LIVE! A Hindu cannot be a Jinnah: Himanta Biswa Sarma

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Mon, 13 January 2020

A Hindu cannot be a Jinnah: Himanta Biswa Sarma

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23:36 A Hindu cannot be a Jinnah: Himanta Biswa Sarma

Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday speaking for the Citizenship Amendment Act and granting of the status to Hindus from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan told the assembly that a person from the community 'cannot be a Jinnah as he never attacks anyone' and are secular.

He also supported granting of citizenship to Hindu Bengalis, which is being vehemently protested against by various outfits.

Speaking in support of granting citizenship to Hindus, Sarma, who is also the chief of North-East Democratic Alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party's version of the National Democratic Alliance in the north east, said, "A Hindu cannot be a Jinnah. Not a single Hindu king has destroyed a mosque or a temple. A Hindu is always secular and does not attack anyone. Hindus are secular."

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi had on January 6 called Prime Minister Narendra Modi India's 'Hindu Jinnah' and accused him of following the 'two-nation theory' of the Pakistan founder to divide the nation on the basis of religion.

Sarma, who was speaking during the debate on the Governor's address in the one-day special session of Assam Assembly, said the amended Citizenship Act will not violate the Assam Accord.

The four-page Assam Accord did not mention anything about Hindu immigrants persecuted in Bangladesh.

"In Assam Accord many things were left unresolved....We have not violated the Assam Accord, but are addressing unresolved issues," the senior BJP leader said and sought a House panel to study the historic document in detail.

Sarma said the Assam government will take the responsibility if more than five lakh people were benefitted by the CAA.

"I'll leave politics of one person more than five lakh get citizenship under CAA," he said.

He expressed concern over alleged rising Muslim population in Assam and said that 'Badruddin Ajmal (All India United Democratic Front chief) or his son or his grandson will be the state chief minister after 30 years. No one can stop it'. -- PTI

22:40 PIO prof fired for FB post about Iran attack

An Indian-origin professor at a Massachusetts college was fired for his Facebook post in which he encouraged Iran to choose 52 American sites as bombing targets, a statement he says was a 'bad attempt at humour'.

Asheen Phansey was Director of Sustainability and Adjunct Professor at Babson College, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Phansey's post came in response to President Donald Trump's recent tweet saying the United States had earmarked 52 Iranian cultural sites for destruction, warning Tehran not to strike back after an American drone killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani in a drone strike in Baghdad.

In the Facebook post, Phansey suggested that Iran's supreme leader might want to do the same -- and get specific.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei 'should tweet a list of 52 sites of cultural American heritage that he would bomb ... Um ' Mall of America?' Kardashian residence?' he wrote on his Facebook page last week.

In a report in The New York Times, Phansey's lawyer Jeffrey Pyle said some of the uproar about his post was 'racially intolerant'.

The NYT report quoted Pyle as saying that he saw a number of messages saying Phansey should be deported as well as prosecuted and fired.

"Asheen was born in the United States, he is of South Asian origin," Pyle said, adding that some people assumed his client was Iranian or from the Middle East.

"I think that makes it doubly unfortunate that Babson couldn't defend him when some of the vitriol thrown his way was of that nature," Pyle said in The New York Times report.

Phansey speaks French and has 'limited working proficiency' in Marathi, according to his LinkedIn profile.

The post, which has since been deleted, was subject to a 'prompt and thorough investigation' by Babson College, also Phansey's alma mater.

The college said Phansey was fired because the post on his 'personal Facebook page does not represent the values and culture of the College'.

'Based on the results of the investigation, the staff member is no longer a Babson College employee. As we have previously stated, Babson College condemns any type of threatening words and/or actions condoning violence and/or hate,' the College said in a statement on its website.

Phansey released a statement on Thursday, saying he was 'disappointed and saddened' that the college had decided to abruptly terminate his 15-year relationship with it 'just because people willfully misinterpreted a joke'.

He called his post, which appeared to encourage Iran to choose 52 American sites as bombing targets, 'a bad attempt at humour'.

"I am really concerned about what this portends for our ability as Americans to engage in political discourse without presuming the worst about each other," he said.

Phansey has also apologised through his attorney, insisting his post was simply a bad joke.

According to a report in The New York Times, Phansey said, 'As an American, born and raised, I was trying to juxtapose our 'cultural sites' with ancient Iranian churches and mosques,' adding that he was opposed to violence.

"I am sorry that my sloppy humour was read as a threat." -- PTI

IMAGE: Demonstrators attend a protest to oppose the threat of war with Iran, in London. Photograph: Henry Nicholls/Reuters

21:35 Nadda set to take over as BJP chief next week

Bharatiya Janata Party working president J P Nadda appears set to take charge as the party president next week, succeeding Union Home Minister Amit Shah, sources said on Monday.

Nadda may take the helm on January 20 as BJP sources believe that he is likely to be elected unopposed, in line with the convention in the saffron organisation.

The party panel headed by senior leader Radha Mohan Singh, which is overseeing the ongoing organisational polls, is likely to come out with the schedule for its national president's election soon.

The elevation of 59-year-old Nadda, a former Union minister with decades of organisational experience, is being seen as a near certainty after he was made the BJP working president in July last year, following Shah's induction into the Union cabinet after the saffron party's massive victory in the Lok Sabha election.

The BJP national council, the biggest organisational body of the party, is expected to meet after the February 8 Delhi assembly polls to ratify the election of the new party president.

In the run-up to the 2019 general election, Nadda was in charge of the BJP's campaign in Uttar Pradesh, politically the most important state where the saffron party convincingly defeated the formidable alliance of the Samajwadi Party and the Bahujan Samaj Party by winning 62 of the 80 Lok Sabha seats. Nadda was a cabinet minister in the first Modi government between 2014 and 2019.

He has also been a member of the BJP's parliamentary board, the top decision-making body of the party. Shah had taken over as the party president in 2014 after Narendra Modi led it to power. -- PTI

An Indian Air Force officer arrested for allegedly posing as Union Home Minister Amit Shah and calling up the Madhya Pradesh Governor to get a dentist friend appointed as vice chancellor of a university was on Monday remanded in police custody for three days.

Judicial Magistrate Pushpak Pathak has sent IAF Wing Commander Kuldeep Baghela and his Bhopal-based dentist friend Chandresh Kumar Shukla to three days in police custody, said Special Task Force (Bhopal) Superintendent of Police Rajesh Singh Bhadoria said.

"We sought their remand as we needed time to work on the technical aspect of the case and gather evidence," he said.

Baghela, posing as Shah had called up Governor Lalji Tandon to get Shukla appointed as V-C of Madhya Pradesh Medical Science University (MPMSU) in Jabalpur, police said.

During the call, Shukla posed as the Union minister's personal assistant.

Baghela, posted in the IAF headquarters in Delhi, and Shukla, both in the 35-40 age group, were arrested last week when Raj Bhavan officials, suspecting something amiss, cross-verified the call and alerted the STF, police said.

Baghela has previously worked as aide-de-camp (ADC) to former MP governor Ramnaresh Yadav for three years, police said. -- PTI

20:32 JNU fee-hike issue sorted out: HRD minister

Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal 'Nishank' on Monday said the continuation of protests by Jawaharlal Nehru University students is not justified as the fee-hike issue has been settled.

"The fee-related matter of JNU has been sorted out following several rounds of discussions with representatives of JNU students and teachers," Nishank said.

"The main demand by students related to increase in service and utility charges and other related issues have now been settled and the continuation of agitation by the students is no longer justified," he added. -- PTI

20:30 18 flights from Delhi airport cancelled

18 flights departing from the Delhi airport were cancelled on Monday due to inclement weather at other destinations, a senior airport official said.

"Data regarding delays in departures from Delhi airport is being collated," the Delhi airport official said.

"Eighteen departures from Delhi airport were cancelled due to bad weather at the destinations," the official added. -- PTI

Pakistan on Monday summoned Indian Charge d'Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia and lodged a protest over the alleged ceasefire violation by the Indian troops along the Line of Control that killed a civilian.

The Foreign Office said that Director General (South Asia & SAARC) Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri summoned Ahluwalia and 'condemned the unprovoked ceasefire violations' in Kotkotera and Karela Sectors on January 11.

Chaudhry said that a 24-year-old man of Chowki village was killed 'due to indiscriminate and unprovoked firing' along LoC.

He said that such acts 'are a threat to regional peace and security'.

Chaudhry said that by raising tensions along the LoC and the Working Boundary (WB), India cannot divert attention from Kashmir, according to FO.

He also called upon the Indian side to respect the ceasefire understanding; investigate this and other incidents of ceasefire violations and maintain peace on the LoC and the WB. -- PTI

The Opposition's resolution against the amended citizenship law must have made Pakistan happy, Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said in New Delhi on Monday, while asserting that the legislation was a chance to expose Islamabad's 'barbaric treatment' of minorities.

He also said the Opposition ended up 'unnecessarily' attacking the Modi government in the process.

Taking a dig at the Opposition, the Union law minister said their unity stood 'exposed'.

"Opposition unity stands exposed as major parties like SP (Samajwadi Party), BSP (Bahujan Samaj Party), TMC (Trinamool Congress) and AAP (Aam Aadmi Party) kept away (from a meeting convened by Congress chief Sonia Gandhi). The resolution is neither in national interest nor in the interest of security. It is also not in the interest of those minorities who fled neighbouring countries to escape persecution," Prasad told reporters.

Opposition parties, led by the Congress, adopted a resolution on Monday, demanding that the amended Citizenship Act be withdrawn and the process of NPR immediately stopped and asserting that it was all part of an 'unconstitutional package' that targeted poor people, SC/STs and minorities. -- PTI

19:17 Nominations galore for Joker

So Joker is leading this year's nomination with 11...

The Irishman, 1917 and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood follow with 10.

19:13 Nominations for best director are...

Martin Scorsese The Irishman

Todd Phillips Joker

Sam Mendes 1917

Quentin Tarantino Once Upon a Time in hollywood

Bong Joon-ho Parasite

19:13

The nominations for the BEST PICTURE are:

Ford v Ferrari/Le Mans '66

The Irishman

Jojo Rabbit

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Parasite

19:10

Not to be left behind, nominations for best actress are:

Cynthia Erivo Harriet

Scarlett Johansson Marriage story

Saoirse Ronan Little Women

Charlize Theron Bombshell

Renee Zellweger Judy

19:10 Joaquin Phoenix nominated for Best Actor @Oscars

The Oscar nominations for BEST ACTOR are:

Antonio Banderas Pain & Glory

Leonardo DiCaprio Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Adam Driver Marriage Story

Joaquin Phoenix - Joker

Jonathan Pryce The Two Popes

No real surprises here!

The latest round of Oscar nominations are upon us.

Take a look at the stars nominated in the Supporting Actor category:

Tom Hanks A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood

Anthony Hopkins The Two Popes

Al Pacino The Irishman

Joe Pesci The Irishman

Brad Pitt Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Pitt won the recently held Golden Globes award for his role in the Quentin Tarantino movie. The category is loaded with big stars, including Anthony Hopkins, Al Pacino and Tom Hanks.

Meanwhile, it seems that Scarlett Johansson will be nominated twice this year. She's already been nominated in the Supporting Actress category and her name might appear for Best Actress for her performance in Marriage Story.

Here are the nominations for Best Original Score

Joker

Little Women

Marriage Story

1917

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

The nominations for the Oscars are being announced. First off in the list was the nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

Here are the nominations:

Kathy Bates -- Richard Jewel

Laura Dern - Marriage Story

Scarlett Johansson -- Jojo Rabbit

Florence Pugh Little Women

Margot Robbie -- Bombshell

This years ceremony, which once again wont have a presenter, is set to take place in Los Angeles on 9 February.

18:35 32,000 identified across UP for CAA

The Uttar Pradesh government has already started the process of identifying people who need Indian citizenship under the newly formed citizenship law that has triggered unrest across the country. So far, 32,000 people have been identified in 21 districts of the state, the government has said.

But it is not clear what procedure has been followed for this identification. The controversial Citizenship Amendment Act or CAA came into force through a gazette notification three days ago, but rules for implementing it have not yet been framed.

"We are not hurrying through this. We have just about started. Once the act has been notified, we need to get moving, right?" said Shrikant Sharma, Uttar Pradesh minister and government spokesperson.

"This is an ongoing process, will keep on updating the figures. All District Magistrates have been asked to carry out surveys and keep on updating list. We are in process of sharing this list with the Union home ministry too," the minister added.

A chunk of those identified so far appear to be from Pilibhit, a district around 260 km from Lucknow, close to Uttarakhand and India's border with Nepal.

The district 's top government official, Vaibhav Shrivastava, told local journalists on Friday afternoon that 37,000 refugees who came here from Bangladesh, and earlier East Pakistan, have been identified as part of an "initial survey" and the names have been sent to the state government.

"Initial investigations have revealed that these people came to Pilibhit because of persecution in their countries," Shrivastava said.

No explanation has been provided for the discrepancy in figures quoted by the state government.

Sonia Gandhi's meeting with Opposition parties on Monday to protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act saw its longstanding ally the DMK give it a miss.

And thereby hangs a tale.

Apparently DMK chief MK Stalin is upset with the Congress's central leadership for encouraging the TNCC chief K S Alagiri to issue statements that go against the alliance's interests, and asked his party man in Delhi, T R Baalu, to stay away from the meeting.

The DMK is now openly saying that unless Alagiri is replaced, there is no chance of the alliance between the two parties going forward.

The DMK's stance comes a little more than a year of Tamil Nadu going in for assembly polls next April.

Baalu, who landed in Delhi on Monday morning, was asked to stay away from the Sonia Gandhi helmed all-party meeting to send a signal to the Congress that the alliance is on the brink.

Last Friday, Congress leader Alarigi issued a statement that the DMK cannot take the Congress for granted, angering the Dravidian party leadership.

But not just the Congress, the DMK is also upset with another alliance partner.

Reports that the state unit of the CPM is hobnobbing with the ruling AIADMK has riled the TN opposition party no end.

Will all this lead to alliances being redrawn for next year's assembly polls, remains to be seen.

17:59 Inflation's on the rise!

Retail inflation rises sharply to 7.35 per cent in Dec 2019 from 5.54 per cent in November

17:43 Challenge PM to go to universities: Rahul

Rahul Gandhi challenges PM Narendra Modi to go to universities, tell students on what he will do to improve economy.

Earlier, in a blistering attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday accused them of misleading people on the amended Citizenship Act and the NRC, and claimed that their government stands totally exposed for its inability to govern and provide security to people.

Asserting that there was "unprecedented turmoil" in the country, Gandhi said the government has let loose a reign of oppression, spreading hatred and trying to divide people along sectarian lines.

"The nation has watched in horror at the BJP-orchestrated assault on JNU coming so soon after what happened in Jamia (Millia Islamia), BHU (Banaras Hindu University), Allahabad University and AMU (Aligarh Muslim University) and other institutions of higher learning in other parts of the country," she said addressing a meeting of the Opposition attended by leaders of 20 parties.

While interacting with the students, Jamia Millia Islamia Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar said that Delhi Police entered the campus without permission during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests and the process of filing an FIR against them will begin from tomorrow.

"The FIR process is going on but what you are demanding cannot be fulfilled as we are government employees. Regardless of all that we have sent our objection to the same government we work for. Delhi police entered the campus without any prior permission and the fight against the attack will continue," Akhtar said while interacting with the students.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of students were seen protesting outside the office of the Vice-Chancellor, demanding an FIR against Delhi Police for the December 15 violence that was unleashed on the campus.

Among other demands, students sought rescheduling of exam dates and assurance from the varsity on the safety of students.

Jamia vice-chancellor said, "A team of NHRC had already visited the campus and we have provided the required evidence to them. A team will again visit the university on Tuesday (Jan 14). The commission will take statements and proofs from injured students and witnesses (of December 15 incident). I hope they will try to see through our point of view."

Najma had also said that the university authorities had written a letter to the Ministry of Human Resource Development immediately after the incident took place and requested to initiate a high-level probe into the matter.

"Exams are going on and the next sessions of the academics will start right after the exams. So I appeal students not to miss any examination and ruin their future because when youth are agitated, others take advantage of them," she added.

-- ANI

BJP leader Raghuraj Singh has said people raising slogans against Prime Minster Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be buried alive.

Singh made the statement on Sunday while addressing a rally in Aligarh to create awareness about the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Warning "these handful of people, one per cent criminal and corrupt people against saying murdabad to Prime Minister Modi and Chief Minster Adityanath, he said, I will bury you alive."

"Yogi and Modi are not the ones who will get perturbed. Yogi-Modi will run the country and run it like this only," Singh said.

"Those taking money from Dawood Ibrahim and troubling our officers, and Muslims will be beaten up badly," he said.

Singh, who hails from Aligarh, was apparently referring to protests held by students of Aligarh Muslim University against the CAA recently.

The BJP immediately distanced itself from Singh's controversial remarks, with party spokesperson Chandramohan saying "Raghuraj Singh is neither a minister nor an MLA."

Labour Welfare Council chairman Sunil Bharala said Raghuraj Singh is an advisor in a unit of Labour Department.

-- PTI

16:20 Sena blames miscommunication for skipping meet

After giving the opposition meet called by Congress to discuss the issues of Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens a miss, the Shiv Sena on Monday declared that CAA in its current form would not be implemented in Maharashtra.

Putting to rest rumours that were sparked by the Senas flip-flops on attending the meeting, senior party leader Sanjay Raut blamed some miscommunication and said all three parties in Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi are on the same page.

Sena had earlier in the day claimed that it was "not aware" of the opposition parties meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi and that it had not received a formal invitation.

"We are not aware of such a meeting. We have not been invited for it. So, we have not taken any decision on it so far," said Shiv Senas group leader in Lok Sabha Vinayak Raut.

But observers said that the decision not to attend the meeting was just an attempt to buy more time to firm up its stand on CAA, which has sparked massive protests across the country.

The party had voted in favour of the bill in Lok Sabha, but abstained in Rajya Sabha after being pressured by the Congress and NCP.

India captain Virat Kohli indicated at dropping himself down the batting order to accommodate both Shikhar Dhawan and KL Rahul in the playing XI against Australia in the first ODI of the three-match series starting Tuesday.

With vice-captain Rohit Sharma an automatic pick, the team management is left with tough choice of selecting either Dhawan or Rahul in the XI. But the skipper sees no reason why both can't play together.

"Look, a guy in form is always good for the team. ...You obviously want to have the best players available and then chose from what the combination should be for the team. There might be a possibility that all three (Rohit, Shikhar and Rahul) might play. It will be interesting to see what balance we want to take in on the field," Kohli said on the eve of the match.

Asked if he would he be happy to bat lower down the order, Virat said,"Yeah, big possibility. I would be very happy to do so. Look I am not possessive about where I play. I am not insecure about where I bat," said the skipper.

For Kohli, it is more important as to what kind of leadership legacy he leaves behind rather than chase personal glory.

"Being the captain of the team, it is my job to make sure that the next lot is also ready. A lot of the other people might not look at it that way, but your job as a captain is not only to look after the team right now, but also to prepare a team that you leave behind when you eventually pass it onto someone else," he added. -- PTI

15:50 Macron raised Kashmir with Modi: French govt

France is closely following the situation in Kashmir, the French government said on Monday and noted that the issue was discussed during a telephonic conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron three days ago.

A statement issued by Elyse Palace said the two leaders discussed the situation in the region of Kashmir in the "spirit of trust and frankness" that characterises bilateral ties.

"In the spirit of trust and frankness that characterises their relations, the French President and the Indian Prime Minister discussed the situation in the region of Kashmir, which France continues to follow closely," the statement released here by French embassy said.

A statement issued by the Indian government on Friday after talks between Modi and Macron did not mention Kashmir.

"The two leaders exchanged views on a range of issues of mutual interest in bilateral relations as well as regional and global situations," the statement by PMO said.

Last week, the government took a group of 15 foreign envoys to Jammu and Kashmir to "see the efforts to bring back normalcy in the region" after abrogation of Article 370, the Ministry of External Affairs had said.

Envoys from European countries were not part of the group.

The French statement said Macron and Modi expressed their shared view on the necessity of de-escalation of tension in the Middle East, adding that they agreed to work together towards easing tensions by urging the parties to show restraint and responsibility.

The Middle East is witnessing increasing tension after Maj Gen Soleimani, the head of Iran's elite al-Quds force, was killed in a US drone strike. Iran retaliated by targeting US bases in Iraq with missile attacks. -- PTI

15:44 Bhim Army chief moves Delhi court seeking bail

Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad moved Delhi court Monday seeking bail in connection with violence during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest in old Delhi's Daryaganj area.

Azad, currently under arrest, has said that there was no evidence against him in the FIR which states that he had instigated the crowd to march to Delhi gate from Jama Masjid and indulge in violence.

The matter will be heard tomorrow.

The Bhim Army chief was sent to judicial custody on December 21 by a Delhi court.

Azad's outfit had organised a march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the amended Citizenship Act on December 20, without police permission. -- PTI

Senior IPS officers Sujit Pandey and Alok Singh will be the first police commissioners of Lucknow and Noida respectively, a Uttar Pradesh government spokesperson said on Monday.

Besides them, Inspector General Naveen Arora and IG Nilabja Chaudhary will be the joint police commissioners of Lucknow and Deputy Inspector General of PoliceAkhilesh Kumar and DIG Sriparna Ganguli will be additional police commissioners of Noida, he said.

The state cabinet on Monday approved a proposal for implementing the commissionerate system of policing in the two cities, giving more powers to the police.

The government has also transferred six other IPS officers, posting Jai Narain Singh as Additional Director General of Police (ADG) of Kanpur zone, Prem Prakash as ADG of Allahabad, Pravin Kumar as IG of Meerut and Lav Kumar as DIG of Gorakhpur. -- PTI

The students and teachers of the Jawaharlal Nehru University on Monday boycotted classes amid standoff with the administration over the fee hike issue.

The classes were supposed to begin on Monday but could not start due to the collective boycott.

The students' union had earlier said it will ensure registration by paying only the tuition fees and not the increased hostel charges but kept the decision on hold after it found that the administration had blocked the registration portal for many students.

The teachers' association has also given a call for 'non-cooperation' in academic matters over a range of issues, including that of fee hike and the January 5 violence. Teachers and students have been demanding the sacking of Vice-Chancellor M Jagadesh Kumar. -- PTI

The aviation ministry announced a voluntary scheme for all persons flying drones which are violating regulations, asking them to register themselves by January 31, days after a US drone attack killed top Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

In a notice, the ministry said,"The presence of such drones as well as drone operators has come to the notice of the government which do not comply with the CAR (civil aviation requirements)."

"In order to facilitate the identification of civil drones and drone operators, a one-time opportunity for voluntary disclosure of such drones and drone operators is being provided...All persons in possession of drones are required to complete the process (of registration) by January 31, 2020," it added. -- PTI

15:17 Committee set up by MHA on Assam meets Shah

A high-level committee, set up by the home ministry to suggest ways for providing constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people of Assam, on Monday met Union home minister Amit Shah and discussed with him issues related to its work.

A four-member delegation of the committee, headed by Justice (Retd) Biplab Kumar Sharma, met the home minister for an hour and briefed him about the progress of its work.

"We have apprised the home minister about the progress of our work. The home minister has given a few suggestions. We hope to submit our final report within next 15 days," Sharma told reporters.

The committee with more than a dozen members was set up as per the Clause 6 of the 1985 Assam Accord.

According to its terms and conditions, "The committee will assess the appropriate level of reservation of seats in Assam Legislative Assembly and local bodies for the Assamese people."

"The committee will recommend the appropriate level of reservations in employment under the government of Assam for the Assamese people," according to a home ministry notification.

Asked whether the panel could finalise the "definition of Assamese", the retired judge said they were yet to take a decision on it and hope to come to a conclusion soon.

"All members of the committee will soon meet to finalise the report and all remaining issues to be resolved," he said.

The meeting took place four days after Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal met the home minister and discussed with him various aspects of the Assam Accord's Clause 6, under which the central government had promised to provide constitutional safeguards to the indigenous people.

The committee is said to have completed its deliberations and discussions with various stakeholders in Assam.

The meeting was held amidst widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Assam. It bears significance as there has been a growing feeling among the indigenous people of Assam that the newly enacted legislation will hurt their interests -- both politically, culturally as well as socially. -- PTI

Opposition leaders met in Parliament on Monday to discuss the current political situation following widespread protests against the amended Citizenship Act and the violence on campuses.

The meeting convened by Congress president Sonia Gandhi was attended by leaders of opposition parties like Nationalist Comuunist Party supremo Sharad Pawar, Loktantrik Janata Dal chief Sharad Yadav, Left leaders Sitaram Yechury and D Raja, besides Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ahmed Patel.

Former prime minister Manmohan Singh was also present.

The Bahujan Samaj Party, the Aama Aadmi Party and the Trinamool Congress, however, stayed away.

Sources said the top opposition leaders have already held discussions among themselves and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad is leading the efforts.

The opposition is seeking to win over the youth and the students by supporting their protests against the amended citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

The sources said the Congress and other parties are seeking to take the students' movement forward and have lent support to their cause. -- PTI

Hundreds of Jamia Millia Islamia students gheraoed Vice Chancellor Najma Akhtar's office on Monday, demanding registration of an FIR against Delhi Police in connection with last month's violence on the campus.

Among other demands, they also want the university to reschedule examinations and ensure security of students.

The students barged into the office premises after breaking the lock on the main gate and raised slogans against the VC.

They are staging a sit-in outside the office, asking the VC to interact with them over issue. -- PTI

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar on Monday met Union Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur to discuss possibilities of revival of the troubled Punjab & Maharashtra Cooperative Bank.

After the meeting in Delhi, the Rajya Sabha member termed the discussion as "constructive".

The PMC Bank has been put under restrictions by the RBI, after a multi-crore scam came to light following which the deposit withdrawal was initially capped at Rs 1,000, causing panic and distress among depositors.

The withdrawal limit was increased gradually to Rs 50,000.

"Had a meeting with the Union Minister of State for Finance, Shri Anurag Singh Thakur (@ianuragthakur) in New Delhi to raise the issue of revival of PMC Bank. We had a constructive exchange of views on the topic," Pawar tweeted.

The fraud at PMC Bank came to light in September last year after the Reserve Bank of India discovered that the bank had allegedly created fictitious accounts to hide over Rs 6,700 crore in loans extended to the almost-bankrupt Housing Development and Infrastructure Limited.

According to RBI, the PMC bank masked 44 problematic loan accounts, including HDIL loan accounts, by tampering with its core banking system, and the accounts were accessible only to limited staff members.

Mumbai Police's Economic Offences Wing and the Enforcement Directorate have registered offences in the case.

The EOW last month submitted a 32,000-page charge sheet against five persons in the multi-crore PMC Bank scam.

The charge sheet has named former managing director of the bank Joy Thomas, former chairman Waryam Singh, former director of the bank Surjit Singh Arora, along with HDIL promoters Rakesh Wadhawan and Sarang Wadhawan.

The chargesheet includes the forensic audit report of PMC bank and documents of properties purchased by the accused bank officials with kickbacks received by them for giving undue favour to HDIL and the Wadhawans. -- PTI

West Bengal Bharatiya Jnaata Party on Monday termed chief minister Mamata Banerjee's recent meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the city and her decision to "back out" of the opposition meeting in New Delhi as "desperate attempts" to divide anti-Trinamool Congress votes in the state.

According to senior state BJP leaders, Banerjee giving the opposition meeting convened by interim Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi a miss was a "well-calculated move to give oxygen to the Congress and Communist Party of India-Marxist in Bengal, which are on their political death beds".

"She (Banerjee) deliberately wants to send out a message that something is cooking between the BJP and the TMC. In 2019 Lok Sabha polls, we emerged as the main opposition in West Bengal.

"Now, this is being done in a desperate attempt to split anti-TMC votes between us, the CPI-M and Congress," a state BJP leader said.

He said this "trick" has, however, been exposed and will not yield any result as "people of the state have already decided to oust the TMC government in 2021 and bring the BJP to power in the state".

The BJP had secured 18 of the 42 seats in West Bengal in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, just four less than the ruling TMC.

The BJP had bagged 41 per cent of the polled votes while the TMC clinched 43 per cent, relegating the Congress and the Left to the third and fourth positions respectively.

"As the Congress and the Left had failed to hold on to their respective electors base, many of whom voted for the BJP in the Lok Sabha polls, Banerjee is trying to project these two parties as the main opposition instead of the saffron party," another senior BJP leader said.

The state BJP's views come after the chief minister met the prime minister and they shared the dais at a state government event. -- PTI

"A fish out of water is a dead fish" -- This is how Virender Sehwag described the ICC's plan to revamp Test cricket by shortening it to four days, asserting that innovation should not mean tinkering with the soul of the format.

Delivering the 'MAK Pataudi Memorial Lecture' at the annual BCCI awards on Sunday night, Sehwag relied on some classic Hindi idioms to drive home the point that innovation in the longest form should stop at day/night matches.

"Chaar din ki chandni hoti hai, Test match nahi...Jal ki machli jal main hi acchi hai, bahar nikaloge toh mar jaegi," he said in his inimitable style.

"...Test cricket ko chanda mama ke pass le jaa sakte hai. We can have Day-Night Test cricket. If there is a day-night Test, maybe people will come to watch game after office. Innovations should happen but within the five days. It should not be shortened" he asserted.

The ICC will consider the proposal to make Test cricket four-dayers during its cricket committee meeting in March.

However, the feedback so far has been largely critical with top current and former players such as Virat Kohli, Sachin Tendulkar, Ravi Shastri and Ian Botham ridiculing the plan.

Calling Test cricket an enduring romance, Sehwag said it is the waiting game which makes the format charming.

"I have always welcomed change but five day Test cricket is a romance. Bowler tries to get the batsman out by setting up a field. Batsman tries to win by building an innings...The fielder in the slip waits for the ball like a man in love waits for a 'yes' from his lover...all day long," he said.

At the same time, the former opener said he is not completely averse to innovation.

"...number on jersey etc are okay but diaper and five-day cricket should be changed only when they are soiled. I don't think there is any problem with Test cricket. It is a 142 year-old young man fit like today's Indian team. It has a soul and this soul's age shouldn't be shortened," he asserted. -- PTI

13:23 Chinook, Apache to take part in R-Day flypast

Newly-inducted attack helicopter Apache and transport chopper Chinook will take part in the Republic Day flypast for the first time on January 26, officials said on Monday.

The 'Chinook' formation will comprise three newly-inducted transport helicopters in 'vic' formation, a senior IAF official said.

Following them will be the 'Apache' formation consisting of the latest attack helicopters of the Indian Air Force.

The five attack helicopters would be flying in 'arrowhead' formation, he said. -- PTI

13:10 No question of NRC in Bihar, says Nitish

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Monday said that the National Register of Citizens would not be implemented in the state and Prime Minister Narendra Modi too had made his stand clear on the issue.

"No question of NRC in Bihar. It was in discussions only in context of Assam. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also clarified on it," Nitish said in the state assembly.

Kumar said there should be discussion on the Citizenship Amendment Act and if all parties agree, then Parliament too should hold consultations on the contentious legislation that has triggered widespread protests.

NRC and the new citizenship law have created fissures in the Nitihs-led Janata Dal-United, an ally of the Bharatiya Janata Party, with party vice-president Prashant Kishor publicly asking Kumar to do a rethink on support to the legislation.

Terming the book comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj as "insulting", senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Monday demanded that it be banned and asked the warrior king's

descendants to clarify their stand over the issue.

Talking to reporters in Mumbai, Raut said comparison of Shivaji Maharaj with anyone was "not acceptable", and the book seemed to be the handiwork of some "bootlickers" to appease the prime minister.

He said the Bharatiya Janata Party should declare that it has no link with the book, titled "Aaj ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi", written by BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal.

The Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress, which are part of the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi government, have criticised the book.

"A BJP leader has written the book titled 'Aaj Ke Shivaji: Narendra Modi', which we find insulting. The party should clarify whether it considers Prime Minister Narendra Modi as great as Shivaji Maharaj," Raut said.

"We respect Prime Minister Modi. But comparing Shivaji Maharaj with anyone is not acceptable," he said.

Without taking any names, Raut targeted the warrior king's descendants -- BJP's Rajya Sabha member Chhatrapati Sambhaji Raje and former Satara MP Udayanraje Bhosale, Bhosale, who recently joined the BJP after quitting the NCP.

"Chhatrapati Shivaji's descendants should clarify if they like Modi being compared to him. They should quit the BJP over the book," the Sena leader said.

He said it looks like some "bootlickers" have published the book to appease the prime minister.

"They are the ones who are creating trouble for him (Modi). The BJP should get rid of them," he said.

Demanding that the book be banned, Raut said he has spoken to Shiv Sena president and Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray over the issue.

"He (Thackeray) told me that Sena has taken the right stand and we are going to stick to it. This book should be banned and the BJP should officially distance itself from such a book and the narrative it is pushing forward," he added.

Raut said the book's author Jay Bhagwan Goyal was once with the Shiv Sena, but was removed from the party after he allegedly attacked the Maharashtra Sadan in Delhi.

"BJP leaders are quite active when it comes to some issues such as (pertaining to Hindutva ideologue) V D Savarkar. I hope they will demonstrate similar efficiency in this case also. The BJP should declare that it has no link

with the book," the Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha member said.

The descendants of Shivaji Maharaj from Satara and Kolhapur are affiliated with the BJP. They should speak out their views on the issue, he said.

Meanwhile, BJP MLA Shivendraraje Bhosale, who is also a descendant of the Maratha warrior king and is the cousin of Udayanraje Bhosale, said it was unfortunate that some "bootlickers" were creating a problem for the party's image.

"I request my party leaders to put a check on such bootlickers who, for their personal gain, are ready to stoop to any level. I am totally against such comparison between Shivaji Maharaj and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," the MLA from Satara said. -- PTI

Virat Kohli is a "far, far better" batsman than Steve Smith as far as white-ball cricket is concerned, feels former India opener Gautam Gambhir.

Kohli, with 11,000 plus runs and 43 hundreds in ODIs, is way ahead of Smith who is closing in on 4000 runs with eight three-figure scores.

"Virat Kohli is far far better than Steve Smith in white-ball cricket. There's no comparison. I would not compare Kohli to Smith in white-ball cricket. I would actually want to see what spot Smith bats on," Gambhir told 'Star Sports' on the eve of India's first ODI against Australia.

"Are they're going to push him at no 4 or would have him bat at 3 and send Labuschagne at no 4," he added.

On the bowling front, Gambhir feels that Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami can trouble Aussie batsmen with sheer pace in the ODI series starting on Tuesday.

"I'm really excited to see how these two guys bowl against some of the top batters like David Warner or Aaron Finch in that kind of form in white-ball cricket on flat wickets.

"But the best part is that they have got pace. They can actually get wickets with that sheer pace and the quickness in the air as well,' Gambhir opined.

Gambhir feels the Indian team management did a wrong thing by keeping Shami out of the World Cup semi-finals on a seamer-friendly Old Trafford track.

"Both of them bowling in tandem is going to be a great sight because it's a little unfortunate that Shami didn't play in the World Cup semi-final. It was probably the worst decision that was made in the entire World Cup with the kind of form he was in.

"Had he played that, with Bumrah he would have had an impact. I know that both of them bowling with the new ball together with the form they are in, it's going to be hard work for the Australians."

The former opener believes Shami is way more effective on placid tracks like the one on offer at the Wankhede.

"I've always believed that when you're playing on placid wickets and smaller grounds like the Wankhede or Bangalore, your bowlers need to step up. The kind of form Mohammed Shami is in, it's a big plus for India that he has done really well in white-ball cricket.

"Jasprit Bumrah is coming back from injury but he's a quality bowler."

The worrying aspect for India would be the middle-order that will have to face a quality Australian pace attack that has Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins.

"Australian bowlers like Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood would not let Indian batters at numbers 5, 6 and 7 get runs in front of an opposition like this," Gambhir said.

"Maybe in front of Sri Lanka or Bangaldesh they can get runs but in front of such a strong opposition it will not be an easy task so it is all about how the top 4 in the batting line up deliver.

"Last time when Australia had come to India and beaten us, the squad didn't have Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc, so it is going to be a difficult task with them playing." -- PTI

The Delhi high court on Monday sought response of the city police, Delhi government, WhatsApp Inc, Google Inc and Apple Inc on a plea of three Jawaharlal Nehru University professors to preserve data, CCTV footage and other evidence relating to the January 5 violence on the varsity campus.

The Delhi Police informed the court that it has asked the JNU administration to preserve and hand over CCTV footage of the violence.

Justice Brijesh Sethi listed the matter for further hearing on Tuesday.

The court was told by Delhi government Standing Counsel (criminal) Rahul Mehra that the police has not yet received any response from the university administration.

The counsel said police has also written to WhatsApp to preserve data of two groups "Unity Against Left" and "Friends of RSS" including messages, pictures and videos and phone numbers of members, related to JNU violence incident.

The petition was filed by JNU professors Ameet Parameswaran, Atul Sood and Shukla Vinayak Sawant seeking necessary directions to the Delhi Police Commissioner and Delhi government.

The petition also sought direction to the Delhi Police to retrieve all CCTV footage of JNU campus. -- PTI

The Delhi Police on Monday morning closed both carriageways of the Baba Gang Nath Marg near the Jawaharlal Nehru University for traffic movement as a precautionary measure, officials said.

Police said the road from Nelson Mandela Marg to Aruna Asaf Ali Marg was closed in anticipation of a demonstration by students. -- PTI

11:57 Dummy execution of Nirbhaya convicts performed

A dummy execution of the four death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gangrape case was performed at Tihar Jail on Sunday, prison officials said.

A Delhi court had pronounced on Tuesday that the convicts -- Mukesh (32), Pawan Gupta (25), Vinay Sharma (26) and Akshay Kumar Singh (31) -- will be hanged on January 22 at 7 am in the Tihar Jail.

A team of prison officials performed dummy execution of the four convicts. The dummies were created using sacks filled with debris and stones as per the weight of the convicts, a senior jail official said.

The execution will take place on in Jail No 3, he said, adding that the UP Prison authority has confirmed that Pawan Jallad from Meerut will be sent to hang the four convicts.

The Tihar authorities had written to the Uttar Pradesh prison authorities, seeking the services of two hangmen from the state to the execution.

All the four convicts are likely to hanged simultaneously.

The jail authorities were also holding conversations with the convicts on a daily basis to ensure that they were in a good mental state, the official said. -- PTI

Eight eminent personalities, including former Supreme Court judge J Chelameswar and ex-Chief Election Commissioner S Y Quraishi, have appealed to people to "introspect and audit" the working of the Constitution ahead of the 70th anniversary of the Republic.

"Is the Constitution a mere administrative manual which enables the elected governments to claim legitimacy for abuse of power, and allows the citizens to convert liberty into license disregarding rights of others? Is it simply another text penned by ink, or a sacred text written in the blood of innumerable martyrs who transcended the barriers of caste, religion, region, ethnicity and language?" they asked in an open letter.

Their appeal has come at a time when there have been protests, some of them violent, against the new citizenship law, which critics say discriminates on the basis of religion and violates the Constitution.

Stressing that peaceful reconciliation of conflicting interests, healthy public discourse, and respect for dissenting views are at the heart of democracy, they urged people to "introspect whether truth and non-violence -- the two values held very dear to the heart of the Father of the Nation -- continue to inform our actions in the public sphere."

Under the title '70 years of Indian Constitution-A Defining Moment', the signatories of the letter said 70 years of the working of the Constitution provided an "opportunity to celebrate our successes, and also to introspect and resolve to overcome our shortcomings".

"We appeal to all citizens to utilise this solemn occasion to celebrate our success, reflect on our current concerns, particularly about our plural, secular society, and resolve to fulfil the Constitutional goals envisaged by Dr Ambedkar and our forefathers as summed up in the Preamble," they said.

Apart from Quraishi and Chelameswar, the letter has been signed by film personality Sharmila Tagore, former Army Commander Lt Gen Harcharanjit Singh Panag, filmmaker Adoor Gopalakrishnan, Carnatic musician and creative personality T M Krishna, former chairman of UGC and ICSSR Sukhdeo Thorat and former member of the Planning Commission Syeda Hameed.

They said each generation has a "solemn duty to constantly introspect and audit the working of the Constitution".

"The 70th anniversary of the Republic is an appropriate moment to celebrate and introspect by peacefully observing the birthday of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose (January 23), foundation day of the Election Commission celebrated as the National Voters Day (January 25), the Republic Day (January 26) and the martyrdom of the Father of the Nation (January 30)," they said. -- PTI

Queen Elizabeth II will meet her grandson Prince Harry for face-to-face talks on Monday to discuss the future roles for him and his wife Meghan Markle following the couple's bombshell announcement that they want to "step back" from Britain's royal duties.

Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, his brother William, the Duke of Cambridge, and their father Charles, the Prince of Wales, have all been invited to the emergency meeting at the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, while Meghan, who is in Canada with the couple's eight-month-old son Archie, is expected to join the discussion over phone.

The meeting will be the first time the 93-year-old monarch has come face-to-face with Harry since the Sussex crisis exploded. It will determine the couple's future roles and decide if they will retain their royal titles as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The couple made their bombshell announcement on Wednesday that they intend to "step back" from being frontline royals, split their time between the UK and North America, and work towards becoming "financially independent".

According to royal insiders, the so-called Sandringham Summit is expected to thrash out some of the key details, but a complete resolution to the couple's expressed wish to split their time between the UK and North America and become financially independent is unlikely to be achieved at the end of Monday's meeting.

There are likely to be tax implications as a result of such unprecedented changes to their residential and financial status as royals.

A concrete plan is expected to be broadly agreed and publicly announced some time in the coming week, with details left to be fleshed out over time.

Some of the issues to be discussed at the crisis talks would include how much "official" royal work Harry, 35, and Meghan, 38, will do in the UK and overseas on behalf of the royal family and the government.

It will also discuss Harry and Meghan's His and Her Royal Highness titles, and how they will be styled; how much money they might receive from the Queen and Prince Charles once their Sovereign Grant public funding is cut; and what commercial deals the couple might be allowed to strike.

The crunch meeting presided over by the 93-year-old monarch, being dubbed a family showdown, will present Harry with a range of draft written proposals compiled by a team of aides and private secretaries. -- PTI

The Supreme Court on Monday commenced hearing on issues related to discrimination against women in various religions and at religious places including Kerala's Sabarimala Temple.

A nine-judge bench headed by Chief Justice S A Bobde said that it was not considering review pleas in the Sabarimala case.

"We are not hearing review pleas of Sabarimala case. We are considering issues referred to by a 5-judge bench earlier," the bench said.

The apex court had on November 14 asked a larger bench to re-examine various religious issues, including the entry of women into the Sabarimala Temple and mosques and the practice of female genital mutilation in the Dawoodi Bohra community.

While the five-judge bench unanimously agreed to refer religious issues to a larger bench, it gave a 3:2 split decision on petitions seeking a review of the apex court's September 2018 decision allowing women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala shrine in Kerala.

A majority verdict by then Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices A M Khanwilkar and Indu Malhotra decided to keep pending pleas seeking a review of its decision regarding entry of women into the shrine, and said restrictions on women in religious places was not restricted to Sabarimala alone and was prevalent in other religions as well.

The minority verdict by Justices R F Nariman and D Y Chandrachud gave a dissenting view by dismissing all review pleas and directing compliance of its September 28 decision. -- PTI

The International Cricket Council is considering expanding the T20 World Cup from 16 to 20 teams from the 2023-31 cycle, according to a media report.

The ICC, which views the T20 format as the best way to increase the reach of the sport, is mulling the option as a way for cricket to try and match the popularity of sports like football and basketball, according to the 'Telegraph.co.uk'.

The newspaper reported that this consideration is "a part of broader discussions for the shape of international cricket calendar from 2023-2031".

The first T20 World Cup in this cycle is scheduled for 2024.

The ICC had earlier put forward a proposal to organise a flagship event every year as a plan to enter the global media rights markets and the a bigger T20 World Cup will also increase the viewership.

A bigger tournament will also increase the likelihood of the participation of the USA, a market where ICC has recently made several attempts to spread the sport.

Other teams that could take part are Canada, Germany, Nepal and Nigeria.

The ICC is looking at two options for the format if the tournament expands to 20 teams.

One of the options is the current two-tier format used in the T20 World Cup with lower-ranked teams playing the qualifiers to reach the main draw which includes the top countries.

The second possibility could be four groups of five teams each with the top sides from each group progressing to the knockout stage.

The ICC is carrying out several discussions about the future of the sport, including shortening of five-day Test matches to four days. -- PTI

11:05 Now, AAP to skip Oppn meeting on CAA

The Aam Aadmi Party will skip the meeting of opposition parties called by the Congress to discuss the situation arising out of violence on various university campuses and protests over the amended Citizenship Act.

AAP MP Sanjay Singh said that his party did not have any information about any such meeting.

"We have no information about any such meeting. So,makes no sense to attend a meeting we have no information about," Singh said.

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has called the meeting on Monday to discuss a strategy on protests over the CAA and the NRC.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati and Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee will also skip the meeting.

10:56 Chidambaram proposes Q&A to Modi over CAA

Asserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not talking to his critics, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Monday urged him to select five critics and have a televised question and answer session on Citizenship Amendment Act so that people can reach their own conclusions on the amended law.

The Congress leader said he hoped that the prime minister would respond favourably to his suggestion.

"PM says that CAA is meant to give citizenship, not take it away. Many of us believe that CAA (in conjunction with NPR or NRC) will declare many persons as 'non-citizens' and take away citizenship," the former home minister said.

"PM talks from high platforms to silent audiences and does not take questions. We talk through the media and are willing to take questions from media persons," he added.

The prime minister is not talking to his critics and they do not have an opportunity to talk to him, Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.

"The only way out is for the PM to select five of his most articulate critics and have a televised Q and A session with them. Let the people listen to the discussion and reach their conclusions on CAA," he said.

Chidmbaram's suggestion comes after Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Saturday termed the CAA a "discriminatory and divisive" law whose "sinister" purpose was to divide people on religious lines, and asserted that the NPR (National Population Register) in form and content was "disguised NRC (National Register of Citizens)". -- PTI

10:03 Sensex, Nifty hit record highs

Equity benchmarks Sensex and Nifty hit their record intra-day highs in early trade on Monday tracking gains in index-heavyweight Infosys amid positive domestic and global cues.

After rallying 293.69 pts to a record peak of 41,893.41, the 30-share BSE index was trading 248.57 points or 0.60 per cent higher at 41,848.29.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty scaled a high of 12,337.75, before trading 70.35 points or 0.57 per cent higher at 12,327.15.

Infosys was the top gainer, rising over 3 per cent, after the IT services major Infosys on Friday reported a 23.7 per cent rise in consolidated net profit at Rs 4,466 crore for the December quarter.

Sun Pharma, ITC, HCL Tech, Tata Steel, ICICI Bank and Kotak Bank were also trading on a positive note.

On the other hand, TCS, Maruti and HDFC were in the red.

In the previous session, Sensex ended 147.37 points, or 0.36 per cent, higher at 41,599.72 and the Nifty settled 40.90 points, or 0.33 per cent, higher at 12,256.80.

Meanwhile, on a net basis, foreign institutional investors bought equities worth Rs 578.28 crore, while domestic institutional investors purchased shares worth Rs 251.74 crore on Friday, data available with stock exchanges showed.

According to traders, besides positive quarterly number from Infosys, positive domestic macro data, firm global cues and foreign fund inflow too boosted market mood here. -- PTI

09:30 JNU violence: Cops identify masked woman

A Special Investigation Team has identified that the masked woman who was seen in the videos of Jawaharlal Nehru University violence, is from Delhi University.

"SIT team has identified that the masked woman who was seen in the videos of JNU violence is from Delhi University. She will be soon served notice to join the investigation," said the Delhi Police.

On Sunday, Delhi Police sources had said that the SIT had identified seven more people who were allegedly involved in the violence that erupted in the Jawaharlal Nehru University on January 5.

Earlier, the Crime Branch investigating the case had identified and released photographs of nine suspects, including Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh.

On January 5, more than 30 students, including Ghosh, were taken to the AIIMS Trauma Centre after a masked mob entered the JNU campus and attacked students and teaching staff with sticks and rods. -- ANI

Two persons were on Sunday arrested in Kolkata for waiving black flags at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's convoy, police sources confirmed.

One of the two was identified as Sourav Prasad, the president of the West Bengal unit of the Congress Chatra Parishad, they said.

He was held from outside Netaji Indoor Stadium where Modi had come to attend a programme organised by the Kolkata Port Trust, police said.

The incident took place at around 11 am when Modi's convoy was entering the stadium, a senior officer of Kolkata Police said.

"As the PM's convoy was entering through the Kshudiram Anushilan Kendra gate, two persons appeared from the crowd and started raising slogans of 'Modi go back' and 'chhatra parishad zindabad'," he said.

"They also took out black flags which were hidden in their trousers and began waiving them," he added.

The policemen present there immediately nabbed the duo, the officer said.

However, the police denied that the incident was a security breach.

"The PM's convoy was far off from the spot where these two were waiving the flags... There was no security breach," another senior officer said.

Modi was in Kolkata on a two-day visit to participate in sesquicentenary celebrations of the Kolkata Port Trust and dedication of heritage buildings to the nation.

Students, mostly affiliated to the Congress and the Left parties staged protests against the amended citizenship act, despite Modi's assurance that the new law would not harm the interests of any citizen. -- PTI

09:12 After Mamata, Mayawati to skip Oppn meet

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati will not attend a meeting of opposition parties convened on Monday to discuss the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.

Mayawati, furious with the Congress after all six MLAs of her party in Rajasthan joined the ruling Congress last September, cited the episode as her reason for not attending the opposition meet.

"In such a situation, the BSP's attendance in the opposition meeting led by the Congress, will demoralise the party workers in Rajasthan. Hence, the BSP will not attend this meeting," Mayawati tweeted in Hindi.

Earlier, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee announced that she would not attend the opposition meeting.

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party president Dilip Ghosh courted controversy on Sunday by threatening to shoot and kill those involved in damaging public property "like the same way in Uttar Pradesh".

Addressing a public meeting in West Bengal's Nadia district, Ghosh came down heavily on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee "for not opening fire and ordering lathicharge" on those destroying railway property and public transport during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in the state in December last year.

"Is it the father's property of those who are setting public property on fire? How can they destroy government property built on tax payers' money!" Ghosh said.

He said, "The governments of Uttar Pradesh, Assam and Karnataka did the right thing by opening fire on these anti-national elements (during anti-CAA protests)."

The BJP leader said those involved in arson and damaging public property will be shot "like the same way in Uttar Pradesh".

"They will come here, enjoy all the facilities and destroy country's property. Is it their zamindari!" he asked.

Ghosh also called for identifying those "sabotaging the interests" of Hindu Bengalis.

He claimed that there are two crore "Muslim infiltrators" in the country.

"One crore alone is in West Bengal and Mamata Banerjee is trying to protect them," he alleged. -- PTI

A Maharashtra Congress spokesperson on Sunday lodged a complaint with Nagpur Police against Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal for allegedly hurting the sentiments of people by comparing Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj in his book.

Goyal's book is titled Aaj ke Shivaji- Narendra Modi.

In the complaint filed by Congress spokesman Atul Londhe, he said by comparing Modi to Shivaji Maharaj the writer has insulted the warrior king.

"Delhi BJP leader Jay Bhagwan Goyal has penned the book titled "Aaj ke Shivaji- Narendra Modi". He unveiled the book at BJP office and also tweeted about it," he said.

"The book compares PM Narendra Modi to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, who is adored by crores of people. Comparing Modi or anyone else to Shivaji Maharaj hurts our feelings. By doing so, the book has disrespected Chhatrapti Shivaji and his works," Londhe said in the complaint.

In his complaint, the Congress leader sought action against Goyal, the publisher of the book and its distributor. -- PTI

08:33 Oppn meet today on CAA, NRC; Mamata to skip

Opposition parties will meet in New Delhi today to chalk out strategies to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government over the contentious citizenship law and the citizenship list NRC.

Leaders of the Congress, Left parties, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Rashtriya Janata Dal, among others

The meeting is expected to signal opposition unity.

The Samajwadi Party is expected to attend the meeting, but suspense remains over the participation of Mayawatis Bahujan Samaj Party.

However, West Bengal chief minister and Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee announced that she will not be a part of the meeting, dealing a blow to efforts to showcase a united Opposition.

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