Bengali poet Srijato Bandopadhyay on Monday faced police complaint for allegedly hurting the religious sentiments of the Hindu community.

Bandopadhyay, a Bengali poet in North Bengal’s Siliguri town posted the controversial 12-line poem in Facebook on the day BJP MP Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh on March 19.

Soon after, the poem went viral in the social media networking site. Although many expressed support, others slammed the 42-year-old poet for using such sentimental and disgraceful words.

Arnab Sarkar, a resident of Bagha Jatin colony in Pradhan Nagar area, filed a police complaint claiming the poem hurt “the feelings of each Hindu through the use of distasteful words”.

Bandhopadhyay, however, dismissed the alleged claims, saying “degree of freedom of speech still exists in this country”.

“I will not give much importance to the issue. The majority of people in this country believe in freedom of speech," the poet said.

"A degree of freedom of speech still exists in this country. Our country has not become Pakistan or Bangladesh, and one has the right to speak here. Since the past two days I have been trolled in Facebook after I posted the poem,” Bandopadhyay added.

A haunting novel of love, passion and betrayal, set in the Second World War era with a thematic reference to India's freedom struggle was launched in the Capital on Monday evening.

Titled "The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji," the fictional tale has been authored by Sanjay Chopra and Namita Roy Ghose. Barkha Dutt launched the book at Zerruco- Kitchen and Bar. 

Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Tisca Chopra and Nasir Abdullah read from the book during the course of the evening.This was followed by an interesting discussion on the book by Sanjay Chopra, Namita Roy Ghose, and Tisca Chopra.

"I was clearly excited about this critical piece of Indian history couched in a fictional narrative. A great story told marvellously. In fact, I am delighted to say that this great kahani was launched in Mumbai by none other than Vidya Balan. Clearly one of the best books Om Books International has published," said Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books International. 

"The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji", is a sweeping tale of passion set against the freedom struggle.

A haunting novel of love, passion and betrayal, set in the Second World War era with a thematic reference to India's freedom struggle was launched in the Capital on Monday evening.

Titled "The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji," the fictional tale has been authored by Sanjay Chopra and Namita Roy Ghose. Barkha Dutt launched the book at Zerruco- Kitchen and Bar. 

Shivani Wazir Pasrich, Tisca Chopra and Nasir Abdullah read from the book during the course of the evening.This was followed by an interesting discussion on the book by Sanjay Chopra, Namita Roy Ghose, and Tisca Chopra.

"I was clearly excited about this critical piece of Indian history couched in a fictional narrative. A great story told marvellously. In fact, I am delighted to say that this great kahani was launched in Mumbai by none other than Vidya Balan. Clearly one of the best books Om Books International has published," said Ajay Mago, Publisher, Om Books International. 

"The Wrong Turn: Love and Betrayal in the Time of Netaji", is a sweeping tale of passion set against the freedom struggle.

Following the intervention of the US and the World Bank, India and Pakistan will be returning to the negotiating table over the disputed hydropower projects in the Indus Valley in April.

Water and Power Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif said on Monday that the two nations would hold three-day secretary-level talks on the Kishanganga and Ratle hydropower projects, under the aegis of the World Bank, in Washington from April 11, reported Dawn on Tuesday.

Speaking on the sidelines of the two-day talks between Indus Water Commissioners from both sides, the minister welcomed New Delhi's decision to resume negotiations under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty on the proposed Pakul Dal, Miyar and Lower Kalnai hydropower projects, to which Pakistan has raised objections.

"The US has intervened at the highest level to help both countries resolve the issue. There will be secretary-level talks on the Ratle and Kishanganga hydropower projects in Washington on April 11, 12 and 13," Mohammad Asif said at a press conference here.

"We are happy that India has finally agreed to resume talks at the commission level. We welcome this decision and the visit of the Indian delegation," he added.

The 10-member Indian delegation currently in Islamabad is led by Indus Water Commissioner PK Saxena.

Pakistan has been protesting over the design and construction of two controversial projects, the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project and the 850 MW Ratle hydroelectric project on the tributaries of the Indus in the Indian part of Jammu and Kashmir. 

Asif claimed that the World Bank-sponsored International Court of Arbitration had given its verdict in Pakistan's favour over the Kishanganga project and Islamabad was now demanding that it be implemented, the daily reported.

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 and involves six rivers: the Beas, Ravi, Sultlej, Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. 

Brokered by the World Bank, the treaty gave the right to use waters of the first three rivers to India and of the the other three rivers to Pakistan.

India has said it has the right under the treaty to set up hydro power plants on the tributaries of the rivers flowing through its territory. Pakistan fears this might reduce the water flow of the rivers into its territory.

The two countries held the Indus Water Commission meeting last time in May 2015 in New Delhi.

Anushka Sharma got her first co-star Shah Rukh Khan to help her promote her forthcoming production Phillauri when she landed up at his residence Mannat here to 'scare' him.

Anushka plays a friendly ghost named Shashi in the forthcoming film, and to fit the theme, she made a promotional video with her Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi and Jab Tak Hai Jaan co-star at his house.

"I am making this video because people nowadays have become a lot more superstitious and feel that they are surrounded by supernatural beings… There are no ghosts actually," Shah Rukh says in the video, before getting interrupted by Anushka's voice.

He poses as if he is scared, and then Anushka introduces herself as Shashi, saying she is a big fan of King Khan.

Shah Rukh then requests fans to watch the film, which will release on Friday.

Directed by Anshai Lal, Phillauri also features Diljit Dosanjh, Suraj Sharma and Mehreen Pirzada.

Meanwhile, Shah Rukh and Anushka will return to the silver screen together with Imtiaz Ali's The Ring.
 

The Aadhar enabled biometric attendance will be mandatory in all government aided colleges of Haryana with effect from April 1, 2017.

While stating this, a spokesman of the Higher Education Department on Tuesday said that principals of government aided colleges have been directed to purchase at least 10 Aadhar Enabled Biometric Attendance System (AEBAS) machines with wi-fi model each through HARTRON within a week.

They can contact District Information Officer, National Informatics Centre (NIC) of the district concerned for procedural inputs and to create database of all teaching and non-teaching employees within seven days.

He said that the principals have been directed to ensure timely installation of machines and all officers and officials of the colleges should mark attendance through AEBAS only.

Apart from this, they should also inform the name, designation, email-id and mobile number of a Technical Nodal Officer, so designated for this purpose at the college.

The compliance report would have to be sent to the office of Higher Education Department positively by March 25, 2017.

In a major development to the Maharashtra resident doctors' strike, the Bombay High Court on Tuesday asked the protesting doctors to resume their duties immediately and said it will hear the matter on junior doctors' mass leave on Wednesday.

The court also added that continued protests might result in contempt of court as the doctors' association had in 2016 given an undertaking that it would not go on strike.

For the second consecutive day on Tuesday, over 3,000 resident doctors continued their mass casual leave protest against growing incidents of attacks by patients' relatives on them.

Medical services in 17 government hospitals in Maharashtra, including four in Mumbai, were severely affected because of the strike.

A PIL was filed by a social activist on Monday in Bombay High Court against the doctors' agitation, which is expected to be heard later on Tuesday.

Thousands of patients have been deprived of medical care in the state. Although senior doctors were handling serious or emergency cases, an estimated 400 scheduled surgeries had to be postponed on Monday.

The Supreme Court’s suggestion of an “out of court” settlement of the Ayodhya Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute has reignited the debate around the sensitive issue that has stirred the country’s emotions and impacted national politics for the last 25 years.

Here is a timeline of the contentious issue: 

1528: The Babri Masjid is built in Ayodhya by Babur– the first Mughal emperor in India. However, Hindus say the spot where the mosque came up was the birthplace of Lord Ram, one of the most revered deities in Hinduism.

1853: The first recorded incidents of violence break out between Muslims and a Hindu sect by the name of ‘Nirmohis’, who claim that the mosque was built after tearing down a Hindu temple during Babur’s rule.

1859: The Britishers, who ruled India at the time, built a fence to separate the places of worship with Muslims getting access to the inner court while Hindus could pray in the outer court.

1885: The first case is filed by Mahant Raghubir Das who seeks permission to build a canopy outside the mosque but the plea is turned down by the Faizabad District Court.

1949: A group of Hindus allegedly place idols of Lord Ram inside the disputed site leading to protests by Muslims and eventually both groups file civil suits. Sensing trouble, the government locks down the premises.

1950: Pleas are again filed in the Faizabad court by Hindus seeking permission to offer prayers. While the inner courtyard remains locked, the court allows prayers at the site.

1959: The Nirmohi Akhara files a third suit seeking possession of the site, claiming to be the custodians of the Ramjanmabhoomi (birth place of Lord Ram)  

1961: The Sunni Central Board of Waqf files a case against the placing of idols at the site while claiming that land surrounding the mosque was a graveyard.

1984: Stepping on the gas, Hindus form a committee to build a temple at the site and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) launches a campaign that is spearheaded by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader LK Advani.

1986: A district judge allows Hindus to worship at the site and orders the opening of the gates. Agitated Muslims set up Babri Mosque Action Committee in protest.

1989: The VHP lays the foundations of the temple on a piece of land adjacent to the disputed mosque while Justice Deoki Nandan Agarwal, former VHP vice-president files a case asking for the mosque to be shifted elsewhere.

1990: Volunteers of the VHP partially damage the mosque while Advani takes out a massive rath yatra to educate people about the Ayodhya movement in October. A total of 16 Hindu kar sevaks are shot dead by Uttar Pradesh police. 

1991: The BJP forms government in Uttar Pradesh, where Ayodhya is located and the momentum for the temple gains pace as kar sevaks start pouring into Ayodhya.

1992: The disputed Babri Mosque is torn down by thousands of karsevaks on December 6 belonging to the Shiv Sena, VHP and BJP leading to pan-India riots between Hindus and Muslims in which over 2,000 people are killed. The Congress government sets up a commission of enquiry under Justice Liberhan on December 16.

2002: The VHP vows to start constructing the temple from March 15 as hundreds of volunteers converge on site. At least 58 Hindus returning from Ayodhya are killed in an attack on a train in Godhra, Gujarat by a Muslim mob. In the riots that followed, around 2,000 people, mostly Muslims are killed across Gujarat.

2003: Archaeologists find evidence of a temple beneath the mosque, but Muslims dispute the findings. Later that year, seven Hindu leaders except Advani are found guilty of destroying the Babri Mosque.

2009: The Liberhan Commission report blames leaders of the BJP for their role in the mosque's razing.

2010: The Allahabad High Court rules that the site be split into three parts, with the Muslims, Hindus and the Nirmohis getting one-third each. Control of the central disputed section, where the mosque was torn down, is given to Hindus. Both Muslims and Hindus approach the apex court.

2011: Supreme Court suspends the High Court ruling, stating that status quo be maintained.

2014: In a landslide win, the BJP returns to power at the Centre.

2015: The VHP announces a nationwide drive to collect stones for the construction of the Ram Mandir. In December, two trucks of stones arrive at the disputed site. 

2017: The BJP storms to power in UP with a massive victory. 

The UN International Children's Emergency Fund (Unicef) on Tuesday called for $1 million in funding to combat an ongoing drought in Sri Lanka.

Sri Lanka is currently in the midst of its worst drought in 40 years, with over 1.2 million people, including 365,232 children, directly affected and in need of humanitarian assistance, the Unicef said in a report.

The report said that 36 countries across the globe were currently facing extremely high levels of water shortage, Xinhua news agency reported.

"We know that water emergencies not only endanger lives and limit the availability of safe water essential for health and life — but have multiple knock-on effects such as destroying crops, increasing farmer indebtedness and driving food insecurity," said Tim Sutton, Unicef Sri Lanka Representative.

"These drastically impact children, especially the most vulnerable. We must take collective action to respond to the ongoing drought, and to ensure that Sri Lanka is ready and prepared for future water challenges, so that children's futures are not jeopardised," Sutton added.

Sutton said Unicef was working in collaboration with the Sri Lankan government to address the immediate water needs of 365,323 children affected by the drought, and to build increased resilience in water supply services, to ensure the most vulnerable are protected from the worst impacts of climate change in Sri Lanka.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response from the city government on a plea seeking separate shelter homes for children below the age of 12 years to protect them from sexual assaults.

A division bench of Chief Justice G Rohini and Justice Sangita Dhingra Sehgal asked the Aam Aadmi Party government here to file their response by May 4.

The public interest litigation (PIL) said in Delhi there is not a single camp for children which is independent of the adult homeless persons who take shelter during the night.

Children below the age of 12 years both male and female will be exploited if they are sheltered together with the adults, the plea said.

It added that those adults who take shelters came in inebriated condition giving rise to every possibility that they will harass the children.

"Hence it would be proper if homeless children are given separate shelters," said the plea filed by a social worker Salek Chand Jain.

Advocate Sugriva Dubey, appearing for Jain, claimed that there is no supervision by the competent persons in these shelters and as a result children are subjected to physical torture and cruelty. 

Even drug addicts enter these shelters and molest young girls and women but authorities take no action, he contended.

The plea also stated various incidents of sexual assaults on children and women. It also sought direction to the Arvind Kejriwal-led government that homeless persons be given proper medical assistance and nutritious food.

Indian Rupee continued its upward trend and closed at 65.44 against the US Dollar on March 20 amid bullish overseas investors. In March only, foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) and foreign institutional investors (FIIs) have pumped in Rs.17,124 crore (1-17 March) and Rs.34,441 crore (1-20 March) respectively in the Indian equity markets. Appreciation in the Rupee against the US Dollar looks good but for developing countries, looking at exports-driven income, it may be a damaging factor.

Rupee’s success story

Foreign investors turned more hopeful on the Indian commodities and equities after the Bharatya Janata Party’s (BJP) landslide victory in the latest assembly elections strengthened the hope of repeating the Narendra Modi rule in the 2019 Union elections.

On March 15, the domestic currency had closed 16-month high at 65.82 and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) was seen intervening through state-owned banks that bought US Dollars.

Since the beginning of this year, the Rupee has jumped nearly 4 per cent.

How it can damage your pocket?

According to some analysts, Indian IT companies may see a dip of up to 1 per cent if the Rupee stabilises at Rs.65 against the American currency.

Reshaping IT giants for sustainable long-term growth is a big headache for the industry drivers. In a latest report, IT major Cognizant which has significant operations in India may lay off 6,000-10,000 employees.

The company had a workforce of nearly 2.6 lakh employees as on December 31-2016. The move is part of company’s regular appraisal cycle, according to media reports.

Though the layoff practice is regular in the IT sector and companies do this for their long term profits but gaining Rupee may boost the practice as these exports oriented companies may see a decline in their profits due to higher value of Rupee.

Market indications

The stock market investors are already noticing the change and thus the IT sector was the lead loser on Monday (March 20) with a dip of 1.4 per cent. Among the major stocks, Infosys, TCS and Wipro lost 1.9 per cent, 1.8 per cent and 1.4 per cent respectively.

Sensex and Nifty indices have jumped nearly 11 per cent this year so far but comparatively the IT sector has registered at growth of 2.6 per cent.

Country’s exports registered a double-digit growth of 17.5 per cent in February but due to uncertainty in Rupee exporters are worried for their future.

Nevertheless, there are two sides of Rupee’s appreciation. Higher-valued Rupee will make the country’s imports cheaper.

Members in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday expressed concern over the leakage of question papers for common entrance examination for 'Other ranks' of the Army in the Pune zone, as the government said a CBI probe has been ordered.

Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre said the leakage had only occured in the Pune zone and the government has already ordered a CBI enquiry into the matter while the Army authorities were also looking into it. The exam slated in February was cancelled after the leakage was detected.

He said the government has approved the introduction of online entrance examination in the Army in Ambala, Chennai and Jaipur recruiting zones on a pilot basis.

The minister said the crime branch of Thane had received a tip off and carried out raids in Goa, Nagpur and Pune.

Among those who expressed concern was Shiv Sena member Sanjay Raut, who said the daredevilry of the culprits behind the racket has to be observed as the leak happened in Goa, from where then Defence minister Manohar Parrikar hails, and Nagpur where Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis belongs.

He sought to know whether it was considered a failure of the Army's vigilance mechanism.

Bhamre said in addition to the probe by the police, an enquiry has also been ordered by the Army authorities to identify the persons involved in the leakage and pinpoint the responsibility and procedural lapses.

According to the minister, the exam was scheduled to held on February 26 but was cancelled after the racket came to light and was busted.

Digvijay Singh of the Congress claimed that there was a large scale conspiracy in such examinations and said a similar strategy was adopted in Vyapam also in Madhya Pradesh.

Film actor Kamal Haasan is in trouble again with his allegedly derogatory remarks on the Hindu epic Mahabharata.

A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed against Haasan in the Tirunelveli District Court by members of the Hindu Makkal Katchi for allegedly hurting Hindu sentiments.

During an interview to a Tamil channel recently Haasan expressed his views on Mahabharata, saying, "In Mahabharata, Panchali was used as a pawn while the men gambled” and “she was used as a collateral and India is a country that respects and honours a book that revolves around men using a woman to gamble away as if she was a mere object.” Following this, Hindu Makkal Katchi members expressed concern that this might cause enmity between two communities.

This is not the first time that the actor has courted controversy. From Tamil Nadu’s state politics to Jallikattu protests, his tweets and comments have always dragged him under the limelight.

Even during the release of his film Vishwaroopam, Haasan's character created controversy as it presented a particular community in a negative light.

The first look of filmmaker Vikram Bhatt's web series Gehraiyaan and Spotlight are out.

The shows will release on March 31 on an app called Viu, the video on demand service of Vuclip.

Trailers and the posters of the shows were released on the app on Friday, read a statement.

"The 'First look' trailers and posters released on Friday are sure to create a sense of inquisitiveness and excitement about these shows. Both the shows have very unique stories and the trailers and posters give you a hint of just what's in store for you," Bhatt said.

While horror series, Gehraiyaan, will have Sanjeeda Sheikh and Vatsal Sheth, directed by Sidhant Sachdev, Spotlight, directed by Suhail Tatari, is a fictional biopic of a Bollywood starlet featuring Tridha Choudhury along with Sid Makkar.

Ten Indian fishermen were on Tuesday arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing near Katchatheevu, a fisheries department official said.

They were arrested on charges of crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line, Assistant Director of Fisheries, Kulanjinathan, said.

The fishermen, belonging to Thangachimadam near here, were taken to Kankesanthurai along with their boat, he said.

Earlier on March 6, 22-year-old Bridgo was shot dead by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel while he was fishing in a mechanised boat near Katchatheevu islet. Another fisherman, Saravanan, had suffered injuries in the incident.

The fishermen had protested the killing and had refused to receive the body of the youth till a Union minister visited the island and gave them an assurance that such incidents would not recur.

They had withdrawn their protest a week later after talks with Union ministers Nirmala Sitharaman and Pon Radhakrishnan, who assured them that their demands would be met.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had also written to the Centre and urged it to summon Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India forthwith and convey to him "the strong feelings of the Government of India and Tamil Nadu about the 'unprovoked' firing on fishermen and non-adherence to earlier agreements on this issue".

Former Spice Girl star Mel B has filed for divorce from her husband and film producer Stephen Belafonte after ten years of marriage.

Mel B, whose real name is Melanie Brown, filed divorce papers on Monday to end their relationship, which was mired in controversies and claims of violent rows, reports dailymail.co.uk.

The 41-year-old, who married Belafonte in Las Vegas in 2007, has cited "irreconcilable differences" as the reason of divorce in legal papers filed at Los Angeles Superior Court.

Mel B also said that she wants "joint custody" of their five-year-old daughter Madison. 

She has two other children from previous relationships.

BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi on Tuesday called for implementation of NATO like numbering of defence equipments in the inventory of Indian armed forces, and highlighted that this will result in a 30 per cent decrease in procurements.

Raising the issue in the Lok Sabha during Zero Hour, Lekhi said: "Unique Identification (UID) is something we are using for human beings, but it is needed also for military equipments."

She said that many equipments in the Army, Navy and the Air Force are common with very large inventory.

"NATO standardised process has NSN (National Stock Number). We do not use numbers and our standardisation process is a problem. If we use bureau methods of efficient management of inventory, we will decrease our procurement by 30 per cent," she said.

The National Stock Number (NSN) is a 13-digit code recognised by all NATO countries, including the US Department of Defense, identifying all the "standardised material items of supply".

"We go on buying, making purchase of parts that are already available. People who have been working on this particular project need not be shifted, the project should be completed and some senior people be involved so that we can manage the inventory better and reduce our procurement," she said.

As per the National Codification Bureau of India, procurement costs can come down by nearly 30 per cent by streamlining process of procurement and efficiently managing the stocks with such identification numbers.