Top Stories on 12th April in a capsule

Rahul Gandhi leads midnight march in Delhi to protest against rape cases

With the country raging over the Kathua and the Unnao rape cases, Congress President Rahul Gandhi led a candlelight protest on Thursday night. "Like every patriotic Indian, my heart hurts tonight with the growing incidents of violence against the girl child and women across our country,” tweeted Mr. Gandhi inviting citizens to join the march. He was joined by sister Priyanka Gandhi and Robert Vadra at the march. Gandhi marched from Congress headquarters to India Gate, getting joined by thousands of protestors as they marched on. Rahul Gandhi added that he is protesting because it is a national issue, and has not a political one.

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CWG 2018 : highlights: Sushil Kumar, Rahul Aware win gold; India’s tally 31

Sushil Kumar and Rahul Aware won gold medals in 74kg and 57 kg men’s freestyle wrestling categories respectively at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast on Thursday.Three athletes Babita Kumari (women’s 53 kg freestyle), Tejaswini Sawant (women’s 50m prone shooting) and Seema Punia (women’s discus throw) won silver. Two athletes won bronze - Navjeet Dhillon (women’s discus throw) and Kiran (women’s 76kg). So far, third-placed India have won 31 medals - 14 gold, seven silver and 10 bronze. However Indian Women’s Hockey team lost the match 0-1 with Australia and will play England in the bronze medal match on Saturday.
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Punjab govt seeks Navjot Singh Sidhu’s conviction in road rage case

Counsel for Punjab government on Thursday told the Supreme court that Patiala resident Gurnam Singh had died after he was given fist blow by Navjot Sidhu. The government has hence demanded that the Punjab and Haryana High Court was correct in convicting its incumbent minister Navjot Singh Sidhu in the road rage case. The counsel for Punjab government told the apex court that Patiala resident Gurnam Singh had died after he was given fist blow by Sidhu. The government said the trial court was wrong in its finding that Singh had died of cardiac arrest and not brain hemorrhage. In 2007, the Supreme Court had suspended Sidhu’s conviction that enabled him to contest elections. Earlier he was acquitted in the case by trial court. But, Punjab and Haryana High Court convicted him for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
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IRCTC lowers prices of meals served on trains

With the Centre slashing GST rates, prices of meals served on trains have also taken a dip. Food served to passengers by Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) has been made cheaper by Rs 3 to Rs 10. This dip in prices came into effect from Monday. According to reports, from April 16, catering charges on premium trains will also see a cut of Rs 40 to Rs 60 depending on the class of travel. The change in pricing would also alter the ticket fares in premium trains that include 18% GST on catering charges. "Catering charges and GST are collected along with ticket fare in premium trains. Since GST on catering charges has been reduced to five per cent, the ticket fare may get reduced by Rs 20 to Rs 60 a ticket depending upon the class of travel and distance. It will be implemented from April 16," the railway board order said.

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Heavy Rains Lash North India; 35 killed in UP, 12 dead in Rajasthan

Pre-monsoon rainfall, hailstorm, and heavy winds caused havoc in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan early on Thursday morning killing several people and destroying homes in the region. While seven people were killed in Rajasthan's Dholpur, five others died in Bharatpur as rains occupied by strong winds with a velocity of over 130 km per hour swept the region. The situation was similar even in Uttar Pradesh's Agra where a minaret at the entry gate of the iconic monument Taj Mahal collapsed late on Wednesday night. Nearly 15 people were killed during a hailstorm in Braj region of Mathura in UP, while 24 others were injured in related incidents with 80% of the state's crops damaged. Rains also lashed several other parts of North and North West India with Uttarakhand, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana. The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted the harsh weather conditions to continue till Friday.
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SC/ST judgment doing great damage to country: Govt to SC

The Modi government on Thursday urged the Supreme Court to recall its orders on SC/ST Act, contending that the verdict is causing a "great damage to the country". The Centre’s Attorney General claimed that the judgment has caused a lot of commotion in the country along with anger, unease, and disharmony. The court judgment is in violation of the Atrocities Act and is completely in conflict with the law that provides for immediate registration of FIR and no provision for anticipatory bail, the Attorney General added. The SC/ST judgment provided a layer of protection before an FIR is registered or the accused is arrested. The Centre may promulgate an ordinance, if needed, to overturn the verdict.
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Kathua Rape-Murder case: Family of accused demands CBI probe

The family of the eight-year-old girl, who was allegedly raped and murdered by six men who held her captive in a temple for a week in January, has asked for a CBI probe in the case. While the state police crime branch has already submitted a charge sheet before the court, Jammu Muslim Front on Thursday demanded a special court for the trial.  An FIR was also registered against lawyers who attempted to prevent the police from filing a charge sheet in the case. India Today TV reported that the Bakarwal community was on Thursday protesting in Anantnag. Two special police officers (SPOs) — Deepak Khajuria and Surinder Kumar — and later, another five persons, including former revenue official and the alleged conspirator, Sanji Ram (60), who surrendered before the special investigation team, were among those arrested.

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‘Black Protests’ in Chennai as PM arrives for Defense Expo 

People in large numbers came out on the streets in Chennai on Thursday wearing black dresses and carrying black flags and balloons while shouting ‘Go Back Modi’, when he arrived for the inauguration of the Defense Expo. The people were protesting against the center for not constituting the Cauvery Management Board as per the Supreme Court order. People gathered near the airport, raising slogans and holding placards that read 'Go Back Modi!' with some even climbing on top of a giant hoarding in the area. Due to these protests, the PM had to take a helicopter to reach the venue, and would also return by the chopper. Film directors Bharathiraja, Ameer, Vetrimaran and Gowthaman who staged a protest outside the airport raising slogans against Modi and seeking CMB were detained by the police. The hashtag #GoBackModi trended on social media website Twitter coinciding with the visit of Prime Minister to Chennai.
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Start-ups with up to 10 crore investment to get tax concessions

In a major relief to aspiring entrepreneurs, the government on Thursday allowed start-ups to avail tax concessions if total funding of their start-up, including the angel investors, does not exceed 10 crores. Several start-ups had complained about paying taxes on money they had received as funding from investors, and this year, as many as 18 start-ups had received notices from tax authorities. Startups also enjoy income tax benefit for three out of seven consecutive assessment years. To avail the concessions, startups would have to approach an eight-member inter-ministerial board of certification. A startup set up as a private limited company or limited liability partnership incorporated after April 1, 2016, would be eligible for tax concessions.
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Bangladesh ends reservation in govt jobs after students protest

Giving in to the demands of protesting students, Bangladesh PM on Wednesday announced that she will be abolishing the quota system for government jobs. This was one of the biggest protests that Bangladesh witnessed during PM Shiekh Hasina's decade-old rule and such united mass protests are rarely seen on such a scale in the country. According to the Bangladesh government's quota system, 56% of jobs in the government were reserved for children of freedom fighters, women, ethnic minorities, people with disabilities and citizens of some backward districts. The protesters have been demanding the quota to be reduced to 10% and also that the job applicant must not be given the privilege of quota more than once. PM Hasina then announced that the quota system would be abolished altogether.
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