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Violent protests in Delhi over gang-rape

NEW DELHI: The police fired teargas and used water cannons as several hundred students marched towards Rashtrapati Bhavan for the second day on Saturday demanding justice for the 23-year-old gang-rape victim. 

A boy, a girl and a traffic policeman were injured as the police directed water jets and opened a volley of teargas shells that pushed the protesters back a little, even as some of the protesters braved the chill and threw waterbottles and shoes at the policemen. Window panes of a police van were smashed. 

The protestors gathered at India Gate from early in the morning and marched through Rajpath towards Raisina Hill. They broke security cordons erected on Rajpath and managed to reach near Raisina Hill where they were stopped. 

The police action came as ‘negotiations’ failed at Raisina Hill leading to Rashtrapati Bhawan and the protesters, comprising largely young women and men, tried to breach the barricades to push towards Rashtrapati Bhawan. 

The protest spot resembled a battle zone with empty shells and wet roads. The area has been cordoned off and police reinforcements have been rushed to the Hill that divides the North and South Block, which houses the Prime Minister’s Office. 

Women protesters alleged that policemen hit them with lathis and declared they would launch a sit-in in the area. Protests refused to disperse from the place. 

As protests continued for the sixth day, former Army Chief V K Singh joined the demonstrators the at India Gate blaming “systemic collapse” for brutal rape of a young girl last Sunday in a moving bus. An injured girl has been rushed to hospital. The former Army Chief said “You see this problem is because of systemic failure of governance. Police reforms have been lying in cold storage for the last so many years. Why haven’t they done anything about it? Why do we have to hear such things from a Police Commissioner saying that he doesn’t have manpower? It is shameful. 

“Why do you have to see the spectacle on television where Ministry of Home officials have to go out on the streets checking things? Isn’t there a failure? This needs to be addressed. This failure comes because of political and bureaucratic apathy in this country,” the former Army Chief said 

The Capital witnessed several protests on Friday also including the one in front of Rashtrapati Bhawan. 

Water cannon was again used by the police on the protesters a little after noon. Policemen fired 10 rounds of teargas shells at the protesters who had reassembled after the first round of tear gas shelling and water cannons. 

Protesters refused to budge from the high-security area at Raisina Hill and clashed with the policemen and RAF personnel. 

Ten students were injured and another police van was damaged in the fresh round of clashes. 

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Home Affairs R.P.N. Singh appealed to the protesters not to resort to violence. 

“We have assured on the floor of House and every platform possible that strictest action will be taken against the accused. Police has been asked to show restraint but I want to tell boys and girls that breaking barriers won’t help (to solve the issue),” Singh said. — PTI

Rape victim better, is optimistic about future: Doctors

NEW DELHI: Despite the mindless violence she went through, the 23-year-old rape victim is psychologically “composed and optimistic” about her future and has started communicating, with doctors saying that her health condition is better than on Friday. 

Doctors at Sadfdarjung Hospital, where the paramedic student was rushed after she was gang-raped and attacked brutally on Sunday last, said she is breathing on her own without the support of ventilator and most of her vital parameters are normal. 

“She is doing much better than yesterday. She took sips of water and apple juice today. The White Blood Cells count today is 2,600 as against yesterday’s 1,500,” Dr B D Athani, Medical Superintendent of the Hospital, told reporters. 

On the contrary, her platelet count has gone down while the level of bilirubin, the yellow breakdown product of normal heme catabolism, has increased to 5.9 from Friday’s 5.1, which is a cause of concern as it could affect functioning of liver. 

Total Lymphocyte Count (TLC) has come down which means there are chances of infection in her body, doctors said, adding that she has started communicating. 

Athani said the patient would be administered four platelet—rich plasma today and noted that super specialists are charting out the management course. 

For the first time since she underwent the trauma on Sunday inside a moving bus, the victim was brought face-to-face with psychiatrists for her psychological assessment. 

“According to the preliminary investigation, she is composed psychologically. We followed a respectable and dignified approach. Though it is too early to say, right now the girl is extraordinarily stable, optimistic and have good future,” Dr Kuldeep Kumar, a psychiatrist at the Hospital, said. 

His colleague, Dr Abhilasha Yadav, seemed to echo his views saying the girl is “very brave, positive and optimistic.” 

“I think even her biological functioning is normal. She is totally balanced and composed,” she responded when asked about her opinion about the girl. 

Doctors also said they are keeping the patient on high dose of antibiotics and high standards of hygiene -- two important factors of preventing infection. 
— PTI

Newly elected HP Cong MLAs to elect CLP leader today

SHIMLA: The crucial meeting of newly elected Himachal Pradesh Congress MLAs to choose the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader would be held at the state Congress office in Shimla on Saturday.

The Congress high command has deputed Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dixit and AICC general secretary, Janardan Dwivedi as observers while general secretary Anis Ahmed would also be present at the meeting.

The Congress secured wafer-thin majority in the 68-member Assembly winning 36 seats but it was not averse to seeking support of two Congress rebels.

HPCC president and five-time Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh, who steered the party to victory is front runner for the top post, while his detractors are banking on the high command to stall him from becoming Chief Minister for the sixth time.

Meanwhile, Virbhadra in Shimla said the high command would decide the leader, keeping in view the sentiments of the people who voted the Congress back to power.

The names of Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma and former HPCC president Kaul Singh are also making the rounds, but no leader has so far openly staked his claim for CLP leadership. — PTI

Obama nominates John Kerry as Secretary of State

Washington: US President Barack Obama today nominated veteran Senator John Kerry, known for his relationship-building skills, as his next Secretary of State.
"I am very proud to announce my choice for the Secretary of State, Senator John Kerry," Obama said making a personal announcement at the White House, with Kerry standing by his side along with Vice President Joe Biden.

Obama termed Kerry as "perfect choice" to the post. 69-year-old Kerry, currently the chairman of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has been a close confidant of Obama on foreign policy issues.

He has decades of foreign policy experience, which has very often been praised by opponents Republicans.

If confirmed, Kerry would replace Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State, who is currently recovering from a severe stomach infection.

Kerry, the senior senator from Massachusetts and the Democratic Party's 2004 presidential nominee, is noted for the experience, gravitas and relationship-building skills that could help him succeed as the United States' top diplomat.