Lalu’s ‘roller over Varun’ remark: First information Report, warrant out

An arrest warrant was issued against RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav a day after he told a rally in Bihar’s Muslim dominated Kishanganj that had he been Home Minister, he would have “run a roller” over BJP’s Varun Gandhi for his hate speech against Muslims.

Kishanganj SP Ramnarain Singh told reporters: “We examined the CD of Lalu Prasad’s speech and found it provocative.” An FIR was lodged against him at the Town police station under sections of the IPC and Representation of the People Act. Singh said a warrant was in place to arrest the RJD chief. The offence is bailable.

Meanwhile, Lalu Prasad today claimed he meant “kanoon ka roller (roller of the law)” in his speech. LJP chief Ram Vilas Paswan came to his defence, calling it a “political speech”. “Laluji meant he would have taken strict action against Varun. He said it in other words.

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Rush to open IITs is a disaster: Prime Minister Science Advisor

In its hurry to boost higher education before elections, the Centre has pushed through six new IITs, setting up some in infrastructure challenged temporary campuses, and packing others into existing IIT complexes. It is a “disastrous” move, feels Prof C N R Rao, head of the Prime Minister’s Scientific Advisory Council.

“There was no proper discussion on this issue. Things could have been planned better. It took over 50 years to make IITs what they are today. After all it’s not like opening primary schools. These are institutes of excellence that have international standing. I am very upset that eight new IITs have been announced for implementation at one go. In July, I had written to the PM as well as the HRD Ministry and have made my views known to the PM when I met him later,” Rao said. He added that the move would bring down the brand value of the IITs.

Of the eight new IITs, six have started functioning in the current academic session in Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa, Gujarat and Punjab. For the time being, IIT Rajasthan, Punjab and Orissa will operate from existing IIT campuses in Kanpur, Delhi and Mumbai. IIT Patna and IIT Gandhinagar will function out of temporary campuses.

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