India

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India on Wednesday defended a new digital tax which faces opposition from big U.S. tech firms such as Alphabet’s Google and Facebook and the United States Trade Representative (USTR).

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday asked the government to bring a bill in Rajya Sabha proposing restoration of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.

Speaking during the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Azad said, "I appeal to you, if Jammu and Kashmir has to progress and if we have to fight our enemies at the borders, we need to take our own people into confidence and give them love."

Kolkata, Feb 2 (PTI) BJP president J P Nadda will launch the party's month-long rath yatra on Saturday in West Bengal ahead of the assembly polls, sources said on Tuesday.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has decided to take out rath yatras across the state in February & March to drum up support for the party in the elections. The yatras will be conducted in five segments and will cover all the 294 assembly constituencies of the state.

Ballia (UP), Feb 2 (PTI) A Dalit woman was allegedly raped by a 24-year-old man here, following which the accused was arrested, police said on Tuesday.

The incident took place on Monday when the 19-year-old woman was alone at her home, SHO of Nagra police station Vivek Pandey said.

Based on a complaint lodged by the woman's mother, a case was registered against the man under relevant sections of the IPC and the SC/ST Act, Pandey said, adding that the accused was arrested on Tuesday.

Pune, Feb 2 (PTI) A case for allegedly `promoting enmity between different groups' was registered against Aligarh university alumnus Sharjeel Usmani in Pune on Tuesday in connection with his speech at the recent Elgar Parishad conclave.

The opposition BJP in Maharashtra had demanded action against Usmani, accusing him of hurting religious sentiments.

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) Police have announced cash reward of Rs 1 lakh for information that can lead to the arrest of actors Deep Sidhu and three others in connection with the Republic Day violence in Delhi, officials said on Wednesday.

Cash reward of Rs 50,000 was also announced for Buta Singh, Sukhdev Singh and two others.

Thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor parade called by farmer unions on January 26 to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre's three farm laws.

Banda (UP), Feb 3 (PTI) A 15-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her uncle in a village in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district, police said on Wednesday.

According to the police, the girl was at home on Tuesday when her 24-year-old uncle reached there and raped her.

Jaspura police station SHO Pankaj Singh said an FIR has been registered under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act based on a complaint filed by the girl's father.

The girl has been sent for medical examination.

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The government on Wednesday told Rajya Sabha that crimes against members of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the country increased by 7.3 per cent and 26.5 per cent respectively in 2019.

Kanpur: Bus ride is quite easy for all those Jajmauites boarding from Nai Chungi crossing.

But how are the humble passengers duped by the roadways employee deputed to issue the ticket on different routes?

They charge the full fare but do not print the small thinly ticket showing the complete amount taken in the name of fare.

If a passenger happens to complete the journey up to the crowded Bada Chauraha, a fixed sum of Rs 14 is charged but the conductor rarely returns the balance if the amount exceeds.

New Delhi, Feb 3 (PTI) The Congress raised the issue of cases filed against its MP Shashi Tharoor and six journalists in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, demanding withdrawal of the sedition charges that were slapped to "intimidate independent journalism and free voice".

Raising the issue through a zero hour mention, Digvijaya Singh of the Congress said FIRs had been filed against politicians, journalists and civil society activists under felonious sections in the past few days.