No Modi-trump talks on China; Beijing says issue ‘controllable’

NEW DELHI: India on Friday doubled down on its rejection of US President Donald Trump’s offer to mediate on the border standoff with China, with people familiar with development contradicting the American leader’s remarks that he had discussed the “big conflict” with Prime Minister

TRUMP SAID AT A PRESS CONFERENCE IN WHITE HOUSE THAT MODI WAS ‘NOT IN A GOOD MOOD’ REGARDING THE ‘BIG CONFLICT’ WITH CHINA

Narendra Modi.

China too rejected Trump’s offer of mediation, and foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao

Lijian said the two countries don’t need the intervention of a third party as they have existing mechanisms to resolve problems. China’s foreign and defence ministries described the situation at the border as “stable and controllable”.

The people cited above said the last conversation between Modi and Trump had occurred long before the standoff with China became public.

MUMBAI: A special court here on Friday rejected the interim bail plea filed by activist Sudha Bharadwaj, an accused in the Elgar Parishad-alleged Maoist links case. The activist had sought temporary bail on medical grounds in view of the coronavirus outbreak. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) opposed Bharadwaj’s bail plea saying that she was not suffering from life-threatening ailment.

Bharadwaj and 10 other activists were booked under UAPA for having Maoist links and conspiring to overthrow the government. They were booked by the Pune Police . The case was transferred to the NIA.