took charge of the top post in September 2013 and his tenure was slated to end next year.

He had quit his post at the Harvard University to return to India and his alma mater, after more than 20 years.

"When I joined, I had committed to serve the term. On September 1, it will be four years, since I took charge.

"It is a good time to step aside and to hand over the responsibility and honour of leading the institute to the next, fortunate person. I will hand over the responsibilities of the director at the end of that day," Nanda said in a letter to the IIM-A community.

The organisers of the Barcelona Open have honoured Spanish tennis player Albert Montanes after his defeat in the second round against compatriot Feliciano Lopez in a match during which he decided to end his professional career.

Spectators present at the centre court on Wednesday, now renamed after Rafa Nadal, cheered the 36-year-old player after he lost to Lopez 2-6, 2-6, reports Efe.

After the match concluded, Montanes's wife and daughter entered the court along with the tournament's director Albert Costa and the president of the Association of Tennis Professionals Chris Kermode, who gave Montanes a souvenir in recognition of his career.

Montanes, visibly moved, thanked the directors and his family for the support he had received from the very first day of his 18 years of experience, before addressing the spectators.

He thanked his fans for always showing support and giving him strength, for which he said he was grateful.

The decision to provide consular access to alleged India 'spy' Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence in Pakistan, will be taken on merit, the Foreign Office said on Thursday.

Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria told the media that Jadhav was prosecuted as per Pakistani law and his statements helped in intercepting a terrorist network in the country.

"We already have evidence in the Jadhav case," Geo TV quoted Zakaria as saying.

Jadhav, whose family stays in Mumbai and who was reportedly arrested in Balochistan, has been charged with espionage and waging war against Pakistan. India says he was abducted from Tehran, Iran.

The Foreign Office spokesman said former Tehreek-e-Taliban spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan in a recent confession video "has disclosed the presence of Research and Analysis Wing's (RAW) presence" in Pakistan.

Urging the international community to take notice of Ehsan's confessional video, Zakaria told the media that the former TTP spokesman's "statement exposed the real face of India".

He claimed that Ehsan's confession about TTP commander Khalid Khorasani's treatment in India is a proof that the TTP is assisted by RAW.

He said that Indian and Afghan intelligence agencies were "involved in sponsoring terrorism in Pakistan".

To meet water requirements of the state during the summer months, Rajasthan Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Surendra Goyal on Thursday directed officials to remain active and resolve water-related issues.

During a video conference with officials, the minister asked them to complete works under the second phase of the Mukhyamantri Jal Swavalamban Abhiyan in coordination with the local public representatives.

The department's officials apprised the minister about the current situation in the state.

Additional Chief Secretary J C Mohanti asked the department's engineers to increase movement in the field, take action against illegal connections and ensure supply of drinking water through tankers wherever it is needed.

Senior officers of the department were present for the video conference with engineers and other officials.

Carefully crafted policy interventions not only unlocked huge investments but saw record awards for building 15,948 km highways in 2016-17, Union Minister Nitin Gadkari has told the Prime Minister.

In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Road Transport and Highways Minister Gadkari thanked him for “guidance and careful attention” for a turnaround of the highways sector.

Gadkari said performance in “2016-17 has surpassed all previous figures” with “issue of award letters, after completion of all pre-project formalities for 15,948 km, an increase of nearly 60 per cent”.

The ministry was able to substantially enhance the pace of construction of National Highways during the last fiscal.

Against a total of 6,029 kms constructed during 2025-16, last fiscal saw an increase of 33 per cent with construction of 8,241 kms of National Highways, an official told PTI, quoting Gadkari's letter to the Prime Minister.

“The entire infrastructure sector had virtually come to a standstill when you had taken over as the PM in May 2014. The situation was particularly bad for the highways sector. As many as 73 projects involving a length of nearly 8,200 km were stalled, locking up investments worth Rs.1 lakh crore,” the letter noted.

Also, the shelf of projects ready for execution after appraisal and award had shrunk to unprecedented levels with works on only 3,169 km awarded during 2013-14.

“Under your guidance and careful attention, we have managed to turn the sector around through a whole set of carefully crafted policy interventions, regular follow up with the banks and regular monitoring,” the letter said.

In particular, the monthly PRAGATI exercises held “under your direct supervision” has really helped resuscitate a number of stalled projects, Gadkari said.

A recent analysis shows that of the 18 projects taken up for discussion, as many as 14 have seen full or substantial resolution of all the major issues, freeing close to 1,750 km of National Highways valued at nearly Rs.24,000 crore.

The Prime Minister on April 26 chaired a meeting here of Pro-Active Governance and Timely Implementation (PRAGATI), an ICT-based multi-modal platform to review the progress of sectors like highways and railways.

Modi has also underlined the need for a consolidated approach and adherence to strict timelines with regard to completion of infrastructure projects.

In the highways sector, over 26,000 kms of four- or six- lane National Highways have been built in FY17, and the pace is improving, the Prime Minister was told in a review meeting earlier this week.

Lending his voice to the great Baahubali Prabhas, Sharad Kelkar became the voice of Baahubali.

Trending on Twitter #voiceofbaahubali shows fans' excitement for the release of Hindi version of Baahubali 2 as well.

Sharad, who has been one of the most promising lead actors of Indian television, has also worked in some films and is now recognised by his voice as well. In a candid conversation with thestatesman.com, Sharad Kelkar shared his experience of working in the Baahubali series.

The actor had never thought of dubbing for a film but “director SS Rajamouli’s Baahubali was a project that couldn’t be refused,” he said.

The actor has also lent his voice for various movies like Moana, Queen of Katwe, Star Trek Beyond and many more.

While preparing for this project, he had to understand the character deeply and being an actor it helped. He says that a dubbing artist is also an actor and he has to act in the studio while keeping it natural while recording.

Being a die-hard fan of Rajamouli, Sharad could not refuse this movie and that is how he became an integral part of this series.

“After the first one became a hit, the pressure built up for the second one and the other pressure of knowing but not revealing the answer to why Katappa killed Baahubali also built up,” the actor said.

Karan Johar, the producer of the film, had a shocking moment as he jumped out of his chair when he got to know that Sharad dubbed for Prabhas. Sharing this moment, he said, “The dubbing artistes are slowly getting the deserved recognition and credit in Indian industry”.

“Being an actor it becomes easy and more effective” the actor said when asked about the challenges faced during the dubbing sessions.

The versatile actor has a drooling voice and Prabhas will be seen speaking in Sharad’s voice in the Hindi version of the film on the big screen on 28 April as Baahubali: The Conclusion hits the big screen.

A special session of the Odisha Legislative Assembly for passing the Odisha Goods and Service Tax Bill, 2017 has been convened on May 18, according to a notification issued by the state Parliamentary Affairs department.

Governor S C Jamir has approved a proposal of the department in this regard.

Apart from the Odisha GST Bill, the House will also transact business for passing the Odisha Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2017, the notification said.

The states are required to pass their own GST legislations after the GST Bill got a nod from both Houses of the Parliament.

A workshop of law makers will be organised by the Centre prior to the special session of the Assembly, officials said.

Pakistan on Thursday stuck to its stand on Kulbhushan Jadhav's sentencing, saying the military court's ruling was based on specific evidence and the trial was conducted in a "transparent" manner.

Pakistan's assertion came a day after India handed over an appeal by the mother of retired Indian Navy officer Jadhav, sentenced to death by the Field General Court Martial, to the appellate court, initiating a process to get his conviction overturned.

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Nafees Zakaria claimed that Jadhav has been tried for espionage according to the law of the land in a "transparent manner".

Jadhav's sentencing was based on specific evidence as well as his "confessional statement" that also led to the dismantling of the terror network in the country, Zakaria was quoted as saying by Radio Pakistan.

Zakaria's remarks at a briefing came a day after the appeal on behalf of Jadhav was given to Pakistan's Foreign Secretary Tehmina Janjua by Indian High Commissioner Gautam Bambawale, who also handed over a petition by Jadhav's mother seeking the Pakistan government's intervention for his release and expressing the desire to meet him.

Jadhav was given death sentence earlier this month, evoking a sharp reaction in India which warned Pakistan of consequences and damage to bilateral ties if the "pre- meditated murder" was carried out.

Zakaria, during his briefing, also claimed that there was "irrefutable proof" that India was not only "perpetrating terrorism" but also using the Afghan soil to destabilise it.

Zakaria said that India's role in "sponsoring terrorism" in Pakistan was "fully exposed" in light of the statements of Jadhav and former Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan.

"The revelations made by former spokesperson of TTP Ehsansullah Ehsan and the confessional statement of Kulbhushan Jadhav are irrefutable proofs against India," he said.

Zakaria claimed that India was not only sending spies inside Pakistan to "perpetrate terrorism" but also using the Afghan soil to "destabilise" the country.

He also claimed that as many as 13 Indian "RAW (Research and Analysis Wing) agents" were killed in the 'mother of all bombs' attack carried out by the US in Afghanistan earlier this month. He said this had vindicated Pakistan's claims.

Zakaria said that Ehsan has stated that Jamaat-ul Ahrar terror group was working on Indian agenda to destabilise Pakistan.

Zakaria, in his briefing, also slammed the clampdown on internet in Kashmir and claimed that India had banned it to "hide grave human rights violations".

He also criticised the alleged arrest of Kashmiri leaders.

On the disappearance of retired Pakistani colonel Habib Zahir in Nepal, the spokesperson said Pakistan's mission in the country was closely looking into the matter.

He said it was a case of entrapment and the involvement of India cannot be ruled out.