West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to lead a rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Bhawanipore in south Kolkata area against the citizenship law.

KOLKATA: Protests were reported from some parts of West Bengal for the fifth day on Tuesday against the amended Citizenship Act.

Agitators raised slogans against the new Citizenship Act at Basirhat in North 24 Parganas district.

The police has stepped up vigil across the state and as many as 354 protesters were arrested for violence.

Several trains to north Bengal were either cancelled or delayed, officials said.

West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee is scheduled to lead a rally from Jadavpur 8B bus stand to Bhawanipore in south Kolkata area against the citizenship law.

Banerjee, who led a mega rally from Red Road to Jorasanko Thakur Bari, the ancestral house of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore in north Kolkata on Monday, had urged the agitators to not indulge in vandalism and arson.

The chief minister had declared on Monday that the Amended Citizenship Act and the National Register of Citizenship could be enforced in the state only over her “dead body”.

Road and rail blockades were witnessed in the state on Monday as violent protests over the contentious Citizenship Act refused to die down, amid warning by state authorities and appeal from the chief minister.

Anti-citizenship law protests snowballed into a major flashpoint in West Bengal on Monday with highways and railway lines blocked and incidents of arson and loot reported from many places.

The court further said that the defence even tried to influence the rape case by trying to prove that the entire gang rape case was a ‘sham’.

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday lashed at the counsel for expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for trying to “demolish” the character of the rape survivor during the trial.

The court convicted Sengar for raping a woman in Unnao in 2017, when she was a minor.

District Judge Dharmesh Sharma referred to a separate case of alleged gang rape of the woman by three other persons and said Sengar’s counsel in a “very strategic manner” tried to “kill two birds/cases with one stone by attempting to demolish the character of the rape survivor”.

The gang rape case is separate from the rape case in which Sengar was convicted on Monday.

While she was raped by Sengar on June 4, 2017, the rape survivor was allegedly gang raped by three others on June 11, 2017 in Unnao.

The trial in the gang rape case is yet to commence in the trial court here.

The court further said that the defence even tried to influence the rape case by trying to prove that the entire gang rape case was a “sham”.

“Defence has in a very strategic manner attempted to tread or venture into the spectrum of the alleged gang rape, the trial of which is yet to commence and the defence has tried to kill two birds/cases with one stone by attempting to demolish the character of the rape survivor but also mounting an attack that the entire case was a sham and bogus,” it said.

The court also observed that three other young girls in the rape survivor’s family were also being subjected to “shame, disgust and indignity in society”.

“The defence miserably fails to prove that the rape survivor’s uncle orchestrated the entire false complaint against Sengar to settle old scores since it was not conceivable that the woman and her mother were not oblivious or unmindful of vulnerability of three other young girls in the family who started to be subjected to shame, disgust and indignity in the society/community.”

The clarification on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act came amidst widespread protests in different parts of the country against the legislation.

NEW DELHI: No illegal immigrants belonging to Hindu and other five communities coming from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan will be given Indian citizenship automatically but only after fulfilling the necessary criteria, a senior Home Ministry official said on Monday.

The clarification on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act came amidst widespread protests in different parts of the country against the legislation.

“The new act does not mean that all illegal immigrants getting Indian citizenship automatically. They have to apply for citizenship which will be processed by the competent authority.”

“The applicant concerned will be given Indian citizenship only after fulfilling the required criteria,” the official said.

In her FIR, Aishwarya Roy also accused her husband Tej Pratap Yadav and sister-in-law Misa Bharti of dragging her by the hair, snatching away her mobile phone and other belongings.

PATNA: Aishwarya Roy, the estranged daughter-in-law of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, and her mother-in- law Rabri Devi have lodged complaints of torture against each other, while the police said steps would be taken as per law.

In her FIR, Roy also accused her husband Tej Pratap Yadav and sister-in-law Misa Bharti of dragging her by the hair, snatching away her mobile phone and other belongings before driving her out of their family residence here on Sunday, the police said on Monday.

Rabri Devi, a former Bihar chief minister, has also lodged a written complaint of torture against her daughter-in-law.

“In her FIR, Aishwarya has named her husband, her mother-in-law and her sister-in-law for inflicting torture, atrocities and dowry demands,” Women’s police station SHO.

She also named as accused two security personnel deputed at Rabri Devi’s 10, Circular Road residence.

The station house officer (SHO) said action will be taken against the accused persons as per law.

After Roy lodged her complaint, Rabri Devi also filed one in the Sachivalaya police station.

“Rabri Devi has submitted a written complaint against her daughter-in-law Aishwarya for inflicting torture on her (Rabri Devi). The police are investigating,” Sachivalaya police station SHO Raghunath Prasad said.

Both the complaints were filed on Sunday evening.

Yadav, elder son of Lalu Prasad, and Roy had tied the knot in May, 2018 and the former had filed a divorce petition six months later in November.

Although the divorce petition is pending before a court, Roy has been known to spend time at her in-laws’ place which is a few hundred metres from the house of her father, RJD MLA Chandrika Roy.

The drama unfolded late in the evening when Roy was found weeping outside the family’s Circular Road residence.

Roy told reporters on Sunday that she got a message on her mobile phone that Tej Pratap Yadav’s supporters have pasted posters vilifying her and parents across the Patna University campus.

When she protested, Rabri Devi “flew into a rage and began abusing me and, along with her female security guard, assaulted me physically,” Roy alleged.

“I was hit in my head, knees and feet, dragged by my hair and not allowed to put on my sandals and a shawl before being shoved out of the bungalow,” she claimed.

Roy said they have also snatched her mobile phone as she had shot video footage of their misbehaviour.

Her father who is RJD MLA Chandrika Roy, mother Purnima and younger siblings rushed to the spot on learning about the incident.

Aishwarya’s parents had on Sunday said, “The entire family deserves to be in jail.”

In September, Roy was similarly spotted outside her residence, complaining about misbehaviour at the hands of her in-laws.

After a high drama that lasted for several hours, she had finally re-entered the house late in the night.

Chandrika Roy said the situation has reached a point of no return now.

Jagdeep Dhankhar stated that the CM should devote her attention to restoring normalcy in the state, where violent protests over the law have been raging over the past three days.

KOLKATA: Slamming West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over her decision to hit the streets against the amended Citizenship Act, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Monday urged her to desist from “unconstitutional and inflammatory” actions.

He stated that the CM should devote her attention to restoring normalcy in the state, where violent protests over the law have been raging over the past three days.

Banerjee, who is also Trinamool Congress (TMC) supremo, is scheduled to take part in a rally in the city to protest against the amended Act.

She has called on people to join the protest march.

“I am extremely anguished that CM and Ministers are to spearhead rally against CAA, law of the land. This is unconstitutional. I call upon CM to desist from this unconstitutional and inflammatory act at this juncture and devote to retrieve the grim situation,” Dhankhar tweeted.

The governor had earlier questioned Banerjee’s opposition to the amended Act and said “any personal holding a constitutional post cannot oppose the law of the land”.

The chief minister, who has been at the forefront in opposing the Citizenship Act, will crisscross the entire city over the next three days, seeking its immediate revocation, sources in the TMC said.

Banerjee had said on several occasions that the law would not be implemented in Bengal.

Taking to Twitter, she gave details of her rally, which is scheduled to begin at 1 pm.

“A mega rally will be held today in #Kolkata to protest against unconstitutional #CABBill & #NRC. It will begin at 1pm near the statue of Babasaheb Ambedkar on Red Road & end at Jorasanko Thakurbari.”

“Come, let us all, every section of society, join this people’s movement in a peaceful manner within the ambit of law,” she said.

Braving cold weather, voters, including differently-abled and senior citizens, were seen waiting in queues outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise.

RANCHI: An estimated 11.77 per cent of over 47 lakh voters exercised their franchise till 9 am on Monday in the fourth and penultimate phase of Jharkhand Assembly elections in 15 constituencies, Election Commission (EC) officials said.

Amid tight security, the voting process, which began at 7 am, is underway peacefully, they said.

Braving cold weather, voters, including differently-abled and senior citizens, were seen waiting in queues outside the polling booths to exercise their franchise.

In five of the 15 assembly seats in the Maoist-hit state, the polling process would conclude at 3 pm, Jharkhand Chief Electoral Officer Vinay Kumar Choubey.

Armed forces have been deployed in the Naxal-affected pockets, he stated.

The voting process for the remaining 10 constituencies would continue till 5 pm.

A total of 47,85,009 voters, including 22,44,134 female and 81 third-gender people, are eligible to decide the fate of 221 nominees in the fourth phase.

Prominent among the candidates are state Labour Minister Raj Paliwar from Madhipur seat and Land and Revenue Minister Amar Kumar Bauri from Chandankiyari constituency.

Of the 6,101 polling stations, 1,133 have been marked ‘critical’ and 3,070 ‘sensitive’, the EC officials said.

At least 2,504 wheelchairs have been stationed and 4,039 volunteers deployed at the polling booths to help the elderly and different abled electorate, they said.

The ruling BJP, seeking to retain power, is contesting all 15 seats in this phase.

The opposition alliance of the JMM, the Congress and the RJD has fielded candidates in accordance with their pre-poll seat adjustment plans.

The fifth and final phase of Jharkhand polls for sixteen seats will be held on December 20.

Counting process has been scheduled for December 23.

New Delhi: 

The Supreme Court will hear the case on the police action on Jamia and AMU students tomorrow.

The “rioting” must stop and there should be peace, Chief Justice of India SA Bobde said on Monday to a request to take note of police action on students at Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi and Aligarh Muslim University in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday evening during protests against the citizenship law.

The Supreme Court will hear the case tomorrow.

“Just because they happen to be students, it doesn’t mean they can take law and order in their hands, this has to be decided when things cool down. This is not the frame of mind when we can decide anything. Let the rioting stop,” said the Chief Justice.

Lawyers Indira Jaising and Colin Gonsalves requested the top court to look into the violence against students and send retired judges to the two universities to investigate what went down.

“Why was property destroyed? Buses are burnt. We will take cognisance and decide in peaceful frame of mind. Whoever started rioting, let them stop first,” said Justice Bobde.

Indira Jaising had said: “We are here to request on violence unleashed all over the country. This kind of violence…Supreme Court must take suo motu. It is a serious human rights violation.”

Students had been arrested and First Information Reports (FIRs) had been filed against them, said Colin Gonsalves. “We need a probe to fix accountability,” he argued.

“We don’t want to be held at ransom. We are not to be bullied like this. We will hear and see what to do. It is a law and order problem and for the police to handle. Let me see what we can do. It someone wants to take to streets, don’t come to court. We are not against peaceful demonstrations,” said the Chief Justice.

As Colin Gonsalves urged the court to send a panel of retired judges to visit the Aligarh University, Justice Bobde responded: “We will do that.  First let there be peace. If protests and violence continue we will not hear it.”

The police have been accused of using excessive force during student protests that turned violent at the two universities on Sunday evening.

The police barged into the Jamia campus, rounded up students and detained 100. They were accused of beating and abusing students.

Protests by students and others have erupted across the country over the new citizenship law that makes it easier for non-Muslims from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to become Indian citizens. Critics say the law discriminates against Muslims and is against secular principles of the constitution.

Internet was blocked in UP’s Aligarh on Sunday following clashes between the students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and police over crackdown at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia

Lucknow: 

Internet services have been suspended in several cities of Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal amid massive protests against the new citizenship law. After internet was blocked in UP’s Aligarh on Sunday following clashes between the students of Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and police over crackdown at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia, the services have also been banned in Meerut and Saharanpur.

In West Bengal, where violent protests erupted after the law was passed in parliament last week, internet has been blocked in four districts and four subdivisions. The affected cities include Malda, Murshidabad, North Dinajpur and Howrah.

Protests swept campuses across the country against the police crackdown at Jamia Millia Islamia after Sunday evening’s violence over the new citizenship law. Students at the Aligarh Muslim University clashed with the police after their solidarity march was stopped. By midnight, Hyderabad’s Maulana Azad Urdu University and the Banaras Hindu University raised their voices.

The trouble started Sunday evening after a protest march by the Jamia students ended in a pitched battle with the police, vandalism and torching of vehicles. The police, which used batons and teargas to contain the violence, later barged into the university and detained around 100 students. All the detained students were released around 3:30 am today.

The controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act seeks to grant Indian citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. It was passed earlier this week, after a heated debate in parliament, triggering massive protests in the northeast states and West Bengal.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had said the law will not be implemented in the state.

Several trains have been cancelled or delayed in Bengal due to the ongoing protests. Incidents of violence, loot and arson were also reported from Nadia and Birbhum districts.

The prime minister claimed that opposition was providing tacit support to the violent protests that erupted in the Northeast and West Bengal over the amended Act

PM Modi claimed that opposition was providing tacit support to the violent protests.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress and its allies of raising a storm over citizenship law, asserting that the opposition parties were fuelling unrest and arson over the issue in several parts of the country.

“The Congress and its allies are stoking fire over the Citizenship Act, but people of Northeast have rejected violence. Actions of the Congress prove that all decisions taken in Parliament are correct,” he said.

“The country is watching; people”s faith has been cemented in Modi after the Bill was cleared by Parliament. Their (Opposition) actions reflect that the decision to pass Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in Parliament is 1000 per cent correct,” the prime minister said during an election rally in Dumka.

Without mentioning any community, PM Modi said those “fanning the fire” could be identified by their clothes. “People who are setting fire (to property) can be seen on TV… They can be identified by the clothes they are wearing,” he said.

The prime minister claimed that opposition was providing tacit support to the violent protests that erupted in the Northeast and West Bengal over the amended Act.

Condemning the overseas protests by the grand old party, he said, “For the first time, the Congress did what Pakistanis has been doing for long.”

Protests have been raging across the entire Northeast region and West Bengal over the amended Citizenship Act, as people fear that it might exacerbate the problem of illegal immigration. Muslims across the country have joined the agitation, apprehending that the move could be a precursor to country-wide implementation of National Register for Citizens.

Listing the achievements of the BJP governments at the Centre and the state, the PM said, “I am your sevak (servant). I have come here to give an account of the development work done by our party in the state.”

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday paid tributes to Vallabhbhai Patel on his 69th death anniversary, saying the country remains inspired by his exceptional services.

India’s first home minister died in 1950 in Mumbai.

“Tributes to the great Sardar Patel on his punya tithi (death anniversary). We remain eternally inspired by his exceptional service to our nation,” Modi wrote on Twitter.

The ruling BJP believes that had Patel handled the Jammu and Kashmir issue after Independence, the situation there would have been better.

The Statue of Unity, a 182-meter tall statue of Patel, was unveiled by Prime Minister Modi in Gujarat last year.