09:58 BJP MP blames Kambli’s Dalit background for exclusion from cricket : BJP MP from Delhi and a prominent Dalit face Udit Raj has triggered a controversy by saying former cricketer Vinod Kambli’s Dalit background was the reason for his not-so-illustrious career.
Raj tweeted, “Vinod Kambli you should not be shy of accepting that you are a Dalit and that was the reason of your exclusion from cricket”.
Kambli, who has always called a spade a spade, hit back, saying his caste had nothing to do with his career. Kambli tweeted, “Mr Raj i don’t support any of your statements. Hence i request you to refrain from using my name !!!”
Twitter, of course, took potshots at the MP with people advising him to undergo mental treatment. Some people even tagged the Prime Minister’s office to complain about the provocative comment. Another Twitter user raised the issue with the BCCI and PM Modi.
The BJP MP has sought reservation in cricket for dalits, a demand that the BCCI rubbished. Raj had alleged that there is discrimination in the selection process in BCCI.
09:44 Personally monitoring situation: Prabhu on train derailment: Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu today said he is personally monitoring the situation following the derailment of the Ajmer-Sealdah Express in Kanpur.
“We are making alternate arrangements for passengers to continue with their onward journey,” he said in a series of tweets. The railway minister said all assistance is being provided to those injured.
“Personally monitoring the situation in wake of unfortunate derailment of Sealdah-Ajmer Express near Kanpur,” Prabhu tweeted. The Railway minister said ex-gratia will be paid to the injured passengers. All passengers are being provided with necessary assistance to ensure least inconvenience, “doing our best”, Prabhu said.
Two persons were killed and 26 others injured when 15 coaches of the Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed this morning near Rura railway station in Kanpur rural district.
09:21 Let cash curbs stay till new notes come in, banks tell govt:
Banks have asked the government to extend the curbs on cash withdrawals beyond December 30 until an adequate quantity of new currency is injected, according to bankers and officials in the Finance Ministry. Lifting the curbs immediately after this week could disrupt branch operations as a large number of people could turn up to withdraw cash, bankers have told the finance ministry.
The government had informally sought feedback from top bankers on currency withdrawal and plans to lift cash curbs after December 30, said sources.
At present, individuals can withdraw Rs 2,500 a day from ATMs and Rs 24,000 a week from their bank accounts. The government is expected to announce its decision on withdrawal curbs Friday.
These restrictions should go only when there is a sufficient amount of bank notes in the system. Until and unless that happens, they (the government) cannot take away the restrictions. The moment they do this, everybody will want to go and draw out a lot. That will become a problem, said a senior executive of the State Bank of India.
09:09 JUST IN: ED arrests Kotak Mahindra bank Delhi branch manager in Rohit Tandon case
After India test-fired Agni V missile, the ministry of external affairs said its strategic capabilities were not targeted against any particular country as it abides by all applicable international obligations and expects others do the same. The comments came in a response to Chinese reaction to the development.
Indias strategic capabilities are not targeted against any particular country. India abides by all the applicable international obligations and hopes that all other do the same. Indias strategic autonomy and growing engagement contributes to strategic stability, said MEA spokesperson Vikas Swarup.
Earlier, the Chinese Foreign Ministry had hoped that Indias test-firing of the nuclear-capable Agni-V intercontinental ballistic missile that could cover all of China complied with UN Security Council rules and safeguarded South Asias strategic balance.
Though China maintained that the two nations are not rivals for competition but partners for cooperation, it took exception to media reports that Indias missile was meant to target its land.
08:31 90 per cent of scrapped notes back in system:
Of the Rs 15.4 lakh crore worth of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 notes that were scrapped as a resulted of PM Narendra Modi’s November 8 declaration, as much as Rs 14 lakh crore has been deposited in banks.
The value of scrapped currency exceeded the government’s expectation that as much as Rs 3 lakh crore will not be returned as this would be part of black money hoards.
This also means that expectation that RBI will be able to give a substantial dividend to the government will be belied.
While the value of deposits indicates that ways were found to deposit unaccounted money, the government expects to gain tax revenues from large deposits above the prescribed Rs 2.5 lakh per individual limit.
07:50 14 coaches of Ajmer-Sealdah Express derail near Kanpur, 40 injured: Fourteen coaches of the Ajmer-Sealdah Express derailed near Kanpur in Uttar Pradesh this morning. Around 40 people have been injured.
This is the second train accident in Kanpur within months. In November, Indore-Patna Express had derailed at Pukhrayan in Kanpur Dehat district of Uttar Pradesh, killing 120 people and injuring 180 others.
Railway Minister Suresh Prabhu shortly after the tragedy said, “Immediate medical help being provided to the injured. Mobilised resources,directed all concerned to ensure rescue and relief. Have directed senior officials to reach the site immediately.”
00:35 Carrie Fisher didn’t take fame too seriously:
Carrie Fisher, the actress, author and screenwriter who brought a rare combination of nerve, grit and hopefulness to her most indelible role, as Princess Leia in the Star Wars movie franchise, died on Tuesday morning. She was 60.
Fisher, the daughter of the pop singer Eddie Fisher and the actress Debbie Reynolds, went on to use her perch among Hollywood royalty to offer wry commentary in her books on the paradoxes and absurdities of the entertainment industry.
Star Wars, released in 1977, turned her overnight into an international movie star.
The film, written and directed by George Lucas, traveled around the world, breaking box-office records. It proved to be the first installment of a blockbuster series whose vivid, even preposterous characters — living “a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away,” as the opening sequence announced — became pop culture legends and the progenitors of a merchandising bonanza.
Fisher established Princess Leia as a damsel who could very much deal with her own distress, whether facing down the villainy of the dreaded Darth Vader or the romantic interests of the roguish smuggler Han Solo.
00:31 Lt Gen Bakshi’s leave fuels speculation about early retirement:
Speculation about Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, who has been superseded by Lt Gen Bipin Rawat as the next Army Chief, taking premature retirement has heightened after he proceeded on leave.
Army sources, however, said Lt Gen Bakshi is on a pre-scheduled three-day leave and is expected to resume duties on December 30, a day before Lt Gen Rawat takes over as the new Army chief.
There has been speculation that Lt Gen Bakshi may take premature retirement.
He had recently met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, fueling speculation about his possible resignation.
Lt Gen Rawat’s appointment as the new Army Chief superseding seniors Lt Gen Bakshi and Southern Army commander Lt Gen P M Hariz had also sparked a fierce political row between a section of the Opposition and the government.
00:31 Lt Gen Bakshi’s leave fuels speculation about early retirement:
Speculation about Eastern Army Commander Lt Gen Praveen Bakshi, who has been superseded by Lt Gen Bipin Rawat as the next Army Chief, taking premature retirement has heightened after he proceeded on leave.
Army sources, however, said Lt Gen Bakshi is on a pre-scheduled three-day leave and is expected to resume duties on December 30, a day before Lt Gen Rawat takes over as the new Army chief.
There has been speculation that Lt Gen Bakshi may take premature retirement.
He had recently met Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, fueling speculation about his possible resignation.
Lt Gen Rawat’s appointment as the new Army Chief superseding seniors Lt Gen Bakshi and Southern Army commander Lt Gen P M Hariz had also sparked a fierce political row between a section of the Opposition and the government.
00:28 NY attorney general’s office: Trump can’t shut down foundation until probe ends:
Donald Trump cannot move ahead with his plan to dismantle his charitable foundation because state prosecutors are probing whether the president-elect personally benefited from its spending, the New York attorney general’s office said Tuesday.
“The Trump foundation is still under investigation by this office and cannot legally dissolve until that investigation is complete,” said Amy Spitalnick, spokeswoman for state Attorney General Eric Schneiderman.
The statement came after Trump announced that he wanted to dissolve the Donald J Trump Foundation, part of what his presidential transition team says is an effort to erase any potential conflicts of interest before he takes office Jan. 20.
But the foundation’s inner workings have been the subject of Schneiderman’s investigation for months and could remain a thorny issue for Trumps incoming administration. Democrats nationally have said they are ready to raise any legal or ethical issues from Trump’s global business empire during his presidency.
ANI reports: The Central Industrial Security Force has issued guidelines making mandatory for crew and employees working at airports to show their Aadhar card to enter the premises.
The rule will come into force from January 1 2017.
Source: Rediff