Mayawati demands ballot papers for Lok Sabha polls

Lucknow, Jan 22 BSP supremo Mayawati Tuesday requested that the upcoming Lok Sabha polls be held using ballot papers instead of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs).

The demand comes after a self-proclaimed US-based Indian cyber expert Monday made a sensational claim that the 2014 Lok Sabha elections were "rigged" through the EVMs, which, he stated, can be hacked.

"The latest revelations have made the doubts on the EVMs more serious. It is better under such conditions that the future races, particularly the up and coming Lok Sabha polls, be conducted using ballot papers which can be verified at three levels unlike the EVMs," she said in a statement issued here.

Urging the Election Commission to take solid note of the issue, Mayawati said the most recent "disclosures" are most shocking and expose the "conspiracy" of the BJP.

"This has directly put the BJP in the dock but the central government is unlikely to make any positive move to address the issue in view of its egoistical and stubborn attitude," she alleged.

She said the BSP was the first party to question the credibility of EVMs.

Mayawati claimed that the people have additionally begun to feel that their votes are in effect constantly "plundered" in a composed way.

The BSP boss said the people's apprehension over 'vote humara, raj tumhara' (our vote, your rule) needs to be addressed.

Addressing a press conference in London by means of Skype, the "cyber expert", identified as Syed Shuja, said Monday that he fled India in 2014 in light of the fact that he felt undermined in the nation after the killing of some of his team members.

In spite of the fact that he showed up on screen through Skype, his face was covered.

Shuja, who said he is seeking political asylum in the US, guaranteed the telecom goliath Reliance Jio helped the BJP to get low recurrence signs to hack the EVMs. He gave no proof to back up his claim.

However, Jio was not in activity in 2014 and had propelled its services in September 2016.

Denying all the charges against the BJP, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad affirmed that the controversial press conference in London was sponsored by the Congress.

BCCI announces Rs 20 lakh each for Indian selectors

New Delhi, Jan 22 The BCCI on Tuesday announced cash awards of Rs 20 lakh each for the senior selection committee members following India's maiden Test series win in Australia.

Virat Kohli led India to a historic 2-1 win in the four-Test series before capping the Australian tour with a maiden 2-1 triumph in the ODI series.

"It has been chosen that the selection committee comprising five members will get a bonus of Rs 20 lakhs each," BCCI said in a release.

The choice panel involves executive MSK Prasad , Devang Gandhi, Jatin Paranjpe, Gagan Khoda and Sandeep Singh.

Committee Of Administrator (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai lauded the selectors for picking a balanced Indian squad during the Test and ODI series in Australia.

"We are extremely proud of the way Team India have performed in Australia. We had declared money rewards for cricketers and support staff prior and are presently rewarding selectors," he said.

"The five men have assumed an essential job in picking a balanced Indian squad and offering the team management enough options to work around different combinations. The boys chosen to represent the Indian group approached their undertaking in a valiant way and stood up in challenging situations."

Member from CoA, Diana Edulji also recognized the role of the selectors in India's performance Down Under.

"Each member who has played a role in India's recent triumphs in Australia should be valued. With the ICC Cricket World Cup pretty much four months away, the three-coordinate ODI arrangement in Australia provided excellent preparation for the Indian team," he said.

"The selectors have been concentrating on a core group of cricketers that will make the cut at the showpiece occasion. I congratulate them for picking some fine youthful abilities, who performed splendidly on their maiden tour of Australia."

Prior, BCCI had announced cash awards of Rs 15 lakhs for every counterpart for every one of the playing eleven that highlighted in India's maiden Test series win on Australian soil.

The Indian board also announced money grants for all the hold players, just as the members of the support staff.

India will go up against New Zealand in a five-ODI series beginning with the first match at Napier Wednesday, other than playing a three-diversion T20I series.

Gold extends gains on jewellers' buying

New Delhi, Jan 22 Gold firmed by Rs 125 to Rs 33,325 per 10 grams on Tuesday, largely on the back of sustained wedding season buying by jewellers even as it debilitated to near three-week lows abroad.

Silver, however, turned weak due to reduced offtake by coin makers and consuming industries and lost Rs 250 to Rs 39,850 per kg.

Industrious purchasing by local jewellers, triggered by the ongoing wedding season, kept gold prices higher, bullion traders said.

Globally, gold fell 0.13 percent to USD 1,278.90 an ounce in New York as a firmer dollar made bullion more expensive for purchasers using other currencies. Silver also eased by 0.46 per cent to USD 15.26 an ounce

In the national capital, gold of 99.9 percent and 99.5 percent immaculateness progressed by Rs 125 each to Rs 33,325 and Rs 32,175 for every 10 grams, separately. The yellow metal had had gained Rs 40 on Monday.

Sovereign, be that as it may, stayed unaltered at Rs 25,500 for each bit of eight grams on scattered enquiries.

Conversely, silver prepared costs dropped by Rs 250 to Rs 39,850 for each kg and week after week based conveyance snuck past Rs 264 to Rs 38,876 for each kg.

Silver coins, however, were unchanged at Rs 77,000 for buying and Rs 78,000 for selling of 100 pieces.

Former India hockey player Raghbir Bhola passes away

New Delhi, Jan 22 Former India hockey player Raghbir Singh Bhola, a two-time Olympic medallist, has passed away aged 92, his family said Tuesday.

Bhola, who inhaled his keep going on Monday, spoke to India in the 1956 Melbourne and 1960 Rome Olympics, winning a gold and silver medals respectively for the nation.

His dedication and passion for field hockey proceeded in different perspectives for an incredible duration and he served in assorted jobs, such as, member of the IHF selection committee, FIH international umpire, manager of the Indian hockey team, TV commentator and government observer at the Olympic Games.

He successfully captained the Indian Air Force hockey and Services group from 1954-60 and won the Inter Services Hockey Championship multiple times and the National Hockey Championship on two events.

In 2000, he was honoured with the Arjuna Award for his achievements in hockey.

Bhola is survived by his wife Kamla Bhola, three daughters and three grandsons.

Prime Minister Modi: NRIs are India's brand ambassadors, symbolize nation's capabilities

Varanasi, Jan 22 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday described NRIs as India's brand ambassadors and said they were the symbols of the country's capabilities.

The prime minister was initiating the 15th Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas convention in his parliamentary constituency Varanasi.

"I consider NRIs India's brand ambassadors. They are the symbols of our capacities and capacities," he told the gathering.

"People of Indian origin are in leadership roles in countries such as Mauritius, Portugal and Ireland," he said.

Modi also alluded to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi's comment that just 15 paise of Re 1 reaches masses and said the Congress government had done nothing to stop the leakage.

The prime minister included that his legislature had stepped in to rectify the situation. The "85 percent loot" occurring amid the Congress regime had been plugged "100 percent" through technology, he said.

"We have given about Rs 5,80,000 crore to individuals, exchanged to their financial balances through different plans. Imagine, if the nation was being kept running on the more established framework? At that point Rs 4,50,000 crore would have vanished," Modi said.

Proceeding with his assault on the Congress, he said efforts to stop the "leakage" could have been made before also however there was no aim and resolution.

"Our government is moving towards ensuring that the guide given by government is directly transferred to beneficiary accounts through direct benefit schemes," he said.

Mauritian Premier Pravind Jugnauth, who is the chief guest for the three-day occasion, also talked on the event.

He hailed the prime minister for India's change through activities, for example, the Skill India and the Beti Bachao Beti Padhao plans.

He also lauded Modi's global stewardship in advancing tidy vitality and for setting up the International Solar Alliance.

Jugnauth declared that his nation will hold a Bhagwad Gita Mahotsav one month from now and a Bhojpuri Festival one year from now.

Out of the blue, the three-day tradition is being sorted out from January 21 to 23 rather than January 9 to enable members to visit the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad and go to the Republic Day march in the national capital.

The theme of this year's convention is 'Role of Indian diaspora in building new India'.

PM Modi: Sense of duty turned into sense of entitlement

Ahmedabad, Jan 22 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the feeling of obligation among individuals before India's Independence has now transformed into a sense of entitlement.

Addressing a gathering at Sanosara village in Gujarat's Bhavnagar area through video gathering, Modi urged citizens just as social and political leaders to draw motivation from Mahatma Gandhi and take take up the cause of cleanliness as a mass movement.

"Mahatma Gandhi always stressed on duty. Be that as it may, after Independence, this sense of duty turned into a feeling of privilege. For the development of our nation, we require them two today," the prime minister said.

Mahatma Gandhi made a mass movement, which was instrumental in getting independence, he noted.

"Our cleanliness drive became successful due to the people's participation. The government alone couldn't have done that," he said.

It is important that every citizen understands the power of mass development and people's participation. He urged all nationals and pioneers of all the political parties to take up the cause of cleanliness.

The prime minister was addressing a gathering at the concluding ceremony of a 150-km march organised by Union minister Mansukh Mandaviya as part of the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Mahatma Gandhi this year after his speech at the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas in Varanasi.

Ravi Shankar Prasad: Congress organised EVM hackathon in London

New Delhi, Jan 22 Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad Tuesday alleged that the Congress had organised the EVM hackathon in London in which a cyber expert claimed that the 2014 general elections were rigged.

The event was sponsored by the Congress, the minister of Electronics and IT said at a press conference here.

An Indian cyber expert, seeking political asylum in the US, Monday claimed the 2014 general election was "rigged" through the electronic voting machines, which, he said can be hacked.

"We will expose this claim," Prasad stated, adding that the Congress was insulting the 2014 mandate.

Addressing a press conference in London by means of Skype, the man, recognized as Syed Shuja, said he fled India in 2014 because he felt threatened in the country after the killing of some of his team members.