Delhi

New Delhi, Dec 24 (PTI) Over 70 student and youth organisations across the country joined hands on Tuesday under an umbrella body to intensify the ongoing protest against the contentious citizenship law and the proposed nationwide NRC and updating of the National Population Register (NPR).

On New Year's Day, members of the National Young India Co-ordination and Campaign and those supporting the movement will take a pledge to save the Constitution and have also coined a slogan: "New Year's Resolution -- Defend Constitution".

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) A Delhi court on Monday dismissed bail pleas of 15 people arrested in connection with the violence in Delhi's Daryaganj area and extended their judicial custody by two weeks.

Metropolitan Magistrate Kapil Kumar dismissed the bail applications, saying there was no sufficient ground to grant them the relief.

The court passed the order after they were produced before it on expiry of their two-day judicial custody (JC).

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Seasoned diplomat Harsh Vardhan Shringla was on Monday appointed as the new foreign secretary for a two-year fixed term, succeeding Vijay Gokhale.

Shringla, a 1984 batch officer of the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), is considered an expert on India's neighbourhood and is currently serving as envoy to the US.

His appointment comes at a time when India is facing a plethora of foreign policy challenges including dealing with an increasingly assertive Trump administration and China's attempt to expand its military and economic influence in the region.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Hitting out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for claiming his government never discussed the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Congress on Monday alleged that the BJP is trying to fool the country.

The BJP in its Jharkhand assembly election manifesto has claimed it will implement the NRC and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has said it will be implemented across the country, but the prime minister is now claiming just the opposite, the Congress said.

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) As many as 46 students were detained outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan here on Monday when they were about to begin a protest against the police's action during anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act demonstrations in the state.

The protesters were demanding the resignation of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over the issue.

There are 27 women among those detained.

New Delhi, Dec 23 (PTI) Top Congress leaders led by Sonia Gandhi on Monday sat on a 'Satyagraha' at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial Rajghat here, demanding that the rights of people as enshrined in the Constitution be protected.

Top Congress leaders, including former prime minister Manmohan Singh, former party chief Rahul Gandhi and general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, participated in the 'Satyagraha'.

New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday sought to assuage concerns of Muslims over the amended citizenship law and the NRC, saying both have nothing to do with Indian citizens and slammed his rivals for "inciting" people and trying to divide the country in their bid to target him.

Putting up a strong defence of the contentious law, he said at a rally in the national capital that it is about giving rights to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries and does not snatch anybody's rights.

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) As Bhim Army chief Chandra Shekhar Aazad entered the court premises on Saturday to be produced before the metropolitan magistrate, his followers chanted "Raavan-Raavan".

There was a heated argument of about five minutes between journalists and police officials, before the scribes were allowed to go inside the court. When they entered, they narrated the whole incident to the judge Arjinder Kaur who passed directions that the proceedings will be held in-camera.

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) SBI Chairman Rajnish Kumar on Saturday nudged industry leaders to enrich their borrowing capacity so as to boost investment in the economy, asserting there is no dearth of funds and most of the banks will be in a better position by March-end as far as stressed assets are concerned.

He also said that the State Bank of India (SBI) is underutilising its loan sanction limits as there is not enough credit demand from the industry.

New Delhi, Dec 21 (PTI) Finance Secretary Rajiv Kumar on Saturday denied the "baseless rumours" that Indian citizens need to declare their religion for opening of bank accounts and KYC purpose.

The clarification comes after a news report suggested that Indian banks may ask depositors and customers to list their religion.

"There is no requirement for #Indian citizens to declare their religion for opening/ existing #Bank account or for #KYC. Do not fall for baseless rumours about any such move by Banks," Kumar said in a late evening tweet.