LIVE! Girl who said Pak zindabad booked for sedition

LIVE

Thu, 20 February 2020

Girl who said Pak zindabad booked for sedition

Timeline Refresh

23:52 Girl who said Pak zindabad booked for sedition

Sedition charges were slapped on the girl -- Amulya -- who raised 'Pakistan zindabad' slogan at an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act rally organised by All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi in Bengaluru on Thursday.

Police said that a case has been registered under Section 124A (Offence of sedition) of the Indian Penal Code against Amulya.

The police will first interrogate her and then she will be produced before a court, officials said.

Commotion marred the function of Owaisi in Bengaluru when the girl managed to reach the stage and started shouting slogans -- 'Hindustan Zindabad' and 'Pakistan Zindabad'.

She wanted to differentiate between 'Pakistan Zindabad' and 'Hindustan Zindabad' but organisers and cops on duty whisked her away.

Owaisi himself rushed to take the mike from her.

He was having a one-on-one with the public here.

Owaisi said: "I condemn this statement. The woman is not associated with us. Humare Liye Bharat Zindabad Tha, Zindabad Rahega." -- ANI

Jawaharlal Nehru University student Sharjeel Imam, who was arrested on charges of sedition, was brought to Assam on Thursday evening for interrogation.

Imam was brought to Guwahati from New Delhi by train and then taken to a hospital for medical checkup, Guwahati Police Commissioner Munna Prasad Gupta told PTI.

After his checkup, Imam was produced before the chief judicial magistrate's court which sent him to four day's police remand, he said.

The police had sought 14 days' remand to interrogate him.

The student, who came into the limelight during the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad on January 28 in a case of allegedly making inflammatory speeches at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and in Aligarh.

Imam was slapped with a sedition case after his alleged speeches went viral on social media wherein he was heard speaking about Assam's possible secession from the country in the wake of the CAA.

A case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been registered against him in Assam.

On Tuesday, the Delhi police had named Imam as 'instigator' in its charge sheet filed against 17 people in a case related to violence during protests against the CAA at New Friends Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia last year. -- PTI

The Supreme Court Thursday refused to entertain a plea seeking to define the word 'minority' and laying of guidelines to accord minority status based on state-wise population of a particular community.

A bench of Justices R F Nariman and S Ravindra Bhat allowed advocate and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Ashwini Upadhyay to withdraw the plea with the liberty to approach the appropriate forum for the relief.

During the hearing, senior advocate Vikas Singh, appearing for Upadhyay, said that the word 'minority' needs to be defined and guidelines need to be laid for their identification at state level in accordance with the apex court verdict of 2002.

The expression 'minority' has been used in Articles 29 and 30 of the Constitution but it has nowhere been defined, he said.

As per the Census of 2011, Hindus are actual minority in Laddakh, Mizoram, Lakshdweep, Kashmir, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur, Singh said.

The bench said if the petitioner has any remedy, then it lies somewhere else not in the apex court.

There are two options, either the court will dismiss the petition or the plea can be withdrawn by the petitioner, it said.

Singh then said that he would like to withdraw the plea but would like to have liberty to move the appropriate forum.

The bench dismissed the plea as withdrawn but gave the petitioner liberty to approach the appropriate forum.

Upadhyay's plea said that as per the Census of 2011, Hindus are merely 1 per cent in Laddakh, 2.75 per cent in Mizoram, 2.77 per cent in Lakshdweep, 4 per cent in Kashmir, 8.74 per cent in Nagaland, 11.52 per cent in Meghalaya, 29 per cent in Arunachal Pradesh, 38.49 per cent in Punjab and 41.29 per cent in Manipur.

"But, their minority rights are being siphoned off illegally and arbitrarily to the majority population because neither Centre nor respective State has notified them as a 'minority' under Section 2 (c) of the National Commission of Minorities Act.

"Thus, Hindus are being deprived of their basic rights, guaranteed under the Articles 30," the plea said.

It said that despite Hindus being in minority in these states, they cannot establish and administer educational institutions of their choice in spirit of Article 30(1) of the Constitution.

"On the other hand, Muslims are 46 per cent in Laddakh, 95 per cent in Kashmir, 96.58 per cent in Lakshdweep; Christians are 87.16 per cent in Mizoram, 88.10 per cent in Nagaland, 74.59 per cent in Meghalaya; Buddhists are 50 per cent in Laddakh and Sikhs are 57.69 per cent in Punjab. But, they can establish and administer the educational institutions," the plea said. -- PTI

22:05 Uddhav Thackeray to meet Modi tomorrow

Nearly three months after taking charge, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Friday, the Shiv Sena said on Thursday.

Thackeray will on Friday visit New Delhi, his first trip to the national capital after becoming chief minister in November.

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut tweeted that Thackeray will meet Modi during the visit.

"It will be a courtesy call," Raut said.

Thackeray took charge on November 28 as head of the three-party coalition consisting of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress.

The Thackeray-led Sena joined hands with the NCP and the Congress, its ideological opponents, after snapping ties up the Bharatiya Janata Party, its long-time ally in Maharashtra, post the assembly elections in October. -- PTI

21:57 Woman raises pro-Pak slogans at Owaisi rally

Leaving the organisers of an event to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register in Bengaluru red-faced, a young woman on Thursday raised 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan in the presence of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi, who denounced her action and asserted 'we are for India'.

The woman, identified as Amulya, asked people to shout with her 'Pakistan Zindabad' after the organisers of the event under the banner of 'Save Constitution' invited her to address the gathering soon after Owaisi came on the stage.

Soon Owaisi rushed to snatch the mike from her hands and was joined by others who tried to remove her from the state.

But the woman was adamant and raised the slogan again repeatedly.

Later, the police stepped in and removed her from the dais.

Owaisi then addressed the gathering, saying he did not agree with the woman.

"Neither me nor my party has any link with her. We denounce her. The organisers should not have invited her here. If I knew this, I would not have come here. We are for India and we no way support our enemy nation Pakistan. Our entire drive is to save India," the AIMIM MP said.

Janata Dal-Secular corporator Imran Pasha claimed she was planted by some rival group to disrupt the event.

The woman, he said, was not in the list of speakers and demanded that the police investigate the matter seriously. -- PTI

20:59 Pak hopes Trump will walk the talk on Kashmir

Pakistan on Thursday expressed hope that United States President Donald Trump during his visit to India next week will take 'some concrete practical steps' on his offer of mediation on Kashmir.

Trump is scheduled to travel to India on February 24 and 25, with stops in Ahmedabad and New Delhi.

At the weekly media briefing in Islamabad, Foreign Office spokesperson Aisha Farooqui hoped the offer of mediation expressed by President Trump 'will be taken forward through some concrete practical steps'.

Farooqui made the remarks in response to questions about Trump's visit to India and situation in Kashmir.

She said that four US Senators including Senator Lindsay Graham in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo drew his attention towards the situation in Kashmir.

In January, President Trump repeated his offer to 'help' resolve the Kashmir issue between India and Pakistan during his meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

New Delhi maintains that there is no scope for any third-party mediation between India and Pakistan over Kashmir.

Farooqui also said that UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres during his three-day visit to Pakistan expressed his 'deep concern at the increase in tensions since last year'.

She also said this week was a painful reminder of the tragedy of Samjhauta Express train that occurred 13 years ago, and the 'families and the loved ones of the 68 victims of that terrorist attack still await justice'.

"Pakistan would like to remind the Indian government of its responsibility to take serious and credible steps to bring the perpetrators of the Samjhauta Express blasts to justice at the earliest and without further delay," she said. -- PTI

Members of the Ram Mandir Trust, including its president Nritya Gopal Das, on Thursday called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence here and invited him to visit Ayodhya.

The meeting came a day after the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teertha Kshetra, set up recently to oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya, met for the first time on Wednesday.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader Champat Rai, who was elected as the trust's general secretary, was present at the meet along with treasurer Swami Govind Dev Giri.

"We invited the prime minister to visit Ayodhya," Das told reporters after the meeting.

The 15-member trust was constituted by the Narendra Modi government, after the Supreme Court's landmark verdict on November 9 in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case which settled the long-festering religious issue and allowed building of a temple at the disputed site where many Hindus believe Lord Ram was born.

Announcement of the formation of the trust was made by Prime Minister Modi in Lok Sabha. -- PTI

19:56 AGR crisis 'unprecedented', says Sunil Mittal

Bharti Airtel Chairman Sunil Mittal on Thursday met Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and sought cut in taxes and levies for the sector, amid the 'unprecedented' AGR crisis.

Mittal said Airtel is committed to complying with the Supreme Court order on adjusted gross revenue (AGR) dues, and asserted that the company will make balance payment 'expeditiously'.

"AGR is an unprecedented crisis for industry, which is being dealt with by government," he said.

Mittal further said the industry is heavily taxed and suggested cut in taxes and levies for sector.

He said Airtel has time till March 17 to make balance payments, adding that the company will pay its dues 'much before that'. -- PTI

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing concern over 'steady reduction' of central funds to the state and 'inordinate delay' in the irrelease.

In her letter, Banerjee asserted that despite that the state's GSDP grew by 10.4 per cent against the national GDP growth of 5 per cent in 2019-20.

'I write to you with deep concern regarding steady reduction of central funds to the state and also inordinate delay in release of funds to us from the Government of India,' Banerjee said in the letter.

She said the state is yet to receive its share of central funds totalling Rs 50,000 crore till January, 2020.

This 'extraordinary situation' is creating major difficulties in meeting obligations for the welfare of the state, she said. -- PTI

19:17 Pejawar mutt donates Rs 5 lakh for Ram Mandir

Pejawar Mutt of Udupi has made an initial donation of Rs 5 lakh towards the construction of the Ram temple at Ayodhya.

The cheque for the amount was handed over to treasurer Swami Govinddev Giri during the first meeting of the Rama Janmabhoomi Theerthakshetra Trust on Wednesday.

This was informed by Pejawar mutt chief Swami Vishwa Prasanna Teertha, who attended the meeting held in Delhi.

The prasadam of Udupi Sri Krishna Mutt was also given to all the trustees, he said.

The public would have an opportunity to donate for the temple construction and arrangement would be made to remit the donation amount to thetrusts bank account, he said. -- PTI

All three persons who had earlier tested positive for coronavirus in the state have been discharged after undergoing proper treatment, a Kerala nodal officer of public health emergency said on Thursday.

"First patient of novel Coronavirus has been discharged. The patient has to undergo 14 more days of home isolation. All three persons who had earlier tested positive for Coronavirus have been discharged now," Dr Amar Fettile told ANI.

The positive cases, were reported from Thrissur, Alappuzha and Kasaragod.

All three had recently returned from Wuhan University in China.

Wuhan, in Hubei province of China has been the epicentre of the novel coronavirus.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) first detected the novel coronavirus disease, dubbed COVID-19, in China's Hubei Province, Wuhan, in late December 2019. -- ANI

18:51 SBI Cards' Rs 9000 cr IPO opens on March 2

The Rs 9,000-crore initial public offering (IPO) of SBI Cards and Payment Services, the credit card unit of the country's largest lender State Bank of India (SBI), will open for subscription on March 2.

The company, which had filed draft IPO papers in November last year, obtained "observations" from the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) on February 11.

The IPO will open for subscription on March 2 and close on March 5, SBI said in a regulatory filing.

"Further, SBI has been informed by SBI Cards that, in compliance with applicable law, including, the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations, 2018, Anchor Investors shall bid one working day prior to the bid/offer opening date, being February 28, 2020," it said.

Further, subscription period for qualified institutional buyers (QIBs) will close one working day prior to the closing date on March 4, it said.

According to the draft papers, SBI Cards will offer up to 130,526,798 equity shares through an offer-for-sale route. This will include up to 37,293,371 share sale by SBI and up to 93,233,427 shares on offer by Carlyle Group. In addition, the company will also issue fresh equity shares of Rs 500 crore.

SBI holds 76 per cent in SBI Cards and the rest of the stake is held by Carlyle Group.

SBI Cards is the second-largest credit card issuer in India with an 18 per cent market share.

SBI Cards was launched in October 1998 by SBI and GE Capital. In December 2017, State Bank of India and The Carlyle Group acquired GE Capital's stake in the Company.

Maharashtra Protocol Minister Aaditya Thackeray has relieved an official at the Maharashtra Sadan in New Delhi of his duties after video footage emerged of him misbehaving with Army jawans.

Taking serious cognisance of the incident, the minister has also asked the Border Security Force that the official, who was on deputation from the organisation, be suspended and an inquiry initiated against him over the incident, an official release said.

The incident took place when the regimental band of the Gorkha Regiment had come to Maharashtra Sadan as part of the birth anniversary celebrations of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj on Wednesday, the release said.

The jawans were having lunch at the Sadan's executive dining hall, when Assistant Resident Commissioner (Protocol) Vijay Kayarkar, while asking them to sit in the public dining hall, allegedly misbehaved with the jawans.

Following this, the organisers of the programme and the jawans left, an official said.

A purported video of the incident went viral on social media prompting Thackeray to relieve the official of his duties.

"The BSF has been asked to suspend Kayarkar and conduct a probe into the incident," the release said.

As Chinese authorities try to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus outbreak, Air India on Thursday announced that it is extending the suspension of its flights to the neighbouring country till June 30.

Last month, the national carrier had suspended its six weekly Delhi-Shanghai flights from January 31 to February 14.

However, it did not restart the flight operations from February 15 onwards.

The national carrier had also suspended its Delhi-Hong Kong flights due to the coronavirus epidemic that has killed more than 2,000 people in China till date.

"Flight operations on both routes -- Delhi-Shanghai and Delhi-Hong Kong -- have been suspended till June 30," an Air India spokesperson said on Thursday.

Earlier, IndiGo and SpiceJet had suspended their flight operations between India and China. -- PTI

A class nine student has been detained by the police in Bareilly, UP, for allegedly threatening to blow up his school building in a "Pulwama-like attack" if he was not paid Rs 2 lakh as extortion amount, an official said on Thursday.

Senior SP Shailendra Pandey said the boy, who also works as a newspaper hawker, has been sent to a reform home.

The principal of the school had complained to police that someone dropped a letter at his house on Friday threatening to blow it up and also the school building.

On Tuesday, the accused student handed him a letter carrying the "Pulwama-like attack" threat, the police officer said.

On receiving the complaint, a case under relevant sections of the IPC was registered and the boy was questioned. After changing his statement frequently, he confessed to have written the letter to make easy money, the police said.

18:00 MEA clarifies Trump's remarks, offers context

With United States President Donald Trump claiming that India has not treated his country 'very well' on the trade front, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday said the context in which the remarks were made was balance of trade and there have been efforts to address the concerns.

Ahead of his India visit on February 24-25, Trump said that India has not treated his country 'very well' on the trade front and indicated that a 'very big' bilateral deal with New Delhi may not be signed before the American presidential election in November.

Asked about the United States President's comments, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said it is important to understand the context in which the remarks were made.

The context was balance of trade and efforts have been made to address concerns, he said.

India is eagerly awaiting President Trump's visit and it will strengthen the bilateral global strategic ties, Kumar said.

On how many agreements will be signed during Trump's India visit, Kumar said around five MoUs were under discussion.

Asked whether the issues relating to H1B visa will figure in Modi-Trump talks, Kumar said they could come up.

On the issue of eight Indians testing positive for the novel coronavirus on board the Diamond Princess cruise ship near Tokyo, Kumar said, "We are in touch with Japanese authorities."

He also asserted that there is no ban on travel to or from China in view of the coronavirus outbreak.

Asked about China's objection to Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to Arunachal Pradesh, Kumar said India's consistent position has been that the state is its integral and inalienable part.

Objecting to visit to Arunachal by an Indian leader does not stand to reason, he said. -- PTI

Actor and politician Kamal Haasan announced financial assistance to the kin of those died in the accident on the sets of Indian 2. "Yesterday's accident was unfortunate and we lost our three friends. I will give financial assistance of Rs 1 crore each to kin of those who lost their lives as they belong to poor families. We must take preventive steps to avoid such accidents in the future," he said.

Three people were killed and nine injured when a crane came crashing down on the sets of actor Kamal Haasan's upcoming film 'Indian 2', police said, as the veteran actor mourned the deaths. An assistant director was among the three killed in the accident on Wednesday night and a case has been registered against the crane operator, who is absconding, under various sections of the IPC, including causing death by negligence, police sources said.

Those dead were assistant director Krishna, art assistant Chandran and Madhu, a production assistant, Lyca Productions, producer of the movie, said in a statement on Thursday.

Haasan, the film's heroine Kajal Aggarwal and others condoled the deaths and hoped that such incidents did not recur. Haasan also visited the injured at a hospital late Wednesday night.

File pic.

China on Thursday defended expelling three foreign journalists of the Wall Street Journal, saying that media which insults, smears the country and support racial discrimination "must pay the price".

China on Wednesday expelled three journalists of the Wall Street Journal following an article in the newspaper titled "China Is the Real Sick Man of Asia' by Walter Russell Mead published on February 3 as the country was fighting an all-out war against the coronavirus outbreak that has killed over 2,000 people.

China's Foreign Ministry revoked the press cards of three WSJ journalists (two Americans and one Australian) and asked them to leave the country within five days.

The move had come less than a day after US officials announced they would be treating five major Chinese state-run media companies -- Xinhua, China Global Television Network, China Radio International, China Daily and People's Daily -- as effective extensions of the Chinese government.

Asked whether the expulsion was solely because of the headline of the article or in retaliation to US government's decision to list five Chinese official media outlets as foreign missions, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Geng Shuang told during an online media briefing that "those media who blatantly insult China, supports racial discrimination and maliciously smear China must pay the price'.

"I also responded to the US announcement of designating five Chinese media organisations as foreign missions yesterday (Wednesday). We reserve the right to make further responses,' he said. The expulsion of the three journalists was condemned by the US, saying mature and responsible countries understand that a free press reports facts and expresses opinion. Geng also attacked US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for condemning the WSJ scribes' expulsions and his call to China to not restrict freedom of speech. -- PTI

16:57 Markets resume downward spiral

Benchmark indices resumed their slide on Thursday as trading sentiment remained at a low ebb on lacklustre overseas cues and lack of buying triggers.

A depreciating rupee and persistent capital outflows also weighed on the bourses, traders said. After a choppy session, the 30-share BSE Sensex settled 152.88 points, or 0.37 per cent, lower at 41,170.12.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 45.05 points, or 0.37 per cent, to 12,080.85. Financial markets will remain closed on Friday on account of 'Mahashivratri'.

During the week, the Sensex fell 86.62 points or 0.21 per cent, while the Nifty shed 32.65 points or 0.26 per cent. IndusInd Bank was the top gainer, spurting 3.57 per cent, followed by Tata Steel, SBI, ONGC and PowerGrid. --PTI

Image: Asian Paints, HUL, TCS, Nestle, Tech Mahindra and Reliance Industries were among the top laggards in the Sensex pack on Thursday, dropping up to 2.30 per cent.

People in Patna have expressed happiness over Prime Minister Narendra Modi trying litti-chokha and kulhad chai at the 'Hunar Haat' fair in Delhi on Wednesday.

Speaking to ANI, Rinku Yadav, a local said, "It is a good thing for Bihar. I am happy that the Prime Minister has tried our dish.""It is a matter of pride. I am happy that Prime Minister Narendra Modi appreciated litti-chokha. This is our very famous dish," said Arjun, a shopkeeper in Patna.

Yesterday, the Prime Minister visited the Hunar Haat being organised by the Ministry of Minority Affairs at India Gate in Delhi. Artisans from across India are showcasing their traditional artworks and handicrafts at the Hunar Haat.

The Prime Minister had shared the images from the fair with the caption, "Had tasty Litti Chokha for lunch along with a hot cup of tea... #HunarHaat." -- ANI

Supreme Court advocates Sanjay Hegde and Sadhana Ramachandran, the '" mediators appointed by the court are at Shaheen Bagh for the 2nd consecutive day of talks with protesters. Advocate Ramachandran addressing the protesters, who yesterday had welcomed them with cheers and applause.

Ramachandran said, "The matters related to CAA, NRC, NPR are with the Supreme Court. Neither you nor I can say when it will come up with the courts. We have been sent by the SC to ask you how it can help you till it hears the matters."

"Shaheen Bagh barkara rahega. The protests will continue at Shaheen Bagh. Do you have faith in the SC? So I want to ask you if it is possible to continue the protests at Shaheen Baug without blocking the roads and creating problems for other people. It would be very nice, and we will try our best, that we can have talks here with you. But if there is no other way out then this matter will go to the SC and it will then be decided by the SC.

"There is no problem that does not have a solution. We have to show the country that we are true citizens of India. And the solution will be found in Shaheen Bagh itself," Ramachandran said.

"We are here to listen to you, not to the media. The media is here to cover the protests not give advice. We are not here to listen to the media. I request the media to please leave. We will talk only when the media leaves."

Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane's press briefing:

Terrorism: There are 15-20 terrorist camps inside Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir where there are around 250-350 terrorists at any time and numbers may fluctuate.

On the effect of FATF plenary in Paris on Pakistan activities in Kashmir: China has also realised that they cannot back their all-weather friend (Pakistan) all the time.

If the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) comes down heavily on them, they may have to do a rethink on their rhetoric and activities. FATF is a factor (in the reduction of terror activities in Kashmir valley).

Thal Sena Bhawan: The proposed Thal Sena Bhawan will bring all Army HQ offices under one roof thereby improving working efficiency, while reducing carbon footprint and logistics requirements. It will also allow more family time for all soldiers on peace postings at Delhi.

Permanent Commission for women: The decision of Supreme Court is a welcome decision as it brings out a sense of clarity and purpose to gainfully employ officers for better efficiency of the organisation. I must assure that everybody in the Indian Army including Women Officers will be given equal opportunity to contribute to the Nation as also progress in their careers.

Indian Army does not discriminate on any soldier based on religion, caste, creed, or even gender. The outlook of the Indian Army has been throughout like this and that is why we started inducting women officers as early as in 1993.

The Army has taken the initiative to induct women in rank and file, and the first batch of 100 women soldiers is undergoing training at Corps of Military Police Center and School.

15:21 Nirbhaya convict wants help for schizophrenia

A Delhi court Thursday sought a response from Tihar jail authorities on a plea by one of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case, seeking better treatment for his claimed mental illness, schizophrenia and head and arm injuries.

Additional Session Judge Dharmender Rana directed the prison authorities to file its reply on the plea by Vinay Kumar Sharma on Saturday. Vinay injured himself by banging his head against a wall of his cell in Tihar Jail, according to prison officials.

The incident happened in jail number 3 on Sunday afternoon, they said, adding that he got some minor injuries and was treated inside the prison premises.

Vinay moved the Delhi court seeking better treatment for his mental illness, schizophrenia and head injury. Counsel tells the court that the convict is refusing to recognise people, including his mother.

Court seeks response from Tihar on the convict plea and directs it to file a reply on Saturday.

The court had on February 17 issued fresh death warrants for March 3 at 6 am against the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case.

It had issued fresh warrants against death row convicts -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay (26) and Akshay Kumar (31). This is the third time that death warrants have been issued against them. -- PTI

15:10 Backstage for the Trump visit

"All VIP visits have a set pattern and standard drill. The protocol is clearly defined and the preparation, including the motorcade, security, stay etc, works as a well-oiled machine.

"A State visit usually includes a banquet hosted by the President of India at Rashtrapati Bhavan, a wreath laying ceremony at Mahatma Gandhi's samadhi at Rajghat, official talks at Hyderabad House followed by a press conference and sometimes a tea/lunch hosted by the prime minister."

Archana Masih/Rediff.com finds out what goes on behind the scenes to make the visit of a state head perfect. Do read

Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani held a high level meeting, at his residence to take stock of preparedness ahead of US President Donald Trump's visit. President Trump will be arriving in India on 24th February along with US' First Lady Melania Trump.

Meanwhile, security has been tightened outside the Motera Stadium near Ahmedabad where United States President Donald Trump will be attending an event on Monday.

Barricades have been set up with policemen manning the entrance and vicinity of the stadium ahead of the dignitary's visit.

Trump is slated to address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people which is expected to turn up for an event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on the lines of the 'Howdy Modi' function that was addressed by the US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston in September last year.

The city's beautification has been given special emphasis by the municipal corporation, in particular the 22-km stretch which the delegates will be crossing during their visit to the city.The VIPs will first go to the Sabarmati Ashram from where they will move to attend the programme at the stadium.The dignitaries together will inaugurate the world's largest cricket stadium in Motera, which has a sitting capacity of over one lakh.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday termed the torture of two young Dalits in Rajasthan's Nagaur as "horrific and sickening" and asked his party government in the state to take immediate action to bring the perpetrators to book. The video of the two Dalit men being thrashed has become viral on social media.

"The recent video of two young Dalit men being brutally tortured in Nagaur, Rajasthan is horrific and sickening. I urge the state government to take immediate action to bring the perpetrators of this shocking crime to justice," he said on Twitter.

The two Dalits who were allegedly caught stealing money from a two-wheeler agency were beaten up by the showroom staffers in Nagaur district, police said on Wednesday. Five persons have been detained in connection with the case. -- PTI

13:57 Badrinath shrine to open on April 30

The portals of Badrinath Temple, dedicated to Lord Vishnu, will be opened for pilgrims on April 30. The shrine, located in Uttarakhand, was closed for devotees in November last year due to the onset of winters.

The highway leading from Hanuman Chatti to Badrinath Dham has been opened by the authorities after clearing the snow.At present, vehicles of the army and Indo Tibetan Border Police are moving through the area as part of the road opening exercise. The area had witnessed heavy snowing during the recent winters.

The Badrinath Temple's portals are closed annually during winters. The shrine is located at a height of 10,279 feet above sea level. -- ANI

Ahead of its journey starting today from Varanasi, the Kashi Mahakal Express train has received an overwhelming response from the public with as many as 612 bookings done by 7 pm on Wednesday, against the train's total carrying capacity of 648.

The number is likely to increase further by the time the train departs from Varanasi at 2.45 pm today. The reservations have been made for both end-to-end and multi-leg journeys.

Kashi Mahakal Express, which was earlier flagged off by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, will connect religious places in Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.The superfast fully air-conditioned passenger train, operated by the Indian Railway Catering & Tourism Corporation will connect three Jyotirlingas - Omkareshwar (near Indore), Mahakaleshwar (Ujjain) and Kashi Vishwanath (Varanasi), besides connecting the industrial and educational hubs of Indore and Bhopal.

The train will operate thrice a week between Varanasi and Indore, once via Prayagraj (Allahabad) and twice via Lucknow.

The train will cover a total distance of 1,131 km between Varanasi and Indore via Lucknow and a distance of 1,102 km between Varanasi and Indore via Prayagraj (Allahabad) in approximately 19 hours.

It will have advance reservation period of 120 days. All passengers travelling on IRCTC trains will also be provided with a complimentary Rail Travel Insurance of up to Rs 10 lakh, said the statement.

IRCTC will also allow an automatic full refund of the train fare in case of cancellation of the train for both waitlisted and confirmed e-tickets. -- ANI

13:09 Plea against Chinmayanand's bail on Monday

A Bench of Chief Justice of India SA Bobde will hear on February 24 the plea of the Shahjahanpur law student who has challenged Allahabad High Court's order granting bail to BJP leader Chinmayanand in connection with the alleged rape case.

The Allahabad High Court had on February 3 granted bail to Chinmayanand, a former Union minister of state, in the alleged rape case filed by a woman who studied law in a college run by Chinmayanand in UP's Shahjahanpur.Chinmayanand appeared before a special court in Lucknow on Wednesday in connection with the case. The next date of the hearing is March 4. Earlier, he did not appear before the court during the last hearing. This case was then transferred from Shahjahanpur court to a Lucknow court.

In December 2019, the 23-year-old law student, who has accused Chinmayanand of rape, was released from a district jail on bail in connection with an extortion case. The Allahabad High Court had on December 4 granted bail to the woman in the extortion case. The father of the woman said that they had faith in the judicial system and will see this case through.

The woman was arrested on September 25 in connection with an extortion case filed on the basis of Chinmayanand's complaint alleging that she, along with three of her friends, had demanded Rs 5 crore from him.

Chinmayanand had alleged that they threatened to make public some purported videos of him getting a massage from the law student. On the other hand, the woman had alleged that she was repeatedly raped and blackmailed by Chinmayanand for over a year. -- ANI

12:58 Yogi's language will create anarchy: BSP

BSP national spokesperson Sudhindra Bhadoria on Thursday hit out at Yogi Adityanath over his remark that 'if someone comes out with the intent of dying, how would he remain alive', saying that the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister's statements were going beyond the "parameters of the Indian Constitution".

Speaking to ANI, Bhadoria said, "Everyday Yogi Adityanath is making such statements which go beyond the parameters of the Indian Constitution. I think the Supreme Court and the High court should take note of this. Yogi Adityanath is trying to create extra-constitutional, extra-democratic traditions, which are very dangerous and can create anarchy in this country."

"This statement from the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh is condemnable and is shameful. He is resorting to a language that is going to create anarchy," he added.

Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday claimed that people who were killed during the anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh did not die due to police firing but rather died in firing among themselves.

Speaking about the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister said in state assembly, "There were no riots in Uttar Pradesh. If someone comes out with the intent of dying, how will he remain alive? No one died in police firing." -- ANI

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday said people should avoid using the word "nationalism" as its meaning could be seen to be derived from Hitler's Nazism.

Bhagwat made this statement at an RSS programme held at Mukherjee University Morabadi here earlier today.

The RSS chief recounted his conversation with an RSS worker in UK where he said: "...'nationalism' shabd ka upyog mat kijiye. Nation kahenge chalega, national kahenge chalega, nationality kahenge chalgea, nationalism mat kaho. Nationalism ka matlab hota hai Hitler, naziwaad." (Don't use the word nationalism. Use of the words Nation or nationality is okay but don't use nationalism because it means Hitler, Nazism)."

Bhagwat added that there is unrest across the country due to fundamentalism, however, every citizen of India is connected to each other despite of diversity in the country because "we are connected with the word Hindu".

"There is unrest in the country due to fundamentalism. It has been India's policy to neither become a slave nor to make anyone a slave. India has a quality of uniting everyone. Indian culture is Hindu culture. Every citizen of India is connected to each other despite diversity because we are connected with the word Hindu," said Bhagwat during the event.

Bhagwat also that the RSS is expanding not for itself but with the end goal to make India a world leader.

He said as the nation progress, the Sangh will also keep moving forward on the agenda of Hindutva which will work to connect the country.

"India has to become a world master. When India grew up as a nation, it proved out to be good for the world," he added. -- ANI

A woman medico, who was India's first novel coronavirus patient being treated at the Government Medical College hospital in Thrissur was discharged on Thursday, official sources said.

The decision to discharge her from the hospital was taken by the Medical Board, which met and examined the results of the woman's samples that had tested negative for the second time, they said.

Dr Amar Fettile, state nodal officer of public health emergency said, "1st patient of novel Coronavirus has been discharged. The patient has to undergo 14 more days of home isolation. All three persons who tested positive for Coronavirus have been discharged now."

The discharge of the student marked the recovery of all three cases of infection in India reported from Kerala. Two other students -- one from Alappuzha and another Kasaragod -- had been discharged recently after they too tested negative for the virus in fresh tests days after being infected by it.

The woman, India's first coronavirus patient had been undergoing treatment in the isolation ward of the Medical College Hospital here since her return from Wuhan in China last month.

All the three residents of Kerala had earlier tested positive for the coronavirus on their return from Wuhan, the epicentre of the deadly outbreak that has left over 2,000 people dead in China, triggering a scare in the state. -- PTI

12:11 Melania to visit Kejriwal's 'happiness class'

During the two-day India trip, US First Lady Melania Trump is expected to visit Delhi government schools and see how the Kejriwal government has implemented "happiness classes" in public education.

Melania Trump's visit is scheduled for February 25 a day after they land in India.

Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and Deputy CM Manish Sisodia will be present to greet Melania Trump during her school visit, reports say.

This is the first time that the US First Lady will be visiting schools of the Delhi government and preparations are in full swing ahead of the high-profile visit.

A "happiness class" is held to help students co-exist with each other in a harmonious way. Melania is expected to spend around an hour at the state government school.

While Melania is on her school visit, US President Donald Trump will be meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Trumps land in Delhi on February 24, following which they will travel to Gujarat along with PM Modi for the inauguration of the Motera Stadium, touted to be the world's largest cricket stadium.

From Ahmedabad, the Trumps will travel to Agra before heading to New Delhi on February 24th itself.

The following day, Trump and the First Lady will be accorded a ceremonial welcome at the forecourt of the Rashtrapati Bhavan.

From there, they will go to Rajghat to pay homage at the 'samadhi' of Mahatma Gandhi. It would be followed by restricted and delegation-level talks between Trump and Modi at Hyderabad House.

Coronavirus epidemic has already disrupted economic growth in China and its spread to other countries can derail a fragile projected recovery in the global economy this year, the International Monetary Fund has said.

In a note prepared for G20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting in Riyadh this week, the IMF said a plethora of risks face the global economy, including the fast-spreading coronavirus and a renewed spike in US-China trade tensions besides climate-related natural disasters.

Amid continued uncertainty about the impact of the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, the IMF said it was sticking to its January forecast for 3.3 per cent growth in the global economy this year, up from 2.9 per cent in 2019, already a downward revision of 0.1 percentage points from its forecast in October.

"The coronavirus is our most pressing uncertainty: a global health emergency we did not anticipate in January. It is a stark reminder of how a fragile recovery could be threatened by unforeseen events," said IMF's Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva.

"The global economy is far from solid ground. While some uncertainties have receded, new ones have emerged. The truth is that uncertainty is becoming the new normal," she said in the note on Wednesday (local time).

A long-lasting and more severe outbreak will result in a sharper and more protracted growth slowdown in China, said Georgieva.

"Its global impact would be amplified through more substantial supply chain disruptions and a more persistent drop in investor confidence, especially if the epidemic spreads beyond China," she said.

The IMF urged policymakers to maintain fiscal and monetary policy support. Low inflation requires monetary policy to stay accommodative in most economies, it said. -- ANI

11:33 Maulana lauds TN govt's subsidy for Ulemas

All India Imam Association President Moulana Sajid Rashidi on Thursday expressed happiness over Tamil Nadu government announcement to grant 50 per cent subsidy for Ulemas to buy new two-wheelers and added that other state governments should also follow the same.

Speaking to ANI, Moulana Rashidi said, "It is a very good decision. This is a move by Tamil Nadu to uplift the economically weaker section of society. Other state governments should also do that. Not only Muslims, but such kind of subsidy should also be given to other religions also."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had made the announcement in the Budget Session of the state Assembly on Wednesday to grant the subsidy to the 'ulemas' and also hike their monthly pension from Rs 1,500 to Rs 3,000.

He has also announced that the Tamil Nadu government will allot Rs 15 crore fund for the construction of a Haj house.These announcements come in the backdrop of a statewide protest by members of various Muslim outfits against the Citizenship Amendment Act, National Register of Citizens and National Population Register. - ANI

10:48 Trump's remarks insult to India: Congress

Congress on Wednesday alleged that the statement by US President Donald Trump ahead of his visit is an insult to the dignity of the country and asked the government to respond to it.

"The president of the United States, ahead of his visit for the first time to India, said that India has not treated us fairly. I think it is an insult and affront to the dignity of the country and the Ministry of External Affairs should respond to it and not sweep it under the carpet," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said.

"We welcome our guests. It is in Indian tradition. But no guest has the right to insult India. I think that comment was totally uncalled for," he said.

The Congress leader said that Trump's remark undermines "all the progress in the visit or in Indo-US relations, which has been made since the steps in the strategic partnership were initiated by late prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, a process which was then carried forward for 10 years under the able leadership of prime minister Manmohan Singh".

In an apparent dissatisfaction over US-India trade ties, Donald Trump said yesterday, "We're not treated very well by India." But he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said he is looking forward to his visit to India.

"I happen to like Prime Minister Modi a lot," Trump said.

President Trump and US First Lady Melania Trump will be visiting India on February 24 and 25.Trump is slated to address a mammoth crowd of more than 100,000 people which is expected to turn up for an event at the Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad on the lines of the 'Howdy Modi' function that was addressed by the US President and Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Houston in September last year. -- ANI

File pic

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed the District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical aid to the victims of the accident in which 19 people were killed and over 20 injured seriously after a truck and a Kerala-bound bus collided in Avinashi town of Tamil Nadu's Tirupur district on Thursday morning.

The chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has instructed the District Collector of Palakkad to provide emergency medical care to the victims of the accident and make arrangements to bring back the dead bodies of the deceased.

Vijayan has also directed two of his colleagues- Transport Minister AK Saseendran and Agriculture Minister VS Sunilkumar to rush to Tirupur to provide all assistance and coordinate relief activities.

"Procedures to identify the deceased are in progress. All possible relief measures will be taken in cooperation with the Government of Tamil Nadu and the District Collector of Tirupur," read an official statement by the chief minister's office.

A Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) bus with 48 passengers on its way to Ernakulam in Kerala from Bengaluru in Karnataka when the mishap occurred on the Coimbatore-Salem highway.

At least 20 people including 6 women were killed. The injured have been taken to hospitals in Tirupur and Coimbatore. 23 passengers with serious injuries are admitted to the Tirupur Government Hospital, according to sources.

Two girls have filed a written complaint with police in Bulandshahr alleging that they were harassed by miscreants for not wearing a burqa while going to school. One of the two persons who were named by the girls has been arrested, Santosh Kumar Singh, SSP Bulandshahr said. A case under relevant sections of the law has also been registered. -- ANI

Representational image

The Indian rupee declined by 26 paise to 71.80 against the US dollar in opening trade on Thursday amid muted opening in domestic equities and rising crude oil prices. Besides, as investor sentiments remained fragile amid coronavirus fears and sustained foreign fund outflows. The death toll from the coronavirus epidemic in China has climbed to 2,118 with the death of 114 more people, while the overall confirmed cases increased to 74,576, Chinese officials said on Thursday.

10:13 3 dead in crane collapse on sets of Kamal film

Three people died while around 10 suffered injuries after a crane collapsed on the set of the movie, 'Indian 2', starring Kamal Haasan, during the shooting of the film near Chennai on Wednesday night. Madhu, the personal assistant to director Shankar, assistant director Krishna, and a staffer Chandran, have lost their lives in the incident. Injured persons have been shifted to a hospital. Further details are awaited. -- ANI

Haryana IAS officer Ashok Khemka, who has been transferred 53 times during his 27 years in the civil services, is now subject of a book by two Delhi-based journalists.

Just Transferred: The untold story of Ashok Khemka by Bhavdeep Kang and Namita Kala, which will be out on March 5, chronicles his journey from his birth into a middle-class family in Kolkata, to topping IIT, Kharagpur in 1988 and then cracking the civil services in 1991.

Khemka (54), who hit headlines when he cancelled the mutation of land deal between Congress president Sonia Gandhis son in-law Robert Vadra and real estate giant DLF during the Congress regime, faced his last transfer in November 2019. He is currently, Principal Secretary of Haryana Archives, Archeology and Museums Department.

According to the book, Throughout his career, Khemka has suffered at the hands of his political masters for his refusal to compromise the actions of those with vested interests have not been able to shake his indomitable spirit.

About the cancellation of mutation of Vadras land deal, the book mentions, With the Congress party in power, most people called it a suicidal move. But, true to his reputation for being scrupulously honest, Khemka didnt budge.

09:18 Nirbhaya convict attempts to hurt self in jail

One of the death row convicts of the 2012 Delhi gang rape and murder case, Vinay Sharma, was reportedly injured after he attempted to hurt himself by hitting his head against a wall in his cell early this week.

Sources in the Tihar Jail official said Nirbhaya convict Vinay Sharma was hurt after he hit his head against a wall in his cell on February 16. He was, however, stopped by a jail official and treated.

"One of the death row convicts of the Nirbhaya case, Vinay, attempted to hurt himself by banging his head against a wall in his cell. He received minor injuries," said a Tihar Jail official, on the condition of anonymity.

Vinays lawyer had earlier this week told the court that convict Vinay Sharma was on hunger strike in Tihar jail.

He also claimed that Vinay was assaulted in jail and had head injuries, while adding that he was suffering from acute mental illness and hence the death sentence cannot be carried out. The court had then directed the Tihar jail superintendent to take appropriate care of Vinay as per law.

Delhi court on Monday ordered that the four convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case be hanged on March 3 after it issued fresh death warrants, observing that deferring the execution any further would be "sacrilegious" to the rights of the victim for expeditious justice.

The court directed that the four men -- Mukesh Kumar Singh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Kumar Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar (31)--be hanged by neck on March 3 at 6 am until they are dead. It is for the third time that the death warrants were issued by the court against them.

08:47 19 dead after truck hits bus in Tamil Nadu

Nineteen people -- 14 men and 5 women -- died after the bus in which they were travelling in collided with a container that had come off a truck coming from the opposite side on a highway in Tamil Nadu's Coimbatore, the police said.

The Kerala government-run bus with 48 passengers was going to Erode. The police said the number of dead is likely to rise.

The bus could seat over 50 people. Reports said the tyre of the truck burst while it was in speed, and the container got detached and rolled on to the road before colliding with the bus.

Rescuers have reached the accident site and are trying to find survivors in the debris.

The driver of the truck that was coming from Coimbatore is on the run, the police said.

Two elderly coronavirus patients from a quarantined cruise ship off Japan have died, media reports said on Thursday, citing a government source.

A man and a woman in their 80s who had been infected have died, public broadcaster NHK and other media said.

No immediate confirmation was available from the health ministry.

They would be the first fatal cases among more than 600 confirmed on the ship.

07:59 Mass shooting in German city leaves 8 dead

At least eight people were killed and five others were critically injured in a mass shooting incident in the German city of Hanau on Wednesday, Bild newspaper reported.

The mass shooting was carried out by two unknown gunmen in two separate shisha bars in Hanau, Sputnik reported, citing local media reports. The suspects are reportedly on the run.

The motive behind the attack is yet to be ascertained.

Further details are awaited.

-- ANI

Four high-end hotels in Mumbai on Wednesday received threat e-mail, with its sender claiming to be a member of the terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba, a police official said.

Hotel Leela, Hotel Princess, Hotel Park and Hotel Ramada Inn received the threat mails, following which they were thoroughly checked. However, nothing suspicious was found during the check, the official said.

"After the police were told about the threat mails, security was beefed up at these hotels. The Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad checked the hotels, but nothing suspicious was found in them," the official said.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Operation) Pranay Ashok said, "The anti-sabotage check of these hotels was conducted in the presence of the local police. But nothing suspicious was found there." -- PTI

Ahead of United States President Donald Trump's maiden India visit next week, an influential US Congressman on Wednesday expressed concern over the situation in Kashmir and agitations over the new citizenship law, saying the country must protect its minorities and not lose its secular democracy.

Ami Bera, Chair of House Foreign Affairs subcommittee on Asia, the Pacific in the US Congress, said it was the desire of the US to see resolution of the Kashmir issue and return of normalcy in the region.

Bera, a democrat, and George Holding, the Republican co-chair of the India caucus, are on a two-day visit to India to "demonstrate" bipartisan support to India in the US Congress.

"We expressed our concerns over continued detention of political leaders in Kashmir," Bera told a group of journalists when asked whether he and Holding conveyed their concerns to Indian officials over situation in Kashmir.

"We do not want to India to lose secular democracy that is what sets it apart from countries in the region, that is what makes it such a valuable partner of the US," he said.

Bera also said he would like to take a Congressional delegation to Kashmir. "We did express our that we would like to take a delegation to Kashmir in some point of time."

The US lawmaker also hailed India's vibrant democracy where he said 800 million Hindus are living side-by-side with 200 million Muslims.

"Indian citizens are the ones that ultimately will control the outcome of where India heads to...We can offer that what we admire about India...is that it's this vibrant secular democracy and we would hate to see India lose or tarnish any of that reputation," said Bera.

On his part, Holding said economic development will bring prosperity to Kashmir, adding a stable and predictable political situation is going to attract investment into the region.

The special status of Jammu and Kashmir was withdrawn around six months back and it was bifurcated into two union territories. The government had imposed severe restrictions following the move including detaining sizeable number of political leaders.

Replying to a question on widespread protests against the new citizenship law in India, Bera said expressed concerns over it but at the same time added that the demonstrations reflected inherent strength of the democracy.

"It is important to keep lines of communications open," he said, adding India must protect its minorities.

India has witnessed massive protests against the citizenship amendment law which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslims who came to India from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh facing religious persecution.

The protesters feel the law is discriminatory as citizenship will be granted based on religious identity.

Both the lawmakers also spoke about the bipartisan support to growing ties between India and the US in diverse areas including in trade and commerce, defence and strategic affairs.

Both the lawmakers hoped that India and the US will be able to seal the much anticipated trade deal.

Official sources said negotiations on the deal was not "stuck" and both sides mutually agreed "not to rush" into it, suggesting that it will not be signed during Trump's visit to India next week.

Trump, accompanied by wife Melania Trump and a high level delegation will arrive in India on February 24 for a little less than 36-hour-long trip.

From Ahmedabad, he will travel to Agra before arriving at the national capital for main leg of the visit. -- PTI

Timeline Refresh

TOP STORIES