Russia Takes Tough Stand, To Expel 50 diplomats

Russia has stiffened its stand over the spy-poisoning case. It has told Britain that more than 50 of its diplomats will have to leave, amid a deepening row over the poisoning of a former Russian spy and his daughter in the UK.
Moscow initially expelled 23 British diplomats after 23 Russian diplomats were ordered out by London.
Moscow says the UK and Russian diplomatic missions should be the same size in each country.
The British government blames Russia for the nerve agent attack on Sergei and Yulia Skripal, but Moscow denies it.
Russia expelled 59 diplomats from 23 countries yesterday and said that it reserved the right to take action against four other nations in a worsening standoff with the West over the poisoning issue.
A day earlier, Moscow ordered the expulsion of 60 U.S. diplomats and the closing of the U.S. consulate in St Petersburg, Russia’s second city, in retaliation for the biggest ejection of diplomats since the Cold War.

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Amit Shah Confident of Winning Assembly Elections in Karnataka

BJP President Amit Shah has expressed that his party will gain absolute majority in Karnataka Assembly elections. Addressing a press conference in Mysuru today, he said that a strong anti-incumbency is seen against the Congress government in the state.
Mr Shah pointed out that a progressive state with strong IT sector like Karnataka does not have 24 hours electricity, water supply and health infrastructure is in shambles. He said, more than 3,500 farmers have committed suicide, women are unsafe and investments have slowed down.
Mr Shah accused the Congress of using Karnataka as an ATM to fill its coffers. He also accused Congress of doing politics in giving minority status to Lingayats. This move just before the assembly election is a ploy to divide Lingayat votes in the state, he said.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah who is campaigning in Chamundeshwari constituency today has attacked BJP through his tweet. He has tweeted that Kannadigas will not trust Mr Shah, as his home state Gujarat witnessed atrocities against Dalits.

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Amit Shah Begins Karnataka Expedition

BJP chief Amit Shah began his two-day visit to election-bound Karnataka with a visit to Suttur Matt in Mysuru today. He took the blessings of Suttur Shivarathri Deshikendra Mahasamiji’s blessings and appreciated the efforts of Swamiji in spreading the values of Indian culture and traditions.
Later, he paid a visit to Amba Vilas Palace and met erstwhile Mysore royal family. Union Minister Ananth Kumar, BJP state President B S Yeddyurappa and Member of Parliament Pratap Simha were present on this occasion. Amit Shah thereafter visited the house of Kyathamaranahalli Raju, an RSS activist who was hacked to death in 2016.
Speaking on the occasion, he said, 23 BJP workers were murdered in the state under Siddaramaiah Government and people have decided to end his rule. He assured the family members of those killed, that the culprits will be booked and punished when Yeddyurappa comes to power.
BJP national President Amit Shah did not reveal the details of his meeting with Mysore royal family. But this visit is considered important in the political circle. Speaking at the Navashakti samavesha in Mysuru he said Congress has lost many elections under Rahul Gandhi and the same will happen in Karnataka.
Later in the day, BJP President will interact with Dalit leaders today. This is the fourth leg of his tour in the state after his visit in north, central and coastal Karnataka regions. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah too is campaigning in the Mysuru district today which will continue till April 2nd.

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Narayan Rane : A Longtime Sulking Leader

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister Narayan Rane is sulking for quite a time now. The veteran leader, hailing originally from Shiv Sena and having shifted later to Congress, is hanging around Bharatiya Janata Party's lobby to get a berth in the Maharashtra cabinet.

However, his hopes do not appear to come to fruition anytime soon as BJP choses to place him on its waiting list. On Wednesday night, Rane met BJP President Amit Shah at his residence and later claimed that the latter promised a Rajya Sabha seat to him in lieu of the ministerial berth. CM Devendra Fadnavis and Mumbai BJP President Ashish Shelar as also Narayan Rane's MLA son Nitish were also present in the meeting.

Rane's claim cannot be taken at its face value because BJP has made en number of such promises to him in the past but never fulfilled it. Again, Rane himself makes these claims and there is no word from BJP and that makes the matter even more curious.

Rane had formed a new party called 'Maharashtra Swabhiman Paksh' last October after quitting the Congress and had indicated his organisation may align with the BJP

The 65-year-old leader known for his outspoken nature has pockets of influence in the Konkan region, mainly Sindhudurg district. Rane served as the chief minister in 1999 when he was in the Shiv Sena but is presently the bete noire of the party, a reason why BJP apparently cosied up to him. The Shiv Sena has been bitterly critical of Rane, who had objected to Uddhav Thackeray's elevation in the party.

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray had expelled Rane from the party following which the Maratha leader joined the Congress on July 26, 2005. He was made the revenue minister in the then Congress-NCP government in the state the very next day.

Rane is also known for his aspiration to become the chief minister, an ambition he has professed publicly on many occasion to possess. "I still have an ambition to become the chief minister of Maharashtra. It never dies. I will wait for the right time to come," is his popular refrain. He claims that Congress had promised him to make CM but never made him one.

There were speculations in the past that Rane would join the BJP. However, a large section in the BJP was not in favour of his induction into the party. Rane resigned from the Congress in September last year after accusing the party having reneged on the promise of making him the chief minister. He had also resigned as a member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

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ED Action : Mehul Choksi Group's 42 Properties Worth Over Rs. 1,200 cr Attached

Enforcement Directorate has attached 42 properties worth over 1,200 crore rupees belonging to Gitanjali Gems and its promoter Mehul Choksi in connection with PNB scam.
The ED has issued a provisional order for attachment under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA).
The attached assets include 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nasik, Nagpur, Panvel and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
A 170-acre park in Hyderabad's Ranga Reddy district valued at over 500 crore rupees has also been attached, the ED said on Thursday.
Four flats in Borivali (east) area of Mumbai and nine others in Khemu Towers in Santacruz (east) have been attached as part of the action.
Choksi and designer diamond jewellery businessman Nirav Modi and others are being investigated by the ED and other probe agencies after the PNB scam came to light.
The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case.
AIR Correspondent reports, the Enforcement Directorate issued a provisional order for attachment of the properties in PNB case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
It had attached total 42 assets including 15 flats and 17 office premises in Mumbai, a mall in Kolkata, a four-acre farm house in Alibaug and 231 acres of land at locations like Nasik, Nagpur, Panvel and Villupuram in Tamil Nadu.
A 170-acre park in Hyderabad's Ranga Reddy district valued at over Rs 500 crore has also been attached. The CBI and the ED have registered two FIRs each to probe the case.

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Another Bumper Crop in Offing!

Government has estimated that the foodgrain production will touch a new record of 277.49 million tonnes in 2017-18 crop year as against 275.11 million tonnes last year. 

According to the second estimate for 2017-18 released on Monday, Pulses production is pegged at a record 23.95 MT this year, up by 0.82 MT, from 23.13 MT last year. 

The wheat production is estimated to decline by 1.40 MT to 97.11 MT from the record of 98.51 MT achieved in 2016-17. 

The production of coarse cereals is estimated at record 45.42 MT this year as against 43.77 MT in 2016-17 crop year. 

However, oilseeds production is pegged lower by 1.39 MT at 29.88 MT in 2017-18 as against 31.28 MT during 2016-17. 

The Agriculture Ministry said, as a result of near normal rainfall during monsoon 2017 and various policy initiatives taken by the government, the country has witnessed record foodgrains production in the current year.

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