NEW DELHI, July 26:
On the 15th anniversary of the Kargil War, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley today said the Government will soon finalise the site for construction of a “grand” National War Memorial.
After paying homage to martyrs of the 1999 war with Pakistan, the Minister said he would soon be visiting the Princess Park locality near the India Gate complex here with the chiefs of three Services to take an appropriate decision on the issue.
“For the war memorial, where names of all those who sacrificed their lives for the country will be written, we feel it is required.
“We feel that at the very site (Princess Park), as it is a very large area or somewhere close in the vicinity, which is the best site available, it is being shortlisted. We will, in a day or two may be visit that site with the chiefs and take an appropriate decision,” Jaitley said.
He said the construction of the memorial “will take some time because we want it to be a grand war memorial and war museum”.
The Defence Minister said the war museum would be built at the site of Princess Park.
“It is a large piece of land and I think it is appropriate for the war museum, which is required by India. As soon as details are finalised, they will have to get sanctions from all the departments. I think, in principle, that is the arrangement. It will take some time before it is completed,” he said.
Jaitley said the Government has earmarked Rs 100 crore
for the construction for the war memorial and the war museum “Whatever funds would be required, we will be making it available”.
Asked about the kind of talks India will have with Pakistan at the Foreign Secretary-level when ceasefire violations were taking place frequently, the Minister said, “The issue taken up by you in itself is an issue”.
“Whenever talks are held, India takes up issues which are related to its sovereignty,” he said.
On the shortage of funds for armed forces modernisation, the Minister said, “It is not so. The Army is fully equipped and ready.”
He said whenever the armed forces require anything, the Government “on priority basis, even if we have to cut expenditure from other avenues, meets the requirements of the forces. This year also, we have increased the defence expenditure.” (PTI)

MUMBAI, July 26:
Actor Abhishek Bachchan feels superstar Shah Rukh Khan should make a movie on legendary hockey player Dhyan Chand and also essay his role on-screen as he looks like him.
The late Indian hockey player is remembered for his extraordinary goal-scoring feats, in addition to earning three Olympic gold medals during an era where India was the most dominant team in the game.
Known as “The Wizard” for his superb ball control, Chand played his final international match in 1948.
“A sportsman whose life will be fantastic on screen is Major Dhyan Chand. It will be an unbelievable story. These are the stories that need to be told. I told Shah Rukh Khan (during the shoot of ‘Happy New Year’) to make a film on it and play the protagonist, because he looks a lot like him.
“If you see his photo…Just need to change Shah Rukh’s hair a bit. Shah Rukh was a hockey player. I think he will be fantastic, said Abhishek on the sidelines of an event here.
Two-three years back, apparently, multiple biopics on Chand were in the pipeline and Shah Rukh was one of the choices to play the sporting hero on big screen.
Earlier, SRK had reportedly confirmed that he was approached for a movie based on the legendary sportsman.
Hockey, as a sport, isn’t new to SRK. He has been an athlete throughout his school and college life and has played the game. Not many may know that SRK, during his school days captained the football and hockey teams besides playing cricket at the zonal and national levels.
Abhishek, who owns a Kabaddi team Jaipur Pink Panthers, plans to make a film based on it in future.
“I would love to do it in the future but not right now. The history of Kabaddi is fantastic. It has his origin in Mahabharat..It is over 3,000 years old. So you can get a lot of exciting content but let it build, then we will think of making it. If you do it (make the film) right now and if it doesn’t work then it becomes disappointing. So let Kabaddi get that recognition and then I would love to do it (make a film on it),” Abhishek said.
Abhishek is happy that filmmakers are showing Kabaddi in films. “A dear friend of mine, Arjun Kapoor is doing a film called ‘Tevar’ which is a remake of a Telugu film and it has got lot of Kabaddi in it. “Kabaddi has been around in films like in one of my dad’s movie ‘Ganga Ki Saugandh’, Chintu uncle (Rishi Kapoor) in Naseeb’.. Even I had a scene in ‘Yuva’. So it is there in films,” he said. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, July 26:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today paid tributes to Kargil martyrs on the occasion of ‘Vijay Diwas’, a day commemorated as India’s victory over Pakistan in the 1999 conflict.
“We remember the indomitable courage & sacrifice of our Armed Forces on Kargil Vijay Diwas. The nation salutes these brave martyrs,” Modi said on Twitter.
Every year July 26 is observed as ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ and today is the 15th anniversary of India’s victory in the conflict. (PTI)

WASHINGTON, July 26:
Now that US President Barack Obama has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the White House, the visa issue associated with him is a thing of past, a top American official has said.
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Nisha Desai Biswal told lawmakers at a Congressional hearing on Thursday that the Obama Administration is looking forward to welcoming Modi in Washington in September.
“When the President invited Prime Minister Modi and welcomed him to come to the United States, that he did so knowing that a visa would be granted for him to be able to do that, and we look forward to that,” she said.
“I think that we have always made clear for any individual that visa issues are determined on a case-by-case basis. That is not unique to the situation with the prime minister, but we look forward to welcoming (Modi),” she said.
When Congressman George Holding pointed out that Modi was only individual ever to be denied a visa under a particular clause, Biswal said while it occurred in 2005, since then there has been no application and there has been no review or determination.
“So there has been no hypothetical basis on which to make a determination, but we have definitively said that we welcome the visit of the prime minister and therefore we don’t believe that there is any further issue to be addressed with respect to that,” Biswal said.
“The administration is very much looking ahead, looking forward and looking to the future in terms of building a very strong partnership with the Prime Minister and with his team and strengthening the relationship between the US and India. We think that we are on the path to do that,” she said. (PTI)

SAHARANPUR/LUCKNOW, July 26:
Two persons were killed today and at least 19 others, including policemen, injured as violent clashes broke out between two communities over a land dispute in this western Uttar Pradesh district with mobs indulging in brick batting and arson, prompting authorities to clamp curfew.
“Harish Kochar, a traders’ leader, and an unidentified person have been killed in the clashes,” Commissioner, Saharanpur, Tanveer Zafar Ali said.
Five policemen, city magistrate, and 13 others were injured. A constable Shensar Pal was stated to be in a serious condition in Chandigarh PGI after suffering a bullet injury.
Police used force and fired rubber bullets to control the situation as mobs went on rampage setting several shops afire.
Ali said prohibitory orders under section 144 of CrPC have been invoked in the district and curfew has been clamped in six areas.
According to reports, senior administrative and police officials were rushed to the spot to pacify the rival groups.
DIG STF Deepak Ratan and Bhuvnesh Kumar, who was commissioner of Saharanpur earlier, have been rushed from Lucknow by helicopter to control the situation, sources said.
Besides, 18 companies of additional force including eight PAC, six CRPF ,two RAF and two ITBP have been deployed in the troubled areas, sources said.
“As per the information received so far there was a dispute over land between two communities which escalated this morning,” Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Mukul Goel told PTI.
Trouble began when members of one community started construction work at the site in Kutubsher area in the wee hours this morning, which was objected to by the other group.
Both the sides indulged in heavy brick batting, arson and opened fire and there were reports of several shops being gutted in the clash, police said.
Even as curfew has been clamped, sporadic incidents of clashes were reported.
The ADG said senior officers were camping in the area.
Saharanpur is nearly 170 km from national capital Delhi and 560 km from State capital Lucknow. (PTI)