Kashmir a bilateral issue: UK PM Boris Johnson tells PM Modi
London: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made clear to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Kashmir remains a bilateral matter between India and Pakistan as far as the UK's view is concerned, during a telephone call between the two leaders.
The conversation, part of a series of similar telephone calls being undertaken by Johnson with world leaders since he took charge at Downing Street last month, covered the current situation in Kashmir alongside a discussion on the importance of the India-UK partnership.
"The Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi discussed the current situation in Kashmir, a Downing Street spokesperson said in an official readout of the phone call on Tuesday.
"The Prime Minister made clear that the UK views the issue of Kashmir as one for India and Pakistan to resolve bilaterally. He underlined the importance of resolving issues through dialogue," the spokesperson said.
The conversation came against the backdrop of the Indian government revoking the special status to Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcating the state into two Union Territories.
Regarding India-UK ties, Johnson and Modi agreed on the importance of the bilateral partnership and the need to build on it further, particularly through trade and economic relations and through the living bridge that links our countries .
"Prime Minister Modi said there are immense possibilities for the UK and India which would increase prosperity in both countries, the Downing Street spokesperson said.
The telephone conversation came ahead of the G7 meeting in France over the weekend, where the two leaders are scheduled to meet for the first time since Johnson became the UK Prime Minister. Therefore, their discussions also covered the summit in Biarritz and the issue of importance to both nations.
"Ahead of the G7, the Prime Minister and Prime Minister Modi agreed on the importance of working together to tackle climate change and other threats to biodiversity. They looked forward to meeting at the summit this weekend to discuss this and other issues, the spokesperson added.
While the Downing Street readout of the conversation made no reference to any other issues discussed between the two leaders, the Prime Minister's Office in India said that the topics covered also included a fight against terrorism and violence.
Modi drew Johnson's attention to the challenges posed by vested interests pursuing their motivated agenda, including by violent means, the Prime Minister's Office in a statement said.
In this context, Prime Minister Modi referred to the violence and vandalism perpetrated by a large mob against the High Commission of India in London during Independence Day celebrations last week.
Johnson regretted the incident and assured that all necessary steps would be taken to ensure safety and security of the High Commission, its personnel and visitors, the statement said.
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Voting underway in 14 Lok Sabha constituencies in Karnataka
Bengaluru (PTI): Voting was underway on Friday in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls in 14 constituencies in Karnataka.
Polling began at 7 am and will end at 6 pm.
A total of 247 candidates -- 226 men and 21 women -- are in the fray for the first phase covering most of the southern and coastal districts, where more than 2.88 crore voters are eligible to exercise their franchise in 30,602 polling stations.
The Congress and BJP are locking horns on the electoral battleground again in less than a year.
This election is witnessing a straight fight between the ruling Congress and the BJP-JD(S) combine unlike the Assembly elections in May last year which witnessed a triangular contest among the three parties.
The state has a total of 28 Lok Sabha constituencies. The second phase of polling in the remaining 14 seats is on May seven.
In the first phase, while the Congress is contesting in all 14 seats, BJP has fielded nominees in 11 and its alliance partner JD(S), which joined the National Democratic Alliance in (NDA) in September last year, in three -- Hassan, Mandya and Kolar.
Besides the three, the segments where elections are being held on Friday are: Udupi-Chikmagalur, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumkur, Mysore, Chamarajanagar, Bangalore Rural, Bangalore North, Bangalore Central, Bangalore South and Chikkballapur.
According to Election Commission, 1.4 lakh polling officials are on duty for the first phase.
Besides them, 5,000 micro-observers, 50,000 civil police personnel, and 65 companies of Central Paramilitary Force and State Armed Police force of other States have been deployed for security.
All the 2,829 polling stations of Bangalore Rural parliamentary constituency are being webcast.
"This is as per the request of our returning officers and observers; so we have given more than double the Central paramilitary force for Bangalore Rural constituency. Seven companies of Central paramilitary forces have been inducted at the constituency since April 22," Karnataka Chief Electoral Officer Manoj Kumar Meena has said.
In fact, out of the total 30,602 polling stations in the first phase, 19,701 are webcast, and 1,370 covered via CCTVs, he had added.
Chikkaballapur has a maximum number of 29 candidates, followed by 24 in Bangalore Central, and Dakshina Kannada has the least number at nine.
JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy from Mandya, his brother-in-law and noted cardiologist C N Manjunath from Bangalore Rural on a BJP ticket against Deputy CM D K Shivakumar's brother and MP D K Suresh of Congress, and erstwhile Mysuru royal family scion Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar from Mysore, from the BJP, are among the prominent candidates in the fray in the first phase.
Also in the contest are BJP MP Tejasvi Surya from Bangalore South pitted against Minister Ramalinga Reddy's daughter Sowmya Reddy of Congress, and Union Minister Shobha Karandlaje on BJP ticket from Bangalore North against former Indian Institute of Management Bangalore professor M V Rajeev Gowda of Congress.
