West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee is on a major collision course with Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the demonetisation issue. This, she hopes, is taking her and her party, the Trinamool Congress, to the forefront among the non-BJP, opposition parties nationally.

Holding rallies and meetings in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, and having leaders such as Arvind Kejriwal, Omar Abdullah and Akhilesh Yadav among others, by her side on this issue, she sees herself and her party poised to be more relevant and important in the national political scenario in the coming days.

Unfortunately for Banerjee, and fortunately for the BJP, there is a twist in the tale.

Her stance is actually turning out to be a gain for the BJP in West Bengal. And BJP state president, Dilip Ghosh's comments on dragging Banerjee by the hair has only added to the BJP's advantage. Don't be shocked. There are plenty of Mamata haters in Bengal.

Comments such as these enhance the sharp divide that already exists between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal. And it is making the anti-Mamata voice more and more pronounced in the state.

And then there are also those who did not seem to mind what Ghosh had said about some women students of Jadavpur University in May 2016. He had called these women students "below standard", "shameless" and "constantly seeking company of male students", while reacting to allegations of molestations by students at the university during a scuffle between ABVP and Left leaning students.

Ghosh apologised about his dragging by the hair comment on Thursday, but he did not deny that he had said it. Comments such as these enhance the sharp divide that already exists between the Trinamool Congress and the BJP in West Bengal. And it is making the anti-Mamata voice more and more pronounced in the state.

The BJP was never a major presence in this traditional Left bastion. But the party's voting percentage in Bengal has begun to pick up: from 5.19% in the 2001 Assembly elections to 10.16% in 2016 (the voting percentage in its favour was 17.02% in 2014 Lok Sabha polls, but remember it was due to the nation-wide Narendra Modi wave).

The Mamata haters have mostly been those that voted for the Left Front parties and the Congress. But then, the votes for the Left parties have only reduced sharply in the past few years: CPM, the largest constituent of the Left Front, got 30.08% votes in 2011 Assembly elections when Mamata ousted the Left parties from power in the state, and it reduced to 19.75% in just five years.

A large share of these votes (that used to be cast in favour of the CPM) seemed to have gone to Banerjee (Trinamool votes increased from 38.93% in 2011 to 44.91% in 2016). But the BJP's share was by no means poor: it increased from 4.06% in 2011 to 10.16% in just five years, more than the Trinamool Congress' increase in terms of percentage.

The Congress in Bengal, having allied with the Trinamool Congress and the Left in different elections, has been unable to project itself as a formidable force independently able to take on either the Left or the Trinamool Congress in the state. This makes Banerjee's Trinamool Congress and the BJP the two parties "most visible" in the political battlefield of West Bengal at the moment.

Therefore, the BJP in Bengal has not only been getting more and more votes in recent times, but there also seems to be a distinct voice that has what it takes to confront and oppose Banerjee even when elections are not around.

No wonder Ghosh has made such a statement against the Bengal chief minister. If Banerjee has taken on Modi, Ghosh too has taken this glorious opportunity that will only help his party gain in Bengal.

How many people outside West Bengal knew the name of the Bengal BJP state president before his notorious comment on Banerjee? His statement has made people talk about him, it made the national media discuss him.

And for a party whose leaders are often criticised by other parties for derogatory remarks against women), that is not necessarily a bad thing. Because such comments do find support among a section of people and more often than not, such comments are made to make these people happy.

Is she is actually preparing the grounds for her own arguments when the CBI investigation on her party functionaries begin all over again?

Banerjee has always projected herself as the politician of the masses. In fact, it was her government's pro-poor schemes that is said to have led to her thumping win in the 2016 Assembly elections. And she is cashing in on the demonetisation issue that is causing large-scale suffering to the poor, who are fast losing their jobs in factories, farmers and traders unable to sell their produce.

Contrast this with the anti-Mamata voice in Bengal that is ready to attack her on grounds of her party leaders' alleged corruption charges – from the Saradha scam to the Narada sting operations.

Is she is actually preparing the grounds for her own arguments when the CBI investigation on her party functionaries begin all over again? A direct confrontation with BJP now will mean she can find a sound argument to suggest that it is actually a counter attack on her party because she had opposed Narendra Modi on demonetisation.

BJP has many such issues to attack Banerjee on, and being in power and her leaders facing alleged corruption charges cannot put her in an advantageous situation.

Therefore, whatever the outcome of such confrontations between Banerjee and the BJP, one thing is for sure: each time an anti-Banerjee, a serious opposition voice in West Bengal will get a bit more pronounced.

NEW DELHI -- In first major reshuffle in the party since he took over as BJP President for second time, Amit Shah on Thursday night appointed first time Lok Sabha MP Poonam Mahajan as the party's youth-wing President, replacing Anurag Thakur who was at the helm for over six years.

Shah also named new chiefs for four other party wings -- SC, ST, OBC and Kisaan morchas.

Mahajan (36), the new Bharatiya Janta Yuva Morcha President is daughter of late party leader Pramod Mahajan and currently a Lok Sabha member from Mumbai North-Central.

Vinod Sonkar, a Lok Sabha member from Kaushambi, Ramvichar Netam, a Rajya Sabha member from Chattisgarh, Virendra Singh Mast and former MP Dara Singh Chauhan were named as new presidents of party's SC, ST, Kisan and OBC wings respectively.

Sonkar replaces Dushyant Kumar Gautam while Netam, Chauhan and Mast come in place of Faggan Singh Kulaste, S P Singh Baghel and Vijaypal Singh Tomar respectively.

Mast (60) is a third term MP who represents Bhadohi, Uttar Pradesh in Lok Sabha.

Chauhan has joined BJP last year after quitting BSP.

Also on HuffPost India:

CHENNAI -- Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M. Karunanidhi has been admitted to Kauvery hospital in Chennai on Thursday night on complaints of difficulty in breathing.

The hospital issued a statement saying that Karunanidhi was readmitted with breathing difficulty due to throat and lung infection, adding that he is stable and being treated.

Karunanidhi's daughter and Rajya Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu Kanimozhi told ANI that Karunanidhi had some lung infection and breathing difficulty, adding that he is much better now.

This is for the second time that the 93-year old DMK chief has been admitted in a gap of one week.

He was first admitted to the same hospital on 1 December for optimisation of nutrition and hydration and was discharged after he improved substantially.

Also on HuffPost India:

NEW DELHI -- Exactly four years after the horrid 16 December gang rape case, a woman was allegedly raped in a moving car in South Delhi's Moti Bagh area on Thursday night.

The 20-year-old woman was from Noida and came to Delhi in search of a job.

The accused driver who was driving a rental car bearing a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) sticker has been arrested by the police.

After searching for a job the whole day, the girl was waiting for the bus at around 9 p.m. last night near All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS).

A Maruti car stopped by and the driver offered her to drop to Noida.

It is alleged that around 11 p.m. to 12 a.m. near Moti Bagh area, the driver molested the 20-year-old and raped her.

The girl managed to run away somehow and reached the police, who were patrolling near the South campus area.

The PCR van took the victim to the police station and a medical check up was conducted.

The accused driver had fled from the spot after leaving the car.

The police has registered a case under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 357 and 376 and arrested the accused from his friend's house.

Also on HuffPost India:

Do you even remember Freedom 251? The smartphone that was going to be sold for just ₹251, enabling all Indians to buy one and get connected to the digital world? While that dream has yet to turn into reality, Freedom 251 is once again getting some free publicity.

The phantom device, much talked about but never spotted, has topped the list of Google's most searched for smartphones in India. After releasing the list of the most searched terms by Indians, Google has now released a list of smartphones most searched for by Indians on its online search engine.

Freedom 251, "the world's cheapest smartphone" was to be manufactured by a company called Ringing Bells, which hogged the headlines every few weeks with new announcements and details about its astoundingly cheap device.

Apple's iPhone 7 is second in the charts, followed by Xiaomi's Redmi Note 3. Google's own Pixel is in the 9th position.

Freedom 251 was launched in February and straight into controversy when the paint on the phones handed over to the media started to come off. It was soon revealed that the device was not actually produced by Ringing Bells but sourced from Adcom. The website for the phone was a security nightmare and easily hackable.

After many delays, Ringing Bells finally began the shipping the phones in July but it is yet to be confirmed if even a single customer has actually received the smartphone.

Here is the list of the ten most searched for smartphones in India on Google Search in 2016.

Apple's new iPhone had its own share of 'Haws' and 'Wows'. The iPhone 7 did not feature any big design changes, to the disappointment of many. However, the removal of 3.5 mm audio jack, a move that Apple said showed "courage" on its part was much debated. Overall, thanks to the dual camera in iPhone 7 Plus and the other upgrades, Apple managed to grab the headlines.

India's smartphone king, Samsung, was able to grab just one spot in top-10 list with its Galaxy J7. Lenovo, on the other hand, secured three spots with the Moto G5, the Lenovo K5 Note, and the Lenovo K4 Note. The Chinese smartphone maker and rapidly rising star, Xiaomi, is third on the list with Xiaomi Redmi Note 3.

OnePlus 3, the smartphone made by OnePlus, was well received by consumers and reviewers alike, which explains its 7th place in the chart. With new phones and features such as bezel-less display on the anvil, 2017 promises to another eventful and exciting year for smartphones.

NEW DELHI -- A 13-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her two friends, including a juvenile, who spiked her drink with sedative at a birthday party in west Delhi's Uttam Nagar area.

The victim told police she was invited by her friend at his home for his birthday party on 13 December where she was offered cold drink laced with sedatives.

"She lost consciousness after she consumed it and she alleged that she was gangraped. They dumped her near a hospital in west Delhi," a senior police officer said.

The incident came to light around 3 PM when a passerby found her on the roadside in distress.

She managed to reach her home and informed her parents who approached police.

A case was registered under Section 376-D (gangrape) and relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act at the Uttam Nagar police station, said the officer.

One of the accused, a 17-year-old boy, was apprehended; while the other, 18-year-old Sahil, was arrested late evening on 13 December, he added.

Also on HuffPost India:

President Barack Obama on Thursday called for retaliation against Russia for the hacking of Democratic National Committee emails that federal authorities believe was meant to sway the presidential election in President-elect Donald Trump's favor.

"I think there is no doubt that when any foreign government tries to impact the integrity of our elections ... we need to take action," Obama said in an interview with NPR, to be broadcast Friday. "And we will, at a time and place of our own choosing. Some of it may be explicit and publicized; some of it may not be."

Obama last met with Russian President Vladimir Putin at the G-20 summit in September to discuss the cyberattacks.

"He is well aware of my feelings, because I spoke to him directly about it," he said.

U.S. intelligence officials believe that Putin may have directly ordered the hack, according to NBC. On Thursday, NBC reported that government sources said that the Obama administration decided against responding to Russia before the election for fear of a cyber-war. The White House also did not want to appear to be intervening in the election and believed Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton would win.

Obama did not specify Thursday what actions he might take, citing an ongoing investigation. Earlier this month, he ordered a full intelligence probe of the matter, to be completed before he leaves office on Jan. 20. A bipartisan group of senators has also called for further scrutiny.

The president would not confirm a recent CIA assessment that Russia directly intervened to help Trump, but he said that the hack had a definite effect on the election results.

"There's no doubt that it contributed to an atmosphere in which the only focus for weeks at a time, months at a time were Hillary's emails, the Clinton Foundation, political gossip surrounding the DNC," he said.

Obama asserted that the Trump campaign amplified the cyberattacks to its advantage.

"They understood what everybody else understood, which was that this was not good for Hillary Clinton's campaign," he said.

In an interview with "The Daily Show" on Monday, Obama suggested that there were "very clear relationships between members of the president-elect's campaign team and Russians, and a professed shared view on a bunch of issues."

Trump has denied the allegations, calling them "ridiculous" and "just another excuse." This week, he falsely claimed that the hacks never came up until after the election, even though he himself brought them up on multiple occasions.

"Russia, if you're listening, I hope you're able to find the 30,000 emails that are missing," he said at a news conference in July, referring to Clinton's emails from her private server.

The devastation and destruction of Aleppo has been laid bare in heartbreaking before and after photographs.

The city, formerly Syria's largest and a booming commercial centre, lies ruined. Its ancient souks and the famed Umayyad Mosque complex have been trashed, its 11th century minaret toppled.

With no hint of the destruction that would befall the country in 2011, images of Aleppo before the conflict show the city as a vibrant, thriving centre of commerce.

More recent pictures portray the haunting reality of the cost civil war has reaped upon the city's people - and its history.

Umayyad Mosque, Aleppo

The Umayyad Mosque in Aleppo is an iconic, medieval structure at the heart of the historic old city.

Famed for its 900-year-old minaret, the Great Mosque had survived earthquakes, fires, the whims of dictators and bouts of rebuilding.

"Once inside you'll find the building's architecture curiously artless," tourist publication Rough Guide recalls.

The minaret was the mosque's defining feature. "Each side is adorned with attractive wooden carvings, kufic script and inlaid stonework," the guide wrote.

It is the younger sibling of the Umayyad Grand Mosque in Damascus, which is believed to be the number three mosque in the world.

Yet unlike in Damascus, the Aleppo building has suffered heavy damage from bombings, which some experts fear will be irreversible.

Barrel bombing has rendered the mosque's internal courtyard unsafe.

While its famous minaret has been toppled completely after bombing in April 2013.

Souks, Aleppo

Some of the most historic areas of Aleppo's souks have been selling merchandise since 1450.

"There is little pressure to buy from the traders, most of whom talk genially on mobile phones while drinking endless tiny cups of strong, sweet tea," a Rough Guide writer recalls.

Now the souks lie dark, damp and empty as traders have long since moved on.

Citadel, Aleppo

Aleppo's historic old city was preserved by virtue of its 30-year status as a World Heritage Site.

It was "one of the best cities in the Middle East to just let your curiosity guide you," according to a Lonely Planet travel guide for Syria.

Its hill-top Citadel is a medieval fortress which dominates the skyline, described as the city's "most distinctive feature".

Yet just a year after Syria's civil war began, the Citadel was recorded in terrible repair offering, as the Guardian notes, an "ongoing narrative of the impact of the war".

Video apparently recorded after the beginning of hostilities shows the Citadel in a dire state.

And bombs were reported to have struck the site directly last year, causing its exterior walls to collapse completely.

Despite one travel guide recalling "a regular stream of tour buses disgorging their loads outside the main entrance", it is now difficult to imagine the Citadel as a busy tourist attraction.

Residential streets, Aleppo

Drone footage shot in November, above, shows the scale of destruction away from Aleppo's former tourist zones and Old City.

Rubble and debris lies across previous busy streets, and buildings appear almost completely destroyed.

Over 100,000 civilians remain in Aleppo according to recent estimates.

With reporting from Chris York.

The plight of thousands of Syrians living in eastern Aleppo captured world attention in recent days as pro-government forces took control of their area from rebel groups. Some tried to flee after a ceasefire deal was broken this week. Others are simply awaiting their fate.

The Huffington Post spoke with medical workers and activists refusing to leave Aleppo, despite the relentless shelling. They're staying in order to take care of friends, family and thousands of trapped civilians ― often at great risk to themselves. Here are some of their stories.

Ahmed Abo Khaled, director of the Hayat Medical Center in Aleppo

Ahmed, who declined to give his full name for security reasons and goes by Abo Khaled, directs one the last hospitals in eastern Aleppo. Government forces forced Abo Khaled to hand over the medical center when they took over the area.

"Doctors and medical staff were forced to leave before the army came in. Patients had to be evacuated to another location," said Abo Khaled.

Abo Khaled said he doesn't know what will happen to the hospital with the government in charge. But he said there's no doubt that "every day that passes, it gets worst than the last."

Abu Lua'i, nurse in eastern Aleppo

Abu Lua'i, who also goes by an Arabic surname for security reasons, described the horrors he's seen over the last few days. Dozens of patients continue to arrive at the Syrian American Medical Society's medical center, even though its supplies are dwindling and it doesn't have enough staff. He feels overwhelmed.

"The ambulances just keep bringing in more and more wounded," said Abu Lua'i, who was speaking from a hospital. "We can't find enough aid workers to help."

On Wednesday, a day after Abu Laui'i was interviewed, he was injured in an airstrike. His left lung was pierced by two small bits of shrapnel as he traveled to the hospital in East Aleppo with a pharmacist. The pharmacist and his driver also were injured and face surgery.

Medical facilities in eastern Aleppo are frequently hit by bombs.

"We saw this catastrophe coming and yet failed to prevent it ― we stood by as Syrian government forces besieged Aleppo and its hundreds of thousands of civilians, as Syrian government forces blocked food and medical supplies for those civilians, and as Syrian government forces systematically bombed the city's hospitals out of service." said Elise Baker, a research coordinator for Physicians for Human Rights.

"The rooms are filled" with wounded civilians, said Abu Luai'i. "The floors are filled. The situation is just one to cry for,"

Dr. Basel Termanini, Syrian American Medical Society

Dr. Basel Termanini grew up in Syria, but now usually lives in Pittsburgh in the U.S. Termanini is Vice President for the Syrian American Medical Society and is on the board for the Turkey and Northern Syria regional medical relief committee. SAMS is one of the most active medical organizations working inside Syria, offering medical care, sponsoring field hospitals and ambulances, training Syrian medical personnel, and directing humanitarian aid and medical equipment.

Just two days ago, SAMS had approximately 16 doctors in eastern Aleppo. Now, there are 12 and at least 150 health care workers trapped. Aleppo's last OB-GYN, Dr. Farida, who only goes by her last name for security reasons, evacuated with her husband for safety. SAMS's largest trauma hospital in Aleppo was targeted at least 18 times, forcing it to close.

"Doctors are operating on very limited supplies and equipment," said Termanini. "We're running out of oxygen tanks. Doctors are doing major surgeries without them, which is simply unheard of."

The wounded are "piling up in the emergency room, and very little operating rooms and intensive care units to treat them," said Termanini, "Our message to the world is fulfill its obligation to protect civilians, because the world has not stood up for that."

Ammar el-Salmo, manager of the Syria Civil Defense for Aleppo

The Syria Civil Defense, also known as the White Helmets, is a volunteer organization that serves as first responders in rebel-controlled Syria. "When the bombs rain down, the White Helmets rush in," is the group's motto, according to its website.

In recent days, Ammar el-Salmo said, the focus has changed: "Our rescue mission has become a mission of burying the dead."

"There are no safe places in Aleppo," said el-Salmo, who coordinates White Helmets rescue teams in the city. "We can hear people under the rubble, still alive."

El-Samlo said there are about 135 civil defense workers still in Aleppo, and most are not planning to leave. The group estimated it has saved more than 60,000 people during the six-year conflict. The work has intensified over the last week.

El-Salmo's biggest fear is what will happen now that government forces have taken over east Aleppo. "We fear mass field dentitions, mass executions," he said. "We fear being starved and being shelled."

Bassem Ayoubi, a Syrian activist

Bassem Ayouni helped run an underground school for children with the grassroots organization Am ou Salam. The center offered a sanctuary for children, where they could play, color and learn ― while safe from the war above.

However, the center is no longer in operation. "All schools are out of services in Aleppo," said Ayoubi. "The children are scared because of the intense shelling."

Among the roughly 250,000 people trapped in the insurgent redoubt of the divided northern Syrian city are 100,000 children, the most vulnerable victims of intensified bombings by Syrian forces and their Russian allies. Ayoubi said he doesn't know when the school will reopen.

After years under rebel control, the Syrian city of Aleppo has now effectively fallen to pro-government troops and army forces. Thousands of residents are now being bussed out of the city and face an uncertain future.

The loss of Aleppo leaves Syria's opposition at one of its weakest points since the nation's peaceful protests turned into an armed uprising in 2011. Rebel groups now lack control of any major urban center and have dim prospects for retaking significant territory anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Bashar Assad's regime has had an enormous reversal of fortunes from its imperiled position just over a year ago. Supported by Russian airstrikes and foreign-backed militias, Assad carried out a sustained and devastating assault on Aleppo that has now culminated in the effective retaking of the city.

But Aleppo falling to government control is by no means an end to the war. Assad still has only a tenuous control over much of the country ― as shown this week when Islamic State militants retook the ancient city of Palmyra from government forces. There are also numerous rebel strongholds throughout the nation, which include groups that continue to receive foreign support.

Instead of an end to Syria's war, the conflict and the groups involved in it will likely now shift to adapt to the current situation. One change may be that more extreme elements of the opposition make gains among the rebels, as fighting shifts to areas such as Syria's Idlib province, where such groups are more prominent.

"The fall of Aleppo is likely to strengthen hardline Islamists, who are less likely to throw in the towel and give up, and who are also better suited to waging an underground campaign," Aron Lund, a fellow with the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace's Middle East Program, told The WorldPost.

Extremist groups like Jabhat Fateh al-Sham ― a recently rebranded version of the al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front ― are also less reliant on foreign support than the more moderate factions supported by western powers like the United States.

Rebels have already signaled that they want a greater response from foreign powers. A senior opposition figure made a plea for increased support from Gulf states on Wednesday, saying the present situation requires a ramping up of military aid.

It's currently unclear what the response from western and regional powers will be to the loss of Aleppo. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry condemned the assault on the city as a "massacre" on Wednesday, but made no mention of any decisive action the United States would take in response.

As the war shifts away from Aleppo, Lund says it is also possible that some hardline groups may increasingly resort to guerrilla tactics such as car bombings and targeted killings. But despite the ability of these tactics to prolong the war, they have limited power to actually turn the tables in favor of the opposition.

"As a political project, such an underground war would not seem very inspiring to those opposition members who hope for something more than martyrdom and mayhem," Lund says.

"A guerrilla campaign that has no other goal than prolonging the war eternally won't keep pragmatists on board for long. It will end up being a jihadi project and it will lose most of its international support."

Once Aleppo is secured, there are a number of other areas of the country that pro-government forces may target militarily. Areas such as Idlib province, ISIS-controlled eastern Syria and rebel-held territory near Damascus may each face a similar offensive to the one that killed thousands of people and left much of Aleppo in ruins.

The classic song 'Humma Humma' from Mani Ratnam's 1995 hit film Bombay was one of the biggest chartbusters of the 1990s.

On Thursday, Dharma Productions released on YouTube the remix version of the song, called the "The Humma Song" and touted as "The Foot Tapping Song of 2016". The song will feature in the upcoming movie Ok Jaanu, starring Shraddha Kapoor and Aditya Roy Kapur.

Also Read: Badshah Reworked Rahman's 'Hamma Hamma' For 'Ok Jaanu' And It's An Unforgivable Disaster

Thanks to the original's classic appeal, the video is trending in India and has over 5 million views. However, the Internet isn't much amused.

Here's are some thoughts on the new song, tweeted out by some folks who don't seem terribly impressed by it:

1.

This #TheHummaSong sounds like it was composed on a Nokia 5110.
A phone made in 1998.
Where the original Humma song should have stayed!

— Sorabh Pant (@hankypanty) December 15, 2016

2.

I liked Badshah more when it was just a masala.

— 🤓 (@krazyfrog) December 15, 2016

3.

Pic 1 : original humma humma song

Pic 2 : Badshah's version pic.twitter.com/9RZ1gy1HVO

— Pakchikpak Raja Babu (@HaramiParindey) December 15, 2016

4.

Me: I miss old Humma Humma.

Twitter: Soldiers on border miss their family. Ever thought about them

— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) December 15, 2016

5.

Humma Humma by AR Rehman is a dish which u saw on Cookery Show
Humma Humma By Badshah is what u made at home from that recipe

— Piyush (@friendlii_ghost) December 15, 2016

6.

Pic 1: Humma Humma - A R Rahman
Pic 2: Humma Humma - Badshah
. pic.twitter.com/5xs3V24hDz

— PhD in Bak*****!! (@Atheist_Krishna) December 15, 2016

7.

Humma Humma by A R Rehman - IIT
Humma Humma by Badshah - IIN

— Ra_Bies (@Ra_Bies) December 15, 2016

8.

The new Humma Humma song makes demonetization look well-executed.

— Arnab Ray (@greatbong) December 15, 2016

9.

They made Rahman and Badshah work together to remix Humma Humma, and you thought worst of 2016 has already happened lol

— Micro-ambitious (@pal36) December 15, 2016

10.

India: 2016 was rough. This year can't get any worse!
Badshah: Hold my Beer! *raps on a Rehman song* #TheHummaSong

— Kataakshवाणी™ (@SadButRushil) December 15, 2016

11.

Badshah was introduced to make people appreciate Yo Yo Honey Singh.

— NumbYaar (@NumbYaar) December 15, 2016

12.

Badshah puts the NO in Nostalgia. #thehummasong

— Sahil Shah (@SahilBulla) December 15, 2016

13.

Can't wait for Mika's rendition of Roja Jaaneman.

— adrak (@ubercoolosis) December 15, 2016

14.

Bae: Come over
Me: No
Bae: My parents aren't home &we can totally ruin one of Bollywood's few good songs
Me: COMING https://t.co/4Z7PujQGf4

— Shilpa Rathnam (@shilparathnam) December 15, 2016

Also on HuffPost India:

NEW DELHI -- The Income Tax (IT) department on Friday found 12 fake accounts in Krishna Nagar Branch of Axis Bank in New Delhi.

Sources said, the IT was able to trace these fake companies as black money evaders had used multiple branches of Axis Bank for transactions.

Income Tax department finds 12 fake accounts in Krishna Nagar branch of Axis Bank: IT sources #Delhi

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 16, 2016

This is part of the search operation conducted by the Noida unit of Income Tax.

The Income Tax department is trying to analyse the quantum of transactions through these fake companies.

The Enforcement Directorate is in touch with the IT team and have started their investigation.

The Income Tax department on Thursday raided Noida Axis Bank branch which revealed 20 fake accounts with deposits of ₹60 crores.

On 9 December, a raid on the Chandni Chowk branch of a bank revealed 15 fake accounts with over ₹450 crores in deposits.

The Enforcement Directorate has so far carried out raids on 50 branches of 10 banks across the nation in an attempt to keep a tab on those account holders, who deposited huge amounts at one time.

Also on HuffPost India:

Uber rolled out a fleet of driverless cars in San Francisco on Wednesday, and it took only hours for one of the cars to be caught running a red light.

The operations manager of Luxor, a taxi company competing with Uber, posted a video to YouTube showing a driverless Uber vehicle running right through a red light. The video was captured by dashcam in a Luxor vehicle.

Comments on social media suggested that another Uber car also ran a red light in San Francisco on its first day, the San Francisco Examiner reported.

At the same time, Uber is embroiled in an argument with the local department of motor vehicles over whether its driverless cars need a permit to operate.

The ride-hailing company is refusing to obey demands by the state's Department of Motor Vehicles that it immediately stop picking up San Francisco passengers in self-driving cars.

Hours after Uber launched a self-driving service Wednesday morning with a handful of Volvo luxury SUVs, the DMV sent the company a letter saying the move was illegal because the cars did not have a special permit the department requires for putting autonomous vehicles on public roads.

As of Wednesday night, the Volvos — distinctive in look with sensors protruding from their tops — were still roaming San Francisco's streets. The company did not respond to a request for comment about the state's legal threat.


An Uber driverless Ford Fusion drives down Smallman Street on September, 22, 2016 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Uber has driverless vehicles in Pittsburgh this year. (Photo: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images)

"If Uber does not confirm immediately that it will stop its launch and seek a testing permit, DMV will initiate legal action,'' DMV Chief Counsel Brian Soublet wrote the company. He referenced the possibility of taking Uber to court.

Uber knew about the DMV's permit requirement but argues that its cars do not meet the state's definition of an "autonomous vehicle'' because they need a person behind the wheel to monitor and intervene if needed.

Parsing the definition of an autonomous vehicle is in line with Uber's history of testing legal boundaries. During its meteoric rise into a multibillion dollar company, Uber has argued with authorities in California and around the world about issues including driver criminal background checks and whether those drivers should be treated as contractors ineligible for employee benefits.

California has issued permits to 20 companies for tests of autonomous vehicles on public roads, mostly traditional automakers and tech companies.

Operating without a permit arguably gives Uber a competitive advantage. Companies with one must report to the state all crashes and every instance in which a person takes control during testing. All that information is public.

Uber is sending another message to California: Other places want us if you don't.

In a blog post Tuesday, Levandowski warned that "complex rules and requirements could have the unintended consequence of slowing innovation'' and named several places outside California he characterized as being "pro technology.''

The launch in San Francisco, the city where Uber is headquartered, expanded a deployment of self-driving cars the company started in Pittsburgh in September. The testing lets everyday people experience the cars as Uber works to identify glitches before expanding the technology's use in San Francisco and elsewhere. The company wouldn't say the exact number of cars, calling it a "handful.''

The cars have an Uber employee behind the wheel to take over should the technology fail. Users of the app may be matched with a self-driving car but can opt out if they prefer a human driver. Self-driven rides cost the same as ordinary ones.

Uber's fleet of Volvo XC90s aren't the first self-driving cars on San Francisco streets — several other companies visit regularly with test prototypes, though none offers public rides.

Once testing is complete, the ultimate vision is to sell to the public technology that supporters argue will save thousands of lives because it doesn't drink, text, fall asleep or take dangerous risks.

— The Huffington Post Canada with files from The Associated Press via The Canadian Press

Ratan Tata is likely to step down soon as chairman of the Tata Trusts, which control a 66 percent stake in the $100 billion Tata conglomerate's holding company, according to a Times of India report citing the patriarch's long-time confidant.

R K Krishna Kumar, a trustee of the Tata Trusts, told the newspaper that the Trusts have asked an external consultant to advise them on the process of selecting a new chairman to replace Tata.

That could be completed by the middle of next year, though any incoming executive would work alongside Tata first.

The role of the Trusts has been at the center of the ongoing feud between Tata and the ousted chairman of the holding company Tata Sons, Cyrus Mistry.

Mistry has accused Tata of using the Trusts as a separate power base, retaining control of the overall group even after he retired as chairman of Tata Sons. Tata disputes the claim.

A spokesman for Tata Trusts confirmed that an interview with Krishna Kumar took place, but declined to comment. Asked by Reuters, he did not contest the contents of the published interview.

Tata Sons was not immediately reachable for comment.

"The next chairman has to be someone who has the right vision and be in complete alignment with the will of the Tata Group founders," said Krishna Kumar, according to the report.

In public letters to group company shareholders, Mistry has accused trustees of abusing their position by calling for information and seeking discussions on matters they considered material and dictating Tata Sons' decisions, using veto right of their nominee directors.

Tata Sons has rejected those claims, and has blamed Mistry for governance lapses.

Tata's likely departure from the Trusts sometime next year is unlikely to quell the raging public feud that has kept the company in the headlines for two months.

Tata Sons have called special shareholder meetings to oust Mistry as a director from the boards of over half a dozen Tata group companies where he remained even after being sacked as head of the holding company.

A large number of those special shareholder meetings are set to take place next week.

Shareholders of Indian Hotels Co (IHTL.NS), parent of the Taj line of luxury hotels, are set to vote on Mistry's ouster on Dec. 20, while those in Tata Steel (TISC.NS), Tata Motors (TAMO.NS), Tata Chemicals (TTCH.NS) and Tata Power Co (TTPW.NS), are set to meet and vote on the matter on Dec. 21, 22, 23 and 26, respectively.

Earlier this week, shareholders in Tata Sons-controlled Tata Consultancy Services (TCS.NS), the conglomerate's most valuable company, voted to remove Mistry.

(Writing by Euan Rocha; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman)

NEW DELHI -- Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday urged the nation to embrace digital payment methods to ensure that corruption and black money is rooted out of the country.

Briefing the media about Prime Minister Modi's assertion at the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parliamentary party meeting, Union Parliamentary Affairs Ministers Ananth Kumar said, "The Prime Minister appealed to the people of India that digital economy should be a way of life, it will be transparent and effective. The Prime Minister has said today is 'Bangla Vimochan Diwas'. The opposition had not demanded proof then but now it demands proof."

Quoting Prime Minister Modi, Kumar said earlier the government used to commit scams and the opposition used to oppose it, but the incumbent NDA regime has now started a mission to eradicate black money and the opposition is opposing it.

"We discussed the previous government's inability to create an SIT for black money. The Prime Minister said today, when we have started a movement to tackle black money, the opposition is creating hurdles. For the Congress, the party's interest is above the nation," he added.

The Winter Session of Parliament, which began on 16 November, is headed for a whitewash as the opposition and government continue to lock horns over the 8 November demonetisation move.

Both sides have been claiming that it's the other side which is not allowing a debate in the Parliament.

Meanwhile, a delegation of Congress leaders gave a memorandum to Prime Minister Modi to demand relief for debt-ridden farmers.

Also on HuffPost India.

CHENNAI -- Expelled Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) parliamentarian Sasikala Pushpa has said it would be wrong to nominate Sasikala Natrajan as the general secretary since she was expelled by late chief minister J. Jayalalithaa for conspiring against her.

"It would be too wrong to nominate Sasikala Natrajan as the general secretary of the party. Because no where madam (Jayalalithaa) has mentioned her name. She has not even given her a councilor or an MLA seat. It shows that political life is not fit for her. She was earlier expelled by Amma for conspiring against her and trying to kill her," Pushpa told ANI.

Want judicial inquiry into death of Madam Jayalalithaa,what actually happened to her? People want to know:Sasikala Pushpa,Expelled AIADMK MP pic.twitter.com/EbMU9famot

— ANI (@ANI_news) December 16, 2016

By citing a by-law of the AIADMK, Pushpa said, "There is a rule in Class-30 sub clause-5 that a person being a primary member for five consecutive years can contest the elections. However, if this is implied, then, Sasikala is not fit to be the general secretary."

Pushpa demanded a judicial inquiry into the death of Jayalalithaa "since the time she was admitted into the hospital, there was no transparency about the status of her health."

"What happened to Jayalalithaa is something everybody is questioning. Even the cadres feel the same," she added.

Sasikala said she has filed a case in the Madras High Court stating that the election of general secretary of the AIDMK be done in a democratic manner.

The AIADMK on Thursday said Sasikala Natarajan, the confidante of Jayalalithaa, will be the party's next general secretary.

"It is clear that Chinnamma (Sasikala) will be the next general secretary of the party," said AIADMK spokesperson C. Ponnaiyan.

Also on HuffPost India:

Deena Shoemaker was organizing her closet when she was struck by the realization that her pants come in a range of dramatically different sizes, and that her size 6 pants fit her exactly the same way a size 12 did.

This mattered to her as she's been working with preteen and teen girls for years, first as a camp counselor and church youth leader and now as a mentor coach at a nonprofit organization that supports at-risk kids.

When she noticed the varying sizes in her closet, she flashed back to the countless heartbreaking questions and statements she's heard from young women about their weight.

"I remembered all the times I've heard girls say they're 'fat' because they went up a pant size, or talked about all the diets they've been on," Shoemaker told The Huffington Post. "I've tried telling them it's not true but they never really seemed to believe me. All the pieces fell into place for me when I saw my own pants. The lies they were believing were coming from something so commonplace that they didn't even recognize it as the source of their hurt."

So the 27-year-old Kansas resident posted a photo collage on Facebook that shows just how misleading the number on the tag actually is.

"... When you resize a girl's pants from a 9 to a 16 and label it 'plus size,' how am I supposed to fight that?" she wrote. "Photo manipulation is one thing but how do you expect me to convince her that the number printed inside her clothes is a lie too? How do you expect me to convince her that she doesn't need to skip dinner for the next month because her pant size didn't 'actually' go up by seven digits?"

She had hoped that some of the girls she has worked with in the past would see the post. Instead, it went viral, with over 52,000 shares. While she never expected to reach so many people, she's glad her message to the fashion industry and young girls is getting out there.

"STOP telling my girls that a size 4 is the 'ideal body size' and the 'epitome of beauty' if you're going to change a size 4 into an 8 or a 12 or whatever number you feel like on any given day," she wrote.

Many of the kids in Shoemaker's mentoring program have been abandoned by one or both parents, and as a result they may struggle with everything from cutting to suicidal tendencies to anorexia and bulimia.

"They're dealing with some pretty intense stuff as it is," Shoemaker told HuffPost. "When you've got the fashion industry telling them they're not good enough because they're the wrong size, that's just added stress on top of everything they're already dealing with. They deserve something better than that. They deserve to know their true value."

Although getting every clothing retailer on board with a standard sizing scale doesn't seem likely, Shoemaker ultimately feels that the most important thing society can do to promote positive body image is to focus on health over size, and to remember that lower sizes don't always equate to healthier people.

The powerful message at the end of her post says it all:

"And to you; my dear beautiful girls, my size 2 girls or my size 18 girls, your size doesn't determine your beauty; your life does. The size printed inside your clothes is subjective to the fashion industry's personal taste and it fluctuates rapidly. Stop believing the social normatives about who and what you should be. You are lovely and you are loved. exactly the way you are."

Talk about #goals.

The little boy from rural Afghanistan who became an internet sensation after he was photographed in a Lionel Messi soccer jersey made from a plastic bag has finally met his hero.

On Tuesday, Qatar's 2022 World Cup organizing committee tweeted photos and video of 6-year-old Murtaza Ahmadi meeting the Argentine superstar before a game in Doha.

After the initial meeting, Murtaza followed Messi onto the field, where the forward for FC Barcelona was getting set to play a friendly game against Al-Ahli Dubai.

The tiny fan had a really hard time leaving his hero's side:

Murtaza became an online hit in early 2016 not long after his father declined to buy him his own blue-and-white striped jersey, just like the one that Messi wears on Argentina's national team.

"I told him that we were living in a poor village far from the city and it was impossible for me to get him the shirt," Arif Ahmadi said to CNN.

But his teenage brother Hamayon stepped up. He helped Murtaza create a homemade version using a blue-striped plastic bag. On it, they wrote "Messi" and his number, 10.

Hamayon posted pictures of Murtaza wearing the jersey on Facebook, and the pictures soon went viral.

In February, Murtaza received a signed jersey from Messi with a little help from UNICEF.

After receiving the jersey, Murtaza told the BBC, "I love Messi and my shirt says Messi loves me."

To check out more adorable highlights from Murtaza's big day, watch the video below:

NEW DELHI -- Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Friday that he will soon name the next Indian Army and Indian Air Force chiefs.

He was speaking after paying tributes at the Amar Jawan Jyoti here on Vijay Diwas or Victory Day that is observed on 16 December to mark the military triumph over Pakistan in 1971 which led to the creation of Bangladesh.

The Defence Minister, however, did not give a timeline for naming the new chiefs.

Asked whether the line of succession might be broken in the appointment of the next army chief, Parrikar said cryptically: "Line of succession is decided by the people."

The Indian Army chief, General Dalbir Singh, and the Indian Air Force Chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, are both set to retire on 31 December.

A file with nominations for the new chiefs is with the Prime Minister's Office, and a formal announcement is expected after parliament's winter session concludes on Friday, sources said.

The sources also added that the Eastern Army Commander, Lt. Gen. Praveen Bakshi; the Southern Army Commander, Lt. Gen. P.M. Hariz and the army vice chief, Lt Gen Bipin Rawat are in the fray to succeed Gen. Dalbir Singh.

Air Marshal Birender Singh Dhanoa, a Kargil war veteran, and the IAF vice chief is in the fray for the top job.

Talking about the significance of 16 December, Parrikar said it was a day when India achieved a 'decisive victory'.

"I don't have to stress on the importance of this great day. This is the day when we achieved a decisive victory and created a new country," he said.

On the next canisterised test for Agni V missile, the minister said he would not like to comment much on it and said: "Testing goes on, I will not comment much. We have achieved 100 percent success in all the tests this year."

Also on HuffPost India.

NEW DELHI -- A day after facing embarrassment due to BJP veteran Lal Krishna Advani's outburst against the government's attitude in Parliament, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday attempted to divert the attention of his critics while accusing his predecessor and Congress leader late Indira Gandhi of snubbing the demonetisation recommendation suggested by the Niranjan Nath Wanchoo-led committee.

Sources quoted the Prime Minister as saying, " Indira Gandhi told Y.B. Chavan that don't you want to contest polls? This was Congress plank but they did not implement."

Meanwhile, Vice-President Mohammad Hamid Ansari urged all leaders in the Rajya Sabha to introspect on the distinction between dissent, disruption and agitation.

Prime Minister Modi earlier on Friday urged the nation to embrace digital payment methods to ensure that corruption and black money is rooted out of the country.

A delegation of Congress leaders gave a memorandum to Prime Minister Modi to demand relief for debt-ridden farmers.

The Winter Session of Parliament has been a washout with both sides not permitting the other to speak.

While the opposition accused the government of being insensitive to the common man, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dug up Agusta Westland matter to charge the Congress.

Also on HuffPost India.