Top news: Homes and offices of lawyers Indira Jaising, Anand Grover raided by CBI

Rachit Seth quits as Congress’ media coordinator, says ‘no point blaming BJP, fault within’

Congress’ National Media Coordinator Rachit Seth resigned from his post on Thursday, and said there was no meaning left for him to continue after the resignation of Rahul Gandhi as the party chief.

Talks on Kartarpur corridor will be taken up on July 14, says Ministry of External Affairs

Ministry of External Affairs Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar on Thursday said that any discussion on the Kartarpur corridor will be taken up with Pakistan in a meeting on July 14. Kumar added that India was committed to complete the project and expected two structural aspects of the corridor to be completed on time.

India should stop harassing employees of ‘Greater Kashmir’, says Committee to Protect Journalists

United States-based non-governmental organisation Committee to Protect Journalists on Tuesday urged Indian authorities to “stop harassing” employees of Greater Kashmir, a newspaper in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The statement came amid reports that the National Investigation Agency questioned the newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief Fayaz Ahmed Kaloo in New Delhi for six days.

Tamil Nadu: MDMK leader Vaiko among six candidates elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha

Six candidates from Tamil Nadu were on Thursday elected unopposed in the biennial elections to Rajya Sabha. This includes Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary Vaiko and Pattali Makkal Katchi’s Anbumani Ramadoss. The other four candidates who were elected unopposed are – General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s Labour Progressive Front M Shanmugam, senior advocate P Wilson, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s former minister A Mohammedjan and the party’s Mettur secretary N Chandrasekaran.

Over 150 concerned citizens condemn CBI raids on advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover

Over 150 citizens on Thursday condemned the raids on the homes and offices of senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover earlier in the day. The signatories said the raids, which were carried out on their properties in both Delhi and Mumbai, were “nothing short of a brute show of intimidation as well as gross abuse of power”.

Four Adivasis injured in alleged pellet gun firing by forest officials in Madhya Pradesh

Madhya Pradesh forest officials used pellet guns against Adivasi farmers who were resisting an eviction drive in Siwal village in Burhanpur district on July 9. Four Adivasi men were injured, and one had to be taken to a hospital in Indore, said an activist working with the community.

Farooq Abdullah calls for dialogue between Indian and Pakistan to resolve Kashmir dispute

National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said that the Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan needs to be resolved through dialogue and not military might. “Kashmir is a dispute between two countries [India and Pakistan],” said the Srinagar parliamentarian. “The issue is still in the United Nations. The UN observers are still here and in Pakistan-held Kashmir. The issue should be resolved and it will be resolved only when they talk to each other and when India will talk to people here in Kashmir and Pakistan with the people in Azad Kashmir [Pakistan-occupied Kashmir].”

West Bengal: BSF jawan loses hand in attack by alleged smugglers along India-Bangladesh border

A Border Security Force jawan lost his right hand and sustained serious injuries early on Thursday in an alleged attack by Bangladeshi cattle smugglers along the international border in West Bengal, officials said. The jawan also suffered pellet injuries to his lungs, liver, and stomach due to the impact of the country-made bombs that were thrown at him.

Karnataka crisis: Speaker seeks time to decide on resignations, SC refuses urgent hearing

Karnataka Assembly Speaker KR Ramesh Kumar on Thursday moved the Supreme Court seeking more time to decide on the resignations of rebel MLAs of the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular). He moved the court hours after it had directed him to make a decision by Thursday itself and permitted the MLAs who have quit to meet Kumar at 6 pm to tender their resignations.

Congress leader P Chidambaram says political crisis in Karnataka, Goa will impact economy

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram on Thursday criticised the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party government over the ongoing political crisis in Karnataka and Goa. Chidambaram said the recent developments had “gravely damaged” democracy, and that they were likely to have an impact on the economy.

‘Party took a different direction after Parrikar’s death,’ says son on defection of Goa MLAs to BJP

Former Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar’s son Utpal Parrikar appeared to oppose the induction of 10 Congress MLAs into the Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday. “The words like trust and commitment which were at the core of the BJP during Manohar Parrikar’s time ceased to exist on March 17 [the day on which Parrikar died],” Utpal Parrikar told PTI. “The party has taken a different direction after March 17 and only time will tell whether it is the right one.”

Delhi HC asks BJP MP Harsh Vardhan to respond to plea challenging his election to Lok Sabha

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked Union minister Harsh Vardhan to respond to a petition challenging his election to the Lok Sabha. The plea sought that his election from the Chandni Chowk constituency of Delhi be declared void. Justice Navin Chawla sent a notice to Vardhan asking for his reply to the petition, which was filed by a man claiming to be a voter from the constituency. The court listed the matter for further hearing on September 24.

Karnataka crisis: ‘Why should I quit?’ asks HD Kumaraswamy, reminds BS Yeddyurappa of events in 2009

Karnataka Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy on Thursday rejected calls for him to quit as his 13-month-old government struggles to stay afloat after the mass resignations of his ruling coalition MLAs. “Why should I resign? What is the necessity for me to resign now?” Kumaraswamy said in response to a media query. He said that in 2009-’10, then Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa of the Bharatiya Janata Party had not resigned when 18 MLAs had turned against him.

At 210,000 years old, broken skull from Greece cave is the oldest found outside Africa

Researchers have claimed that a broken skull found from a cave in Greece is the oldest modern human fossil ever found outside Africa. The partial skull was discovered in the Apidima cave on the Mani peninsula in southern Greece and is estimated to be at least 2,10,000 years old, becoming the oldest known modern human fossil in Europe.

Pakistan: 14 killed and 79 injured after passenger train collides with freight train in Sadiqabad

At least 14 people were killed and 79 were injured after an express train collided with a freight train at the Walhar Railway Station in Pakistan’s Sadiqabad tehsil on Thursday. Rahim Yar Khan district’s Deputy Commissioner of Police Jamil Ahmed Jamil said all the passengers aboard Akbar Express were evacuated and track clearance operations were under way. Heavy machinery was used to remove passengers stuck in the train. They were also offered food and water, he added.

UP MLA accused of threatening daughter for marrying Dalit man says ‘she has right to her choices’

On Wednesday, Mishra’s 23-year-old daughter Sakshi Mishra appeared in a video on social media, claiming that she and her husband were being chased and hounded by her father’s goons. The couple had married on July 4.

Parliament: Rahul Gandhi says farmers are suffering, Rajnath Singh claims Congress is to blame

The Lok Sabha on Thursday took up discussions on various questions, including farmer suicides. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said bank notices issued to farmers for non-payment of loans had worsened the agrarian distress. He also claimed that no concrete steps were taken by the government in the Union Budget to relieve farmers’ debts.

Gujarat: Former BJP MP Dinu Solanki and six people get life term for RTI activist’s murder

A special Central Bureau of Investigation court in the city of Ahmedabad in Gujarat on Thursday sentenced former Bharatiya Janata Party MP Dinu Solanki and six people to life imprisonment for the murder of Right to Information activist Amit Jethwa. Jethwa was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court on July 20, 2010.

Maharashtra: Part of bridge in Palghar district washed away in heavy rains, no casualties reported

A portion of a bridge was washed away in Maharashtra’s Palghar district on Thursday following heavy rains. No casualties were reported, said District Disaster Management Cell chief Vivekananda Kadam. Kadam said the bridge was located over a river at Morchundi village in Mokhada taluk. Morchundi connects Nashik and Palghar districts.

Gujarat: Family of Dalit man killed by in-laws say they were threatened by woman’s relatives

The family of a Dalit man who was allegedly killed by his upper-caste wife’s relatives in Gujarat claimed they were constantly threatened by the woman’s family since the couple got married six months ago.

Goa CM Pramod Sawant and 10 Congress MLAs who defected to BJP to meet Amit Shah in Delhi

However, Sawant refused to speculate if any minister from his government will be dropped to make way for the new legislators. “I will not be able to say anything till I meet the leaders,” he added. The BJP-led government has the support of three Goa Forward Party MLAs and three Independents.

Karnataka crisis: Supreme Court asks speaker to decide on rebel MLAs’ resignations today

The Congress and Janata Dal (Secular) legislators had sought the hearing of an urgent plea against Kumar for not accepting their resignations. They are currently holed up in a hotel in Mumbai.

Ayodhya case: Supreme Court asks mediation panel to submit progress report by next week

The three-member panel is led by retired Supreme Court judge FMI Kalifulla, and also comprises spiritual leader Ravi Shankar and senior advocate Sriram Panchu. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi said it would hear the matter on a day-to-day basis from July 25 in case the dispute does not get resolved by mediation.

Karnataka crisis: Supreme Court allows rebel MLAs to submit resignations to speaker at 6 pm

The 10 MLAs, from the Congress and the Janata Dal (Secular), are Pratap Gouda Patil, Ramesh Jarkhiholi, Byrati Basavaraj, BC Patil, ST Somasekhar, AS Hebbar, Mahesh Kumathalli, K Gopalaiah, HD Vishwanath and Narayan Gowda. They are holed up in a hotel in Mumbai at present.

CBI searches homes, offices of lawyers Indira Jaising and Anand Grover in FCRA violation case

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Thursday started searching the homes and offices of senior advocates Indira Jaising and Anand Grover in Delhi and Mumbai in a case related to alleged violation of rules under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act.

Karnataka crisis: ‘Why is BJP in a hurry to capture all states?’ asks Mamata Banerjee

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of indulging in horse-trading in Karnataka, and claimed that the ruling alliance’s rebel legislators were locked up in Mumbai, PTI reported.

Muzaffarnagar riots: Bail granted to three people accused of murder that triggered communal violence

A court in Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar district on Wednesday granted bail to three people accused of killing a youth, whose death triggered riots in 2013. District Sessions Judge Sanjay Kumar Pachori gave bail to Prahlad, Bishan Singh and Tendu. He said the accused would be released from jail after they furnish two sureties of Rs 1.5 lakh each.

Automobile production declined 10.53% in April-June quarter, say manufacturers

The automobile industry continued to experience a downturn during the first quarter of 2019-’20, producing 7,215,513 vehicles compared to 8,064,744 in April-June 2018, a decline of 10.53%, the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers said on Wednesday.

Assam floods: At least three killed and more than two lakh people affected, says government

At least three people were killed in rain and flood-related incidents in Assam’s Golaghat, Dhemaji and Kamrup metropolitan districts on Wednesday. The State Disaster Management Authority said 2,07,100 people in 11 districts had been affected in the floods till Wednesday. The other districts facing the floods are Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Darrang, Barpeta, Nalbari, Chirang, Majuli, Jorhat and Dibrugarh.

Health ministry sets up committee to consider central law against attacks on doctors

The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has constituted a 10-member committee to assess the aspects of enacting a central law against attacks on doctors and medical establishments. The committee held its first meeting on Wednesday.

UP mining scam: Former minister Gayatri Prajapati and four IAS officers named accused by CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday registered two fresh cases in connection with the Uttar Pradesh mining scam after raids across the state. The case pertains to the renewal of sand mining lease licences allegedly in violation of the e-tendering process introduced by the state government in 2012.

Ayodhya land dispute: Supreme Court to take up plea for early hearing in the case on Thursday

The Supreme Court will on Thursday will take up a plea for early hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid land dispute case. The bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, is likely to decide on the mediation in the matter.

Maharashtra: Court grants bail to Congress MLA Nitesh Rane in civic engineer assault case

A court in Maharashtra on Wednesday granted bail to Congress MLA Nitesh Rane and 18 of his supporters on a surety of Rs 20,000 each. They were arrested last week and sent to judicial custody on Tuesday for pouring mud on a civic engineer and tying him to a bridge near Kankavli in Sindhudurg district.