INDIA

From February 27, the government of Assam will extended the disturbed area status for another six months under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). According to the official release, powers conferred under section 3 of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, the Governor of Assam has declared the entire state of Assam as disturbed area up to six months beyond February 21, unless withdrawn earlier. The release did not cite any particular reason for the extension, but it is said that it is in view of the assembly elections in April-May and recovery of arms and ammunitions from some parts of the state. The AFSPA was imposed in Assam in November 1990 and has been extended every six months since then after a review by the state government. In the North East, the AFSPA is ...

The price of LPG gas cylinders is determined by state-run oil companies. The prices used to be revised on a monthly basis until November 2020. However, in December, the OMCs hiked the price twice. The LPG price depends on factors such as international fuel rates and US dollar-rupee exchange rates. The prices keep going up or down based on these factors. On Thursday, the oil marketing companies (OMCs) once again hiked the price of Liquefied Petroleum Gas(LPG) domestic gas cylinder (14.2 kg) by Rs. 25 per cylinder. This is the third hike in February alone. A domestic cooking gas cylinder now costs Rs. 794 in Delhi. The cumulative increase in February alone is Rs. 100 on a cylinder. The price of LPG cylinder was hiked on February 14 and February 4. This is the first time when the coo...

On Wednesday, the Union Cabinet approved a proposal to impose President’s Rule in Puducherry, days after a Congress-led government in the union territory lost power during a vote of confidence. Announcing the Cabinet decision, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar told reporters that the decision was taken as no party claimed to form a government in Puducherry following the resignation of the chief minister there. Subsequently, the Lieutenant General had recommended President’s Rule in Puducherry and the Union Cabinet has approved the same, the minister said. After the President’s assent, the assembly will get resolved, Javadekar said, while adding that further necessary steps for administrative work in Puducherry would be taken soon. He also noted that the model code of conduct was...

The Sardar Patel stadium in Motera near Ahmedabad was on Wednesday renamed as the Narendra Modi Stadium. The stadium, popularly known as the Motera Stadium, which was recently re-opened after extensive renovation work which increased seating capacity to a record 1,10,000, hosts its first Test match on Wednesday with India taking on England in a day-night match. The President of India President Ram Nath Kovind inaugurated the refurbished stadium – now a state-of-the-art facility, which can accommodate an awe-inspiring 1.32 lakh spectators in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju. BCCI office-bearers including Jay Shah (secretary), Arun Dhumal (joint-secretary), and Rajeev Shukla (vice-president) were also present. "The total area is equivale...

In Gujarat, a 21-year-old transwoman was allegedly kidnapped from her home in Malviya Nagar then beaten and forced to strip in public by a group of transgender people for refusing to beg on the streets. Payal Rathwa, who was working as an artist was subjected to brutal humiliation in public view by a group of eunuchs who stripped her naked on a public road, alleging that she was faking eunuchs and seeking money from people. On Monday night, the eunuchs forced her to expose her private genitals in public view, thrashed her and recorded a video of the humiliating act. On February 15, the incident took place in Rajkot. It came into light the next day after the attackers recorded the video of the transwoman stripping and shared it on various social media platforms. The transwoman s...

Additional sessions judge Dharmender Rana said that not even an iota of evidence had been brought to his notice connecting the perpetrators of the violence on January 26 with the accused or with the Poetic Justice Foundation, in a censure of the Delhi Police case against Disha Ravi. The judge held that Ravi had no connection with pro-Khalistani organizations, Poetic Justice Foundation (PJF), and Sikhs for Justice, and that there was not an “iota” of evidence linking her to the violence that rocked Delhi on Republic Day. • The court granted the bail saying there was “scanty” and “sketchy” evidence to back charges of sedition against Ravi. • It asserted that citizens could not be jailed simply because they disagreed with government policies. • Additional sessions judge Dharmender...

Nodeep Kaur, Labour Rights Activist in her bail plea has claimed that she was severely beaten up at a police station after her arrest by the Sonipat police. She was arrested on January 12 in Sonipat Haryana. The 23-year-old activist from Punjab’s Muktsar district has also claimed that her medical examination was not conducted in violation of section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Currently she is lodged in Karnal jail in Haryana. On Monday, Punjab and Haryana High Court had adjourned the hearing on her bail plea and posted the matter for February 24. In the bail plea filed through her counsels Arshdeep Singh Cheema and Harinder Deep Singh Bains, she stated that she was falsely charged as accused in an FIR lodged under various sections, including 307 (attempt to murder) of ...

The Bombay High Court on Monday granted interim bail to 81-year-old poet-activist Varavara Rao on medical grounds in Bhima-Koregaon case. Rao is currently undergoing treatment at Mumbai’s Nanavati hospital where he was admitted by Maharashtra government following intervention from High Court last year. The court has directed Rao to remain in Mumbai and be available for investigation whenever required.   Varavaro Rao was accused in Bhima-Koregaon case along with nine other activists. The police have alleged that the provocative speeches made at the Elgar Parishad conclave in Pune in December 2017 led to violence the next day. He has been in custody since August 2018 awaiting trial in the case.   Pronouncing the order, the Bombay HC bench of Justices S. S. Shinde and Ma...

Navdeep Kaur, is a 23 - year - old Dalit activist. Kaur was arrested on January 12th, after a demonstration in front of metal-cutting firm Sharan Elecmech in Haryana’s Kundli Industrial Area. She has been booked under various charges such as an attempt to murder, extortion and other offences and has twice been refused bail. US Vice President Kamala Harris’ niece Meena Harris tweeted about her, there have been widespread attention drawn, both internationally and domestically, over the arrest and alleged sexual assault of a young Indian activist and trade unionist who was protesting the unstable wage payment in an industrial cluster near Delhi.   https://twitter.com/meenaharris/status/1357769238954479616?s=20   According to reports in media, Navdeepp Kaur was prot...

On Saturday, a school in Chennai was roped in controversy after social media users drew attention to a question in an English Language and Literature paper in a revision exam on February 11th. The question paper referred to the farmer’s protest as 'violent maniacs' in relation with the Republic Day - Farmer's Protest in Delhi. Students of class 10th were asked to write a letter to the editor of a daily bulletin, condemning the violent act and were also asked to recommend measures to restrain 'violent maniacs' (referring to protesting farmers) who act under external instigation, according to the school. The question was part of the English Language and Literature paper in the second revision exams on February 11th for students of class 10th.   The entire question read : Th...