Here's a recap of events that occurred in India in the past 24 hours.
PM Modi also called for a strong action plan for combating extremism.
Mamata Banerjee was on Friday sworn in as the chief minister of West Bengal for the second consecutive time, heading a 42-member ministry.
Prominent international celebrities and activists on Wednesday joined American pop star Rihanna to extend support to the farmers' protests here and garner international attention on the protracted stir but their remarks were slammed by India as 'neither accurate nor responsible'.
Ram Vilas Paswan, 74, who was the Lok Janshakti Party patron, had undergone a heart surgery at a hospital in New Delhi a few days ago.
The Asian Football Confederation has confirmed Indonesia's immediate ban from all international football, including next week's 2018 World Cup qualifiers, because of government meddling in the country's domestic league.
India boycotted Pak National Day event over invitation to Hurriyat leaders.
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Wednesday termed as "unfortunate, painful and surprising" the African missions statement describing the attacks on African students as "xenophobic and racial", saying the Indian response to this cannot be called inadequate by any means.
The cases reported on Wednesday include a couple and their two-year-old daughter in Rajasthan who had recently returned from Italy. The patients belong to Rajasthan's Jhunjhunu and had returned from Italy on March 8.
At the event, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh denied that the attack on the Congolese Masonda Ketada Oliver was a racial one and hoped that such incidents will not ecur.
'Women were not allowed in the Territorial Army before January 5, 2018. Presently girls are not allowed in Sainik Schools and Rashtriya Military schools. Women are not allowed in the army education corps, in the engineering services (as permanent commission), they can't be religious preachers in the army. There's a need to change with the times.'
The former Union minister had suffered a stroke in 2008 and was hospitalised since then.
She also said that the government was committed to a fast-track trial in the case of killing of the Congolese national Masonda Ketada Oliver and 'harshest possible punishment' for the culprits.
Before repeal of Article 370 and Article 35-A in August last year, non-residents could not buy any immovable property in Jammu and Kashmir. However, the fresh changes have paved the way for non-residents to buy land in the union territory.
He claimed the people of Delhi were facing "injustice and humiliation" since independence because the government elected by them lacked power to work for them.
The Congress is banking on minority-oriented schemes like those providing medical aid, skill development and promoting leadership among women to reach out to Muslims ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.
The IRF, in its plea, has challenged the November 17, 2016, notification of the ministry of home affairs which had imposed an immediate ban on the organisation under UAPA.
'We can't have the best of both worlds -- large, efficient, world class government-owned banks, doing social banking and making profits. 'Why not set them free from the shackles of such obligations and run them as business units?' says Tamal Bandyopadhyay.
Holding that Naik's foundation's plea challenging the Centre's decision has "no merit", the court said the order of the government was "not arbitrary and illegal".
In its first comments on the sexual harassment allegations against Akbar, the BJP said the minister has given his version on the row and that it is not about whether the party agrees or disagrees with him.
He said it is natural for India to hold its 1st overseas start up event in the Silicon Valley.
The NGO had given donations to an allied entity of RGF in 2011 which engages in promoting girl education and providing money to needy for meeting hospital expenses.
India on Thursday said it was in "diplomatic dialogue" with Nigeria after that country raised the killing of one of its nationals in Goa last week and noted that it was expecting a report from the state government in the matter by Thursday.
At least six African nationals had sustained injuries in the incidents. Police attributed two of the incidents to a dispute over African nationals playing loud music and other to a scuffle over public drinking.
Trudeau's first bilateral visit to India was hit by a controversy over the dinner invitation to Atwal by the Canadian high commissioner in New Delhi.
Chinese Premier Li wants to get UN recognition for Tai Chi.
The Congress has conceded the plum Finance portfolio to its junior partner, resolving a thorny issue, after its president Rahul Gandhi intervened and spoke to Kumaraswamy.
The first priority for the new Tibetan administration in Dharamsala should be to look at Tibetan recruitment in the PLA, suggests Claude Arpi.
The man who could well have been a high-level corporate may have to content himself being deputy chief minister. But other challenges await.
'While all would agree on the need to be ready to launch cross-border strikes on terror camps, there is sharp disagreement on how best to do it.' 'Through IAF fighters, or surface-to-surface missiles?' 'Or should army Special Forces be created to do the job?' 'If air strikes are the agreed priority, additional funding must be made available for the purchase of fighters and missiles.' 'If it is to be Special Forces, the army must be facilitated in raising a Special Forces Command,' notes Ajai Shukla.
The 41-year-old 'young gun' travelled the length and breadth of the state to strengthen the party at the grassroots level and ensure its comeback.
'Instead of doing reforms and restructuring, the present government is busy with the perception that everything is fine and the economy is hunky-dory.' 'Such hollow perceptions are very dangerous for the Indian economy in the long run.' 'The real risk to India is the lack of decent employment opportunities for youth in general and educated youth in particular.'
India and Brunei on Tuesday emphasised the need for a peaceful solution to the South China Sea issue through discussions as Vice President Hamid Ansari held wide-ranging talks with the top leadership here, with the two sides signing three agreements including on defence.
The conference was attended by envoys of Pakistan posted at Washington, Beijing, New Delhi, Afghanistan, UN New York, UN Geneva, Vienna, Brussels and Moscow among others.
Swaraj said the Centre was taking immediate action and that UP CM Yogi Adityanath had assured her of a fair and impartial investigation.
The list has been sent to Governor Ram Naik for approval.
'With the deaths of Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi, the BJP and Congress thought that they had a chance.' 'They have conceded that power is with the Dravidian parties.'
He said the Fourth Industrial Revolution will have more importance than the capital.
The party finds Uttar Pradesh members of Parliament unaware of govt schemes.
According to the sources, the agency filed the charge sheet before District Judge Amar Nath.
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