The big news: EC says alleged attack on Mamata Banerjee was not a conspiracy, and nine other stories
Other headlines: The BJP announced candidates for polls in four states, and the AIADMK’s manifesto promised government jobs, freebies and education loan waiver.
A look at the headlines right now:
- EC suspends police officers for allegedly failing to provide security to Mamata Banerjee in Nandigram: The Election Commission also said that the alleged attack on the West Bengal CM was not a conspiracy, according to several reports. Meanwhile, Mamata Banerjee led a rally in Kolkata on a wheelchair and said she “won’t bow down” in front of anyone.
- BJP announces candidates for TN, Kerala, West Bengal and Assam Assembly polls: ‘Metro man’ Elattuvalapil Sreedharan and Khushboo Sundar are among the saffron party’s candidates in Kerala and Tamil Nadu.
- AIADMK promises free washing machines, government jobs in manifesto for Tamil Nadu elections: The party also said that it will request the Centre to scrap the Citizenship Amendment Act and promised to waive off education loans.
- Muslim boy allegedly thrashed for entering temple to drink water in Ghaziabad, two arrested: The accused were identified as caretakers of the temple.
- India’s $5 trillion-economy goal was aspirational, not carefully computed, says Raghuram Rajan: The former RBI governor also warned that the introduction of drastic changes to the monetary policy could upset the bond markets.
- Safoora Zargar’s arrest violated international human rights treaties, says UN panel: The Working Group on Arbitrary Detention said that Zargar was arbitrarily detained, and that the government should provide her compensation.
- Mumbai police officer Sachin Vaze sent to NIA custody till March 25 in Ambani bomb scare case: The police officer alleged that he was being falsely implicated by his colleagues in the force.
- India records 25,320 new coronavirus cases, Maharashtra CM warns of lockdown in state: The country’s toll rose to 1,58,604, with 158 deaths reported in 24 hours. Active cases went up to 2,10,544.
- Upendra Kushwaha’s party returns to JD(U) eight years after split: Kushwaha referred to the merger of the Rashtriya Lok Samta Party and the Janata Dal (United) as a homecoming.
- NGO director in Jharkhand held for allegedly sexually assaulting more than 15 girls: The police said the accused sexually harassed the girls on the pretext of giving them a ‘tolerance test’.