State-run telecom firm MTNL, which offers services in Delhi and Mumbai, will soon launch free roaming scheme, allowing customers to receive calls at no extra cost while traveling across the country.
BSNL already has such a scheme in place. At present, MTNL customers have to pay roaming charges for incoming calls when they go outside of Delhi and Mumbai.
MTNL Chairman and Managing Director NK Yadav told the scheme will be announced soon and they are finalising the dates.
Expressing their support for a statement made by Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama that the results of the recently conducted Bihar assembly elections had shown that ‘a majority of Hindus believed in religious harmony’, the Janata Dal-United and the Congress claimed that a strong and befitting reply has been given to extremist groups in India.
“I appreciate the comment made by religious leader Dalai Lama. He has been in India for a long while and so, he is aware of the Indian culture. The statement made by him has given a strong and befitting reply to the extremist groups in India,” JD (U) leader KC Tyagi said.
Meanwhile, the Congress Party also said that Dalai Lama’s statement shows that peace has won in Bihar.
“Dalai Lama is both a religion and a political leader of the Tibetans. We should just take his statement to be what it is. However, it does show to some extent that peace has won in Bihar. People with the message more related to peace are always more popular and acceptable in India than others,” Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit said.
Terming religious harmony in India ‘remarkable’, Dalai Lama on Saturday had said the results of the Bihar assembly elections had shown that ‘a majority of Hindus believed in religious harmony’. In a reply to a question on ‘religious intolerance’ in India, he said that politics meant serving the people effectively and ‘not creating problems’.
As speculation continues that deported ULFA general secretary Anup Chetia will join the talks between the terror group and the central government, a senior member of the pro-talks group and the organisation’s “foreign secretary”, Sashadhar Choudhury, has said this will only legitimise the peace process and not necessarily bring about any qualitative change.
“Qualitatively I do not think there is going to be any change from the current status if Chetia joins the peace talks. However, if Chetia joins then the peace process will be legitimised more than the existing one,” said Choudhury, whose real name is Sailen Choudhury.
Chetia was deported to India on Nov 11 by Bangladesh, where he was arrested in 1997. He is currently in CBI custody.
Stressing that the existing pro-talks faction of ULFA, who entered into peace negotiations with the central government in 2010 after several top leaders were arrested, has submitted its agenda and debated on the points that can be agreed on, Choudhury said that it now depends on the government if it want to resolve the Assam problem or not.
Recently, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju had said that the government is planning to soon wind up the talks. The proposed date for the next round of peace talks between ULFA’s pro-talk faction, the Centre and the Assam government is November 24 in New Delhi.
Choudhury, who along with other senior leaders of the pro-talks faction, including the organisation’s ex-chairman Arabinda Rajkhowa, has been granted bail by the Guwahati High Court since 2010, said: “I do not think that the government is trying to intentionally delay the peace process but if it wants a quick solution, it needs to speed up.”
One of the reasons that are believed to have paralysed the talks is the demand for tribal status for six communities – Tai Ahom, Koch Rajbongshi, Chutiya, Moran, Muttock and the Adivasi tea garden workers who are recognized as tribals in other states. The communities together account for 20 percent of the electorate in the state and play a decisive role in more than 40 of the 126 assembly constituencies in six districts of upper Assam.
A 17-year-old girl was sexually assaulted while her 10-year-old cousin was killed by their neighbour in the basement of a building in northwest Delhi, media reports said on Sunday.
The attack happened at their rented room on Saturday in the Swarup Nagar area. The suspect involved in the crime is absconding.
The incident was reported around 7 am on Saturday after the landlady made a PCR call. The parents were away when the crime took place.
“The victim’s grandfather had died a few days ago and the parents had gone their to perform remaining rituals,” a report quoted a police officer as saying.
At the time of the attack, the girl and her cousin brother were sleeping with another cousin of theirs. The accused, identified as Rahul, killed one of the cousins when he tried to resist his attempts to assault the girl.
The landlady claimed that she came to know about the incident when the girl’s brother told her about her sister.
Meanwhile, police have formed several teams to nab the culprit. The girl was taken to a hospital for treatment.
To ensure transparency, government will soon allow foreign defence firms to appoint agents but the companies will have to upfront mention the “reasonable” renumeration to be paid and won’t be allowed to dole out any bonus or success fees, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
Drawing a distinction between agents and middlemen, he said the government will not leave room for any “hanky-panky”.
“Agents do not mean middlemen. There will be scope for a company to appoint an agent to represent it or to get over technical difficulties by paying him or her reasonable fees which will have to be mentioned upfront,” said Parrikar.
He said that the new Defence Procurement Procedure, which is in final stages of completion, will clearly define the role of agents.
He agreed that there is already a provision for agents legally but said, “In short, agent word was there but without clearly defining what his role would be. It was not very well defined. That is being defined properly.”
The Defence Minister said that appointment of agents does not mean that defence firms are allowed to give commissions or something like that.
“Sometimes you cannot open office because the quantum of business does not justify an office. So how do you deal here? You can’t send a person from foreign country here all the time. So hence this is a provision but it does not allow any hanky-panky,” Parrikar said.
He said agents’ fees will have to be mentioned upfront and success fee, bonus or any such payments will not be allowed.
“Not even penalty for failure. Sometimes, you give upfront and then get it back through penalty if work is not done,” he said.
The government’s move will bring in much-needed transparency, even if limited, in the murky world of multi- billion dollars defence contracts where middlemen have had a field day, defence experts said.
RSS ideologue MG Vaidya on Sunday said Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse was no hero and criticised the Hindu Mahasabha, Hindu Sena and Maharana Pratap Battalion for commemorating the former’s 66th death anniversary as ‘Shaurya Diwas’.
He said he was against honouring and giving respect to Mahatma Gandhi’s assassin.
“I don’t know which organisation it is. But I am against honouring and giving respect to Nathuram Godse. He is a murderer. The fight of thoughts should be fought with thoughts only. It is not right to kill anyone as was done by Godse,” said Vaidya.
“Some people think that by doing so (killing Gandhi), they have encouraged Hindutva, but that is wrong. In fact, they have insulted Hindutva. I think it was an evil to kill Gandhi ji who was such a respected figure in India,” he added.
Right wing organisations today organised a program to commemorate Godse’s death anniversary as ‘Shaurya Diwas’ in Panvel near Mumbai.
The Hindu Mahasabha is the same outfit which had made into the headlines last year when it declared plans to build temples for Godse.
Members of Sanatan Sanstha, which had hit the headlines for the murder of rationalist Govind Pansare, also participated in the ceremony to eulogise Godse.
Hindu Mahasabha celebrates Godse’s death anniversary the November 15th as ‘Shaurya Divas’ throughout Maharashtra every year.
Godse was hanged on November 15, 1949 following his conviction for killing ‘Father of the Nation’.
Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s upcoming magnum opus ‘Bajirao Mastani’ has been the talk of the town for quite sometime now. After mesmerizing the viewers with the glow of gold and Deepika in ‘Deewani Mastani’, the film’s second song ‘Pinga’ is out.
After releasing the first look of the song with both the leading actress, Deepika and Priyanka posing together in a dance posture, the entire song came out today. Amongst the lively set and traditional costumes, what strikes most is the chemistry between the two actresses and a subtle sad looks in a happy song.
The track looks like an integral part of the movie’s narrative, considering both the ladies are in love with the same man. The song has a very rooted touch to it with both the actresses showcasing their dancing skills.
Director Abhinay Deo believes his “Force 2” leading lady Sonakshi Sinha will surprise everyone with her action in the film.
“In this film you will see the difference. Here Sonakshi is shoulder to shoulder with John Abraham. People would be surprised looking at her. We have started shooting the action part with her. Almost 50 per cent of the action is done,” said Abhinay.
The “Delhi Belly” director is working on some hitherto unseen action sequences in “Force 2”.
“With ‘Force 2’, I am trying to give action sequences that people haven’t seen yet. Hope I can give something new. The shoot is going amazing. John has had an injury so we had stopped shooting for some time,” he said.
“70 per cent of the film is done, only 30 per cent is left. We have not thought of the release date yet,” he added.
Besides having spectacular action, the film will see “Mardaani” famed actor Tahir Raj Bhasin replacing Vidyut Jammwal, who played the negative role in “Force”.
“This time the villain is (being played by) Tahir Raj Bhasin from ‘Mardaani’. He is an absolutely amazing actor… He will surprise the audience. Villain doesn’t necessarily be well-built and huge. He can surprise with his thinking…Using brains,” he said.
Abhinay is directing a film after a gap of four years and he believes in taking time and giving his best.
“I always take time for my projects. After ‘Delhi Belly’ I took two years for my next project ’24’. I dedicated my time for the show as I want to do something different and path-breaking,” he said.
Besides “Force 2”, Abhinay is working on his much awaited TV show “24”.
Actress Daisy Shah says her first movie co-star Salman Khan found her sensuous and sexy in her upcoming film “Hate Story 3”.
Salman launched Daisy in Bollywood with “Jai Ho”. She will now be seen in the erotic thriller “Hate Story 3”.
“He (Salman) has seen the trailer and he has liked it. He has said I am looking fitter, sensuous and sexy,” said Daisy.
Daisy is in constant touch with the “Dabangg” star and often seeks professional advice.
“I made my debut with him. So, in a way I am his protégé. I do talk to him regarding whatever problems I have… Whenever (I am) in dilemma I go to him. I keep him in the loop. He is a great support,” she said.
The choreographer-turned-actress heaped praise on Salman.
“He is a great human being, a gem of a person. He doesn’t think before helping anyone. He is a messiah. He is truly ‘being human’. He does a great job of helping people, not only for those in this profession but for the society,” she said.
According to Daisy, Salman’s strength is his family.
“His family has been supportive, not only of him but everyone around him. I adore his family,” she added.
Selena Gomez has spent the last few months starting fresh. Since ending her on-again, off-again relationship with Justin Bieber, Selena has been working on herself and focusing on her career. Recently, the young singer released her solo album, Revival. In addition, she has also been improving her lifestyle, as she continues to battle with lupus.
Thus, in the theme of starting new, Selena has decided to put her Calabasas (surburb of Los Angeles) upscale mansion on the market. In 2014, the star bought the 7,700 square foot home for $3.7 million. The house was located less than 5 miles away from where her ex Justin Bieber once lived.
This week, Selena listed her house on the market for $4.5 million. The home includes 6 bedrooms, 7 bathrooms, a pool, a courtyard, a gym and a guesthouse. In addition, the house is well equipped with security cameras, after a scary incident in 2014; This being when a man was arrested for burglary and trespassing when he was found lounging in Gomez’s guesthouse. Since, the man has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and ordered to stay away from the pop star.
Over the past few days, troubled reality star Scott Disick has been seen hanging around Malibu. For the past few weeks, Scott has been staying at a treatment facility in Malibu. This marks his fourth stint in rehab, in an attempt to recover from his substance and alcohol addiction.
Sources have reported that Scott is doing really well and seems to be completely committed to transitioning to a healthier lifestyle. So naturally, many were worried that Scott was seen out and about already, considering he just entered rehab in October. However, it has been revealed that Scott is still going through the rehab program and that his trips outside of the facility are allowed and part of the recovery process.
On Thursday, Scott was seen at popular Japanese restaurant Nobu with Kris Jenner. Although Scott is not currently dating Kris’ daughter Kourtney Kardashian, Kris has expressed love for Scott and revealed that she is hoping Kourtney and him are able to mend their relationship.
