India on Wednesday said that countries which support terrorism must be named and shamed, asserting the need for united efforts to combat terror.

Foreign Secretary S. Jaishankar while stating this at a security conference in a veiled reference to Pakistan also said that some countries believe that they can buy peace at home by supporting groups for terror outside, which he said, was “delusional”. He did not name any country.

He said India will continue to be in touch with Pakistan with regard to the probe in the terror attack on an IAF base in Pathankot last month.

“Nations which support terrorism must be named and shamed,” Mr. Jaishankar said at the Counter Terrorism Conference 2016 here.

He called for fostering greater international cooperation to fight terrorism while pointing out that even so-called victims of terror do not cooperate on fighting terror on international stage.

Mr. Jaishankar said that governments must show solidarity through a united message condemning terror attacks.

“Since Pathankot attack happened, we have been in touch with Pakistan. We have been in touch at my level and the NSA level because only by remaining in touch, we can expect them to progress on the basis of information which we have provided to them,” he said.

On terrorism in eastern parts of the country, the Foreign Secretary said the Indian government had discussions with Myanmar on fighting terrorism and there is a greater responsiveness to the concerns of India.

“We had some problems with Myanmar and we have also some discussions with them. Some developments took place in the last few months and possibility of terror attacks occurring in the East from beyond the border would come down,” he said in response to a question related to terror activities in the eastern parts of the country.

Ahead of monsoon, railways will install solar-powered sensors near bridges to monitor the rising water level during the rainy season to prevent any mishap.
Railway tracks often get submerged due to the overflowing of floodwater affecting train operations during monsoon season.

“Submerging of tracks also causes disruption of train services. At times overflowing of river washed away tracks causing derailment,” a senior Railway Ministry official said.
As per the plan, Flood Level Monitoring System comprising micro-devices, radar and an electronic unit, will be placed near the bridge to monitor the water level. The device powered by solar power will measure the water level near bridges regularly and when the level rises, it will send warning signals.
The system is operational in Trichy and it has been found to be very effective in sending messages on water level.
According to the system, the radar will sense water levels at regular intervals and send information to the electronic unit which in turn will send it to the central server here from where it will sent to local servers at stations adjacent to bridge.
If the nearby station authorities get caution messages then preventive steps can be taken before-hand, the official said.
Heavy rains had caused twin train mishaps last year in Madhya Pradesh and the recent flood in Chennai has severely affected train operations in the region. PTI

Amid outrage over a video that shows police thrashing students, including women, during a protest, Delhi top cop B S Bassi today appeared to defend his force suggesting that the protesters may have provoked them.
“Right to protest coexists with what Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr said – The right to swing my fist ends where the other mans nose begins,” the police commissioner posted on microblogging website Twitter.
Although, Bassi attributed the quote to American Jurist Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, its origin is disputed as the adage is attributed to various legal luminaries. The quote is also recorded in a 1919 Harvard Law Review essay by legal philosopher Zechariah Chafee which contained a version spoken by an anonymous judge.
Referring to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals tweet that Delhi Police was being used as RSS and BJPs “private army”, Bassi said that he will try to clear the CMs “misgivings” when they meet next.
“DP handled 11,156 L&O events in 2015, most peaceful. Whenever I meet HonbleCM, I shall try to clear his misgivings. DP is bound to protect freedom of free speech and peaceful assembly. Help DP and democracy by agitating at JantarMantar,” he said in a series of tweets.
The video of police thrashing a group of students with sticks and fists and dragging women by their hair during a protest over Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide has triggered widespread outrage with Congress and AAP seeking action against the erring cops.
Yesterday, Bassi ordered an inquiry into the incident, that took place near the RSS headquarters on January 30, which, he said will be probed from all aspects, including examining whether there was any “indiscretion”.
A Delhi School of Social Work (DSW) student, who was at the receiving end of the police assault, alleged police took turns in “brutally” thrashing him and did not even let him sip water. PTI

Nitish Kumar cabinet today relaxed the norm for mandatory toilets at the homes for candidates contesting the coming elections to panchayat and urban local bodies.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by Kumar, Principal Secretary Cabinet Coordination Department Brajesh Mahrotra told reporters.
The Bihar State Panchayati Raj Act, 2006 had made it compulsory for a candidate in the local bodies poll to have a toilet at home as an eligibility criteria.

The election to local bodies in Bihar is scheduled for next month.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who had made a request to the state government for waiver of the clause, expressed happiness over the cabinet decision.
Sushil Modi told reporters that the fault lies with the state government for not building toilets for about 1.5 crore households in the state. The mandatory clause of the toilet would have stopped many genuine candidates from fighting the poll.
In another important decision, the state cabinet gave its nod to a proposal of finance department to increase VAT on petrol and diesel from existing 20 per cent to 30 per cent, Mahrotra said.
An additional Rs 330 crore would be mobilised annually by increasing the surcharge, he said.
The Nitish Kumar cabinet also okayed a proposal to increase dearness allowance by 11 per cent to employees and pension holders with effect from July 1, 2015, he said.
Now they will get 234 per cent DA in place of 223 per cent at present, Mahrotra added.
The Bihar cabinet also gave green signal to creation of 46 posts of different levels of Bihar Vikash Mission headed by Advisor to the CM Prashant Kishor for implementation of CMs “seven resolves”. PTI

Over 67 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir have been issued Aadhaar cards while over 84 lakh have been enrolled for the unique identity cards in the state.
The J&K government, on the direction of Governor N N Vohra, has set a deadline of March 31 to ensure that all the employees as well as daily wagers, casual and seasonal labourers working in various departments under the state government enroll themselves under Aadhaar, said Hirdesh Kumar, Commissioner, Information Technology.
The direction was given so that the salaries from April 1 are paid to them on the basis of Aadhaar enrolment.
“As many as 84,00,233 people have been enrolled and Aadhaar cards have already been issued to 67,69,272 people in J&K so far,” he said.
“Out of the total population of 1,25,41,302, records have already been digitized in respect of 1,09,43,114 persons,” he said.
To expedite the process for enrolment, 133 additional permanent Enrolment Centres have been sanctioned in the state, with over 193 centres already established in J&K, Kumar said.
The Chief Secretary will have a video-conference with the Deputy Commissioners on February 4 to undertake district-wise review

The French Embassy here on Tuesday said there was no ban on wearing turbans in public space while reacting to a charge by a Sikh organisation that the community has been fighting for their rights in France.

“Outside the premises of public schools, wearing the Sikh turban is very much allowed in public space, contrary to the allegations of certain radical organisations. Only the burkha is banned in public places, for obvious security reasons.

No hostility on Sikhs, their shrines

“Furthermore, neither Sikhs wearing turbans in the streets nor Sikh shrines were ever subject to any hostility in France,” the embassy said in a statement here.

It also noted that the embassy issued this clarification following recent allegations regarding the so-called restrictions imposed on the wearing of the Sikh turban in France.

We uphold the freedom of religion

“France upholds the freedom of religion, as well as the right not to have one, and opposes discriminations on this ground. There is no ban on the wearing of turbans. French law in this matter is very precise: the restriction applies to the wearing of all visible religious signs, without any discrimination, and it applies only to public schools.

“It leaves it to the heads of public schools to take the most appropriate measures, so that it is implemented in a sensitive manner,” the statement added. This measure has been explained to the Indian authorities and representatives of the Sikh community in France, with whom a regular dialogue has been established, the Embassy said.

“The Sikhs of France understand and have assimilated the laws on French principle of separation between the State and religious institutions and practical solutions have been found to reconcile their religious practice with the principles of the French Republic,” it added.

Hollande wanted Sikh contingent at R-Day parade

Protesting against the absence of a Sikh regiment contingent at the Republic Day parade where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest, the Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday said it was a setback to the struggle of Sikhs who have been fighting for their rights in France.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.

Four air-conditioned special trains will be run next month from Nagpur to Pune, Nagpur to Amritsar and back, to clear the extra rush of passengers.

Train number 02124 will depart from Nagpur to Pune on February 2, 9, 16 and 23 (every Tuesday), and train 02123 will leave Pune on February 3, 10, 17 and 24 (on Wednesdays).

Train 02124 will leave Nagpur at 7.50 PM and arrive in Pune at 11.45 AM the next day.

Similarly, train 02123 will depart from Pune at 3.15 PM and reach Nagpur at 5.15 AM the next day, Central Railway Public Relations Officer P D Patil said here.

The trains will consist of 16 coaches, including one 1 AC, four 2 AC and nine 3 AC.

These will halt at Wardha, Dhamangaon, Badnera, Akola, Bhusaval, Manmad, Kopargaon, Dound and Pune in both the directions.

Besides, four air-conditioned special trains from Nagpur to Amritsar and back will also be run next month.

The trains to Amritsar will operate on February 6, 13, 20 and 27 and return on February 8, 15, 22 and 29.

Train number 02125 will depart Nagpur at 5.20 PM and reach Amritsar next day at 9.05 PM.

It will return from Amritsar at 4.20 AM and arrive in Nagpur at 4.25 AM the next day.

The trains will halt at Bhopal, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, New Delhi, Ambala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar in both the directions.

These will consist of one 1 AC, four 2 AC and nine 3 AC coaches.

A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the district court here for raping his teenage step-daughter.

Additional Sessions Judge U M Nandeshwar passed the judgement yesterday against the man, who is a resident of Bhiwandi taluka.

Additional Public Prosecutor Ruma Navle told the court that the victim was raped in March, 2013 by her step-father in their house.

After the incident, the traumatised girl fled the house and came to Kalyan train station here, from where she reached Dadar train station in Mumbai, she said.

Some persons, who saw her wandering, enquired why she was there following which she told them about the ordeal.

The girl was then taken to Sneha Sadan, a children’s home, whose volunteers brought her to her residence, she said.

There, she divulged the incident to her mother, following which a case was registered and investigation initiated, she said, adding the accused was arrested on April 3, 2013.

Later, the victim’s mother disappeared from the house, after which the girl was brought to Sneha Sadan again, she said.

The prosecutor, stressing on the serious nature of the crime, demanded strictest punishment for the accused.

The accused was held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict, and ordered additional imprisonment of six months in case of default in payment of fine, she said.
PTI