NEWS

In a significant development, senior Army officials have said they believe the American weapons seized by the Taliban from the Afghan Army are likely to create havoc in Pakistan first before they are attempted to be smuggled into India.

The Pakistan Army and terrorist groups supported by it are getting huge supplies of these weapons after the Afghan Army surrendered before the Taliban and gave away all its weaponry.

"The way the ISI-backed terrorist groups in Pakistan have been strengthened by the Taliban victory in Afghanistan, it is most likely that the weapons would be first used for violence within Pakistan itself before they reach India," top Army sources told media.

Working women in Afghanistan have been instructed to stay home from their jobs until the Taliban can ensure full security in the country. At a Tuesday news conference in Kabul, Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid assured reporters the restrictions on women's employment would be short-term.

"It's a very temporary procedure," Mujahid said.

But despite the Taliban's reassurances, many fear the move could mean an impending return to the harsh restrictions women faced under Taliban rule in the country from 1996 to 2001.

Union Minister Narayan Rane was granted bail by a court at Mahad late on Tuesday hours after he was arrested over his controversial remarks against Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray which triggered a political row and protests across Maharashtra. The magistrate's court denied the police's request for his custody but asked Rane to attend the Mahad police station on two days. 

The BJP leader had said during the 'Jan Ashirwad Yatra' of his party on Monday that he would have slapped Thackeray over the latter's `ignorance' of the year of India's independence. "Satyamev Jayate" (truth always prevails), Rane tweeted after getting bail and on his way back to Mumbai. 

After his arrest on Tuesday afternoon, Rane was taken to Mahad in Raigad district, 165 km from Mumbai, where an FIR was registered against him over the remark. Cases were registered against him at Nashik and Pune too as the remark set off angry protests by workers of the ruling Shiv Sena. 

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday tossed the issue of caste-based census in the Centre's court, saying it was for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take a call on estimating the respective strength of castes.

After leading an all-party delegation from Bihar for a meeting with the PM to demand the practice of caste-wise headcount, which was discontinued in 1931, Nitish told reporters, "The Prime Minister listened to all members of the delegation on caste census. We urged the PM to take an appropriate decision on it. We briefed him about how resolutions have been passed in the state assembly twice on caste census."

The interaction with reporters was marked by the rare sight of the Bihar CM praising his opponent, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, for mooting the idea of taking an all-party delegation to the PM. Yadav, on his part, thanked Kumar for heeding the suggestion.