Today’s top 10 news: Jet Airways bomb threat, AAP govt slams Uber and Ola, BJP and Ram Rajya in UP, Bangalore strike, Vijayakant video row, more

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1. Hoax bomb threat in Jet Airways flight; one passenger detained: A Jet Airways Mumbai-Ahmedabad -Mumbai flight carrying 125 passengers and six crew members was delayed after a bomb scare, which later turned out to be a hoax even as one person was detained after a chit with "bomb" written on it was recovered from under his seat on Wednesday. The flight from Mumbai to Ahmedabad was taken to the isolation bay immediately after it landed here this morning due to the bomb scare. According to police, one of the cleaning staff while preparing the flight for the next trip found a "chit" with "bomb" scribbled on it under one of the seats after which authorities were informed. The aircraft was then taken to an isolation bay where it was throughly checked by police and bomb disposal squad. <br><a href=https://www.financialexpress.com/article/india-news/bomb-threat-to-kathmandu-delhi-jet-airways-flight-a-hoax/230057/">Read full story</a></br>

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"(UP) state will have BJP Govt after 2017 elections. We shall conduct enquiry not only of the misdeeds of Akhilesh and Mayawati's governments but will not hesitate to take action according to the findings," Keshav Maurya claimed. (IE)

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3. Arvind Kejriwal says AAP govt will not allow ‘robbery, blackmail’ by Uber, Ola in Delhi: Ban on surge pricing, introduced for the ongoing phase of the odd-even rule scheme, will be made permanent and all app-based taxi aggregators will have to charge fares being fixed under a new policy, Delhi government announced. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal termed surge pricing as “daylight robbery” and said overcharging and blackmailing won’t be allowed in Delhi. Under surge pricing, app-based taxi service providers like Ola and Uber hike the rates when demand outstrips supply. “Yes. We will do it,” Kejriwal tweeted replying to a suggestion on why government was not continuing with ban on surge pricing permanently. In its reaction, leading taxi aggregator Uber criticised the move, saying without surge pricing, there would be no cars available when people need them. Kejriwal clarified that Delhi government was not against taxi aggregators, who provide important service to people, asserting they will have to follow the law. “Surge pricing is daylight robbery. No responsible govt can allow that.” <br><a href=https://www.financialexpress.com/article/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-says-aap-govt-will-not-allow-robbery-blackmail-by-uber-ola-in-delhi/240410/">Read full story</a></br>

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4. Tejaswi backs Lalu Yadav's support to Nitish Kumar as PM: Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejaswi Yadav today supported RJD chief Lalu Prasad's backing of Nitish Kumar as Prime Ministerial candidate but evaded a direct reply when asked who would be better choice for the post between Kumar and Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi. Asked to comment that his father and RJD President Lalu Prasad has supported Nitish Kumar for the PM post, Tejaswi Yadav told reporters "Why not? He is honest and has a clean image." Besides, being Chief Minister for five times he (Kumar) has been a minister at the Centre too, younger son of Prasad said. <br><a href=https://www.financialexpress.com/article/india-news/arvind-kejriwal-says-aap-govt-will-not-allow-robbery-blackmail-by-uber-ola-in-delhi/240410/">Read full story</a></br>

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5. Nirmohi Akhara seers 'purify' Asaram's ashram for Kumbh stay: Seers of Nirmohi Akhara today "purified" the ashram here of self-styled godman Asaram, who is in jail on rape charges, by sprinkling Ganga water as they took possession of the place for their stay during Simhastha Kumbh festival beginning Friday. The sadhus claimed Asaram is "not fit to call himself as a saint for his acts". The ashram, situated on Mangalnath area on plot no. 330/2 under Jiwaji police station limits, has been temporarily allotted to Nirmohi Akhara, officials said. The district administration has taken temporary possession of private land located close to the area where the religious congregation is scheduled, and allotted these plots to Akharas for the festival. "In view of the (Kumbh) Mela, the district administration has temporarily allotted the land having Asaram's ashram to Nirmohi Akhara some days back," the Akhara pontiff Suresh Das Ji Maharaj said.

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6. Javadekar dubs Kejriwal's claim of staying in power for 10-15 years a dream: Union Minister Prakash Javadekar today dubbed as a "dream" Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's reported "warning" to bureaucrats that AAP will be in government in Delhi for another 10-15 years and dismissed as "small measures" the state government's odd-even car rationing scheme to control pollution. "What kind of style is this of the Chief Minister? Only he can tell about it. I do not want to speak much on what threatening civil servants amounts to. I will only say one thing. Everybody has a right to dream," Javadekar said. He was asked to comment on a report that quoted Kejriwal as telling the officers yesterday that "You may like it or not, but we are here for 10-15 years. Those officers who are above 45 have no choice". <br><a href=https://www.financialexpress.com/article/india-news/prakash-javadekar-dubs-arvind-kejriwals-claim-of-staying-in-power-for-10-15-years-a-dream/240272/">Read full story</a></br>

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7. Central forces deployed in Bengaluru after violence over PF: Caught off guard by sudden eruption of violence during the garment workers' protest over the Provident Fund issue, authorities have deployed central forces in the city and clamped prohibitory orders. Rapid Action Force personnel today staged a flag march along the Jalahalli Cross stretch, one of the worst-hit by the violence yesterday, even as police arrested about 50 persons in connection with the untoward incidents. Along the stretch from Madiwala to Bengaluru's IT corridor Electronics City which saw widespread protest and violence, 15 platoons of Karnataka State Reserve Police (KSRP), three platoons of Central Reserve Police Force and RAF and six to seven City Armed Reserve (CAR) platoons have been deployed, a top police official said. <br><a href=https://www.financialexpress.com/article/economy/central-forces-deployed-in-bangalore-after-violence-over-pf-issue/240324/">Read full story</a></br>

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8. Congress defends P Chidambaram in Ishrat Jahan case: Coming out in support of former Home Minister P Chidambaram, Congress today rejected government and BJP's claims over the two affidavits in the Ishrat Jahan encounter killing case. With the witnesses involved in cases of "right wing extremism", including Samjhauta Express blast case, changing statements, the party also accused the NIA of becoming a "tool" to carry out BJP and RSS agenda. Congress's chief spokesman Randeep Surjewala told reporters that there is "no contradiction" between the first and the second affidavit of the Ishrat Jahan fake encounter case as being made out by BJP and government. He said that the case was not decided by different courts on the basis of the affidavits but on "overwhelming evidence".

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9. Shiv Sena mocks BJP on its defeat in Maharashtra local polls: Days after BJP was trounced in the crucial Nagar Panchayat and Zilla Parishad polls, Shiv Sena today took potshots at its ruling ally in Maharashtra saying the party's fight for existence in these bodies indicated that people were not benefiting from their governance. "Expecting that people's sentiments can be bought with power and money, is wrong. BJP's defeat is painful for us as it is an old ally of ours. We never expected that the winds of change would start blowing so soon," the Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece 'Saamana.' It said BJP ministers were in the habit of making new announcements everyday which have no substance in them. It is surprising that Congress which has no leadership in the state, and the NCP–riddled with corruption charges—could manage to secure decent gains in the recently held polls, the editorial read.

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10. Video of Vijayakant gesturing at scribes goes viral: DMDK founder and chief ministerial candidate of the People's Welfare Front-DMDK combine, Vijayakant today landed in controversy when a video footage of him purportedly making gestures at journalists and nudging a man went viral. The incident reportedly took place at Salem during the actor-politician's visit to participate in a consultative meeting there for the May 16 Tamil Nadu assembly polls. In the video that was shown in some TV channels, 'Captain' (as he is addressed by supporters), is seen making some gestures when TV cameramen and reporters besides some party functionaries surround him while he is on his way. The leader, who has earlier courted controversy for allegedly manhandling and spitting at journalists in different instances, is seen raising his hand as if to assault somebody, while partymen and two security persons are seen making way for him.