LIVE! BJP is my first and last party: Shatrughan Sinha

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Wed, 24 February 2016

BJP is my first and last party: Shatrughan Sinha

Timeline Refresh

23:29 Anonymous caller threatens to kill Telangana CM

An anonymous caller threatened to kill Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao during his visit here, police said today. The threat call was received by Korutla MLA Kalvakuntla Vidyasagar Rao on his mobile yesterday, a day ahead of the CM's visit to Karimnagar.

"Vidyasagar Rao received a call on his mobile phone at about 6 PM on Tuesday from an unidentified person," a top police official said. "The person, who used the Internet to make the phone call, threatened to kill the Chief Minister during his visit to Metpalli in Karimnagar district on Wednesday," he said.

The MLA handed over his mobile phone to Metpalli Sub- Inspector Babu Rao, to whom the caller repeated the same threat, police said.

Maintaining that "BJP is his first and last party", disgruntled MP Shatrughan Sinha today berated party leaders from Bihar for suggesting that he quit his Lok Sabha membership in the wake of his critical comments about affairs of the saffron outfit.

The septuagenarian actor-politician said he has the highest regard for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "Who is saying this, those who are responsible for the humiliating defeat in Bihar. Those who themselves are on their way out, those who are not able to show their faces. They are only giving vent to their frustration," he said. Such leaders should look their own credentials first, he told reporters.

"Let them look at their own credentials. They have made such a humiliating defeat. Who is the leader there? I feel some people, may be some small people are saying this. Bharatiya Janata Party is my first and last party," he said.

The MP from Patna Sahib was replying to a query on the remarks of some BJP leaders in Bihar that Sinha should quit his Lok Sabha membership over his critical comments.

Delhi government gave its nod to the extension of scheme of paying Rs 1 crore ex-gratia to families of those defence personnel who lose their lives on account of operations, calamities and disaster.

The decision was taken in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today. A senior government official said that the scheme will cover those defence personnel dying in operations or war if his permanent address recorded at the time of joining service is in Delhi.

In April this year, the Arvind Kejriwal government had announced that it would provide compensation to the tune of Rs 1 crore to kin of uniformed services personnel killed on active duty.

While announcing the scheme, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia had said, "We gave compensation of Rs 1 crore during our last term (49-day stint) but now we have made it a policy after the cabinet meeting. "Financial help is not to support livelihood of martyr family but to pay homage to his courage and sacrifice," he had said.

Social networking giant Facebook today launched extension of 'like' button by adding emotions such as love, HaHa and Sad.

"We've been listening to people and know that there should be more ways to easily and quickly express how something you see in News Feed makes you feel. "That's why today we are launching reactions, an extension of the 'Like' button, to give you more ways to share your reaction to a post in a quick and easy way," said Facebook Product Manager Sammi Krug.

"To add a reaction, hold down the Like button on mobile or hover over the Like button on desktop to see the reaction image options, then tap either Like, Love, Haha, Wow, Sad or Angry," Krug said.

The company said that for more than a year, it was conducting global research including focus groups and surveys to determine what types of reactions people would want to use most.

Pakistan's military provides weapons and training to ISIS militants in Afghanistan and instructs them to kill the "infidel" Afghan forces, according to a 10-member faction of the group who laid down their arms today.

The group also said that Pakistani military provides light and heavy weapons to ISIS fighters in Afghanistan. "Pakistani military gave us weapons and used to tell us that Afghan forces are infidels and you must kill them," Zaitoon, a former ISIS fighter who laid down his arms and joined the peace talks, was quoted as saying by the TOLO news.

Arabistan, Zaitoon's co-fighter, said: "I was tasked to fight in Nazian district [in Nangarhar]. We used to present our daily report to Punjabis and Pakistanis and they encouraged us to fight the Afghan government."

The 10-member group has joined the peace process due to efforts by the High Peace Council office in the province and also with the help of the Afghan security forces, said Chairman of Nangarhar Provincial Council Malik Nazir.

The students and teachers agitating at JNU against the sedition charges imposed on six students of the varsity, today took out a torch light march from Ganga Dhaba to Chandrabhaga hostel demanding that the ongoing "witch-hunt" should stop. Holding "mashaals" in their hands, the students shouted "JNU long-live" and "Save JNU" slogans as they carried out the solidarity march.

"We had carried out a similar march when our president Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested. Yesterday two of our comrades surrendered before police so we are taking out a similar march praying for justice for them. The way students are being targeted and witch-hunted needs to stop," JNUSU Vice President Shehla Rashid Shora told reporters.

Candle light marches and protest rallies which are common sight at JNU have intensified ever since Kanhaiya was arrested in a sedition case in connection with an event on campus against hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru during which anti-national slogans were allegedly raised.

JUST IN: JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya have been sent to three days' police remand by a court.

More details are awaited.

20:43 Delhi Govt to give job to Rohith's brother

The Delhi government today decided to give a job to Dalit student Rohith Vemula's younger brother, after Radhika Vemula, his mother met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal with the request saying that the family was under financial duress.

In the meeting at Kejriwal's residence, Radhika was accompanied by her younger son Raja Vemula who is a post graduate in Applied Geology and Sunkanna Velpula, one of Rohith's closest friends, among others.

"His mother requested the chief minister to provide a government job to the younger brother of late Rohith, since the family does not have any source of income. Kejriwal had assured the family of considering their demand," an official statement said.

The Cabinet, headed by Kejriwal, met later in the afternoon and decided to give an "appropriate job" to Raja, as and when he applies for the same.

Vikram Singh Chauhan, who led the attack on journalists and students at the Patiala House court last week, has been arrested. He was again in the limelight when he was in the group of lawyers that led the attack on Jawaharlal Nehru University students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar at courts.

More details are awaited.

At least 426 students, including girls, were expelled after being caught cheating during the Intermediate Examination that started today. The control room set up in Bihar School Examination Board said a total of 426 students were expelled across the state on the first day of the examination.

Maximum 49 students were expelled in Munger district, followed by 48 in Aurangabad for using unfair means in the examination, the control room said. The BSEB has been making elaborate preparation to conducta cheating-free examination this year to erase the bad name the state had earned after photographs of parents and friends supplying chits to examinees at a centre in Vaishali district had gone viral last year.

New Education minister Ashok Choudhary had on several occasions talked about stringent arrangements to check copying in the board exam. A total of 11.57 lakh examinees are writing the Intermediate examination in Bihar at 1,109 centres.

Despite putting elaborate arrangements, reports of cheating came from examination centres in many districts. Media reports highlighted that people vandalised a school in Chapra after they were not allowed to copy. People were shown climbing a school building in Vaishali district to provide chits to examinees at a centre.

20:03

Sedition charge on JNU students is not topic of debate here, it will be decided by court, says Rajnath.

19:57 Smriti Irani ji is an eye opener for LS and the nation: Rajnath

Home Minister Rajnath Singh is now speaking:

This speech by Smriti Irani ji is not just an eye opener for the Lok Sabha but for the nation too.

I assure the house that no innocent will be punished or harassed by the police.

Minister of Human Resource Development Smriti Irani is speaking in Parliament now.

No attempt was made to take Rohith Vemula to doctor, his body was used as political tool. In his statement, Vemula said no one was responsible for his death.

Twenty eight people were killed during the Jat quota agitation in Haryana, Director General of Police Yashapl Singhal said, while maintaining that the situation was fast returning to normalcy and no untoward incident had been reported from anywhere today.

"Twenty eight people have been killed during the stir.We have arrested 127 persons and registered FIR against 535 others.

Over 200 persons including few security personnel were also injured during the agitation," the DGP told a news conference.

Till yesterday the state government had maintained the death toll at 19.

Singhal said that situation was fast returning to normalcy in various parts of the State.

He said that rail and road traffic had started on most

routes which had remained blocked in view of over week long stir. "No untoward incident had been reported from anywhere in the State today," he said.

A Christian organisation has sought ban on publication of a controversial book penned by the brother of Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar, claiming Jesus Christ was a Tamil Hindu.

The book -- Christ Parichay -- is being re-launched 70 years after it was first published.

The United Christians Council, an NGO, today asked Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis to ensure the publication doesn't take place.

"The contents of the book are defamatory and will evoke strong emotions in the community," it said in a letter. "There will be a law and order situation in case the publication takes place."

The book, penned by Ganesh Savarkar, elder brother of V D Savarkar, is scheduled to be re-launched in Mumbai on February 26, the death anniversary of the Hindutva icon, president of Swatantryaveer Savarkar National Memorial Ranjit Savarkar said.

The book, first published in 1946, also claims that Christianity was initially a Hindu cult and that Jesus died and attained 'samadhi' in Kashmir.

Asked about the claims in the book, senior priest and director of the Bombay Archdiocesan Heritage Museum, Father Warner D'Souza, said such books will not shake the faith of Christians.

Attacking the BJP on the JNU row, Mallikarjun Kharge said, "We hanged Afzal Guru, while you (BJP) entered into an alliance with a party which was against Guru's hanging,"

"Stop scoring political points by defaming other parties,we will not back down," Kharge said.

Expressing concern over damage to public and private properties during violent protests, the Supreme Court today said it would lay down "parameters" to fix accountability for losses on organisers as the country cannot be held to "ransom".

"The country must know what are the consequences. No one can take the country to ransom during agitations. Whether it is BJP, Congress or any other organisation, they must realise that they can be held accountable for the damages to public property," a bench headed by Justice J S Khehar said.

The observation, which came during the hearing of a plea of Gujarat Pattidar leader Hardik Patel, assumes significance in the wake of large-scale violence and loss of public and private properties in Haryana during the Jat quota stir.

The top US military commander in South Korea said Tuesday that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un would use a weapon of mass destruction if he thought the fate of his rule was at stake.

If he "thought his regime were challenged he states that he would use WMD," Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti, commander of US Forces Korea, told the Senate Armed Services Committee Tuesday.

Scaparrotti said that tensions on the Korean Peninsula were at their highest level in more than 20 years.

Adm. Harry Harris, commander of US Pacific Command, said at the same hearing that if North Korea continues to develop ballistic missiles, a US military option is possible.

Uttar Pradesh witnessed the maximum number of communal violence incidents and killings in the country last year followed by Bihar and Maharashtra, Parliament was informed today.

Data on this, in a written reply format, was shared by Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju in the Rajya Sabha.

As per the data for communal incidents for 2015, a maximum of 155 such incidents took place in Uttar Pradesh in which 22 people were killed and 419 injured.

In Bihar, 20 people were killed and 282 injured in 71 such incidents followed by 14 deaths in Maharashtra in 105 such incidents.

In Maharashtra, 323 people were injured.

The data said nine people were killed in 92 communal violence incidents in Madhya Pradesh and 177 injured.

Eight people each were killed in Gujarat and Karnataka in these incidents.

While 105 incidents took place in Karnataka injuring 337 people during 2015, 55 took place in Gujarat injuring 163 people.

Ramon Castro has died at age 91.

The older brother of Fidel, 89, and Raul Castro, 84, knew little renown, as he declined an active role in the struggle that heaved the two, and communism, to power in Cuba in 1959.

Ramon Castro wore a long beard and was at times mistaken for leader Fidel Castro, who was about the same height and stature, but he preferred tilling the earth to stirring armed revolution. He was a farmer like his father Angel Castro.

A Bahraini court has sentenced a secular political leader to a year in prison over a speech he made last year calling for change in the tiny island nation.

Ibrahim Sharif, the former secretary-general of the National Democratic Action Society, was convicted today on a charge of inciting hatred. The court dismissed a charge Sharif faced accusing him of promoting the toppling of Bahrain's government.

Sharif made the speech in July 2015, just a month after being freed after serving over four years in prison for his role in 2011 protests. The secular, leftist political group Sharif once headed also goes by the Arabic name Waad.

With a view to reform an 18-year-old college student involved in a group clash, a local court in Usilampatti, Tamil Nadu, today asked him to memorise 100 couplets from the Tamil treatise Thirukkural, while granting him bail.

Judicial magistrate Vivekanandar, who did not want Shenbagamurthy to appear before the police "considering his tender age", directed him to memorise 100 Thirukkural couplets along with their meaning and appear before the court on March 7.

The police had registered cases against 10 people and produced Shenbagamurthy in court in connection with the recent group clash, in which one student was injured. The magistrate observed that if a young boy is asked to sign at the police station, he may be affected psychologically.

"Considering the tender age of the student, he is directed to memorise 100 Thirukkural couplets on topics, including discipline, Vekulaamai (not getting angry), Theevinai (Unworthy act), Oppuravu (help), Kutram kadithal (punishment for crimes)."

The student should be produced before the court on March 7, the judge said.

Four Indians were arrested in Syria recently not because they had gone there to join and fight alongside the ISIS but for entering the country without valid visa, the government today clarified.

Syrian Deputy Prime Minister Walid Al Maoulem, during his visit here last month, had said the four Indians had "crossed over from Jordan to Syria to join the ISIS" and that they were under custody in Damascus.

Replying to a question in Lok Sabha, Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh said the Indians had entered Syria illegally from Jordan on their way to Lebanon where they were heading for employment.

The Centre on Wednesday appointed three information commissioners in the Central Information Commission.

They are Amitava Bhattacharyya, Indian Administrative Service, (Gujarat 1980), retired Chairman, Staff Selection Commission, Bimal Julka, IAS (Madhya Pradesh:1979), retired Secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and Divya Prakash Sinha, Indian Police Service (Manipur-Tripura: 1979), retired Secretary (Security), Cabinet Secretariat.

The appointments have been made for a term of five years from the date on which they enter upon their office or till they attain the age of 65 years, whichever is earlier, as per the provisions of the Right to Information Act, 2005, an official release said.

The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau, probing the Maharashtra Sadan scam, today filed its charge sheet against senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal in a court here.

Other than Bhujbal, who was Public Works Department minister in the previous Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra, his son Pankaj and nephew Sameer as well as 14 others have also been chargesheeted in the case.

The voluminous chargesheet, which runs into 20,000 pages contains statements of 60 witnesses.

According to ACB sources, the case is entirely based on documentary evidence such as fund transfer and bank transactions.

Sources also claimed that in construction of Maharashtra Sadan, contractors have earned 80 per cent profits while as per the government circular such contractors are entitled to only 20 percent gains.

Weighing in on the issue of the antinationalist statements allegedly made by JNU students, Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav said, "If students are found guilty of anti-national sloganeering then strictest possible punishment should be given."

17:12

Just In: Sensex plunges 321.25 points to close at 23,088.93; Nifty cracks below the 7,100-mark by falling 90.85 points to 7,018.70.

17:11 'Neerja' gets tax-free status in Maharashtra

Bollywood actress Sonam Kapoor starrer Neerja has been declared tax-free in Maharashtra.

Directed by Ram Madhvani, Neerja stars Sonam in the titular role of flight attendant Neerja Bhanot. The film revolves around the hijacking of PanAm Flight 73 in Karachi and how Neerja fought for the lives of her passengers.

Member of Parliament Poonam Mahajan represented Neerja's case for exemption from entertainment tax which was approved by Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

'A big thank you to the government of Maharashtra for recognising what a 23-year-old ordinary girl did in an extraordinary situation. We are truly grateful to the government for this move as it will only help in more people coming and experiencing the life and the feat of India's hero Neerja,' producer Vijay Singh of Fox Star Studios said in a statement.

The film, which released last Friday, has been received well at the box office.

17:06

Just In: Electrical system caused fire at cultural event during 'Make In India' week in Mumbai, says Fire Brigade report.

17:02 Delhi HC directs Kanhaiya, Omar, Anirban to be produced in 'safe place'

The Delhi high court directed that Kanhaiya Kumar, Omar Khalid and Anirban be produced in 'safe place' for remand proceedings.

The Delhi HC also directed all concerned authorities to maintain confidentiality in respect of remand proceedings.

AIMIM workers protest against Latur incident where a policeman was beaten and paraded by locals,

Muslim policeman was beaten up badly and paraded in the streets by a vigilante mob in Pangaon town of Latur District, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has asked the DGP and the MoS (Home) to visit the area.

The Maharashtra CM had earlier tweeted, "Govt feels that it is not an attack on individual but on force, won't tolerate such act."

Hundreds of ABVP supporters today marched from Ramlila Maidan to Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to denounce "anti-nationals" and demand strong action against JNU students who allegedly raised "anti-India" slogans.

Waving the tricolour, participants in the march raised slogans like "one who wants to live in Hindustan must chant Vande Mataram (agar Hindustan mai rehna hoga, Vande mataram kehna hoga)".

Targeting Jawaharlal Nehru University, they chanted, "Na Marxwad, na Maowad, sabse upar rashtrawad" (no Marxism, no Maoism, above all is nationalism).

Addressing the protesters at Jantar Mantar, Binay Bidre, national general secretary of the ABVP, the students' wing of RSS, condemned the controversial event at JNU on February 9 where anti-national slogans were allegedly raised at a protest against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

"We cannot tolerate anyone raising slogans that threaten the unity of the country. ABVP shall not tolerate such anti-national forces," he said.

The activists also held up banners with messages such as 'Our JNU, our pride -- JNU for Nationalism'.

The rally comes on the heels of back-to-back demonstrations organised by the predominantly Left and Ambedkarite students' bodies against the arrest of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar and the suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad.

16:13 Why Mayawati allowed her men to disrupt RS

Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati's party men were instrumental on Wednesday in the Rajya Sabha's repeated adjournments, with their vocal demands to get the government respond to her statement on Rohith Vemula's suicide, but it was not a spur of the moment thing.

On the contrary, it was a deliberate ploy to derail the planned discussion on Vemula, as she wanted to steal the thunder from Congress and the CPM over Dalit issues.

Mayawati is believed to have told some BJP ministers that she will stall the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday just to score points over the Congress. "They cannot take over my space of Dalit leadership,' went her argument.

16:08

Just In: Ex-union minister PK Thungon convicted by Delhi court in a graft case relating to allotment of government shops here in 1993-94.

Thungon held guilty of offences of criminal conspiracy read with various sections under Prevention of Corruption Act

16:01 After Scindia blitz in LS, BJP's Anurag Thakur goes after Gandhis

BJP's Anurag Thakur on JNU and Rohith issues in Lok Sabha:

* The cultural event that took place on fateful day at JNU was held to protest the judicial killing of Afzal Guru. This was what was written on the pamphlets that were distributed on that day in JNU.

* Are you with people trying to bring down Parliament or with those defending it? You have to decide, who are you with? Are you with the murderers or are you with the saviours?

* Slogans raised in JNU were Kashmir Ki Azadi tak jung rahegi, Bharat ki Azadi tak jung rahegi

* Students in JNU were raising pro-Afzal Guru slogans. Who is Afzal Guru?

* What is this students' union with whom Rahul Gandhi shared dias in JNU, this question is begged.

* Country is proud of sacrifice of our soldiers, but nation is ashamed of these JNU students.

* Rahul Gandhi goes to a University named after his grandfather & supports anti-nationals.

* Congress' slogan is Family first, Party second...Nation last

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Wednesday finalised Part A of his Union Budget speech with senior officials inside Parliament House.

Jaitley's confidant and officer on special duty, IRS officer Simanchal Dash, brought the speech copy in a sealed envelope, along with the police escort, to his boss inside Parliament House.

After receiving it, Jaitley bolted the door to his chamber from inside so that he can read it undisturbed, after which he returned the speech to his OSD.

In other words, Part A of Jaitley's Budget speech has been approved and sent for printing.

Incidentally, Part B of the FM's speech, covering taxation proposals is top secret, and will be finalised in a day or two.

Australia's new trade minister has criticised India's "strong" bureaucracy for posing hurdles for a favourable business environment, saying sometimes one has to "roll up sleeves and apply a little elbow grease" to make things happen.

"India is a country that has a huge amount of potential and a huge amount of opportunity, but there is a fairly strong amount of bureaucracy. Sometimes it requires you to roll up your sleeves and apply a little elbow grease," said Steven Ciobo early last week.

Ciobo, 41, who recently succeeded former minister Andrew Robb, said Australian government was committed towards a free trade agreement with India and free trade with will continue to remain its area of focus.

"There are a number of different pokers in the fire. We are looking at, of course, ongoing negotiations around a free trade agreement with India, that continues to be an area of focus," Ciobo told CNBC in New York where he is attending a business week to promote Australia as an investment destination.

Ciobo, who will be now be taking over ongoing negotiations over a free trade agreement with India, had said last week before his swearing in ceremony that the free trade deal with India would be hard to close on.

Congress in Lok Sabha Jyotiraditya Scindia speaking in LS on the Rohith and JNU issues:

* Home Minister Rajnath Singh said that Hafiz Saeed supported JNU protest. Shouldn't the minister have investigated before saying this?

* Govt is mute when BJP MLA OP Sharma and Sakshi Maharaj openly abuse power & slams sedition charges on a student without proof

* You cannot silence my opinions, it is my right to express my views even if you disagree.

* Blacklisting a university of 8,000 students for the actions of 8 students is unacceptable. Why is the work culture & thought process of a university troubling govt so much?

* We have been witnessing an atmosphere of intolerance in the nation.

* Govt wants only one stream of thought to prevail in the country.

* Government machinery has been abused and it is responsible for pushing Rohith Vemula to commit suicide.

* Constitution is being crushed by NDA. RSS ideology is being imposed.

* Union govt and ministers are trying to encroach into varsities.

* This govt is fostering an atmosphere of intolerance and trying to silence students.

14:29 The reason behind ABVP's sudden belligerence

For those surprised at the belligerence being displayed by the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad of late, the reason is not far to seek.

'In the past 13 years, its membership across the country has nearly trebled, from 11 lakh to close to 32 lakh. It recently won one of the four seats in the students' union, the first time since 2000 when it had won the union president's seat during Atal Bihari Vajpayee's tenure,' reports Deeptiman Tiwary in the Indian Express.

'Between 2003 and 2013, the ABVP membership doubled to 22 lakh, growing one lakh a year. And in 2014, the year the current government came to power, the ABVP's membership jumped over nine lakh to reach 31.75 lakh. Today, the organisation boasts more than 9,800 units in universities and colleges nationwide,' he adds.

Obviously, the BJP being in power seems to have helped greatly, but its national organising secretary doesn't think so. 'People say that our growth is due to the BJP being in power,' RSS pracharak Sunil Ambekar and ABVP's national organising secretary tells Deeptiman. 'But we have grown the most in the past 10 years when UPA was in power. We had just 11 lakh members in 2003.'

Read the full article here.

Challenging Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi for a debate on the JNU row in the Parliament, Union Communications and IT Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Wednesday asked the former to respond to the government's queries and put forth his views before the nation.

"We would like Rahul Gandhi to participate in the debate, respond to our queries. Rahul Gandhi.please reply what is your and your party's stand on the sloganeering in JNU," he told the media person in Delhi.

Prasad further stated that the nation wants a reply from him, adding that it would happen only when he participates in the parliamentary debate.

"Mr Rahul Gandhi, we would like to know from you that a great, courageous brave army officer captain Pawan, who also hailed from JNU died fighting for the country. You associate with the legacy of Pawan in the JNU or you dissuade yourself with the legacy of those who are raising a slogan -- 'Bharat ki barbaadi tak jung chalegi'? That's the issue. Mr Gandhi, come let's have a debate," he added.

Earlier, the Congress vice-president said that the Centre won't let him speak in Parliament because they are scared of his remarks.

Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's mother today met Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal at his residence and requested a job for her younger son.

At the meeting, Radhika Vemula, Rohith's mother, was accompanied by her younger son Raja Vemula who is a post graduate in Applied Geology and Sunkanna Velpula, one of Rohith's closest friends, among others.

The Delhi Cabinet shall meet later this evening to take a call on the request put forth by the family of the deceased PhD scholar. The family participated in a protest march yesterday demanding justice for Rohith, who committed suicide at Hyderbad University.

Kejriwal had joined the protest where he lambasted the Centre accusing it of waging a "war" against students and voiced his support for 'Rohith Act', a law proposed by the agitating students against discrimination in Universities.

Addressing protesters, Radhika had attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking: "what action did you take against your minister who had called my son anti-national?"

A BJP legislator may have landed in hot water over cheap remarks about JNU, but he has got company.

Dailybhaskar.com reports that 'some Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders of the Rajasthan unit including local MLA Gyan Dev Ahuja were captured on camera breaking loose on stage and showering currency notes on female dancers', complete with photograph of the act.

You can read the article here.

Over 1,000 people tattooed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's picture and name on their forearms to mark the 68th birth anniversary of the AIADMK supremo.

The event was organised by Velachery MLA M K Ashok yesterday, where scores of people stood in long queque to get Jayalalithaa's picture tattooed.

Ashok, who also sports her tattoo, said that the idea came up after people

wanted to do a similar gesture to thank Jayalalithaa. Though 668 persons were expected to participate, a little over 1,000 people turned up at the event, which was attended by senior ministers, including O Panneerselvam, he said.

The volunteers were inked with a picture of Jayalalithaa and 'Amma' in Tamil tattooed on their forearms.

The Indian women's cricket team survived a mid-innings collapse to beat Sri Lanka by five wickets in the second Twenty20 International for an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series, in Ranchi today.

After restricting Sri Lanka to 107/8 in 20 overs, the Indians endured some anxious moments before coming through in 19 overs.

The decision to bat first backfired severely on the Lankans with Ekta Bisht (3/22) and Poonam Yadav (3/17) combining to rip through the visiting line-up. Dilani Manodara's 27 was the best that a Lankan batter could manage, followed by skipper Shashikala Siriwardene's 26- run effort.

In reply, India's in-form captain Mithali Raj was the star performer for the hosts, striking an unbeaten 51 which came off 52 balls and was studded with half a dozen fours. However, she could not find a steady partner in the chase until Anuja Patil joined her at the crease.

Patil's 33-ball 34 came handy as India overhauled the target after some hiccups. Inoka Ranaweera was the top bowler for the Lankans, grabbing three wickets for a mere 10 runs in her four overs.

Brief Scores: Sri Lanka Women: 107/8 in 20 overs (Dilani Manodara 27, Poonam Yadav 3/17). India Women: 108/5 in 19 overs (Mithali Raj 51 not out, Inoka Ranaweera 3/10).

13:52

Just In: Wreckage of missing plane found in Nepal. All 23 people on board killed, says its tourism minister.

13:51

Just In: All parties in Parliament should clarify whether raising slogans against the nation was freedom of speech or sedition, says BJP president Amit Shah.

13:41 Furious Amit Shah summons MLA Gyandev over 'JNU drug hub' comment

An upset Bharatiya Janata Party president Amit Shah has summoned MLA Gyandev Ahuja to 'explain' his bizarre statement claiming that the Jawaharlal Nehru University was a hub for sex and drugs.

The BJP MLA from Ramgarh in Rajasthan's Alwar district had claimed that those studying in JNU are involved in activities including "sex and drugs" among others.

Listing out the "illicit" activities been conducted at JNU, Ahuja claimed, "More than 10,000 butts of cigarettes and 4,000 pieces of beedis are found. 50,000 big and small pieces of bones are found. 2,000 wrappers of chips and namkeen are found, and so are 3,000 used condoms. They commit misdeeds with our sisters and daughters there. And 500 used contraceptive injections are also found."

He also alleged that "students are mostly found taking drugs after 8pm inside the campus. Those studying in JNU are not children, but parents of two children. They indulge in peace protests in the mornings and during the nights, they perform obscene dances," he added.

With his JNU list, he wanted to demonstrate that anti-national activities are rampant at the prestigious university.

But his comments have backfired spectacularly at a time his party's government at the Centre is confronting the anger of students and opposition leaders who have accused it of crushing dissent.

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the BJP-led NDA government would not let him speak in the Parliament because they are scared of his remark.

"The government said they are open to a discussion. Yes. But they will not let me speak in the Parliament. I will speak (in Parliament) but they will not let me speak because they are scared of what I will say," Gandhi told media persons.

Meanwhile, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned thrice on the first working day over slogan-shouting and protests by the Opposition over the suicide of research scholar Rohith Vemula at the Hyderabad Central University last month.

A small plane carrying 23 people, including two foreigners, today went missing in a mountainous area in Nepal amid poor visibility, with officials fearing that the aircraft might have crashed.

The Twin-Otter aircraft belonging to Tara Air went missing minutes after it took off from Pokhara airport on way to Jomsom. Pokhara is a resort town some 200 km west of the capital Kathmandu. Jomsom, a short distance further north, is the starting point for many people trekking in the Himalayas.

There were 23 people, including three crew members, two children and two foreigners, on board, officials said.

Leading stock exchanges BSE and NSE have directed clients, having open positions in derivative segment through 22 barred trading members, to square off those positions by next month.

"Clients who have open positions in derivative segment through the 22 trading members as on close of February 17, 2016, can partially/fully roll over their near month open position (February expiry) to March month contract, wherever applicable. This needs to be done by February 25," the bourses said in similar-worded circular.

The rolled over position, if any, has to be squared up latest by March 31, they added.

Clients will not create any new position in derivative segments through these members. However, clients are allowed to creating any fresh positions through other trading members.

12:46

'This face-off between state repression and intellectual freedom may well turn out to be a watershed moment for the country and for this anti-intellectual government too. Far from containing JNU, the debate over dissent and tolerance has got a new lease of life and is likely to overshadow everything else,' writes Zoya Hasan, Emeritus Professor, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University and currently ICSSR National Fellow, Council for Social Development, New Delhi, in The Hindu, here.

12:41

Just In: With BSP leaders continuing the raise slogans demanding that the government reply to Mayawati's statement on Rohith Vemula before initiating the discussion on the subject, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the fourth time today, till 2 pm.

12:39 Advani behind Shailesh Gandhi becoming CIC in 2008

In his column on Rediff.com, 'How India must select information commissioners', Shailesh Gandhi spills the beans on how he came to be made the CIC in 2008.

'In the first week of August 2008, Arvind Kejriwal learnt that the government had decided on the names of four persons whom they would appoint as Central Information Commissioners. These were Satyananda Mishra, M L Sharma, Annapurna Dixit and R B Sreekumar,' writes Gandhi.

Kejriwal, after discussing the names with Gandhi, suggested that they suggest four names from civil society for the post.

On August 17, the four names were sent to L K Advani, then leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan, then a minister in the UPA government.

A meeting of the selection committee was called on the 21st, and the previous night the government's four names were shown to Advani.

'Advani strongly objected to Sreekumar's name since he had been a senior police officer in Gujarat at the time of the Godhra riots and had openly criticised Narendra Modi. He said he would oppose Sreekumar's selection and casually said, 'Why not one of the names suggested by civil society in their letter'?'

In the face of Advani's opposition, the selection committee meeting was not held on that day. It met instead on August 27 at which Gandhi's name was put in Sreekumar's place.

'Though there was no political patronage involved, there was no logical process and my selection was a random occurrence,' writes Gandhi. Hence, 'There is a great need to introduce a transparent process to select the information commissioners, who are expected to oversee transparency.'

This happened in 2008. Considering how Advani has been sidelined by the very man whose interests he had so zealously guarded then, makes us wonder whether he will still do the same thing in similar circumstances today?

12:14

Just In: The Rajya Sabha, after reconvening at 12 noon, was adjourned once again, its 3rd for the say, till 12.15 pm.

12:04 Trump adds India to list of nations he says poaching US jobs

Donald Trump, the controversial Republican presidential front-runner, has added India to the list of countries that he says are ripping off jobs from the US and has pledged to bring them back if elected president.

"What I did on June 16, we came out and we started talking about trade, how we're being ripped off with China, ripped off with Japan, ripped off with Mexico at the border and then trade, ripped off by Vietnam, and by India, and by every country," Trump told his supporters at a massive rally in Las Vegas last night attended by thousands of people.

"Every single country because they're all represented by these people that we think are representing us. That's why when I say I am self-funding, folks, it means much more than you think. It means much more, I'm telling you," he said.

After jumping into the presidential race last June, Trump has been regularly singling out China, Japan and Mexico and occasionally Vietnam for taking away American jobs.

12:04

Just In: The Supreme Court has sought Maharashtra's response on objections raised against certain conditions put by it for granting licences to dance bars.

11:56 Umar conceived Afzal event idea; Anirban prepared posters: CNN-IBN

CNN-IBN reports: The interrogation of Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya has thrown more light on the controversial event held at the campus on February 9, which led to a sedition case.

According to sources, Umar conceived the idea of the event while Anirban prepared the materials, including posters, and distributed them among the students.

Name of one Riyaz, who is yet to surrender, also figured during the questioning. Riyaz allegedly arranged the sound system and was given the task of uploading pictures on social media. Another name that appeared during the questioning was that of one Banjyotsana Lahiri, who was allegedly a co-organiser of the event.

Both Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, however, claimed that 'anti-India' slogan, if made, were by outsiders and not JNU students. The police confronted them with 28 inflammatory slogans.

Sources said that Umar Khalid also told police that though he had quit DSU on ideological reasons, but Afzal Guru hanging controversy was an issue close to his heart. He said he didn't try to solicit support from students of other universities.

11:38

Just In: The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 noon following a ruckus by BSP members seeking a response from the government to Mayawati's statement on Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide.

The chair's insistence that the discussion on the topic can be taken up right away, with the government reply coming at the end, didn't cut any ice with the BSP, forcing the adjournment of the House till noon.

11:27 Minor blast at BJP leader's home in Imphal

A medium intensity bomb exploded at the gate of the residence of AIR Imphal's former joint director, BB Sharma, last night.

The blast, which did not cause any casualty, took place at the Imphal locality of Uripok Yambem Leikai at around 7:30 pm, a senior police officer said.

A team of Manipur police, led by the Imphal West superintendent of police, visited the site to conduct further probe. The reason for the attack is not known and no outfit has claimed responsibility so far.

Sharma had served as the joint director of the Regional News Unit of All India Radio, Imphal, before he retired and joined the BJP.

11:24 Kanhaiya's bail plea hearing put off to Feb 29

The Delhi police has informed the high court they will seek fresh remand of JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar as two more students have been arrested on a sedition charge.

After this, the HC adjourns the hearing on Kanhaiya's bail plea till February 29, and asks the police to conduct remand proceedings secretly so that the arrested students -- Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya -- are not harmed.

The police tell HC that further police remand of Kanhaiya is necessary for confronting him with other two accused.

Times of India reports: Hollywood legend Henry Fonda will soon hone leadership skills of top bureaucrats, emphasising on ethics and values, through his character in 12 Angry Men.

The government plans to screen Sydney Lumet's 1957 classic, often used by corporates to teach people about conflict management and persuasion skills, during its programme to train officials.

The corporate-style two-day 'high quality' training modules will be rolled out by the Centre in association with United Nations Development Programme. Many retired bureaucrats including former secretaries have been roped in to act as facilitators for such courses.

12 Angry Men is the story of how 12 jurors are asked to reach a unanimous decision on whether a person is guilty or not, with the accused set to receive a death sentence if the jury finds him guilty. The film shows how a lone juror who had doubts about the evidence manages to win over his 11 colleagues.

Read more HERE

11:20

Just In: Rajya Sabha adjourned for 10 minutes following row over Rohith Vemula's suicide, with BSP leader Mayawati charging the government with spreading RSS ideology in universities. When it reconvenes, it is expected to take up the discussion on Rohith and JNU row.

11:05

JUST IN: Advocate Vikram Singh Chauhan, who was caught on camera for attacking journalists and students outside Patiala House court, will appear before Police today.

11:03

Just In: The Supreme Court expresses concern over damage to public property during an agitation involving Pattidar leader Hardik Patel in Gujarat.

11:03 Amnesty wades into intolerance debate with critical report

Authorities in India failed to "prevent many incidents of religious violence" and sometimes "contributed to tensions through polarising speeches", Amnesty International said, as it condemned growing intolerance in the country in its annual report released today.

The rights body in it its report for 2015-16 warned against worldwide assault of freedoms with many governments "brazenly" breaking international law, including an "intensified crackdown on key freedoms" in India.

"Scores of artists, writers and scientists returned national honours in protest against what they said was a climate of growing intolerance," the report said in reference to India.

"Authorities clamped down on civil society organisations critical of official policies, and increased restrictions on foreign funding. Religious tensions intensified, and gender and caste-based discrimination and violence remained pervasive. Censorship and attacks on freedom of expression by hardline Hindu groups grew," it added.

Aakar Patel, Executive Director of Amnesty India, said: "In 2015, India saw several backslides on human rights. The government intensified restrictions on civil society organisations..."

"What is heartening is that there has been opposition to the erosion of rights. The widespread outrage around incidents of religious intolerance, a Supreme Court ruling striking down an oppressive law on free speech online, the many public protests against ill-conceived reforms to land acquisition laws -- these offer hope that 2016 can be a better year for human rights in India."

Wednesday, the first working day of the Budget Session of Parliament, is expected to see fireworks in both Houses of Parliament over the Rohith Vemula and JNU row.

\The Congress's leader of the house of the Lok Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, has served an adjournment motion notice over the JNU row and the suicide of Rohith Vemula, while in the Rajya Sabha, where the government lacks a majority, the Opposition has issued notice for discussing these two issues before President Pranab Mukherjee's address is taken up for discussion.

Among the government representatives expected to intervene in the discussion are ministers Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani.

10:56

JUST IN: SC agrees to hear a plea of BJP leader Subramanian Swamy seeking lifting of ban on IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings.

10:55

JUST IN: Congress leaders, including Mallikarjun Kharge, give notice for adjournment motion on JNU issue in Lok Sabha.

10:39 Donald Trump's on a roll; wins Nevada Republican caucuses

Billionaire businessman Donald Trump won the Nevada's peculiar and unpredictable caucuses, notching his third win in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.

The businessman has now won three of the four early nominating states, after convincing wins in South Carolina and New Hampshire.

The Nevada result was called at 9:02 pm local time by the Associated Press. With 2.6 percent of the precincts reporting, Trump had won 42.3 percent of the vote.

The Republicans now look ahead to Super Tuesday on 1 March, when 11 states are due to hold contests and could have a decisive impact on the Republican nomination for the White House.

Trump appears to have a lead in all the states in which recent surveys are available, except Arkansas and Texas, the home state of maverick conservative senator Ted Cruz.

10:33 Sensex extends losses

Benchmark Sensex remained on edge as it fell further by about 155 points (10:30am) in early trade today, extending yesterday's fall, on sustained capital outflows by foreign funds and selling by retail investors amid subdued Asian shares.

There was caution among investors ahead of the derivatives expiry and the railway budget tomorrow.

The 30-share index, which had lost 379 points in the previous session, plunged to 23,251, a fall of 155 points.

The NSE Nifty cracked below the 7,100-mark, by falling 47.10 points, or 0.66 per cent, to 7,062.45.

All sectoral indices led by metal, bank and PSU slipped into the negative zone with a fall of up to 1.93 per cent.

Brokers said market sentiment was fragile following FII pullout as Asia turned decisively weaker following lacklustre European and US economic data and a drop in oil prices.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was down 1.37 per cent, while Japan's Nikkei shed 0.65 per cent in early trade today.

JNU students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who are facing sedition charges for allegedly raising "anti-India" slogans, will be produced before a magistrate today.

According to India Today, Umar, during his 5-hour interrogation, has accepted that he spoke in support of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru.

Both have also reportedly told the police about the places where they stayed during the days they were missing.

JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar's bail plea is also set to be heard today in the Delhi high court.

Reports say that the other JNU students Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash, accused of allegedly shouted anti-national slogans are expected to surrender before police today.

10:04 Plane with 21 on board missing in Nepal

An airport official says a small plane with 21 people on board has gone missing while flying in a mountainous area in Nepal.

Official Yogendra Kuwar said the plane was on an 18-minute flight Wednesday, but lost contact after takeoff. He said there were no landing strips between the two airports the plane was flying between.

The plane had taken off from Pokhara, a resort town west of Kathmandu, and was heading north to Jomsom, which is the starting point for trekkers going into mountainous areas.

The Twin Otter aircraft was operated by Tara airlines in Nepal.

10:00 Cuba's Ramon Castro dies

Ramon Castro, older brother to Fidel and Raul Castro, has died, Cuban state media reported Tuesday. He was 91.

A farmer all his life, Castro supported his brother's revolution but did not take an active role in the armed struggle that brought Fidel Castro to power in 1959.

Castro continued to work in agriculture after the revolution, and was often seen driving around Havana on a tractor.

State media said that he died in the capital Tuesday morning. No cause of death was reported.

Castro was rumored to have suffered in recent years from dementia.

He sported a long beard and resembled his famous brother Fidel.

The tickets for the upcoming ICC World Twenty20 will begin from today.

A release said, "Phase 1 of the ICC WT20 ticket sale will go live tomorrow, 24th February 2016. BCCI has appointed BookMyShow as the ticketing agency for the ICC World Twenty20 India 2016. This would encompass all matches being played, including the womens fixtures. Phase 1 of the ticket sale will see tickets go on sale for the matches (excluding India matches and the Semi Finals & Final of the mens and womens events) to be played at the following venues -- Bangalore, Chennai, Dharamsala, Kolkata and Mohali. The online sale of tickets as indicated above will commence at 12:00 noon on 24th February 2016."

The release also added that the sales portal will be accessible via the ICC website www.icc-cricket.com. The sale of tickets for the matches in Mumbai, Delhi and Nagpur will begin in Phase 2, to be announced shortly.

"Considering the demand and in order to ensure a fair opportunity and equal distribution of tickets amongst all the eager fans, limited inventory of tickets for Seven of the highly sought after matches (4 India matches, 2 semi-finals and the final) will be sold online through a unique lottery system," the release said.

09:26

Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls a meeting of senior cabinet ministers at 10:30 am in Parliament.

09:17 Don't let Umar face what Kanhaiya did at court, counsel tells Delhi Police

Following the dramatic surrender last night by Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who are facing sedition charges, the former's counsel has called on the Delhi Police to ensure his safety to avoid any untoward incidents.

"It is the Magistrate and the police's duty to ensure Umar's security so that what happened with Kanhaiya, does not happen with him," Khalid's counsel Kamini Jaiswal told ANI.

She added that before he was interrogated, the police must at least verify the authenticity of the video clips in which Khalid is allegedly seen raising anti-national slogans.

According to sources, a medical check was conducted on both the students in the police station and they were questioned for around five hours.

As large mobs of reservation seekers attacked commercial, residential and government properties, indulged in rioting, arson and loot, and attacked members of other communities in some places to vent their anger for not being provided reservation in jobs, little did they realise that their actions would only harm their employment prospects.

The violence, which left 18 people dead, 200 injured, and led to destruction of property worth nearly 20,000 crore rupees has, according to trade organisations, severely damaged the confidence of people to invest in the state.

"Let alone think about investing in the state, the violence has even made traders -- whose properties were spared -- wonder when and if at all they should reopen their establishments or seek business opportunities in safer areas elsewhere," said Praveen Khandelwal, president of the Confederation of All India Traders.

More than the harm caused to over a thousand buildings in the state, the manner and scale of violence has shattered the confidence of the people and traders, he said. "The way the agitators were also able to block rail and road traffic has made the people fearful."

Read more HERE

09:07 Silence may not be golden, Mr PM

Amid the clamour of unrest sweeping university campuses and the state of Haryana near New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided on a strategy that risks emboldening political opponents: silence is golden.

Advisers describe a leader who is on top of events, but who prefers not to get sucked into rowdy debate on India's public square.

In recent weeks, thousands of students have protested across the country over the arrest of a student leader for alleged sedition, while anger among the powerful Jat community over caste-based job quotas spilled into deadly clashes in Haryana.

"He (Modi) believes that his popularity comes from being seen as a serious politician who gets on with his work," said a leader of Modi's ruling party, who spoke on condition of anonymity. "He does not believe in giving a running commentary."

An adviser said that Modi, 65, would instead give a sober assessment of recent unrest to parliament, which convened this week for its budget session in a climate of confrontation that is likely to further stall his ambitious economic reform agenda.

Read more HERE

Nalini Sriharan, a convict in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case, left the Vellore jail on Wednesday to attend her father's last rites in Chennai.

She was escorted by 10 cops.

Nalini was granted parole yesterday for 12 hours to attend the funeral of her father, who died in Tirunelvelli.

According to the parole condition, Nalini will have to report back in Vellore prison before 8 pm today.

Nalini and three others, including her husband Murugan, were originally awarded the death sentence after they were convicted for their role in the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and have been behind the bars for the last 25 years.

Nalini's death sentence was commuted to life in 2000. The death sentence of the other three was also commuted by the Supreme Court a few years ago citing inordinate delay in disposing their mercy pleas

The Rajya Sabha will on Wednesday discuss the current state of unrest at the Jawaharlal Nehru University and the furore over Hyderabad University scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide.

Both the issues will be raised in Lok Sabha on Thursday after the Rail Budget is presented.

Today, in the Lok Sabha, the motion of thanks on the President's address will be moved and the Election Laws amendment bill is also scheduled to be introduced in the lower house.

In Rajya Sabha, the National Waterways Bill, the Carriage by Air (Amendment) Bill, the Bureau of Indian Standards Bill is scheduled to come up for discussion and passage today.

The government has agreed to discuss all the issues as it wants to avoid a repeat of the monsoon and winter sessions, where little work got done.

The government has a heavy legislative agenda to push through in this session including the passage of GST Bill.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier said that he was hopeful of a 'fruitful' Budget Session and added that the government's 'limitations' must also be discussed in the Parliament as it was the only way to strengthen the democracy.

Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, who surrendered before the police late Tuesday night after the Delhi high court refused to grant them protection from arrest in a sedition case, were questioned for at least five hours.

The students left the University campus and entered a JNU security van in which the cops were waiting for them.

The two have been placed under police custody at South Campus police station and are likely to be produced before a magistrate on Wednesday.

According to sources, a medical checkup was conducted on both the students in the police station.

The duo returned to the JNU campus last Sunday after remaining underground since February 12.

Khalid and Bhattacharya are among the five students who, along with JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, had allegedly shouted anti-national slogans at an event organized in the university campus on February 9.

Besides Kumar, Khalid and Bhattacharya, the other students are Rama Naga, Ashutosh Kumar and Anant Prakash.

The water situation in the Delhi showed signs of improvement after 120 MGD of water was received from Haryana and treatment plants commenced operations following the Jat quota agitation which had hit the supply mechanism.

Delhi Water Minister Kapil Mishra, who visited Munak canal, which was damaged during the Jat stir in the neighbouring state, said most areas will get piped water supply by Wednesday morning.

He said 120 MGD of water was received from Haryana as against the normal supply of 580 MGD of raw water.

"On Wednesday morning, most areas will get piped supply. We received 120 MGD water from Haryana today. Supply will be limited until the canal is repaired.

"The government hopes the situation improves," he said in a series of tweets.

According to Delhi Jal Board, three water treatment plants at Wazirabad, Chandrawal and Okhla are operating partially after a drop in the ammonia level in the Wazirabad pond.

A moderate earthquake centered near Bakersfield was felt across a wide swath of central and southern California, but there are no reports of damages, injuries or other problems.

The US Geological Survey says the magnitude-4.8 earthquake struck near Wasco about 25 miles (40 kilometers) northwest of Bakersfield shortly after 4pm yesterday.

A dispatcher at the Kern County Sheriff's Office in Bakersfield says the quake gave the office "a pretty good jolt," but there were no reports of damage or injuries.

People reported feeling the quake in several surrounding counties, including Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles. The quake was about 150 miles (240 kilometers) south of one of similar size in central California a week earlier.

01:28 Umar Khalid, Bhattacharya surrender to police

Two Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya, facing the charge of sedition, surrendered before the police late on Tuesday night, hours after the Delhi High Court refused to grant them protection from arrest.

The duo, who returned to the JNU campus last Sunday after having gone missing since February 12, drove from the administrative bloc to the main gate of the university, got into a Delhi police vehicle and were taken to an undisclosed destination.

Police sources said Khalid and Bhattacharya surrendered at around midnight. There was no word from police as to where the two were taken.

Khalid and Bhattacharya are likely to be produced before a magistrate on Wednesday. Khalid and Bhattacharya are among the five students who, along with JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar, had allegedly shouted anti-national slogans at an event organised in the university campus to mark the death anniversary of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru on February 9.

Accepting the demand of teachers and students, JNU today agreed to add more members to the high-level committee probing the Afzal Guru row even as it said that students union president Kanhaiya Kumar's release and dropping of sedition charge are beyond its control.

The teachers and students had been raising four demands including expansion of the probe panel, disallowing the police on campus and approaching the police seeking Kanhaiya's release and revoking of sedition charges against students.

While the varsity had earlier ruled out changing the composition of the high-level committee saying it had full-faith in it, today the Vice Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar decided to add two more members to the probe panel.

"The Vice Chancellor had also called a meeting of Deans of all the schools and chairpersons of all the special centres to apprise them about steps being taken to restore normalcy on campus. It was decided that the three-member panel will co-opt two more members including a woman," JNU Registrar Bhupinder Zutshi told PTI.

Rejecting the demand of approaching police for revoking of sedition charge, Zutshi maintained, "we have not arrested Kanhaiya, we have also not charged anyone with sedition. It is for the police and court to take a call in this matter. Both these demands are beyond our control".

00:38 R R Patil's wife, daughter survive accident

Suman Patil, NCP MLA and wife of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister late R R Patil, and daughter Smita today survived a road accident in Satara district, police said.

"Both were going to Tasgaon in Sangli from Mumbai when a tempo dashed their Innova from behind. Smita has sustained minor injuries and both of them are fine," NCP sources said.

Border Security Force personnel today found an abandoned Pakistani fishing boat with a gun on board near Harami Nala area in Kutch district along the Indo-Pak border.

"As per the primary information available, a boat of Pakistani origin has been found near Harami Nala. We were also informed by the patrolling personnel that a gun was found on board. Further investigation are on," said a BSF official.

The gun found in the boat appears to be used for poaching. The occupants might have fled after seeing the BSF patrolling party, officials said. The boat was found a day after BSF seized another Pakistani fishing vessel in the creek area of Kutch. Two mobile phones and some fishing equipment were found in the boat yesterday.

Boats of Pakistani origin are found near the Indo-Pak border at regular intervals.

This is the fifth abandoned vessel seized by BSF in the last four months.

Image for representation only

00:05 Top headlines of the last 24 hours

Yashpal Singh, who boasted of Patiala House violence, arrested
Pathankot attack: Several arrested in raids in Pak's Punjab
Day after encounter, protests erupt in Kashmir
Our nationalism is only in sentiment, not in behaviour
K'taka panchayat polls: Cong edges ahead of BJP
PHOTOS: Students march for Rohith, JNU; Rahul, Kejriwal join them
JNU stir: Umar Khalid must surrender, says Delhi high court
SC agrees to hear plea against lawyers who said they beat up Kanhaiya

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