Top news: March 3 set as the new execution date for four 2012 Delhi gangrape convicts

Lucknow: Magsaysay winner Sandeep Pandey arrested while distributing anti-CAA pamphlets

Social activist and Magsaysay Award winner Sandeep Pandey was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police in Lucknow on Monday while distributing pamphlets critical of the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens.

Jamia violence: Delhi HC issues notices on plea seeking Rs 2 crore for injured student

The Delhi High Court on Monday sent notices to the Centre and the police after hearing a plea seeking compensation for the injuries sustained due to the alleged brutal action on December 15 at Jamia Millia Islamia University.

India issues scathing demarche to Turkey over President Erdogan’s Kashmir remarks

India on Monday issued a scathing demarche to Turkey’s ambassador in New Delhi to lodge a diplomatic protest over President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s speech on Kashmir in the Pakistan Parliament.

Centre disrespected Indian women by saying they don’t deserve command posts in Army: Rahul Gandhi

Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi on Monday said that the Bharatiya Janata Party government at the Centre had insulted women Army officers by arguing in the Supreme Court that they were not fit for certain posts. Earlier in the day, the top court directed the central government to provide permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army, respecting the 2010 order of the Delhi High Court in the matter.

Hindu Mahasabha chief claims coronavirus is an avatar ‘to punish non-vegetarians’

Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha National President Chakrapani claimed on Monday that the novel coronavirus, which has so far killed over 1,700 people, is not a virus but an “avatar to punish non-vegetarians”.

2012 Delhi gangrape convicts to hang on March 3 at 6 am, rules court

A sessions court in Delhi on Monday ruled that the four convicts in the 2012 Delhi gangrape case would be executed at 6 am on March 3. The court was hearing a petition seeking a fresh death warrant against the four.

Shaheen Bagh protests: SC sets up mediation team to talk to anti-CAA demonstrators

The Supreme Court on Monday set up a mediation team led by senior advocate Sanjay Hegde to talk to the people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act at Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi. Hundreds of protestors, mainly women and children, have been protesting at the site since December 15.

Bhuj: Three college staffers suspended for alleged menstrual check, women’s panel meets students

Three women staffers of Shri Sahjanand Girls Institute in Bhuj district of Gujarat have been suspended for allegedly forcing undergraduate students to remove their undergarments to prove that they were not menstruating, ANI reported on Monday. A seven-member team of the National Commission for Women is also investigating the matter.

India allegedly denies entry to British MP critical of its actions in Kashmir

India has allegedly denied entry to a British MP who has been critical of its policies in Jammu and Kashmir, AP reported on Monday. Debbie Abrahams, a Labour Party Member of Parliament who chairs a parliamentary group focused on Kashmir, was unable to clear customs after her visa was rejected, her aide Harpreet Upal told the news agency on Monday.

After Milind Deora praises Kejriwal’s government, former Delhi Congress chief asks him to quit party

Former Delhi Congress chief Ajay Maken on Monday castigated party leader Milind Deora for praising the Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party government for doubling its revenue, asking him to leave the party and “propagate half-baked facts”.

‘Divorce cases are found more in educated, affluent families,’ claims RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that cases of divorce are found more in educated and affluent families and claimed that education and wealth came with arrogance, which leads to broken families. The RSS is the ideological parent of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

Nitish Kumar calls for nationwide ban on alcohol, says it was Mahatma Gandhi’s wish

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday called for a nationwide ban on liquor and said the prohibition imposed in his state in 2016 has not made it poorer.

“It [liquor ban] should not only be implemented in nearby states but also in the entire country,” Kumar said at a convention on “liquor-free India” in New Delhi, the Hindustan Times reported. “It was Mahatma Gandhi’s wish, he had said liquor destroys lives.”

Shiv Sena accuses Centre of running a ‘hide poverty’ campaign during Donald Trump’s visit to India

The Shiv Sena on Monday accused the Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre of running a “garibi chupao” (hide poverty) campaign by building a wall to hide slums in a part of Ahmedabad during United States President Donald Trump’s visit to the city later this month. Trump will visit Ahmedabad and New Delhi on February 24 and 25.

“There was a time when the slogan ‘Garibi Hatao’ was criticised, but it appears the new agenda is Garibi Chupao,” the Shiv Sena said in an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana, referring to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi’s slogan to end poverty.

Bhima Koregaon: Sharad Pawar says retired High Court judge should probe conduct of police personnel

Nationalist Congress Party chief Sharad Pawar said on Sunday that the conduct of police personnel in the Bhima Koregaon case needs to be investigated, The Indian Express reported.

“There needs to be an investigation by a retired High Court judge into the conduct of police officers who have arrested people in this case,” Pawar said at an event in Jalgaon in Maharashtra. “There needs to be an in-depth investigation.”

Gargi college case: Delhi HC issues notices to Centre, CBI on plea seeking court-monitored probe

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the responses of the Centre and the Central Bureau of Investigation on a plea seeking a court-monitored probe by the agency into the alleged molestation of students at an all-women’s college in the Capital, reported PTI.

On February 6, during the annual cultural festival “Reverie” at Gargi College, hundreds of unruly, drunk men allegedly mobbed the entrances of the college and forced their way in. Students alleged that the group sexually assaulted them while the police looked on.

Airtel pays Rs 10,000 crore to telecom department as part of dues, days after SC raps Centre, firms

Telecom major Bharti Airtel on Monday said it has paid Rs 10,000 crore towards the adjusted gross revenue to the Department of Telecommunications, reported PTI. The company owes the Centre a total of Rs 35,500 crore as spectrum charges and licence fee. The company has paid Rs 9,500 crore on behalf of Bharti Airtel Limited (including Telenor India) and Rs 500 crore on behalf of Bharti Hexacom.

Supreme Court orders Centre to grant women permanent commission, command posts in the Army

The Supreme Court on Monday ordered the Centre to grant permanent commission to women officers in the Indian Army, respecting the 2010 order of the Delhi High Court in this regard, ANI reported. The court said that the recruitment of women in the Armed Forces is an “evolutionary process”. Justice DY Chandrachud added that the policy decisions of the Centre regarding the employment of women officers in the Army are “very unique”.

Karnataka: Three Kashmiri students, arrested on sedition charges, released for lack of evidence

The Karnataka Police on Sunday released three Kashmiri students who were arrested on sedition charges for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans, reported PTI. The three students of KLE Institute of Technology were arrested on Saturday immediately after the college filed a complaint about a video in which they allegedly said “Pakistan zindabad”.

Nirmala Sitharaman says Centre has not set any time frame to remove income tax exemptions

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Sunday that the introduction of second alternative tax brackets without exemptions is meant to take the country towards a “simplified, exemption-free and reduced rate of tax regime”, PTI reported. However, she added that the Centre had not set any time frame to remove exemptions.

Kerala: Second coronavirus patient discharged from hospital, to be under home isolation for 10 days

An Indian student admitted to a hospital in Kerala with novel coronavirus was discharged on Sunday, ANI reported, citing the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The student was discharged after two consecutive test results came negative.

SC to decide today whether women officers in Army should get command positions, permanent commission

The Supreme Court will decide on Monday whether women in the Army will get command appointments on par with male officers, NDTV reported. The top court will also pass its verdict on whether women who have served 14 years in the short service commission in the Army will be given the option of a permanent commission.

On February 5, the Supreme Court had said that a “change in mindset” and administrative will are required before women can be given permanent commission in the Army.

Citizenship Act: Telangana Cabinet decides to pass resolution, urges Centre to scrap amendment

The Telangana government on Sunday decided to pass a resolution in the state Assembly against the amendments to the Citizenship Act, reported PTI. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced the decision during a Cabinet meeting. The state Cabinet said the amendments will jeopardise “secularism envisaged in the Constitution”.

Rao urged the Centre to repeal the amendments. “The State Cabinet appealed to the Union Government, not to discriminate on the basis of religion for according Indian citizenship,” read an official release on the decisions taken during the Cabinet meeting. “It requested that all religions must be treated as equal before the law.”

India rejects UN chief’s offer to mediate on Kashmir, says ‘no scope for third party’ intervention

India on Sunday rejected United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ offer to mediate on Jammu and Kashmir, reported PTI. Hours after the UN chief, who is on a visit to Pakistan, said he was “deeply concerned” and was ready to help if India and Pakistan agreed, New Delhi underlined that there was “no role or scope for third party mediation” on the Kashmir matter.

“India’s position has not changed,” said External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar. “Jammu and Kashmir has been, is, and will continue to be an integral part of India. The issue that needs to be addressed is that of vacation of the territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan. Further issues, if any, would be discussed bilaterally. There is no role or scope for third party mediation.”

Shah Faesal charged under PSA for advocating ‘soft separatism’, says report

Bureaucrat-turned-politician Shah Faesal has been charged under the Public Safety Act for advocating “soft separatism” through his social media posts and articles, the government dossier used to charge him under the stringent law said, The Indian Express reported on Sunday. Faesal, who has been in detention since August last year after the Centre scrapped Jammu and Kashmir’s special status, was charged under the Act on Friday.

SC ruling on reservations: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad leads protest march in Delhi

A large group of Bhim Army members, led by its chief Chandrashekhar Azad, held a protest march in Delhi on Sunday against the Supreme Court’s judgement on reservations, reported PTI. The top court had ruled on February 7 that there is no fundamental right to reservations in promotions in government jobs.

Centre will stand by decisions on Citizenship Act, Article 370, says Prime Minister Narendra Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party at the Centre would remain firm on its decisions such as the new Citizenship Act and the revocation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. The prime minister added that the decisions were taken in the nation’s interest and the government would stand its ground despite pressure from all sides, reported PTI.

“Be it the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir or the Citizenship Amendment Act [CAA], the country waited for decisions on these for years,” he said at an event in Varanasi. The prime minister is on a day-long visit to his Lok Sabha constituency.