BJP unveils toll-free no to gain support for CAA

 Thu, 02 January 2020
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23:39

BJP unveils toll-free no to gain support for CAA

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As part of its programme to mobilise support for the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the Bharatiya Janata Party has launched a toll-free number for people to give missed calls to register their endorsement of the law ahead of the party's 10-day mass contact drive from January 5.BJP general secretary...
23:01

US asks its airlines to avoid Pakistan airspace

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United States aviation regulator, Federal Aviation Administration, on Thursday warned America's airlines and their pilots that there is risk involved in operating flights in Pakistan airspace due to extremist or militant activity, according to an official document.  Exercise caution during...
22:57

Puducherry plans to adopt anti-CAA resolution: CM

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The Congress government in Puducherry is planning to adopt a resolution in the next assembly session seeking scrapping of the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act as the one adopted by Kerala, chief minister V Narayanasamy said on Thursday.  Soon I will hold discussions with the...
22:56

#GobackModi trends on Twitter as Modi visits Karnataka

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi faced a social media backlash as he arrived in Karnataka on Thursday for a two-day visit, with the twitter hashtag #GobackModi trending on the microblogging platform for several hours.     While some twitteratitargeted Modi for not speaking on issues...
22:23

Ridiculous to paint Faiz's 'Hum Dekhenge' as anti-Hindu, say poets, writers

Top poets and writers including Javed Akhtar, Rahat Indori and Vishal Bhardwaj on Thursday described attempts to paint Faiz Ahmed Faiz's revolutionary Hum Dekhenge as anti-Hindu and pro-Islam, a  ridiculous and narrow-minded attempt.  They were responding to IIT-Kanpur forming a...
22:02

Never underestimate the power of Faiz's poetry: Daughter

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It is not sad but funny to call Faiz Ahmed Faiz's Hum Dekhenge anti-Hindu, says the daughter of the famous Urdu poet, asserting her father's words will always speak to those who need to express themselves.Asked about IIT-Kanpur forming a committee to inquire into a complaint against the...
21:22

Kejriwal announces Rs 1 cr aid for kin of deceased fireman

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal announced an ex gratia of Rs 1 crore to the family of firefighter Amit Kumar Balyan who died in Peeragarhi fire incident on Thursday.  Amit Baliyan laid down his life while serving the people of Delhi. Nothing can bring back a loved one lost, but Delhi...
21:13

Organiser calls off Shaheen Bagh anti-CAA protest

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A section of protesters at Shaheen Bagh, who have been demonstrating against the Citizenship Amendment Act for the last 20 days, called off the road blockade on Thursday alleging politicisation of their peaceful protest, though locals refused to leave the spot and continued with their...
20:45

Dates of Indo-Japan Summit will be finalised 'very soon': MEA

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India and Japan are in touch through diplomatic channels and very soon the dates of the annual bilateral summit, postponed last month in the wake of violent protests over the amended citizenship law, will be finalised.  Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's visit to this country for the...
20:15

Kota deaths: Yogi, Mayawati target Priyanka

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Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Thursday targeted the Congress over infant deaths at a Rajasthan hospital, saying party leader Priyanka Gandhi should have gone there to console the children's mothers instead of playing politics in...
19:51

Widen your horizons, says PM to scientists and innovators

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called on scientists and innovators of the country to widen their horizons, as he assured them that thegovernment was completely with them.     Your capability is vast, you can do many things, widen your horizons,change the parameters of...
19:40

Gen Rawat seeks creation of air defence command

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In one of his first decisions, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat has issued directions to prepare a roadmap by June 30 to create an air defence command to enhance security of India's skies.  Some of the areas identified for bringing in tri-services jointness and synergy include setting...
18:45

Passport dept seeks MEA nod to prosecute Medha Patkar

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The Mumbai Regional Passport Office has sought the external affairs ministry's nod to prosecute Narmada Bachao Andolan activist Medha Patkar for not disclosing criminal cases against her in her passport application.  Sources in the passport office said the department had written a letter to...
18:42

Calling Faiz anti-Hindu is absurd: Javed Akhtar

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After Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur constituted a panel to decide whether legendary poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz's poem 'Hum Dekhenge' is offensive to Hindu sentiments, veteran lyricist Javed Akhtar on Thursday termed the incident as 'absurd and funny'.Calling Faiz Ahmed Faiz 'anti-Hindu' is so...
18:35

AAP wishes happy new year to 'all 7 CM candidates of BJP'

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The Aam Aadmi Party on Thursday sought to know from the Bharatiya Janata Party who would lead it in the upcoming Delhi assembly election as it took a swipe at the saffron party by wishing 'happy new year' to all its seven chief ministerial candidates.  The AAP tweeted an image of a poster...
18:08

Mehbooba's daughter 'detained' after trying to visit grandfather's grave in J-K

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Iltija Mufti, daughter of People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti, on Thursday said she was detained by police at her residence in Srinagar after she tried to visit the grave of her grandfather and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in south Kashmir. ...
17:31

Govt sets up dedicated desk on Ayodhya

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The government has set up a dedicated desk, headed by an additional secretary, to look after all matters related to the Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya issue. In an official order, the Union Home Ministry said Ayodhya matters and related court judgements will be handled by three officers,...
17:03

Sensex rallies, Nifty ends at new lifetime high

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The Sensex rallied over 320 points while the broader Nifty ended at its fresh lifetime high on Thursday as investors poured money into infra, banking and energy stocks amid strong global cues. The 30-share BSE Sensex ended 320.62 points, or 0.78 per cent, higher at 41,626.64. Similarly, the...
16:41

India reached out to countries on CAA, NRC: MEA

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India has reached out to countries across the world on the issues of the new citizenship law and the proposed National Register of Citizens, the ministry of external affairs said on Thursday. We did reach out to countries across the globe on Citizenship Amendment Act and the NRC, MEA...
16:10

Rahul abroad

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Congress MP Rahul Gandhi is holidaying abroad. Sources say that he left for Italy on December 31 to meet his maternal grandmother. He is also expected to make a stopover at London en route home. However, the AICC has not released any official programme of his travels. 
15:58

Extremely sad Sonia, Priyanka could not feel pain of Kota mothers: Yogi

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Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Thursday attacked Congress president Sonia Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, saying it was extremely sad that despite being women both could not feel the pain of the mothers who lost their children at a hospital in Rajasthan's...
15:54

One firefighter killed in Delhi factory fire

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A firefighter was killed and 14 others injured when a battery factory building collapsed in northwest Delhi's Peera Garhi following an explosion due to a fire that broke out early on Thursday morning, officials said. As many as 18 people were rescued from the building, including two caretakers...
15:44

Rajasthan: Infant deaths in Kota hospital rises to 103

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Three more children died at the JK Lone hospital in Rajasthan's Kota district on the first two days of the new year, taking the death toll to 103, an official said on Thursday.In past two days, a total of three kids have died. With this, the death toll has reached 103, a hospital official...
15:14

Jammu and Kashmir: Internet facility restored in hospitals

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Internet facilities were on Thursday restored in health institutions across Jammu and Kashmir while the connection at rest of the place is also being restored on a war footing.Internet facilities has been restored in health institutions [in] J-K. Rest are also being restored on war footing, Jammu...
15:07

Cong's anti-CAA rallies against refugees: PM

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi who is Karnataka for a 2-day visit speaks from the Sree Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru.I am fortunate that I am beginning the year 2020 from this pious land. I wish this sacred energy of Sree Siddaganga Mutt enriches the lives of the people of our country. India has...
14:50

PM reaches Karnataka for 2-day visit

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday arrived in Bengaluru on a two-day visit. On his arrival, Modi was received by Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa and others.Prime Minister Modi will take part in various programmes in the state, including a visit to Sree Siddaganga Mutt in Tumakuru....
14:44

Lokpal to move out of Rs 50 lakh pm rented accommodation to permanent address

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The office of the Lokpal, the anti-corruption ombudsman, will soon move out of its Rs 50 lakh per month rented accommodation at a five star hotel to its own permanent building here. A senior Personnel Ministry official said the Lokpal is likely to move out of its five star hotel temporary office...
14:27

Indians abroad forgo values, eat beef: Giriraj Singh

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Union Minister Giriraj Singh on Thursday said that Indian children go abroad and most of them start eating beef because they are not being taught about our 'culture' and 'traditional values'.Bhagavad Gita should be taught in schools, we send our children to missionary schools, they get through...
14:15

The mystery behind Room 602 in Mantralaya

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So, what's the mystery behind Room 602 in Maharashtra's secretariat? And why did Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar choose not to occupy the room in Mantralaya? After all the sixth floor is the centre of power in the building since it houses the chief minister's office. There's a one-word...
13:58

Maha Cabinet portfolio allocations today: Dy CM

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Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Thursday said that the allocation of portfolios will be done by the end of today.I had said yesterday also that things are clear as far as portfolio distribution to ministers is concerned. By the end of today, allocation of portfolios will be done,...
13:47

2019: The year in photos

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We sorted through a million photographs (well, it certainly felt like it) taken around the world to come up with the top images of 2019. Together these tell the story of the year -- capturing moments of hope and heartbreak, triumph and tragedy. Take a look Image: A view of the Sangam at...
13:40

Wanted: Vision 20:20, not myopia

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If the Sangh Parivar and its offshoots had participated in the freedom struggle, they would have realised that the question of India's nationhood was decided and sealed 72 years ago. India was not to be a mirror image of Pakistan which chose religion as its raison d'etre.A nation of 80 per...
13:06

Maha Police to get modern weapons, quality training: Thackeray

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The Maharashtra police force will be provided all modernised weapons and quality training required to fight the enemy, Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray said on Thursday. The police force has big challenges, but the state government is committed to provide it the best training, weapons and quality...
13:01

Nagaland CM Neiphiu Rio's mother dies

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Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio's mother Kevilhouu Rio has died of old-age related ailments, family sources said on Thursday. She was 92. Family sources Kevilhouu died on Wednesday and her last rites will be held at the Rio's family cemetery at Botsa on the outskirts of the state capital on...
12:46

Taiwan chief of general staff among 8 killed in helicopter crash

Chief of the Taiwanese General Staff Shen Yi-min was among eight killed in a military helicopter crash on Thursday, Chinese state media reported.A black hawk helicopter (UH-60M) with 13 onboard crashed on Thursday morning in the mountains outside the capital of Taipei, reported China Daily....
12:40

Sulking Scindia may be Rajya Sabha MP

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Jyotiraditya Scindia, the Congress party's former MP from Guna is likely to be accommodated in the Rajya Sabha if all goes well. Three seats from the Madhya Pradesh quota, held by Digvijaya Singh, Prabhat Jha and Satyanarayan Jatiya, will be vacated in April 2020.Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath...
12:26

Delhi factory fire under control, several injured

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Rajendra Sagar, Additional DCP (Outer) on Peeragarhi factory fire: At least 14 people have been injured in the incident, including 13 fire brigade personnel. The back portion of the building has collapsed, fire though is in control now, rescue ops continuing.Several people, including...
12:14

PM greets people on birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday greeted people on the 353rd birth anniversary of Gobind Singh, saying what the 10th Sikh guru strived for is relevant even today. We bow to the venerable Shri Guru Gobind Singh Ji on his Prakash Parv, Modi wrote on Twitter. He also posted a brief...
11:58

Tableau rejected due to anti-CAA stance: TMC

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The Trinamool Congress on Thursday hit out at the BJP-led government at the Centre over the rejection of West Bengal's tableau proposal for the  Republic Day parade, saying it insulted the people of the state for protesting the amended Citizenship Act. The state BJP was quick to hit back and...
11:42

Multiple vehicle pile-up in dense fog in Alwar

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Several vehicles collided due to low visibility, caused by dense fog on National Highway 8 in Dooghera, Alwar today. Around a dozen people were injured and taken to hospital.
11:38

Maharashtra: First-time minister suspends 2 officials

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Bachchu Kadu, who was recently inducted into the Maharashtra Cabinet, on Wednesday, suspended two civil supplies department officials during a surprise visit to the Daryapur Tehsil office in Amravati. The action was taken by the minister after an elderly person allegedly informed him that...
11:08

Sena admits tussle among MVA for Cabinet berths

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The Shiv Sena on Thursday admitted that there was a tussle among senior leaders of the three ruling alliance parties in Maharashtra for key Cabinet berths, and said some MLAs could not be inducted as ministers because the list of probables was huge. It also took a dim view of some people...
10:57

CAA protests: Activist couple in UP gets bail

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An activist couple, who was arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police in Varanasi for attending a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Law, have been granted bail nearly two weeks after they were jailed. Over 60 people were arrested in Varanasi on December 19 for protesting, despite a ban on large...
10:51
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The Indian rupee opened on a cautious note and fell 11 paise to 71.33 against the US dollar in early trade on Thursday amid sustained rise in crude oil prices and foreign fund outflows. Forex traders said the rupee is trading in a narrow range amid lack of directional cues from the global...
10:29

Several trapped in Delhi building collapse, fire

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Several people including firefighters are trapped under the debris of a factory in west Delhi's Peera Garhi after it caught fire and the structure collapsed following an explosion, officials said.Thirty-five fire engines are at the site. The firefighters were working to rescue people stuck in the...
10:21

Minimum temp@4.6, it's near-freezing in Delhi

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Cold conditions continued to prevail in the national capital with the minimum temperature settling at 4.6 degrees Celsius, three notches below the season's average. According to railways, twenty-one trains were running late for up to five hours due to bad weather. An official said the...
10:19

Highest number of babies born in India on 1/1/20

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Nearly 400,000 babies were born around the world on New Year's Day with India recording the highest number of these births worldwide at 67,385, the UN children's agency said. An estimated 392,078 babies were born around the world on New Year's Day, according to UNICEF. Of this, an estimated...
09:21

Defending CAA, minister takes jibe at Sonia

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Union Minister G Kishan Reddy said that Hindus facing religious persecution in Pakistan and Bangladesh will naturally come to India and not go to Italy.Why are you protesting? Against whom you are protesting? If Hindus from Pakistan and Bangladesh will not come to India then where else they will...
08:55

Pakistan violates ceasefire in J-K's Poonch area

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Pakistan resorted to unprovoked ceasefire violation in Krishna Ghati sector of the Poonch district on Wednesday night.The violation occurred around 9 pm on Wednesday when Pakistan initiated unprovoked ceasefire violation by firing of small arms and shelling with Mortars along LoC in Krishna Ghati...
08:23

Tamil writer arrested for speech at CAA protest

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Tamil writer Nellai Kannan was arrested, days after an FIR was registered against him for his speech during an anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protest.The Tirunelveli Police had registered the FIR against the writer for the speech delivered at a meeting, which was called by the Social Democratic...
08:05

IIT-K launches inquiry into students reciting Faiz poem in solidarity with Jamia

IIT-Kanpur has formed a committee to inquire into a complaint against the recitation of Faiz Ahmed Faiz's noted poem 'Hum Dekhenge' on campus by students to express solidarity with their peers at Jamia Milia Islamia, the institute's Deputy Director Manindra Agarwal said. ...
07:49

Centre rejects Bengal's tableau for R-Day

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In what could spark fresh tensions between West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and the BJP-led Centre, the Union ministry of defence on Wednesday rejected her state's tableau proposal for the Republic Day parade on January 26.The tableau proposal of West Bengal government was examined by...