2 held for...
Sandeep Sangave, secretary of the Mumbai divisional board, said a clarification would be sought as to why a report on the case was sent by the Khardi school nearly a week after the first paper was over. “We will ask them for an explanation and will look into the issue,” he added. The board will also inquire into the issue.
In the bluetooth case, the Bhiwandi police said no FIR has been registered in the case yet. “We have not received any such complaint from the school, as of now,” said R Shinde, DCP, Bhiwandi.
Across the state, a total of 77 malpractices were reported in Monday’s first session, which had the physics and secretarial practice paper, while 42 cases were reported in the political science paper in the second half.
In 2019, five papers of the SSC exam were reportedly leaked minutes before the exam in Bhiwandi. Several students got copies of the exam paper a day in advance. Two private tutors from Bhiwandi were arrested in the case. Similarly, the Vakola police had arrested a student after he was found with a copy of the English question paper on his phone. In cases where a police complaint is registered, the board also conducts an independent inquiry and takes disciplinary action, depending on the nature of offence. friendship”.
“Today, in Motera Stadium, new history is being made,” Modi said, recalling the “Howdy Modi!” rally in Houston last September. “Today, my friend President Donald Trump is starting his historic visit to India with ‘Namaste Trump’ in Ahmedabad.”
Modi further said: “India-us ties are no longer just another partnership. It is a far greater and closer relationship. One country is the ‘land of the free’ and the other believes the world is one family. One country feels proud of the Statue of Liberty, the other feels proud of the Statue of Unity.”
The presence of Trump’s family, including his wife Melania, daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner “reflects the close family-like ties” between the two sides, he said, adding that the vibrancy and diversity of India’s unity will be the foundation for the bilateral relationship.
Trump was equally lavish with his praise, saying Modi was working “night and day for his country” and that he was proud to call the Prime Minister “my true friend”. He said he and the First Lady had travelled 8,000 miles to deliver a message to every Indian: “America loves India, America respects India, and America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people.”
The President added: “From this day on, India will always hold a very special place in our hearts. The life of Prime Minister Modi underscores the limitless promise of this great nation — he started out by his father’s side, as a chaiwalla, a tea seller.”
With some of the criticism in the US of Trump’s visit focusing on the inability of the two countries to reach even a limited trade package and the perceived lack of deliverables, Trump pledged that he and Modi will be “making a very, very major, among the biggest ever made trade deals”. This, he added, will be a “fantastic deal” for both sides, though he acknowledged Modi was a “very tough negotiator”.
Trump also unveiled plans to sell state-of-the-art military helicopters worth over $3 billion and promised to provide India “some of the best and most-feared military equipment”, ranging from missiles to air defence systems and armed UAVS.
There was also a reiteration of the US commitment to work with India to protect the citizens of both countries from “radical Islamic terrorism”, with Trump saying that his administration is working with Pakistan to crack down on terror groups operating from Pakistani soil. He added that the US is “beginning to see signs of big progress with Pakistan” and is hopeful of “reduced tension and greater stability” across South Asia.
Trump and Modi hugged each other at least four times in the time they were on the stage at Motera Stadium. Trump’s numerous references to India’s achievements in different fields and his pledge to work with India to stop terrorism drew loud cheers, as did Modi’s praise for the president’s efforts to grow the partnership.
Trust, Modi said, is the most important component in a relationship and India and the US had taken their mutual trust to new heights. Trump had said during their first meeting that India now had a true friend in the White House and demonstrated his “special love for India” since then, he added.
India is the largest trading partner of the US and the two sides are now conducting some of the largest military exercises, and New Delhi’s plans to develop its manufacturing sector and infrastructure presents tremendous opportunities for the US, Modi said.
“India and the US are natural partners not just in the Indo-pacific but can work together for the progress and security of the whole world,” he said. Following the “Namaste Trump” rally, Trump and his family flew from Ahmedabad to Agra, where the President and the First Lady held hands during a sunset tour of the Taj Mahal, the 17th century monument to love built by Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. Accompanied by Ivanka Trump and Kushner, Trump and his wife spent almost an hour at the famed monument. The first couple later wrote in the visitors’ book: “The Taj Mahal inspires awe, a timeless testament to the rich and diverse beauty of India’s culture! Thank you India.”
In Agra, too, thousands of people lined the route of Trump’s motorcade, with the president and his family using eco-friendly electric carts for the last leg of the journey to the monument complex.
“Trump largely stuck to his script, emphasising the positive aspects of the Us-india relationship. It is evident that he has a significant amount of admiration for Prime Minister Modi, but those positive words can only go so far,” said Akhil Bery, South Asia analyst at the Eurasia Group, Washington DC
After the pomp and pageantry of the first leg of the visit on Monday, Trump and Modi are expected to get down to business during their restricted and delegation-level talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday. Besides the signing of some defence deals and at least five memorandums of understanding (Mous) on issues ranging from civil nuclear cooperation to natural gas and trade facilitation, the two leaders will also review the global and regional situation and discuss ways to take forward bilateral relations.
The Trumps will also visit Rajghat to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi, and the trip will culminate in a grand banquet for select guests at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
On Monday, both groups came better prepared. They ran amok. At least five Delhi Metro stations suspended operations due to the violence.
Dramatic footage on television news channels showed deserted roads strewn with stones. In one of the clips, a person can be seen approaching a policeman while pointing a pistol at him, turning to another direction in the nick of time and then firing a few rounds in the air.
Until 2pm, the violence was limited to mobs pelting stones and the police using tear gas shells against them. But after that, mobs torched several cars and motorcycles, and targeted houses and shops.
Around 5pm, rioters set ablaze a tent that had been serving as a protest site for some anti-caa protesters in Kardampuri, a neighbourhood close to Babarpur. In Bhajanpura, a fuel station and a transformer were torched.
Union minister of state for home G Kishan Reddy assured action against those involved in the violence. “My deepest condolences to the family of the Delhi Police Head Constable who lost his life amidst the protests in Delhi. Our @narendramodi government condemns all forms of violence and we assure a stern action against the culprits,” he tweeted.
The police were yet make any arrest for Monday’s violence till the filing of this report, though they identified and detained some of the suspects.
Chief minister Arvind Kejriwal urged the Centre to maintain peace. “Very distressing news regarding disturbance of peace and harmony in parts of Delhi coming in. I sincerely urge Hon’ble LG n Hon’ble Union Home Minister to restore law and order n ensure that peace and harmony is maintained,” he tweeted.
Delhi lieutenant governor (LG) Anil Baijal, who functions under the Union home ministry, said he has instructed the Delhi Police to maintain law and order. “The situation is being closely monitored. I urge everyone to exercise restraint for maintenance of peace and harmony,” he posted.
North-east Delhi has emerged as the latest flash point on CAA, which has triggered violent, and at times deadly, demonstrations across the country since December. Shaheen Bagh has so far been the epicentre of anti-caa protests in the city, which has also witnessed clashes between the police and students of the Jamia Millia Islamia over the legislation.
On Monday, Supreme Court appointed interlocutors submitted their report on Shaheen Bagh to the apex court. The court will hear the matter again on February 26.
Rattan Lal, 42, a head constable, was killed in the violence that broke out around 10am and continued late into the evening. Lal was hit in the head by a stone, according to the police. Several
policemen, including Shahdara deputy commissioner of police Amit Sharma, were injured in the clashes.
Details of the civilian deaths were not available immediately. Satish Golcha, special commissioner of police, said there were reports of one stone-pelter dying after falling off the third floor of a building.
There was heavy stone-pelting in Maujpur, where shops and houses came under attack. Violence also flared up in Jafrabad and the police baton-charged mobs. The 1km stretch between these two places remained tense throughout the day. A Muslim shrine at Chand Bagh was set on fire around 1pm, the fire department said.
“Around 1.30am on Monday, a large group entered some of our homes and attacked us. We had to deploy two men outside each building for the rest of the night,” said a Maujpur resident who spoke on the condition of anonymity.
The police fired tear gas shells to quell people protesting on the streets. According to officials, a fire tender was damaged by the protesters after it responded to a call from the area.
The police’s response came under the scanner, and also raised questions as to why security personnel were unable to keep apart the pro- and anti-caa demonstrators. Alok Kumar, joint commissioner of police (eastern range), however, said heavy police presence prevented further escalation of the situation.
Former Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) Vikram Singh said the violence was preventable. “The reports are disturbing. I think we are seeing something like this in Delhi after 1984 anti-sikh riots. There were groups protesting against each other so why did not the police not take action? The police allowed the trouble-mongers to gather and gave them time to do what they did,” Singh said.
According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC), five stations on the Pink Line that connects Majlis Park with Shiv Vihar — Jafrabad, Maujpur-babarpur, Gokulpuri, Johari Enclave and Shiv Vihar — were closed down around 5pm.
Later at night, deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia said all government and private schools will be shut in violence-affected North East Delhi district on Tuesday. He also requested the Centre to postpone Tuesday’s board examinations.
A fire was reported at a tyre market in Gokulpuri around 9pm, with officials saying the blaze could be the result of scattered fires that have been reported from the area due to the protests. Around 30 fire-tenders were rushed to the spot.
North-east Delhi has been tense since Saturday night, when anti-caa protesters blocked the Jafrabad Road, which runs underneath the Jafrabad Metro station. On Sunday, the police fired tear gas shells and batoncharged the protesters who put up the blockade. While pro- and anti-caa protesters clashed in the area, the police said they were trying to ascertain the identity of those involved in the violence.
Tension spiralled after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra demanded that the police remove the protesters within three days.
“They want the situation in Delhi to remain volatile. That’s why they [anti-caa protesters] are blocking roads and creating a riot-like atmosphere. We have not picked up a single stone till now. We will wait till [US President Donald] Trump is here [in Delhi]. But after that, we won’t even listen to you [the police] if the roads aren’t cleared. We are appealing you [police] to clear Jafrabad and Chand Bagh till Trump leaves. If not, we’ll have to take to the streets,” Mishra said in a video.
And after Monday’s violence, Mishra appealed for peace. “I appeal to everyone to stop violence as it will not lead to any solution. Whether it is people who are supporting CAA or those who are against it, I appeal everyone to maintain peace. Delhi’s brotherhood should remain intact,” he was quoted as saying by news agency ANI. fault – have also been defined in the new law. At the state level, district collectors have been empowered to probe complaints that affect the interests of consumers as a class.
The new law additionally defines “unfair contract” between a manufacturer or trader or service provider on the one hand and a consumer on the other. Legal recourse will now be available in such cases where an “unfair contract” causes “significant change” in the rights of a consumer. These include a manifestly excessive security deposit or a penalty to be paid to a manufacturer or a service provider which is disproportionate to the losses caused.
“The new law expands the scope of consumer protection by introducing two new concepts, namely product liability and product recall. Moreover, it defines the consumer and manufacturer for the first time. It also covers online transactions,” said Maurice Fernandez of the Bangalore-based Citizens’ Collective for a Safer Marketplace. “We had a fruitful meeting with the consumer affairs minister Ram Vilas Paswan on various aspects of implementing the new Consumer Protection Act 2019 earlier this month,” said Rajendra Singh of the All-india PET Products Manufacturers’ Association.