Press "Enter" to skip to content

LIVE! Centre to start dialogue in J&K with ex-IB chief as interlocutor

16:53  Centre to start dialogue in J&K with ex-IB chief as interlocutor:  Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that the Centre has decided to start a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir and added that former Intelligence Bureau director Dineshwar Sharma will be the representative from the government of India.

“The government has decided to start a sustained dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir. Former IB director Dineshwar Sharma will be government of India’s representative. Rank of Dineshwar Sharma will be equivalent to that of a Cabinet Secretary,” the home minister said while addressing a press conference in New Delhi.

He added that Sharma will initiate the dialogue with the elected representatives of Jammu and Kashmir, political parties, different organisations and the public.

“From the ramparts of Red Fort Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said, ‘Neither by bullet, nor by abuses but by embracing the people we can solve the problems in Jammu and Kashmir’,” Singh added.

The home minister said that as the government’s representative, Sharma will initiate the sustained interaction and dialogue to understand legitimate aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.

Referring to the unrest in Jammu and Kashmir, Singh said that Prime Minister Modi is determined to bring back peace to the Valley. — ANI

image

16:33  Afghan president in Delhi tomorrow, will meet Modi, Swaraj:  Afghan President Ashraf Ghani will hold detailed talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi tomorrow on furthering the shared objective of promoting security and stability in Afghanistan, and efforts to combat the menace of terrorism.   

The external affairs ministry said today that the Afghan president would be here on a one-day working visit at the invitation of the prime minister.   

The invitation was extended by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval during his Kabul trip on October 16.   

During his visit, President Ghani will meet with his Indian counterpart and have delegation level talks with the prime minister, who will also host a lunch in his honour, an official statement said.   

“Both sides will have the opportunity to review the entire gamut of multifaceted bilateral strategic partnership, including the New Development Partnership; hold consultations and coordinate on furthering the shared objective of promoting peace, security, stability and prosperity in Afghanistan and efforts to combat the menace of terrorism,” it said.   

They will also discuss regional and global issues of mutual interest.   

The visit will build upon the recent high level bilateral exchanges between the two countries, including the recent visit of Afghan Chief Executive Abdullah Abdullah and that of Afghan Foreign Minister Salahuddin Rabbani to India for the meeting of the bilateral Strategic Partnership Council, which was co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj.   

Swaraj will call on the visiting dignitary, who will also give a public address at Vivekanand International Foundation.  

image

16:04  When PM clicks a selfie, a Chinese youth gets employment: Rahul :  

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi is addressing the ‘Navsarjan Gujarat Janadesh’ rally in Gandhinagar.  

– Every day 30,000 more youths go out to look for jobs. But Narendra Modi government can provide employment to just 450 of them

– For the last 22 years, there has been no people’s government in Gujarat. It has been governments by industrialists.

– Not possible to silence the voice of Gujarat 

– People in Gujarat turned away from private hospitals as they cannot afford the costly treatment

–  When you click a selfie and click that button, every time a Chinese youth gets employment

15:58  Bihar inter-city train crushes 4 women to death:  An intercity train ran over five women in Munger, Bihar, early this morning, four of whom died on the spot, prompting a protest by the locals that disrupted traffic for a few hours, a senior police official said.   

The incident took place around 6 am near the Adalpur Halt when the women were crossing the tracks on their way home after taking bath at a nearby ghat, Munger superintendent of police Ashish Bharti said.   

They might have failed to notice the approaching Bhagalpur-Danapur Intercity train due to heavy morning fog, the SP said.   “Four of them died on spot and another received serious injuries. 

The injured woman was taken to the Munger Sadar hospital,” he said.   

Enraged over the incident, people from a nearby village gathered at the spot and squatted on the tracks, preventing the bodies from being removed, Bharti said, adding that train services were disrupted for a few hours.   

Jamalpur SP (railway) Shankar Jha said services were restored around 11 am after a police team reached the spot and pacified the locals.

15:41  Tendulkar sanctions Rs 2 cr from MP fund for Mumbai FOB work:  

Cricket icon and Rajya Sabha member Sachin Tendulkar has sanctioned Rs 2 crore from his Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme fund for revamp of rail foot overbridges in Mumbai in the backdrop of the Elphinstone Road station stampede.

On September 29, 23 people were killed in the rush-hour stampede on a narrow foot overbridge linking Elphinstone Road and Parel suburban stations during heavy rain.

Tendulkar, in a letter to Railway Minister Piyush Goyal, said he is requesting the Mumbai suburban district collector to authorise Rs 2 crore for constructions.

He said Rs 1 crore each be alloted to Western Railway and Central Railway from his MPLADS fund “towards immediate revamp and construction of FOBs in as many high density, single bridge stations on the Western, Central (Main) and Central (Harbour) lines” that the official may deem urgent.

“The recent incident at the Elphinstone Road station on Western Railway where innocent lives were lost in a stampede was devastating and I am moved to offer immediate support for the improvement of services for our Mumbaikars,” he wrote.

“For the millions of those affected, it is not a happy Diwali in any sense, we must do all we can as responsible citizens to ensure this never happens again on any network in

India,” Tendulkar said in the letter dated October 16.

In the letter, also sent to the Mumbai suburban district collector, Tendulkar said he has asked the Railway Ministry, Railway Board and zonal heads “to study the possibility of creating two separate independent zones for the suburban services, a request that has been made by several experts, passenger and civil society groups.”

“I think there is a merit in this request as it will bring dedicated manpower, funds and focus on the suburban network which ferries millions every single day,” he wrote.

Every year, MPs are allotted Rs 5 crore under the MPLAD (Member of Parliament Local Area Development) Scheme, primarily to take up development projects in their respective constituencies.

The fund has been increased over time, starting from Rs 5 lakh in 1993-94 to Rs 5 crore at present. — PTI

image

15:31  Only one party has ‘unlimited money’: Sena’s dig at BJP:  

The Shiv Sena today lashed out at the Bharatiya Janata Party without naming it, claiming that “one party” possessed “unlimited money” and had come to power in Goa and Manipur despite being “rejected by the people”.

It also claimed money was being used to “try and uproot” the Sena.

“Even if people face recession after demonetisation, one party is on an upturn and came to power in Goa and Manipur despite being rejected by the people,” an editorial in Sena mouthpiece Saamana said.

The BJP formed a government in Goa and Manipur in March this year.

The editorial said people were watching which party “indulges in horse-trading backed by the power of money”.

“The same money was used to try and uproot the Shiv Sena as well,” it said.

Referring to the senior ally, again without naming it, the editorial said the party kept “boasting” that the  government in Maharashtra would be stable even if the Senawithdrew its support to it.

“This boasting is being done on the back of unlimited money only. It is surprising that nobody approaches the  Enforcement Directorate to seek a probe against them,” the Sena said.

It then went on to allege that attempts were also being made to seize power in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, riding high on the money of traders.

The Opposition Congress and NCP were not as disturbed as “the party with unlimited money” by the increased strength of the Shiv Sena after six corporators from the MNS joined it, the editorial said. — PTI

image

14:55  Pak firing continues for 3rd day along LoC:  

Intermittent exchange of fire between Indian army personnel and Pakistani troops continued for a third day today in the Uri sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, forcing the authorities to shut down schools in the affected areas.

An army official said there were no fresh casualties on the Indian side in the exchange of fire. 

“Intermittent exchange of firing took place between our soldiers and Pakistani troops along the LoC in the Uri sector (in the Kamalkote area) till 6.00 am today,” the official said.

Pakistani troops violated ceasefire by resorting to unprovoked firing on Indian posts and villages near the LoC in the Kamalkote area on Saturday, resulting in death of an army porter and injuries to two women.

They again violated the ceasefire in the same sector yesterday, which was retaliated by the Indian army.

Meanwhile, as a precautionary measure, the authorities have closed at least six schools close to the Line of Control, officials said.

They said the schools which have been closed for the time being are in Dolanja, Madya, Jabla, Kaman and Saki localities. — PTI

image

14:36  Marriage behind Virat’s break from cricket?:  Speculation is rife that India captain Virat Kohli wants a break in December to get married, even though chairman of selectors MSK Prasad on Monday clearly stated that the India captain will take part in all three matches of the forthcoming three-Test series against Sri Lanka starting next month.    

“We are also monitoring his workload, he has been playing continuously right from IPL till today. We need to give him a break which we will consider after the Test series,” Prasad in Mumbai on Monday after naming the team for the first two matches of the series against Sri Lanka, starting in Kolkata on November 16.   

Interestingly, Prasad & Co have named the team for only the first two matches of the Sri Lanka series, leaving ample room to give Kohli a break after the first two games.   

Reportedly, Kohli is taking time out to get married to Bollywood actress Anushka Sharma in December and hence wants a long break before the team embarks on the challenging tour to South Africa in January.   

— Harish Kotian

14:12  Xi Jinpings thought to become compulsory school topic:  

Chinese schoolchildren will soon be studying President Xi Jinpings political ideology after it becomes official Communist Party dogma later this week.

Education Minister Chen Baosheng said the new ideology, unveiled at the start of the partys national congress last week, would be incorporated into curriculums across the country.

“[The thought will] go into textbooks, into classes, and into the brains [of students],” Chen said last week on the sidelines of the congress.

“We will design specific teaching methods that combine texts … of various grades and subjects.”

image

13:34  SC seeks Gujarat govt’s reply in Bilkis Bano case:  

The Supreme Court sought a detailed reply from the Gujarat government within four weeks in connection with Bilkis Bano gangrape case.

The apex court also directed the Gujarat government to appraise it about the departmental action taken against the policemen found guilty of negligence of duty.

During the hearing the victim also submitted in the court that she wanted enhancement of compensation. To this the apex court directed her to file a Special Leave Petition (SLP).

In March 2002, Bilkis Bano was gang-raped and left for dead alongside 14 members of her family, including her 3-year-old daughter, during the Gujarat riots. She was then five months pregnant, when rioters attacked her in Vadodara.

She had approached the local police station to register a case against the assailants. However, the police dismissed her case and threatened her of dire consequences if she proceeded with the matter.

She then approached the National Human Rights Commission of India and filed a petition in the apex court.

The matter was later shifted to Bombay High Court following which charges were filed against 19 men, including 6 police officers and a government doctor.

In January 2008, 11 of them were sentenced to life imprisonment for gang-rape and murder. —  ANI

12:55  US Defence Secy to meet Sitharaman at ASEAN meet in Philippines:  

US Defence Secretary Jim Mattis will meet his Indian counterpart Nirmala Sitharaman in the Philippines this week at a conference of ASEAN defence ministers, the top Pentagon leader said today.

The bilateral meeting between Mattis and Sitharaman would take place on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Defence Ministers’ Meeting in the Philippines that begins today and ends on October 25.

“I will have meetings while I’m in the Philippines at the ASEAN meeting with regional counterparts — Japan, the Republic of Korea, the Philippines of course, India, Indonesia, and Malaysia,” Mattis told reporters travelling with him to Philippines.

This would be the first meeting between the two leaders after Mattis’ successful trip to India last month.

Mattis said the ASEAN defence ministers’ meeting will be an opportunity to recognise ASEAN for 50 years of promoting peace and stability in the region.

“They have done a very good job of it. Nations coming of age, many years finding, finding, basically a foundation where they can discuss things,” he said.

ASEAN, he said, provides an international forum, giving voice to those who want relations between states to be based on respect, not on predatory economics or on the size of militaries, in an apparent reference to China.

“ASEAN nations have demonstrated that they can listen to one another, they identify opportunities to increase defence cooperation for their own security, and seek shared solutions to shared concerns,” he said, adding that the US remains unambiguously committed to supporting ASEAN. — PTI

image

12:41  Gujarat is priceless & can never be bought: Rahul on bribe charge :  

Gujarat is priceless and can never be bought, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi said today, a day after Patidar leader Narendra Patel claimed in Ahmedabad that he was offered Rs 1 crore to join the BJP.

The activist of the Hardik Patel-led Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti made his claim at a press conference last evening, hours after he announced that he was joining the BJP.

“Gujarat is priceless. It has never been been bought. It can never be bought. It will never be bought,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

The BJP has rubbished Narendra Patel’s charges and said it was a “drama” staged at the behest of the Congress.

“All these allegations are false. It was a drama (enacted) by Narendra Patel at the behest of Congress,” Gujarat BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.

image

12:01   Congress leaders hold protest outside Rajasthan assembly against Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance. 

image

11:57  Rajasthan govt’s controversial ordinance challenged in HC:  

The Rajasthan government’s controversial order protecting ministers, lawmakers and government officials from investigations into complaints against them without sanction has been challenged in the Rajasthan high court. 

Senior Lawyer in Rajasthan HC, AK Jain has filed a PIL against the Criminal Laws (Rajasthan Amendment) Ordinance, calling the proposed law “arbitrary and malafide” and against the right to “fair investigation as well as equality”.

An ordinance put out last month by the Vasundhara Raje government bars courts from taking up complaints against public servants without the government’s approval. 

It also makes it a crime to identify the minister, lawmaker or official against whom a complaint has been filed in the court.

image

11:40  Shreyas Iyer in T20 team vs NZ; Ashwin, Jadeja back for Lanka Tests:   Mumbai youngster Shreyas Iyer was included in the Indian team for the upcoming three-match T20I series against New Zealand, while spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja were named in the squad for the Sri Lanka Test series.   

Shreyas took the place of Kedar Jadhav, who was dropped from the T20I squad after the three-match series against Australia.   

As expected, senior spinners Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja retained their places in the Test squad after being ignored for the limited overs squads in the last few series.   

Interestingly, the selectors named the team for the first two Tests of the three-match series against Sri Lanka, starting next month.   

Indian team for NZ T20Is: 

Virat Kohli (captain), Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Shreyas Iyer, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Kuldeep Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ashish Nehra (only for first match), Mohammed Sirajuddin.   

Indian team for first 2 Sri Lanka Tests: 

Virat Kohli (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Cheteshwar Pujara, KL Rahul, Murali Vijay, Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit  Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Kuldeep Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Umesh Yadav, Mohammed Shami, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma.  

— Harish Kotian

image

11:39  ‘PM-EC jugalbandi out in open’: Sibal on Gujarat poll dates row:  

Congress leader Kapil Sibal today attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Election Commission for not announcing the Gujarat assembly poll dates and said that the ‘jugalbandi’ between the two is out in the open.

“PM , EC jugalbandi now in the open. Allow me time for jumlas, then announce election dates in Gujarat. First week December: Amit Shah ! (sic),” tweeted Sibal.

The former HRD Minister also referred to reports which quoted BJP party president Amit Shah claiming that Gujarat assembly elections will be held in the first week of December.

On Sunday, the PM  had hit out at the Congress for questioning the EC over the delay in announcing the poll schedule for Gujarat.

“Some of them (Opposition) are worried why Modi is coming to Gujarat after Diwali. They can’t say anything to me, so they are targeting the Election Commission,” the PM said and asked the gathering, “You tell me, should I not come to Vadodara?”

On October 12, the EC had announced assembly poll schedule for Himachal Pradesh but did not announce the dates for Gujarat, only saying that it would go to the polls before December 18.

This has been questioned by Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, senior leader P Chidambaram and some others in the Congress party.

10:34  Pune horror: Two-and-a-half year old girl kidnapped, raped and murdered:  A two-and-a-half-year-old girl, who was allegedly abducted from her home in Pune on Saturday night, has been found dead, 500 metres away from her residence, near Kudale Mala off Sinhgad Road.   

According to the police, the girl was sexually assaulted before she was strangulated to death.   

The police said the girl was kidnapped by an unidentified person, who allegedly barged into the house late in the night and kidnapped the girl, who was sleeping next to her mother.   

The girl was found dead in the early hours near Kudale Mala farm. Some residents living in the vicinity spotted the girl.   “Prima facie, it seems that the girl was allegedly murdered by strangulation as there are strangulation marks on her neck,” said Shivaji Pawar, Assistant Commissioner of Police (Swargate division).   

“The investigation also revealed that the girl was sexually assaulted as the post-mortem report indicates that she was sexually abused,” he said.   

Pawar said the girl’s mother woke up to find her daughter missing from the bed. She went to her husband, who was sleeping in another room, and told him about their daughter’s disappearance.   

“The girl’s parents, with the help of people living in the vicinity, started the search for the girl, then called the police control room, and later approached the police station,” Pawar said, adding, that since the girl was a minor, a case of kidnapping was registered immediately.   

“We have registered a case against an unidentified person under IPC sections 363 (kidnapping) and 302 (murder),” Pawar said.   

“The process of adding further sections under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and the IPC is still going on,” he added.   

The girl’s parents are daily wage labourers. 

10:04  Government promotes 8 IPS officers; Asthan is spl director, CBI:  Gujarat-cadre IPS officer Rakesh Asthana has been appointed the special director of the Central Bureau of Investigation.   

Asthana, a 1984-batch IPS officer, had been serving in the Central Bureau of Investigation as additional director.   

He is among eight senior police officers promoted by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet, according to anotification by the department of personnel and training.   

Javeed Ahmed, a 1984-batch IPS officer who served as the director general of police of Uttar Pradesh and launched key police modernisation projects such as the ‘Twitter Seva’ in the state, was given the rank of special DG at the Centre.   

Ahmed, a former CBI joint director who was posted at the National Institute of Criminology and Forensic Science under the home ministry, has been given the rank of special DG on ‘in-situ’ basis, the notification said. 

Officers from the 1984-batch Deepak Mishra, AGMU cadre, and Sudeep Lakhtakia, Telangana cadre, have been promoted as special DGs in the CRPF.   

 Both were serving in the force as additional DGs, it said.   A P Maheshwari, UP cadre, and Rajesh Ranjan, Bihar cadre, both 1984-batch IPS officers who held the posts of additional DG in the BSF, have been promoted as special DGs in the force.   

Two 1984-batch IPS officers posted as additional directors in the Intelligence Bureau (IB) — Gurbachan Singh, Odisha cadre, and Arvind Kumar — have been given the ranks of special director.   

While Singh has been given the position against an existing vacancy, Kumar has been granted the rank and pay of special director on ‘in-situ’ basis, it said.

09:56  US: Police may have found body of missing 3-year-old Indian girl:  The police in the US today discovered the body of a child, which they say is “most likely” of a three-year-old Indian girl who went missing two weeks ago, reports Seema Kachru/PTI.   

Sherin Mathews, who has developmental issues and limited verbal communication skills, was last seen outside her family’s backyard in Richardson city in Texas on October 7 after her foster father reportedly upbraided her and sent her alone outside late at night as punishment for not finishing her milk.   

The Richardson police announced that they discovered the remains of a child in a tunnel beneath a road, expressing apprehension that it was “most likely” of Sherin. They, however, did not confirm the identity.   

Sherin’s body was found about half a mile from the house of her adoptive parents Wesley and Sini Mathews.   

As part of their search operation, officers blocked off an area near Spring Valley and Bowser roads, east of Central Expressway.   

The body was found in a culvert beneath a road around 11 am (local time) with the help of search dogs. Police have not released any details about how the child died.

image

09:46  ‘Mersal’ addressed important issue, says Rajini amid row:  

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth lauded the crew of actor Vijay’s starrer Mersal, saying the film has addressed an important issue.

However in a terse Twitter message, he did not explicitly refer to any specific issue, although the film has courted controversy over goods and services tax, with the Bharatiya Janata Party claiming that there have been incorrect references to the central taxation.

“Important topic addressed….. well done!!! congratulations team#mersal’ Rajinikanth said in a brief tweet.

Diwali release Mersal has kicked up a row with the BJP taking exception to references on GST in the movie.

BJP leaders, including Raja, a national secretary in the party, state president Tamilisai Soundarajan and Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan, have been demanding that the “incorrect” references be deleted from the big-budget flick.

However, Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi, his senior colleague P Chidambaram, Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam working president M K Stalin, veteran star Kamal Haasan and a host of Tamil cinema industry representatives had supported the film crew on the issue.      

The BJP had on October 20 objected to what it termed as “untruths” regarding the GST in just-released Mersal, and wanted dialogues on the central taxation to be deleted.      

Actor Vishal had earlier accused Raja of advocating piracy by watching the movie online, a charge rejected by latter. — PTI

09:40  MRV thinks Adhia should be sacked:   Chartered Accountant and economic commentator M R Venkatesh, who has otherwise been a champion of Prime Minister Narendra D Modi’s policies, is a scathing critic of the Goods and Sales Tax regime.

Responding to Revenue Secretary Hasmukh Adhia’s remarks on Sunday that the GST rate structure needs changes, MRV tweeted: ‘He he he. In any other country for botching it up many offers certainly would hv been sacked. Here? Promotions. Seventh pay’.
MRV’s recent interviews to Rediff.com’s Shobha Warrier are a must read. You can read them here and here.
image

09:28  Modi congratulates Shinzo Abe on re-election:  

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today congratulated his Japanese counterpart Shinzo Abe on his re-election and said he looked forward to further strengthening the relations between the two countries.

Abe got a resounding victory in the snap polls held yesterday, with his LDF-led coalition winning two-thirds majority in the lower house of Parliament.

“Heartiest greetings to my dear friend @AbeShinzo on his big election win. Look forward to further strengthen India- Japan relations with him,” Modi tweeted.

Modi and Abe share a great relationship and have met several times over the last three years.

Abe was in India recently for the annual summit meeting with Modi. — PTI

09:04  Army’s battle tank Arjun Mark II modified as per requirement: DRDO :  

The Defence Research and Development Organisation Chairman S Christopher has said that necessary modifications have been made to the advanced version of the indigenous Arjun Mark II main battle tank as recommended by the army.

The DRDO chairman expressed confidence that the tank will be accepted by the army.

The army had asked for 93 improvements to the tank which includes the capability of firing the anti-tank LAHAT missile, laser protection suite and improved armoured protection for the vehicle.

“We have done the modifications… it will go through the trials and there is a possibility that Arjun MK II (battle tank) will be accepted by army and two regiments have already agreed to induct the tanks,” said DRDO Chairman, while talking to reporters in Pune.

Christopher was in Pune to inaugurate POINTS 21 Batch of  Post Induction Training School programme for newly inducted DRDO scientists at the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology.

As per DRDO, Arjun Mark II can fire missiles, has advanced explosive reactive armour panels, mine plough, automatic target tracking, advanced land navigation system, digital control harness and advanced commander panoramic sight among other features.

Arjun will have a better gun barrel with an equivalent firing charge (strength of the barrel to sustain firing) of 500 rounds against the T 72’s 250 rounds.

The Chennai-based Combat Vehicle Research and Development Establishment has designed the Mark II version of MBT at its facility there. — PTI

image

08:18  Was offered Rs 1 crore to join BJP: Patel leader’s sensational claim:  

A member of the Hardik Patel-led group campaigning for reservations for the Patel community in Gujarat has alleged that he was offered Rs 1 crore for crossing over to the Bharatiya Janata Party. 

Narendra Patel, convenor for the Patidar Anamat Andolan Samiti in north Gujarat, had joined the BJP on Sunday evening in the presence of Hardik Patel’s former aide Varun Patel who had crossed over to the BJP on Saturday.

However, late in the night Narendra Patel alleged that he had been offered Rs 1 crore by the BJP through Varun Patel to switch sides. The charge has been denied by Varun Patel.

Varun took me around in Gandhinagar and then took me to Shree Kamalam office of the BJP and introduced me to Jitubhai Vaghani and some ministers. He then took me to a room and handed over a bag of Rs 10 lakh cash as token and promised to pay me Rs 90 lakh tomorrow after a party function which I was required to attend, he said, dramatically spreading out the bundles of cash that he said were handed over to him, at a late-night press conference on Sunday.

“These people (BJP leaders) then immediately called a press conference, and made me say it (that I was joining the BJP),” Patel went on to say. 

“I, however, felt that this is wrong, and that the Patel community is being betrayed,” Patel told a crowded a press conference.

He said that he had decided to take the money and parade it before the media to expose Varun Patel and the BJP.

These allegations come a day after Varun and Reshma Patel, another member of the PAAS, joined BJP, alleging that the Congress was trying to hijack the reservation stir.

“The allegations are baseless and motivated by the Congress as the party fears that Patidars are swinging back to the BJP after realising the Congress gameplan,” Varun Patel said.

Source: Rediff