In a debate in the Lok Sabha on Friday, Union Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman accused the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government of creating a deadlock in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. She claimed that while the Bofors defence deal had sunk the Congress, the Rafale deal would help bring Narendra Modi’s government back to power.
In a hearing that lasted under a minute, the Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the Ayodhya land dispute case to January 10, when an appropriate bench will pass orders on the matter.
Rafale debate: Nirmala Sitharaman responds to Congress’ accusations, says UPA created deadlock
Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday accused the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government of creating a deadlock in the Rafale fighter jet deal with France. “China and Pakistan are building a bigger fleet,” she said during a debate in the Lok Sabha on the deal. “The UPA government wanted only 18 flyaway fighter jets. UPA created a deadlock.”
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Rafale debate: Rahul Gandhi asks why Nirmala Sitharaman did not bring up Anil Ambani
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday questioned Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s decision not to mention industrialist Anil Ambani even once during her statement in the Lok Sabha on the Rafale jet deal.
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Lok Sabha passes amendments to make Aadhaar voluntary for phones and banking
The Lok Sabha on Friday passed the Aadhaar and Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, which sought to amend relevant laws to comply with a Supreme Court judgement passed in September. The Union Cabinet had approved the amendments last month.
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UP policeman who imitated gunshot sounds in viral ‘thain thain’ video injured: Times of India
A police officer who mimicked the sound of gunshots during an encounter last year was injured in a gunfight in Uttar Pradesh on Friday morning, The Times Of India reported.
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‘NREGA being systematically undermined, use it to solve farm crisis,’ leaders and activists tell PM
Several legislators and activists have written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing their “alarm” at the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government’s attempts to “systematically undermine” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employee Guarantee Act.
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Sabarimala row: Curfew imposed in parts of Kerala, chief minister’s security increased
Authorities on Thursday issued prohibitory orders in parts of Palakkad and Kasargod districts of Kerala after violence that followed the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple.
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Merger of public sector banks will not lead to job losses, says Arun Jaitley
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Friday said the merger of public sector banks would not lead to job losses. The move to merge Vijaya Bank and Dena Bank with Bank of Baroda will create a bigger entity like the State Bank of India, he said.
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HD Deve Gowda advises Congress to treat regional parties well with General Elections in mind
Janata Dal (Secular) chief and former Prime Minister HD Deve Gowda on Thursday called on the Congress to treat regional parties well before allying with them ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
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No Indian citizen will be left out of NRC, Narendra Modi says in Assam
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday visited Silchar, Assam, where he said that no Indian citizen would be left out of the National Register of Citizens.
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BJP appoints three union ministers as central observers in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh
The Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday appointed central observers for the election of leaders of its legislature party in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The party lost power in all three states in the recently-held Assembly elections.
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Meghalaya trapped miners: Supreme Court asks state and Centre for status report on rescue operation
The Supreme Court on Friday asked the Centre and the Meghalaya government to file by January 7 a status report on the steps taken to rescue 15 workers stuck in a mine in the state since December 13. The court was hearing a petition seeking urgent directions to the authorities to rescue the trapped miners.
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Rafale: Rahul Gandhi demands inquiry against PM Modi for corruption, ‘weakening national security’
Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Friday demanded an investigation against Prime Minister Narendra Modi for corruption and “weakening national security” by giving the Rafale contract to “his friend” Anil Ambani. In addition to corruption, the PM should be investigated for weakening national security by giving the Rafale contract to his friend and international debt master, Anil Ambani,” Gandhi tweeted.
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Parliament: AIADMK walks out of Rajya Sabha, House discusses Women’s Reservation Bill
Legislators of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam walked out of the Rajya Sabha on Friday, protesting against the construction of a dam across the Cauvery river. Rajya Sabha Chairperson Venkaiah Naidu said the walkout was preferable to ruckus in the House.
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Haryana: Man, his mother arrested for allegedly buying minor girl for Rs 2 lakh, confining her
The Haryana Police have arrested a man and his mother from Bhiwani for allegedly buying a minor girl for Rs 2 lakh and illegally confining her. The girl, who is believed to be 15 years old, is currently undergoing treatment at a hospital in Hisar for injuries she suffered while trying to escape from the house where she was confined by jumping from the first floor of the house.
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Lokpal: Supreme Court orders Centre to file affidavit on steps taken to set up search panel
The Supreme Court on Friday ordered the Centre to file an affidavit outlining the steps it had taken since September to set up a search committee for the Lokpal. The court asked Attorney General KK Venugopal to file the affidavit by January 17.
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Madhya Pradesh: Congress government restores practice of singing Vande Mataram at state secretariat
The Congress government in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday made a U-turn and decided to restore the practice of singing the national song at the state secretariat from February, PTI reported.
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Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA claims he is ready to bomb people who feel they are unsafe in India
Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Vikram Singh Saini, who was elected to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly from Muzaffarnagar, on Thursday claimed that he is ready to bomb people who believe they are unsafe in India. In December, actor Naseeruddin Shah sparked controversy when he said that he feels anxious for his children in present day India.
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Joint Parliamentary Committee adopts report on Citizenship Bill despite opposition
A Joint Parliamentary Committee on Thursday adopted a report clearing the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2016, which seeks amendments in the Citizenship Act, 1955, PTI reported.
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Ayodhya dispute: SC defers hearing to January 10, says appropriate bench will pass further orders
The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing in the Ayodhya land dispute case to January 10. A bench comprising Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice SK Kaul said further orders on the matter will be passed by an appropriate bench on that date.
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Ajay Maken resigns as Delhi Congress chief
Congress leader Ajay Maken on Friday said he has resigned as Delhi party president. Maken, in a tweet, thanked Congress President Rahul Gandhi and party workers for supporting him. Gandhi has accepted his resignation.
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Supreme Court to take up Ayodhya land dispute petitions today
The Supreme Court will on Friday take up a batch of petitions related to the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. The top court is likely to constitute a three-judge bench to hear 14 separate petitions filed against the 2010 Allahabad High Court verdict that ordered a three-way division of the land.
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Sabarimala: Sri Lankan woman claims police stopped her from offering prayers at hill shrine
A 46-year-old woman from Sri Lanka on Friday claimed that the Kerala Police denied her permission to offer prayers at the Ayyappa temple in Sabarimala. She told reporters that she was stopped despite reaching close to the 18 sacred steps which leads to the temple.
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Delhi: Seven people killed as portion of factory collapses after LPG blast
Seven people were killed when a portion of a factory collapsed under the impact of an LPG cylinder blast in the building in West Delhi’s Sudarshan Park on Thursday. A few more people are feared trapped under the debris.
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Sabarimala: At least 745 arrested, 628 taken into preventive custody after a day of violence
At least 745 people were arrested and dozens injured after mobs took to the streets in Kerala on Thursday, to protest against the entry of two women of menstruating age into the Sabarimala temple. At least 628 people were taken into preventive custody.
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RBI has reduced printing of Rs 2,000 notes to a minimum: Reports
The Reserve Bank of India has reduced to a minimum the printing of currency of Rs 2,000 denomination, an unidentified Ministry of Finance official said. He claimed that the government had decided to reduce the printing of Rs 2,000 notes at the time of their launch itself.
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Congress leaders Bhupinder Singh Hooda, Motilal Vora granted bail in land allotment case
A Central Bureau of Investigation court on Thursday granted bail to former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda and senior Congress leader Moti Lal Vora in a case related to an alleged illegal re-allotment of a plot to Associated Journals Limited in Panchkula district.
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Cyclone Pabuk will hit Andaman and Nicobar islands on Friday, says Met department
Cylone Pabuk will arrive at the Andaman and Nicobar islands on Friday, bringing heavy rainfall at several places, according to the India Meteorological Department. Weather department officials have warned fishermen against going out to the Andaman Sea till Monday.
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