Puducherry chief minister V Narayanasamy Thursday claimed the Citizenship (Amendment) Act "ignores" Muslims and that he will not implement the newly enacted law, as well as the National Register of Citizens, in the Union Territory "come what may".

 

The Congress CM claimed the CAA and the NRC were "ill-conceived" and aimed at achieving the goal of "Hindutva, as championed by the BJP".

 

He said Congress-ruled state governments have decided to not implement the CAA and the NRC and "I will also do so in Puducherry".

As per the CAA, members of Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Jain, Parsi and Christian communities who fled religious persecution in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, and have arrived in India before December 31, 2014, will not be treated as illegal immigrants, and they will be given Indian citizenship.

"Even Tamils from Sri Lanka residing in India as refugees were persecuted in the Island country. Why you have left them out? Similar is the case with the Rohingyas," he told PTI over phone. 

He alleged that the CAA "ignores" Indian Muslims. "It cannot be done in a partisan way. You have to include people of all the religions. You can't do it selectively for the people of some religions. Come what may, I will not implement CAA and NRC in Puducherry," he said. -- PTI

With a numbing cold continuing to sweep Delhi-NCR, the region is expected to record its second-coldest December since 1901, the weather department said on Thursday.

"The mean maximum temperature for December was less than 20 degrees Celsius only in 1919, 1929, 1961 and 1997," an official of the India Meteorological Department said.

In December this year, the mean maximum temperature till Thursday was 19.85 degrees Celsius. It is expected to dip to 19.15 degrees Celsius by December 31, he said.

"If it happens, it will be the second-coldest December since 1901. December 1997 recorded the lowest MMT of 17.3 degrees Celsius," the official said.

Before that, the MMT was 19.8 degrees Celsius in 1919 and 1929, while it was 20 degrees Celsius in 1962, the official said.

The Safdarjung Observatory, which provides official figures for Delhi, recorded the lowest maximum temperature of 12.2 degrees Celsius on December 18.

The weather station at Palam recorded the lowest maximum of 11.4 degrees Celsius on December 25.

Since December 14, most parts of the city have witnessed 13 consecutive "cold days" or a 13-day "cold spell". The last time such a long cold spell was witnessed was in December 1997.

After 1992, Delhi has had cold spells only in four years - 1997, 1998, 2003 and 2014.

"Severe cold day/cold day" conditions are predicted till December 29. -- PTI

Congress leader in Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Thursday described Army chief Gen Bipin Rawat's remarks criticising people leading violent protests over the new citizenship law as "unethical" and alleged that he appeared to speak like a BJP leader.

 

Rawat on Thursday criticised people leading violent protests, saying leadership is not about guiding masses, including students to carry out arson and violence,

"Army Chief's remark on CAA is highly objectionable, unethical and beyond his remit, he is appeared to be a BJP leader who is going to be promoted or rewarded as cds. Rawat needs to be restrained to maintain the impartiality of our army (sic)," Chowdhury tweeted.

Congress leader Brijesh Kalappa also slammed Gen Rawat for his remarks.

"Army Chief Bipin Rawat speaking against #CAAProtests is wholly against constitutional democracy. If Army Chief is allowed to speak on political issues today, it also permits him to attempt an Army takeover tomorrow!!," he tweeted.

Reacting to Gen Rawat's remarks, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said, "I agree General Saheb but also Leaders are not those who allow their followers to indulge in genocide of communal violence (sic). Do you agree with me General Saheb?"

At the party's press conference in New Delhi, senior spokesperson Ajay Maken, when asked about the controversy on the statement of the Army Chief, said Rawat is Army Chief and "we would desist from making any comments on his statement". -- PTI  

The Shiv Sena-ruled Thane Municipal Corporation has decided to shift its salary accounts from Axis Bank to a nationalized bank, a civic official said.

Thane Mayor Naresh Mhaske, in a meeting on Thursday, directed officials to shift the accounts from Axis Bank to a nationalized bank, the official said.

The development follows a war of words on social media between the Shiv Sena and Amruta Fadnavis -- wife of former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis -- who holds a senior position at the Axis Bank.  

The much-awaited expansion of the Maharashtra council of ministers will take place on December 30, Congress sources said on Thursday.

As many as 36 ministers could take oath on that day, sources added.

Currently the Uddhav Thackeray-led cabinet has six ministers besides chief minister Thackeray.

The swearing-in is likely to take place at the Vidhan Bhavan (state legislature complex) in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, state Congress chief Balasaheb Thorat told reporters in Mumbai that his party's list of the leaders who would take oath as ministers was ready.

 

When asked if the Congress was seeking the post of deputy chief minister, Thorat said, cryptically, "Media can run this story."

As to why the cabinet expansion which was likely to take place earlier this week was delayed, he said the entire state administration was in Nagpur for the winter session of the legislature till last week.

"It takes time to make preparations for the swearing-in of so many ministers," he said.

Thorat and Nitin Raut of the Congress, Eknath Shinde and Subhash Desai of the Shiv Sena and Jayant Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal of the NCP took oath alongwith Thackeray on November 28.

According to the power-sharing formula agreed on by the three parties, the Shiv Sena would have 16 ministers (apart from chief minister), the NCP 14 and the Congress 12. -- PTI

West Bengal Bharatiya Janata Party chief Dilip Ghosh said on Thursday that National Register of Citizens is required in the state because infiltrators have become the vote banks of the ruling Trinamool Congress.

        

He criticised West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's opposition to National Population Register and said that it has become her habit to resist whatever is good for the country.

Ghosh told newsmen, "The National Register of  Citizens should be implemented in West Bengal. Mamata Banerjee needs the help of the infiltrators, who have become its votebank, to win elections".

"Let the Citizenship Amendment Act happen first here, then we will see what to do with NRC," he said.

        

Regarding updation of the NRC in Assam, Ghosh said BJP has no link with it as it was done under the directions of the Supreme Court.         

"But there had been some lapses which are being sorted out presently," he said.         

About NPR, he said it was started by the Congress in 2010. "Subsequently we (BJP) came to power. It is the duty of the government to continue with the process." 

On Banerjee's stiff resistance to NPR, preparation for which has been stayed by the West Bengal government, he said it was "her habit to resist whatever is good for the country". -- PTI

In the wake of violence in parts of Uttar Pradesh during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, Internet services will remain suspended here for 24 hours from 10 pm on Thursday. 

   

The restriction will remain in place till 10 pm on Friday.

 

This is the second time in the month that Internet services have been suspended.

 

District Magistrate Ajay Shankar Pandey told PTI that all mobile companies had been told to keep their services suspend.

 

He said the step had been taken to prevent hate-mongering on social media in view of violence in the state after the passage of the new citizenship law in Parliament.  

 

The anti-social elements won't be able to take advantage of the Internet to spread hatred and disturb communal harmony, the DM said, adding that the possibility of violence and arson could not be ruled out. 

Former pacer Shoaib Akhtar has alleged that his teammate Danish Kaneria faced discrimination at the hands of a few Pakistani cricketers, who were reluctant to even eat with him because he was a Hindu.

   

Kaneria, only the second Hindu to play for Pakistan after his maternal uncle Anil Dalpat, took 261 wickets in 61 Tests at an average of 34.79. 

He also played 18 ODIs.

 

Akhtar made the revelation during a show called "Game on Hai" aired on PTV Sports. 

 

"In my career I fought with two three (in the team) when they started talking on regionalism. Things like 'who is from Karachi, Punjab or Peshawar', that used to infuriate. So what if someone is a Hindu, he is doing well for the team. 

 

"They used to say 'sir ye yaaha se khaana kaise le raha hain' (how is he taking food from this place)?" said the 44-year-old, who played 46 Tests and 163 ODIs.

 

"The same Hindu won the Test for us against England. If he is taking a bagful of wickets for Pakistan, he should play. We could not have won the series without Kaneria's effort. But not many gave him credit for that," said Akhtar. 

 

Kaneria, now 39, was found guilty of spot-fixing alongside Mervyn Westfield while playing for Essex against Durham in 2009.  -- PTI

Khan made the remarks while addressing a public gathering in Jhelum district, hours after the army said that two of its soldiers were killed in "unprovoked firing" by the Indian troops along the Line of Control.

"I have been telling the world for the past five months that the Modi-RSS government, in order to divert the world attention away from Kashmir and the protests against the (citizenship) law, will definitely conduct some sort of action" in PoK, Khan said.

The prime minister said he had told army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa about the threats from India and the General "told me that Pakistan is prepared for them."

He extended condolences to the families of the two soldiers killed on Thursday.

Khan said that the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens attracted large-scale protests for being against 200 million Muslims living in India.

He also said that Pakistan would not do anything as what Prime Minister Modi was doing "would create a backlash that would bring his downfall." -- PTI  

Over 50 faculty members of Banaras Hindu University and affiliated colleges have issued a statement condemning the controversial amendments to the citizenship law and proposed implementation of National Register of Citizen.

 

"We, the teachers of BHU, IIT BHU and affiliated colleges are deeply pained, and aghast with the recent Citizenship Amendment Act passed by the Parliament of India and the declared follow up by implementation of National Citizenship Register, said a statement signed by 51 faculty members, including Professors and Associate Professors.   

"This is completely against the spirit of freedom struggle and the idea of a pluralist democracy. This is not acceptable in the land of Gandhi and Tagore. This is clearly an attempt to divide society on communal lines, so that real issues of day to day living of common man are relegated to the back ground," it said.

The faculty members carried out a signature campaign on Wednesday against the National Register of Citizen and the Citizenship Amendment Act and appealed to the government to rethink the long term implications of these exercises.

The statement said it was unacceptable for a modern state to resort to a "retrogressive and ill-informed policy, devoid of historical and social understanding" and that the government's controversial actions pertaining to citizenship are against the Indian tradition of inclusiveness as advocated by Indian philosophy.

 

"We request the Government of India to rethink about long term implications of this Act and hope national interest would prevail over partisan politics. We also urge protestors not to indulge in violence and express their disagreement through peaceful and democratic means. We also condemn police brutalities on students of many universities, like Jamia Milia Islamia," it said.

Some BHU students were arrested a few days ago and sent to jail for protesting against the NRC and CAA. -- PTI  

Bharatiya Janata Party's oldest ally Shiromani Akali Dal on Thursday opposed the roll out of the National Register of Citizens across the country, claiming the proposed exercise has created insecurity among Muslims.

 

Akali Dal leader and Rajya Sabha MP Naresh Gujral also sought improved coordination among NDA allies "as used to be during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government".

"We represent Sikhs, which are a minority, and are thus more sensitive to the feelings and concerns of (other) minorities. We do not want Muslims to become insecure. We do not want any minority to feel insecure in any way in view of the fact that after 1984, Sikhs had started feeling insecure," Gujral told PTI.

"After 1984, we felt the Congress isolated Sikhs completely from the mainstream to serve their political ends. We feel in a secular country, no minority should ever feel they are being isolated or are being targeted," he added.

Gujral said NRC should not be implemented in the country and the BJP government should "rethink" the exercise.

Punjabis, by and large, and Sikhs in particular, he said, believe in the philosophy of the Gurus, which is tolerance, compassion and equality and 'sarbat ka bhala' (good for everyone).

"The NRC is causing a lot of misgivings in the minds of Muslims. The NRC should not be implemented. We are categorically against the NRC. It is up to the government to say so, that the NRC would not be implemented all over the country," he said.

Gujral said the SAD wants Muslims to be included in the Citizenship Amendment Act and this has been stated by the party in Parliament too when the bill was taken up for discussion and passed.

The Akali Dal supported the bill in Parliament. -- PTI

The Left parties on Thursday announced a seven-day nationwide protest from January 1 to 7 and a general strike on January 8 against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the National Population Register and the National Register of Citizens.

 

In a joint statement, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-, the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India-Marxist-Leninist-Liberation, the All India Forward Bloc and the Revolutionary Socialist Party said the protest programme was announced in solidarity with the trade unions, which have also called a general strike on January 8.

"The Left parties extend support to all the kisan and agricultural workers' organisations and civil society movement that have called for a 'grameen bandh' on January 8.

"The Left parties call upon all their units and all the states of the country to organise powerful protest movements against the assault on the Indian Constitution through the CAA/NRC/NPR," the statement said.

The parties also strongly "condemn atrocities unleashed by the police on peaceful protests by civilians in BJP-ruled states", particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Tripura, as well as in Delhi, where the police force is directly under the Union home ministry.

The protests shall continue peacefully, the Left parties said. -- PTI 

A special National Investigation Agency court in Guwahati on Thursday remanded peasant leader Akhil Gogoi, who had been arrested by the agency, to judicial custody for 14 days.

The special court also turned down NIA's plea to extend his custody for 10 days.

He was arrested by the NIA from Jorhat on December 12 when large scale protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act was rocking Assam under the stringent Unlawful Actvities (Prevention) Act.

Earlier in the day the NIA searched the residence of Gogoi, who is also an RTI activist, at Nizarapara area in Guwahati and seized several documents and a laptop, officials said.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti leader, whose NIA custody was to end on Friday, was brought from New Delhi and produced before the court in Guwahati.

Gogoi was instrumental in mobilising protests across several districts in upper Assam against the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Act. -- PTI

Former Navy Chief Admiral L Ramdas on Thursday termed as "wrong" Army Chief Gen. Bipin Rawat's remarks against the nationwide protests over the new citizenship law, saying people in the armed forces must follow the decades-old principle of serving the country and not any political forces.

   

Ramdas said all the three services have an internal code prescribing that they must be neutral and not partisan, adding that these rules have been the bedrock of the armed forces for decades.

 

"The rule is very clear that we are serving the country and not the political forces and to express any political views as we have heard today are quite a wrong thing for any serving personnel whether he is the top gun or at the bottom rank. It is not proper," Ramdas told PTI.

 

Army Chief Gen Bipin Rawat on Thursday criticised people leading violent protests over the new citizenship law, saying leadership is not about guiding masses including students to carry out arson and violence, remarks that drew sharp reactions from opposition leaders.

 

"Leaders are not those who lead people in inappropriate directions, as we are witnessing in a large number of university and college students, the way they are leading masses of crowds to carry out arson and violence in our cities and towns. This is not leadership," the Army Chief said at a health summit. 

 

He further said, "A leader is one person who leads you in the correct direction. Gives you the right advice and then ensures that you care for the people you lead."

 

Gen Rawat, who is due to retire on December 31 as Army Chief, is tipped to be India's first Chief of Defence Staff who will be the single-point military adviser to the government on tri-services matters. 

In his three-year tenure as Army Chief, he faced allegations of not remaining politically neutral. 

 

Section 21 of the Army Act prohibits any Army personnel to attend or address any meeting or to take part in any demonstration organised by anybody for any political or other purposes. 

It also bars them from communicating to press or to publish any book relating to political question.

The government has made Aadhaar mandatory for subscribers of the Pradhan Mantri Vaya Vandana Yojana, a pension scheme for senior citizens.

   

The scheme, which envisages an assured rate of return of 8 per cent annually, is being implemented through Life Insurance Corporation of India. 

The scheme was announced in Union Budgets of 2017-18 and 2018-19.

 

"An individual eligible for receiving the benefit under the scheme shall hereby be required to furnish proof of possession of Aadhaar number (the unique 12-digit biometric identity number) or undergo Aadhaar authentication," according to a finance ministry notification.

 

The notification, dated December 23, has been issued under the Aadhaar (Targeted Delivery of Financial and Other Subsidies, Benefits and Services) Act, 2016.

 

It further said any individual desirous of availing benefit under the scheme who does not possess the Aadhaar number or has not yet been enrolled for Aadhaar, "shall be required to apply for Aadhaar enrolment before registering for the scheme".

 

In cases where Aadhaar authentication fails due to poor biometrics, the the ministry's department of financial services through its implementing agency will make provisions to help the beneficiaries get the Aadhaar number.

 

Further, where biometric or Aadhaar one-time password or time-based OTP authentication is not possible, benefit under the scheme may be given on the basis of physical Aadhaar letter whose authenticity may be verified through the quick response (QR) code printed on the Aadhaar letter, the notification said.

 

In the Budget 2018-19, the maximum limit under PMVVY was doubled to Rs 15 lakh per senior citizen. The scheme is available for subscription till March 2020. -- PTI  

An Uttar Pradesh minister on a visit in Bijnor on Thursday refused to meet the families of the two Muslim men who died in the recent protests against the new citizenship law, terming them "upadravi" (vandals).

 

"Why should I go to vandals' place? How can those who are involved in vandalism and put the entire country and state in arson be social," minister Kapil Dev Agarwal posed, defending his decision to not visit the homes of the two Muslim families.

"Why should I visit those who want to put Nahtaur/Bijnor in flames?" the minister in-charge of the district shot back when asked by reporters to justify his decision.

Agarwal, the vocational education and skill development minister in the Yogi Adityanath government, did meet Om Raj Saini, who was injured in the violence that hit the district's Nehtaur area, and his family.

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Sunday met the families of those dead in the violence in Bijnor.

When a mediaperson confronted the UP minister by asking him specifically whether it did not amount to discrimination, Agarwal retorted saying, "Why should I go to the homes of vandals? Listen to me. Those who are doing vandalism and want to inflame passions, how are they part of society. Why should I go there? This is not about Hindu-Muslim. Why should I go to vandals?"

During Friday's violence 20-year-old Suleman, an IAS aspirant, and 25-year-old Anas lost their lives.

After initial denials, the local police admitted that Suleman died from a police bullet and that he was among the alleged rioters who opened fire at a cop from a country-made gun and that he was shot in self-defence.

Suleman's family, however, denies this and says he had nothing to do with the protests.

Nineteen people were killed, 263 police personnel injured and state-owned property damaged across Uttar Pradesh in violence during the protests against the amended law. -- PTI

Bharatiya Janata Party  general secretary Ram Madhav on Thursday said broadband internet facilities were being restored in Kashmir in a phased manner.

   

Internet facilities were snapped on August 5 ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah announcing the repeal of Article 370 and bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir state into two union territories.

"The broadband internet services are being restored in phased manner. The facilities have been restored to the hotels," Madhav told reporters in Srinagar.

 

He said the local administration will restore the broadband services in more sectors after a security review.

 

"We will also press the local administration to ensure maximum power supply in Jammu and Kashmir as the indications are there that the winter is going to be very harsh," he added.

 

Asked if the mainstream politician would be released any time soon, the BJP leader said some leaders have been released and some have been shifted to their homes from detention centres.

 

"It is an ongoing process," he added.

 

Madhav said he had come to Kashmir to watch the match between Real Kashmir Football Club and Chennai City.

 

"I am RKFC fan and I am happy that they won. I hope they win the remaining matches as well and lift the trophy this year," Madhav said.

 

RKFC defeated defending champions Chennai City 2-1. 

RKFC had put a splendid performance in its debut season in the I League last year and stood third in the points table. -- PTI

Giving details of the protests that have rocked the country's most populous state since last week, police officials said five people were killed in Firozabad, four in Meerut, three in Kanpur, two each in Sambhal and Bijnor and one each in Muzaffarnagar, Rampur and Lucknow. 

This tally does not take into account the eight-year-old killed in Varanasi on December 20. "The eight-year-old was not killed in police action but in a stampede when protesters were retreating," a senior police official told PTI on condition of anonymity. 

One of those injured in Firozabad is in a "very critical" condition, he said. "During raids at various places, police recovered 35 illegal weapons which were used during the riots to fire at the police," the official said. 

He added that police also recovered 647 empty cartridges from various places in the state. The state police cracked down on possible troublemakers and kept 5,558 people in preventive detention. 

As many as 351 policemen were also injured in the anti-CAA protests, he said. The 1,113 arrested include social activist and Congress worker Sadaf Jafar and noted theatre artist Deepak Kabir who are being kept in a Lucknow jail. 

A journalist with The Hindu was also detained by the police but later released. While Kabir is one of the founders of the Lucknow Collective and Dastak Manch and organises the annual Kabir Festival in Lucknow where various literary forms of expressions are used to celebrate values of secularism, socialism and democracy, Jafar is an actor who is part of Mira Nair's upcoming BBC series "A Suitable Boy". 

Police in Lucknow has faced allegations of excesses in curbing protests in the state capital. Jafar's family has alleged she suffered internal injuries because of police action. Similar allegations have been levelled by Kabir's family too. Kabir was arrested when he had gone to check on the report of Jafar's arrest. -- PTI

"After the Sikh riots took place, there was Congress government in the Centre for a long time, but the people did not get justice. Once the BJP government came to power, we immediately constituted an SIT under retired Judge GP Mathur and today, the rioters are behind bars," Shah said.

The BJP national president was addressing a public gathering in the national capital in the lead up to the Delhi assembly elections scheduled to be announced sometime in the next few weeks.

Following a recommendation by the Home Ministry-appointed Justice (retd) GP Mathur committee, the Central government had set up an SIT on February 12, 2015, to probe the 1984 riots which took place in the aftermath of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's assassination on October 31, 1984.

Shah said: "The country cannot forget the inhuman massacre in which thousands of Sikhs were killed."

As many as 3,325 people were killed in the 1984 riots across the country. The national capital alone accounted for 2,733 of those deaths.

"The Narendra Modi government also provided Rs 5 lakh to every family of the 3,325 people who died in the riots," Shah added. He also said that the BJP-led Central government has made a dream come true by opening the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor. -- ANI

Congress spokesperson Ajay Maken said his party will oppose the government if it tries to link the NPR with the NRC and alleged that it infringes upon the citizens' right to privacy.

"The BJP government is trying to bring the NRC in the garb of the NPR. The BJP government wants to polarise the society," he said. He added that the questions asked in the NPR pre-test questionnaire are not required for the exercise. PTI

Three children who were kept in a pit for more than two hours were brought back to the surface only after the eclipse ended.

A women activist of Janawadi Mahila Sanghatane -Ashwini alerted the concerned officials after she came to know about the incident from the resident of the village.

Thereafter, a team of rationalists including ex-MLA B R Patil reached the spot and urged the parents to come to dig out the children.

The solar eclipse holds religious importance and special prayers were offered on the occasion. -- ANI

People were seen holding placards and beating drums to spread awareness on the issue which they believe is a superstition that must be busted.

All kinds of food was put on display as a mark of protest against the tradition of not eating during the eclipse. The solar eclipse holds religious importance and special prayers are offered on the day. 

Image: An empty street in Chennai. People believe it is inauspicious to step outside the house. Pic: A Ganesh Nadar 

"On this day 127 years ago, in 1892, Swamiji began deep meditation on this sacred spot. In three days and three nights, a simple monk transformed himself into an enlightened being and a global messenger of Bharatiya Sanatan Dharma Sanskriti. Swamiji attained enlightenment here and sparked a unique spiritual revolution. It was not for an individual's own salvation; it was for the rejuvenation of the religious values of the motherland and service of its people," the president recalled. 

The president reached Vivekananda Memorial yesterday and visited the place today. 

In a tweet earlier in the day, the Congress leader had alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was lying to the country on the issue of detention camps in Assam. 

Hitting back at Rahul, BJP spokesperson Sambhit Patra said he has used objectionable language but it was too much to ask for decency in public discourse from him. Addressing a press conference, Patra showed the official statement issued by the Congress-led UPA government in 2011 stating that detention centres have been set up in Assam. 

"Rahul Gandhi is Joothon ka Sardar. The three detention centres were set up in Assam by his party which was in power both at the Centre and the state," he said. Patra also showed the 'white paper' issued by the Assam government on the issue of illegal migrants and claimed it also talks about setting up of detention centres. He further said there is no connection between detention centres and National Register of Citizens. 

Gandhi today attacked Modi over his remarks that there were no detention centres in the country, alleging that "RSS's Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata". 

Taking to Twitter, he also attached a video clip with Modi accusing the Congress, its allies and "urban Naxals" of spreading the rumour that Muslims will be sent to detention centres. The clip also shows a purported detention centre being constructed in Assam. --  PTI

In an e-mail to Raj Bhavan on December 24, the day Dhankhar was prevented by protesters from attending the annual convocation of the university, the Arts Faculty Students Union (AFSU) said, "Sir, you are not welcome in our campus."

Opposing the governor's views on "various contemporary issues," the mail said, "As you do not act like an unbiased constitutional head and since your attitude is not at all guardian-like towards the students, you are not welcome in our campus."

The students body is now preparing a 'report card' on his functioning and will attach an 'open letter' where "we will rusticate him in a symbolic manner as chancellor of a premier institution like JU which has always encouraged liberal space and inclusiveness", AFSU leader Ushashi Paul said on Thursday. 

The open letter will recall his "unsatisfactory" reply to questions of attack on Jamia Millia Islamia students, his support of the new citizenship law and "silence" on the death of protesters in alleged police firing in Uttar Pradesh, Paul said. JU Vice Chancellor Suranjan Das did not take phone calls when PTI tried to reach him for a response.

The governor, who has had frequent run-ins with the Mamata Banerjee government and JU students, was shown black flags on Monday when he had gone to the campus to attend a meeting of the University Court, the university's highest decision making body. -- PTI

Addressing an event organised by the Delhi Development Authority, Shah said the time is up for the Kejriwal government in Delhi and the BJP will form the next government in the national capital. "The opposition led by the Congress created confusion about the Citizenship Amendment Act. By misleading people on the CAA, the opposition spoiled the peaceful atmosphere of Delhi," Shah said on the recent anti CAA protests, some of which turned violent.

"Citizenship Amendment Bill par sansad ke andar charcha hui, koi kuchh bolne ko tayar nahi tha, idhar udhar ki batein karte the. Bahar nikalte hi isme bhram failana shuru kiya aur Dilli ko ashant kiya. The CAA was discussed in Parliament, but nobody was willing to debate it. But outside Parliament, they began spreading misinformation and disturbed the Delhi's peace. 

"Congress party ke netritva me tukde-tukde gang jo Dilli ke ashanti ke liye zimmedar hai, isko dand dene ka samay aa gya hai. The tukde-tukde gang who are working under the leadership of the Congress party is responsbile for disturbing the peace of Delhi. It is time to punish them."

"Leaders are not those who lead people in an inappropriate direction," he said.Taking a dig at him for his remarks, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, "Leadership is knowing the limits of one's office. It is about understanding the idea of civilian supremacy and preserving the integrity of the institution that you head."

Congress leader Digvijaya Singh also expressed similar sentiments."I agree [with] General Saheb but also leaders are not those who allow their followers to indulge in the genocide of communal violence. Do you agree with me General Saheb?" he questioned.

The activists, led by Aghadi leader Prakash Ambedkar, gathered at Dadar TT circle in central Mumbai and shouted slogans against the CAA and NRC. Ambedkar claimed that besides Muslims, the CAA-NRC will affect at least 40 per cent of Hindus in the country, and its implications are not yet fully understood.

"Tribals, Vanchit Jati and Nomadic tribes are going to be the worst affected by the CAA and NRC. This fight is not about Hindu-Muslims. This is about RSS citizenship versus Constitutional Citizenship," he said.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police has issued an advisory on diversions around Dadar TT circle due to the protest organised by the Vanchit Bahujan Aaghadi. Dadar TT junction would be shut for all vehicles from 6 am till midnight, the advisory stated. -- PTI

Image: Anti-CAA protests in Mumbai last week. 

Superintendent of Police, Sambhal, Yamuna Prasad said posters of 150 people have been released and 55 have been identified for their involvement in violent protests. Till now 48 people have been arrested, he added. 

Additional District Magistrate Kamlesh Awasthi said notices has been given to 26 people, who were identified for their involvement in the anti-CAA protests, and they have been asked to explain their position or pay for the damages to property. 

The assessment of damage is going on and till now losses to the tune of Rs 11.66 lakh to public property have been found, the ADM added. -- PTI 

Speaking at a protest rally in the city, the Trinamool Congress supremo said the BJP paints other parties in black and takes pride to portray itself in white. 

Lashing out at the BJP, the chief minister said that the party does not keep its promises, while referring to Karnataka Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa's remark about putting on hold compensation to families of police firing victims in the state.

The government would not give a single rupee to their families if the investigation proved the involvement of two persons in the violence during the December 19 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, the Karnataka CM had told reporters on Wednesday.

Referring to the students, the WB chief minister asked them to carry on with their protests. She also told them that she will always be by their side. "Do not fear anbody," Banerjee told the students. 

The Trinamool Congress chief, who is leading a protest march from Rajabazar to Mullick Bazar in central Kolkata, said that the students who are speaking out against the CAA are being threatened by the BJP.

"We express our solidarity with the students of Jamia Millia, IIT Kanpur and other universities who are protesting against CAA and NRC", she said.

The poll-strategist-turned politician, whose party is an alliance partner of the BJP, asserted that the change in stance was prompted by country-wide agitations against the new citizenship law and the proposed NRC. 

"The claim of abhi to NRC ki koi charcha hi nahin hui hai is nothing but a tactical retreat in the face of nationwide protest against #CAA_NRC. It is a pause and not the full stop. Govt could wait till SC judgement on CAA. A favourable court order and the whole process will be back," Kishor tweeted. 

Speculation that CAA will be followed by NRC had intensified in the wake of Union Home Minister Amit Shahs remark during a debate on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament that "NRC aane wala hai" (NRC is on the way).

Kishor, who had disapproved of his party voting in favor of the Bill, has been emphatic that the Act, which seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from adjoining Islamic countries, could spell trouble in combination with the NRC. -- PTI

"Leaders are not those who lead people in an inappropriate direction. As we are witnessing in a large number of universities and colleges, students, the way they are leading masses and crowds to carry out arson and violence in cities and towns. This is not leadership," he said while addressing an event in the national capital.

Several parts of the country have witnessed a spate of protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act, many of which have turned violent. Incidentally, a lot of these demonstrations have taken place in several colleges and universities across the country.

"Leadership is all about leading. Therefore, what is so complex about leadership if it is all about leading because when you move forward, everybody follows. It is not that simple," the Army Chief said.

"It appears simple but it is a complex phenomenon. Leaders are those who lead people in the right direction," he added

Trouble is brewing for Haryana's Dushyant Chautala, with reports coming in of the rise of  dissidents in his Jannayak Janta Party. In fact, sources say that the government may even collapse, if former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda plays his cards right. 

Yesterday, Ram Kumar Gautam, an MLA and a senior leader of the JJP quit his post the party's vice president after going public with his criticism of Dushyant Chautala

"Dushyant Chautala should not forget that he became Deputy Chief Minister with the support of his party legislators," Ram Kumar Gautam, said. 

"I have resigned from post of party vice president, not left the party. I am not hurt that I was not made minister, but hurt that I got to know later that the alliance (JJP-BJP) has been sealed in a meeting at a Gurugram Mall," he said. 

In a series to tweets, Chidambaram said that the BJP has a sinister agenda and dared the Centre to state that they have no intention of linking it to the controversial National Register of Citizens (NRC).

The Congress leader's remark comes two days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah said that there is no link between the NPR and the NRC and the data collected for the NPR will not be used in the NRC.

"The BJP-led government has a larger and more sinister agenda and that is why the NPR approved by them yesterday is very dangerous and different in terms of the text as well as the context of NPR 2010," Chidambaram said on Twitter.

He also urged the people to listen to the video of the launch of NPR in 2010, which was recently released by the BJP and asserted that back then the emphasis was on residency, not citizenship.

"I am happy that the BJP has released a video clip of the launch of NPR in 2010. Please listen to the video. We were enumerating the "usual residents" of the country. The emphasis is on residency, not citizenship," the Congress leader tweeted.

"Every usual resident was to be enumerated irrespective of his or her religion or place of birth. The NPR aided the preparation of the Census of 2011. There was no mention of NRC," he added.

Chidambaram said, "If the BJP's motives are bonafide, let the Government unconditionally state that they support the NPR form and design of 2010 and have no intention of linking it to the controversial NRC."

The Prime Minister retweeted the tweet saying, "Most welcome....enjoy :)."

In less than half an hour, the Prime Minister's tweet garnered over 17,000 likes and more than 4,000 RTs.

Moments later, the Twitter user tweeted "Wait what".

Earlier, the Prime Minister had tweeted a few of his pictures and had said that like many Indians, he too was enthusiastic about the Solar Eclipse."Like many Indians, I was enthusiastic about #solareclipse2019. Unfortunately, I could not see the Sun due to cloud cover but I did catch glimpses of the eclipse in Kozhikode and other parts on live stream. Also enriched my knowledge on the subject by interacting with experts," the Prime Minister had tweeted.

Gogoi, whose custody was to end on Friday, has been booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and stringent Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act, the officials said. The activist, who also gives advice to various farmer organisations, was arrested when Assam was witnessing widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. PTI

Taking to Twitter, he also attached a video clip with Modi accusing the Congress, its allies and "urban Naxals" of spreading the rumour that Muslims will be sent to detention centres. 

The clip also shows a purported detention centre being constructed in Assam. "RSS's Prime Minister lies to Bharat Mata," Gandhi said in the tweet in Hindi with the hashtag 'Jhoot Jhoot Jhoot (lies, lies, lies).  -- PTI

Haji Hamid Hasan, a 72-year-old timber trader in Muzaffarnagar town in western Uttar Pradesh, said nearly 30 policemen, some in plainclothes, broke into his two-storey house around 11pm on Friday and went on the rampage.

Hasan said he was assaulted with a rifle butt when he protested and beaten with sticks. They vandalised the house, breaking washbasins, bathroom fittings, bed, furniture, fridge, washing machine and utensils, he added.

"I cried and begged for mercy but they were very brutal. They told me Muslims have only two places, Pakistan or Kabristan,"' he wailed while showing the scene of destruction inside his house and the injury on his leg.

Read the report here. 

IMAGE: Protesters hold placards during a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Act outside Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi

"When we were at the VC's lodge... the time to offer prayers was passing. So, we thought that we should offer namaz there itself. But we were stopped from doing so," Salman Imtiaz said.

Imtiaz said that the proctorial team prevented them from offering prayers. He added that they were accused of doing politics over namaz. "The Vice-Chancellor is saying they did not make anybody vacate the hostels...it is winter vacation. So if there is winter vacation, research scholars should be allowed to stay back. We were sitting at the VC's lodge so that somebody would come and talks to us," said Imtiaz.

"Around 1,000 AMU students from the North East are living outside the campus...they are not able to go home. They want to stay in the hostel instead of living outside...if the hostel has not been vacated," he added. --ANI

Comprising officials, consultants and trade bodies, these panels are to take the feedback and send on suggestions to the GST Council  and the information technology backbone for the system, the GST Network. These include policy changes, say the directions. The proposal in this regard was approved last week by the GST Council. Each committee will be co-chaired by the chief commissioner of central tax and the zonal or state chief. Each will  have up to 12 members from trade bodies. Besides, it will have up to four members from chartered accountants, tax consultants and  practitioners, according to the ministry.Committees are to 'examine and resolve' all grievances, including procedural difficulties and IT-related issues.

The committees will be set up in each state wherever there is more than one state in a zone. Similarly, in each zone wherever there are more than one in each state. A panel will be constituted for two years. Any member absent from three meetings in a row without giving a reason will be deemed to have resigned.

-- Indivjal Dhasmana/Business Standard 

Image: A solar eclipse should not be seen with the naked eye. 

He asserted that all the states are bound to implement the new citizenship law.

"He (Kamal Nath) should read the Constitution of the country. Once a bill is passed by the Parliament and becomes an Act, all the states are bound to implement it under Article 252 of the Constitution," Vijayvargiya told ANI on Wednesday.

Part XI of the Constitution of India, which includes Article 245 to Article 263, dictates the relationship between the union government and the state governments.

Vijayvargiya said that it was unfortunate when a person sitting on a constitutional position "says such unconstitutional things"."Politics is only one thing, however, Congress is only worrying about their power and vote bank. They are not thinking about the country," the BJP leader said.

Asked about All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi's opposition to the new citizenship law, Vijayvargiya asserted he will oppose whatever the BJP does.

"Owaisi will always do this. If the BJP says that milk is white, he will say no, it is black. The day Owaisi wants to understand the act, he will. He is an intelligent man. But as long as he is not willing to, there is nothing anyone can do," he said.

Vijayvargiya said that the citizenship law is for the welfare of the people."I think sensible people will not oppose the CAA. We are also addressing the concerns of the people to counter the way opposition has tried to disrupt peace in the country in the past few days," he added.

Similarly, the broader NSE Nifty slipped 12.20 points or 0.10 per cent to 12,202.35. 

Bharti Airtel was the top loser in the Sensex pack, shedding up to 0.73 per cent, followed by Bajaj Auto, ONGC, RIL, Sun Pharma, Axis Bank, PowerGrid, Infosys and HDFC Bank. On the other hand, Mahindra and Mahindra was the top gainer, rising up to 1.18 per cent. Tata Steel, Nestle, IndusInd Bank, SBI, Bajaj Finance and HCL Tech were also trading in the green. The market remained shut on Wednesday on account of Christmas. -- PTI

Image: Bharti Airtel was the top loser in the Sensex pack

A first information report was registered against caretaker Jharkhand Chief Minister Raghubar Das for allegedly making 'objectionable' remarks on Jharkhand Mukti Morcha working president Hemant Soren's caste, police said.

Based on a complaint lodged by Soren on December 19, a preliminary probe into the matter was conducted by Sub-Divisional police officer Arvind Upadhyay and then the FIR was registered at Mihijam police station, Jamtara SP Anshuman Kumar said.

Soren had filed the complaint against Das at Dumka police station, accusing him of making 'objectionable' remarks on his caste during an election meeting in Jamtara, the SP said.

"I have filed a complaint with the Schedule Tribe and Schedule Caste police station in Dumka against the chief minister, who used objectionable words on my caste during a poll meeting at Jamtara's Mihijam on Wednesday," Soren had earlier told reporters.

"His words hurt my feeling and honour. Is it an offence to take birth in a tribal family?" he had said.

Bharatiya Janata Party Jharkhand unit spokesman Pratul Shahdeo had then claimed that Soren's 'absurd allegation' against the chief minister was a tactic after he was deplored for his remarks that people wearing saffron robes were robbing women of their honour.  -- PTI

Internet services will remain suspended in Agra from 8 am on Thursday till 6 pm on Friday 'in anticipation of violent protests against the CAA after Juma prayers'.

In an order, the district administration said that the measure is aimed at checking misinformation regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).Violent protests could erupt against the CAA after Friday prayers in the city, the order said.

'Violent protests have been witnessed against the CAA in Aligarh, Hathras, Firozabad and other districts. Regarding which rumours are being spread on social media.

'According to sources, some organisations can stage protests, leading to the law and order problem,' Additional District Magistrate (City), Prabhakant Awasthi, said.

The suspension order, however, will not affect the baking and government network services. -- ANI

Annular solar eclipse that was due to take place today has begun.

Partial phases of the solar eclipse will be visible from all over the country in varying magnitude depending upon the geographical position.

An annular solar eclipse takes place when the moon's apparent diameter is smaller than that of the Sun's and blocks most of the Sun's light.

This causes the Sun to look like a ring (annulus) of fire, Debiprosad Duari, the Director, Research and Academic of MP Birla Institute of Fundamental Research, MP Birla Planetarium, said.

Thursday's eclipse will be visible in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman, India, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Northern Mariana Islands, and Guam.

Population centers in the path of the annularity include Udhagamandalam, Kozhikode, Coimbatore, Jaffna, Trincomalee, Singapore, Singkawang and Guam, Duari said.

In the Indian sub-continent, the annularity phases will be seen within a narrow path grazing the southern Indian peninsula through Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu before crossing the Bay of Bengal for northern Sri Lanka.

The people of the southern part of the country will be fortunate to see a greater part of the partial solar eclipse because of the geometry of the eclipse path.

But every Indian will get an opportunity to see at least a partial eclipse.

In India the maximum duration of the annularity phases will be just over 3 minutes, he said.

The beginning of the eclipse can be first seen from the Arabian sea coast of Oman at around 7:59 hours IST and the annular eclipse will become first visible in west of Baharain at 09:06 hours IST, Duari added.

One should not look at the Sun directly for even a little period without proper protection.

Even when 99 per cent of the surface of the Sun is covered by the moon during partial eclipse, the remaining light is still intense enough to damage the eye, Duari told PTI.

Proper solar filters with certified appropriate optical density against radiation which are safe to the eyes should be used in front optical devices and the naked eye, he said.

Aluminised mylar films of approved thickness and transmittivity coated with black polymer are the safest for use in solar goggles that one generally uses for eclipse viewing, he said.

Welders glass number 14 is a safe material as solar filter for direct viewing of the solar disc, the researcher said.

According to him, the best method to view the solar eclipse will be to use a pinhole camera or a telescopic projection on a suitable surface.  -- PTI