Chandrababu Naidu assures reservation to Kapu community

In Andhra Pradesh, 15 police officials and 5 others including railway staff and media personnel were injured when a stir by Kapu community members turned violent at Tuni station of East Godavari district yesterday evening. The agitators were demanding reservation for their community under Backward Class category. Protesting over the alleged delay in declaring Kapu community as Backward Class, the agitators resorted to violence and set five coaches of Ratnachal Express on fire. No passenger was injured in the incident as they had alighted from the train before the bogies were set ablaze. The agitators also set on fire three Police Stations. Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu held an emergency meeting with senior officials in Vijayawada last night to take stock of the situation. Later at a press conference in Vijayawada, Mr Naidu assured that reservation will be provided to Kapus without hurting the interests of the existing Backward Castes. He said, a Judicial Commission had already been constituted for this purpose. Expressing shock and concern over the violent incidents, the Chief Minister blamed political forces for the incidents. He alleged the opposition YSR Congress party for provoking caste politics. He said, the condition of a Sub-Inspector and a Constable is serious. Meanwhile, Kapu Mahanadu leader Mudragada Padmanabham has called off the agitation which had turned violent and lasted for over six hours yesterday. However, he said that he will sit in indefinite hunger strike if the Government did not notify Kapus as Backward Class by this evening. AIR correspondent reports, section 144 has been imposed in Tuni town until normalcy is restored. The Police have deployed additional forces from neighbouring districts to reinforce the district forces to contain any eventuality. Though the traffic on the national highway has been restored several trains between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada were either running late or cancelled as a fall out of the incident.

GHMC elections : All set for polling tomorrow

Kapu protest for BC status turns violent, train set afire

The stir by Kapu community members seeking reservation under Backward Class category turned violent today with agitators setting four coaches of Ratnachal Express on fire at Tuni railway station in East Godavari district, disrupting train movement on the Vijayawada and Visakhapatnam section. However, timely intervention of railway officials ensured that no passenger suffered injuries in the incident, said Vijayawada Station Manager N Suresh Babu. He said the agitators, gathered at Tuni to attend a public meeting addressed by their leader and ex-minister Mudragada Padmanabh, pelted stones at the train and attacked some police personnel, before ransacking the railway station. The demonstrators also blocked portion of national highway 16, bringing vehicular traffic between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada to a halt in afternoon. According to a release issue by South Central Railway, Vijayawada-Visakhapatnam Ratnachal Express was stopped at 15.20 hours between Tuni and Hamsavaram railway stations on Rajahmundry Visakhapatnam section of Vijayawada Division by 'Kapunadu Garjana' agitators who sat on the track, climbed on the locomotive and damaged hose pipe/ glasses of the locomotive. The incident forced authorities to stop all trains running between Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada stations, causing a huge inconvenience to passengers. South Central Railway CPRO M Umashankar Kumar said, "After the passengers in the coaches got down from the train, four coaches were set on fire. However, passengers are safe". The agitators also damaged police vehicles in the area and set ablaze at least two of them. Confirming the incident, state Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) R P Thakur told PTI: "They have set on fire four bogies of the train besides damaging some police vehicles including torching two police vehicles. Our people are trying to control the situation. Additional forces have been rushed to the spot". According to sources, one police constable sustained injuries in stone pelting at the spot. In view of the agitation, at least 15 passenger trains running on the Vijayawada-Rajahmundry-Visakhapatnam section of Vijayawada division have been regulated. Meanwhile, Padmanabh held Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu "responsible" for the situation. "Chandrababu is solely responsible for present situation as he has driven Kapus to streets in frustration by giving them false promises of inclusion in BC category. Let the CM realise the gravity of the situation," Padmanabh said at the meeting.

Four drown in a lake near Hyderabad

Four persons including a 11-year-old boy, all relatives, today drowned after a canoe on which they were sitting capsized "due to overloading" in a lake in Telangana's Ranga Reddy district, police said. The incident occurred this afternoon in Devarampalli village under Mominpet mandal of the district when four persons sat on a Canoe which was meant for carrying only one person and it capsized due to overloading resulting in drowning of the four, Ranga Reddy District Superintendent of Police Rama Rajeswari R told PTI over phone. Some locals noticed the bodies floating in the lake and alerted the police and all the four bodies were recovered and sent for post-mortem, she said. The deceased were identified as Venkatesh (33), Raju (11), Subhan (30) and Balkrishna (27), another police officer attached to Mominpet police station said. None of the victims knew swimming and they sat on the wooden log and ventured into the water for fishing, he said, adding after they reached middle of the lake, the canoe suddenly capsized due to overloading. The relatives had come down to the village to attend a family function following birth of a baby, the officer said. Police said investigations are underway.

HCU stir: JAC seeks apology from varsity for "caste bias"

Hyderabad University's Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice, spearheading the protests over Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide, today sought public apology from the varsity administration over suspension of the five Dalit research scholars, including Rohith, last year. "The University of Hyderabad must give a public apology to the five Dalit research scholars for the blatant casteist discrimination, humiliation and agony inflicted on them that eventually led to the death of our friend Rohith Vemula," JAC said in a statement. The statement came against the backdrop of the acting Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University, M Periasamy saying that the agitating students have agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from tomorrow. The varsity had already revoked the suspension of the four research scholars after Rohith's suicide triggered a massive outrage. The five students were suspended in last August for allegedly manhandling an ABVP leader. The students' body further said that Vipin Srivastava, who took charge as interim Vice Chancellor after Appa Rao Podile had proceeded on leave, should not be the Vice Chancellor. Incidentally, Srivastava also proceeded on leave after he was replaced by M Periasamy. The JAC also sought to reformulate the composition of the Proctorial Board by removing Alok Pandey as its head. The students' body has been demanding a job for one of the family members of Vemula who hanged himself in one of the hostel rooms on Hyderabad Central University campus on January 17, triggering a political slugfest. In a separate statement, the Students' Union of HCU demanded that the administration should consider the extension of current semester. Meanwhile, the indefinite fast by three students of the varsity entered third day today. However, the condition of the students is stable, said Ravindra Kumar, Chief Medical Officer of the University Health Centre.

Tension prevails in Nellore town of AP on SP's controversial remarks on beard and burka

Human rights bodies confirm intolerance fears in India!

MIM holds huge public meeting at Khilwat ground in old city on the last day of campaign for GHMC polls

HCU: Acting VC says students ready to allow classes to resume

The acting Vice Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University M Periasamy today said the students who are agitating in the wake of suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula had agreed to allow the classes and administrative activities to resume normally from tomorrow. The varsity has been roiling with agitation ever since Vemula's suicide on January 17. The students, however, said final decision would be taken at the meeting of the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice (which is heading the agitation) this evening. "We had a meeting with student (JAC) representatives. They agreed to allow regular functioning from tomorrow. This is a conditional agreement," Periasamy told PTI. "They wanted that some of the individuals involved in this punishment (suspension of Vemula and four others over alleged assault on an ABVP leader) should not be in the decision-making body or the administration, and all the SC/ST faculty members who have quit the administrative duties should resume their duties. We agreed to that," he said. A JAC member said the students were not against the resumption of classes but they would take decision at a meeting of JAC in the evening. The in-charge VC said he would request the SC/ST faculty members to take up their administrative duties once again. As demanded by the JAC, some staff members would be taken off administrative duties, he added.

Cong slams PM for not referring to Rohith case in Mann ki Baat

Keeping up the offensive on the Rohith Vemula suicide issue, Congress today lashed out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not taking any action against Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. Party's senior spokesman Anand Sharma regretted that the Prime Minister did not even refer to the issue in his 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme despite the fact that the dalit scholar's death has sparked of agitation on university campuses in the country. He alleged that the Prime Minister's "failure" to sack his colleagues showed that the sympathy he showed towards Rohith in a speech last week was just a "pretence". Sharma alleged that senior BJP leaders were adding insult to injury by claiming that Rohith was not a dalit. He accused the government of being "directly responsible" for the tension and the agitation in the wake of the suicide of Rohith. Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi had yesterday went on a day-long fast at Hyderabad Central University backing protesting students on the Dalit scholar suicide issue and accusing the Prime Minister and the RSS of trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing "one idea from the top".

Bombs kill 50 near Hazrat Zainab shrine in Syria

More than 50 people were killed and 110 others wounded today in three bomb blasts near the revered Shiite shrine of Sayyida Zeinab outside the Syrian capital Damascus, state media said. The blasts, which came as the UN's Syria envoy struggled to convene fresh peace talks in Geneva, tore a massive crater in the road, overturning and mangling cars and a bus and shattering windows. Syrian state media said more than 50 people had been killed in three blasts near the Sayyida Zeinab shrine, with some 100 people wounded. Official news agency SANA said the first blast was caused by a car bomb that detonated at a bus station near the shrine. It said two suicide bombers then set off their explosive belts when people gathered at the scene. An AFP photographer said the explosions damaged the facade of a nearby building, scorching all of its six storeys. Sayyida Zeinab, south of Damascus, contains the grave of a granddaughter of the Prophet Mohammed and is particularly revered as a pilgrimage site by Shiite Muslims. It has continued to attract pilgrims from Syria and beyond, particularly Shiites from Iran, Lebanon, and Iraq, throughout the nearly five-year war. In the aftermath of this morning's attack, smoke rose from the twisted carcasses of more than a dozen cars and a bus, as ambulances ferried away the wounded and firefighters worked to put out blazes. In a statement circulated on social media, IS claimed responsibility for the attacks, saying two of its members had detonated suicide bombs. "Two soldiers of the caliphate carried out martyrdom operations in a den of the infidels in the Sayyida Zeinab area, killing nearly 50 and injuring around 120," it said. The area around the shrine has been targeted in previous bomb attacks, including in February 2015 when two suicide attacks killed four people and wounded 13 at a checkpoint. Also that month, a blast ripped through a bus carrying Lebanese Shiite pilgrims headed to Sayyida Zeinab, killing at least nine people, in an attack claimed by Al-Qaeda affiliate Al-Nusra Front. The area around the shrine is heavily secured with regime checkpoints set up hundreds of metres (yards) away to prevent vehicles from getting close. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, members of Lebanon's powerful Shiite militant group Hezbollah are among those deployed at the checkpoints. Early on, the group justified its intervention in Syria by citing the threat to Sayyida Zeinab. The Britain-based Observatory said 58 people were killed in today's blasts, among them 20 civilians, including children. It also said 25 non-Syrian Shiite militants were among the dead, without specifying their nationalities. More than 260,000 people have been killed in Syria's conflict, which has also displaced upwards of half the country's population internally and abroad.

Campaign for GHMC polls ends

As campaigning for GHMC elections ended today evening all political parties made last ditch efforts to woo the voters poling will be held on 2nd February on counting will be held on 5th February. The coveted post of the Mayor of Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) after the elections to be held on February 2, will be decided by 107 votes from the total 213 members (150 Ward members and 63 Ex-officio members like MPs, Rajya Sabha MPs, MLA and MLC, In connection with election to the post of Mayor and Deputy Mayor to be held on February 11, the GHMC has finalised the names of ex-officio members, who are eligible to elect Mayor and Deputy Mayor. For the Deputy Mayor post, magic figure of 76 votes is necessary from 150 Corporators after the counting of votes on February 5. However, for the Deputy mayor post, ex-Officio members are not eligible.

Last day of campaign for GHMC polls today

Rahul, Owaisi doing politics over Rohith suicide' alleges BJP

BJP today accused Congress of shedding "crocodile tears" over suicide of a Dalit scholar and attacked its Vice President Rahul Gandhi for using students as a "political tool" after he joined them at the Hyderabad Central University for a day-long fast over the issue. Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said nine cases of Dalit student suicides had taken place in the campus during the UPA rule but Rahul never bothered to go there as he asked opposition parties to wait for the report of the judicial commission probe ordered by the Centre into the suicide. "Congress is shedding crocodile tears simply to gain political mileage. Congress and communist parties are trying to make this a political issue and making a beeline to the university, forgetting that 9 such incidents happened during the UPA rule. This is part of their anti-Modi campaign across the country," he told reporters. BJP said the Congress vice president's protests reflected the opposition party's "frustration" as its leaders Sonia and Rahul Gandhi and most chief ministers were facing serious corruption charges. "At a place where students go for study, Rahul Gandhi is trying to vitiate its atmosphere. It shows how much frustrated Congress is that it is doing politics over a student's death. Such a divisive politics is poisonous and BJP condemns it," BJP national secretary Shrikant Sharma said. He charged that both Rahul Gandhi and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi were doing politics over the death of Rohith Vemula, a Dalit scholar who had ended his life on the campus. Congress MP Hanumantha Rao had also written to the HRD Ministry over suicides by many university students coming from deprived background and the ministry had sent six reminders to the authorities in this regard but Congress had conveniently forgotten it, Sharma said. "His protests are nothing but part of Congress conspiracy to defame the Modi government on one pretext or another. UPA was a failure while the BJP government has been successful on all fronts. Congress is unable to stomach it. Now it has made the university a political theatre for its selfish motives," he said. .

PM, RSS trying to impose 'one idea from the top': Rahul Gandhi

Accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS of trying to crush the spirit of students by imposing "one idea from the top", Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi today likened the Rohith Vemula suicide case with the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. The Congress Vice President, at the end of his nearly nine-hour fast in solidarity with agitating students of Hyderabad Central University, also advocated that a law be enacted to end massive discrimination in our universities. "My main opposition to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and RSS is that they are trying to crush the spirit of Indian students and youngsters by imposing one idea from the top," Rahul said at the end of his fast. "Please speak about your idea. Talk about your idea. Put your idea in the marketplace of idea," Rahul said as he opposed forcing of ideas on students. He said students should be given due dignity and respect as they are not "foolish and stupid". "They do not need anybody, including me, to tell them what to do. That is the spirit for which I came here. I spent a day with you. The issue here is not about one student", he said putting his weight solidly behind the agitating students as he visited the campus for the second time in as many weeks. Noting that today is not only Rohith's birthday, but also Gandhiji's death anniversary, he said the Father of the Nation lived his life searching for truth and understanding of the world. "He lived like that and fought for that all his life. And he was eventually killed by very forces they did not want him to speak what the truth was aloud. It's exactly the same thing that has been done to Rohith," the Congress leader alleged. Rahul first joined the agitating students in a candle light vigil past midnight to mark the birthday of Rohith, who would have turned 27 today. He lit a candle before the portrait of Rohith at the protest site and spent about two hours past midnight with agitating students and family of the research scholar, who committed suicide on January 17. The Congress leader returned to the protest site in the morning to undertake the fast. Rohith was looking for truth regardless of his community or age, Rahul said, adding, "Nobody has the right to take way your right to search for truth." "What has happened here (HCU) is exactly what is done to Gandhiji. This bright young man was looking to understand his world...did not want him to speak aloud about what he sought. They did not want him to express the truth..the truth that he sought in this institution. There was so much passion in him". .

Rohith's family will get justice, says Union Minister

The Congress and other Opposition parties were politicising the suicide of Rohith Vemula for their own gains, Union Minister for Social Justice and Empowerment Thawar Chand Gehlot today said and assured his family will get justice. "Before this suicide, there were eight to nine students who had committed suicide on the campus (of Hyderabad Central University). We were in Opposition then but we did not politicise the matter and worked towards getting justice for the victims' families. "But now Congress and other Opposition parties are politicising the death (of Rohith) for political gains," he told reporters here. The BJP leader said the stipend Rs 25,000 given to the Dalit students, including Rohith, was stopped after the varsity authorities found that a campus group they were associated with was involved in "anti-national" activities like condemning the execution in July last year of Yakub Memon, who was involved in 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. "When ABVP (BJP's students wing) objected to their activities, one of them, Sushil Kumar, was beaten up and later five students, including Rohith, were expelled," he said. He said a judicial inquiry has been initiated into the death of the PhD student. "We assure real culprits will be booked and Rohith's family will get justice." "Rohith's family members have refused to accept an ex-gratia amount of Rs 8 lakh. But we are giving them complete help and will ensure justice for them," the Minister asserted.

Human rights bodies confirm intolerance fears in India!

Classic politics of vulturisation: BJP on Rahul's visit to HCU

BJP today slammed Rahul Gandhi's second visit to the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) campus in as many weeks over the suicide of a Dalit scholar, charging him and the Congress with politicising the issue and dubbing the visit as "classic politics of vulturisation". "Rahul Gandhi and Congress are so politically bankrupt and unemployed that he has to politicise tragic death of a student repeatedly," Telangana BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said. "Why is Rahul Gandhi not in Chennai, where three girls' committed suicide almost a week ago," he asked. "His desperate attempt to earn some petty political expediency, has brought him back to HCU campus. This is classic politics of vulturisation," Rao said. Rahul arrived on the campus after midnight last night and took part in a "candle march" organised by the agitation students and spent about two hours with them. Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, who committed suicide, would have turned 27 today. Congress has been demanding the sacking of HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Union Minister Bandaru Dattatreya and also removal of Vice Chancellor Appa Rao in the wake of the suicide by the Dalit scholar. This is Rahul's second visit to Hyderabad since Vemula was found hanging in the varsity's hostel room. The Congress Vice-President had visited the University on January 19 following the suicide by the Dalit scholar and met the agitating students and the family members of Vemula.

ABVP calls for shut down of colleges

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today called for a bandh of colleges in Telangana in protest against the "politics over dead bodies" done by Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi in the Hyderabad Central University (HCU) over the Rohith Vemula issue. "ABVP strongly opposes the politicisation being done by Rahul Gandhi in Central University at a time when peaceful atmosphere is returning in the university," ABVP national executive member Kadiam Raju said in a statement. Gandhi should stop the "politics over dead bodies" and help restore normalcy in the HCU, he said. The call for shut down by the ABVP came as Gandhi came to the HCU campus late last night and is scheduled to join the fast to be undertaken by the agitating students of the university today on the occasion of birthday of Dalit Research scholar Rohith Vemula who allegedly committed suicide earlier this month. "ABVP questions why he (Rahul Gandhi) did not console when Dalit women students died in a medical college in Chennai," the statement said.

HCU interim V-C too goes on leave

In a dramatic turn of events, Dr Vipin Srivastava who took charge as the interim Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University (HCU) amid protests over the alleged suicide by a Dalit scholar here proceeded on leave from this afternoon. "Dr Vipin Srivastava who took charge as the interim Vice-Chancellor of Hyderabad Central University has proceeded for leave from the afternoon of January 29 and the next senior most professor Dr M Pariasamy will perform the duties of the V-C till further orders," a university official said. The reasons behind his leave are not immediately clear, the official said. Srivastava could not be contacted for comments. He was appointed as the interim VC on January 24 after V-C Appa Rao Podile went on leave amid protest from the student community over the death of Rohith Vemula. Meanwhile, AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi will visit the campus tomorrow. He is expected to offer his solidarity to the agitating students by participating in a mass hunger strike. It will be the Congress leader's second visit to the city since the death of the research scholar. Gandhi had last visited the campus on January 19. About 2,000 students organised a candle light march tonight on the campus ahead of Vemula's birthday tomorrow. They shouted slogans against Podile and Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani and demanded their resignations. Vemula was found hanging inside a hostel room in the university on January 17.

Rahul Gandhi begins one day hunger strike at HCU campus over Rohith suicide

Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday re-joined the protest against the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula with the students at Hyderabad Central University and participated in the mass hunger strike. Former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma also joined Rahul and the students at the protest site. Sitting on a podium with a garland around his neck, Rahul was seen interacting the four students who had been expelled along with Rohith. In a surprise visit, the Congress leader had joined a candle vigil at the University last night, joined the students in the protest. However, the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has called for a shutdown of colleges in Telangana, protesting against the "politics over dead bodies" being played by Rahul. Around 50 ABVP members were detained last night as they took to the streets protesting against the Congress vice president’s visit. Rahul had earlier gone to Hyderabad on January 18, a day after Vemula was found hanging in a hostel room, and met the research scholar's family and companions.

MIM releases ACTION PLAN for GHMC polls' promises no tax hike in 5 years

Probably for the first time in its 59-year-old history, the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen has come up with a manifesto for Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. Titled “Hyderabad Action Plan for 2016-2021”, the eight page MIM manifesto contains over 30 promises and brief history of party’s role in city’s development. The MIM has also released a fact-sheet of MIM’s presence in MCH and GHMC from 1959-2014 and another document on party’s achievements. “MIM had emerged as single-largest party in 100-member MCH in 1986 and 2002. AIMIM retained this position in the old MCH limits (41 wards out of 100) though it ranked behind Congress and Telugu Desam Party in the 2009 GHMC polls. Out of the 15 years of the elected body, AIMIM held the mayor’s post for eight years – during 1986-91 and 2012-2014,” said the MIM in the introductory chapter. “As the GHMC goes to the polls to elect a new body on 2nd February 2016, AIMIM has many ambitious plans on the anvil to ensure that all basic civic amenities are provided to every section of the citizens without burdening them with tax hikes. However, no effort will be spared to ensure that the GHMC realizes every rupee of tax that it should legitimately get from the citizens for the services they use. AIMIM has the vision and mission to make Hyderabad a world class city and in this direction it is making all-out efforts in every field – housing, poverty alleviation, development of infrastructure in all aspects of municipal activity and to make Hyderabad City clean and green with a safe and secure environment,” said MIM President Asaduddin Owaisi. Asaduddin Owaisi said that the MIM would take up comprehensive civic infrastructure development in GHMC by incorporating the components of Greater Hyderabad Development Programme (GHDP) approved by GHMC and the Strategic Road Development Plan formulated by the State Government. Under the GHDP and SRDP, new multi-level flyovers, grade separators, skyways, elevated corridors, junction improvement works, foot over bridges, subways, multi-level parking lots, service roads, and road widening and peripheral road works are envisaged. “MIM will ensure expeditious completion of Old City Package, Charminar Pedestrianisation Project and Mir Alam Tank beautification and development project. It will facilitate expeditious implementation of Hyderabad Traffic Integrated Management System (H-TRIMS) project to ease traffic congestion,” he said. The party has also promised to construct more bus shelters and bus bays, replace existing streetlights with LEDs, revamp the solid waste management and construction and demolition waste management (garbage and debris clearance) with more mechanical sweeping units, modern transfer stations, waste-to-energy projects, C&DW processing plants etc., installation of 1500 RO (Reverse Osmosis) water plants in the slums and poor localities in GHMC to provide clean drinking water to the residents.

Sania-Hingis win Women double Australian Open title

The unbeaten run of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis continues. The Indo Swiss Duo today won the Australian Open women's doubles champions. They beat spirited Czech duo of Andrea Hlavackova and Lucie Hradecka in straight sets by 7-6 (1) 6-3. This is the third consecutive Grand Slam title for Sania and Martina, having won the Wimbledon and US Open in the 2015 season. In an incredible feat, Sania and Martina have now extended their unbeaten run to 36 matches, winning eight titles in a row. It was Sania's second title at the Australian Open, having won the mixed doubles in 2009 with Mahesh Bhupathi. Sania will also be seen in the semi final action of mixed doubles later today. Partnered with Croatian Ivan Dodig in the event, top seed Sania will be meeting Russian-Brazilian pair of Elena Vesnina and Bruno Soares.

Health Minister chairs high level meeting on ZIKA Virus

Health Minister J P Nadda today chaired a high level meeting in New Delhi today on the outbreak of ZIKA Virus. The meeting is significant in the the wake of the virus in the Americas this year. The virus, spread by mosquitoes, has been linked to brain defects in babies. A high level technical group is being set up with immediate effect to monitor the Zika virus situation globally and advise the Ministry accordingly. The Minister directed Health Ministry officials to strengthen the Surveillance system for Zika virus and take preventive steps for mosquito free environment. World Health Organisation Director General Dr Margaret Chan said Zika had gone from a mild threat to one of alarming proportions. She has set up a Zika emergency team after the explosive spread of the virus. It will meet on Monday to decide whether Zika should be treated as a global emergency.The last time an international emergency was declared was for the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, which had killed more than 11 thousand people.

Classes resume in Hyderabad Central University after 10 days; Protest continues

After a gap of over 10 days, classes began in the Hyderabad Central University this morning. The students have been protesting and blocking classes over research scholar Rohith Vemula's Suicide demanding removal of the Vice Chancellor and action against those who were responsible for the suicide. The classes have been resumed following an appeal to the students by the acting Vice Chancellor Prof Srivatsava to attend classes to save a semester of the academic year. Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile proceeded on leave last Sunday saying he was "advised to be little away from campus" to break the current "impasse". Meanwhile, students continued their agitation on the issue. On the other hand, the Government has appointed Justice Ashok K. Poopanwal as the single member commission to look into the whole issue.

KCR says beef eating is a non-issue

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao today said eating habits depend on availability of food but some political parties are trying to turn beef eating into an issue. "Beef eating is there everywhere in the world. In China, they eat snakes and frogs too. Whatever they want to eat they will eat. Why there is a fuss about it I don't understand. Political parties are making it an issue and politicising beef eating. It is unfortunate. People will eat whatever is available to them. This is a non-issue," he said. "It is unfortunate that politics in this country is centering around this issue," Rao added, responding to a question about AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi's remark that if his party lost the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections, beef eating would be banned in the city. On the campaign by TDP leader and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for Hyderabad civic polls, Rao said it was a "futile" exercise and he should concentrate on his own state. "Chandrababu Naidu was CM (of united AP) for nine years. Why all the problems (of Hyderabad) I mentioned now were not solved? Why power supply has not improved? He can do a lot of work in his state...campaigning in these elections is irrelevant to him. TDP was in power for 17 years. People do not believe if they say they would develop the city," he said. Rao expressed confidence that Hyderabad citizens will vote for TRS for the development works his government has undertaken.

Teachers on hunger strike over Rohith''s suicide

Three teachers of Hyderabad Central University today sat on a one-day hunger strike demanding that Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile be removed and in-charge VC Vipin Srivastava step down, in order to resume academic and administrative activities. The protest by teachers comes a day after a second batch of students on an indefinite fast demanding justice for Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula, who allegedly committed suicide on January 17, were shifted to hospital following concerns over their health condition. A teacher from the Osmania University also joined the protesting teachers in the fast on HCU campus under the banner of SC/ST Teachers' Forum and other concerned teachers. Earlier, a group of seven students had also been taken to hospital following their deteriorating health condition. The agitating students yesterday refused to hold talks with Srivastava, who came to the protest site. They alleged that Srivastava was equally responsible for the "wrong affairs" and demanded that he step-down from the responsibility of interim VC. Meanwhile, the Joint Action Committee for Social Justice, spearheading the agitation over Rohith's suicide, said that students would intensify the "struggle" till all their demands are met. Their demands include Podile's resignation, and also Srivastava's from the post of in-charge VC, "sacking" from Union Cabinet of HRD Minister Smriti Irani, employment to a family member of Rohith and Rs 50 lakh compensation to his family. The selection of Srivastava as interim VC was earlier opposed by the students and SC/ST staff forums as they claimed he headed the Executive Council sub-committee whose decisions were "responsible for the death of Rohith" and that he was one of the accused in the death of another Dalit student in 2008. Students of most universities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana yesterday boycotted classes in solidarity with the agitators as they sought "justice" for Rohith.

Rohith suicide: JPC team likely to visit HCU

Voicing concern over the suicide of Rohith Vemula, a dalit scholar in Hyderabad University, a Parliamentary panel has favoured sending a delegation to the institution and also IIT-Chennai, to look into complaints of injustice and discrimination against dalit students. At a meeting of the Joint Parliamentary Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes chaired by BJP member Faggan Singh on Wednesday, members also raised strong objections over the absence of Secretaries of Petroleum department and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited. The Committee decided to approach Lok Sabha Speaker Sumitra Mahajan to complain about Secretaries allegedly "undermining" Parliamentary panels, besides seeking her nod for undertaking the tour to Hyderabad university and IIT-Chennai, which have been in news on the issue of alleged atrocities against dalits. The agenda of the meeting was to discuss issues related to implementation of the reservation policy in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited and organizations under the Petroleum Ministry. However, since Secretaries of both department could not make it citing some engagements with Government, the panel could not take up the listed agenda. Resenting it, the members asked why did the Secretaries not attend the meeting even as the agenda was circulated in advance and there was an important issue to be discussed. This happened days after strong objections were raised in a meeting of another panel to the absence of Home Secretary, who was called by the Committee to give presentation on Chennai flash floods. Two Trinamool Congress members had even walked out from the panel meeting then. "It is being noticed that Secretaries skip panel meetings on crucial occasions on one or the other pretext. This cannot be taken lightly. After all, a Parliametary panel is considered mini Parliament. "Members raised strong objections to the absence of Petroleum and Telecom Secretaries from the meeting yesterday after which the Chair gave the assurance the issue with the Speaker and apprise her how the position of Parliamentary panels is being being undermined by them," said a member of the Comittee on the condition of anonymity. .

Rohith suicide: Ex-judge Roopanwal to head probe panel

The HRD Ministry has appointed former Allahabad High Court judge Ashok Kumar Roopanwal to probe circumstances leading to suicide of dalit scholar Rohith Vemula in Hyderabad which led to a massive outrage across the country. Senior HRD ministry officials said that Justice (retd) Roopanwal will review the entire sequence of events, the circumstances and establish facts and correctives in connection with the incident. The one-man judicial commission will submit its report within 3 months, it is learnt. Earlier, a fact-finding committee constituted by the ministry had submitted its report on the events in the university after which it was decided that a judicial commission will be set up to look into the matter.

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Indian-American Muslims flay Govt move against AMU, Jamia

Indian-American Muslims have appealed to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Milia Islamia, saying the move to question the status of the institutions is "discriminatory". "In the post-independence India where the educational backwardness of Muslims has increased substantially as documented by the Sachar Committee report, AMU and Jamia have made huge contribution in shoring up higher education in the Muslim community," said Kaleem Kawaja, executive director of the Washington DC based Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM). He said that the recent actions of the government's Law ministry and Human Resources ministry "to oppose AMU's appeal in the Supreme Court by reversing the same central government's 2006 support to the AMU appeal is a very discriminatory and prejudiced anti-Muslim action." "Indian-American Muslims object strongly to this action of the BJP-led government," the statement said, adding that it will end up pushing back the minority Muslims into severe educational backwardness at a time when they are already backward. "We appeal to the President and Prime Minister of India to take quick steps to stop these discriminatory actions of the Law and HRD ministries against AMU and Jamia, reverse the said actions, and provide support to both Muslim community universities in their quest for justice," the association said in the statement. The issue of restoration of minority character of AMU is at present pending with the Supreme Court. On January 11, Attorney General Mukul Rohatagi, during the hearing of this case, had told the court that the NDA government did not support the idea of a state-funded minority institution in a secular state, sparking off a controversy. The Attorney General has told the government that Jamia Milia Islamia is not a minority institution as it was created by an Act of Parliament, days after he told the Supreme Court that the legislature never intended the Aligarh Muslim University to be a minority institution.

Ghulam Ali event in Mumbai cancelled again

A music launch event in Mumbai where Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali was due to attend on Friday was tonight cancelled following opposition from Shiv Sena which had earlier forced the cancellation of his concerts here and in Pune. "The event was going to happen this Friday at 'The Club' in Andheri but now it is not happening. It has been cancelled," TV show host-turned-filmmaker Suhaib Ilyasi told PTI. Ilyasi said Ali, 75, has cancelled his visit to Mumbai. Ali was to have arrived here tomorrow to attend the music launch of "Ghar Wapsi", a movie directed by Ilyasi, the next day. He has sung a patriotic song in the movie apart from acting in it. Ilyasi said a member of the organising committee had gone to 'The Club' to deposit the money but claimed he was told that "your booking has been cancelled". "No reason was given. It is unfortunate that this incident is happening. Even Ghulam Ali sahab is aware of this and he is feeling sad about this," Ilyasi said. Ilyasi claimed that the local police and some members of Shiv Sena had threatened the organisers, asking them to cancel the event. When contacted, an official at The Club said there was no such booking. But Ilyasi said he had gone to the venue personally to make the booking. "They refused to tell us who booked, or what was the event. Our decorator who was working on the event told us that nobody had booked the venue," he said. "I am hurt, disturbed and feeling very uncomfortable. There are a lot of forces in Mumbai and Maharashtra which do not believe in law and order." Akshay Badrapurkar, a leader of Chitrapat Sena--Shiv Sena's film wing--said it is the stated policy of his party to oppose Pakistan artistes. "We had not threatened anyone but we are against Pakistanis coming here and we will protest in our own way. We will do whatever we can, in a democratic way as far as possible, to ensure these artistes don't perform here," he told PTI. According to Ilyasi, BJP leader Shaina NC had assured the organisers that protection will be given for the event if it happens in Mumbai. The event organisers had sought adequate security for Ali from Maharashtra government. "On January 29, we are releasing the music of our film. We want him to have a secure and peaceful stay while he is Mumbai. We have requested the Mumbai Police and the State Government to provide protection for the same, so that no untoward incident happens," Ilyasi said yesterday. "In October last year, his concerts (in Mumbai and Pune) were cancelled due to a threat by Shiv Sena. The reason they gave was the tension prevailing between India and Pakistan." The director said he is yet to get a confirmation from the authorities on his request for security to Ali. "I am yet to get a confirmation... But I am hopeful I will get it in a day or two. We will proceed only if we have the conformation, until then everything is on stand by." Ilyasi said his upcoming film will be about the issue of "intolerance" in the country.

'Indian govt failed to address attacks on minorities': Amnesty, HRW

The Indian government "failed" to address increasing attacks on religious minorities and imposed restrictions on civil society groups critical of it, two leading global human rights groups said today. Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International also slammed the government for blocking foreign funding and targeting non-governmental organisations as well as activists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government "failed to address increasing attacks on free expression and against religious minorities," HRW said in its World Report 2016. In the 659-page report, it said authorities blocked foreign funding and increased restrictions on civil society groups critical of the government or large development projects. "The Indian government s clampdown on dissent this year undermines the country's long and rich tradition of free expression," said Meenakshi Ganguly, HRW South Asia director. "Instead of denial and retaliation, the authorities should encourage tolerance and peaceful debate and prosecute those committing or inciting violence," she said in a statement. It said authorities used overbroad sedition, criminal defamation, and hate speech laws to harass and prosecute those expressing dissenting, unpopular, or minority views. The government often allowed a "heckler's veto" to interest groups claiming to be offended by books, movies, or artwork and pushed for censorship or otherwise harassed authors, the statement added. "In a worrying trend, anti-Muslim rhetoric by some leaders of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) stoked insecurities among religious minorities," it said, citing the killing of four Muslims by mobs over suspicion that they had killed or stolen cows for beef. The HRW said that the government blocked foreign funding for organisations such as Greenpeace India and targeted several others, including the Ford Foundation. It said authorities labeled activists such as Teesta Setalvad and Javed Anand "anti-national" when they sought justice for victims of the 2002 communal riots in Gujarat. "Such tactics had a chilling effect on the work of other groups," the statement said. Amnesty International accused the Modi government of "targeting" activists and protest groups for "political ends". The People's Watch's "bank accounts have been frozen repeatedly since 2012 with the result that some employees had to be dismissed and many programmes abandoned," Amnesty said. "The Delhi government in power at the time used the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act to justify this kind of harassment," it said in a release. "This same Act is being used for political ends by the current government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Amnesty added.

ABVP to hold nationwide seminars, debates on Rohith issue

Seeking to counter flak it drew over the suicide of Dalit scholar Rohith Vemula, BJP's campus outfit, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) today announced a nationwide campaign to highlight its version of the sequence of events at Hyderabad Central University. The student body said starting tomorrow seminars, meetings, open debates would be organised in colleges, universities and educational institutions across the country over the issue. Vinay Bidre, national general secretary of the student body, alleged that "There are some forces in the University, who support people like Yakub Memon. There are some faculty members (of the HCU) supporting them. We need a thorough inquiry into this issue." Bidre charged that in the wake of Rohith's suicide, some of the teaching staff of Hyderabad Central University was provoking agitating students and trying to spread anti-national sentiments on the campus. "Our prime motto is that justice has to be done to Rohith's family members. At the same time, we also need to know who provoked Rohith Vemula to take that extreme step," Bidre told reporters at a press conference. In the next one week, the ABVP will organise a national-level campaign, including seminars, meetings, open debates across all colleges, universities and educational institutions to highlight some of the issues regarding what is happening in HCU (after and before Rohit Vemula's suicide), Bidre added. He alleged the issues between some student groups have been transformed into Dalit and non-Dalit issues by some political leaders like AICC Vice-President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who visited the campus recently. Bidre also demanded that the judicial commission ordered by the Government should clear air on different versions about Vemula's caste. He also alleged that Cyberabad Police had submitted a wrong report to the court on the issue of attack on ABVP leader Susheel Kumar last year. "There are over 100 non-boarders staying on the university campus and the administration should evict them immediately," he said.

Fresh protests in Hyd, Delhi and Chennai over Rohith issue

Fresh protests by students broke out today in Hyderabad, Delhi and Chennai over the alleged "delay in justice" to the Hyderabad university dalit scholar who committed suicide, as they remained unrelenting in the demand for resignations of Union ministers Smriti Irani and Bandaru Dattatreya. Lending further support to the stir over Rohith Vemula's suicide, SC and ST teachers of the Hyderabad Central University(HCU) announced a hunger strike from tomorrow seeking resignation of Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao, who has gone on leave, and interim VC Vipin Srivastava for resumption of academic and administrative work. Several members of the Forum have already given up their administrative responsibilities. Stepping up their campaign, the university students in Hyderabad held a demonstration outside the residence of Srivastava when he was in a meeting with non-teaching staff. They then marched outside the campus and burnt effigy of the Vice-Chancellor whose ouster they have sought. Srivastava later visited the protest site to initiate a dialogue but faced the ire of the students who raised slogans against him, asking him to "go back". Students in most universities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana boycotted classes in solidarity with agitators seeking "justice" for Rohith who was found hanging in a hostel room on January 17. The HCU students had given a nationwide university strike call today in support for their stir. Six of the seven students of the HCU on hunger strike protesting the suicide of Rohith, meanwhile, have been shifted to the health centre. In Delhi, scores of students from varsities across the capital once again marched to the Human Resources Development Ministry where 60 of them were detained by Delhi police. According to police, due to security concerns, around 60 students were detained from outside Shastri Bhawan and taken to Parliament Street police station. "Every time we try to go to the Ministry and raise our demands with HRD Minister Smriti Irani, we are held back and detained by police. Protesting is a basic right. We can't be denied that at a time when the government is trying to cover up 'institutional murder'," JNU Students Union vice president Shehla Rashid Shora said. Members of Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS) and Left-backed All India Students Association (AISA) were also part of the protesters, who demanded the removal of Irani and Dattatreya. "We are protesting against the delay in justice to the student who had to end his life due to the harassment by the institution. Who will be held accountable for similar such suicides in varsities across country which go unreported?" Sucheta De from AISA, asked. In Chennai, about 40 activists of the Revolutionary Students and Youth Front were detained for trying to picket the Raj Bhavan over the suicide of Rohith besides three students of a private college in Villupuram last week. The protesting members were detained at Saidapet before they could proceed to the Raj Bhavan, police said.

Rohith issue: SC/ST teachers to go on hunger strike tomorrow

SC and ST teachers of Hyderabad Central University have announced they will go on a hunger strike from tomorrow over the demand for the resignation of the vice chancellor and the in-charge VC in the wake of the suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula. Intensifying their protest, students held a demonstration outside the residence of interim VC Vipin Srivastava when he was in a meeting with non-teaching staff. The protesters then marched outside the campus and burnt an effigy of the vice- chancellor. Srivastava later visited the protest site to initiate a dialogue, but faced the ire of the students who raised slogans asking him to "go back". He was forced to beat a retreat in a few minutes as someone banged his car when it was about to move. Students of most universities in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana boycotted classes in solidarity with the agitators as they sought "justice" for Rohith, who was found hanging in a hostel room on January 17. The SC and ST Teachers Forum said in a statement that its members would go on a hunger strike tomorrow to press for the resignation of VC Appa Rao and the interim VC "in order to resume academic and administrative activities". Several members of the Forum have already given up their administrative responsibilities in solidarity with the agitating students. "We have been criticised constantly that no one is making an effort. The truth is that police have been stopping me (from venturing out). It is stopping us, Prof Rao (the VC who has gone on leave) as well as me. Because they felt it may result in a law and order situation," said Srivastava. He, however, said that he later convinced police to let him go and talk to the protesting students. Srivastava said he could have stayed longer at the protest site but felt that would serve no purpose. "I could have stayed for longer. But then I did not see any purpose because they were not willing to talk. I thought they wanted somebody to come and talk to them. So I went, but there was no possibility," the in-charge VC said. The selection of Srivastava as interim VC was opposed by the students and SC/ST staff forums as they claimed he headed the Executive Council sub-committee whose decisions were "responsible for the death of Rohith" and that he was one of the accused in the death of another Dalit student in 2008. Meanwhile, in a bid to blunt the attack it has faced over the raging issue, BJP's student outfit ABVP has announced a nationwide campaign to highlight its version of events on the campus leading to Vemula's suicide.

'SHE Teams' arrest 11 men for harassing women

Eleven men have been arrested from various parts of the city by the 'SHE Teams' of Hyderabad Police for eve-teasing and allegedly harassing women. Two among the arrested persons are drivers and were caught while teasing women during Republic Day celebrations at Parade Grounds here yesterday, police said today. "Vallepu Mahender and Shaik Chand Pasha, both drivers, were found teasing ladies during Republic Day celebrations. They were caught red-handed with video evidence, arrested and are being produced in court," Additional Commissioner of Police (Crimes and SIT) Swati Lakra said. Nine other men were arrested in the past few days for allegedly harassing women, she added. The nine men were arrested from different areas on charges of making frequent calls to women, sending messages and obscene pictures, proposing and harassing, stalking, besides teasing and passing comments on them, she added. 'SHE Teams' set up in October 2014, are tasked with cracking down on eve-teasers and stalkers. Each team consists a male or female sub-inspector, a woman police constable and three police constables who carry hidden cameras for video recording.

Duo arrested for assaulting traffic cop

A BTech student and her uncle were today arrested a day after they allegedly assaulted a traffic police home guard at Nagaram area here after he clicked their photo of driving their two-wheeler down a one-way lane, police said. Harshita and her uncle Sai Kishore were booked under section 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) of IPC and under relevant sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property (PDPP) Act, police said. They were today arrested and remanded to judicial custody, Keesara police station inspector P Guruva Reddy told PTI. TV channels flashed the footage showing the duo allegedly engaged in argument with the traffic home guard Venkatesh Yadav and pushing him yesterday after he clicked them driving the two-wheeler on a wrong direction (one-way). The girl and her uncle argued with the traffic cop and allegedly assaulted him, police earlier said .

MIM polarising people on communal lines: Venkaiah Naidu

Union minister Venkaiah Naidu today accused Asaduddin Owaisi of indulging into communal politics by appealing citizens to vote for MIM in forthcoming civic polls if they don't want ban on consumption of beef like in other states. "(Generally) what anybody (political leaders) say in elections? If we come to power, we will get piped water, roads (for people)...The party (MIM) is saying new things. Vote for us if you want beef. Beef for you (people) and development for us," Naidu said addressing a campaign meeting at Saidabad here in support of the BJP-TDP combine for the February 2 Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) elections. The senior BJP leader said he had no objection about people's culinary preferences. "I don't to get into what to be eaten. Except humans (flesh), everybody has the right to eat anything. Let them eat, no objection. But, the point is...they are trying to divide people on religion basis," he said. Naidu said the MIM (All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen) led by Owaisi should explain why the Old City area of Hyderabad remained backward. Pointing out that MIM is not in the fray from Saidabad ward, he alleged the party had a tacit understanding with others. "MIM is the major enemy to the development of Hyderabad," he said. Referring to some parties wooing Seemandhra natives who are called "settlers", Naidu said all those living in Hyderabad have equal rights. Addressing a public meeting here yesterday, Owaisi had said that a ban on consumption and sale of beef may be imposed in the city if MIM was not voted to power in the polls. "I am not trying to scare you. But, the fact is if we don't come to power, there may be a scope for ban on beef (in Hyderabad) on pretext of faith," he had said. Owaisi also said that such a ban will hit the poor and also beef traders hard as it happened in Maharashtra.

Interim V-C makes 2nd appeal in two days to restore normalcy

Interim Hyderabad Central University (HCU) Vice Chancellor Vipin Srivastava today made his second appeal in two days to students who have escalated their protests over the suicide of dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula to help restore normalcy on the campus. The fresh appeal came even as one of the seven students on hunger strike over the suicide was today shifted to the varsity's health centre after his health deteriorated. His condition was later reported to be stable. The Hyderabad police, meanwhile, foiled attempts to take out a 'peace' rally towards Tank Bund and took 54 protesting students in preventive custody. They were later let off. The students, under the banner of Osmania University JAC and University of Hyderabad JAC, assembled near the People's Plaza as per their plan to take out a 'peace' rally towards Ambedkar statue at Tank Bund. In the appeal put up on the varsity website, Srivastava said the University activities have come to a standstill due to continued blockade of academic and administrative facilities because of the agitation. This will lead to a delay in the completion of courses affecting the employment and higher education prospects of the students, he said. "Besides, disbursement of fellowships, scholarships and salaries (especially class IV and contract employees) is getting delayed inordinately," he said in the appeal. He mentioned that the HCU administration has taken two steps within its "realm" - withdrawal of punishment given to the students and an ex-gratia of Rs 8 lakh to the Vemula family. Vemula and four other students, all from the dalit community, were suspended last year by the varsity for allegedly attacking an ABVP leader. HCU has already revoked suspension of the four students, following uproar over Vemula's suicide on January 17. "The University reiterates its appeal to the students and requests the parents and public to bear with us while we make earnest efforts to restore the normalcy at the earliest," the interim V-C further said. Srivastava said he and the HCU fraternity deeply condole the "tragic and untimely" death of Rohith Vemula. He had yesterday appealed to the students to withdraw their hunger strike, saying the deadlock could be resolved only through dialogue and that the administration should be allowed to function. "One of the seven students who are on the indefinite hunger strike was admitted to university health centre following the deterioration of his health," Ravindra Kumar, chief medical officer said. "He was semi-unconscious in the afternoon. He was taken to the health centre. His condition is stable now," Kumar said. The second batch of seven students sat on indefinite hunger strike day before yesterday after the first batch was forcibly taken away and admitted to hospital on Saturday.

Trump's anti-Muslim rhetoric shameful, dangerous: Clinton

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton slammed her outspoken Republican rival Donald Trump for his continued anti-Muslim rhetoric, calling them shameful and dangerous for the United States. "It's not only shameful and contrary to our values to say that people of a certain religion should never come to this country, or to claim that there are no real people of the Muslim faith who share our values, and to have the kind of dismissive and insulting approach," Clinton said. She said this in response to a question about Islamophobia in the US at an Iowa townhall organised by the CNN yesterday. "One of the most distressing aspects of this campaign has been the language of Republican candidates, particularly their front-runner, that insults, demeans, denigrates different people," Clinton said. "He (Trump) has cast a wide net. He started with Mexicans. He's currently on Muslims. But I found it particularly harmful the way he has talked about Muslims, American-Muslims and Muslims around the world. And I have called him out continuously about that," she said. "It's not only shameful and offensive, which it is. I think it's dangerous. And it's dangerous in several ways," she said. "It's dangerous because American-Muslims deserve better. And now their children and they are the target of Islamophobia, of threats. I've met a number of parents who said their children are afraid to go to school because they are worried about how they will be treated," she added. "We cannot tolerate this. We must stand up and say every person in this country deserves to be treated with respect. And we must stand up against the... bullying," she said amidst applause from the audience. The Democratic presidential front-runner also said the US needs a coalition that includes Muslim nations to defeat the Islamic State and with Trump's rhetoric it may get difficult to build and sustain that coalition. "It is pretty hard to figure out how you're going to make a coalition with the very nations you need if you spend your time insulting their religion. So we need to stand up and point out how wrong this is," Clinton said.

Two more of ISIS-linked terror group detained

Two more people have been detained by central security agencies in connection with the recently busted pan-India terror module owing allegiance to the Islamic State and will to be handed over to the NIA soon. Continuing with its operations against the group, the security agencies picked up a youth from Hyderabad and another person from Maharashtra, official sources said, adding both of them were likely to be handed over to the NIA tomorrow, official sources said. The two, whose names have been withheld, were being questioned by a joint team of intelligence agencies. NIA has so far arrested 14 people belonging to 'Janood-ul-Khalifa-e-Hind' (Army of Caliph of India), the Indian wing of ISIS, who were picked up from various parts of the country for allegedly planning to carry out terror strikes at important installations. NIA claimed that the accused were regularly in touch with active members of ISIS in Syria through Internet chatting via 'Skype', 'Signal' and 'Trillion' and were also using the social networking sites to motivate young men to join the feared terror outfit which has captured vast swathes in Syria and Iraq. Those arrested included Mudabbir Mushtaq Shaikh, the self-styled 'Ameer' of group. He was the man behind raising the outfit after earlier attempts by the global terror organisation to set up its base in the sub-continent failed, official sources said. Shaikh, who assumed the title of 'Ameer', supposedly under instructions from Baghdadi himself, was active on some of the social networking sites. The idea behind setting up the terror group in India was to extend Baghdadi's fearsome 'Caliphate', sources said, adding his custodial interrogation may help the security agencies unravel the plans of the organisation. The NIA had registered a case in 2015 after "credible information" was received that the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL), also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Dawlah-al Islamiyah fil-Iraq wa-sh Sham (DAISH), has been engaged in radicalising Indian youth and motivating them to join the terrorist organisation.

Rohith issue: Student on fast shifted to health centre

One of the students on hunger strike over the suicide of Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula was today shifted to varsity's health centre after his health deteriorated. "One of the seven students who are on the indefinite hunger strike was admitted to university health centre following the deterioration of his health," Ravindra Kumar, chief medical officer said. "He was semi-unconscious in the afternoon. He was taken to the health centre. His condition is stable now," Kumar said. The second batch of seven students sat on indefinite hunger strike day before yesterday after the first batch was forcibly taken away and admitted to hospital on Saturday. Meanwhile, the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) today handed over a cheque for Rs 5 lakh to Rohith's mother Radhika. The cheque was given by TPCC president Uttam Kumar Reddy at the varsity campus. "It (Rohith's suicide) is very sad. Congress will fight until the culprits are punished. From Telangana Congress side we have given Rs 5 lakh to Rohith's mother. We will support the bereaved family in (all) possible ways," Reddy told reporters. "The (Central) government is handling the issue of appointment of interim Vice Chancellor (VC) in an irresponsible way. They should remove the VC immediately and appoint another person. We demand that both the central ministers (HRD Minister Smriti Irani and Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya) be sacked," he said. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice said it had earlier requested the Indian People's Tribunal (IPT) to send a fact finding team to investigate Rohith's death. The IPT team comprising Justice (Retd) Suresh H, Desi Disa Editor Sujata Surepalli, CBC Federation Chairman U S Rao, Researcher Meena Menon and senior advocate Gayatri Singh in its report said the death of Rohit was caused by acts of omission and commission of the authorities. The JAC for Social Justice of HCU has also given a call for shutdown of universities across the country tomorrow.

WhatsApp service stumbles briefly

Facebook-owned smartphone messaging service WhatsApp temporarily crashed in an array of countries from the US to India, potentially affecting hundreds of millions of users. Reports of people having trouble with WhatsApp in countries including Japan, India, Malaysia, Colombia and the United States hit the Internet about 0730 IST today. The outage appeared to be resolved in most locations in an hour or so, according to Downdetector.com, which calls itself "the weatherman for the digital world." Comments posted by users indicated they were having intermittent difficulties with WhatsApp during the problem period. Facebook did not respond to an AFP request for comment. The disruption came on the heels of media reports that Facebook is working behind the scenes to integrate WhatsApp more snugly into the world's leading social network by providing the ability to share information between the services. California-based Facebook bought WhatsApp for USD 19 billion in late 2014 and the messaging service has grown to nearly a billion users.

Hyderabad may face beef ban if we lose civic polls: Asad Owaisi

A ban on consumption and sale of beef may be imposed in the city if AIMIM was not voted to power in the upcoming elections to Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC), party chief Asaduddin Owaisi claimed today. "I am not trying to scare you. But, the fact is if we don't come to power, there may be a scope for ban on beef (in Hyderabad) on pretext of faith," the All-India Majlis-e- Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader said here. Addressing a public meeting ahead of the February 2 election to the 150-member civic body, the Lok Sabha MP from Hyderabad said such a ban will hit the poor and also beef traders hard as it happened in Maharashtra. "There is a ban on cow slaughter all over. In Maharashtra, the BJP-led Government brought a law to extend the ban on bulls and bullocks. Even if it (these animals) is ill you cannot slaughter it," Owaisi said. Due to this many people, who are earlier dependent on beef trade have lost their livelihood, he said. "If someone else comes to power (in GHMC), it (beef ban) may become a reality." It is the poor who cannot afford to eat mutton and they have to depend on beef, the MP added. AIMIM, a Hyderabad-based party, and Congress shared power in the municipal corporation in the last term.

Akbaruddin presents his credentials to UN Secretary General

Senior diplomat Syed Akbaruddin has presented his credentials as India's new permanent representative to the United Nations to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Receiving the credentials yesterday, Ban welcomed his appointment as the top Indian diplomat to the UN and appreciated the significant role India plays at the powerful world body as a long-trusted partner of multilateral system. The former high-profile spokesman of the Ministry of External Affairs reiterated India's commitment to the UN and assured the secretary general of his support in helping the UN achieve its ideals and priorities Ban had set out at for 2016, including that of Agenda 2030 and the quest for peaceful political solutions for all problems, an official statement said. Akbaruddin, India's 21st Permanent Representative at the UN, succeeds Asoke Mukerji who demitted office on December 31. Prior to this appointment, Akbaruddin was the chief coordinator of the India-Africa Forum Summit -- a milestone event with participation of all 54 African states held in October 2015 in New Delhi. Immediately before that, he was the official spokesperson of the Ministry of External Affairs from 2012 to 2015. He is known for his effective use of social media for diplomacy outreach. A 1985-batch Foreign Service official, he has represented India's interests in various capacities, promoting friendly ties across the globe. He has also served as an international civil-servant at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna from 2006-2011. In that capacity, he worked as Head of External Relations and Policy Coordination Unit and also as the Special Assistant to the Director-General of the IAEA. Akbaruddin had previously served at the Indian Mission to the United Nations as First Secretary during 1995-98 and focused on the UN Security Council Reform and Peace-Keeping. He was a member of the Advisory Committee on Administrative & Budgetary Questions (ACABQ) during 1997-98. He has also served as Counsellor at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. He is proficient in Arabic. During 2000-2004, he was the Consul-General of India, Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and prior to that he was the First Secretary in Riyadh and Second Secretary/Third Secretary in Cairo, Egypt. In his first few speeches soon after this arrival early this month, Akbaruddin urged the UN to show a common resolve to rise above semantic definitional differences and work on the long overdue Comprehensive Convention on International terrorism.

Sania Mirza-Martina Hingis cruise into Australian Open semifinals

The world number one pair of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis today stormed into the semi-finals of the Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the season. The Indo-Swiss duo defeated the German-American team of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Coco Vandeweghe, 6-2, 4-6, 6-1. As a pair, this was Sania and Hingis' 34th victory in a row. They are now 11 wins away from breaking the 1990 record of 44 straight victories by Jana Novotna and Helena Sukova. In the Singles, world number one Serena Williams today sailed into the semi-finals beating fifth seed Maria Sharapova for the 18th consecutive time. The 6-time Australian Open champion won the quarter-final in straight sets, 6-4, 6-1. Serena is just one Grand Slam short of tying with Steffi Graf in winning the most number of Grand Slam titles in the Open Era. Graf had bagged 22 titles, while Serena is second at 21. Besides, the world number one American is 3 titles shy of Margaret Court who has an all-time record of winning 24 Grand Slam trophies. In the semi-finals, Serena will take on fourth placed Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland.

Rohit suicide: JAC calls nationwide varsity strike on Jan 27

The agitation at Hyderabad Central University over the suicide of dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula further escalated today with students rejecting the appointment of Vipin Srivastava as interim Vice-Chancellor and calling for a nationwide university strike on January 27. On a day when students from different universities converged on the campus here to pledge support to the stir, the Joint Action Committee (JAC) also said a bandh will be called in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh if their demands are not met. The students are demanding ouster of Vice Chancellor P Appa Rao, who has proceeded on leave, and enactment of a legislation called "Rohith Act" aimed at preventing suicide of ST, SC, BC and minority students in universities. "We are discussing with JACs of other universities to form a nation-wide JAC to take forward the agitation until justice is delivered to Rohit. The JAC also calls for a strike in Universities across the country on January 27," a spokesperson of JAC for Social Justice (HCU) said. On his part, Srivastava appealed to the students to withdraw their hunger strike, saying the deadlock could be resolved only through dialogue and that the administration should be allowed to function. "We have been telling them for the last three days not to go on hunger strike. The main problem at this time is, today is 25th of January, students' scholarships, fellowships... There is a procedure to be followed. Somebody has to sign the cheques", Srivastava told PTI here. The students and SC/ST faculty and officers forums had objected to the choice of Srivastava to perform the duties of the VC alleging that he headed the Executive Council Sub-Committee "which has been responsible for the death of Rohith" and was one of the "accused" in the suicide of another Dalit student Senthil Kumar in 2008. However, Srivastava said the reasons behind the student taking his own life in 2008 were not clear. "He was going through pre-PhD course work and for reasons which are still not clear, he committed suicide," he added. Srivastava said he met some faculty members last night, and has sent an email to his colleagues "if they can come down to my residence and we can talk". "Only through talks we can arrive at a solution. I reiterate the administration should be allowed to function and laboratories should be opened so that the students do not experience any irreparable damage," he added. Security was beefed up with a large number of police personnel being deployed around the campus with the police "verifying" all those who are entering the campus.

Girl immolates herself over lack of toilet at home

A 17-year-old girl allegedly committed suicide today by setting herself afire as she was unhappy over lack of toilet at her house in Nalgonda district of Telangana. The incident occurred at Gundala village. The girl, a first-year intermediate student, doused herself with kerosene and set herself on fire after her parents left for the work, police sub-inspector K Raja told PTI over phone. She died on the spot. "Her parents are farm labourers and the family is poor. They don't have a toilet at house and have to go outside to answer the nature's call. The girl had been asking her parents to build a toilet of late and they had told her they will be able to construct one by next summer," the officer said, citing the parents' statement.

HCU in-charge VC faces ire of students, teachers

A day after his appointment, the Hyderabad Central University's interim Vice-Chancellor today faced calls to step down from students and a section of faculty over his alleged involvement in a 2008 suicide amid raging protests over the death of Dalit scholar Rohit Vemula. The Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice, spearheading the agitation over the alleged suicide of Rohit, and the SC/ST Faculty Forum rejected the appointment of Vipin Srivastava as in-charge Vice-Chancellor of the university. "It is to bring to your notice again that in 2008, Vipin Srivastava was the main accused in yet another institutional murder of Senthil Kumar, a Dalit research scholar in the Department of Physics," the JAC said. Alleging that Srivastava was implicated in the alleged suicide of a Dalit student in 2008 and also related to Rohit's death, the Forum said his functioning as in-charge VC is "legally untenable" and demanded that he step down. "In the light of your such moral, ethical and legal involvement, we demand that you step down from the Vice- Chancellor's office immediately in the larger interest of University of Hyderabad (also called Hyderabad Central University)," the Forum said. Soon after his appointment, Srivastava had said the matter related to the 2008 suicide case "has been sorted out". Facing students' protest over Rohit's suicide last week, Vice-Chancellor Appa Rao Podile yesterday proceeded on leave for an indefinite period, saying he was "advised to be little away from campus" to break the current "impasse". In the absence of Podile, Srivastava, the senior most Professor, shall perform the duties of the Vice-Chancellor with effect from January 24, the HCU has said. The JAC also claimed that faculty members are resigning from three administrative functions in protest. The JAC demanded that Union HRD Minister Smriti Irani be sacked from her post and a "Rohit Act" be enacted to give legislative protection for students belonging to marginalised community in higher education institutions. The JAC warned it will call for a bandh in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh if the demands are not met. Meanwhile, protests escalated today at the varsity with several students from other universities and some social groups coming out in support of HCU students agitating over the death of Rohit.

Akshay slams Aamir on intolerance remarks, 'PK' star hits back

Bollywood star Aamir Khan today came under fresh attack for his "leaving India" comments in the "intolerance" debate with actor Akshay Kumar saying ups and downs happen in every country and one should not start giving "bold" statements. Aamir, 50, whose comments while wading into the "intolerance" debate last November had kicked up a huge controversy, hit back, asserting he never meant that he wanted to leave the country or that India was intolerant. "Any kind of ups and downs happen in every nation and you can't get into so much straight away that you start giving such bold statements. These kind of things happen. There are so many good things also which we don't speak about. "Unfortunately, we have the habit of only pointing out the wrong things but nevertheless everybody has the right to talk," Akshay told India Today TV. Veteran actor and BJP MP Shatrughan Sinha said that it was "nadaan" (childish) for some in Bollywood to talk about intolerance and he does not agree with them. "A lot of people from the film industry brought up the issues of intolerance in haste, and it is childish to do so. I don't stand by them in this regard," Sinha said at the Jaipur Literature Festival(JLF). Asserting that no other country is as diverse as India, Aamir said, "I was born here and I will die here." "I never said India was intolerant or I wanted to leave the country. I also understand the emotions of those who were hurt. I would like to say that my statement was misunderstood and to some extent media is responsible for it. I was born here and I will die here," the 'PK' star told reporters in Mumbai on the eve of of his 2006 superhit "Rang De Basanti" completing ten years. "Our country is diverse with so many languages, culture...no other country has so much diversity as India," he said. Aamir's statement last November that he was "alarmed" by a number of incidents and that his wife Kiran Rao even suggested that they should probably leave the country had caused a nationwide outrage. After a controversy broke out over his remarks, Aamir came out with a clarification, asserting that he stood by what he said and "neither I, nor my wife Kiran, have any intention of leaving the country.

Australian Open: Sania, Bopanna enter quarterfinals of doubles events

Top seeded duo of Sania Mirza and Martina Hingis has advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open Tennis. The Indo-Swiss pair beat Russian - Italian pair of Svetlana Kuznetsova and Roberta Vinci by 6-1, 6-3 in straight sets. India's Rohan Bopanna and Yung-Jan Chan of Chinese Taipei edges out Czech Andrea Hlavackova and Lukasz Kubot of Poland 4-6 6-3 (10-6) in a mixed doubles match. They have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Australian Open. In the Men's Singles, Canadian Milos Raonic served an upset. He took a gruelling five set against fourth seeded Swiss Stan Wawrinka to advance into quarterfinals. Raonic overcame Wawrinka's stunning fightback to win by 6-4,6-3,5-7,4-6,6-3. In Women's Singles, two-time champion Victoria Azarenka today defeated Czech Republic's Barbora Strycova to surge into an Australian Open quarter-final. The former world number one Belarusian was too strong for the Czech, winning 6-2, 6-4 in the 4th round in Melbourne. She will face seventh seed Angelique Kerber in the quarter-final. Earlier, Kerber defeated fellow German Annika Beck 6-4, 6-0 in the 4th round.

How has Saudi Arabia changed during King Salman's first year?

Scores of students from across the country heading to HCU

Five held for betting on India-Australia match

The city police today claimed to have busted an inter-state betting racket with the arrest of five persons for allegedly accepting bets on the fifth and final One-Day International between India and Australia. Acting on a tip-off, the Commissioner's Task Force (East Zone) Team yesterday conducted simultaneous raids at three different places in Sultan Bazar area here and busted the racket where in one M Santosh along with his associates organised betting business and were illegally earning money, a release from Hyderabad Police said. The fifth ODI was played at the Sydney cricket ground yesterday where India outplayed Australia by six wickets, but lost the five match series 4-1. Police also seized 14 cell phones and Rs 1.25 lakh cash from them. The accused were identified M Santosh, M Vinod, Shyam Sunder K, Arun Sharma and Ashish Agarwal. Santosh was running the racket from his house and accepted betting over cell phones from punters and his close friends in an organised manner in Hyderabad during cricket matches, it said. He received update of match betting ratio information on his phone from one Agarwal of Delhi, who is absconding, the release added.

Govt to give special badges to accident-free drivers

To encourage drivers, who are having 'accident-free' track record, the Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TSRTC) will felicitate them with special badges tomorrow. These badges will be presented to drivers who have a accident free record at the state-level road safety week function being organised here tomorrow by TSRTC, Joint Managing Director G V Ramana Rao said in a release today. For giving recognition to drivers who have zero accident service record of 30 years, 20 years and 10 years, they will be presented with the special badges. "Such drivers will be called as 'Accident Free Drivers' and other drivers will also emulate the role models," he added.

'Award Wapasi' campaign a success, says Nayantara Sahgal

Firm over not taking back her Sahitya Akademi award, noted writer Nayantara Sahgal today said the 'Award Wapasi' campaign has been a big success and that the writers' protest against intolerance continues. In a letter to Sahitya Akademi secretary K Sreenivasarao, Sahgal said, "Let me make it clear that I have in no way 'reconsidered' my decision (to take back the award). My protest and that of other writers continues against the continuing attacks on freedom of expression". The 88-year-old niece of former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru had spearheaded the 'Award Wapasi' campaign in October, 2015. Asked by PTI about how successful the writers have been in getting their voices heard, Sahgal said, "It has already yielded huge results because the whole country is responding - not only writers. Historians, scientists, sociologists, filmstars, filmmakers, everybody is responding." "It is only the government which is not responding. Because the government is a Hindutva government which has banned all disagreement. They (government) can't ban it (free speech) because we will speak, but they will punish us," said the author who spoke on intolerance at the Tata Steel Kolkata Literary Meet (TSKLM). In the letter she reminded the literary body that she had returned the award in protest against the "Akademi's silence over the murder of Kannada writer M M Kalburgi and earlier of Narendra Dabholkar and Govind Pansare in Maharashtra." She said it is Sahitya Akademi which seems to have done some reconsidering since its letter says that the Akademi has no policy of accepting returned awards. "It is a pity that the Akademi has taken so many months to make this statement of policy. The cheque I sent you in October is in any case no longer valid," the letter reads. The author said if they are returning the now invalid cheque the decision was theirs and not hers. The Akademi had earlier said they are returning the cheques as there was no provision in its constitution to take back any honour once conferred upon a writer. Asked about the timing of the decision, she said, "I think it has a lot to do with Rohith's suicide (in Hyderabad Central University) which I call murder. It is as good as murder. Technically suicide, but he was driven to murder."

Dalit groups say interim VC tainted; he says matter sorted out

Hyderabad University's incharge Vice Chancellor Vipin Srivastava, accused by the SC/ST faculty of having a "deep involvement" in the death of a dalit student in 2008, today said "the previous matter was sorted out" even as he termed the situation in the aftermath of Rohit Vemula's suicide as a "communication gap". The senior professor, who was named as officiating VC today after the sitting VC Appa Rao Podile went on leave following the outrage over the death of the dalit research scholar, said pacifying the agitated students and resuming the academic and administrative works of the varsity will be his first priority. "The Vice-Chancellor has gone on leave (and) (as per) a statute, a senior professor takes over as incharge VC," he said. When asked about the allegations made against him by the SC/ST Faculty Forum and SC/ST Officers Forum that he was one of the "accused" in the 2008 suicide case of dalit student Senthil, Srivastava said, "That matter has been sorted out." On present situation on the varsity campus where students have launched an indefinite relay hunger strike seeking the removal of Podile and Rs 50 lakh compensation to Rohit's family, Srivastava said, "Through discussions we will sort out all the issues. It is a communication gap". "Ministry of HRD has already announced on setting up a Judicial Commission (to inquire into the death of Rohit Vemula). "Now, we need to first pacify the protesting students and restart the administrative and academic works. Fellowships of several research scholars are pending which needs to be processed besides salaries of Class-IV employees also need to be paid and several others works need to be taken up. For the past several days there has been no works going on. We need to pacify and explain the students on this," Srivastava added.

NIA gets transit remand of 4 IS suspects from Hyderabad

7 students taken to HCU health centre

Seven students of the Hyderabad Central University who are on an indefinite hunger strike for the past four days following the alleged suicide by Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula were today forcibly taken to the varsity's health centre because of deteriorating health. "Nobody (among varsity authorities) asked us to shift them to a hospital. We did it on our own considering their condition," said HCU chief security officer T V Rao. Tension prevailed on the campus as security personnels forcibly took the students to the hospital while other students shouted slogans and tried to stop the ambulance. After these students were shifted, a leader of Joint Action Committee (JAC) for Social Justice announced that they would continue the agitation. Chief Medical Officer of the health centre Dr Ravindra Kumar said three of the seven students were subsequently shifted to a private hospital for further treatment after they were given first-aid at the centre. "The remaining four students have been kept under observation. We cannot make any comment now. We will have to proceed depending upon their condition," Dr Kumar told PTI. Earlier in the day, he had expressed concern about the agitating students' health. "They have been on hunger strike for four days. What we had seen on the very first day and what we see today...it is a rapid deterioration of the medical status....blood pressures are highly fluctuating and sugar levels are unstable. "We feel that we need to intervene and medically give some support," he had said. However, G Prabhakar, one of the students who are on hunger strike, had said they would like to continue despite the doctors expressing concern until their demands were met.

HCU hunger strike: other students to replace those taken away

After seven students of the Hyderabad Central University (HCU), who were on a hunger strike, were taken to the hospital, another set of seven students would be taking their place and continue the agitation from tonight. "Our prime demand is that the culprits (named in the FIR in Dalit research scholar Rohith Vemula's suicide case) should be brought to the book. So we have decided to continue our hunger strike despite removal of the earlier batch," K P Zuhail, president of HCU Student Union, said here. The Joint Action Committee for Social Justice which is heading the agitation had decided to give 'Chalo HCU' (march to HCU) call on January 25, and students from various universities across the country, intellectuals, journalists and members of various social groups would take part in the program, he said. Earlier in the evening seven students who were on hunger strike for the past four days following Rohith's alleged suicide were forcibly taken away to the varsity's health centre as their health deteriorated. Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya, Hyderabad University Vice Chancellor Prof Appa Rao Podile, BJP MLC Ramachandra Rao and students Susheel Kumar and Rama Krishna have been named in the FIR (on the charge of abetment of suicide) following Vemula's death. Vemula was among the five research scholars suspended by HCU in September last year and also one of the accused in the case of assault on ABVP leader Susheel Kumar.

Kejriwal supports Karan Johar; says only Modi can talk 'Mann

Coming out in support of filmmaker Karan Johar for his remarks on intolerance, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today appeared to take a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that only "one person" can talk about his "mann ki baat". "Karan Johar right. Only one person in this country can publicly talk about his mann ki baat. No one else can do that," Kejriwal tweeted. Referring to protests in FTII in Pune, Hyderabad University among others, the AAP chief said that students across the country are "angry" with the the Prime Minister. "Students across the country are very angry with Modi ji -FTII, Hyd Univ, IITs, posting RSS people as VCs, ABVP goondaism," he tweeted. Johar had kicked up a storm with his remarks about freedom of expression being the biggest joke in the country on the inaugural day of the Jaipur Literature Festival on January 21. "The talk about freedom of expression is the biggest joke I believe in the world. Democracy is the second biggest joke I think...I really wonder how are we really democratic? How is there freedom of expression? As a filmmaker, I feel bound at every level be it what I put out on celluloid or what I say in print," Johar had said.

Telangana cop assaulted during probe in Bengaluru

A policeman from Telangana suffered minor injuries after a suspect and his wife assaulted him in Parapanagrahara area of Bengaluru today, police said. "A suspect was on the radar of Telangana police. We were trying to verify his involvement in a case and a police team from here had gone to Bengaluru," a senior officer of an intelligence wing said here. "When the policeman was talking with the suspect a scuffle broke out and the suspect and his wife attacked and stabbed him," the officer said. "The policeman suffered minor stab wounds," he added. Bengaluru police had detained the couple, he added.

Prince Narula declared 'Bigg Boss Nau' winner

Without much surprise, Prince Narula, of "Roadies" and "Splitsvilla" fame, today emerged the winner of the ninth season of reality show "Bigg Boss" in a star-studded grand finale. Prince, who was considered a frontrunner for the title since the beginning courtesy his fanbase due to his previous shows, defeated Rishabh Sinha, Mandana Karimi and Rochelle Rao to win the trophy. He takes home cash prize of Rs 35 Lakh. Actress Katrina Kaif attended the finale of the superstar Salman Khan-hosted show along with Aditya Roy Kapur to promote their upcoming romantic saga 'Fitoor', presented Prince with the winning trophy. The duo also performed on the song 'Pashmina' from the Abhishek Kapoor-directed film, much to the audiences' delight. This was the second time that Salman greeted his ex-girlfriend on the "Bigg Boss" stage. Katrina first appeared on season four in 2010. Their meet on the show raised eyebrows also due to Katrina's recent reported break-up from beau Ranbir Kapoor. Salman praised Katrina on her journey from London to Bollywood and how she became a dancer from a non-dancer. Salman told her the country is in love with her because she's beautiful and talented. "Katrina, you are one of the strongest women I have ever known," the 'Bajrangi Bhaijaan' star said to her. Also present at the finale were eliminated contestants including Kishwer Merchant, Suyyash Rai, Keith Sequeira, Aman Varma, Nora Fatehi and Priya Malik, Giselle Thakral and Yuvika Choudhury. Actress Mouni Roy, of 'Naagin' fame, performed a romantic dance number with Salman on the title track of his last year's production "Hero". Mandana's boyfriend, Rochelle, Prince and Rishabh's folks were also in attendance. Actor Ranvijay Singh, who hosted "Splitsvilla" and judged "Roadies", both the shows where Prince participated and won, was also present to cheer him up. Before the winner announcement, the top four went through some grilling competitions as Khatron Ke Khiladi host Arjun Kapoor entered the house along with contestants Raghav Juyal, Sidharth Shukla, Mahii Vij and Sana Saeed to challenge the frontrunners of Bigg Boss to a 'Kabhi Peeda, Kabhi Keeda'task. Rochelle and her boyfriend Keith put up a stunning water act, while the former Miss India also joined Mandana, Kishwer and "Bigg Boss 8" winner Gautam Gulati for a sassy dance performance. The show will return for its 10th season, which will open its gates for commoners, who get a chance to participate on the series along with celebrity contestants.

Brawl at Shamshabad airport,Indigo flight leaves for Raipur leaving 40 passengers

TRS releases manifesto for GHMC polls

4 dead in Canada school shooting

Shots rang out at a school in western Canada today, leaving four people dead and several others critically injured in the nation's worst such shooting in a quarter of a century. "Obviously, this is every parent's worst nightmare," said Prime Minster Justin Trudeau. Trudeau held a news conference in Davos, Switzerland, where he was attending the World Economic Summit, to announce the death toll in the remote northern aboriginal community of La Loche in the province of Saskatchewan. Trudeau said five people had been killed and two others were in critical condition but a Royal Canadian Mounted Police spokeswoman later revised the death toll down to four. The suspected shooter was taken into custody after police received an emergency call about "a person discharging a weapon in the community," RCMP superintendent Maureen Levy told reporters. She said police were also investigating a second location in a nearby residential neighborhood, but provided no further details. Authorities did not disclose the age and identify of the shooter and victims. "We all grieve with and stand with the community of La Loche and all of Saskatchewan on this terrible tragic day," Trudeau said. La Loche students said they heard six or seven shots ring out at around 1:00 pm local time (1900 GMT). Several witnesses reported seeing a "boy," who was either a student or formerly attended the school, opening fire inside the building. "I ran outside the school," Noel Desjarlais, a Grade 10 student at the school, told public broadcaster CBC. "There was lots of screaming. There was about six, seven shots before I got outside. I believe there was more shots by the time I did get out." The town's hospital told AFP they were treating the victims for gunshot wounds. The high school and a nearby elementary school were locked down as police responded. "It's just tragic and everybody's running around," said Kevin Janvier, acting mayor, adding that to his understanding the shooting took place when an individual walked in and "opened fire in the building." Located deep in Canada's northern boreal forest, 600 kilometers north of Saskatoon, this town of about 3,000 is particularly isolated and authorities had to send in police reinforcements and dispatch a medical helicopter to airlift some victims to a hospital. The school shooting is Canada's deadliest in 26 years. On December 6, 1989, a 25-year-old man opened fire at the Polytechnic School in Montreal, killing 14 people, including 10 female students. Unlike in the US, shootings are rare in Canada, where firearms are more regulated than south of the border.

HCU announces ex-gratia of eight lakh rupees to Rohit family

Hyderabad Central University has announced an ex-gratia of eight lakh rupees to the family of the Research Scholar Rohith Vemula who committed suicide. The decision came a day after the University Executive Council revoked the suspension on the four students who were suspended along with Rohith for their alleged assault on a student leader. However, the students have been demanding for 50 lakh rupees to his family as compensation. The students Joint Action Committee which is agitating over Rohith’s suicide rejected the university’s decision to revoke suspension on four students. They have been demanding among others, immediate removal of the Vice Chancellor Prof Appa Rao and removal of cases against the students. Meanwhile, the NDA ally, Lok Janashakti Party has welcomed Human Resource Development Ministry's decision to set up a Judicial Commission to look into the suicide of a Dalit scholar at Hyderabad University. In a tweet, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan thanked Prime Minister and welcomes the judicial probe.

Rohit suicide a fallout of growing intolerance !

4 IS suspects detained in Hyderabad

National Investigation Agency arrested four terror suspects of ISIS/ISIL in Hyderabad on Friday morning as part of a nationwide crackdown. NIA seized explosives at Tolichowki from one of the suspects identified as Nafeez. Two others have been identified as Majeed and Abdul Kareem colony in Langarhouse. TS Director General of Police Mr Anurag Sharma confirmed to that NIA has arrested four suspected linked to ISIS conspiracy case. He however said he couldn’t deny or confirm the seizure of the explosives. NIA had launched a nationwide crackdown in connection with a conspiracy case booked with them RC-14/2015/NIA/DLI with Delhi branch. A team of NIA officials from Delhi came to Hyderabad and carried searches across the city and picked up suspects from Madhapur, Masab Tank and Gachibowli. The case was registered on December 9th in 2015 as per the Ministry of Home Affairs orders by Delhi NIA. Arrests were made in three to other four States. A CI cell official said, “they are looking for more suspects in Hyderabad,” NIA said, “Credible information has been received by Central Government that the Islamic State of Iraq and Levant (ISIL) also known as Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Dawlah-al Islamiyah fil-Iraq wa-sh Sham (DAISH), an international terrorist organization has been engaged in radicalization of Indian Youths and motivating them to join the terrorist organization as a result of which some Indian nationals have already joined it or are in the process of joining it for committing terrorist acts in the conflict zone of Iraq, Syria and Libya. The ISIL is also contemplating to expand its activities to other parts of the world including India.”