Top news: China says it is shocked by Pulwama attack but won’t change stance on JeM’s Masood Azhar

Here are the day’s biggest stories:

West Bengal: BJP leader’s daughter allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint in Birbhum, says report

The daughter of a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint from her house in West Bengal’s Birbhum district on Thursday. Superintendent of Police Shyam Singh said a suspect has been detained for questioning.

Pulwama attack: Centre calls all-party meeting on Saturday to discuss security situation

An all-party meeting will be held in the Parliament library at 11 am on Saturday to discuss Wednesday’s terror attack on security forces personnel in Jammu and Kashmir, ANI reported. At least 40 CRPF jawans were killed when a suicide bomber drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus in Lethpora in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district. The CRPF, which had earlier said 37 of its personnel had been killed, revised the toll on Friday afternoon.

Pulwama attack: Navjot Sidhu calls it a ‘cowardly act’ but asks if an entire nation can be blamed

Punjab minister Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday condemned the Pulwama terror attack calling it a “cowardly act”. He, however, asked if an entire nation can be blamed for the actions of a handful of people, PTI reported.

Pulwama attack: Demonstrations held in Delhi and other cities, protestors set fire to Pakistan flags

Protests and demonstrations erupted in parts of the country on Friday condemning the terror attack in Pulwama, Jammu and Kashmir, in which at least 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force were killed.

Pulwama attack: Madhya Pradesh announces compensation of Rs 1 crore to family of deceased soldier

Several states on Friday announced compensation for the families of security forces personnel who were killed in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on Thursday. The Madhya Pradesh government announced compensation of Rs 1 crore to the family of Ashwini Kumar Kachhi, a soldier from the state who was killed in the attack, while the Uttar Pradesh government announced Rs 25 lakh each to the families of 12 dead soldiers. Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand and Tripura also announced compensations.

Telangana Cabinet to be expanded on February 19, two months after election victory

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Friday announced the expansion of his two-member Cabinet on February 19, almost two months after his party, Telangana Rashtra Samithi, won the Assembly elections by a majority. Rao met Governor ESL Narasimshan at the Raj Bhavan on Friday afternoon and conveyed his decision to expand the Cabinet.

Ayodhya-like agitation is necessary in Kerala’s Sabarimala, claims Uttar Pradesh CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Thursday claimed that a deliberate attempt was being made to insult Hindus in Kerala’s Sabarimala, just as in Ayodhya. “Ayodhya and Sabarimala are equally important,” Adityanath told Bharatiya Janata Party workers in Pathanamthitta. “The verdict on Sabarimala is against the believers. The Hindu society is on a long wait for a favourable verdict in case of Ayodhya.”

Ayodhya dispute: SC to hear plea against 1993 law that transferred land to Centre

The Supreme Court on Friday decided to hear a fresh petition challenging the constitutional validity of a 1993 law that helped the Centre acquire around 67 acres of disputed land in Ayodhya. The top court said it would tag the matter with the main petition that is being heard by a Constitution bench.

Pulwama attack: India summons Pakistani envoy, lodges formal protest

India on Friday summoned Pakistan’s envoy and lodged an official protest over the deaths of at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force personnel in a suicide bomb attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama on Thursday. Foreign Secretary Vijay Gokhale told the Pakistan high commissioner that Islamabad must take “immediate and verifiable” steps against Jaish-e-Mohammed, and “must immediately stop groups or individuals associated with terrorism operating from its territories.

Pulwama attack: Curfew imposed in parts of Jammu after arson and stone-pelting

An indefinite curfew has been imposed in parts of Jammu following protests that broke out on Friday, a day after at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans were killed in a suicide bomb attack. Locals reportedly pelted stones on police and torched vehicles in Gujjar Nagar area of Jammu city.

Pulwama attack: India summons Pakistan high commissioner, PM Modi says perpetrators will be punished

All major political parties in India as well as several countries have condemned the terror attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir that took place on Thursday. The Congress party has said the Opposition will stand united with the government. Here is how the day developed.

Pulwama attack: China again refuses to back India’s attempts at UN to list Masood Azhar as terrorist

China on Friday once again refused to back India’s appeal at the United Nations to designate Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar a global terrorist. China’s refusal came a day after the Jaish-e-Mohammed claimed responsibility for a suicide bomb attack on a Central Reserve Police Force convoy in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama, which killed at least 40 jawans.

Appointment process of CIC should be on same terms as that of election commissioner, says SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said the post of a chief information commissioner is at a higher level than that of a chief election commissioner and that the appointment process for the CIC should at least be on the same terms as that of a CEC. The court also told the government to fill existing vacancies in the state and central information commissions within six months.

Pulwama attack: Rahul Gandhi says Opposition will stand united with the government

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday extended support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that killed at least 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force in Jammu and Kashmir. Gandhi described the incident as “a terrible tragedy” and said the violence against the security forces was “absolutely disgusting”. “The entire opposition will stand together with our jawans and our government,” he said.

Shiv Sena says BJP should be ready to give up Maharashtra CM’s post if it wants regional allies

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party should offer the chief minister’s post to its alliance partners in the states if it wants the tie-ups to continue for the Lok Sabha elections. The Shiv Sena, which is in an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra, had earlier ruled out joining the saffron party for the General Elections.

Pulwama attack: Kashmir Police issued advisory to CRPF last week about possible use of IEDs

The Kashmir Zone Police had issued an advisory to the heads of all Central Reserve Police Force units in the Valley on February 8, warning them of possible use of improvised explosive devices by militants. The police had asked the CRPF to sanitise the areas of deployment before occupying them. However, a police officer, while confirming the input, said it was not specific.

Vande Bharat Express: PM Modi flags off India’s first engine-less, semi-high speed train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first engine-less, semi-high speed train from the New Delhi Railway Station on Friday. The indigenously-manufactured Train 18 has been named the Vande Bharat Express. The train will travel from Delhi to Varanasi in nine hours and 45 minutes, including a stoppage time of 40 minutes each at Kanpur and Prayagraj, where special programmes have been organised. Modi also inspected the train’s state-of-the-art facilities.

Pulwama attack: Security forces have been given free hand, Pakistan totally isolated, says PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said the security forces will be given a free hand in the wake of the Pulwama attack in which 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force lost their lives. Modi said the government will give a strong reply to the perpetrators.

Appointment process of CIC should be on same terms as that of election commissioner, says SC

The Supreme Court on Friday said the post of a chief information commissioner is at a higher level than that of a chief election commissioner and that the appointment process for the CIC should at least be on the same terms as that of a CEC. The court also told the government to fill existing vacancies in the state and central information commissions within six months.

Pulwama attack: Rahul Gandhi says Opposition will stand united with the government

Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday extended support to the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack that killed at least 40 jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force in Jammu and Kashmir. He described the incident as “a terrible tragedy” and said the violence against the security forces was “absolutely disgusting”.

Shiv Sena says BJP should be ready to give up Maharashtra CM’s post if it wants regional allies

Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut on Thursday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party should offer the chief minister’s post to its alliance partners in the states if it wants the tie-ups to continue for the Lok Sabha elections. The Shiv Sena, which is in an alliance with the BJP in Maharashtra, had earlier ruled out joining the saffron party for the General Elections.

Pulwama attack: Kashmir Police issued advisory to CRPF last week about possible use of IEDs

The Kashmir Zone Police had issued an advisory to the heads of all Central Reserve Police Force units in the Valley on February 8, warning them of possible use of improvised explosive devices by militants. The police had asked the CRPF to sanitise the areas of deployment before occupying them. However, a police officer, while confirming the input, said it was not specific.

Vande Bharat Express: PM Modi flags off India’s first engine-less, semi-high speed train

Prime Minister Narendra Modi flagged off India’s first engine-less, semi-high speed train from the New Delhi Railway Station on Friday. The indigenously-manufactured Train 18 has been named the Vande Bharat Express.

Pulwama attack: India withdraws ‘Most Favoured Nation’ status granted to Pakistan

Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday announced that India will withdraw the “Most Favoured Nation” status accorded to Pakistan with immediate effect in the aftermath of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Thursday.

Meghalaya: Citizenship Bill not being tabled in Rajya Sabha is a victory of people, says CM

Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma on Thursday said the National Democratic Alliance government had been unsuccessful in tabling the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha due to the united efforts of political parties and people, and called it a victory.

Puducherry: L-G Kiran Bedi heads to Delhi as chief minister continues protest outside her home

Puducherry Lieutenant Governor Kiran Bedi on Thursday wrote to Union minister Nitin Gadkari after Chief Minister V Narayanasamy continued to protest outside her residence for the second day. Narayanasamy organised the dharna to protest against Bedi’s “negative stand” against his government.

Arun Jaitley resumes charge of Finance Ministry, attends Cabinet meeting

Union minister Arun Jaitley on Friday resumed charge of the Ministry of Finance, less than a week after returning from the United States where he underwent medical treatment. After resuming charge, Jaitley attended a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to discuss the Pulwama attack that killed at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans on Thursday.

Pulwama attack: Narendra Modi leads Cabinet committee meeting, Rajnath Singh to visit J&K today

The Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, met on Friday morning in the wake of the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama district that killed at least 40 Central Reserve Police Force jawans, ANI reported. The committee includes the ministers of home affairs, external affairs, finance, and defence.

2002 Godhra train burning: Gujarat announces compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for victims’ families

The Gujarat government on Thursday announced compensation of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of 52 victims of the 2002 Godhra train burning. In an official release, the state government said the decision had been taken as per an order of the Gujarat High Court passed in 2017.

Pulwama attack: United States asks Pakistan to immediately stop providing safe haven to terrorists

The United States on Thursday condemned the attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir and asked Pakistan to deny safe havens to terrorists. The White House urged Pakistan to “end immediately the support and safe haven provided to all terrorist groups operating on its soil, whose only goal is to sow chaos, violence, and terror in the region”.

Bhupen Hazarika’s son now says it would be a ‘tremendous honour’ to receive father’s Bharat Ratna

Singer Bhupen Hazarika’s son Tej Hazarika on Thursday said it will be a “tremendous honour” and a “dreamlike privilege” to receive the Bharat Ratna on behalf of his father from the government. Tej Hazarika had reportedly rejected the honour earlier this week in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill.

Pulwama attack: Pakistan rejects link, says strike a ‘matter of grave concern’

Pakistan on Thursday described the terror attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama as “a matter of grave concern” and rejected any involvement in it. The Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit claimed responsibility for the attack, which killed at least 40 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force.

Pulwama attack: Pakistan must stop supporting terrorists operating from its territory, says India

India on Thursday strongly condemned the terror attack on Central Reserve Police Force personnel in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pulwama. Thirty seven personnel were killed after a militant drove an explosive-laden vehicle into a bus. The Jaish-e-Mohammed militant outfit claimed responsibility for the attack.