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Thu, 30 January 2020
JMI to pay for injured student's treatment: VC
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23:32 JMI to pay for injured student's treatment: VC
The Jamia Millia Islamia will pay for the treatment of the student who was injured in the Jamia Nagar firing incident on Thursday, vice chancellor Najma Akhtar said.
Tension spiralled in the area on Thursday after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-Citizenship Act protesters, injuring Shadab Farooq, before walking away while waving the firearm above his head and shouting 'Yeh lo Aazadi' amid heavy police presence in the area.
The mass communication student is admitted at AIIMS.
"Jamia Millia Islamia will pay for the treatment of injured student and reschedule exams for him," Akhtar said.
The VC said students handled the situation tactfully and did not retaliate Akhtar said police personnel just watched as the man brandished the pistol and 'shot our student'.
"The incident has shaken our faith in police," the VC said. -- PTI
22:17 Protest at Jamia ends after detainees released
A protest outside the Jamia Millia Islamia that began soon after a man opened fire at a group of anti-Citizenship Amendment Act agitators was called off after police released four detained protesters, police and university officials said Thursday.
Joint Commissioner of Police D C Srivastava said all detained students, barring one, have been released.
Thousands of people and police personnel faced off against each other near the university after a man fired a pistol at a group of anti-CAA protesters, injuring a student. -- PTI
22:11 Pak shells forward posts along LoC in Poonch
Pakistani troops shelled forward posts and villages along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir on Thursday, a defence spokesperson said.
The unprovoked small arms firing and mortar shelling in Degwar sector started around 1330 hours, prompting befitting retaliation by the Indian Army, he said.
Officials said mortar shells fired by Pakistan overnight hit other Poonch sectors also. -- PTI
21:41 EC notice to BJP MP for calling Kejriwal 'terrorist'
The Election Commission on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Bharatiya Janata Party MP Parvesh Verma for allegedly calling Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal a 'terrorist'.
He has been given time till 5 pm on Friday to respond. The notice came on a day when he was barred from campaigning for 96 hours (four days) for making controversial remarks at a poll meet recently.
The EC has also ordered his removal from the BJP's list of star campaigners.
The notice said the Aam Aadmi Party had approached the Delhi chief electoral officer with a complaint. -- PTI
21:13 Children, women held hostage at UP house
JUST IN: Police in Uttar Pradesh's Farrukhabad says more than 15 children, and a few women, have been held hostage at a house by a man.
Incident of firing has also taken place.
Operation to rescue them is underway.
Senior police officers are present at the spot.
More details awaited. -- ANI
20:40 Jamia firing result of BJP's slogans: Priyanka
Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday said the Jamia firing incident is the result of Bharatiya Janata Party ministers and leaders inciting crowds with incendiary slogans and asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to answer whether he stands with violence or with non-violence.
When provocative speeches are given by BJP leaders, such incidents are possible, she added.
Gandhi also asked the prime minister what kind of Delhi he wanted and whether he stood by anarchy or development.
'When ministers in the BJP government and leaders provoke people to shoot and give provocative speeches, then such incidents are possible. The prime minister should answer what kind of Delhi he wants to build. Is he standing with violence or non-violence. Is he standing with development or anarchy,' she asked in a tweet in Hindi. -- PTI
20:32 4 Indians die of suffocation in Nepal
Four Indian nationals, including two children, belonging to the same family died of suffocation after they were crushed beneath a pile of gunny sacks in Nepal, the second tragedy to strike Indians in the Himalayan nations this month.
The incident happened in Gallamandi Pipariya area of Siddharthanagar Municipality in province No 5 of western Nepal.
According to Nepal Police, Sahajad Hussain, 30, his wife Saddab Khatun and their two-year-old daughter and six-year-old son were found dead beneath a pile of sacks in their rented room.
They belonged to Bihar. The four, who had been working as rag pickers for one and a half decade in the area, might have died of suffocation, according to preliminary reports.
Their bodies have been kept in a hospital in Rupandehi district for post-mortem.
The police said they are conducting further investigation into the matter.
Eight Indian tourists, including four minors, from Kerala died in Nepal last week after they fell unconscious due to a suspected gas leak from a heater in their room at a resort in Makwanpur district. -- PTI
19:43 5 coronavirus cases confirmed in France
The daughter of a Chinese tourist who is seriously ill in a Paris hospital has become the fifth person in France to be confirmed with the coronavirus, officials have said.
Her 80-year-old father was the fourth confirmed case in France of the new coronavirus that has killed more than 100 people since it emerged in the Chinese city of Wuhan in December.
"A fifth case has been detected," Health Minister Agnes Buzyn told a news briefing on Wednesday.
"It's the daughter of the Chinese tourist who was hospitalised recently in intensive care in a serious condition," Buzyn added.
The woman in her thirties, 'whose condition has worsened, who needs oxygen', has also been placed in intensive care, Buzyn said.
The minister said a first plane was due to fly Wednesday evening to Wuhan, the epicentre in China, to repatriate 200 French people stranded there. -- Agencies
19:25 IndiGo captain who flew Kamra objects to ban
The pilot-in-command of the IndiGo flight in which journalist Arnab Goswami was allegedly heckled by Kunal Kamra has told airline's management that he was 'disheartened' to learn the carrier took action against the comedian without consulting him and solely on the basis of social media posts.
'As captain of 6E5317 Mumbai-Lucknow flight on January 28, I do not find...events reportable in any way. Mr. Kamra's behaviour, while unsavoury, was not qualifying of a level 1 unruly passenger.
'Indeed, we pilots can all attest to incidents similar and/or worse in nature that were not deemed unruly,' the captain said in his email to the airline's management which has been accessed by PTI.
When asked about the pilot-in-command's email, IndiGo said, 'We have received the relevant statements and the internal committee has initiated the investigation regarding this incident.' -- Deepak Patel/PTI
19:06 Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav detained
Swaraj India president Yogendra Yadav on Thursday said that he and activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan have been detained by the police while protesting at the Delhi Gate.
Yadav alleged they were dragged and pushed into a bus and were being taken to an unknown destination.
'Prashant Bhushan, myself and about 50 protesters have been detained from Delhi Gate. We were just standing with national flag and singing the national anthem.
'Police confirmed: no 144 in force, served us no order. Yet dragged and pushed into bus. Being taken to unknown destination,' Yadav tweeted. -- PTI
18:21 Jamia firing: Amit Shah speaks to Delhi top cop
JUST IN: Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweets: Today I have spoken to Delhi Police Commissioner on the firing incident (in Jamia area) that has taken place and instructed them to take strict action.
[The] Central government will not tolerate any such incident, it will be taken seriously and the culprit will not be spared.
17:51 AAP behind Shaheen Bagh protests: BJP tells EC
A Bharatiya Janata Party delegation, which included Union ministers Harsh Vardhan and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, on Thursday accused the Aam Aadmi Party of 'sponsoring' anti-Citizenship Act protests, including the one at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi, and urged the Election Commission to include expenses incurred on them in the expenditure of AAP candidates.
BJP general secretary Bhupender Yadav said his party submitted 'evidence', including records of statement by AAP leaders, that showed that the Delhi's ruling party was behind these protests.
BJP MP Meenakshi Lekhi was also part of the delegation.
The delegation urged the EC to take cognisance of the matter. Yadav said the EC assured them of looking into the matter. -- PTI
17:30 5-yr-old's rape in Delhi: 20-yr jail for 2 men
A Delhi court Thursday sentenced two men to 20 years in prison for raping a five-year-old girl in east Delhi in 2013.
Additional Sessions Judge Naresh Kumar Malhotra also granted compensation of Rs 11 lakh to the survivor.
Advocate H S Phoolka, appearing for the survivor, said he will appeal against the order in the high court and seek life imprisonment for the two convicts.
The court had on January 18 convicted Manoj Shah and Pradeep Kumar.
In the gruesome incident at Gandhi Nagar on April 15, 2013, the convicts had shoved objects in the victim's private parts and abandoned her in a room, believing she was dead.
The child was rescued 40 hours later on April 17. -- PTI
16:58 HM wants Delhi polls postponed: AAP
Sanjay Singh, AAP on the Jamia area firing incident: "HM Amit Shah wants to disturb the environment of Delhi. First, they made their leaders give instigating speeches. BJP can see defeat in the Delhi Elections and so this conspiracy was hatched out of that fear. HM is conspiring to postpone polls."
The AAP also said the home minister should step down.
A student of Jamia Millia Islamia University was injured after a man opened fire in Jamia area on Thursday, where protests were going on against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The man who brandished the gun and opened the fire, has been identified as Ram Bhagat Gopal Sharma. The 19-year-old hails from Greater Noida's Jewar and has been detained and is being questioned by Delhi police.
The injured- Shadab Farooq, a student of the second semester of MA Mass Communication sustained injuries in his left hand. He has been referred to the AIIMS trauma centre.
"Student (Shadab Farooq) has sustained injuries in his left hand. He has been referred to the trauma centre. Doctors say he is out of danger. Apprehended person (Gopal) is being questioned," South East District (Delhi) DCP Chinmoy Biswal told ANI when asked about the firing incident.
Earlier in the day, the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) had organised a march against the CAA and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), from Jamia area to Raj Ghat.
16:38 Djokovic sails past Federer hurdle at Aus Open
In a rematch of last year's Wimbledon finals, Novak Djokovic of Serbia came out on top after defeating Roger Federer in the semi finals of the Australian Open.
Djokovic, the world number 2, won in three sets -- 7-6, 6-4, 6-2 and will now await the winner of the Zverev vs Thiem match in the finals.
Federer, who came off a hard-fought quarterfinals against Tennys Sandgren, looked out of sorts in the semis.
16:36 Delhi court seeks Tihar jail's response on Nirbhaya convict's plea seeking stay on execution
A Delhi court on Thursday issued a notice to the Tihar jail authorities seeking its response of a petition filed by the convicts in Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder case seeking a stay on the execution, which is scheduled for February 1.
Session Judge AK Jain asked Tihar Jail authorities to submit a status report before 10 am tomorrow. The hearing in the matter will be heard tomorrow.
"This is clearly a mockery of justice. Convicts' lawyers are taking too much time to use their legal remedies. Convict Vinay filed his mercy plea yesterday," public prosecutor Irfan Ahmad told the court.In his petition filed in the Patiala House Court, advocate AP Singh who is the lawyer of convicts Akshay Thakur and Vinay Sharma, said that according to the Delhi Prison Rules, none of those convicted can be hanged until all of them have exhausted all legal options. -- ANI
16:23 Reactions to dismissal of convict's curative petition
Convicts' lawyer: Asserting that anyone can make mistakes, advocate AP Singh, who is the lawyer of the Nirbhaya gang-rape and murder convicts, on Thursday said that Supreme Court judges and President of India are not gods.
Two sides to the Nirbhaya convicts' hanging:
The statement came after a five-judge bench of the apex court dismissed the curative petition of Nirbhaya convict Akshay Thakur in the matter and rejected an application seeking a stay on the convicts' execution, which is scheduled for February 1.
"Be it five senior judges of the Supreme Court or the President of India, they are not gods. It is not like they cannot make a mistake," Singh told reporters here. He said that the apex court did not agree with the grounds for the curative petition. Informing that he has also filed a petition in the Patiala House Court seeking a stay on the execution of the convicts, Singh said that he "will also file a review petition pertaining to the juvenility of Pawan Kumar Gupta," who is also a convict in the matter.
Nirbhaya's lawyer Seema Kushwaha said that the only legal remedy the convicts' are left with is the mercy petition."We have come very close to the date of the execution. Now, they will not get any relief from anyone. The only legal remedy they have now is the mercy petition, which I don't think they should be allowed. I hope that the convicts are hanged on February 1," Kushwaha told ANI.
Nirbhaya's parents:
The dismissal of the curative petition of Akshay Thakur by the Supreme Court has brought the convicts closer to their execution and now without any delay, they should be hanged on February 1, said Nirbhaya's mother Asha Devi on Thursday.
"They have moved a step forward towards their execution. Now, nothing is left to provide them as they were given all the time. All that is left is to hang them. Now, they should be hanged without any delay," Devi told ANI.
"It's not only me but everyone has understood that they are trying to delay the execution. They have made a mockery of the system. I still hope that they will be hanged on February 1 and will continue with the fight," she added.
Expressing happiness over the Supreme Court's decision, Nirbhaya's father Badrinath Singh said: "I welcome the decision of the top court. There is, of course, a delay in the process but we are not disappointed. We hope they will be hanged soon."
15:48 Identify shooter by his clothes: Owaisi to PM
MP and AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi takes a dig at PM Narendra Modi over the shooting at a Jamia University-led anti-CAA protest in Delhi which left one person injured. The shooter has been arrested by the Delhi police, which is being slammed for being silent bystanders even as the man, now identified as Ram Bhagat Gopal, was brandishing his gun.
Owaisi tweeted, "Thanks to @ianuragthakur & all the 9 PM nationalists who have created so much hatred in this country that a terrorist shoots a student while cops watch.
Hi @PMOIndia identify him by his clothes."
MoS Finance Anurag Thakur had exhorted people shoot anti-nationalists during a rally for the Delhi polls, last week.
Last month, the PM had said accused the Congress and its allies of fuelling violence over the amended Citizenship Act, and said the opposition's actions prove that the decision to pass the bill was "1,000 per cent correct", and those indulging in arson "can be identified by their clothes."
Owaisi targetted the Delhi police, tweeting, "What happened to the bravado that you showed in #Jamia last month? If there's a prize for being 'helpless' bystanders, you'd win it every time. Can you explain why a gunshot victim had to CLIMB over a barricade?
Do your service rules stop you from being HUMANE?
It happened today, when we were remembering terrorist Godse's murder of Gandhi. When students were going to march to mark the event.
Such cowardice does not scare us. The protests will go on. This is now Godse v. Gandhi's, Ambedkar's & Nehru's India. It's easy to pick a side."
A student from Jamia Millia Islamia was injured when a man (pictured) opened fire at a group of protesters on Thursday afternoon and shouted "Yeh lo azaadi", triggering panic in the city's Jamia area, eye-witnesses said.
15:18 Sharjeel Imam highly radicalised: Police
JNU student Sharjeel Imam, who was sent to five-day crime branch custody, is highly radicalized and believes that India should be an Islamic state, Delhi Police sources claimed on Thursday.
"Interrogation has revealed that Sharjeel Imam is highly radicalized and believes that India should be an Islamic state, he has also admitted that no tampering has been done with the videos of his different speeches," sources claimed.
Delhi Police is probing Imam's connection with the Islamic Youth Federation and Popular Front of India.
"Police are also examining Sharjeel Imam's connections with Islamic Youth Federation and Popular Front of India. He has said he has no remorse over his arrest. All his videos are being sent to Forensic Science Lab and his social media accounts are being examined," sources said.
A Delhi court on Wednesday sent Imam to five-day custody under Delhi Police Crime Branch.Imam was brought to Delhi on transit remand after his arrest from Bihar's Jehanabad on Tuesday.
The JNU student, who was booked for sedition for his provocative speeches had stoked controversy with his "cut off Assam from India" remark.
He has been slapped with charges of sedition and inciting enmity between communities under Sections 124A, 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.
Separately, a case has been registered against the JNU student by the Uttar Pradesh Police for his controversial speech delivered during the students' protest at Aligarh Muslim University on January 16 against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
14:34 EC bans Thakur for 72 hrs, Parvesh for 96 hrs
The Election Commission of India bans BJP minister Anurag Thakur from campaigning for 72 hours and Parvesh Verma for 96 hours.
Union Minister Anurag Thakur, who was filmed leading chants of, "Desh ke gaddaron ko, goli maaro s**lon ko (shoot the nation's traitors)" on Monday, has been banned for 72 hours.
BJP MP Parvesh Verma, who said protesters at Shaheen Bagh were capable of raping and killing women, has been banned for 96 hours.
Another BJP leader, Kapil Mishra, was banned earlier for remarks he made about Shaheen Bagh.
Delhi voters head to the polls on February 8 to decide what is largely shaping up to be a two-way contest between the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and the BJP.
Results will be announced on February 11.
14:22 People confusing between Corona beer and coronavirus
Out of the two coronas, one might give you a hangover while the other one can possibly kill you, but as it seems, a huge lot of people from across the globe probably don't understand this difference.
According to Fox News, the latest Google trends statistics reflect that searches for "corona beer virus" have seen a considerable spike in the recent days.
This made it quite apparent that people are confusing between the coronavirus disease and the popular beer brand Corona.The eastern European nation of Estonia currently leads the pack for "corona beer virus" searches with marked surges seen across all the continents.
Fortunately, a gentleman named Realeboga Mashiane shined some light over this epidemic of ignorance by tweeting an image that clearly illustrated the difference between the two coronas.Now it is rather safe to say that you can peacefully enjoy your pint without worrying about dying from acute pneumonia. -- ANI
14:16 Delhi police conducts assessment to ascertain feasibility of elections at Shaheen Bagh
The Delhi Police has conducted an assessment to ascertain the feasibility of holding elections at Shaheen Bagh, officials said on Thursday. Special Commissioner (Intelligence) Praveer Ranjan said the assessment was conducted at the highest level to ensure that polling in the area goes off smoothly. Alternative routes have been planned for the movement of election officials and material, he said. Talks are on with the protesters to clear the stretch, he said. -- PTI
14:13 Man opens fire at Jamia protesters, 1 injured
An unknown person wielding a gun injured a student during an anti-CAA protest by the Jamia Coordination Committee. The person has been held by the police and his identity is being verified.
The JCC organised the march against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens from Jamia to Raj Ghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary.
Image: A screenshot of the man wielding the gun.
13:56 SC dismisses Nirbhaya convict's curative plea
Supreme Court dismisses curative petition of Akshay Kumar Singh, one of the convicts in Delhi 2012 gang-rape case. The lawyer for the death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case today moved a Delhi court seeking a stay on their executions scheduled for February 1, saying legal remedies of some of them are yet to be availed.
The plea was mentioned before Special Judge A K Jain who said it will be heard later in the day. The 23-year-old paramedic student, referred to as Nirbhaya, was gang raped and brutally assaulted on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012 in a moving bus in south Delhi by six persons before being thrown out on the road. She died on December 29, 2012 at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. PTI
13:45 India's 1st coronavirus patient in Kerala
One positive case of Novel Coronavirus has been found in Kerala, India. The student was studying at Wuhan University in China. The patient is stable and is being closely monitored.
The only two Indian carriers that fly to China -- IndiGo and Air India-- on Wednesday announced suspension of most of their flights to that country, while India has requested China for permission to operate two flights to bring back its nationals from Hubei province which has been sealed after the deadly coronavirus outbreak.
Representational image
13:40 Coronavirus: Central team to visit Maharashtra for review
With at least 10 persons quarantined in three hospitals across Maharashtra for possible exposure to novel coronavirus, a central health department team is likely to visit the state soon to take a review of the preparedness for prevention and management of the disease, an official said on Thursday.
At least 27 persons are under observation in the state and as a precautionary measure 10 of them have been quarantined -- six at Kasturba Hospital in Mumbai, three at Pune's Naidu Hospital and another at a hospital in Nanded.
"A team of the Centre's health department is likely to visit Mumbai in the coming days as more and more cases of suspected novel coronavirus are surfacing," a senior state official told PTI.
"All the suspected coronavirus patients will continue to be kept under observation for at least 28 days," the official said, adding that the number of such cases is likely to go up. When asked about the purpose of the central team's visit, the official said, "It is aimed at taking a review of the preparedness for prevention and management of the disease. The team will also give some critical inputs." -- PTI
13:24 Godse, Modi believe in same ideology: Rahul
Rahul Gandhi compared Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying both believed in the same ideology. Gandhi, at an anti-CAA rally in Wayanad, launched a scathing attack on Modi and said he was making Indians to prove that they are Indians.
Addressing participants at "Save the Constitution" march at Kalpetta in Wayanad, his Lok Sabha constituency on Martyr's Day, Gandhi said there was no difference between Godse and Modi.
"Today, an ignorant man is trying to challenge Gandhi's ideology. He is creating an atmosphere of hatred. The ideology is the same. Nathuram Godse and Narendra Modi, they believe in the same ideology. There is no difference except that Modi does not have the guts to say he believes in the ideology of Godse," the Wayanad MP said.
Attacking the Prime Minister on the new Citizenship Law, Gandhi questioned Modi and asked who was he to ask Indians to prove that they were Indians. "Indians are being made to prove that they are Indians. Who is Narendra Modi to decide who is an Indian. Who gave Modi the licence to ask for my Indianness? I know I am an Indian and I don't have to prove it to anyone. Likewise, 1.4 billion Indians do not have to prove that they are Indians," he said.
The Congress leader led the march in Wayanad as part of efforts to intensify the party's protests against CAA in the state. PTI
12:43 Have huge respect for Indira: Awhad
And so, Maharashtra Housing Minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad has issued a clarification for his comment where he had said that "Indira Gandhi strangulated democracy" at a rally in Beed district.
He also said that there might be differences between the Congress and other parties over the Emergency era but Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah do not come "even close to Indira Gandhi."
"I have huge respect for Indira Gandhi's deeds. There may be some difference of opinion about the Emergency period but there is one truth I do not want to hide, that she cannot be compared to Modi-Shah. These two cannot reach even close to her," Awhad's tweet, roughly translated in English from Marathi, reads. -- ANI
12:41 Live in the present to avoid political blunders, Nirupam advises Awhad
Congress leader Sanjay Nirupam on Thursday advised Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Jitendra Awhad to "live in the present to avoid political blunders."
This comes after NCP leader Jitendra Awhad on Wednesday said that history will repeat itself today just like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attempt to strangulate democracy in the past was defeated by students.
"Maharashtra Minister Jitendra Awhad has clarified that his statement was misconstrued. This means he has gone back on the statement he gave yesterday. This is right. He had yesterday accused late Indiraji of strangulating democracy. The ministers should live in the present rather than in the past to avoid political blunders," Nirupam's tweet, roughly translated in English from Hindi, reads.
"Indira Gandhi had also strangulated democracy, nobody was ready to speak against her. Then, students from Ahmedabad and Patna protested and JP's movement started leading to her defeat. This history will be repeated in Maharashtra and the country," Awhad had said in a public meeting in Beed on Wednesday. -- ANI
12:31 PNB fraud case: Nirav Modi to appear for remand hearing in UK
Fugitive diamantaire Nirav Modi, fighting extradition to India on charges over the nearly USD 2 billion Punjab National Bank (PNB) fraud and money laundering case, is to be produced for a regular remand hearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London on Thursday.
The 48-year-old, who has been lodged at Wandsworth Prison in south-west London, will appear via videolink from prison. His extradition trial is scheduled for five days starting May 11, with the case management hearings in the case set to begin soon.
Modi had made a last-ditch bail application in November last year with an "unprecedented" house arrest guarantee, akin to those imposed on terrorist suspects, as well as citing mental health issues from being behind bars at Wandsworth since his arrest in March 2019. But the bail plea was turned down by Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot over continued fears of witness intimidation and failure to surrender before the court for his extradition trial this year. -- PTI
12:30 Nirbhaya convicts seek stay on Feb 1 executions
The lawyer for the death row convicts in the Nirbhaya gang rape and murder case Thursday moved a Delhi court seeking a stay on their executions scheduled for February 1, saying legal remedies of some of them are yet to be availed. The plea was mentioned before Special Judge A K Jain who said it will be heard later in the day.
The 23-year-old paramedic student, referred to as Nirbhaya, was gang raped and brutally assaulted on the intervening night of December 16-17, 2012 in a moving bus in south Delhi by six persons before being thrown out on the road. She died on December 29, 2012 at the Mount Elizabeth Hospital in Singapore. -- PTI
12:26 Best tribute to Gandhi is to pledge to defeat majoritarian forces
CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury on Thursday said the best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary is to take a pledge to defeat the "majoritarian forces" in India that are trying to "kill his ideas".
Leaders from across the political spectrum paid tributes to the Mahatma on his 72nd death anniversary and hailed his contribution towards building India.
"Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated by communal, majoritarian forces because he wanted to build a united and secular India, in which everyone - irrespective of her faith - will live in peace & security, with equality and human dignity.
"The best tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on Martyrs Day is to pledge once again to defeat the majoritarian forces in India that are still trying to kill his ideas," Yechury tweeted. The Mahatma was assassinated here on this day in 1948. -- PTI
12:21 The American who caught Gandhiji's killer
In the shock after Nathuram Godse murdered Mahatma Gandhi that January evening 72 years ago today, a young American diplomat rushed to capture the assassin. Vaihayasi Pande Daniel traces the memorable life of Herbert Reiner, who History has sadly relegated to a footnote. Read the story here.
12:14 Will go to Ayodhya to build Babri Masjid: Farhan Azmi
Farhan Azmi, son of Samajwadi Party leader Abu Azmi, has said that if Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray will go to Ayodhya then he along with other members of Maha Vikas Aghadi government will also go there for constructing Babri Masjid.
"I demand and I am warning it, consider it as a threat or whatever; if Uddhav Thackeray being the Chief Minister goes to Ayodhya on March 7 then I will also go along. I will also ask my father to accompany me, I call upon members of MVA and SP members to come along," Azmi said on Monday.
"If Uddhav Thackeray confirms his ticket for Ayodhya then we all will hold foot-march to Ayodhya, we will also go along, but the condition is that he will construct Ram Temple and we will construct Babri Masjid," he added.
"On the completion of 100 days of your government why don't you go to Siddhi Vinayak instead. Don't you faith left for Siddhi Vinayak?" he taunted Thackeray.
Azmi made the remarks at an event organised to oppose the amended citizenship law.On the completion of 100 days of the Maha Vikas Aghadi government, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray is slated to visit Ayodhya to pay homage to Lord Ram. Shiv Sena Spokesperson Sanjay Raut on January 22 that alliance partners (Congress, NCP) can also accompany the Chief Minister. -- ANI
11:54 Budget: Opposition parties to meet on Feb 1
Opposition parties are likely to meet after the budget presentation on February 1 to evolve a joint strategy for the upcoming Parliament session starting on Friday. Various parties have already held their individual strategy meets for the budget session of Parliament and would soon get together to evolve a joint strategy to corner the government on key issues concerning the common people, according to sources.
These include the protests and opposition over the amended citizenship act, price rise and inflation besides the poor state of the economy and rising unemployment. -- PTI
11:20 At 10 pm each night: Shah-Nadda Delhi polls meet
Daily at 10 pm, the office of Delhi Bharatiya Janata Party comes alive exuding energy as party president JP Nadda and Union Home Minister Amit Shah take stock of the day's election campaign.
It is not an usual meeting. Shah and Nadda have been a constant at this meeting since January 22 barring one night when Shah wasn't in Delhi. But that day too, party chief Nadda monitored the election preparation.
While everyone goes back home, the leaders sit till midnight and beyond preparing to take the election preparation a notch higher the next day.
Party leaders have been made election in-charges of seven Lok Sabhas - for Chandni Chowk it is former Rajasthan BJP chief Arun Chaturvedi, former union minister Manoj Sinha is taking care of North East whereas MoS home minister G Kishen Reddy is responsible for East Delhi, North West is looked after by two MoS Mansukh Bhai Mandaviya and MoS Finance Anurag Thakur. Dharmendra Pradhan is in-charge of New Delhi, West and South Delhi are given to Radha Mohan Singh and Gajendra Singh Shekhawat.
This meeting decides the action line and issues taken up the next day that can swing the election in their favor. National general secretary (organization) B L Santhosh oversees the meeting.The preparation for this meeting goes on the whole day as data is collated at the back office for even the minutest details are required by Shah and Nadda.
The meeting accommodates in-charges of public meetings for youth, women, and SCs. "There is the accountability of everyone who is made in-charge. They can't shirk it. We count every bike rally, youth sabha, women sabha, SC/ ST sabha along with the number of people present in them assembly wise, every day. This is how minute it is," informed a senior party leader.
Shah and Nadda, both ask MPs and in-charges present about why the target is missed and how to improve it the next day.
"The issues that are making an impact on masses are discussed. Like Shaheen Bagh and CAA, people relate to them," added another leader.Delhi is going to polls on February 8 and results will be declared on February 11 for 70 assembly constituencies. -- ANI
11:07 PM pays tributes to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday paid tribute to Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary, saying the Father of the Nation will continue to inspire people to build a strong, capable and prosperous country. "A tribute to the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi on his death anniversary. The ideals of Bapu will continue to inspire us to build a strong, capable and prosperous New India," Modi tweeted. The Mahatma was assassinated in New Delhi on this day in 1948. PTI
11:05 Two injured as part of under-construction FOB collapses
Two persons were injured after a portion of an under-construction foot overbridge collapsed in suburban Mankhurd early on Thursday, an official said. The incident took place at Bainganwadi junction near Ghatkopar-Mankhurd Link Road, the official said. "Two persons, who were standing near the under- construction FOB, sustained injuries in the incident. They were rushed to the civic-run Rajawadi Hospital in Ghatkopar," he said.
10:57 India's gold demand falls 9 pc on record prices in 2019: WGC
India's gold demand fell nine per cent to 690.4 tonnes in 2019 from the previous calendar year as record domestic prices and economic slowdown dented retail purchase, the World Gold Council (WGC) said on Thursday.
However, in 2020, gold demand in India -- the world's second biggest consumer after China -- could increase to 700-800 tonnes on hopes of increased acceptance of high price level and likely economic reforms boosting consumer confidence. The domestic gold price finished 2019 just above Rs 39,000 per ten grams, almost 24 per cent higher than at the end of 2018, WGC said in its latest report. -- PTI
10:44 Kutte-ki-maut for anti-nationals: UP minister
Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister Raghuraj Singh on Wednesday said that "anti-nationals" will be given "kutte-ki-maut" (die like a dog) and went on to say that Aligarh Muslim University can be renamed as "Hindustan University".
Addressing a gathering in Aligarh, he said that if they wish, they can change the name of the Aligarh Muslim University to 'Hindustan University' whenever they want to.
"Whosoever is indulged in anti-national activities will be given 'kutte ki maut' (die like a dog). The police have been instructed to kill such persons immediately in the encounter," he said."I want to say it to the 'Mullah's' of Aligarh Muslim University that whenever we want we will change its name to Hindustan University," he said.
This controversial statement by Singh came weeks after he threatened to "bury alive" those raising slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath.
Referring to the protests held by students of Aligarh Muslim University, Singh said, "You will take tax money for your university and raise slogans against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Prime Minister Narendra Modi? I will bury you alive," Singh said. -- ANI
10:36 World number 1 Barty drops out of Australian Open
The world number 1 and Aussie home girl Ashleigh Barty has lost the semi-finals of the Austrlian Open against world number 14 Sofia Kenin. Barty lost in two straight sets -- 6-7, 5-7. Kenin, the 21-year-old, was playing her first Grand Slam semi-final, but played a strong game of tennis to overcome Barty. The American will now play the finals against the winner of the Simona Halep vs Garbine Muguruza match.
10:31 TMC endorses AAP in Delhi polls
The Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress has thrown its weight behind the Aam Admi Party for the Delhi polls, with its national spokesperson Derek O' Brien uploading a video endorsing not just Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal but all AAP candidates.
"Vote for @AamAadmiParty, Vote for the candidate from Rajendra Nagar constituency @raghav_chadha, Vote for @ArvindKejriwal and all AAP candidates in Delhi," O' Brien tweeted. -- PTI
File pic
10:30 Dr Singh pays tribute on Gandhi's death anniversary
Former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh pays tribute to Mahatma Gandhi at Raj Ghat on his death anniversary.
10:14 BJP's star campaigns in Delhi begin on Feb 1
In a major shift of strategy ahead of the Delhi assembly polls, the Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to rope in its senior leaders for massive public rallies.
Its star campaigners like Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP chief JP Nadda, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, and other union ministers would now be addressing massive public rallies in addition to ongoing neighbourhood meetings.
"The big rallies would begin from February 1. While 'Nukkad' meetings will take place till the last day of campaigning, there would be big rallies of the top leadership of the party, " informed a senior party leader.
Sources told ANI that the BJP has changed its strategy after the success of its grassroots contact program as the party wants to consolidate its gains.
"As part of the reworked strategy the BJP has asked its various Mandals to organise public meetings of 10,000-15,000 people in each assembly segment to reach out to the masses," sources added.
While there are two planned for Prime Minister Modi, two have been planned for JDU chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar along with Nadda and Amit Shah. Yogi Aadityanath too would be addressing 12 rallies.
The party is leaving no stone unturned to secure massive gains, which it feels can be converted to victory in the forthcoming polls.
Party sources feel that the relentless campaigning under the guidance of Amit Shah and Nadda has ensured that the morale of party cadre is at an all-time high.
"The neighborhood meetings have ensured that we have been able to make the people of Delhi aware of the lack of work under the Arvind Kejriwal led Aam Aadmi Party government. They have also been apprised about the anti-national views of the opponents and we think that this is expected to turn the polls into our favor," sources added.
Delhi is scheduled for assembly polls on February 8 and the results for the 70 constituencies will be declared on February 11.
As part of the new strategy, senior leaders like JP Nadda, Amit Shah, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, ministers like Rajnath Singh and Smriti Irani would be holding public rallies in various parts of the city. Several other chief ministers from various BJP ruled states are also expected to be roped in for the campaign.
The strategy for reach out to the masses is an attempt at weakening the hold of AAP on Delhi. With positive feedback coming after the success of the neighborhood meetings in the past week, the BJP is now looking to increase its potential reach with polls just days away. Till now the party had deployed 70 union ministers to hold at least one public meeting and one 'padayatra' each as part of the campaign. -- ANI
File pic.
09:58 Not enough words to describe our pain right now: Vanessa Bryant
"There aren't enough words to describe our pain right now," said Vanessa Bryant on Thursday, breaking her silence days after the sudden demise of her husband Kobe Bryant and their 13-year-old daughter Gianna Maria Onore Bryant in a helicopter crash incident.
Vanessa posted a family photo on Instagram along with a statement."My girls and I want to thank the millions of people who've shown support and love during this horrific time. Thank you for all the prayers. We definitely need them. We are completely devastated by the sudden loss of my adoring husband, Kobe -- the amazing father of our children; and my beautiful, sweet Gianna -- a loving, thoughtful, and wonderful daughter, and amazing sister to Natalia, Bianka, and Capri," Vanessa said.
"We are also devastated for the families who lost their loved ones on Sunday, and we share in their grief intimately. There aren't enough words to describe our pain right now. I take comfort in knowing that Kobe and Gigi both knew that they were so deeply loved. We were so incredibly blessed to have them in our lives. I wish they were here with us forever. They were our beautiful blessings taken from us too soon," she added.
Bryant, 41, and his 13-year old daughter Gianna were among the nine people killed when a helicopter they were traveling in crashed amid foggy conditions and burst into flames in the hills above Calabasas.
"I'm not sure what our lives hold beyond today, and it's impossible to imagine life without them. But we wake up each day, trying to keep pushing because Kobe, and our baby girl, Gigi, are shining on us to light the way. Our love for them is endless -- and that's to say, immeasurable. I just wish I could hug them, kiss them and bless them. Have them here with us, forever," Vanessa further said in her statement.
"Thank you for sharing your joy, your grief and your support with us. We ask that you grant us the respect and privacy we will need to navigate this new reality," she added. The basketball legend had won five National Basketball Association (NBA) championships in his 20-year-long career while playing for Los Angeles Lakers. -- ANI
Image: Vanessa posted this family photo on Instagram along with a statement.
09:53 Sensex drops over 150 pts; Nifty slips below 12K
Market benchmark Sensex dropped over 150 points in opening session on Thursday dragged by losses in Reliance Industries, HDFC Bank and Infosys ahead of January derivatives' expiry. After opening 181 points higher, the 30-share BSE index turned volatile and surrendered all gains to trade 168.61 points or 0.41 per cent lower at 41,030.05. Similarly, the broader NSE was trading 41.65 points, or 0.34 per cent, down at 12,087.85. In the previous session, Sensex settled 231.80 points, or 0.57 per cent, higher at 41,198.66, and Nifty closed 73.70 points, or 0.61 per cent, up at 12,129.50. -- PTI
09:50 N95 mask manufacturers double production
Manufacturers on N95 masks in Madurai work extra hours to produce the masks as demand soars in China due to the Corona Virus outbreak. Abhilash, MD of the company Mediwear, says, "We're getting a huge number of orders from Indian exporters who will send masks to China. We've doubled our production."
09:35 Indira strangulated democracy, students defeated her: NCP minister
Maharashtra minister and NCP leader Jitendra Awhad has said that history will repeat itself just like former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi's attempt to strangulate democracy in the past was defeated by students similarly, students will do so in the present day too.
"Indira Gandhi had also strangulated democracy, nobody was ready to speak against her. Then, students from Ahmedabad and Patna protested and JP movement started leading to her defeat. This history will be repeated in Maharashtra and the country," Awhad said in a public meeting in Beed on Wednesday.
Awhad said this in an apparent reference to the amended Citizenship Act brought by the Centre, which is being opposed by various state governments and protests, by citizens, are also being held across the country against it.
Jayaprakash Narayan, also called Lok Nayak, had launched a mass movement against Indira Gandhi's government in 1974. Jailed during the Emergency he defeated the Congress party in 1977 for the first time which led to the formation of the Janata Party government in the Centre.
However, not new to giving controversial statements, Awhad had recently on January 20 said that ancestors of people sitting on the throne in Delhi "were appeasing" the British at the time when Awhad's father was facing a death sentence for the sake of the country.
He further added that Muslims can point out where their grandfathers were buried but Hindus may not be able to say where the last rites of their ancestors were conducted.
"I would ask the (people at) throne in Delhi, will you ask proof of me being an Indian? Then listen to this -- when your father was licking the boots of the British after bowing to them, my father was embracing death and raising slogans Inquilab Zindabad," he said at a rally against the CAA in Maharashtra.
"I want to ask, my Hindu brothers are sitting here, where were you when your grandfather's last rites were performed? Muslims can tell where their graveyards are," he added. The CAA grants citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who came to India on or before December 31, 2014. -- ANI
09:12 Dr Kafeel Khan arrested for 'inflammatory' remarks in AMU
Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force arrested Dr Kafeel Khan from Mumbai for making inflammatory statements at the Aligarh Muslim University during a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 12 last year.
An FIR was registered against Khan on December 13 under Section 153-A of the Indian Penal Code at Civil Lines police station, Aligarh.
According to the FIR, Khan addressed around 600 students of the AMU and made provocative comments.
Kafeel Khan was scheduled to be present at the Mumbai Bagh protests at 11 am on Wednesday.
-- ANI
08:56 A tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, writes President Kovind
In his final sacrifice, he left a constant reminder for us; unconditional love, especially for the Other.
Read the President's full tribute HERE
08:31 SC to hear 3rd Nirbhaya convict's plea today
The Supreme Court will today hear the curative petition of one of the four Nirbhaya gang-rape death row convicts, Akshay Thakur who is seeking commutation of his death sentence to life imprisonment.
A five-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice NV Ramana will hear the petition in the 2012 Delhi gang-rape case at 1 pm. The curative petition, filed by advocate AP Singh on behalf of Akshay, states that the present curative petition should be allowed by the apex court and it should set aside the May 5, 2017 order, which upheld the death sentence of the convicts.
"Modify the sentence of the petitioner, to life imprisonment as it serves all the purposes that the death penalty claims to serve and protects society from the impending reality in the near-future in which torture and murder are equated with justice as a panacea for all social evils," the petition said.
The plea said that lack of criminal antecedents, erroneous reliance on deterrence, and the probability of reformation, socio-economic circumstances, non-consideration of constitution bench judgment, were not considered by the courts while awarding his client to death.
The top court had dismissed Akshay's review petition in December last year.
A three-judge bench of the apex court yesterday dismissed the plea of another Nirbhaya Mukesh Kumar Singh challenging the rejection of his mercy petition by the President.
-- ANI
08:03 EU parliament's vote on CAA delayed till March
A joint motion, combining five different resolutions tabled by Members of the European Parliament against India's Citizenship Amendment Act, was debated at the Plenary session in Brussels, with an expected vote on the motion on Thursday postponed until March.
The debate opened with a statement by Helena Dalli, the vice-president of the European Commission and High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, who spoke strongly in favour of the "rich, frank and open" relationship the European Union shares with India.
She highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Brussels in March for the 15th India-EU Summit.
"We believe that it is the role of the Supreme Court of India to assess the compliance of the law with the Constitution and we are confident that the ongoing judicial process will contribute to appeasing the tensions and violence witnessed over the past weeks in the country," said Dalli, who concluded the debate with a message to "pursue and intensify" dialogue with India as a "respected democracy" and valued EU partner.
-- PTI
00:30 Don't doubt our intentions: Rajnath to Muslims
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday assured the Muslim community that "no one can touch" them and let alone taking away their citizenship.
"I want to tell my Muslim brothers -- it is up to you to decide whether to vote for us or not, but please do not doubt our intentions. No one can touch you. Let alone taking away your citizenship," he said while addressing a gathering New Delhi.
His statement comes in the wake of controversy over the recent Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC.
He also stated that those found guilty in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots will be punished.
"We formed a Special Investigation Team again to probe the 1984 Sikh riots case. Those who are found guilty in the case would be punished," said the Defence Minister, while addressing a rally in New Delhi. -- ANI
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