Ayodhya Case: 5-judge Constitution bench of SC to begin hearing today
A five-judge Constitution bench of Supreme Court will begin hearing the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land title dispute case today. The bench will comprise Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices SA Bobde, NV Ramana, UU Lalit and DY Chandrachud. As many as 14 appeals have been filed in the apex court against the 2010 Allahabad High Court judgement. The High Court had ordered that the 2.77 acre land be partitioned equally among the three parties - the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.
Various Hindutva organisations have been demanding an ordinance on early construction of Ram temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya. Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had suggested that any decision on an ordinance on Ram temple in Ayodhya can happen only after the completion of the judicial process.
PM Modi accuses Congress President of insulting Defence Minister
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has accused Congress president Rahul Gandhi of insulting Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. Without naming Mr Gandhi, Mr Modi described the Congress leader's remarks as an insult to all women in the country. Addressing a rally at Agra in Uttar Pradesh, Prime minister said, the country has seen how opposition leaders tried to insult Ms Sitharaman in Lok Sabha when she was speaking during a debate on Rafale deal. Mr Modi said, it is a matter of pride that a woman has become Defence Minister for the first time in the country.
Mr Modi said, opposition parties like SP and BSP are coming together because they are scared of his clean-up mission to uproot corruption. Prime Minister called himself a 'chowkidar' who can pick up a wrongdoer even in darkness in his fight against corruption. Quoting media reports, Mr Modi claimed that middleman Christian Michel, arrested in AgustaWestland VVIP chopper case, was also lobbying for other aircraft deal during the previous UPA government. Prime Minister said Congress should answer which leader of their party has a connection with Michel.
Mr Modi launched various development projects worth 3,907 crore rupees in Agra yesterday.
Parliament passes Constitution 124th Amendment Bill, 2019
Parliament has passed the Constitution 124th (Amendment) Bill, 2019 with the Rajya Sabha approving it last night. The Lok Sabha has already passed it. The legislation provides for ten per cent reservation in government jobs and admission in educational institutions to economically backward people among upper castes. During division on the bill in the Rajya Sabha, 165 members voted in favour of it while seven members voted against. The motion moved by AIADMK, left parties and others to refer the bill to the Select Committee was also negated.
Replying to a ten hour long debate on the bill in the House, Union Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Thaawarchand Gehlot said it is a historic steps towards providing 10 per cent reservation to the economically weaker sections of upper castes. He said, the bill has been brought with good intention and it aims at economic and educational empowerment of the targeted beneficiaries. He rejected the allegation that the bill has been brought in a hurry, saying it was a long pending demand and government wants to deliver justice. Mr Gehlot also clarified that this reservation will be given without tampering with the existing quotas for SC, ST and OBCs. He said, the Law will not be struck down by the Supreme Court if challenged as it has been brought by making required provisions in the Constitution.
Participating in the discussion, Congress leader Anand Sharma said his party supports the bill, but questioned its timing. He alleged that the government brought the bill with an eye on upcoming general elections. He also accused the NDA government of joblessness during its rule. Mr Sharma said that the government could create only 95 thousand jobs in the last three-and-a-half years. Mr. Sharma asked as to how the bill could benefit the people it intends to cover in absence of jobs. Supporting the bill, Ram Gopal Yadav of Samajwadi Party demanded that OBCs should now be given 54 per cent reservation and SCs and STs quota increased to 25 per cent. He also sought reservation for Muslims, saying their condition is worse than the Dalits.
Nod to DNA Technology Regulation Bill
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the DNA Technology (Use and Application) Regulation Bill, 2018 which would regulate the use of DNA technology to establish the identity of persons, including offenders, victims, suspects and undertrials, in connection with criminal and civil matters such as parentage disputes, emigration or immigration, and transplantation of human organs.
The Bill provides for establishment of a national DNA data bank and regional DNA data banks. Every data bank will maintain indices such as crime scene index, suspects’ or undertrials’ index and offenders’ index.
The Bill also provides for seeking the consent of individuals when DNA profiling is used in criminal investigations and for identifying missing persons.
India, Norway agree to closely collaborate on SDGs, ocean economy
India and Norway on January 8 agreed to closely collaborate on ocean economy and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, while vowing to step up bilateral trade, after Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with his Norwegian counterpart Erna Solberg.
Modi and Solberg held delegation-level talks and discussed ways to give "new energy and direction" to bilateral ties.
The two countries also signed an MoU for holding an India-Norway Ocean Dialogue.
Solberg, who arrived here January 7 on her maiden India visit, was accorded a ceremonial reception at the Rashtrapati Bhavan this morning before talks with Modi.
"We reviewed all areas of our cooperation, and discussed ways of giving new energy and direction to bilateral ties," Modi said in his press statement after talks with Solberg.
He said they also had "fruitful discussions" on all aspects of ocean economy.
India and Norway have strong cooperation at the international level and both the countries coordinate closely on issues such as UN Security Council reforms, multi-lateral export control regimes and terrorism, Modi said.
India born Gita Gopinath joins IMF as Chief Economist
India born Gita Gopinath has joined International Monetary Fund as its chief economist.
She has first woman to occupy the top IMF post. Gopinath succeeds Maurice (Maury) Obstfeld as Economic Counsellor and Director of the IMF's Research Department. Obstfeld retired on December the 31st.
The 11th chief economist of the IMF, Gopinath in a recent interview to The Harvard Gazette described her appointment at the IMF as a “tremendous honour”.
Removed by govt, SC brings back Alok Verma as CBI chief
A bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi is expected to consider Verma’s response to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner’s report on the charges against him.
Alok Verma was reinstated as CBI Director by the Supreme Court Tuesday — over two months after the government stripped him of his powers and sent him on leave in a surprise midnight order on October 23. A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi overturned the Chief Vigilance Commission order recommending Verma’s removal and returned him to the post.
The court has, however, directed Verma not to take any policy decisions till the statutory committee meets within a week and decides further on the matter. The statutory committee comprises the Prime Minister, CJI and the Leader of the Opposition.
Khelo India Youth Games to start from January 9, 2019
Union Sports Minister Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore on Sunday launched the jersey for the second edition of Khelo India, rechristened as Khelo India Youth Games, which will kick-start from January 9-20 in Pune.
Building on the success of the inaugural edition, the Minister alongside Khelo India stars Manu Bhaker, Jeremy Lalrinnunga, Saurabh Chaudhary, Lakshya Sen, Esha Singh, Tababi Devi, and Srihari Natraj started the countdown to Khelo India Youth Games with an evocative “#5MinuteAur” campaign. Scheduled to take place at Shree Shiv Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Pune, the Games will see over 10,000 participants from 29 states and seven Union Territories taking part in the two age categories — under 17 and under 21.
In its inaugural edition, Khelo India had a strong message “Kheloge Kudoge Banoge lajawaab” encouraging more kids to play every day, it was an effort towards changing an age-old belief.
Building on the core of this message through the #5MinuteAur campaign, the Ministry wants India to encourage kids to play for those extra five minutes.
“The success of Khelo India School Games is a testimony to the hunger and multitude of sporting talent in India. Buoyed by the terrific response for Khelo India School Games and with an aim to increase participation in sports across all age groups, we have not just added two sports this year but the games will also be played under two age categories U-17 and U-21 to allow even more enthusiasts to participate and flourish. The ‘5 minute aur’ campaign for the Khelo India Youth Games 2019 to be hosted in Pune, Maharashtra is a reflection of the immense strides we’ve made and the journey that lies in front of us to make India a truly sporting nation. We hope it will inspire India to work towards incorporating sports as a way of life,” Rathore said.
I&B announces 25% hike in print media advertisements
There is good news for small and medium-sized newspapers. Ahead of the 2019 elections, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on Tuesday announced a 25% hike for advertisement in print media, over and above the existing rate structure by the Bureau of Outreach and Communication (erstwhile Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity).
The new rate structure will be valid for a period of three years.
The last revision in advertisement rates took place in 2013, when an increase of 19% was announced over and above the rates of 2010. The move is likely to benefit small and medium-sized newspapers greatly, especially those in regional and vernacular languages.
“Every newspaper has a substantial advertising revenue coming in from the DAVP,” said Sanjay Gupta, chief executive officer at Jagran Prakashan Ltd, the company that owns newspapers, including Dainik Jagran and Mid-Day. “Any increase in rates is most welcome and we are grateful given that this was a long-standing demand from the industry.”
PM Modi to launch several development projects at Solapur in Maharashtra & Agra in UP today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Solapur in Maharashtra and Agra in Uttar Pradesh today to launch several development projects. Mr Modi will first head to Solapur where he will dedicate to the nation, the four-laned Solapur-Tuljapur-Osmanabad section of NH-211.
This will help improve connectivity of Solapur with the Marathwada region. An official release said, the Prime Minister will also lay the foundation Stone of 30,000 houses under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana.
These will primarily benefit poor homeless people like rag pickers, rickshaw drivers, textile workers and beedi workers.
Mr Modi will also dedicate to the nation underground Sewerage System and three Sewage Treatment Plants in Solapur. He will also lay the foundation stone of the combined project of improvement in water supply and sewerage system.
The project is expected to bring significant improvement in service delivery and improve public health enabled by technology as a means to create smart outcome for citizens. The Prime Minister will wind up his visit by addressing a public gathering in the city.
Later in the day, Mr Modi will launch Gangajal project and other developmental projects in Agra. The Gangajal programme will improve water supply in the city. The cost of the project is 2,880 crore rupees and will benefit both residents and tourists.