Feb 23 News Live | Modi, EPS to address joint rally in Madurai on Mar 1

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the milestone of 30 lakh households getting rooftop solar power under the PM Surya Ghar scheme and said the initiative is part of the government's efforts to build an energy-secure and future-ready India.

Modi said this in response to Union Minister of New and Renewable Energy Pralhad Joshi's announcement that India has taken a historic leap towards a solar-powered future.

Joshi said 30 lakh households across the nation are now empowered with rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar scheme, turning sunlight into savings and sustainability.

In his post on X, Modi said, "A commendable milestone in India's clean energy journey! Compliments to all those who have benefited from this scheme and embraced rooftop solar power thereby boosting savings, sustainability and self-reliance. This scheme is a part of our efforts to build an energy-secure, green and future-ready India."

A postgraduate student of Jadavpur University was allegedly assaulted on the campus on Monday evening following a freshers’ programme.

The English department student, identified as Priyam Chatterjee (PG-I), was allegedly dragged away from the venue of the department’s freshers’ event by some members of a group referred to as “Collective (DSF)” and beaten near the Faculty of Engineering & Technology department.

Professors intervened and rescued the student, taking him to the administrative building, Aurobindo Bhavan, which houses the vice-chancellor’s, pro-VC’s and registrar’s offices.

Chatterjee reportedly fell unconscious and remained in a critical condition.

Tension escalated further when members of the same group allegedly gheraoed Aurobindo Bhavan, preventing people from entering or leaving the building for some time.

Following intervention by faculty members, the injured student was admitted to KPC Medical College and Hospital for treatment.

The attack was reportedly related to the February 20 incident when two professors and several students were injured in a clash between SFI and We The Independent (WTI) members on the campus.

Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh has moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the FIR and quashing of a criminal case registered against him over alleged insult to a “deity” while mimicking Kantara Chapter-1 film.

The controversy relates to gestures allegedly made by the actor at the Filmfare Awards event in Goa while speaking about the film. He is accused of imitating a Daiva and calling it “devil”.

Based on a complaint lodged by advocate Prashanth, an FIR was registered at the High Grounds police station.

Police had earlier issued notices to Singh in connection with the case.

As there was no response from the actor, the High Grounds police reportedly initiated steps to proceed with further legal action recently.

The Indore bench of the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Monday granted all parties two weeks to submit their objections and suggestions on the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) report concerning the disputed Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Masjid complex.

Hindus consider Bhojshala, in the neighbouring Dhar district, a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim community claims the 11th-century monument to be the Kamal Maula Mosque.

The complex is protected by the ASI.

A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi noted that the ASI report, submitted in sealed envelopes, has been opened and copies have been provided to the parties.

However, the parties have not yet submitted their objections and suggestions, the court said, setting the next hearing for March 16.

The NHRC on Monday said it has taken cognisance of reports that at least six Indian workers were allegedly held captive by their employer near Bangkok for the last six months, and sought comments from the MEA.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it has sought comments from the Ministry of External Affairs within a week on "whether it could render any assistance to the families of the victims".

In a statement, the rights panel said it has taken suo motu cognisance of a media report that "at least six persons from Kendrapara district of Odisha have been held captive by their employer for the last six months in an area near Bangkok in Thailand".

The incident came to light on February 17 when the victims recorded a video describing their plight, it said.

"They are being confined inside the factory and being subjected to physical as well as mental torture by their employer," the rights panel said, quoting the reports.

The Supreme Court on Monday expunged critical observations of the Madhya Pradesh High Court against a special trial court judge, saying the “hasty conclusion” accusing the judge of “intellectual dishonesty” was “totally unwarranted”.

The special court, dealing with Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act cases, had convicted an accused in a sexual assault case.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court had reversed the decision and made critical observations against the special judge that he exhibited a “sign of intellectual dishonesty”.

The high court had said that the special judge and the public prosecutor committed a “major lapse” in doing injustice to the accused and putting him behind bars for over three years by overlooking the fact that the victim was a consenting adult.

On Monday, a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi was hearing an appeal by the special judge of the trial court against the December 17, 2025, order of the high court which made the adverse remarks against him.

A separate appeal was also filed by the public prosecutor, as a show cause notice seeking an explanation was issued against him as well as the special judge.

“We are satisfied that observations of the high court are totally uncalled for, out of context, being contrary to section 94 (method of determining age) of the Juvenile Justice Act, 2015...Impugned judgment so far as it pertains to the appellants (judge and prosecutor) is set aside,” the CJI said in the order.

Five people were killed and at least 14 injured when a double-decker bus overturned near the toll on the Purvanchal Expressway near Lucknow on Monday evening after the driver lost control of the vehicle.

According to officials, 80-85 passengers were on board the bus, which was going from Ludhiana in Punjab to Motihari in Bihar, when the accident took place.

DCP (South), Lucknow, Nipun Agarwal, said five people—one man, one woman and three children—died. A case has been registered.

Israeli settlers vandalised a mosque in the Israeli-occupied West Bank early Monday, spray-painting offensive phrases and setting a fire, according to the Palestinian Authority's Ministry of Religious Affairs.

Security camera footage reportedly showed two people walking towards the mosque carrying gasoline and a can of spray paint, and running away a few minutes later.

The Religious Affairs Ministry said that settlers vandalised or attacked 45 mosques in the West Bank last year. The incident came as Muslims observe the holy month of Ramadan.

Palestinians and rights groups say that Israeli authorities routinely fail to prosecute settlers or hold them accountable for violence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami will jointly address an election campaign rally in Madurai on March 1, senior AIADMK leader KP Munusamy announced on Monday.

The rally, organised by the NDA, marks a significant show of strength for the coalition in southern Tamil Nadu ahead of the upcoming assembly elections.

Addressing reporters after a consultative meeting with party functionaries from Madurai city and suburban districts, Munusamy said the rally would be presided over by the AIADMK chief.

He added that a consultative meeting with district administrators was held to ensure that the event is organised in a grand manner.