Category: Current Affairs

NATIONAL NEWS 

Cruise drugs case: Witness alleges NCB official demanded ₹25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan to release his son; agency denies claim

An independent witness in the cruise drugs seizure case on Sunday claimed that an official of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and some other persons demanded ₹25 crore from Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan to release his son Aryan Khan in the case. Prabhakar Sail, a witness in the case, told mediapersons that NCB officials also asked him to sign nine to ten blank papers. However, an NCB official denied the allegations, terming them as completely false and malicious. NCB’s zonal director Sameer Wankhede earlier this month led the agency’s ‘drug bust’ on a cruise ship following which Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3. He is currently lodged in the Arthur Road jail here. Recently, the Pune police issued a lookout circular against K.P. Gosavi, another independent witness of the NCB in the cruise drugs case who used to offer people jobs abroad, in a 2018 cheating case. On Sunday, Sail alleged that an official of the NCB, Gosavi and another person, named Sam D’Souza, had demanded ₹25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan to release his son. Sail, who is the personal bodyguard of Gosavi and accompanied him on the night of the raid, said after Aryan Khan was brought to the NCB office, Gosavi met D’Souza. Sail claimed he heard Gosavi telling D’Souza over phone about a demand of ₹25 crore and to settle at ₹18 crore as they have to give eight crore rupees to Sameer Wankhede. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Minister and NCP spokesman Nawab Malik, who has repeatedly termed the cruise drugs bust case as fake, said Sail’s claims were very serious and demanded a probe into it by a Special Investigation Team (SIT). Talking to reporters in Beed, Malik reiterated his allegation that Wankhede was involved in extortion and terrorising the Mumbai film industry, and said he will meet the Chief Minister and Home Minister on Monday in Mumbai seeking a SIT probe into Sail’s claims. Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut in a tweet said, Witness in Aryan Khan case made to sign on blank paper by NCB is shocking. Also, there are reports that there was demand of huge money. CM UddhavThackeray said that these cases are made to defame Maharashtra. This seems to be coming true. Police should take suo moto cognizance. Maharashtra Congress spokesman Atul Londhe said Sail’s allegation substantiated the party’s charge that central agencies were being unleashed against the opposition parties. He demanded that the Supreme Court take appropriate action against the misuse of agencies politically.

First Zika virus case reported in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur 

A Zika virus case has been reported in Kanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, a health official said on Sunday. He said a warrant officer in the Indian Air Force (IAF) was diagnosed with the infection on Saturday, the first in Kanpur. Chief Medical Officer Nepal Singh said that the IAF officer was suffering from fever for the past several days and was admitted to the Air Force Hospital in the district. Following mysterious symptoms in the case, the blood sample was collected and sent to Pune for proper examination which confirmed that the patient was Zika virus positive, he said, adding the report was received on Saturday. Twenty-two more samples of persons who came in contact with the patient and those who have the same symptoms have also been sent for examination, Singh said. Health and civic bodies’ officials have been put on alert to deal with the situation. Besides, several teams have also been tasked to check the spread of the virus in the district, officials said.

Phone calls, daily walks in jail’s green area stopped, says Navlakha’s partner 

Activist and journalist Gautam Navlakha, who was arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case in 2020, has recently been shifted to a high-security section of the Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai and not allowed to call his family and lawyers, said his partner, Sahba Husain, in a statement on Sunday. Husain said Navlakha, who is nearly 70 years old, was shifted to the Anda Circle from the barracks on October 12. Additionally, his telephone calls to me and his lawyers, his lifeline to the outside world, have been discontinued on the pretext that physical mulaquats [meetings] have resumed in jail. I, his partner, Sahba Husain, am over 70, and I live in Delhi. Travelling to Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai frequently to meet him for the allotted 10 minutes is difficult and Gautam’s only contact with me is through the two calls he was allowed every week to me that enabled me to send him articles of need, including medicines, books etc, she said. She said with the phone calls now discontinued, he would be able to make contact only via letters that take at least two weeks to reach. She said not allowing under-trial prisoners to call their lawyers was the height of unfairness. Gautam’s fragile health and well-being will be further jeopardised by this withdrawal of the phone call facility to his family and lawyers. Already, in the Anda Circle, he is deprived of daily walks in the jail’s non-concreted greener areas and fresh air, and his health has deteriorated further, making specialised medical care an absolute necessity, if he is to live to fight this unjust and false case foisted on him, she said. She quoted Navlakha as saying he spends 16 hours a day inside his cell and the remaining eight hours in a cemented corridor surrounded by high walls. Citing the recent death of another accused, Father Stan Swamy, while in custody, she said: These are prisoners of conscience, who have had to face indignities and humiliation for the smallest needs, and wage court battles for basic dignities in prison…Gautam has faced his unjustified incarceration with courage and spirit. How much longer is he going to be persecuted for his views, and to what extent will the authorities go to break his spirit?

Congress versus Congress plays out in social media in Punjab 

The turmoil in the Punjab Congress was playing out on social media on Sunday with Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) chief Navjot Singh Sidhu asserting that he wouldn’t let the political discourse to deviate from real issues and Lok Sabha member Manish Tewari describing the situation in his party as ‘anarchy’. Sidhu’s tweets, viewed in the backdrop of the ongoing fight between Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa and former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh over the latter’s friendship with a Pakistani national Aroosa Alam, isn’t just an attempt to tone down personal attacks but bring back the discourse on the leadership question. Punjab must come back to its real issues that concern every Punjabi and our future generations. How will we counter the financial emergency that stares upon us? I will stick to the real issues and not let them take a backseat! The choice is clear between irreparable damage and the last chance for damage control. Who will bring back State’s resources to the State’s coffers, instead of them going to private pockets? Who will lead the initiative for resurrection of our great State to prosperity!! asked Sidhu. These tweets reflect the nervousness and doubts in Sidhu’s mind about who would be the party’s chief ministerial choice if it manages to retain power. Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi was chosen as a compromise after the faction-ridden leaders couldn’t agree on a name to replace Capt. Amarinder (retd.). But soon the party made a virtue out of necessity as Channi was the first Scheduled Caste (SC) Chief Minister in a State where the SCs make up over 30% of the population. At the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting on October 16, former party chief Rahul Gandhi claimed that empowering Dalit leadership is an article of faith for the party. In less than 24 hours, Sidhu made his letter to party president Sonia Gandhi public. The four-page letter, dated October 15, was ostensibly to seek an audience with her to explain his Punjab Model but the underlying message of his importance was clear. He wrote, Under your esteemed leadership, the Congress party won a 2/3rd majority in the 2017 Assembly elections, campaigning upon a pro-people agenda to give democratic and economic powers of the people back to the people. I personally campaigned in 55 Assembly constituencies, among which we won 53, arguing for a Punjab Model of Development, according to which the rightful resources of the State should come back to the State, instead of going to private pockets. He said his development model was Punjab’s last chance for resurrection and redemption. Far from ‘resurrection’, Tewari, known to be close to Capt. Amarinder (retd.), questioned Sidhu’s elevation.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

New China border law gives stamp of approval for PLA’s LAC actions 

China’s legislature has adopted a new border law, to take effect on January 1, that calls on the state and military to safeguard territory and combat any acts that undermine China’s territorial claims. The law was first proposed in March this year, a year into tensions that erupted along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with India after the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) mobilised two divisions in forward areas and carried out multiple transgressions. China has unresolved border disputes with India and Bhutan. The new law, observers said, would formalise some of China’s recent actions in disputed territories with both India and Bhutan, including the PLA’s massing of troops in forward areas along the India border, multiple transgressions across the LAC, and the construction of new frontier villages along the border with Bhutan. The legislature, which is largely ceremonial in China and controlled by the ruling Communist Party, on Saturday voted to adopt a new law on the protection and exploitation of the country’s land border areas, the official Xinhua news agency said. The law stipulates that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the People’s Republic of China are sacred and inviolable, the text said, adding that the state shall take measures to safeguard territorial integrity and land boundaries and guard against and combat any act that undermines territorial sovereignty and land boundaries. Article 22 of the law says the PLA shall carry out border duties including organising drills and resolutely prevent, stop and combat invasion, encroachment, provocation and other acts. The passing of the law coincides with stepped up Chinese activity along the land borders, which have mirrored actions in disputed waters in the East and South China Sea. The law will give a stamp of approval for the military’s recent actions in disputed areas.

2,700-year-old wine press, carvings discovered in Iraq

Archaeologists in Iraq announced on October 24, 2021, that they have discovered a large-scale wine factory from the rule of the Assyrian Kings 2,700 years ago. They also reveal their discovery of stunning monumental rock-carved royal reliefs. Iraq was the birthplace of some of the world’s earliest cities. As well as Assyrians, it was home once to Sumerians and Babylonians, and to among humankind’s first examples of writing. Some of the most famous carvings that have survived from the Assyrian Period are the mythical winged bulls, with examples of the monumental reliefs seen in the Iraq museum in Baghdad, as well as the British Museum in London and the Louvre in Paris.  The joint team of the archaeologists from the Department of Antiquities in Dohuk and colleagues from Italy said that the stone bas-reliefs, showing kings praying to the gods, were cut into the walls of a nearly 9 kilometer long (5.5 mile) irrigation canal at Faida in Northern Iraq. The carvings, 12-panels measuring five meters (16 feet) wide and two meters tall, show kings, gods, and sacred animals. They date from the reigns of Sargon II (721-705 BC) and his son Sennacherib. Italian archaeologist Daniele Morandi Bonacossi said that there are other places with rock reliefs in Iraq, particularly in Kurdistan, but none are so huge and monumental as this one. He informed that the scenes represent the Assyrian King praying in front of Assyrian gods. Bonacossi also noted that the seven key gods are all seen, including Ishtar, the goddess of love and war, who is depicted on top of a lion.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Amit Shah on his first visit to the Valley post abrogation of Article 370

On his first visit to Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370, bifurcating  the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories on August 5, 2019,  and divesting the Valley of its statehood, Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the security situation and steps taken to combat terrorism in the Valley in the wake of a spate of attacks on civilians, particularly non-local labourers and minorities. Post-civilian killings and in the days running up to Mr Shah’s visit to Srinagar on Saturday, around 700 people have been detained in Jammu and Kashmir, including a few under the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA). The detentions have been made particularly in South Kashmir, a senior government official said, adding that many over ground workers of terrorist groups were among those picked up by the police. Under the PSA, unique to J&K, an individual can be detained on the basis of an executive order for a maximum of two years, without trial, if their act is prejudicial to the security of the State or the maintenance of public order. The crackdown comes ahead of Mr. Shah’s three-day visit to Srinagar-Jammu beginning Saturday. Mr Shah reviewed the security scenario at a meeting held at the Raj Bhawan here  attended by top civil administration officials, including Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, and senior security officials from the Army, CRPF, police and other agencies, officials said. The Home Minister was briefed about the steps taken to eliminate terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir and counter-infiltration measures taken by the forces, the officials said. Mr Shah’s visit to Kashmir comes in the backdrop of 11 civilian killings in the valley in October alone. Five of those killed were labourers from Bihar, while three, including two teachers, belonged to minority communities in Kashmir. Official sources said that 50 companies of additional paramilitary forces are being inducted into the valley in the wake of the recent spate of civilian killings.

Deadly Indian fragrance

An exclusive report by Deputy Editor Jacob Koshy, published in The Hindu today, showed that fragrances too can hide a deadly secret in them. A made-in-India aromatherapy spray has been taken off retail giant Walmart’s shelves in the United States after a medical investigation linked it to melioidosis, a rare disease that has sickened at least four, and may have caused two deaths, in the country. The spray was reported to contain a bacterium, Burkholderia pseudomallei, that causes a rare but deadly disease called melioidosis, the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), said in a statement on Friday. Melioidosis is a rare but serious disease in the United States with 12 cases reported annually. The causative bacterium is extremely elusive and hard to detect and the disease symptoms it manifests are frequently mistaken for other diseases. The true burden of the disease is unknown in India but a 2016 modelling study by scientists at the University of Oxford predicted a global incidence of around 165,000 cases worldwide with an estimated case fatality of 89,000 (54%). This study suggested melioidosis to be endemic to India with an annual incidence of close to 52,500 cases. Treatment usually involves a long intensive course of intravenously delivered anti-microbial therapy. This undated photo provided by Walmart and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows a bottle of Better Homes & Gardens aromatherapy lavender & chamomile essential oil and semiprecious stone-infused room spray. The spray, Better Homes and Gardens Lavender & Chamomile Essential Oil Infused Aromatherapy Room Spray with Gemstones, was found on October 6 in the home of a Georgia resident who became ill with melioidosis in late July. Other than mentioning that the spray was manufactured in India, no other details on the spray’s origins have been disclosed. The contaminated spray was sold at 55 Walmart stores on the company’s website from February to October 21 of this year, when Walmart pulled the remaining bottles of the spray and related products from its store shelves. A sample of the Better Homes & Gardens spray tested positive for the bacterium this week and genetic analysis revealed that it was similar to the strains found in South Asia, the CDC statement noted. It may be recalled that candy giant Mars Wrigley had recalled several batches of its Crispy M&Ms across Europe as the one main ingredient, rice flour originating from India, was detected with genetically modified contamination.

Double-engine government

With Assembly polls due in February next year in Goa, Prime Minister recalled the need for a double-engine government in order to make the state truly self-sufficient. He said this while interacting with the beneficiaries and stakeholders of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat Swayampurna Goa programme’ via video-conferencing. His ‘double engine’ reference was to the importance of having a BJP government at the Centre as well as in the State.Goa can become ‘swayampurna’ (self-sufficient) only when it makes cent per cent use of the developmental avenues and possibilities, Mr. Modi said, adding that ‘Swayampurna Goa’ is a means to fulfil the aspirations of common people. Swayampurna Goa is an assurance of well-being and health of our mothers and sisters. Swayampurna Goa will provide employment and self-employment opportunities to youths and unemployed people, he added. Mr. Modi said that it is not just a programme of five months or five years, but it is a first phase of the vision for next 25 years. That is why, Goa needs continuation of development by double engine government. Goa needs clear policies like the way they are today and a stable government, he said. The Prime Minister said that the coastal State needs energetic leadership like today. With the blessings of entire Goa, we can make the state swayampurna, he said.

Tamil film Koozhangal is India’s official entry to Oscars

Debutant director P.S. Vinothraj’s Tamil film Koozhangal (Pebbles) has been announced as India’s official entry to the Oscars 2022. Presented by Nayanthara and Vignesh Shivan’s Rowdy Pictures, Koozhangal is about the journey of an alcoholic father Ganapathy and his son Velu who are on their way to bring back their wife-mother, who has left their home. Through their eyes, we get an unflinching look at life in a drought-hit village in Madurai. Vignesh Shivan took to Twitter to share and celebrate the news, posting, There’s a chance to hear this! And the Oscars goes to…. Two steps away from a dream come true moment in our lives. #Pebbles #Nayanthara @PsVinothraj @thisisysr @AmudhavanKar @Rowdy_Pictures Can’t be prouder, happier & content. If selected, the film will compete for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film next year. Shaji N Karun, the chairperson of the 15-member selection committee, set up by the Film Federation of India, made the announcement. The 94th Academy Awards will be held on March 27, 2022, in Los Angeles. Earlier this year, Koozhangal also won the prestigious Tiger Award, the top honour at the 50th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2021. The other films in consideration to be India’s official Oscars 2022 entry included Amit Masurkar’s Sherni and Shoojit Sircar’s biopic Sardar UUdham India’s submissions to the Oscars in recent years include Lijo Jose Pellissery’s Jallikattu and Zoya Akhtar’s Gully Boy. No Indian film has ever won an Oscar thus far. The last Indian film that made it to the final list of nominations in the Best International Feature category was Ashutosh Gowariker’s Lagaan in 2001. Mother India (1958) and Salaam Bombay(1989) are the other Indian films to have made it to the final nominations.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Russian, Chinese warships hold first joint patrols in the Pacific

Russian and Chinese warships held their first joint patrols in the western Pacific Ocean over the past week, Russia’s defence ministry said on Saturday, a move Japan said it was monitoring. Moscow and Beijing, which staged naval cooperation drills in the Sea of Japan earlier in October, have cultivated closer military and diplomatic ties in recent years at a time when their relations with the West have soured. The naval manoeuvres, which Russia said ran from Sunday through Saturday, have been closely watched by Japan, which said earlier in the week that a group of 10 vessels from China and Russia sailed through the Tsugaru Strait separating Japan’s main island and its northern island of Hokkaido. The group of ships passed through the Tsugaru Strait for the first time as part of the patrol, Russia’s defence ministry said in a statement. The strait is regarded as international waters. The tasks of the patrols were the demonstration of the Russian and Chinese state flags, maintaining of peace and stability in the Asia-Pacific region and guardianship of the subjects of maritime economic activities of the two countries, the ministry added. China’s defence ministry said on Sunday the joint exercise aimed to further develop the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership in the new era, enhance the joint action capabilities of both parties and jointly maintain international and regional strategic stability. A report on the ministry website said the operation was part of annual cooperation between the two nations and not targeted at third parties. Japanese defence officials said on Sunday the Russian and Chinese vessels had also passed through the Osumi Strait off the southern Japanese prefecture Kagoshima, public broadcaster NHK reported. Foreign ships are allowed to navigate through the Osumi and Tsugaru straits as they are international waterways, but Japan’s defence ministry said it will monitor the two navies, characterising the recent moves as unusual, NHK reported. Japanese officials could not immediately be reached for comment. Reporting by Polina Devitt in Moscow; Additional reporting by Dominique Patton in Beijing and Ritsuko Ando in Tokyo; Editing by Peter Graff and William Mallard.

Rising trade, tensions point to India’s China conundrum.

India’s trade with China rising to record levels in 2021 and set to cross the $100-billion mark for the first time has underlined the challenge New Delhi faces as it looks to recalibrate relations amid a more than year-long border crisis while remaining locked in a deep commercial embrace. The two seemingly contradictory trends in relations have come into sharp focus this month when, three days after the 13th round of talks between military commanders ended in a deadlock with both sides trading accusations, New Delhi hailed a breakthrough for the Indian pharmaceutical industry in China with Hyderabad-based Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories set for a potential windfall, becoming the first Indian pharmaceutical company permitted to launch an anti-cancer drug in the lucrative China market. Huge potential yet to be realized. Both Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla and Ambassador to China Vikram Misri this week highlighted the potential of trade ties. Mr. Misri highlighted pharmaceuticals as particularly having huge potential yet to be realised. He said, in an interview to the Global Times in Beijing, discussions were on-going on the boundary crisis and we hope that both sides can resolve this [border] issue, because it is casting a shadow on bilateral relations. Mr. Shringla also linked the border standoff to overall relations noting in a seminar this week that it was against the backdrop of both sides developing a broad-based relationship that was clearly predicated on ensuring that peace and tranquillity were not disturbed that ties, including trade, took off since the normalisation of relations in 1988. Trade ties have boomed to record levels during the past year — a period which officials in New Delhi acknowledge has marked the lowest point since 1988, in the wake of the crisis along the Line of Actual Control which erupted last summer with China’s unprecedented mobilisation of troops.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Bengal’s power to withhold consent to CBI is not absolute: Centre to Supreme Court

The Centre told the Supreme Court that Mamata Banerjee’s government in West Bengal does not have any absolute power to keep the CBI from investigating crimes inside the State. The Centre said that no power, not even the Union government, has the authority to rattle the autonomy of the premier agency to conduct investigations, especially in the cases of post-poll violence transferred to it by the Calcutta High Court, in which the State Police is under a cloud. The Union Government, through the Department of Personnel and Training, was responding to a suit filed by the West Bengal Government against the Union of India under Article 131 of the Constitution. The State has challenged the CBI’s jurisdiction to register FIRs and conduct investigations in the State in myriad cases. West Bengal said it had withdrawn general consent to the CBI way back in 2018. The State said the CBI’s actions were a direct attack on the federal structure of governance and aimed to harass the ruling Trinamool Congress leaders in the State. The case came up for hearing before a Bench of Justices L. Nageswara Rao and B.R. Gavai on Friday. The Bench said the arguments in the case need to be heard in detail, and posted it for hearing on November 16. The suit is filed by proceeding on the basis that the power to withhold consent is absolute. This certainly cannot be so the Centre said. In its affidavit, the Centre, while maintaining that West Bengal’s power to withhold consent to the CBI was far from absolute, accused the latter of suppressing information in the apex court that the post-poll violence cases were transferred to the agency by the Calcutta HC. It said withdrawal of general consent would not stand in the way of constitutional courts entrusting the CBI with the cases where it is found that the State Police would not effectively conduct a fair and impartial investigation. Besides, the CBI was empowered to probe cases concerning any of the Central subjects enumerated in the Union List in the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution. The affidavit said the alleged crimes under investigation were offences under parliamentary laws. All these would be traceable to laws made by Parliament… the State government would not have the competence to use its police force to investigate these offences, the Centre argued. The Union’s affidavit referred to 12 cases highlighted by the State. It said these cases also relate to offences of corruption against Central Government employees, etc. There are numerous investigations which are being carried out against Central Government employees or have either pan-India impact or impact on more than one State for the purpose of conducting investigation into such offences. It is always desirable and in the larger interest of justice that the Central agency conducts the investigation in such cases, the Centre said. It questioned why West Bengal had made the Union of India the sole party in the suit before the Supreme Court. The Union of India has not registered any case in the State of West Bengal, nor has it been investigating any case, the 61-page affidavit said. The Centre said West Bengal has strangely not made CBI a party to the suit. Suits under Article 131 are filed exclusively in the Supreme Court with regard to disputes between States, or between the Centre and State. The Centre said that since the Union of India has nothing to do with the affair and since the CBI was an autonomous body not controlled by the Union Government, the suit was misplaced and should be dismissed. The apex court had issued notice in the suit in early September. The State government, in its plea, has sought a stay of investigation in the FIRs lodged by the CBI.

Bhima Koregaon Commission summons Param Bir Singh and Rashmi Shukla 

The Bhima Koregaon Commission on Friday issued summons to IPS officers Param Bir Singh and Rashmi Shukla to appear as witnesses in the caste-based violence that occurred on January 1, 2018 in Pune. The Commission is a judicial inquiry which was appointed in February 2018 after violence broke out when Dalits were attacked while observing the 200th anniversary of the battle against the Peshwas that the British won with the help of Dalit soldiers.  Commission, headed by JN Patel, retired chief of Kolkata High Court and Sumit Mullick, former Maharashtra Chief Secretary, on Friday issued summons to Singh, who was the Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) in 2018 and Shukla, who was the Commissioner of Pune police. They are expected to respond to the summons by November 8, 2021. So far, several extensions have been given to the Commission and over 35 witnesses have deposed before it. However, the evidence is still evolving and several State and Police officials are expected to depose as witnesses soon, Commission’s lawyer Aashish Satpute told The Hindu. The Commission has so far received nearly 500 affidavits — from victims, Dalit outfits, NGOs, right-wing groups, government and police officials — across Pune, Mumbai and Thane.

79 cases booked under unlawful conversion law in U.P 

Of the 79 cases registered against unlawful conversion under the 2020 law in Uttar Pradesh till July this year, chargesheets have been filed in 50 cases, while final report was filed in seven cases, according to a document submitted by the State government in the Allahabad High Court. Of the 79 FIRs, investigation was pending in 22 cases, the State government said in a counter affidavit in response to a bunch of PILs challenging the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act 2021 (earlier ordinance 2020). Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel promulgated the ordinance on unlawful conversion days after it was passed by the Yogi Adityanath-led State cabinet last November. Out of the 79 FIRs lodged till July 7, most were registered in Bareilly zone 21, followed by Meerut Zone 15, Gorakhpur 12, Agra seven and Prayagraj five. The cases in which final report was submitted include the Moradabad case last December when the husband of a Hindu woman Pinki who was pregnant was arrested under the law. The woman, who was temporarily kept in a government shelter, had reportedly suffered a miscarriage leading to outrage over the case. Her husband Rashid and his brother were arrested when they had reached the marriage registration office in Kanth on the complaint of Pinki’s mother, who alleged Rashid had induced her into marriage and converted her under the garb of providing her a job. Later, in her statement before a magistrate, Pinki had said they married through consent as both were adults. The final report was also placed in the Shahjahanpur case where five persons, including two Christians originally from Tamil Nadu and two Dalits, were booked under the ordinance on the complaint of Ram Lakhan Verma, a city convenor of the Bajrang Dal. Verma had alleged that they were trying to lure him and others into converting into Christianity with the promise of jobs and free education for children. The accused were also thrashed by members of the right-wing outfit. However, the accused denied the charges and said they were only participating in a musical prayer service in a marriage lawn on January 3, 2021 to mark the first Sunday of the New Year. While providing data under the new law, the State government’s affidavit said the the assertion that no official data is available to substantiate the claim that the social fabric is threatened by [forcible conversions] is fallacious, misconceived, not admitted and is denied. The new law makes religious conversion a cognisable and non-bailable offence, inviting penalties of up to 10 years in prison if found to be effected for marriage or through misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or other allegedly fraudulent means.

One dead in south Mumbai tower blaze 

One person died after falling from the 19th floor and 16 others were rescued after a fire broke out in the 60-storey Avighna Park in south Mumbai’s Curry Road area around midday on Friday. The fire was doused by evening and Municipal Commissioner of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has ordered an inquiry based on the complaints filed by other residents of the high rise. Arun Tiwari, 30, was working as a security guard in the building and was present at the 19th floor when furniture work was going on in one of the flats. He panicked and ran to the window from where he was trying to come out by hanging outside. But he fell. He was rushed to the KEM hospital but he was declared dead on arrival, said a fire brigade official. Mumbai mayor Kishori Pednekar said the staff of the tower should have rushed to evacuate and help immediately after the fire broke out while fire brigade was on its way. Had they acted, the man could have been saved, she said. Pednekar added that residents have complained against the developer of Avighna Park for non-cooperation in land conveyance and other matters. It has resulted in delay in several safety-related matters in the tower and today’s incident is a result of that, she said. Municipal Commissioner Iqbal Singh Chahal said the civic officials have taken a note of complaints of residents. An administrative probe will be conducted and action will be taken based on that, he said. The fire broke out at around 11.45 a.m. A total of 40 vehicles, including 14 fire engines, nine jumbo tankers, one control room vehicle, and skylift were on the spot. The fire was controlled by around 3.30 p.m. and it was completely doused by around 4.58 p.m.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

China launches Shenzhou-13 spacecraft with three astronauts on a historic 6-month mission

China on October 16, 2021 launched Shenzhou-13 spacecraft carrying three astronauts – two men and one woman – on a historic 6-month long mission. The spacecraft was launched aboard a Long March-2F rocket from Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the northwestern province of Gansu. The spacecraft will dock with the Tianhe module, the core module of a future space station where they will live and work for the next six months. The mission will set a new record for the length of time spent in space by Chinese astronauts, as it would be their longest stay in space as the nation looks to complete building its own space station. 

China’s second crewed mission will continue the work of the first three-person crew, who had spent 90 days aboard. The members of the first crewed mission had conducted two spacewalks and had deployed a 10m mechanical arm before returning to the Earth in mid-September.

New social media platform launched by Donald Trump

Former US President Donald Trump is planning to launch his own social media platform called ‘TRUTH Social’. Trump said the social media group will form “a rival to the liberal media consortium.” Trump said in the statement, “We live in a world where the Taliban has a huge presence on Twitter, yet your favorite American President has been silenced.” A beta version of ‘TRUTH Social’ will be available for invited guests in November, as per an official statement released via email by the Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG). Truth Social will be created through the merger of Trump Media and Technology Group (TMTG)and Digital World Acquisition Group. The merger will result in TMTG eventually becoming a publicly listed company, which will be subject to regulatory and stockholder approval. Truth Social is being launched with a mission to give a voice to all, said Trump, Chairman of TMTG. Through the platform, he looks to fight back against Big Tech. Trump stated that he created TRUTH Social and TMTG to stand up to the tyranny of Big Tech. He also mentioned that he is excited to send out his first TRUTH on TRUTH Social very soon. Truth would be equivalent to a tweet.

NATIONAL NEWS 

Supreme Court says farmers have right to protest but can’t block roads

The Supreme Court on Thursday saw the farmers’ side and the government engage in a verbal clash during a physical hearing. Farmers, represented by senior advocate Dushyant Dave and advocate Prashant Bhushan, said roads were deliberately blocked in order to turn public sentiments against them. The protesters should be allowed to enter the Ram Lila Maidan and Jantar Mantar to continue their protests against the agricultural laws. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for Haryana, reminded the court about the Red Fort violence in January that left several hundreds injured and others killed. A Bench led by Justice S.K. Kaul acknowledged that there is a problem with movement, we are not going to accept there is no problem. It stated that a solution needed to be found for the nearly two-year impasse between farmers and the government. The court noted that it had laid down the law in the Shaheen Bagh protests case that the right to protest should not hamper the right to movement of the public. Justice Kaul observed, The law is laid down. There is no reason for the SC to lay down the law again and again… Ultimately, some solutions have to be found — roads cannot be blocked. Dave contended that the right to protest was a fundamental right. The roads were blocked by police. The government’s view on violence by protesters seemed to be skewed. He asked why farmers were not being allowed at Jantar Mantar when Tuesday saw massive protests organised by the BJP in the area over the attack on Hindus in Bangladesh during Durga pooja. The solution is to allow us to agitate at Jantar Mantar… Mehta submitted, Last time they came, it became a serious issue… something much more than a serious issue. He insinuated that sometimes it is felt the farmers’ agitation is not for the cause but for something else. Dave retorted that farmers felt the same way about the government’s agricultural laws. We also feel that the farm laws are not for the farmers but for something else… If you are going to make allegations against the farmers, we will make allegations against you. He repeated that the only solution to the problem would be to allow farmers’ entry to the Ram Lila Maidan. Mehta said the Ram Lila Maidan has become a permanent residence for many. He referred to how there was material to suggest that the protests were funded by anti-national elements. So far, only four out of 43 farmers’ bodies and leaders have responded to the top court’s notice on a plea by a Noida resident to remove the blockades. Dave told the Bench that a similar case was being heard by another Bench and this case should be transferred there. The court issued notice on new petitions filed by other private citizens seeking the removal of the blockades. The Bench posted the hearing on December 7.

Anil Deshmukh money-laundering case: CBI chief Jaiswal is a ‘potential accused’, Maharashtra government tells HC 

CBI director Subodh Jaiswal himself should be considered a potential accused in the central agency’s probe against former Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh, the State government told the Bombay High Court on Thursday. Senior counsel Darius Khambata, who appeared for the Maharashtra government, told a bench of Justices Nitin Jamdar and S.V. Kotwal that during 2019 to 2020, when Jaiswal was the State Director General of Police (DGP), he was also part of the Police Establishment Board. The senior IPS officer was thus involved in decisions on transfers and postings of police officers which the CBI is now probing, the lawyer said. The Maharashtra government has challenged before the High Court summons issued by the CBI to State chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and present State DGP Sanjay Pandey to record statements in connection with the agency’s probe against Anil Deshmukh. Recommendations for transfers and postings were approved by Jaiswal in his capacity as DGP during Deshmukh’s tenure, Khambata said. A CBI probe is ongoing into transfers and postings of state police officers made during former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh’s tenure. Then the next in line (to be probed) is the Director General of Police, who is the fulcrum, who is at the heart of the issue of transfers and postings. So having the former DGP head the investigation is like having Anil Deshmukh investigate it himself, the State’s lawyer said. The CBI is probing allegations of corruption made by former Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh against Deshmukh, an NCP leader. Following an order of the Bombay High Court on April 5, 2021, the CBI conducted a preliminary inquiry into the allegations made by Singh against Deshmukh and later registered an FIR. In September this year, the CBI summoned Maharashtra chief secretary Sitaram Kunte and the present DGP Sanjay Pandey for recording statements in the case. The Maharashtra government has moved the HC challenging the summons. Advocate Khambata also pointed out that the HC’s April 5 order had said that whoever was part of the alleged corruption, even the complainant himself, must be investigated. He showed the court the minutes of meetings where Jaiswal, as part of the police establishment board, had approved transfers of several police officers. Jaiswal was present at every meeting on transfers, Khambata claimed. So shouldn’t the CBI ask Jaiswal why he recommended these transfers? But to do this, a CBI officer will have to summon and question his own director. Even in theory, it is absurd. It is the very antithesis of a fair investigation when the CBI director is a potential accused, the State’s lawyer added. Jaiswal, who was known to be an upright officer, must himself state that the CBI cannot go on with its probe, Khambata said. It will be absurd if a junior CBI officer will have to put these questions to his director. And it boggles my mind that a potential accused is heading the agency, he said. Khambata urged the HC to appoint a retired judge or some other suitable person to head the probe against Deshmukh and monitor it. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor Generals Aman Lekhi and Anil Singh, who appeared for the CBI, opposed the State’s plea. The State’s stand is disingenuous. It is a misconceived petition to delay and derange the investigation, Lekhi claimed. The court said it could not grant any interim stay to the summons as it would mean making comments on the merits of the case. It granted liberty to the CBI to file a reply and posted the matter for further hearing on October 28.

Sidhu calls Amarinder Singh ‘architect’ of Centre’s farm laws 

Punjab Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Thursday called former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh the architect of the Centre’s three farm laws against which farmers have been protesting at the Delhi borders. Sidhu’s remark came two days after Amarinder Singh said he would launch his own political party and that he was hopeful of a seat arrangement with the BJP, provided the ongoing farmers’ stir against farm laws was resolved in the agriculturists’ interest. Amarinder Singh, who faced an unceremonious exit from the State government last month, had also said that he was looking at an alliance with like-minded parties such as breakaway Akali groups. The architect of three black laws… Who brought Ambani to Punjab’s kisani… Who destroyed Punjab’s farmers, small traders and labour for benefiting one-two big corporates, Sidhu tweeted in an apparent reference to farmers’ allegations that big corporates will dictate terms to agriculturists with the passage of these laws. Amarinder Singh had resigned as the Punjab Chief Minister last month amid a bitter power tussle with Sidhu. Charanjit Singh Channi replaced him as the Chief Minister. Hundreds of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at the Delhi borders since November 26 last year, demanding the repeal of the three farm laws.

Actor Ananya Panday appears before NCB to record statement 

Actor Ananya Panday appeared before the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) on Thursday after the central agency allegedly came across WhatsApp chats during its investigation against Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in a drugs case, sources said. Ananya’s father Chunky Panday accompanied her to the NCB office located at Ballard Estate in south Mumbai, where they reached around 4 pm. The NCB’s Mumbai zonal unit, which is probing the cruise drugs seizure case, in which Aryan Khan has been arrested, visited Ananya Panday’s residence in Bandra this morning and summoned her to record her statement later in the day, the sources said. Ananya’s name cropped up in the case after certain WhatsApp chats between her and Aryan Khan were allegedly found in the latter’s mobile phone, the sources said, adding that earlier in the day, the NCB officials had seized her mobile and laptop. Ananya was asked to appear before the NCB in the afternoon. Accordingly, she along with her father Chunky Panday appeared before the NCB officials, the sources said. The NCB officials, however, are yet to clarify about her role, if any, in the case. There was heavy deployment of police outside the NCB office and a large number of media persons were also present there. Aryan Khan was arrested with a few others on October 3 after the NCB raided a cruise ship off the Mumbai coast and claimed to have seized drugs, including charas. An NCB team visited Shah Rukh Khan’s residence ‘Mannat’ in suburban Bandra this afternoon for seeking from him certain material related to the investigation into the case, an official said. On Thursday morning, Shah Rukh Khan met his son Aryan Khan at the Arthur Road jail in Mumbai where the latter has been lodged following his arrest in the case.

Adityanath government plans to take action against policewomen who clicked photo with me: Priyanka Vadra 

Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Thursday claimed that the Yogi Adityanath government is planning to take action against some Uttar Pradesh policewomen who had posed for a photograph with her. The news is coming that Yogi ji got so upset with this picture that he wants to take action against these policewomen, Priyanka Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi along with the picture which is said to have been clicked on Wednesday while she was on her way to Agra to meet the family of a Dalit sanitation worker who had died in police custody. If it is a crime to take pictures with me, then I should also be punished as it does not suit the government to spoil the career of these hardworking and loyal policewomen, Priyanka added. The Congress leader was stopped on the Lucknow-Agra Expressway while she was on her way to meet the family members of Arun, who was accused of stealing ₹25 lakh from Jagdishpura Police Station in Agra and died in police custody after his health deteriorated during interrogation. According to a senior Lucknow Police official, an inquiry has been ordered into the matter of the women police personnel posing with the Congress general secretary to see if there is any violation of service rules.

Minor porn addicts kill 6-year-old girl in Assam 

The police in central Assam’s Nagaon district arrested two minor porn addicts who stoned a six-year-old girl to death for resisting sexual abuse. An eight-year-old boy was also arrested for abetting the crime, along with the parents of one of the two boys — both 11 — for trying to suppress the incident and tamper with evidence. The girl was killed on October 18 at a village under the Uluoni police station. Found lying unconscious inside the toilet of a stone-crushing mill, she was declared dead on arrival at a local hospital. Sub Divisional Police Officer Mrinmoy Das said the victim was a next-door neighbour of the three accused, who are related. The two 11-year-olds were porn addicts, seemed mature beyond their age and capable of execution of a gruesome crime. One of the minors, who studies at an English medium school, wanted to have a physical relationship with the victim but she resisted, he said. He attacked her with a stone after she said she would tell her parents about his misbehaviour. The other 11-year-old boy also hit her with a stone and she died, Das said, adding that the eight-year-old helped the other two dispose of the body. The parents of the first 11-year-old were arrested for trying to hush up the crime and tamper with evidence, the police officer said. The boy was using his father’s smartphone. We found pornographic materials in the phone’s browsing history. He used the phone for his online classes but got addicted to watching porn and would show the X-rated contents to the other two, his cousins, Das said. The boys were sent to a juvenile home on Thursday while the arrested parents are likely to be remanded to judicial custody, the police said. Nagaon SP Anand Mishra said the incident underlined the need for family or social intervention and institutional guidance to children exposed to the ills of pornographic or violent content available online. Jayanta Das, a Guwahati-based psychiatrist, blamed the incident on abuse and overuse of technology and lack of parental guidance, with modern-day parents tending to let even infants be entertained with mobile phones instead of telling them stories or spending quality time with them. The pandemic, too, has created a situation where the parents are compelled to hand the mobile phone over to their children for online classes, he told The Hindu. He advised parents and adults to use mobile phones responsibly as children tend to imitate their actions. Access to porn has become very easy. This has hugely affected our children. The roles of parents and teachers have become very important, the psychiatrist said.

Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments 

The cumulative COVID-19 vaccine doses administered in the country surpassed the 100-crore milestone on October 21. According to official sources, around 75% of India’s all eligible adult population has been administered at least the first dose and around 31% has received both the doses of the vaccine. India took 85 days to touch the 10-crore vaccination mark, 45 more days to cross the 20-crore mark, and 29 more days to reach the 30-crore mark, according to the Union Health Ministry data. The country took 24 days to reach the 40-crore mark from 30-crore doses and then 20 more days to surpass the 50-crore vaccination mark on August 6. It then took 76 days to go past the 100-crore mark. The top five States which have administered the highest number of doses are Uttar Pradesh, followed by Maharashtra, West Bengal, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh. The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 3,41,29,124 with the death toll at 4,52,871. 

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

Martin Scorsese, Istvan Szabo to be conferred with Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award

Anurag Thakur, the Union Minister for Information and Broadcasting, has announced that the renowned film directors Martin Scorsese and Istvan Szabo will be honoured with Satyajit Ray Lifetime Achievement Award at the 52nd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) to be held in Goa. The 52nd edition of the International Film Festival of India will take place in Goa from November 20 to 28, 2021. This will also be for the first time that IFFI has invited major OTT platforms to participate in the international film festival. As per the Union Minister, India is a land of storytellers, and its tales have captured the imagination of the world. India’s wide variety of stories right makes us the content subcontinent. The 52nd International Film Festival of India will pay homage to actors Sumitra Bhave, Dilip Kumar, Buddhadeb Dasgupta, Surekha Sikri, Sanchari Vijay, Bertrand Tavenier, Jean-Paul Belmondo, Jean-Claude Carriere, and Christopher Plummer.

Sandra Mason elected as the first-ever president of Barbados

Sandra Mason was elected as the first-ever President of Barbados on October 20, 2021, with a two-thirds vote during a joint session of the country’s House of Assembly and Senate. The 72-year-old Mason will replace Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II as head of state of Barbados, in a decisive step towards abolishing the monarchy and bringing the nation out of its colonial past. This is a major milestone on its road to republic, the government said in a statement. Mason will be formally sworn in as President on November 30, 2021, on the occasion of the nation’s 55th anniversary of independence from Britain.  Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley called the election a seminal moment in the country’s journey. Mottley said, We have just elected from among us a woman who is uniquely and passionately Barbadian, does not pretend to be anything else (and) reflects the values of who we are.

NATIONAL NEWS

Lakhimpur Kheri | Supreme Court wants U.P. to dispel impression of ‘dragging its feet’

The Supreme Court on Wednesday found it hard to dispel the impression that the Uttar Pradesh Government is dragging its feet in the Lakhimpur Kheri case in which a Union Minister’s son is accused of mowing down protesting farmers. A three-judge Bench, led by Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana, discovered from a status report filed by the Government just minutes before the hearing that only four of 44 witnesses to the brutal incident have given their statements to the judicial magistrate so far. The incident, which allegedly involves the convoy of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni, occurred on October 3. A statement recorded by a magistrate under Section 164 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) is valuable later during trial as corroborative evidence. It can be used to bolster the prosecution case against the accused. Any delay in recording statements under Section 164 CrPC creates room for influencing the witnesses. Senior advocate Harish Salve, for U.P., said he was instructed that the delay occurred due to the Dussehra holidays. The courts had been closed for the festival. What is the connection between Dussehra vacation and criminal courts? Chief Justice Ramana shot back.  Justice Surya Kant stated, Why have the statements of only four witnesses been recorded out of 44? Your Special Investigation Team is the best person to know who can be browbeaten? The State’s Additional Advocate General, Garima Parshad, said the police had not wasted time and, in the meanwhile, reconstructed the crime scene. Chief Justice Ramana addressed Parshad, The reconstruction of the crime is different from recording the Section 164 CrPC statements of witnesses. Our question is why were they not taken all this while? Justice Hima Kohli, on the Bench, told the State we think you are dragging your feet… Please dispel the impression. Chief Justice Ramana told Salve, Please tell them to start on the Section 164 statements. The senior lawyer urged the court to adjourn the case to next week. He promised that things would be cleared up by then. He said that in the last hearing on October 8, the court voiced doubts whether the State was going soft on the accused. How many of the accused have been arrested? the CJI asked. Salve said ten have been arrested in the case of the farmers’ deaths. He highlighted that there were two crimes involved. One was regarding the running over of farmers and the other concerning the lynching of three people in the ensuing violence. He submitted that the second incident was more difficult to investigate as it was a mob that was involved. The court observed that the case needed to be bifurcated. The Bench, which had taken suo motu cognisance of the Lakhimpur Kheri events, said it would first focus on the farmers deaths. How many of the 10 accused persons in this case are in judicial custody and police custody? the CJI asked. When Salve said four were in police custody, the court asked about the remaining six accused. Parshad informed that they were earlier in police custody and then sent in judicial custody.

Priyanka Gandhi stopped from proceeding towards Agra: Lucknow Police 

Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was on Wednesday stopped by Uttar Pradesh Police from going to Agra to meet the family members of a man who died in police custody and was later taken to the police lines. The police said the Congress general secretary was stopped at the Lucknow-Agra expressway as the Agra district magistrate had requested not to allow any political personality to go there following the man’s death. She has neither been taken into custody nor arrested. Because of the massive crowds, the movement of traffic was being hampered and she was first asked to either go to the party office or her residence but when she did not agree, she was sent to the police lines, Lucknow police commissioner D.K. Thakur said. A Congress spokesman had claimed that Priyanka Gandhi has been taken into custody while she was going to Agra to meet the family members of the sanitation worker who had died in police custody. To a query from newspersons in Kushinagar on Priyanka Gandhi being stopped from going to Agra, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had earlier in the day said, Law and order is supreme and no one will be allowed to play with it. While being taken to the police lines, Priyanka Gandhi told newspersons that she will definitely go to Agra. The Congress spokesman had alleged that Priyanka Gandhi was made to stop at the expressway for about two hours and later taken into custody, A similar confrontation had occurred early this month when the Uttar Pradesh Police had prevented the Congress leader from visiting the families of farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri. She was taken into preventive custody for over 48 hours before being allowed to visit the families along with Rahul Gandhi and other Congress leaders.

Aryan Khan moves Bombay High Court after special court rejects bail 

Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan on Wednesday moved the Bombay High Court after a special court under the Narcotics Drugs Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act rejected his bail in the case of the busting of a drug racket on a cruise on October 2. The appeal of Aryan Khan (23) in the High Court is expected to be heard on Thursday. Khan, who is lodged at the Arthur Road Jail, was arrested on October 3 by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) after the cruise raid. Special Judge V.V. Patil also rejected the bail pleas of Arbaaz Merchant, 26, and Munmun Dhamecha, 39 arrested with him. Khan had sought bail through senior advocate Amit Desai on the grounds that there has been no recovery of possession of contraband found from him. Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh, for the NCB, has opposed Khan’s bail, saying, Mr. Khan has a role in illicit procurement and consumption of contraband. It is prima facie revealed that he used to procure contraband from Merchant and the sources connected to him from whose conscious possession six grams of charas was recovered. On October 2, the agency seized 13 grams of cocaine, five grams of MD (mephedrone), 21 grams of charas, 22 pills of MDMA (ecstasy) and ₹1,33,000 in cash at the International Cruise Terminal, Mumbai.

BJP open to tie-up with Amarinder Singh, says party leader 

The BJP on Wednesday appeared open to an alliance with the yet to be formed political party of former Punjab Chief Minister Captain (retd.) Amarinder Singh, a day after the latter made an overture. BJP general secretary and party’s Punjab in-charge Dushyant Gautam said Capt. Singh was a patriot and the BJP was open to tie-ups with nationalist forces. On Tuesday, Capt. Singh stated that he would soon announce his own political party and was hopeful of a seat arrangement with the BJP if the farmers’ issue was resolved in their interest. On his condition of resolving farmers’ issues, Gautam noted that Capt. Singh had not spoken about ending the farmers’ agitation. He talked about farmers’ issues. We are committed to it and are working for the welfare of farmers. If the time comes, both will sit together and discuss farmers’ issues, he observed. Our main agenda is nationalism and keeping the nation first. All those parties who want to form alliances with us on this agenda are welcome. Capt. Singh was once a soldier and his stand on the issues of national security should be praised. He was a soldier. He knows about the threats to the country and how to secure it. He is patriotic. And whenever it is a matter of national security and security at the borders, we have appreciated his stand, Gautam remarked, adding that nationalists were not untouchables to the BJP. Senior sources in the party disclosed that one could anticipate a move towards resolving the long-running agitation of farmers against the three controversial farm laws. Several options are being mulled in terms of a way out, including a new expanded committee of stakeholders to hold talks with farmers go into the nitty gritties of the demands by farmers, a source explained. Interestingly, Capt. Singh had met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval after he quit as Chief Minister. At that time, it was said he had spoken of the security challenges in the border State post the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan.

Supreme Court debates shifting from virtual to physical hearings twice a week 

The Supreme Court’s decision to shift gears from virtual to physical hearings twice a week became a hot point of debate on the very first day of the court’s re-opening after Dasara holidays on October 20, 2021. Several senior lawyers across the spectrum, including senior advocate Kapil Sibal and Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, urged Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana to not make physical hearings mandatory. Sibal said physical hearings should not be made a hard-and-fast rule. The senior lawyer said some cases had records which ran into 50 to 60 volumes, and allowing just one briefing lawyer inside the courtroom would affect proper legal representation of the matter. The CJI said the court was forced to modify its standard operating procedure (SOP) to make physical court mandatory on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The first full physical hearing in the Supreme Court would start from October 21, a Thursday. The CJI said certain sections had been clamouring that the court was shirking from physical hearings. According to the modified SOP, lawyers have an option to opt either physical or virtual mode on Tuesdays. The Chief Justice said some of his colleagues still had reservations about physical hearings. Sibal said several High Courts continued to hold hybrid hearings. He said physical hearings should be given further thought and any positive action on it should be deferred to after Deepavali. The Chief Justice explained that a committee of Supreme Court judges set up by former Chief Justice S.A. Bobde decided the issue of physical hearings. Sibal’s request had to be put before this committee. Sibal said he and other lawyers could meet the committee this week. The CJI agreed to place the issue before other judges later in the day.

Covid Watch: Numbers and Developments 

The number of reported coronavirus cases from India stood at 3,41,08,367 with the death toll at 4,52,684. Fully vaccinated travellers, coming from a country with which India has reciprocal arrangements for mutual acceptance of WHO approved COVID-19 vaccines shall be allowed to leave the airport and need not undergo home quarantine and testing from October 25, according to the revised guidelines for international arrivals released on Wednesday. They will, however, have to produce a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR report. If partially or not vaccinated, the travellers need to undertake measures which include submission of sample for post-arrival COVID-19 test at the point of arrival after which they will be allowed to leave the airport, home quarantine for seven days, re-test on the eighth day of arrival in India and if negative, further self monitor their health for next seven days. These guidelines for international arrivals supersede of all guidelines issued on the subject on and after February 17, 2021, the Union Health Ministry said.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

UAE assures energy supplies to India for its growing demand

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday vowed to meet India’s growing energy demand, saying it will remain the nation’s trusted partner of choice. Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said the UAE is investing across its energy supply chain to remain a reliable energy provider to India and the world. Stating that the energy demand is outpacing supply, he said the present global scenario calls for continued investment across the entire energy sector to avoid a deeper supply crunch. Speaking virtually at the 5th India Energy Forum by CERAWeek, he said India’s economy is returning to robust, almost double-digit growth as the world recovers from the pandemic. He acknowledged the challenges facing the energy sector during this phase and explained how the UAE is responding to remain a long-term and reliable energy provider to India and the world. This recovery comes with challenges, particularly for the energy sector, as we are seeing energy demand outpacing supply. It is clear that while the world rightly embraces the energy transition, we will need oil and gas for many decades to come. The current demand dynamic is, therefore, a wake-up call to continue to invest across the entire energy sector to avoid a deeper supply crunch, he said. This, he said, is the approach being taken in the UAE. We are investing across our energy supply chain and increasing our oil and gas capacity to ensure we remain a reliable, responsible energy partner to the world and India in particular. The minister said India is one of the UAE’s closest friends and one of its most important trading partners and the strategic ties between both countries have strengthened in recent years.

 

Alignment of U.S. and Indian interests ‘makes a great difference’, says Biden’s envoy nominee to Beijing – the vie

U.S. President Joe Biden’s nominee for the post of Ambassador to Beijing, Nicholas Burns, said the alignment of U.S. and Indian interests in the Indo-Pacific makes a great difference in terms of the challenges posed by China. Mr. Burns was answering a question on the U.S.’s opportunities and constraints in collaborating with different countries while dealing with Beijing. The comparative advantage that we have versus China is that we have treaty allies. We have partners who deeply believe in us and the Chinese really do not, Mr. Burns said, highlighting U.S. President Joe Biden’s emphasis on treaty partnerships in the Indo-Pacific, such as with Japan, Australia, South Korea, Thailand and Indonesia. He also mentioned India, which is not a treaty partner with the U.S., but a ‘Major Defence Partner’ and a country that regularly holds bilateral and multilateral security exercises with the U.S. As you know — and I think every administration since President [Bill] Clinton has been working on this — we have a newfound security partner in India, that makes a great difference to have Indian and American interests aligned as they clearly are, strategically, in the Indo-Pacific, Mr. Burns said. As a foreign services officer, Mr. Burns had played a key negotiating role in the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement. He held senior positions in both Democrat and Republican administrations — a point that came up during his hearing. Currently Mr. Burns is a professor at the Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. Giving credit to former President Donald Trump and his Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for reinvigorating the Quad grouping of countries, Mr. Burns said President Biden had organised two leader-level meetings of the Quad already. He also said the U.S.’s newly launched security partnership with the U.K. and Australia (AUKUS) was transformational. Overall, Mr. Burns said he would support the Biden administration’s policy of vigorously competing with China in some areas (economy, infrastructure, technology) and cooperating in other areas (such as climate action), while also holding China accountable for its actions in the Indo-Pacific. Mr. Burns also supported the U.S. speaking out against human rights abuses in China, and said that genocide was occurring in Xinjiang.

NATIONAL NEWS

Singhu murder: Congress questions Union Minister’s meeting with Nihang leader

Photographs of a meeting between Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar and Baba Aman Singh, leader of the ‘Nihang’ sect, whose members have confessed to killing a young man at the Singhu border in Haryana’s Sonipat, has created a flutter in political circles. The Agriculture Ministry, however, made it clear that the meeting that was held in July this year was not an official meeting and took place at the residence of Minister of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary. The photographs of the meeting show Tomar, Choudhary, Gurmeet Singh Pinki — a Punjab police officer who was dimissed from service and convicted for murder — and Baba Aman Singh together. The photograph was taken at a meeting, which took place in July at Kailash Choudhary’s residence, it was a courtesy meeting… As a politician, Tomar meets with a lot of people and his doors are always open to religious leaders, a senior official told The Hindu. Asked whether the meeting was in relation to the farmers’ protests, the official denied any connection. With the photographs going ‘viral’ on social media platforms, the Congress hit out at the BJP, demanding an explanation. Punjab’s Deputy Chief Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Tuesday said there appeared to be a deep-rooted conspiracy to defame the ongoing farmers’ agitation against Centre’s farm laws. Randhawa said the government will get to the bottom of the case and identify and expose the conspirators behind the incident. In view of the recent disclosures about one of the ‘Nihang’ leaders having already been in touch with the government of India, Minister for Agriculture N.S. Tomar in particular, the lynching incident has now taken an entirely different turn. The same Nihang leader is now defending the main accused for the killing of the victim (Lakhbir Singh). The victim belonged to village Cheema Kalan in Tarn Taran and was very poor. We need to find out who lured him to Singhu border and who paid for his travel as he could not even afford his meals, said the Deputy Chief Minister. He added that he had instructed the local administration to find out under what circumstances Lakhbir was taken from his home to the Singhu border. Randhawa also asked in what capacity the Nihang leader had met the Minister and whether he was mandated to do so by the farmers’ organisations spearheading the campaign against three black farm laws. This has raised genuine doubts and suspicion among the minds of people, which will need to be cleared and the Punjab government will do everything to reach to the root of the conspiracy and expose and punish the culprits, he said. Incessant rain claims 11 more lives in Uttarakhand; Nainital cut off from rest of State. Eleven more deaths were reported in Uttarakhand on Tuesday as incessant rains continued to lash various parts of the state, especially the Kumaon region, razing houses to the ground and leaving many trapped in the debris. This takes the toll in rain-related incidents across Uttarakhand to 16, with five deaths reported on Monday. Nainital was cut off from the rest of the state, with three roads leading to the popular tourist spot blocked due to a series of landslides.

Sizeable number of eligible COVID-19 vaccination beneficiaries have not received their second dose, says Health Ministry

A good number of COVID-19 vaccination beneficiaries have not received their second dose and the States have been asked to focus on this, Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has said. He reviewed the progress of vaccination with senior health officials of States and Union Territories (UTs) earlier this week. The country launched the vaccination programme on January 16. Bhushan noted that the nation was close to administering a billion doses. Many States had adequate doses to vaccinate those awaiting the second dose. The Central Government is in a position to provide additional vaccine doses to the States/UTs so that they can complete the second dose vaccination. We also need to improve the momentum of the vaccination drive, he stressed. The Health Ministry stated that the government had advised the States and the UTs to identify and prioritise districts having low coverage for focused action and explore requirements for mobilisation efforts, address local challenges, look for the need for additional COVID-19 vaccination centres, and improve the access in rural areas. They were also requested to share their strategies to enhance second dose coverage. The Ministry pointed out that it was now in the process of reviewing international travel guidelines in consultation with all stakeholders, including the Ministry of Home Affairs, the Bureau of Immigration, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the Ministry of External Affairs. The States and the UTs have been requested to share their suggestions or feedback.

Central Vista architect may be used by A.P. for tri-city spread

The Andhra Pradesh government is likely to rope in the architect of the Central Vista in New Delhi, Bimal Patel, for its tri-city spread of government offices and Assembly buildings, with the executive branch being settled in the port city of Visakhapatnam. The Andhra Pradesh government plans to shift its executive wing, including the Chief Minister’s Office, to Visakhapatnam. There is a court case with regard to some plans that need to be sorted out but the tri-city plans are still on, said a senior State official. The land acquired in Amaravati would be used to set up Assembly buildings and the Andhra Pradesh High Court would come up in Kurnool. The Andhra Pradesh government has shortlisted Bimal Patel’s firm for the project, as the company’s experience in public buildings is commendable, said the source. Speaking to The Hindu, Patel observed that as of now, we are doing a guest house project for the government of Andhra Pradesh. Government officials in Andhra Pradesh said court cases needed to be settled before anything could go ahead formally. Patel, a leading architect, especially in the space of public buildings and projects, is the man behind the Central Vista project redrawing the Parliament building and much of office space of the Central ministries. He had designed the Ahmedabad riverfront project, and is currently involved in the redevelopment of Sabarmati Ashram, which was established by Mahatma Gandhi. The capital of Andhra Pradesh had earlier been finalised as Amaravati and extensive land acquisition via land pooling had taken place. The election of Jagan Mohan Reddy as Chief Minister in 2019, however, led to a change of plans and a slew of legal challenges and counter challenges, including one on the new government’s plans to divide the capital into three areas. On the question of why Visakhapatnam was chosen by the Jagan Mohan Reddy government as the site of a new capital, a senior YSRCP leader said the city had both an airport and a seaport, offices of major Public Sector Undertakings and a potential to become a metropolis.

Worth a lesson for law students on how long a civil case could drag on, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court has signed off a hard-fought, five-rounder litigation which dates back half a century regarding a debt of ₹3,000. We wish this will be the knock-out round, Justice V. Ramasubramanian, who authored the judgment for a Bench led by Justice Hemant Gupta, conveyed the top court’s fervent hope in the very first paragraph of the 22-page verdict. The court compared the habit of the litigants to bounce back after every failed round to King Vikramaditya’s relentless pursuit to capture the ghost, Betal. Not to be put off by repeated failures, the appellants herein, like the tireless Vikramaditya, who made repeated attempts to capture Betal, started the present round and hopefully the final round, Justice Ramasubranian observed while tracing the labyrinthine history of the case. The dispute dates back to 1971 between Rama Rani Devi and Sasadhar Biswas before the Munsif court in West Bengal. The subject of their dispute was the ₹3,000 Biswas owed Devi. In 1974, the Munsif directed Biswas to pay Devi the amount in six equal installments. However, the Munsif’s decree was not honoured. Devi moved the court for execution of the decree through attachment and sale of 7,450 sq.ft. belonging to Biswas to realise her debt. The civil court agreed. However, Biswas challenged the sale proclamation of the land by the civil court, saying there was material irregularity and fraud in it. But his challenge was dismissed in 1975. An auction sale was held in 1979. Two brothers, Sachindra Nath Mukherjee and Dulal Kanti Mukherjee became the highest bidders. They deposited ₹5,500, as the highest bid amount, in court. Biswas, in July 1980, reached a compromise with the brothers, who agreed to revoke the auction provided he pay them their entire money by December 1980. Biswas deposited ₹3,700 but the brothers had paid ₹5,500 in the auction. The brothers and Biswas had a falling out. The former went to court against Biswas. After several twists and turns, the dispute reached the Supreme Court in 1992 and is dismissed against Biswas. Justice Ramasubramanian said the dispute had exhausted the gunpowder in this first round. But the litigants had no intention to stop. The second round was kick-started with a suit to declare the auction sale void. However, this effort was aborted later. The third round was concerned about the issuance of the sale certificate. This came to an end in 2001. The fourth round followed shortly when the auction purchasers moved the civil court for delivery of possession of the land. This round went on till 2006 until the Supreme Court put its foot down and dismissed a review petition challenging the delivery of the property. But it seems the litigants were in no mood to give up. In the fifth and present round, the Biswas family members raised the ‘bogey’ of jurisdictional error to avoid delivery of the property to the Mukherjees. It had been over four decades since the Mukherjee brothers paid ₹5,500 for the property in the auction held in 1979.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS 

India, Israel, UAE, U.S. decide to launch quadrilateral economic forum

India, Israel, United Arab Emirates and the United States have decided to launch a new quadrilateral economic forum. Quadrilateral builds on ongoing cooperation between U.S., Israel and UAE after the Abraham Accords last year. This QUAD grouping had decided to establish an international forum for economic cooperation and discussed possibilities for joint infrastructure projects expanding economic and political cooperation in the Middle East and Asia. India, the United States, Israel and the UAE have decided to form a forum for future economic cooperation and to explore possibilities of joint infrastructure projects in the fields of Transportation, Technology, Maritime security, Economics, Trade as well as for additional joint projects.

N. Korea test-fires submarine-launched ballistic missile, S. Korea says

North Korea fired a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM) off its east coast on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, pulling Japan’s new prime minister off the campaign trail and overshadowing the opening of a major arms fair in Seoul. The U.S. military’s Indo-Pacific Command condemned the launch as destabilising, but judged it did not pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies. U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged Pyongyang to comply with Security Council resolutions that ban ballistic missile launches. Deputy U.N. spokesman Farhan Haq said Gutierrez called for North Korea to swiftly resume diplomatic efforts for peace and the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. South Korean and U.S. officials were investigating if the missile was a smaller, previously unseen version displayed last week at an exhibit in Pyongyang, a South Korean military source told Reuters, citing ongoing analysis. They were also examining whether the missile was fired from North Korea’s experimental Gorae-class submarine, he added, speaking on condition of anonymity. The launch, reported by officials in South Korea and Japan, followed a meeting of U.S. and South Korean envoys in Washington on Monday to discuss the nuclear standoff with the North. North Korea has persisted with military development despite international sanctions over its nuclear weapons and missile programmes. South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile was launched about 10:17 a.m. from the sea in the vicinity of Sinpo, where North Korea keeps submarines as well as equipment for test firing SLBMs.Our military is closely monitoring the situation and maintaining readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States, to prepare for possible additional launches, its statement said. It was not immediately clear if the missile was fired from a submarine or from a submersible test barge, as in most previous tests. A military source said it flew about 430 km to 450 km (267 to 280 miles) to a maximum altitude of 60 km (37 miles). North Korea’s last SLBM test was in October 2019, when a Pukguksong-3 missile was fired from an underwater platform, flying 450 km to a maximum altitude of 910 km