Congress today favoured releasing caste-based data carried in the Socio Economic and Caste Census (SECC) but advocated caution while doing so in view of social and political sensitivities associated with it. The release of caste data is considered a political hot potato and there are strong views for and against it. The NDA government on Friday had refrained from releasing the caste-based data.


Dawood Ibrahim's proposition to Jethmalani wasn't viable: Sharad Pawar
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) supremo and former Maharashtra chief minister Sharad Pawar on Saturday said that senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani's proposition regarding the surrender of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim was not viable as a criminal like him could not be left without being arrested."Ram Jethmalani had given a proposition that's true, but it was conditional. He had put such a condition wherein Dawood would not have been arrested if he had come to India. You cannot not arrest a person who has so many cases against him. Everybody needs to follow the law but Jethmalani ji did not accept the suggestion," said Pawar.Jethmalani earlier claimed Dawood had offered to surrender to the Indian authorities in the 90s, but Pawar did not carry the matter forward.

Five terrorists, one soldier killed near Loc in Kashmir
At least five terrorists were killed when they tried to sneak into the Indian side of the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. A soldier too was killed in the gunbattle. The incident took place in the Uri sector of the Baramulla district.

You may get incentives to discard your old car
The government may come up with a policy to offer financial incentives for discarding old cars, Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari has said. The minister asked people to refrain from using multiple cars and adopt ‘vehicle planning’ on the lines of ‘family planning’.

Govt seeks legal advisers to sell Oil India, Engineers India stakes
The government has invited legal advisers to submit bids by July 24 to manage sale of minority stakes in eight state-run companies including Oil India Ltd, power generator NTPC, Engineers India Ltd, MMTC and Bharat Electronics Ltd.

Jayalalithaa takes oath as MLA  
Days after securing a thumping victory in the RK Nagar bypoll here, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today took oath as MLA.

No party has mechanism to check education degrees: AAP
With one of its MLAs arrested in an alleged fake degree case, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) today said there is no mechanism with any political party to examine the degrees of its party members."There is no mechanism available with any party to check (educational) degrees of its party members," senior AAP leader Sanjay Singh said here today

Gold recovers on buying by jewellers; silver remains higher
Gold prices recovered by Rs50 to Rs26,550 per 10 grams in Delhi bullion market on Saturday, snapping its three-day falling streak, on emergence of buying by jewellers and retailers at prevailing levels. Bullion traders said revival of buying by jewellers and retailers at existing levels, helped gold to regain its glitter.

Adani Group signs MoU with Tamil Nadu for Rs 4,536 crore solar park
The Adani Group on Saturday signed a MoU with the Tamil Nadu government to set up a Rs 4,536 crore solar park in the state.It will set up a a 648-Mw solar power generation capacity in Ramanathapuram district. Construction is expected to commence in August and the unit is scheduled to be operational before February or March next year.

US on alert for terror threat on Independence Day holiday
The United States is ramping up security across the country and urging people to stay alert over the Independence Day holiday weekend over fears of a terrorist threat. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Homeland Security and National Counterterrorism Center have all warned of an increased risk of attacks during the long Fourth of July weekend.