LIVE! Cops stood by as we thrashed Kanhaiya: Lawyer who led attack at Patiala House court

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Mon, 22 February 2016

Cops stood by as we thrashed Kanhaiya: Lawyer who led attack at Patiala House court

Timeline Refresh

23:29 A letter to Modi from 'anti-national sickular presstitute' Barkha Dutt

Dear Mr. Prime Minister:

I write to you today because like so many of my fellow citizens, I am both angry and anguished. I am aware that a missive from someone like me -- "presstitute", "bazaaru", "sickular" and worst of all, "anti-national"-- will be most likely junked by your office as not worthy of your time.

In any case, ever since I reported on the 2002 riots in Gujarat, I am among the journalists you have clearly shunned and disliked -- that is, of course, entirely your prerogative.

But this week, I read that you told opposition parties that you are the PM of "all of India, not just of the BJP", and I thought I would hold you to that promise and ask for your attention as a citizen's entitlement.

Read it HERE

The videos, purportedly showing JNUSU president Kanhaiah Kumar making 'anti-national' slogans at a JNU event, which are in circulation are not genuine, CPI general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy claimed today.

Reddy alleged that those opposing the BJP are being branded as "anti-nationals" including Rohith Vemula, the dalit research scholar who allegedly committed suicide in HCU, Kanhaiah Kumar, the communists and the Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Kumar was slapped with sedition charge and arrested by Delhi Police after taking note of the purported footage. The Communist party has an "international ideology", he said, adding that the CPI took an active part in freedom struggle and also fought against the British and the Nizam of Hyderabad.

He asked whether RSS had played any active role in the independence movement. Is it not anti-national when BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj allegedly said that the statues of Nathuram Godse would be installed across the country, he asked.

Vikram Singh Chauhan, the lawyer who led the attacks on the media and on JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar at the Patiala House court, has revealed that the cops present at the premises stood by as they launched an assault on the people. Yashpal Singh, the other lawyer caught on camera attacking media persons, said that he didn't care about going to jail and that he had also planned to throw a petrol bomb.

Amid the debate over free speech following the JNU row, US Ambassador to India Richard Verma today said that diversity of "thought and speech" was one of India's great hallmarks which will "propel" it forward.

He also emphasised that free speech was an issue that the Indian society will have to resolve, terming universities as "laboratories of thoughts" and identifying them as a "central tenet" that both India and the US hold dear.

Verma, who was asked by journalists about his opinion on the JNU episode as well as importance of freedom of speech, said with diversity comes "different view points".

"It will be hard to find a country more diverse than India. That is a great attribute of this country. It is what will propel India forward in the next century. That's also a part of both of our democrcaies, particularly on college campuses and it is something both of our countries frankly have celeberated and welcomed over years and over decades and

these are called the laboratories of thoughts," he said.

Verma, who took charge as US envoy to India last year, said that the countries talk a lot about "shared values" and the people-to-people relations as he highlighted the "similarities" between their "constitutional processes".

"The fact that both of our Constitutions start with we the people, the fact that we both protect and uphold minority rights and celebrate diversity. What I have seen again in both of our countries is that those traditions are so important in US and India and I believe they will continue to be what makes both of our countries great," he said.

India has extended $1 million (Rs 6.8 crore) as immediate assistance to Fiji, which was hit by a severe cyclone on Saturday killing at least 20 people.

"Reaching out to a friend in need. India extends $1 million in immediate assistance to Fiji after devastating Cyclone Winston hits," the external affairs ministry spokesperson tweeted.

The island nation was hit by a severe cyclone which brought with it wind gusts of 325kmph and waves up to 12 metres high, flattening crops and decimating villages completely. As per reports, at least 20 people have been killed in the first degree cyclone on Saturday.

The special Prevention of Money Laundering Act court extended the judicial custody of NCP leader and former MP Samir Bhujbal till March 7.

Samir, nephew of NCP leader and former Maharashtra PWD minister Chhagan Bhujbal, has been arrested in the case registered by Enforcement Directorate over alleged illegal transactions of more than Rs 800 crore.

ED, in its remand application, said Samir had promised to cooperate with the investigation and submit documents about funds received from Balwa group, DB Realty, Sanjay Kakade group, Universal Development Corporation and others. He had also promised to give details of source of funds used for "Bandra, Santacruz and Kharghar projects".

The investigation had shown that he was the mastermind behind remission of Rs 25 crore to Indonesia under the guise of investment in coal mines, it said.

Some lawyers, caught on camera beating up journalists, students and teachers of JNU at the Patiala House court complex, today claimed a mob of students had resorted to the violence and not the advocates. Alleging that the scribes were beaten up by JNU students, these lawyers also sought the arrest of the students and questioned the police for not taking any action against them.

Advocate Yashpal Tyagi, who was caught on camera during the attack, told a press conference that their fight against "anti-nationals will continue" and "they would not tolerate anything said or done against the country".

19:20 Tata changes name of Zica hatchback to Tiago

Tata Motors has announced that the new name for its yet-to-be launched hatchback Zica will be Tiago.In February, the automobile major had invited suggestions on a new name for its hatchback which was earlier named Zica.

As the Zika virus became an international emergency, the company announced that to empathise with the victims of the virus, will rename the new hatchback from its stable. The company initiated the process through crowd-sourcing activity -- #Fantastico Name Hunt, and sought suggestions from its fans and audiences around the world to share what they think should be the name of the car.

18:56

JUST IN: All party meeting called by Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan begins.

18:45 Delhi police dismisses rumours of cops harassing JNU students

Amidst reports that Delhi cops were harassing students belonging to the Jawaharlal Nehru University, the police force has issued a statement saying that such reports were untrue. The statement read, "Reports of us harassing Jammu and Kashmir students is a blatant lie. Please do not pay heed to such rumours."

On Sunday reports surfaced that the police have been quietly approaching J-K students in their rented accommodations and subjecting them to questioning.

After the February 9 incident where some anti-India slogans were allegedly raised, police is believed to have collected the names of Kashmiri students which sound similar to the names of the organisers of the Guru event.

Image: The appeal sent by the Delhi cops.

Sri M, the well known social reformer from Kerala who has been on his 7500 km walk spanning 500 days and 11 states, covering Kanyakumari to Kashmir, is in New Delhi for a fortnight. Already he has met President Pranab Mukherjee and handed over his autobiography in Bengali to him.

Sri M's theme: let us walk together hand in hand for a united and inclusive India.

A renowned spiritual guru, Sri M was born into a Pathan Muslim family; he can recite the Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita as well the Quran, and quote extensively from the Bible and the Guru Granth Sahib.

On Saturday Sri M addressed a who's who gathering at the residence of Venu Rajamony, press secretary to the President of India (accompanying image). Next on the agenda: a likely meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In fresh trouble for Art of Living's three-day 'World Culture Festival', a Noida-based environmentalist moved the National Green Tribunal against the foundation's plan to release 'enzymes' into 17 drains joining Yamuna for cleaning the river.

Petitioner Anand Arya has referred to news reports in which Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, the founder of Art of Living, has stated that lakhs of people are bringing "enzymes" which would be released in the dirty drains to cleanse the water.

The three-day event will be held from March 11-13 on the west bank of Yamuna flood plains to celebrate 35 years of The Art of Living foundation.

"This proposed activity would be in blatant violation of the provisions of the Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974, and the Biological Diversity Act, 2002, since it is, basically, introducing foreign elements into the river, without any scientific study or information," Arya said in his plea.

Bhoomata Brigade leader Trupti Desai was today detained in Maharashtra's Ahmednagar district while heading to the Shani Shingnapur temple where she had spearheaded a campaign last month against ban on female devotees entering the sacred platform.

However, she was subsequently released.

Desai was taken under preventive detention to maintain peace when she was heading for Shani Shingnapur, Ahmednagar police said.

Desai told PTI from Ahmednagar she was detained along with six colleagues while on her way to Shingnapur from Pune to meet the temple trustees to discuss the issue of appointment of women priests to end gender bias.

Harshita, the daughter of Pampore braveheart martyr Havaldar Raj Kumar Rana, today said that she was extremely proud of her father, who led his life with pride and died with honour.

"My father gave his life for the country. He led his life with pride and died with honour. I am very proud of him and sacrifice for the nation," Harshita told ANI after performing the last rites.

Rana was among the two CRPF jawans, who died while their convoy on patrol on the Srinagar national highway was attacked by the terrorists at Pampore yesterday.

Members of ABVP today alleged that five students, wanted by the police in a sedition case and have surfaced on the campus after being on the run for over 10 days, were hiding in JNU professors' residences and demanded

an inquiry into the matter.

"We are very certain that these students are hiding in residences of professors on campus. We demand an enquiry into the same and the teachers supporting these students should also be penalised by the university," Saurabh Kumar Sharma, Joint Secretary of JNUSU said in a press meet.

"Last night they suddenly emerged on campus and proudly addressed rallies. A huge gathering of students and teachers even lauded them. We demand that the vice chancellor intervene in this regard and direct the five students to surrender before police," the ABVP said.

17:19

Just In: Centre directs security forces to use force to clear blockades erected by the Jat agitationists in Haryana.

17:17

Just In: Government to sell 5 per cent stake in NTPC tomorrow; sets floor price at Rs 122 per share.

17:14 MO seems to indicate that Pampore attack orchestrated by LeT

"From the modus-operandi, the attack seems to be orchestrated by LeT," said CRPF DG Prakash Mishra on Pampore encounter.

The three-day militant operation at Pampore has come to an end today.

Three army commandos, including two captains, were killed on Sunday in the fierce gunfight with the terrorists.

A stone-pelting mob today attacked personnel of army and paramilitary forces who were trying to clear the road blockade in Sonipat, leading to a clash in which there were some "casualties".

"Yes, there are casualties, may be one or three, but I can't give any exact figure immediately," Sonipat Deputy Commissioner Rajiv Rattan told PTI over phone.

He said the personnel of Army, paramilitary forces and the police who were trying to clear the road blockade were attacked by the mo ..

16:36 3-day encounter with militants in Pampore ends

The three-day militant operation at Pampore has come to an end. A senior army official confirming the news to Rediff.com said that the bodies of two militants had been recovered.

The three-day encounter began on Saturday afternoon after militants attacked a CRPF convoy. After the attack, the militants barged into the nearby Entrepreneurship Development Institute in which more than 120 staff and trainees were present at the time of attack.

The senior police official said, "The operation has ended. A search operation is now on to find any other bodies."

Three army commandos, including two captains, were killed on Sunday in the fierce gunfight with the terrorists.

Talking to Rediff.com, Prasoon Joshi said: 'I was actually shocked by the nature of the sloganeering. We must always introspect and examine where we are heading towards but hearing extreme anti-national slogans so vehemently is disturbing.

'Such things derail us from constructive debates. Students are the wealth of our country and dissents, debates, different points of view are the lifeblood of a democratically alive society. Doing this in a manner that the integrity of the nation is maintained should be the responsibility of each student and each citizen.

'I am positive that the students too see this and there'll be a meaningful dialogue soon.

'I would never equate students with terrorists and absolutely respect the right to dissent.'

16:07

If you are wondering why TV journalist Ravish Kumar is suddenly trending online, here's the reason.

In a time when hectoring has replaced anchoring, and lecturing has replaced informed debate, in television news, Ravish's Hindi news bulletins are like a fresh of breath air, taking us back to a time when TV news was about, well, news. Not Views. Or the anchor.

Even then, what Ravish Kumar on Friday night on his show was unusual. He spoke about the media's off-the-mark reportage on the JNU row, especially how some TV channels have been participants in creating an air of hysteria in the country.

As he began to speak, the TV screen slowly began to dim and darkened completely. Before viewers could think it was due to a technical glitch, Ravish's voice continued, saying, "This is why we want to take you into the darkness where you can hear and understand the noise that the news media has started to create.' And for the next hour only his voice took them through the events,

You can read what happened on this show, here.

15:55 Jat quota stir: Railways to give full refund to passengers for cancelled train

Railways will give full refund to passengers for cancellation of trains due to the Jat quota agitation.

A railway spokesman today said there would be no deduction of "cancellation charges" and full refund would be granted.

Passengers who had made reservation online will automatically get their refund in full while for paper tickets refund has to be collected from passenger reservation centres.

Sartaz Aziz, advisor to Pakistan PM NAwaz Sharif, has rejected India's charge of no action over the Pathankot attack and claimed that Masood Azhar has been under detention since January 14.

Last week, Pakistan registered an FIR in connection with the Pathankot terror attack. The FIR, however, had no mention of Jaish-e-Mohammad boss Masood Azhar, who masterminded the January 2 strike.

Despite ample evidence provided by New Delhi, Islamabad has failed to act against the perpetrators of the pre-dawn attack on the Indian Air Force base, located just 150 km from the Pakistan border.

In an interview with India Today's Karan Thapar, Sartaz Aziz, Advisor to Pakistan PM, rejected India's charge of no action over Pathankot and claimed that Masood Azhar has been under detention since January 14.

"The FIR is only a first stage report and subsequent FIRs will definitely carry names," Aziz said.

Read more HERE

Following up on the recommendations of a Parliamentary Standing Committee, the finance ministry has decided to go green and print fewer copies of the Economic Survey and Budget.

The copies of the two important documents would be available online once they are tabled in Parliament.

As the ministry has decided to print fewer copies, it has drastically curtailed the number of printed copies which would be made available to media houses. They will now be getting only three hard copies of the Economic Survey and Budget.

Earlier, all accredited journalists were entitled to get a copy of these documents.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will table Economic Survey in Parliament on February 26 and the Union Budget for 2016-17 on February 29.

15:49

Just In: HSBC says notices issued by Indian tax department on alleged tax evasion at Swiss, Dubai arms by four Indians and their families.

15:33 Jat agitation spreads to Rajasthan; buses set on fire

The Jat agitation in Haryana today had its echo in eastern Rajasthan where protesters damaged two buses and blocked railway tracks and highway, prompting the district administration to impose prohibitory orders.

The protesters in the morning burnt a roadways bus near Dhormui oil depot and damaged another bus in Sewar area.

"Deeg, Jaipur and Mathura highways and Jaipur and Mumbai railway tracks are closed," Additional SP Bharat Lal Meena said.

IG Alok Vashistha said prohibitory orders have been imposed in the district to maintain law and order and additional police force has been rushed to the affected areas.

"The protestors blocked the highway last night. Efforts are on to control the situation," another police official said.

Senior police and district administration officials are monitoring the situation.

Pakistan government today challenged in the Islamabad High Court the rejection of the 2008 Mumbai attack case prosecution's plea by the trial court to form a commission to examine the boat used by LeT terrorists to reach the Indian coast.

According to the petition, the boat should be made "case property".

"A government commission should be formed to examine the boat which is in custody of the authorities in port city of Karachi is an essential part of evidence against the seven accused" against whom the trial is underway, it says.

The ATC on January 13 had dismissed the plea of the prosecution to form a commission to examine the boat.

The boat, Al-Fauz is in the custody of the Pakistani authorities in the port city of Karachi, from where the 10 terrorists, armed with AK-47 assault rifles and hand grenades, had left for India to carry out the Mumbai attack in 2008.

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed the Ahmedabad Trial Court to pronounce judgment in the 2002 Gulbarg Society massacre case.

The apex court has given three months of time to the trial court to pronounce its judgment.

One of the key accused in the case, Kailash Dhobi, has yesterday jumped bail, with his lawyer claiming he has written to Gujarat High Court that he would appear when the trial court will pronounce its verdict.

The high court has already issued a non-bailable warrant against Dhobi after he failed to surrender before police on January 29.

The apex court had last month extended the interim protection from arrest granted to Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand till March 18 in a case of alleged embezzlement of funds for a museum at Ahmedabad's Gulbarg Society that was devastated in the 2002 riots.

Curfew was imposed in five villages of the district and shoot at sight orders issued following a face off between Jats and other community members in the area today.

Earlier in the day curfew was lifted from Hisar and Hansi towns of the district even as road and rail traffic from Hisar to various destinations remained suspended.

Deputy Commissioner Chander Shekhar Khare issued orders clamping curfew in five villages of Sisai, Pano Bolan, Kali Rava, Sainipura and Dhanipal falling in Hansi sub-division of the district.

The curfew has been imposed as a precautionary measure to avert a clash after Jats and other community members came face to face in the five villages, he said.

Shoot at sight orders have also been issued, the official order said.

The DC said that army and police patrolling in the affected villages has been stepped up and appeal issued to the people to maintain peace and remain indoors.

14:28 From Iwo Jima to flying the tricolour

For regular watchers of television news, BJP spokesman Sambit Patra needs no introduction.

But that's not to say he doesn't need an introduction to history and such other stuff.

During a recent Newshouse debate on Times Now on the HRD ministry's decision to fly the flag in central universities, Patra showed on his iPad a photograph which he said was of six Indian soldiers hosting the tricolour"of Indian jawans, Indian soldiers dying, but holding up the tricolour, at the border'.

But, points out Shuddhabrata Sengupta in kafila.org, this too was a photoshopped version of the classic Iwo Jiwo photograph by Joe Rosenthal from World War II.

You can read the full article here.

The Supreme Court on Monday directed all parties involved with the recent scuffles at the Patiala House court complex to share their reports and come to an appropriate finding which it would hear on March 10.

The apex court direction came four days after it had described the violence in the Patiala House court complex as "extraordinary circumstances" and had rejected a lawyer's contention that exceptional importance was being given to one case which would demoralise lower judiciary and police.

The reports that are to be shared include those prepared by the Registrar of the Delhi high court, a Supreme Court-appointed panel, the Delhi police, the Bar Council of India, the Delhi high court's administrative committee and a report prepared by the counsel of the accused.

The Delhi government today said it is expecting to restore by late evening 25 per cent of water supply in the city which was disrupted due to the Jat stir even as Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal thanked the Centre and the army for securing of Munak canal.

"Thank u army, thank u centre for securing munak canal back. Great relief for delhi," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

Kejriwal had said this morning that water was completely used up in Delhi and appelaed to the Centre to intervene immediately and get the supply restored from the canal.

After an emergency meeting held at Deputy CM Manish Sisodia's residence to assess the situation, Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra said that 400 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water was released from Munak subcanal, adding that 25 per cent water supply in Delhi is expected to be restored by late evening.

"About 400 cusecs of water has been released from the Kuchha sub-branch of Munak out of which nearly 300 cusecs will reach Delhi in 6-7 hours. A team of DJB is on standy and as soon as it reaches Haidarpur treatment plant, supply will be started," he said.

Parliament's budget session kicks off tomorrow with President Pranab Mukherjee's joint address to members, but the 49 MPs from All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam won't be attending it.

Reason: tomorrow is also their Puratchi Thalaivi and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha's 68th birthday. Given her larger-than-life role in Tamil Nadu and in their lives, the AIADMK MPs want to be present in Chennai's Poes Garden when Jayalalitha will grant a darshan and thank the public for their adulation.

According to the Tamil calendar, her birthday falls today and the chief minister spent the day by celebrating it quietly at home, offering puja to Lord Hanuman and Lord Ranganathar, the deity of Srirangam temple.

Incidentally, Srirangam is also Jayalalitha's assembly constituency from where she has won two elections so far.

Will this year see her third win from the temple town?

14:05

'Human Rights Defenders face problems, in many parts of the world, and India is not an exception. Often the work being done by human rights defenders brings them in conflict with vested interests such as the land mafia, the mining lobby, or other corporations.

'This gives room for propaganda that human rights defenders or NGOs are 'anti-development' or even 'anti-national'. It leads to them facing the wrath of more draconian security legislations, or attacks on them by vested interests. It is very easy to make the mistake of thinking 'Why should we use state resources to protect those who are critical of the State? The obvious answer, is that the State may not always be correct. Given the great power state and corporate entities enjoy, their ability to make mistakes if unchecked is also correspondingly large,' writes Srishti Agnihotri, in kafila.org, here.

14:05 BHU student, who shouted out to PM, slapped by BJP workers

Student in PM Narendra Modi's programme at the Banaras Hindu University raises slogans, demanding the revival of student union at the varsity, was slapped allegedly by BJP activists in audience.

The student, Ashutosh Singh, had shouted about student body elections at BHU just as the PM was leaving the stage after finishing his address.

He was grabbed by the police and then attacked by BJP workers.

Last month, PM Modi's speech at the Ambedkar University in Lucknow was disrupted by two slogan shouting protesters. The protesters were escorted out by the police and detained for questioning.

The BJP has been apprehensive about trouble during PM Modi's visit because of protests over JNU student Kanhaiya Kumar's arrest for sedition and the suicide of Hyderabad university scholar Rohit Vemula last month.

Will the monsoon session of Parliament be held hostage to the row over JNU student's arrest and other issues?

Voices emanating after the all-party meeting on Monday seem to suggest so.

While Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu, after the all-party meet today said, "Government ready to discuss JNU row, there are different views on it which need to be debated," CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said, "We suspect government does not want Parliament to function, it is setting an agenda for its disruption."

How this difference will impact Parliament's functioning, we will know tomorrow.

13:41 Republic vs Nation

'When vigilante 'justice' is publicly celebrated by majoritarian mobs and winked at by complicit policemen, the rules by which republics live, shrivel a little. If this happens often enough, republican institutions begin to defer to a bullying nationalism.

'The Indian Constitution didn't define a nation, it designed a republic. When politicians begin to use a super-heated nationalism to bypass republican processes and intimidate republican institutions, they risk turning a benign political body into a brutal leviathan.

'It isn't railing students, spitting into the wind, who threaten India. The integrity of the republic is menaced by the lawyers who subverted justice in Patiala House, the policemen who stood by, the politicians who connived at this, the spokesmen who urged us to ignore institutional vandalism and the demagogues who beat nationalist drums for profit,' writes Mukul Kesavan in The Telegraph, here.

Taunting BJP over the MoUs signed by Maharashtra government during the recent 'Make in India' Week, the Shiv Sena today said similar agreements were signed by the party with its smaller allies before the assembly polls but they have not been honoured yet.

The Sena also said if the MoUs worth lakhs of crores of rupees signed with foreign companies meet the same fate, the government will not be able to compensate for the cost of organising the 'Make in India' Week.

"2,594 MoUs have been signed during the MII Week and Rs 3,25,000 crore worth investments have been promised for Mumbai-Konkan region, Rs 1,50,000 crore for Vidarbha region and Rs 25,000 crore for Khandesh. Also, Rs 50,000 crore will be invested in Pune.

"These figures may vary because like air is filled in balloons, investment figures are usually inflated," Shiv Sena said in an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana.

"The BJP had signed MoUs with 4 smaller parties of Mahadev Jankar, Sadabhau Khot, Ramdas Athawale and Raju Shetty. They were offered ministerial berths, Corporations and promises to solve farmers' issues were made. They were also promised respect in the government if they helped the BJP come to power. What happened to those MoUs," it asked.

Pressure is mounting on the five Jawaharlal Nehru University students -- Umar Khalid, Anant Prakash Narayan, Ashutosh Kumar, Rama Naga and Anirban Bhattacharya -- to surrender before the Delhi police enters the campus by 3 pm today.

Commissioner B S Bassi is monitoring the negotiations between the deputy commissioner of police and the vice chancellor and JNU students, with constant wireless messages being exchanged between him and the DCP who is stationed at the JNU main gate.

Once the five students are either arrested or surrender, a special investigating team with representatives from the Intelligence Bureau, Research and Analysis Wing, National Investigation Agency and the Jammu and Kashmir police will interrogate each of them separately.

JNU students are said to be very concerned about the SIT's tactics, and want a solemn commitment that the five students will not be intimidated in any manner.

The body of 23-year-old Capt Pawan Kumar, who died while fighting militants in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, today reached his native village of Badhana in Jind district of Haryana where his last rites will be conducted. His last rites will be conducted with full military honours.

Earlier today, a wreath-laying ceremony was held at the Indian Air Force base at Pathankot in Punjab, from where the body was flown to his hometown. In view of the Jat stir in Haryana, the Army had appealed to the people of Haryana to extend support in giving a "befitting farewell" to the brave son of the soil.

Kumar, an officer of the elite Para unit who hailed from Jind, was among two army personnel from the unit who lost their lives in the fierce encounter with militants holed up inside a government building in Pampore town.

The young captain in the Special Forces was an inspiring leader who in spite of being injured earlier in an anti-terrorist operation, went on to volunteer for more operations.

12:53

Just In: 26/11 plotter Abu Jundal's lawyer seeks four days to cross-examine David Headley. Court directs prosecution to check availability with US authorities.

12:52 Haryana lifts curfew from Hissar, Hansi towns

Curfew was today lifted from Hissar and Hansi towns of the district in Jat stir-hit Haryana even as road and rail traffic from here to various destinations remained suspended.

An official spokesman said that curfew has been lifted in view of the improvement in the situation. Security personnel will keep a vigil till restoration of normalcy, he said.

Road traffic on national and state highways from Hissar to various destinations, including Delhi, Chandigarh, Sirsa, Siwani and Bhiwani, however, remained suspended.

Railway services from Hissar to places, including Delhi, Ludhiana, Bhiwani and Sadulpur were also not operational.

A spokesman for the All India Jat Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti Ram Bhagat Malik said in Hissar that they would hold a meeting later this afternoon and then decide on the future course of action, including lifting of blockades by their supporters.

Suburban commuters today came on to the tracks at Chembur station in Mumbai protesting inordinate delays after a motorman overshot a signal there resulting in bunching of trains.

According to a senior railway official, agitating passengers came on to the tracks at Chembur station and raised slogans demanding that trains be operated on time.

The latest disruption comes after local train services on both up and down slow line between CST and Wadala stations of Harbour line were shut for three days as part of the megablock to undertake extension work on platforms.

"After completion of the successful mega block, services had begun smoothly but around 7.33 AM, a motorman overshot the signal (near Chembur) that led to delay in services. This irked passengers, who then filled the tracks and began protesting. This caused bunching of trains, disruption and delay by another 15-20 minutes," the official added.

He, however, said that barring this incident, the entire mega block exercise was extremely successful.

To accommodate 12 car local trains, the CR carried out major infrastructure work at CST following which a mega block was operated on both up and down slow routes between CST and Wadala stations on the Harbour line since Friday.

The Jat quota stir in Rajasthan has had a spillover effect on New Delhi, with water and power supply and road and rail transport being severely affected.

Another fallout is that the price of flight tickets between the national capital and Chandigarh have soared, since flights are the only way left to travel between the two cities.

The 45-minute flight between the two cities costs Rs 17,299 on Jet Airways' 12.40 pm flight today.

Spice Jet's 7.20 pm flight, as well as the next one 15 minutes later, will set you back by Rs 15,570.

The same is the case with Spice Jet which too has seen a steep increase in the fare of its Chandigarh-Delhi flight.

On Indigo, when we checked, there were no tickets available for today. Tomorrow's Chandigarh-Delhi flight will cost you Rs 14,400.

On Air India, all tickets have been sold out till February 25, and the earliest flight, available on February 26, will cost you Rs 6881.

Of course, all these ticket prices may see a further hike if the stir doesn't end quickly and normalcy restored.

Jaipur-Delhi flights are equally in demand, with no tickets available on Jet Airways. A Premium class ticket on this route, flying via Mumbai, costs, hold your breath, Rs 83,207.

What's interesting is that even at this steep price, only two tickets are left!

12:16 Shia LeBeouf slaps fan at his request

Actor Shia LaBeouf, who spent 24 hours in an elevator at Oxford Union, punched a fan in the face in the middle of the social experiment, at the student's request.

The Oxford student, who waited in line for hours to get into the elevator with the 29-year-old Fury actor, claimed to be a performance artist himself who wanted a punch from LaBeouf for a project of his own, reported the New York Post. A short video of the incident has surfaced online.

"I'm a performance artist. Can you help me with completion of my next piece by punching me in the face?" the student asked. "Oh man, you want me to punch you in the face?" LaBeouf replied. "I don't want to punch you very hard!" The actor continued to balk at the request. "I don't like doing it though... I just met you." The doors of the elevator soon close, though the punch is audible.

A village in Mehsana district of Gujarat has banned minor girls from using or owning mobile phones claiming that the gadget distracts them from studies.

The ban was implemented recently by the panchayat of Suraj village in Kadi taluka of Mehsana. A fine of Rs 2100 will be imposed on minor girls found using or owning mobile phones.

They will only be allowed to use the mobile phones of their parents inside the house.

According to village sarpanch Devshi Vankar, the decision was taken unanimously by the panchayat as the majority of villagers felt that mobile phones are creating problems for girls and their parents.

The village panchayat also saw cell phones as a tool used by love-struck youngsters to elope from homes.

"All the villagers have agreed to ban mobile phones for school girls who are under 18 years. Members of all the communities, be it Dalit, Patel, Thakor or Rabari, have agreed on it. We have imposed a fine of Rs 2100 on those who violate this rule," said Vankar.

"Girls are allowed to use mobile phone of their parents inside their house and under their supervision. But they cannot move around in the village carrying mobiles," said Vankar.

The ban is only limited to school girls and women attending college have been spared by the panchayat.

12:08 One Person Companies can act as broker on BSE

The Bombay Stock Exchange today said 'one person companies' (OPC) can act as a stock-broker provided the entity has at least two directors.

However, such broker will not be permitted to trade in his proprietary account.

"One Person Company, as permitted under the Companies Act, 2013, is eligible to be registered as a stock broker, provided it satisfies the condition of minimum two directors, as stipulated under... the Securities Contract (Regulation) Rules, 1957," the BSE said in a circular.

Further, OPCs can register as sub-brokers too.

Last week, NSE also approved OPCs to act as stock broker on similar conditions.

The Supreme Court today sought a status report from Haryana government on the plea of Delhi government seeking resumption of water supply to the national capital, disrupted due to the ongoing Jat quota stir.

A bench headed by Chief Justice T S Thakur, which sought the status report in two days, issued notices to the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government on the plea of the AAP government which has also sought a direction for ensuring security on the barrages on Munak canal in Haryana.

The bench, also comprising Justice U U Lalit, was initially reluctant to take up the plea of the Delhi government and rapped it for approaching the apex court instead of resolving the issue at government-to-government level.

"You people instead of solving the problem at government- to-government level are moving to Supreme Court. You want order from the Supreme Court. You want everything on the platter.

"You ministers are sitting in the court instead of going to the field. You rest in AC chambers and you want order from the court," the bench said while referring to the presence of Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra inside the court.

However, after repeated persistence from senior advocate Rajeev Dhawan, appearing for the Delhi government, the bench asked the Haryana government to make the necessary arrangement for resumption of water supply in the capital.

National-award-winning filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan says Hindi is a beautiful language, but it should be counted as a regional language and should not be imposed on others.

Gopalakrishnan, 74, played a major role in revolutionising Malayalam cinema and is regarded as one of the finest filmmakers of India.

"Hindi is a very beautiful language. There are very fine writers in Hindi, no doubt about that, but you cannot impose Hindi over and above others... not only administratively but even otherwise," he said.

Adoor feels as India is made up of various cultures and traditions, an "exclusive" attitude will not work.

"Hindi was by official imposition only. Because officially they want to have one language kind of attitude from everybody... that's a very exclusive kind of attitude. India is a country of several different cultures, languages, styles of living.

"Naturally, you have to allow and understand that. It's all together only that India is made up of," he said, on the sidelines of the second edition of Gateway LitFest in Mumbai.

Following intense criticism of the coverage of the JNU incident by certain TV channels, a Zee News producer, Vishwa Deepak, resigned from the channel on Sunday after penning a long letter with allegations of bias on the channel.

Taking to Facebook, Deepak wrote: "The way the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar was framed in the name of 'nationalism' and, after a media trial, was proved to be an anti-national, is an extremely dangerous trend. As journalists, it is our responsibility to question the powers that be, not move step in step with the powerful. Whatever good and beautiful has been achieved in the history of journalism is the result of these questions.'

He also went on to ask if they were "the mouthpieces of the BJP or the RSS that we will do whatever they say? The video didn't have any "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans at all -- yet we played it repeatedly to spread madness and mayhem. How did we believe that some voices coming out of the dark belonged to Kanhaiya and his companions?"

11:12

Subramanian Swamy moves Supreme Court on the construction of Ram Mandir at the disputed site, court to hear the matter tomorrow.

10:50 50 Ara jail inmates go on hunger strike demanding Kanhaiya's release

M I Khan reports from Patna: Nearly 50 inmates of the Ara jail in Bihar on Monday began the hunger strike to protest the arrest of Jawaharlal Nehru University Student's Union president Kanhaiya Kumar and demanded his release, officials said.

The inmates on hunger strike are considered to be Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist sympathizers.

According to reports, the inmates have threatened to continue with their fast if Kanhaiya was not released soon.

10:39 Turkey can still avoid Pakistanisation

'There was a time when Turkey used to be the role model for Pakistan. The Pakistani elites admired Turkey's modernity and 'westernisation', its growing prosperity and self-confidence as a regional power -- and its sheer elan. Even the Pakistani military elites had a weakness for Turkey's Pashas, given the affinity in regard of the military's supremacy as the 'powers that be' in that country's politics too.

'Above all, Pakistan was very grateful for Turkey's support on the Kashmir issue and its willingness to stand up and be counted against India in the international fora writes Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar on Rediff Blogs, here.

10:20

Samjhauta Express cancelled today due to Jat reservation agitation. Delhi-Lahore bus service also cancelled for today: ANI

10:16

JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar's bail plea to be heard by Delhi HC tomorrow

09:45 JNU officials to discuss resurfacing of five students

The JNU administration has called a meeting of top varsity officials today to discuss the resurfacing of five students on campus who the police were searching for in connection with a sedition case.

Police officials, who are positioned outside the varsity campus since last night after they got inputs about presence of the students on campus, said they will talk to the Vice Chancellor after the meeting and ask him to direct the students to surrender.

JNU Registrar Bhoopender Zutshi said he got to know about the presence of the students on the campus from media reports only and has not heard from any of them so far.

"We are having a meeting this morning in which the issue will be discussed and the future course of action will be decided," he said.

Zutshi, however, did not comment on whether the varsity officials will interact with the five students before taking a call or not.

Police officials said they are waiting for the VC to direct the students to surrender before them.

The JNU campus came alive on Sunday night when five students accused of raising anti-national slogans, returned to the university.

The spotlight was on Umar Khalid, one of the two names that had came up prominently in the controversy. The other one being JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, who is in Tihar now.

A large number of students had gathered outside the administrative block and shouted slogans in support for Umar Khalid, Anant Prakash Narayan, Ashutosh Kumar, Rama Naga and Anirban Bhattacharya.

"In the last seven years in campus I never felt I was a Muslim and in last 10 days I was made to feel, I was a Muslim. I am a Muslim but not a terrorist," said Khalid, who fled the campus after the incident.

"The attack (on the university) is not because of the programme which was organised on February 9, but because the government needs an excuse to attack us," Khalid said, addressing students in front of the admin block at the campus.

"The media, all this while, presented a lot of things about me. The media trial, this propaganda... I know what my family is going through," Khalid said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be the chief guest at the centenary convocation of the Banaras Hindu University on Monday where he will deliver an address.

On the occasion, more than 400 students will also be awarded with Medals for their outstanding performance.

During the ceremony, a divyang girl student Pankhuri Jain, who topped in BSC math honors course, will also share the dais with the prime minister.

Union Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, BHU Chancellor Dr Karan Singh and other dignitaries will be present on this occasion.

The prime minister reached reached Varanasi last night.

CNN-IBN reports: Even though Haryana government on Sunday conceded to the demands of Jats for reservation by agreeing to bring a bill in the next assembly session granting OBC status to Jats, the state is yet to be brought back to normalcy.

There has been a slight movement of traffic since 2.30 am on the Sonipat-GT Road-Delhi route resulting in over 150 people being stranded mid-way.

Mobs have been attacking the stranded people, breaking windows of the cars.

However, no injuries have been caused to any of those stranded on the route.

ANI reports: Army along with Rapid Action Force take control of Haryana's Munak canal that supplies water to Delhi; the site has been cleared of quota protesters.

The Delhi-Chandigarh Highway, which too was blocked by protesters, has been cleared now.

The operation to flush out heavily-armed terrorists holed up inside the Entrepreneurship Development Institute in Pampore resumed on Monday morning.

The multi-storied building of Entrepreneurship Development Institute caught fire on Sunday afternoon as the encounter between army and three-four terrorists continued till late Sunday night on the second day.

Through the day, the terrorists kept on firing and throwing grenades on the security forces who have surrounded the building and making attempts to storm it.

The army lost Captain Pawan Kumar, Captain Tushar Mahajan and jawan Om Prakash -- all of the elite Para commando units -- in the gunbattle on Sunday. The army succeeded in eliminating one of the terrorists by Sunday evening, an official said.

The terrorists have been holed up in the building since Saturday afternoon after they attacked a Central Reserve Police Force convoy, killing two jawans and a civilian and injuring nine other jawans.

Nearly 100 civilians -- staff and students -- were evacuated to safety by the security forces from the building, a police official said.

The Delhi government has ordered closure of schools and colleges on Monday as the state faces severe water crisis triggered by the ongoing Jat quota agitation in Haryana.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had on Sunday said, "the capital was facing a very serious water crisis because of the Jat protests in Haryana and water was to be strictly rationed in the city."

The Munak canal in Haryana, which supplies water to many parts of Delhi, was shut down after it was vandalised by a section of Jats demanding quota in government jobs and educational institutions.

Kejriwal said water would be supplied through tankers to areas in Delhi hit by scarcity.

Because of the water crisis, all schools in the national capital would be shut on Monday, he added.

Security forces had to face a tough time and fire tear-gas shells and resort to mild lathi charge to remove Jat protesters from the Munak canal in Haryana from where the water supply to Delhi was disrupted by the agitators on Saturday.

The Supreme Court will on Monday hear a plea seeking contempt action against jailed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, former DU lecturer SAR Geelani and few others on the ground that they allegedly termed the execution of Afzal Guru as judicial killing.

A bench of Chief Justice TS Thakur and Justices R Banumathi and UU Lalit fixed the contempt plea for hearing on Monday as it alleged that by terming the "execution as judicial killing", Kumar and others have committed contempt of the court which had delivered the verdict.

The plea, filed by lawyer Vineet Dhanda, refers to the apex court verdict, pronounced on August 4, 2005 in the case, by which Guru was handed down death penalty for being part of the conspiracy in the attack on Parliament.

"The so-called cultural event's pamphlets spoke about the judicial killing of Afzal Guru. The main topic of the 'cultural event' organised was judicial killing of Afzal Guru which outright tantamount to criminal contempt as the respondents are calling the judges of the apex court as killers who have been projected to have committed judicial killing of Afzal Guru, the plea said.

07:53 Delhi to observe fifth car-free day today

The fifth car-free day -- an initiative by the Delhi government to check air pollution -- will be observed on Monday.

An official statement said the car-free day will be observed from Munirka T-point to Hyatt Hotel T-point on Vivekanand Marg for eight hours from 8 am to 4 pm.

The event will begin with a cycle rally led by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal from Munirka Bus Stand at 8 am.

Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan has convened an all-party meeting on Monday to discuss the smooth functioning during the upcoming Budget Session.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu has also called separate all-party meetings.

The meetings are significant amid possibility of session beginning Tuesday being stormy.

The Opposition parties are gearing up to raise the issues of the JNU row, and suicide of a Hyderabad University student among others to corner the government.

On the other hand, the government is keen to push its legislative agenda including the GST and Real Estate Bills.

During the session, the Rail Budget will be presented on 25th and General Budget on 29th of this month.

07:52

Good morning...

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