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LIVE! AirAsia CEO quits Facebook post New Zealand attack

20:51  Warrant issued by UK court for Nirav Modi’s arrest:  

Nirav Modi was spotted in London by UK mediapersons.Diamantaire Nirav Modi, who was recently spotted on the streets of London is all set to arrested by the London authorities.

Top sources have said that a provisional arrest warrant against the celebrity diamond trader who is accused of defrauding Punjab National Bank of to the tune of over Rs 13,000 crore has been issued by the Westminster court.

Earlier this month, Nirav Modi was spotted roaming the streets of London sporting a handlebar moustache with full face beard and an Ostrich skin jacket worth almost Rs 10 lakh.

Sources say, now the clock is ticking for Nirav Modi and any moment now, he will arrested by London Police and later will be produced before the Westminster Court.

However, Modi will be eligible to appeal for bail and most likely, he will be granted conditional bail.

A team of Central Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate will leave for London soon. 

The ED had registered a money laundering case against Nirav Modi and others on February 15, 2018 under the provisions of PMLA on the basis of an FIR registered by CBI under Sections 120-B r/w 420 of IPC, 1860 read with Section 13(2) read with 13(1)(d) of PC Act, 1988.

Allegedly, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi and others committed the offence of cheating against Punjab National Bank in connivance with certain bank officials by fraudulently getting the LOUs issued without following prescribed procedure and caused a wrongful loss to the bank.

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19:39  AirAsia CEO quits Facebook post New Zealand attack:  

Malaysian airline AirAsias Chief Executive Officer Tony Fernandes announced that he was closing down his Facebook account after videos of the attacks on two mosques in New Zealand were uploaded on the social media site.

The amount of hate that goes on in social media sometimes outweighs the good, Fernandes said in a series of tweets on Sunday. Facebook could have done more to stop some of this. I myself have been a victim of so many fake bitcoin and other stories. 17 mins [minutes] of a live stream of killing and hate!!!! Its need to clean up and not just think of financials, he said.

Fifty people were killed in the shootings at Al Noor mosque and Linwood Masjid in Christchurch on Friday. One of the gunmen shot a video as he carried out the attack and uploaded it on Facebook. A 28-year-old Australian man identified as Brenton Harrison Tarrant was charged with one count of murder.

Fernandes said he was closing down his Facebook account as the the attacks in New Zealand were too much for me take along with all the other issues. He, however, said it was great platform to communicate and promoted strong engagement.

Fernandes, who had 6,70,000 followers on Facebook, said he also considered leaving Twitter, but on Twitter I think the battle for me goes on. Fernandes has around 1.29 million followers on the micro blogging site.

Mia Garlnick, a spokesperson for Facebook New Zealand, said they had removed 1.5 million videos of the attack in the first 24 hours since the attack. Out of respect for the people affected by this tragedy and the concerns of local authorities, were also removing all edited versions of the video that do not show graphic content, Garlnick said.

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19:27  Denied ticket from Nawada, Giriraj goes into a sulk:  

Firebrand BJP leader and union minister Giriraj Singh on Monday apparently went into a sulk after being denied a seat from his Nawada Lok Sabha seat, which has gone to NDA ally LJP this time.

“Compulsions of seat-sharing may be there. But I wish to underscore that no other union minister from Bihar may have to give up his sitting seat. This is despite the fact that I have worked so much to nurture my constituency,” the veteran Bharatiya Janata Party leader told media persons.

The National Democratic Alliance had on Sunday announced the number of seats to be contested by its three constituents — the BJP, Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s Janata Dal-United and Ram Vilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party.

As per the announcement, the BJP and the JD-U will contest 17 seats each and the LJP in six.

Asked whether he had expressed his wish to seek re-election from Nawada to state BJP president Nityanand Rai, Singh said, “I must have done so 200 times”.

“Five years is a long time and I have become attached to Nawada and its people. Rai had assured me that I would get a ticket from wherever I wanted. Why this (denial of ticket) happened is for him to answer,” Singh said.

On reports that he might be asked to contest from Begusarai, the seat which he had wanted to fight in 2014, Singh replied with a hint of bitterness, “I was a party worker, am a party worker and shall always remain a party worker.”

Besides Giriraj Singh, the other union ministers from Bihar are Ashwini Kumar Choubey (Buxar), R K Singh (Ara), Ram Kripal Yadav (Pataliputra) and Radha Mohan Singh (Motihari).

— PTI


18:55  5 CRPF jawans injured in Maoist attack:  

Five CRPF jawans have been injured in a Maoist ambush in Chhattisgarhs Dantewada district on Monday, reported news agency PTI quoting officials familiar with the matter.

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18:29  Pramod Sawant to be sworn in as Goa CM tonight:  News just in that BJP’s Pramod Sawant will be sworn in as the new chief minister of Goa tonight. 

Sudin Dhavalikar and Vijai Sardesai to be the deputy chief ministers. Reports state that Goa’s CM and deputy CMs will be sworn in tonight itself to avoid any confusion. 

Earlier, the last rites of late Goa CM Manohar Parrikar were conducted with full military honours at Goas Miramar beach.

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17:54  The last rites being performed of the Goa Chief Minister.

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17:45  Parrikar’s son performs last rites :  Manohar Parrikar’s elder son will be lighting the pyre. The tricolour has been removed and the CM’s flower-bedecked mortal remains has been placed on the pyre. He is being given a 21-gun salute by the Indian navy as a former defence minister. The final rites of Parrikar are being performed at the Miramar beach, next to the memorial of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar, who was also cremated there. 


17:32  Talks on with allies in Goa: Gadkari:  Nitin Gadkari holds talks with BJP, MGP leaders to select the new Goa chief minister. The Union Minister has flown into the state early today to lead the discussions. Speaking to ANI, Gadkari said, “Talks are on with allies. The  BJP has decided on the Goa legislature wing leader; the issue is only of allies and alliance partners. I am in Goa till 6 pm.” 

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17:16  Parrikar’s body reaches Miramar for cremation:  Ordinary people in their thousands lined the streets of Panaji to pay their last respects their chief minister. Manohar Parrikar’s tricolour-draped body held aloft by the state police personnel has reached Miramar beach where he will be cremated. 

The Goa chief minister died Sunday after a prolonged illness. 

Parrikar, 63, is being accorded a state funeral with full military honours. People gathered at the BJP office in Panaji to pay last respects to the late leader. A pall of gloom descended on the BJP office and hundreds of Parrikar supporters turned emotional when his mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought there. The truck carrying his body travelled 5 km from his private residence in Dona Paula to Panaji, as people tried to catch a glimpse of the popular leader, who rose from the small coastal state to become the country’s defence minister.  

The mortal remains of Parrikar were brought to the BJP office Monday morning. Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, who reached Goa late last night, was among those who paid his last respects to his former Union cabinet colleague. Parrikars mortal remains were then taken to the Kala Academy in Panaji where it lay for public homage till around 4 pm, party sources said.

Image: PM Modi tweeted this image, writing, “Paid tributes to my friend Shri Manohar Parrikar.  He personified humility, simplicity and  compassion. The good work he has done will be remembered for years to come.”

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16:21  Several injured in shootout in Netherlands :  Several people injured in shooting in Dutch city of Utrecht in Netherlands. The BBC report that several people have been injured after a man opened fire on a tram in Utrecht, police have said. 

A square near a tram station has been cordoned off by authorities, and emergency services are at the scene.

The shooting took place at about 10:45 local time. Three helicopters have been despatched. Police have asked people to keep roads clear for emergency workers to get through. 

Image: The city of Utrecht.

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16:11  A farmer told me only the rich have watchmen: Priyanka targets PM:  Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Congress General Secretary for UP-East takes on PM Modi, without actually naming him, saying, “Unki (Prime Minister) marzi apne naam ke aage kya lagaen. Mujhe ek kisan bhai ne kaha ki ‘dekhiye chowkidaar to ameeron ke hote hain, hum kisan to apne khud chowkidaar hote hain. It’s upto him how he wants to prefix his name. A farmer told me, ‘only the rich have watchmen, we farmers are our own watchmen’.” 

The Congress general secretary kicked off her party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on Monday by offering prayers at the Lette Hanuman temple near the Sangam. During her three-day visit, Priyanka will cover a distance of 100-km by boat in Ganga from Allahabad to Varanasi — the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hopping from one temple to another. Her Ganga cruise is being seen by political observers as an effort to navigate her party out of a nearly three-decade long wilderness in the state.

PM Modi had on Saturday urged his supporters to take the ‘main bhai chowkidar’ (I too am watchman) pledge, saying he is not alone in the fight against graft and social evils. He also posted a little over three minute video to drive home his message. The prime minister has often described himself as a “chowkidar” who would neither allow corruption nor get corrupted himself. Modi and other BJP leaders, including party president Amit Shah, prefixed the word “chowkidar” to their names in their Twitter profile Sunday as they sought people’s support in the Lok Sabha elections.

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16:01  On getting caught, Modi turned whole country into chowkidars: Rahul:  Mocking the prime minister’s “main bhai chowkidar’ (I too am watchman) campaign, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Monday said Narendra Modi has turned the whole country into “chowkidars” after getting caught. Gandhi, who had been repeatedly taking the “chowkidar chor hai”(watchman is the thief) jibe at Modi to claim irregularities and favouritism in the Rafale fighter jet deal, said the prime minister never said he would make the whole country “chowkidars”. 

Addressing a public rally Kalaburagi in north Karnataka, he said Modi had told the people to make him a “chowkidar” and not prime minister, but was now turning the whole country into “chowkidars.” 

“Whose chowkidari has he done?” the Congress president asked, alleging Modi had only helped Anil Ambani, Mehu Choksi and Nirav Modi, a charge vehemently being denied by the BJP and the government. 

Modi had on Saturday urged his supporters to take the ‘main bhai chowkidar’ (I too am watchman) pledge, saying he is not alone in the fight against graft and social evils. He also posted a little over three minute video to drive home his message. The prime minister has often described himself as a “chowkidar” who would neither allow corruption nor get corrupted himself.  — PTI


15:55  My way or highway, RJD tells Congress :  

Meanwhile, talks about seat sharing are still on within the Mahagathbandhan. The RJD is not ready to concede more than eight seats to the Congress. Congress party’s Bihar president Madan Mohan Jha and senior leader Sadanand Singh were summoned to Delhi. RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav is also in Delhi along with RLSP’s Upendra Kushwaha. 

RJD chief Lalu Yadav has categorically told the Congress that either they take the eight seats offered to them or the RJD will contest all 40 without the Congress. 

HAM’s Jitan Ram Manjhi is also contemplating a breakaway if the seat sharing formula is not arrived at immediately. 

All eyes are on Delhi. 

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15:46  In memoriam:  An artist from Amroha, Mohammad Zuhaib, pays his last respects to late Manohar Parrikar with this charcoal portrait. 

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15:23  Union minister Smriti Irani gets emotional paying homage to Manohar Parrikar.

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14:55  Defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman pays her respects. 

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14:40  PM pays homage to Parrikar, meets family:  PM Narendra Modi reaches the Kala Academy in Panaji to pay tributes to Manohar Parrikar. He met Parrikar’s family and paid his condolences. Whih him was Goa governor Mridula Sinha. Union ministers Smriti Irani, Nirmala Sitharaman and Bihar deputy CM Sushil Modi were also there. BJP president Amit Shah is expected shortly. 

Parrikar, 63, will be accorded state funeral with full military honours at Miramar on Monday, an official said. People gathered at the BJP office in Panaji to pay last respects to the late leader. A pall of gloom descended on the BJP office and hundreds of Parrikar supporters turned emotional when his mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought there. The truck carrying his body travelled 5 km from his private residence in Dona Paula to Panaji, as people tried to catch a glimpse of the popular leader, who rose from the small coastal state to become the country’s defence minister. 

The area around the BJP office in the heart of the capital city was packed with people who arrived there to pay tributes to Parrikar before his final journey.


14:36  We are the single largest party in the state: Congress:  
Chandrakant Kavlekar, Congress: We met the Governor and staked claim to form government as we are the single largest party in the state. We have 14 MLAs and we should be given the chance to form the government. We have told that we will prove majority. Saddened by demise of Goa CM.

“We are a majority party in the House and still have to struggle to get the appointment. We demand that we be invited to form the government under the circumstances where the (BJP-led) government does not exist after Parrikar’s demise,” he said.

Asked about the possibility of the Assembly being kept in suspended animation, he said, “When the Congress is staking claim, that question does not arise.”

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13:55  Congress MLAs stake claim, meets Goa governor :  
All 14 Congress MLAs in Goa met Governor Mridula Sinha to stake claim to form government in the state following the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. The Congress Legislative Party (CLP) met in Panaji on Monday morning. Leader of the Opposition Chandrakant Kavlekar said the party MLAs decided to walk to the Raj Bhawan uninvited, after the governor refused to give them an appointment. The opposition party had written to her, staking claim to form the government on Friday and then again on Sunday. “We are a majority party in the House and still have to struggle to get the appointment. We demand that we be invited to form the government under the circumstances where the (BJP-led) government does not exist after Parrikar’s demise,” Kavlekar said.

The Congress is currently the single largest party in the state with 14 MLAs while the BJP has 12 in the 40-member Assembly.

Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said, “I think everything will be clear by 2 pm. The swearing-in ceremony of Goa CM will happen today around 3 pm. The strength of the House has now been reduced to 36 due to demise of BJP MLA Francis D’Souza earlier this year and Parrikar on Sunday and resignations of two Congress MLAs Subhash Shirodkar and Dayanand Sopte last year.”

The Goa Forward Party (GFP), the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) have three MLAs each, while the NCP has one. There are Independents as well. The GFP, the MGP and Independents are part of the Parrikar government. — PTI


13:21  One jawan killed in ceasefire violation by Pakistan in J-K’s Rajouri :  An army jawan was killed on Monday, after Pakistan violated ceasefire along the line of Control in Sunderbani sector of Rajouri district. The firing which began at about 5:30 am stopped at about 7:15 am. Indian Army retaliated effectively. Earlier, on 6:30 pm on Sunday, Pakistan violated ceasefire in Rajouri evoking an effective reply from the Indian Army. This comes after Pakistan on Wednesday violated ceasefire in Poonch sector of the state.

13:13  Goa’s new CM to be named by 2 pm today:  Goa BJP president Vinay Tendulkar said there would be clarity on who would be the state’s new chief minister by 2 pm today. Tendulkar said this after meeting Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari at a hotel near Panaji over the issue. Hectic political activities are on in the coastal state to select the new chief minister after the death of chief minister Manohar Parrikar Sunday. 

“The decision on chief ministerial candidate is yet to be taken. But the picture will be clear by 2 pm,” Tendulkar said, adding that the new chief minister would be sworn in after 3 pm Monday. 

Tendulkar met Gadkari along with Assembly Speaker Pramod Sawant, who is a contender for the top post.

Earlier in the day, Gadkari met ally Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLAs led by Sudin Dhavalikar and BJP legislator Vishwajit Rane. Dhavalikar and Rane are also aspirants for the chief minister’s post, BJP sources said. Sawant and Rane are front- runners, they added. 

Meetings held on Sunday night by the BJP and its alliance partners the Goa Forward Party, the MGP and independents – remained inconclusive. Gadkari again held talks Monday morning with leaders of the BJP and MGP to finalise Parrikar’s successor. PTI RPS GK


13:09  PM to reach Goa shortly:   Prime Minister Narendra Modi left for Goa on Monday morning to pay tribute to chief minister Manohar Parrikar who died of pancreatic cancer on Sunday. Modi left for Goa soon after the Union Cabinet meeting, which was convened to condole the demise of Parrikar.

The Goa chief minister’s body has been kept at the BJP office in Panaji for the party leaders and workers to pay their last respects. From there, his body would be taken to Kala Academy, around three km away, to allow the public pay their tribute to him.  — PTI

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12:45  Priyanka begins 3-day UP visit, offers prayers at temple:  Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra kicked off her party’s campaign for the Lok Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh on Monday by offering prayers at the Lette Hanuman temple near Sangam. During her three-day visit, Priyanka will cover a distance of 100-km by boat in Ganga from Allahabad to Varanasi — the parliamentary constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, hopping from one temple to another.

Her Ganga cruise is being seen by political observers as an effort to navigate her party out of a nearly three-decade long wilderness in the state. 

The Congress general secretary in-charge of eastern Uttar Pradesh offered prayers on the banks of Sangam — a confluence of rivers Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati. 

In a tweet, Priyanka recalled her memories associated with Swaraj Bhawan, where her grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi was born.

“Sitting in the courtyard of Swaraj Bhawan, I can see the room where my grandmother (Indira Gandhi) was born. While putting me to sleep at night, she used to tell stories of Joan of Arc. Her words reverberate even today. She used to say — become fearless and everything will be alright,” the Congress leader said in a tweet in Hindi. 

Soon after her arrival on Sunday, Priyanka said political stagnation in Uttar Pradesh had left the state’s youth, women, farmers and labourers distressed and it was her responsibility to change the politics here.  As part of her campaign tour, Priyanka will also visit Bhadohi and Mirzapur districts. Polling will be held in seven phases in Uttar Pradesh from April 11 to May 19. Results will be announced on May 23. PTI

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12:16  IIT-Bombay to hold condolence meet for alumnus Parrikar:  The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) will hold a condolence meet on Monday evening to pay tributes to their alumnus, Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died after a long illness. The meeting will be held at 5 pm at the institute’s P C Saxena auditorium, an IIT-B spokesperson said.

Parrikar, 63, who had also been the defence minister, died on Sunday evening at his private residence in Goa after battling a pancreatic ailment since over a year.

In 2017, he addressed the 55th convocation of the Mumbai-based institute where he told the graduates to take up jobs in social and development sectors.

An alumnus of the famed institute, he also asked students to join politics and the Army, said a former IIT-B student who was present at the convocation ceremony. 

“Why can’t IIT graduates, who have had the best engineering education in the country, take up academics and run some of these colleges, and transform their quality?” Parrikar had then said. The institute in its condolence message said Parrikar’s demise came as a shock to them. — PTI


12:04  Union Cabinet condoles demise of Parrikar, terms him ‘CM of commoners’:  The Union Cabinet Monday condoled the demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, saying he will be remembered for his simplicity and as an exceptional administrator. After observing two-minute silence, the Cabinet also passed a resolution which said, in his death the country has lost an able administrator who was affectionately called the “chief minister of commoners.” 

“Shri Parrikar will be remembered for his simplicity and his abilities as an exceptional administrator. His contribution to the building of modern Goa and to the modernization of India’s Armed Forces as well as improvement to the lives of ex-Servicemen will never be forgotten,” the resolution read. 

Whenever a senior leader of any political party, or a minister passes away, the Union Cabinet meets to condole the demise. Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, a former defence minister who had been battling pancreatic cancer for over a year, died at his private residence near Panaji on Sunday. He was 63. Officially, he was described to be suffering from a pancreatic ailment. — PTI

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11:47  Thousands pay tribute, tearful farewell for Parrikar :  Thousands of people thronged the streets of the state capital Monday to catch a final glimpse of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died of a pancreatic ailment, as his mortal remains was brought to the BJP office here for party workers to pay their last respect. His remains would be taken to Kala Academy, around three km from the BJP office, later on Monday, to allow the public pay their tribute to him.

A pall of gloom descended on the BJP office and hundreds of Parrikar supporters turned emotional when his mortal remains, wrapped in the tricolour, was brought there. The truck carrying the 63-year-old chief minister’s body travelled 5 km from his private residence in Dona Paula to Panaji, as people tried to catch sight of the popular leader, who rose from the small coastal state to become the country’s defence minister. 

The area around the BJP office in the heart of the capital city was packed with people who arrived there to pay tributes to Parrikar before his final journey. Parrikar, a four-time chief minister, died at his private residence Sunday evening after battling a pancreatic ailment since February last year. The IIT graduate represented Panaji Assembly seat in the state for over two decades. 

Parrikar’s final journey will begin after 4 pm. His last rites will be performed at 5 pm at the Miramar beach, next to the memorial of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar, who was also cremated there, a state BJP spokesperson said. — PTI

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11:14  You will be missed, Mr Parrikar :  In Goa, as senior leaders of the BJP, including PM Modi converge, there is little to suggest that the state’s chief minister has passed away. Uninterrupted traffic, shops open, people going about their everyday lives peaceably. There is police bandobast on Goa’s roads in anticipation of VIP movement and the tricolour is at half mast on the Panaji, but other than that there are  no disruptions — unusual in a country where violence is the norm when a leader passes away. 

Truly a remarkable tribute to an unusual politician, a leader without the affected airs of office. 

Manohar Gopalkrishna Prabhu Parrikar you will be missed. 

Image: The obituary ad in the Panaji edition of the Times of India today.

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11:01  Gadkari arrives in Panaji for BJP legislature meet:  Union minister Nitin Gadkari arrived in Goa in the early hours of Monday by a midnight flight to decide on the leadership issue in the state following the demise of Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar. Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year. 

Gadkari, who had successfully managed to cobble together a coalition in the state under the leadership of Parrikar in 2017, will be holding discussions with the BJP Goa legislature wing during the night.

The senior leader is also scheduled to meet alliance partners, the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party, Goa Forward Party and Independents, who had given support to the Parrikar-led government. “The new chief minister will be sworn in by tomorrow morning,” a senior BJP functionary said. 

PM Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman are expected to fly in shortly.  — PTI

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10:43  Mortal remains of Manohar Parrikar brought to BJP office:  Visuals from the BJP office in Panaji. The mortal remains of Goa CM Manohar Parrikar have been brought to the office for people to pay their last respects. The cremation of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar,  who passed away at the age of 63 after a battle with cancer will take place with full state honour this evening.

The funeral procession will be taken from Kala Academy, Panjim, at four in the evening and last rites will be performed at five in the evening at Miramar, an official statement said.Parrikar’s mortal remains will be kept at the BJP head office, Panjim, between 9:30 am to 10:30 am and would be moved to Kala Academy for the public to pay their last respects. The public can pay homage to Parrikar from 11 am to 4 pm.

The state of Goa will also be observing seven-day mourning to grieve the loss of late chief minister.

The Centre has already announced  National Mourning on March 18.President Ram Nath Kovind, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and other political leaders expressed their condolences at his demise and called him  “an epitome of integrity  and an “unparalleled and exceptional administrator.” 

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10:15  No consensus yet on next Goa CM: BJP MLA:  The BJP-led alliance in Goa did not reach a consensus over the next chief minister on Monday, a move necessitated by the demise of Manohar Parrikar. 

Parrikar (63) died on Sunday evening at his residence near here after battling pancreatic cancer for over a year. Union minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gadkari, who arrived here in the early hours of the day, could not secure a consensus between the saffron party and its alliance partners in the state, party MLA Michael Lobo said.

While Gadkari was not available for comments, BJP MLA Lobo said Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) MLA Sudin Dhavalikar wanted to be the chief minister due to which the discussions came to a halt.

“Sudin Dhavalikar wants himself to be the CM, while the BJP wants that the leader of the alliance should be from their camp. We could not reach to any decision,” Lobo told reporters outside a hotel after a night-long meeting. 

He said a solution to the crisis is expected to be found later in the day. Lobo said BJP MLAs have suggested the names of Vishwajit Rane and Pramod Sawant for the post. 

Earlier, Goa Forward Party (GFP) chief Vijai Sardesai, emerging from the meeting, had said that the parties were yet to reach a conclusion. The meeting was inconclusive and “the BJP has informed them that they will get back later during the day,” Sardesai had said.

He said the parties expressed apprehensions on how to proceed in the absence of Parrikar. “We are expecting them to respond to our apprehensions soon,” he added.

The GFP leader, however, said the party had not yet shut its doors on the BJP. Sardesai was accompanied by his MLAs, Jayesh Salgaonkar and Vinod Palyekar, and Independents Rohan Khaunte, Govind Gawade and Prasad Gaonkar. 

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters, Dhavalikar said that Gadkari held one-on-one meetings with the MLAs and asked them certain questions. “I can’t disclose about the questions as they are confidential. We are expecting Gadkari to announce name of the CM candidate in the next one hour. The MGP will take proper resolution supporting the government after that,” he said. 

The MGP MLA added that Gadkari had heard each of the MLAs individually and would soon announce a new leader. — PTI

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09:59  That’s the truck that will be party of the funeral cortege of Manohar Parrikar to Miramar beach. 

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09:37  Parrikar to be accorded state funeral with full military honours:  

Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar, who died after a long illness, would be accorded state funeral with full military honours on Monday, according to the home ministry.

 

Parrikar, 63, who had also been the defence minister, died on Sunday at his private residence in Dona Paula near the state capital after battling a pancreatic ailment since February last year.

MHA Joint Secretary S K Shahi, in an order issued on Sunday, said the Ministry of Defence is requested to make arrangements for state funeral with full military honours.

“It has been decided by the government that state funeral will be accorded to the departed dignitary,” Shahi has said in the circular.

The final rites of Parrikar will be performed at 5 pm on Monday at the Miramar beach in Panaji, next to the memorial of Goa’s first chief minister Dayanand Bandodkar, who was also cremated there, a state BJP spokesperson said.

After Parrikar’s demise on Sunday evening, the body was kept at his residence for the night.

“His mortal remains would be brought to the BJP office in the morning where they will be kept for an hour before being taking to the Kala Academy to allow people to pay their last respects before his final journey,” the spokesperson said.

The central government has announced national mourning on Monday, officials earlier said. The national flag will fly at half-mast across the country. — PTI


09:30  Jet Airways grounds its operations in Abu Dhabi Airport:  

Jet Airways has grounded its operations at Abu Dhabi Airport from  Monday for an indefinite period, citing operational reasons.

Abu Dhabi  is  one of the two international hubs of Jet Airways.  Dutch capital Amsterdam is the European gateway for the airline for its operations to Europe and beyond.

“Jet Airways has cancelled all their flights from Abu Dhabi with immediate effect from March 18 due to operational reasons,” Etihad Airport services said in a notification to its passengers Sunday.

Etihad Airport Services is the ground handling arm of Jet Airways investment partner Etihad Airways. Abu Dhabi airport  also serves as the main hub of the UAEs national carrier.

“Further to the short notice of flight cancellation, (Abu Dhabi) hub may face minor disruption),” the company said in the statement.

Responding to PTI queries on the cancellation of its operations from Abu Dhabi, the airline in a statement said, ” Jet Airways has pro actively taken certain adjustments to its  flight schedule keeping in mind the likely  yet interim non-availability of some aircraft  in its fleet in the foreseeable future.”

Jet Airways has also informed the regulator directorate general of civil aviation and the passengers about these changes, it added.

Jet Airways has been looking at various ways to raise funds amid acute liquidity crunch that has forced it to ground aircraft, cancel flights in large numbers, shutdown stations and delay salary payments to its pilots and engineers along with other senior staff. — PTI

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09:29  Bengaluru FC crowned ISL champions for first time:  

Bengaluru FC clinched their maiden Indian Super League title as Rahul Bheke found a championship-winning header in the dying minutes of the final against FC Goa, in Mumbai on Sunday.

 

The two teams were locked 0-0 after 90 minutes. Even the first extra time saw no goals but Bengaluru got better of a 10-men Goan team 1-0, four minutes from the end of the second extra half.

 

Goa’s mid-fielder Ahmed Jahouh was shown a second yellow card and he had to walk out as the side was reduced to 10 men.

 

It looked Goa defenders would take the game into the penalties but Bheke looped a header on a corner kick from Dimas Delgado and it went past custodian Naveen Kumar, triggering celebrations in the Bengaluru camp. 

 

Earlier, both the teams began with caution. Goa earned a corner early in the game but Edu Bedia’e header went wide at a nearly packed Mumbai Football Arena.

 

Bengaluru had a chance when mid-fielder Nishu Kumar sent Sunil Chhetri through with a lobbed pass. The skipper passed it to Miku, who cut past three players and shot, but Goa custodian Naveen collected it safely.  

 

In the 24th minute, Bengaluru had another chance. Xisco played Chhetri down the flank and the captain sent a cross in the box to Miku but his header sailed above the bar.

 

Two minutes later, Miku had another close chance, but Goa’s defense did well to clear it.

 

Bengaluru strikers kept Goa’s defense and Naveen Kumar on their toes, but still both the sides were searching for their first goal after 35 minutes.

 

Goa received a setback when their skipper and mid-fielder Mandar Rao Dessai had to be stretchered out as he pulled his hamstring just before the conclusion of the first half.

 

Goa did have a few chances in the first half, but they failed to convert any.

 

After the change of ends, Goa upped the ante and their best chance came in the 58th minute when Brandon Fernandes swung a cross for Bedia, but the Spanish mid-fielder couldn’t get a touch on to it.  

 

In the 67th minute, aggressive mid-fielder Jackichand Singh played the ball to Ahmed Jahouh outside the box, and the Moroccon tried to slot one in the top corner but ended up side footing to the keeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu.  

In the additional time of the second half, Bengaluru had another close chance. Nishu Kumar crossed the ball into the box and Miku zoomed past the defenders. He took a touch and shot but Mourtada Fall got into the way as Bengaluru earned a corner. After 90 minutes, the two sides were still locked 0-0.

 

In the first ‘extra’ time, Bengaluru survived a near scare when Luisma headed the ball back to Gurpreet but the experienced keeper collected safely. — PTI


09:00  KT Irfan becomes 1st Indian athlete to qualify for Tokyo Olympics:  

National record holder KT Irfan on Sunday became the first Indian from athletics to qualify for the next year’s Olympics while finishing fourth in the 20km event of the Asian Race Walking Championships in Nomi, Japan.

 

The 29-year-old Irfan clocked 1 hour 20 minutes and 57 seconds to better the Tokyo Olympics qualification standard of 1 hour 21 minutes.

 

The Olympics qualification period for race walk events and marathon race has begun from January 1 this year and will run till May 31, 2020. The Olympics qualification period for all other athletics events will start from May 1 this year and will run till June 29, 2020.

 No other Indian from athletics has so far qualified for Tokyo Olympics.

 

Irfan, who has a personal best as well as national record of 1:20:21 which he did during his 10th place finish in 2012 Olympics, also qualified for this year’s World Championships (September 27-October 6) in Doha, Qatar as he bettered the qualifying mark of 1:22:30.

 

The Kerala race walker had won the 20 km event in the National Open Race Walk Championships in Chennai last month with a timing of 1:26:18. — PTI


08:58  Union Cabinet to meet today to condole the demise of Parrikar:  

The Union Cabinet will meet today to condole the demise of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar.

     

The special cabinet meeting would be held at 10 am.

 

A two-minute would be observed in his memory and a resolution would also be passed hailing Parrikar’s contribution as a public figure, official sources said.

 

Whenever a senior leader of any political party, or a minister passes, the Union Cabinet meets to condole the demise. — PTI  

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08:30  Parrikar’s final journey today, funeral procession to begin at 4 pm:  

The last rites of Goa chief minister Manohar Parrikar will be performed at Miramar in Panaji today, a BJP spokesperson said.

 

Parrikar, 63, died at his private residence at Dona Paula near the state capital on Sunday evening after long illness.

A four-term chief minister and former defence minister, Parrikar had been battling a pancreatic ailment since February last year.The BJP stalwart’s health, which had been fluctuating for over a year, took a turn for the worse in the past two days. 

Parrikar’s mortal remains will be kept at the Bharatiya Janata Party head office from 9:30 am to 10:30 am on Monday, before shifting them to the Kala Academy, the spokesperson said.

People will be allowed to pay their last respects to the chief minister at the academy between 11 am and 4 pm, he said.

Parrikar’s final journey will begin after 4 pm when his remains will be taken to Miramar area in a procession, the spokesperson said, adding that the final rites will be performed at 5 pm.

The central government has announced national mourning on Monday, officials said.

The national flag will fly at half-mast in Delhi, the Union territories and state capitals. — PTI

Source: Rediff