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Tue, 04 February 2020
CAG report 'little outdated': Army chief
Timeline Refresh
23:43 CAG report 'little outdated': Army chief
Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday said a CAG report that criticised the force for delay in procurement of special clothing for soldiers serving in high altitude areas, including Siachen, is a 'little outdated' as it pertains to 2015-16.
The Army is very well prepared today, he asserted.
The report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), which was tabled in Parliament on Monday, pulled up the Army for delay in procurement of clothing, equipment, snow goggles and multi-purpose boots that are required to be provided to soldiers serving in high altitude areas.
After meeting a group of 30 journalism students of Abasaheb Garware College in New Delhi, General Naravane told reporters, "If you look at the CAG report carefully, it pertains to 2015-16. So, it is not a report about the present times. So, it is a little outdated in that sense."
"But I would like to assure you that as of today, in 2020, we are very well prepared and every jawan who goes to Siachen gets personal clothing worth approximately Rs 1 lakh. That is the kind of preparation we do for each and every soldier who goes there," he added.
On the marginal hike in the defence budget, the Army chief said, "Defence budget has got a modest increase of 8 per cent year on year. We will be studying how to manage this budget and how to make full use of it. And we will continue to modernise."
"Notwithstanding what budget allocations are made, in the last year itself we have inducted more than four-five different kind of weapons, weapon systems and platforms. So, modernisation has never been an issue," he said.
The defence budget was increased to Rs 3.37 lakh crore for 2020-21 against last year's Rs 3.18 lakh crore, belying expectations of a significantly enhanced allocation to fast-track long-pending military modernisation. -- PTI
23:03 Coronavirus: 2,421 under observation in Kerala
In wake of coronavirus outbreak, a total of 2,421 people in Kerala have been put under observation including 100 people in quarantine facilities, state Health Minister K K Shailaja said in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.
"A total of 2,421 people have been put under observation including 100 people in quarantine facilities," said Sahilaja in a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram.
Quarantine is a restriction on the movement of people.
The minister said that people who have returned from China should not go out of their homes for 28 days.
On Monday, Shailaja said the state government has declared coronavirus as a state disaster.
"Kerala today (Monday) declared the novel coronavirus as a state disaster. We want to strengthen our surveillance system and precautionary measures," she said.
"When we came to know that n-coronavirus is rampant in China, we put in place our own system to contain the virus. There are many students from Kerala in China. We expect that they will come back and the coronavirus may affect the state," she added.
The minister further stated, "We have three positive cases of coronavirus so far. The samples had been sent to the National Institute of Virology for testing.
"We are calling back the health officers from leave and putting in place all measures to contain the effect of this virus."
Shailaja had informed that the third case of coronavirus tested positive in Kasargod, Kerala.
The virus originated in Wuhan in December and has since then spread to various parts around the world.
China has imposed quarantine and travel restrictions, affecting the movement of 56 million people in more than a dozen cities, amid fears that the transmission rate will accelerate. -- ANI
22:59 Sonia stable, condition improving: Hospital authorities
Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who is undergoing treatment for a stomach infection at the Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, is stable and her condition has improved, the hospital authorities said on Tuesday.
Gandhi was admitted to the hospital on Sunday evening. She underwent medical tests and was found to be suffering from a stomach infection.
"There is an improvement in her condition and she is stable," Dr D S Rana, Chairman (Board of Management), Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said in a medical bulletin.
The Congress chief did not attend the Union Budget presentation in Parliament on Saturday. -- PTI
21:34 Dirty face of AAP, Kejriwal exposed: Nadda
Taking on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after Shaheen Bagh shooter Kapil Baisala was identified as an Aam Aaadmi Party worker by police, Bharatiya Janata Party chief J P Nadda on Tuesday said it exposed the dirty face of the party and Kejriwal who were playing with the country's security.
In a series of tweets, Nadda said people of the country and Delhi today have seen dirty face of AAP.
"For political longing, Kejriwal and his people even sold the security of the country. Earlier, Kejriwal used to insult the Army and advocate terrorists, but today, relations with those who carry out their terrorist activities came to light," he said.
Nadda said he wanted to make it clear to Kejriwal that this country is bigger than any election, any government, and 'this nation will not forgive those who play with its security. Kejriwal and his entire team have been exposed. The people of Delhi will give a befitting reply'.
He claimed the entire country has seen 'photos of Imam Hussain, the MLA and former minister of Delhi government, with a radical terrorist organisation PFI'. -- PTI
20:56 Shaheen Bagh shooter is AAP member: Police
Kapil Baisala who opened fired at Shaheen Bagh protest site last week is a member of the Aam Aadmi Party, police said.
He and his father joined the AAP in early 2019, they said.
DCP (Crime Branch) Rajesh Deo said his mobile phone has been seized and they have retrieved his WhatsApp data and photos of him and his father joining the party. -- PTI
20:49 Students disrupt Dalit wedding in Gwalior
A case has been registered against 25 inmates of a students hostel in Inderganj area in Gwalior for allegedly disrupting a Dalit wedding by pelting stones and throwing water, the police said on Tuesday.
The incident on Monday night enraged sanitation workers in the city who went on a strike and staged a demonstration at Ambedkar Garden in Phoolbagh area.
Search was on for the accused students who fled the hostel, City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Rajat Saklecha said.
"We have filed a case under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act," he said.
"Two of them were identified as Veer Tomar and Annu Tomar. We are trying to identify the rest from CCTV footage," Saklecha added.
Sitaram Khare, the complainant, told the police that students from the adjacent Rajput Hostel entered Maratha Marriage Home when wedding guests were having meal on Monday night, and started throwing water and pelting stones.
There was no provocation and they simply wanted to throw their weight around, the complainant claimed.
When those present tried to stop them, the students returned with sticks and iron rods and vandalized the premises and behaved 'indecently' with women and girls, the complaint alleged.
When the police reached the spot, the accused had fled, the CSP said.
A police team was sent to the hostel but the students had escaped from there too, he added.
Local residents staged a road blockade to protest the incident on Tuesday. Jairamdas, district president of Safaikarmi Mahasangh, a sanitation workers organisation, said they staged a protest on Tuesday, and warned of an agitation if action was not taken against the students. -- PTI
20:00 HC verdict on Nirbhaya convicts' fate tomorrow
The Delhi high court will on Wednesday pronounce order on the Centre's plea challenging stay on execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.
Justice Suresh Kumar Kait had on February 2 reserved order on the Centre's plea after holding special hearing on Saturday and Sunday.
The Centre and the Delhi government has challenged the trial court's January 31 order staying 'till further orders' the execution of all the four convicts in the case -- Mukesh Kumar Singh, 32, Pawan Gupta, 25, Vinay Kumar Sharma, 26, and Akshay Kumar, 31, who are lodged in Tihar Jail. -- PTI
19:38 Coronavirus: 5 at Army hospital test negative
Five individuals, who were shifted to the Army's Base hospital after showing symptoms of cough and cold, have tested negative for coronavirus, Army sources said on Tuesday.
The five people, who were among those evacuated from coronavirus-hit Hubei province, were on Monday admitted to a military hospital in the national capital after showing initial symptoms of the virus.
"The team of Army doctors and officers are interacting with the students on a regular basis to know their problems and keep them motivated. Residents are provided with TV facilities, carom and cards for indoor recreation," an official said.
"Many of them are also playing volleyball. Laundry is set up in the camp itself with the complete set changed every second day. The linen is dipped in hypochlorite and then washed with hot water and dried in sun. Rooms are fumigated with a strong high level disinfectant, on-site generation of hypochlorous acid. Toilets are being cleaned and disinfected thrice a day with WHO approved high level disinfectants," he said.
The mobile toilet effluent is being treated as per international guidelines so that no infection goes outside, the official said.
According to doctors, the symptoms of coronavirus infection start with fever, dry cough followed by breathing problems.
Officials said samples collected from the five people were sent for various tests to All India Institute of Medical Sciences.
On Saturday, 324 Indians were brought back from Wuhan, while another batch of 323 Indians and seven Maldivians were evacuated from the Chinese city on Sunday.
All those evacuated from China are being housed at two quarantine facilities set up by the Army in Manesar and by the ITBP in Chawla Camp.
The death toll in coronavirus epidemic soared to 361 in China while the number of confirmed cases climbed to 17,205, according to Chinese government officials.
So far, India has reported three cases of coronavirus. -- PTI
18:42 Will clear Shaheen Bagh after Feb 11: Thakur
Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Thakur on Tuesday said that the process of clearing Shaheen Bagh will begin as soon as results of the Delhi assembly polls start to pour in on February 11 and the Bharatiya Janata Party is voted into power.
Thakur, who was recently banned from election campaigning for his controversial remarks at an election rally expressed confidence on the victory of BJP in the assembly elections while hitting out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia 'for supporting anti-CAA protests at Shaheen Bagh'.
"The chief minister and the deputy chief minister completely support Shaheen Bagh. When people of Delhi will vote for lotus (BJP's symbol), I assure you as the results come in on February 11, Shaheen Bagh too will start getting cleared," he said while addressing a gathering in New Delhi.
Shaheen Bagh has been the site protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has been going on for almost two months.
Assuring that his party will work for the development of Delhi, he said: "We will work for Delhi's development. AAP ke paap ab Dilli nahi karegi maaf (AAP's sins will not be forgiven by Delhi). The AAP will be wiped off from Delhi."
The Minister had raised slogans 'Desh ke gaddaron ko...,' to which the public responded with 'Goli maro... ' (shoot the traitors) during a public meeting in Rithala on January 27.
Voting in all 70 Assembly constituencies of Delhi is slated to be held on February 8. The counting of votes will take place on February 11. -- ANI
18:31 BJP asks 240 MPs to campaign in Delhi colonies
With only three days left for the Delhi poll campaign to end, the Bharatiya Janata Party has drafted its 240 MPs in its push to capture power in the national capital and asked them to campaign for the party in colonies populated mostly by poor voters.
BJP president J P Nadda made the announcement at its parliamentary party meeting on Tuesday, party sources said.
These MPs will be spending their days till the campaign ends in the settlements, including jhuggis, populated mostly by poor voters, Nadda said, expressing confidence that the BJP will win the polls.
Top party leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, felicitated Nadda in the meeting, his first after becoming the BJP chief.
The assembly polls will be held in the capital on February 8, and the campaign will end on February 6.
Winning over poor voters, large numbers of whom are seen as support base of the ruling Aam Aadmi Party, has been a key component of the BJP's strategy.
The party has assigned election duties to its seasoned leaders, including Union ministers and state functionaries, as it seeks to oust the Arvind Kejriwal government from power. -- PTI
17:56 What kind of Hindu dharm Modi follows: Rahul
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday, saying they were not interested in jobs for youngsters, but were keen on making one Indian fight another for staying in power.
Training his guns at the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Aam Aadmi Party, he said both had an aim to spread hatred in the society, something the Congress could never do.
Addressing his first rally in the run-up to the February 8 Delhi assembly polls, the former Congress chief hit out at the BJP for not addressing the economic slowdown and the issue of unemployment, but instead, encouraging violence.
"They (BJP) talk about the Hindu dharm, they talk about Islam, they talk of Sikhism. They have no knowledge of religions. In Hiduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism-- where is it written that attack other people, suppress them?" he asked the crowd.
What kind of 'Hindu dharm' is this of Modi and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) as Hinduism talked about taking everyone along, Gandhi said at the rally organised in favour of the Congress candidate from Jangpura, Tarwinder Singh Marwah.
"Show one BJP leader who raised the 'Hindustan Zindabad' slogan in Pakistan. Congress's Jangpura candidate did that and went to jail in Pakistan for it," he said. -- PTI
17:29 Anurag Kashyap chooses Vistara in solidarity with Kunal Kamra
In solidarity with stand-up comic Kunal Kamra, filmmaker Anurag Kashyap says he has decided to not fly IndiGo airlines.
The director said he chose another carrier, Vistara, instead.
'No @IndiGo6E.. on @airvistara.. in solidarity with @kunalkamra88,' Kashyap tweeted on Monday.
Last week, IndiGo suspended Kamra from flying with the private airline for six months, after he allegedly heckled journalist Arnab Goswami aboard one of its planes from Mumbai to Lucknow.
SpiceJet, GoAir and Air India also imposed a similar ban on Kamra without specifying any period.
On his part, Kamra on February 1 sent a legal notice to the airline demanding an unconditional apology, revocation of the ban and Rs 25 lakh compensation.
The video of the incident posted by Kamra on Twitter went viral on social media last week.
The stand-up comedian is seen asking Goswami if he is a 'coward or a journalist'.
Kamra received both praise and criticism from people belonging to different walks of life, including IndiGo pilot-in-command Rohit Mateti who conveyed his anguish to the airline management for not consulting him before announcing the ban on the comedian. -- PTI
17:24 BJP will form govt in Delhi on Feb 11: PM
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressing a rally in Dwarka, Delhi: "Voting se pehle, aur char din pehle BJP ke paksh mein aisa mahaul kayi logon ki neend uda raha hai. Kal purvi Dilli mein aur aaj yahan Dwarka mein, ye saaf ho gaya hain ki 11 February ko kya parinam aane vaale hain. Our government is working on Yamuna River Front, which will become the pride for the 21st century people in Delhi, mark my words. This will not only be the new iconic spot for people of Delhi but will also work as green corridor, lung of the city.
"Dilli ke gareebo ka kya gunaah hain jo unhe Rs 5 lakh tak muft ilaaj ki suvidha dene vaali Ayushmaan Bharat ka laabh nahi milta. Agar Dilli ka naagrik, jo iss yojna ka laabharti hain vo kisi kaam se bahar gaya aur achanak vaha bimaar ho jaye to ye Mohalla clinic vaha jayga kya?"
17:10 Mamata hits out at BJP for 'goli vs boli remark
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday hit out at BJP leaders for their recent "goli vs boli" remark during campaigns for the upcoming assembly elections in Delhi and said that the saffron party was firing bullets because it is aware that it will lose the poll. She said that a country has a bleak future when its leaders take to the streets holding guns.
"When ministers come out to the streets holding guns then what lies ahead for the country? We do not know what will happen tomorrow. "There are (assembly) elections in Delhi and they(BJP) know they will not be able to win it. That's why they are sending people with guns. They are saying 'Boli nahi chalega, goli chalega'... But I am saying that only boli chalega (what the people of the coutry say will take place in India)," Banerjee said at a rally in Ranaghat, Bengal.
Assembly elections in Delhi will be held on February 8 and the result will be declared on February 11. -- PTI
16:39 Nirbhaya's parents urge HC to hasten execution
Nirbhaya's parents urged the Delhi High Court on Tuesday to expeditiously decide the Centre's plea challenging stay on execution of the four convicts in the case of their daughter's gang rape and murder.
Advocate Jitendra Jha, representing the parents of Nirbhaya, the given name of the victim, said he mentioned the matter before the court for early disposal of the government's plea.
Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, who had on February 2 reserved order on the Centre's plea after holding special hearing on Saturday and Sunday, said the decision would be passed at the earliest.
The trial court on January 17 issued black warrants for the second time for the execution of all the four convicts in the case -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31) -- in Tihar jail at 6 am on February 1. Earlier, on January 7, the court had fixed January 22 as the hanging date. On January 31 the court again stayed the execution as the counsel for three convicts -- Pawan, Vinay and Akshay -- urged it to adjourn the matter "sine die" saying their legal remedies were yet to be exhausted. While the mercy pleas of Mukesh and Vinay have been rejected by the President, Pawan has not yet filed it.
Akshay's mercy plea was filed on February 1 and is pending. The Centre and Delhi government challenged the trial court's order staying the execution. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing them, had contended that it was a deliberate and calculated design of the convicts to "frustrate mandate of law" by getting their execution delayed and they were not entitled to any more time.
The counsel for the convicts opposed the plea saying it was not maintainable and that the Centre was never a party in the case proceedings before the trial court and while the government was accusing the convict of delay, it has woken up only now. -- PTI
16:33 Irked Shiv Sena corporator brings chicken to Akola civic house
A Shiv Sena corporator on Tuesday brought a live chicken in the general meeting of Akola Municipal Corporation to protest against unauthorised meat shops which he claimed were dirtying the city.
Rajesh Mishra brought the chicken in a bag and released it to much amusement and surprise when the general meeting began with Mayor Archana Mhasane and Commissioner Sanjay Kapadnis present at the civic body's Babasaheb Auditorium, officials said. "Unauthorised chicken shops are making the city unclean. Action must be taken," Mishra said.
Civic chief Kapadnis said such unauthorised meat shops will be closed soon. PTI
16:05 Shaheen Bagh's bereaved mom who will continue sit-ins
Four-month-old Mohammed Jahaan, who use to accompany her mother to the Shaheen Bagh demonstration, has died last week after developing severe cold and congestion and getting exposed to the winter chill at the protest site.The infant breathed his last on the morning of January, 31.
Speaking about the incident, infant's mother Nazia said, "I returned late from the agitation and made beds for my three children. I slept after all three were sleeping but in the morning when I woke up I found that Jahaan was not responding. We took him to Alshifa Hospital where doctor declared him brought dead".
Nazia has been regularly attending Shaheen Bagh protest since December 18 and has two more children including 5-year-old girl Ayat and two-year-old Noor Nawaj.
Nazia, however, says that she will continue to attend the protest as it was for the country.
"My son had caught cold, there was no other health issue. We will still go to protest for our country. We do not have any documents, what will we do? We demand that Modi ji and Amit Shah ji should take back Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC)," said Nazia, the mother of Jahaan.
"We will continue to protest unless Centre rolls back CAA and NRC," she added.The deceased's parents, Mohammed Arif and Nazia, live in a tiny shanty made up of plastic sheets and clothes in Batla House area of Delhi.
Protests have been going on at Shaheen Bagh since December 15 last year against the Citizenship Amendment Act due to which Kalindi Kunj road has been shut for traffic movement. -- PTI
16:05 Shaheen Bagh's bereaved mom who will continue sit-ins
Four-month-old Mohammed Jahaan, who use to accompany her mother to the Shaheen Bagh demonstration, has died last week after developing severe cold and congestion and getting exposed to the winter chill at the protest site.The infant breathed his last on the morning of January, 31.
Speaking about the incident, infant's mother Nazia said, "I returned late from the agitation and made beds for my three children. I slept after all three were sleeping but in the morning when I woke up I found that Jahaan was not responding. We took him to Alshifa Hospital where doctor declared him brought dead".
Nazia has been regularly attending Shaheen Bagh protest since December 18 and has two more children including 5-year-old girl Ayat and two-year-old Noor Nawaj.
Nazia, however, says that she will continue to attend the protest as it was for the country.
"My son had caught cold, there was no other health issue. We will still go to protest for our country. We do not have any documents, what will we do? We demand that Modi ji and Amit Shah ji should take back Citizenship (Amendment) Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC)," said Nazia, the mother of Jahaan.
"We will continue to protest unless Centre rolls back CAA and NRC," she added.The deceased's parents, Mohammed Arif and Nazia, live in a tiny shanty made up of plastic sheets and clothes in Batla House area of Delhi.
Protests have been going on at Shaheen Bagh since December 15 last year against the Citizenship Amendment Act due to which Kalindi Kunj road has been shut for traffic movement. -- PTI
16:03 Facts gave way to fiction in Prez speech: Tharoor
Congress leader Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday accused the government in Lok Sabha of abrogating its moral responsibility of dealing with the "constitutional and political crisis" facing the country and said facts gave way to fiction in the President's address to Parliament.
Participating in the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, the Congress member said there was a dearth of solutions and ideas to take India forward and attempts were made to "mask" failures of various schemes launched by the government. PTI
15:34 RBI brainstorming meet on inflation begins
Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das-headed six-member rate setting panel started its three-day brainstorming meeting on Tuesday in the backdrop of Union Budget projecting a widening of fiscal deficit amid slowing economy and hardening inflation.
The Monetary Policy Committee, which announces the benchmark lending rate (repo) on bi-monthly basis, has been tasked by the government to tame retail inflation based on Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 4 per cent (+,- 2 per cent).
The retail inflation that for several months remained in the comfort zone of the central bank has started inching up and crossed the 7 per cent mark during December 2019, mainly due to spiralling prices of vegetables.
Experts said the MPC members are going to have a tough time as slowing economy makes the case for reduction in repo rate, while rising inflation and higher fiscal deficit will require the central bank to either hike the rate or maintain a status quo.
The sixth bi-monthly monetary policy statement for 2019-20 will be announced at 1145 hours on Thursday. The government has estimated India's gross domestic product (GDP) at 5 per cent in the current financial year owing to both domestic as well as global factors amid weakening consumption demand in the country.
In December, the retail inflation also peaked to a five-year high of 7.3 per cent, mainly due to costlier vegetables, specifically onion and tomato. In its previous monetary policy review in December, the RBI had decided for a status quo, leaving the repo unchanged at 5.15 per cent on concerns of rising inflation.
While presenting the Union Budget on February 1, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman projected the fiscal deficit to widen to 3.8 per cent of the GDP against the earlier estimate of 3.3 per cent.
A higher fiscal deficit in simple terms means the government will go in for more market borrowing leading to hardening of interest rate which in turn will put pressure on inflation. -- PTI
15:11 Live streaming of court proceedings: CJI to decide on administrative side
The Supreme Court Tuesday said the issue related to implementation of its 2018 verdict allowing live streaming of court proceedings of cases of constitutional and national importance has to be dealt with by the Chief Justice of India on the administrative side. While refusing to pass any judicial order on the issue, a three-judge bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said it would be appropriate for the CJI to deal with the issue on the administrative side.
Additional Solicitor General Madhavi Divan, appearing for the Secretary General of the apex court, informed the bench that the process of implementing the 2018 verdict has already started. Attorney General K K Venugopal told the bench, also comprising Justices Vineet Saran and M R Shah, that the Secretary General has started the process of installing infrastructure for live streaming. -- PTI
14:57 'Govt should unite, not tear people apart'
"I'd like to see an India where people will not be afraid of the government." Post doctoral students at India's premier institute of science discuss their angst and their hopes with Rediff.com's Archana Masih. Read the story here.
14:28 Kejriwal has gone from Anna to Jinnah: Giriraj
Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Tuesday accused the Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal of playing the appeasement politics, saying Kejriwal has enough money to spend on the Imams and not pujaris in temples.
Speaking to ANI, Singh claimed, "In 2015, Arvind Kejriwal used to shout 'Anna Anna' and 'Vikas Vikas'. Now he is saying 'Jinnah Jinnah'. It is because of this appeasement policy, the Imams of Delhi mosques are being given Rs 18,000, their workers are getting Rs16,000 and for the maintenance Rs. 9,000 are being given. However, Arvind Kejriwal is not concerned about the pujaris in temples as they are not the vote bank."
The Union Minister also challenged Congress leader Rahul Gandhi to show him the data on employment during 2010-2014. He said, "Let Rahul bring the employment status during 2010-2014 or even during the tenure of his family. I will tell him the employment status during the tenure of Prime Minister Narendra Modi."
"I will also teach him the definition of employment. The word employment does not only mean jobs in government sectors," he added.
Giriraj Singh also said that the protesters in Shaheen Bagh are not against CAA but instead are doing Khilafat Andolan. He said, "From Shaheen Bagh, the slogans of cheers to Afzal Guru and Yakub Menon were heard. Even Sharjeel Imam had said that he will cut Assam and have an Islamic state in India."
"In Parliament, the brother of Asaduddin Owaisi said that if for 15 minutes the police disappear then I will teach a lesson to the Hindus. This is Khilafat andolan and not protest against CAA," he added. -- ANI
Image: Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Dy CM Manish Sisodia and Gopal Rai while releasing the party's manifesto today.
14:18 Attempts being made to terrorise anti-CAA protesters: Mamata
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday slammed BJP leaders for allegedly branding anti-CAA protesters as "anti-nationals", and said the recent firings outside Jamia Millia University and Shaheen Bagh in Delhi were attempts to terrorise the peaceful agitators.
In a jibe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Banerjee said unlike the PM, who "calls himself a 'chowkidaar' (watchman) only during polls", she takes care of people and attends to their problems round the year.
"I don't belong to a group that spreads hatred among masses. It is due to instigation by the BJP leaders, incidents of firing took place outside Shaheen Bagh and Jamia Millia. These are attempts to terrorize the masses," Banerjee said, while addressing a rally at Bongaon in North 24 Parganas.
Extending her support to the Shaheen Bagh protesters, Banerjee, who is also the TMC supremo, said some parties are tyring to "spread misinformation" on the issue of Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. "CAA won't grant you citizenship, it will turn you into a foreigner," she added.
-- PTI
14:01 AAP releases manifesto for Delhi polls
Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday released its manifesto for the upcoming Delhi assembly election 2020. The manifesto was released by Chief Minister and party's national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and party leaders Gopal Rai, Sanjay Singh among others.
"AAP has the vision to run the government and to ensure that common people live their lives happily. In the last five years, we have worked to make Delhi a modern and advanced capital. And the manifesto also lays out a map for further pursuance of that objective," Manish Sisodia said in a press conference in Delhi.
Sisodia said, "The Delhi Jan Lokpal Bill which was passed in Delhi Vidhan Sabha in 2015, has been pending with the Central Government for the last 4 years. The AAP Government will continue its struggle to get the Bill passed. "If a sanitation worker dies during duty then his/her family will be given a financial assistance of Rs 1 crore," Sisodia said.
"I would like to tell BJP that people of Delhi want the BJP to declare a Chief Ministerial candidate and I am ready to debate with that person," Kejriwal added.
Delhiites want BJP to declare its CM candidate; ready for debate with him: Arvind Kejriwal. BJP and Congress have already released their manifesto for the elections.The assembly elections on all 70 seats are scheduled to be held on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11. -- ANI
13:40 Bengal BJP submits memorandum to Prez over law and order in state
A delegation of BJP MPs from West Bengal led by the party's general secretary Kailash Vijayvargiya on Tuesday submitted a memorandum to President Ram Nath Kovind expressing concern about the law and order situation in the state. "Women are not safe in the state, they are being humiliated," Vijayvargiya said. In a state where "even the Governor is being manhandled, speaks volume about the law and order situation," the BJP leader said. PTI
13:20 Cong's 'Ravan ke aulad' remark to BJP in Parl
Leader of Congress in the Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Tuesday attacked the BJP over Anantkumar Hegde's controversial remark on Mahatma Gandhi and termed the party as "Ravan ke aulad" (children of Ravana).
"Aaj ye Mahatma Gandhi ko gaali dete hain. Ye Ravan ke aulad hain. Ram ke pujari ka ye apmaan kar rahe hain (Today, they abuse Mahatma Gandhi. They are children of Ravan. They are insulting Lord Ram's devotee)," Chowdhury said.
Later, BJP lawmakers objected to Chowdhury's statement and it was struck out from the records.
Hegde, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada, had on Saturday said that the freedom struggle led by Mahatma Gandhi was a "drama"."None of these so-called leaders were beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," Hegde had said while addressing a public event in Bengaluru.
While several Congress leaders, including Karti Chidambaram and BK Hariprasad, have condemned Hegde's remark, BJP leaders too have distanced themselves from it.
The top leadership in BJP is unhappy with Anantkumar Hegde over his controversial remark on Mahatma Gandhi, party sources had said on Monday, adding that he has been asked to issue an unconditional apology. -- ANI
13:15 Air India to suspend its flights to Hong Kong after Feb 7
In view of novel coronavirus outbreak, Air India is suspending its flights to Hong Kong after flying AI314 on February 7.
Earlier, IndiGo Airlines had announced the suspension of its flight operations between Kolkata and Guangzhou from February 6 to February 27.
The virus which originated in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December has since spread to various cities around the world. There are three confirmed cases of coronavirus in India. The confirmed cases of coronavirus in China have now surged past 20,000. At least 425 people have been killed due to the deadly virus in China so far. -- ANI
Image: Air India has evacuated all Indian citizens from the city of Wuhan, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak.
13:12 BJP MP refuses to apologise for Gandhi remarks
BJP MP Anant Kumar Hegde refuses to apologise for his statement against Mahatma Gandhi.
Speaking to ANI, Hegde said, "I own my statement made on 1 Feb, 2020. I never made any reference to any political party or Mahatma Gandhi or anybody else, I was just trying to categorize freedom struggle. The speech is in public domain if anyone wants to see, it is available online and on my website.
"I never said a word against Mahatma Gandhi and Pandit Nehru. I was just discussing about our freedom struggle. All related media reports are false, I never said what is being debated over. It is an unnecessary controversy."
This comes even as the BJP has asked Hegde to issue an unconditional apology over his remark on Mahatma Gandhi that has stirred controversy, sources said.
According to sources, the BJP is upset over Anantkumar Hegde's remark on Mahatma Gandhi and has asked him for an apology. Former Union minister and BJP MP Anantkumar Hegde on Saturday had attacked Mahatma Gandhi and called the freedom struggle led by him a "drama".
Hegde also questioned as to how "such people" come to be called 'Mahatma' in India. While addressing a public event in Bengaluru on Saturday, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada said the entire freedom movement was "staged with the consent and support of the British".
The Congress on Monday slammed the BJP leader, saying the father of the nation does not need a certificate from the "cadre of Britishers chamchas and spies. "Mahatma Gandhi does not need a certificate from cadre of Britishers 'chamchas and spies'," Congress spokesperson Jaiveer Shergill said in a tweet. "It is high time the BJP is renamed 'Nathuram Godse Party'," he added.
13:06 PM to visit Assam on Feb 7, celebrate Bodo deal
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Kokrajhar on February 7 to participate in the celebrations of the signing of the Bodo agreement.
The visit comes days after the government signed a tripartite agreement with representatives of all factions of the banned National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) at the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in New Delhi.
It will be the first visit of Prime Minister Modi since the state witnessed anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests. Over four lakh people from the Bodoland Territorial Area District (BTAD) districts and all over Assam are expected to attend the programme, a government release said.
The Bodo groups have been demanding a separate state of Bodoland for the last 50 years. The movement has resulted in extensive violence and loss of hundreds of lives over the years.
The Assam government will organise a cultural programme of ethnic groups of the state to showcase the diversity of the region.
The Prime Minister will also address the gathering to hail the historic Bodo Agreement signed in January this year, by including the leading stakeholders under one framework.
He had said that the agreement is inspired by the mantra of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, and Sabka Vishwas' and the spirit of 'Ek Bharat, Shresth Bharat'."
Over 1615 cadres of different factions of the NDFB have surrendered their arms and joined the mainstream within two days of the signing of the agreement," read the release.
A special package of Rs 1,500 Crore is earmarked for the development of the region.
"The recent signing of the Bru-Reang Agreement signed by the Government of India and Governments of Mizoram, Tripura, to provide relief and succour to over 35,000 Bru-Reang Refugees and the surrendering of over 85 Cadres of the NLFT in Tripura stand testimony to the continued commitment and vision of the Prime Minister for the overall development and peace of the North-East", the statement said.
In "Mann Ki Baat" programme on the Republic Day, the Prime Minister gave a clarion call to all those on the path of violence to return to the mainstream and lay down arms. -- PTI
12:53 2,335 incidents of ceasefire violation in Jammu between May to Jan: Govt
There have been 2,335 incidents of ceasefire violation along the LoC in Jammu region between May 30 last year and January 20 this year, said Minister of State for Defence Shripad Naik on Monday.
A total of 17 Army personnel have died due to avalanches or snow slides in hilly areas, including Siachen, in 2019, he said. "There have been 2,335 incidents of ceasefire violations (CFVs) along Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region since 30 May, 2019 (formation of current government) till 20 January, 2020," the minister noted in his written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha.
"In addition, 177 incidents of cross-border firing along Indo-Pak International Border in Jammu region since 30 May, 2019 till 15 January, 2020," the minister added. So far, there have been eight fatal casualties of Army personnel since 30 May last year, he stated. In his written reply to another question, Naik said there have been six fatal causalities of Army personnel in 2019 due to avalanches or snow slides in Siachen area.
In other hilly areas, there have been 11 fatal casualties of Army personnel in 2019 and six fatal casualties of Army personnel between January 1 and January 24 this year due to avalanches or snow slides, he added. -- PTI
12:39 Javadekar blames Delhi govt for delay in convicts' execution in Nirbhaya case
Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday held Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government responsible for the delay in the execution of death sentence awarded to the four convicts in the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape case.
"The appeal of the convicts was rejected by the Supreme Court in 2017 but jail authorities took more than a year to complete the process for informing the convicts. The delay is due to the state government," Javadekar said in Rajya Sabha.
The minister's comment came after AAP MP Sanjay Singh's request for intervention of President Ram Nath Kovind and the Supreme Court for speedy execution of death sentence awarded to the convicts.
Earlier, the Delhi high court on Sunday reserved its order on a plea filed by the central government and Tihar Jail authorities challenging the order of Patiala House district court which stayed the execution of the four convicts in the Nirbhaya case.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing on behalf of the Centre, had alleged that the convicts were deliberately delaying the execution, adding that any delay in death sentence will have a dehumanising effect on the convicts.
A Delhi court has stayed till further orders the execution of the four convicts -- Akshay Thakur, Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma -- which was earlier scheduled to take place on February 1.
The case pertains to the gang-rape and brutal murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people, including a juvenile, in Delhi. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.
-- ANI
12:15 Attempts made to mislead people on Budget: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said attempts were made to mislead people on the Union Budget, however, even critics now accept that it is the best budget under the prevailing global economic scenario.
Speaking at the BJP parliamentary party meeting in New Delhi, Modi hailed the Bodo accord and the agreement to settle the members of Bru-Reang tribe in Tripura, terming them "historic" successes of his government in this decade. It will usher in an era of peace in the North East which has suffered decades of bloodshed and violence, he said.
Referring to the Union Budget, which was presented by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday, Modi said attempts were made to mislead people on it. However, people have now realised that it is a very good budget and even critics have acknowledged that this is the best budget under the prevailing global economic scenario, he said.
BJP president JP Nadda, who attended the first parliamentary party meet after becoming the party chief, was felicitated by Modi and others. Nadda expressed confidence about the BJP's win in the February 8 Delhi Assembly polls and added that over 240 party MPs are spending several days in the poor colonies of the national capital to reach out to voters. -- PTI
12:09 Everybody knows for whose benefit people are protesting at Shaheen Bagh: AAP
Taking a veiled jibe at the BJP, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Tuesday said that everybody knows for whose benefit people are on a sit-in protest at Shaheen Bagh, adding the ruling party at the Centre has designed their entire Delhi poll campaign around the agitation.
"Narendra Modi himself said that Muslim women are his fans as he abolished triple talaq. If his fan following is sitting on protests then they should have removed them from there after talking to them," AAP spokesperson Saurabh Bhardwaj told ANI.
"The police should have taken the action by now. If the police is not taking action and it is being made a poll issue. Now, everybody understands who directed them to sit there and for whose benefit they are sitting there," he added.
Bhardwaj, who is contesting Delhi polls from Greater Kailash Assembly seat, continued: "Who wants to take poll benefit out of this? It is BJP. Their whole campaign is based on Shaheen Bagh. BJP has made an issue out of Shaheen Bagh. Is it possible for someone to block a road?"
Shaheen Bagh agitation has been ongoing for over 50 days now, with a large number of women sitting on protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Population Register (NPR) and proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
11:44 No decision on nationwide NRC yet: Govt
The Centre has announced that it has not taken any decision yet on the National Register of Indian Citizens (NRIC) at the national level. MoS Home Nityanand Rai in a written reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, said, "Till now, the government has not taken any decision to prepare the NRC at the national level."
Amid protests by the Opposition over the amended Citizenship Act in both Houses of Parliament on Monday, BJP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Shiv Pratap Shukla said that some leaders are trying to create "a Shaheen Bagh even inside Parliament".
"Till now they (Opposition) had not got the opportunity. They are behind the Shaheen Bagh (protests) as well, and now they are trying to repeat the Shaheen Bagh even inside Parliament as well," Shukla, a former Union minister, told ANI here.
The MoS further said that people are now getting tired of the anti-CAA protests being held in Shaheen Bagh.
11:35 LS adjourned after uproar on Hegde's remarks
Lok Sabha was on Tuesday adjourned till 12 pm after uproar by Opposition members over BJP lawmaker Anantkumar Hegde's statement against Mahatma Gandhi.
While addressing a public event in Bengaluru on Saturday, the Lok Sabha MP from Uttara Kannada said the entire freedom movement was "staged with the consent and support of the British".
"None of these so-called leaders were beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was one big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," he said.
The BJP leader also termed Mahatma Gandhi's hunger strikes and satyagraha a "drama".
"People supporting Congress keep saying that India got independence because of the fast unto death and satyagraha. This is not true. The British did not leave the country because of satyagraha," he had said.
"British gave independence out of frustration. My blood boils when I read history. Such people become Mahatma in our country," Hegde had said in his concluding statement. -- ANI
11:13 BJP Parl party meet underway, PM attends
The Bharatiya Janata Party Parliamentary party meeting is underway in Parliament House. The meeting is being held in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP national president JP Nadda, and Union Ministers like Nitin Gadkari, Ravi Shankar Prasad, Prakash Javadekar, Ramesh Pokhriya, and Nirmala Sitharaman among others.
BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur is also present in the meeting.This is Nadda's first Parliamentary party meeting after taking charge as BJP national president.
This meeting comes close on the heels of Anantkumar Hegde's controversial remark about Mahatma Gandhi after which many top BJP leaders expressed unhappiness over his remark, party sources said earlier today.
Hegde has been asked to issue an unconditional apology, according to BJP sources.
Hegde had attacked Mahatma Gandhi by calling the freedom struggle led by him a "drama" and also questioned as to how "such people" come to be called 'Mahatma' in India.
"None of these so-called leaders was beaten up by the cops even once. Their independence movement was a big drama. It was staged by these leaders with the approval of the British. It was not a genuine fight. It was an adjustment freedom struggle," he had said. -- ANI
11:10 AAP MP gives notice in RS to expedite death sentence of Nirbhaya convicts
AAP MP Sanjay Singh on Tuesday gave Zero Hour notice in the Rajya Sabha over 'demand to expedite the death sentence of 2012 Delhi gang-rape convicts.
A Delhi court last week stayed till further orders the execution of the four convicts -- Akshay Thakur, Mukesh Singh, Pawan Gupta, and Vinay Sharma -- which was earlier scheduled to take place on February 1.
The case pertains to the gang-rape and brutal murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student in a moving bus on the night of December 16, 2012, by six people, including a juvenile, in Delhi. The woman had died at a Singapore hospital a few days later.
One of the five adult accused, Ram Singh, had allegedly committed suicide in Tihar Jail during the trial of the case. --ANI
11:05 Kenyan president says ex-president Daniel arap Moi has died
Daniel Arap Moi, a former schoolteacher who became Kenya's longest-serving president and presided over years of repression and economic turmoil fueled by runaway corruption, has died. He was 95. Moi's death was announced by President Uhuru Kenya in a statement on the state broadcaster on Tuesday. Moi, who ruled Kenya for 24 years, had been in hospital for over a month. Despite being called a dictator by critics, Moi enjoyed strong support from many Kenyans and was seen as a uniting figure when he took power after founding President Jomo Kenyatta died in office in 1978.
Image: Kenya's former president Daniel Arap Moi. Pic: Reuters
10:29 MNS puts up 'B'deshis leave country' posters
Maharashtra Navnirman Sena's (MNS) posters stating 'Bangladeshis leave the country, otherwise you will be driven out in MNS style' were seen in Panvel in Raigad district on Monday.
The posters also feature MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his son Amit Thackeray, who was recently inducted into the party.
Thackeray had earlier said that the party will take out a huge rally on February 9 in Mumbai to drive "illegal infiltrators" from Pakistan and Bangladesh, out of India.
"We will take out a huge rally on February 9 to drive illegal infiltrators from Pakistan and Bangladesh, out of India. There can be a debate on the Citizenship Amendment Act, but why should we shelter someone who has come from outside illegally?" he had said. -- ANI
10:13 Rishi Kapoor discharged from hospital, back home
Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor on Tuesday said he was back home after being discharged from a Delhi hospital for pneumonia. There were reports that the 67-year-old actor, who was in the capital to attend a family function, was admitted to a hospital.
In a series of tweets, Kapoor said he had caught an infection due to "pollution" while shooting in the city. He also thanked his well-wishers for their concern. "Dear family, friends, foes and followers. I have been overwhelmed by all your concern about my health. Thank you. I have been filming in Delhi past 18 days and because of the pollution and my low count of neutrophils, I caught an infection whereby I had to be hospitalized," the actor tweeted.
Kapoor said he decided to issue a clarification as "people seem to have assumed a lot different". The actor returned to India last September after undergoing treatment for cancer in the US for almost a year. "I was running a slight fever and on investigation, doctors found a patch, which could have lead to pneumonia, was detected and is being cured. People seem to have assumed a lot different. I put to rest all those stories and look forward to entertain and love you. I am now in Mumbai," he continued. -- PTI
10:10 BJP Parliamentary meeting set to begin
Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives for BJP Parliamentary party meeting at the Parliament House in Delhi.
10:05 Remove tags to get more women in workforce: Tata Sons Chairman
Tags need to be removed to get more women into India's workforce, Tata Sons Chairman, N Chandrasekaran said. There are lots of 'tags' in India such as 'women cannot do this (kind of jobs); this is only for men,' and all of them have to be removed, he said.
"There is a possibility of creating platforms for SMEs, there is a possibility of getting (more) women into workforce," Chandrasekaran said. Policy changes are also needed. In healthcare for example, rules are strict, he noted, pointing to "what can be done by doctors and what can be done by people who are not doctors." Chandrasekaran also said that 'care' in general -- such as those targeted at elderly and children as an industry is a "huge opportunity."
"We got to create women role-models in non-traditional areas," he said, questioning as to why they can be confined to only educated women. Chandrasekaran made the comments in Bengaluru last evening while responding to a related question after the launch the book "Bridgital Nation" authored by him and Roopa Purushothaman, Chief Economist and Head of Policy Advocacy Tata Sons. -- PTI
09:54 Sensex settles in, rallies over 400 points
Market benchmark Sensex surged over 400 points in morning session on Tuesday led by gains in index-heavyweights Reliance Industries, HDFC twins and ITC amid firm global cues.
Reclaiming the 40,000 mark, the 30-share BSE index was trading 438.16 points or 1.10 per cent higher at 40,310.47. Similarly, the broader NSE advanced 120.15 points, or 1.03 per cent, to 11,828.05. In the previous session, Sensex rose 136.78 points or 0.34 per cent to settle at 39,872.31, and Nifty gained 46.05 points or 0.39 per cent to close at 11,707.90.
Meanwhile, on a net basis, foreign institutional investors sold equities worth Rs 1,200.27 crore, while domestic institutional investors purchased shares worth Rs 1,286.63 crore on Monday, data available with stock exchanges showed.
HDFC was the top gainer in the Sensex pack, rising up to 2.5 per cent, followed by Reliance Industries, UltraTech Cement, Hero MotoCorp, ITC, IndusInd Bank and HDFC Bank, on the other hand, Bajaj Auto, HUL, Nestle India and Asian Paints were trading in the red.
According to analysts, market finding some ground after a disappointing Union Budget. Besides, manufacturing activity hitting an eight-year high eased investor concerns over economic recovery. -- PTI
09:15 Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill in Test team; Mayank Agarwal in ODIs for Rohit
The Indian national selectors have named the squad for the two-Test series against New Zealand and Prithvi Shaw finds a place in the team which also has Ishant Sharma named in it, but subject to passing a fitness test. The pacer injured his ankle in a Ranji Trophy game for Delhi.
With Rohit Sharma being ruled out of the ODIs and Tests due to a calf injury, Mayank Agarwal has been named as his replacement in the ODI squad.
"Rohit sustained a left calf muscle strain during the fifth T20I against New Zealand at Tauranga on Sunday. He underwent an MRI scan in Hamilton on Monday. The opening batsman has been ruled out of the upcoming ODI and the Test series and will be referred to the National Cricket Academy for further management of his injury," the BCCI release stated.
"The senior selection committee has named Mayank Agarwal in the ODI squad as Rohit's replacement."
Navdeep Saini has also been named in the squad which sees Shubman Gill also making the cut thanks to some impressive scores in the India 'A' games against New Zealand 'A'.
India's Test squad: Virat Kohli (Captain), Mayank Agarwal, Prithvi Shaw, Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice-captain), Hanuma Vihari, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), Rishabh Pant (wicket-keeper), R. Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav, Mohd Shami, Navdeep Saini, Ishant Sharma (subject to fitness clearance).
09:05 AAP to release manifesto for Delhi polls today
Three days ahead of polling, the ruling Aam Aadmi Party will release its manifesto for the Delhi Assembly elections.
Congress and BJP both have already released their manifestos for the polls.
In January, AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had released 'Kejriwal Ka Guarantee Card' which included promises to continue 200 units of free electricity, Mohalla marshals and 24x7 clean water to every resident of the national capital.
The AAP chief had said that his government would continue the existing 20,000 litres free water and promised to provide 24-hour clean water in the next five years.
Polling on 70 Assembly seats of Delhi will be held on February 8 and the counting of votes will take place on February 11.
-- ANI
08:33 Rahul, Priyanka to hold poll rallies in Delhi today
Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will on Tuesday hold public rallies in Jangpura and Sangam Vihar areas.
Meanwhile, former prime minister and senior Congress leader Dr Manmohan Singh will also address a rally in Rajouri Garden area today. Congress's top brass will join the Delhi poll campaign on the penultimate day of campaigning when the canvassing by different party candidates is at its peak.
The Congress on Sunday released its manifesto for the assembly elections in Delhi.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold an election rally in Dwarka area in poll-bound Delhi.
Election to the 70-member assembly in Delhi will be held on February 8, while the results will be declared on February 11.
-- ANI
08:08 Coronavirus death toll shoots up to 425
The death toll in mainland China from the new type of virus has risen to 425, with the total number of cases now standing at 20,438, officials said Tuesday.
The new figures come after the country opened a new hospital built in 10 days, infused cash into tumbling financial markets and further restricted people's movement in hopes of containing the rapidly spreading virus and its escalating impact.
Japanese officials were deciding whether to quarantine more than 3,000 people on a cruise ship that carried a passenger who tested positive for the virus.
The latest figures are up from 361 deaths and 17,205 confirmed cases.
Other countries are continuing evacuations and restricting the entry of Chinese or people who have recently travelled in the country. In the province at the epicenter of the outbreak, a specialised 1,000-bed hospital started treating patients and a second hospital with 1,500 beds is to open within days.
The World Health Organization said the number of cases will keep growing because tests are pending on thousands of suspected cases.
Chinese President Xi Jinping, presiding over a special meeting of the country's top Communist Party body for the second time since the crisis started, said "we have launched a people's war of prevention of the epidemic."
00:59 China suspends work on aircraft carrier, jets
Chinese armament firms, including those building aircraft carrier and military aircraft, have halted work in order to focus on controlling the risk of rapidly spreading coronavirus that has killed 361 people in the country, official media here reported on Monday.
The deadly virus, which so far infected 17,341 people in China, has spread to 25 countries, including India, the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia.
"Chinese armaments companies have postponed planned work in order to concentrate on controlling the risk of spreading the novel coronavirus, including those building the country's new aircraft carrier and fighter jets," state-run Global Times said in a brief report.
China launched its first aircraft carrier in 2014 which is a refitted vessel of the hull of a former Soviet ship.
The country recently operationalised its second aircraft carrier even as it built the third one.
Official media reports say China plans to acquire about five to six aircraft carriers in the coming years.
Also, China is developing a host of new fighter jets, including stealth bombers.
The suspension of the work is part of the radical measures being taken by the ruling Communist Party of China to combat the fast spreading virus. -- PTI
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