India most important friend, partner of America: Senator John Cornyn
Washington, Sep 24: India is one of the most important friends and partners of the United States, a top American Senator said on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump addressed a crowd of over 50,000 Indian Americans in Houston.
"India is one of our most important friends and partners," Republican Senator John Cornyn said. The senior Senator from Texas is the founder and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, which is the only country-specific caucus in the US Senate.
A strong friend of India both inside and outside the US Congress, Cornyn said the two countries share common values of freedom, democracy and free enterprise, and will always look for new opportunities to deepen this relationship.
"In you, India has a valuable friend!," Modi told Cornyn in a tweet.
Congressman Pete Olson echoed Cornyn.
"The United States and India share a bond that was made even stronger" by the "Howdy, Modi!" event," he said.
Modi retweeted Olson, saying, "It is people like you who play a key role in bringing our nations closer. Thank you for coming to #HowdyModi. Your Indian attire looked lovely!"
A large number of US lawmakers attended the mega "Howdy, Modi!" event in Houston on Sunday and frequently tweeted about it. According to Legistorm, which tracks the tweets of the US Congress members, #HowdyModi was the sixth top hashtag of the week in the Congress.
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Fake IAS officer among 5 held at Indo-Nepal border attempting to cross sides
Bahraich (UP) (PTI): Five persons, including a man posing as an IAS officer, were arrested by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at the India-Nepal Rupaideha border in Bahraich district while allegedly attempting to enter the neighbouring country in a vehicle that had a red-blue beacon and hooter, police said on Monday.
Circle Officer of Nanpara, Pahup Kumar Singh, told reporters that the incident occurred around 7.30 pm on Sunday when an Innova Crysta with a Uttar Pradesh registration plate and flashing beacon was stopped by SSB personnel at the border during routine checks.
During questioning, one of the occupants identified himself as Dharmendra and claimed to be an IAS officer posted at the Lucknow Secretariat.
However, the SSB, Rupaideha police and other security agencies conducted a detailed inquiry and found that none of them was an IAS officer, nor were they authorised to use a red-blue beacon, the officer said.
The vehicle was registered in Lucknow in the name of a firm, Priya Agencies, owned by the wife of the accused Dharmendra, he added.
The arrested persons were identified as Dharmendra Singh, Shubham Bajpai, Anmol Singh, Sachin Singh and Swapnal Sahay, all residents of Lucknow.
During interrogation, they admitted they were heading to casinos in Nepal to gamble.
Police recovered Rs 2.17 lakh in cash, six mobile phones, an electronic chip device and a power bank from their possession. A case has been registered against them under Section 319 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and further investigation is underway, Singh said.
