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Lalu Prasad Yadav's dig at Narendra Modi over yoga triggers Twitter war </br><br> RJD leader Lalu Prasad's dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a picture of Modi and country's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru doing yoga triggered a war of words on Twitter, with BJP hitting out at Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi's absence from the celebrations. Lalu had put up a picture of Nehru and Modi on Twitter that said "Difference between originality and unoriginality". Terming Nehru as a practitioner and Modi as a preacher, Lalu said, "Difference between practitioner and preacher. First PM Nehru ji doing 'shirshasana' and current PM Modi ji doing 'Asan' ('Ardha Matsyendrasana'). He also criticised Modi's posture saying it was "incomplete" and that it was only for a "photo-op". In a retort, senior BJP leader Giriraj Singh took aim at Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president-son Rahul Gandhi over their absence from the yoga celebrations which were held across the world. "Practitioner family is hiding somewhere in the globe and preacher is everywhere on the globe," he said. BJP general secretary Muralidhar Rao also said, "Where was RahulGandhi when world celebrated International Day of Yoga? Pandit Nehru did 'Shirshasana', Rahul least of all could have done 'Vrikshasana'." (PTI)
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Manish Sisodia requests Smriti Irani for removal of 'no detention policy' </br><br> Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia, who also holds the education portfolio, today requested Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani for the removal of the 'no detention policy' till class VIII under the RTE Act. The Delhi Minister tweeted that he had again requested Irani to remove the policy on the sidelines of the National Yoga Teachers' Conference held today at Talkatora stadium. He added that because of the policy the education in schools till class VIII was in a bad shape. Sisodia had recently written to Irani in this regard. He had suggested that the 'no detention policy' should be restricted till class III. The no detention policy introduced under the Right to Education Act automatically promotes students up to Class VIII. Critics have argued that the policy has led to poor learning outcome in classes. (PTI)
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Religious messages more powerful than armed forces: Rijiju</br><br> Invoking the teachings of Lord Buddha, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju today said the influence of religion is more powerful on humans than the use of armed forces. "Dharm Shastra is more powerful than our police force, security and army. The teachings of religion, the knowledge, is the most powerful. If it reaches everywhere then we won't have to use power to stop violence," Rijiju said at 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Buddhist leader Kripasaran Mahasthavir at Bengal Buddhist Association here. The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said if everybody understood the teachings of Lord Buddha there will be peace on this planet. "Why we need weapons, why we need forces?," Rijiju said adding that in this world of conflicts we have to understand the teachings of Buddhism very closely. (PTI)
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AAP to expose BJP in run up to civic body polls </br><br> AAP will run a sustained campaign against the BJP, "expose its coruption and misgovernance" and "repeat its victory" in the civic body polls, the party said today. Office bearers of AAP's state and distrtict units, and frontal organisations took part in a meeting convened at the Constitution Club here. "Addressing the office bearers, Delhi convener Dilip Pandey laid out an aggressive strategy of how ward level units of the Aam Aadmi Party will swing into action to expose and corner councillors and hold them accountable. Stories of monumental corruption by the BJP will reach every household in the city," the party said in a statement. (PTI)
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Talking about the excitement surrounding Kabali, Amar Abrol, CEO, AirAsia India said,“The Kabali fever is getting hotter by the day with fans across the world riding in the Rajini wave! We are delighted to partner with one of the most awaited movies of the year and we are overwhelmed by the kind reception we’ve received from our guests & fanson the association.This special plane, powered by Thalaivar quite literally, is dedicated to Rajini fans across the globe! This is AirAsia’s way of paying a tribute to the one and only Superstar in the country. We would like to thank the production house &Rajinikanth himself for the support they have extended to AirAsia in planning these special promotions. (PTI)
Will court arrest if any saint would be arrested: BJP leaders </br><br> BJP leaders today warned the Uttar Pradesh government against arresting any saint in connection with Monday's violence in the city, claiming police have "falsely implicated" them in the FIR. If police would arrest any saint in connection with the violence, then the partymen would court their arrest, they said. BJP MLC Laxman Acharya and MLAs Shyam Deo Roy Chaudhary and Jyotsana Srivastava along with party's media in-charge Sanjay Bhardwaj in a joint press conference alleged that the saints who were taking out a protest march 'Pratikar Yatra' on October 5 from Townhall to Dashashwmedh ghat have been "falsely implicated in the FIR lodged by UP police". (PTI) -
Emergency: Shiv Sena asks L K Advani who he was hinting at</br><br> Seizing on L K Advani's widely-debated comment that an emergency-like situation cannot be ruled out again, Shiv Sena today asked the BJP veteran to speak out his mind if he was pointing at some particular leader when he aired his apprehension. "When Advani laid down his fear of an Emergency again, he is definitely pointing at somebody. Now the question is who is this person that Advani is hinting at? How can his fears be mitigated?" Sena mouthpiece 'Saamana' said in an editorial today. Praising Advani as the "tallest leader" of the country who has seen all seasons and gone through ups and downs, the Sena said, "Even if he is not in the mainstream politics now, BJP leaders and media know that he cannot be ignored and when he said that an emergency-like situation cannot be ruled out again, debates have once again focused on him." (PTI)
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Bhujbal cases: ED conducts searches across Mumbai The Enforcement Directorate today conducted searches at multiple locations in and around the metropolis in connection with two cases registered against former Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal. "We are conducting searches at multiple locations of those persons who are connected to the cases," said an ED official. "The searches will continue throughout the day," the official said refusing to name the persons whose premises are being searched. Last week, the ED had registered two Enforcement Case Information Reports (ECIRs) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the NCP leader suspecting illegal transactions to the tune of Rs 900 crore in all, even as it summoned four individuals of a Singapore-based firm in which Bhujbal's company Armstrong Energy has invested. The first case by ED pertains to the Maharashtra Sadan scam and Kalina land allotment case while the second case relates to a housing project at Navi Mumbai wherein its developer had allegedly collected 10 per cent of the flat's total cost as booking amount in 2010 but started no work. (PTI)
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BJP leader Ram Madhav row: Protocol, says Centre</br><br> The controversy over BJP leader Ram Madhav 'targeting' Vice President Hamid Ansari for his absence at the Yoga Day celebrations here escalated today with the Congress accusing the ruling party of playing "divisive" politics. The Government on its part cited protocol to say that the Vice President can't be invited to an event where the Prime Minister is chief guest amid reports that it is upset with the needless controversy triggered by Madhav's tweets. Union Minister Shripad Naik while citing the warrant of precedence also apologised for Ansari's absence being questioned. "Unknowingly something happens, we apologise for that. It should have been avoided. It's a mistake, he(Madhav) agrees, he apologised. He withdrew his statement." Naik said while seeking to downplay the controversy. Congress accused BJP of playing "divisive politics" on the International Day of Yoga by targeting Ansari and demanded that Madhav tender an apology. (PTI)
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Will corner AAP govt in Assembly over Tomar, MCD issues: BJP</br><br> A day ahead of Delhi's Budget Session, BJP today charged the AAP dispensation with rampant "violation" of constitutional norms and said it would corner the government in the Assembly over a host of issues including a former law minister's alleged fake degree case and power. The rival party also warned the Arvind Kejriwal government against the use of "strong arm-tactics" like deployment of marshalls inside the Assembly, saying such methods does not "scare" the party's MLAs and threatened to launch a "large-scale protests". As per Leader of Opposition Vijender Gupta, the party has prepared a strategy to attack the government, by highlighting its "ineptness" and "hypocrisy", both inside and outside the House, during the six-day-long session that starts tomorrow. The party that has three MLAs in the 70-member House, is eyeing to corner the AAP dispensation over former law minister Jitender Singh Tomar's alleged fake degree case, and issues pertaining to power, water, and the municipal corporations. (PTI)
