The Supreme Court once again lashed out at the central government and state governments of places afflicted by air pollution this season. The court noted that the air quality was affecting people’s health and even reducing life spans, and instructed the central and Delhi governments to set aside their differences and come up with a solution.
The Shiv Sena, Nationalist Congress Party and Congress on Monday staked claim to power in Maharashtra on Monday after submitting letters of support to the governor. The parties went to Raj Bhawan when the Supreme Court heard their petition against the sudden government formation in the state.
The top court will deliver its verdict on Tuesday regarding the floor test in Maharashtra.
Here are the day’s top stories:
Kashmir situation is ‘not at all normal’, says Yashwant Sinha after visit to Valley
Former Bharatiya Janata Party leader Yashwant Sinha on Monday said that the situation in the Kashmir Valley is “not at all normal”, PTI reported. The former finance minister made the remark after wrapping up the visit of his delegation to Kashmir.
Congress alleges women MPs were manhandled by Lok Sabha marshals
Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury on Monday claimed that women parliamentarians of his party were manhandled in the Lok Sabha by marshals during protests over government formation in Maharashtra, PTI reported. Both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned till 2 pm on Tuesday after Opposition leaders created a ruckus over the prevailing political situation in Maharashtra.
Three ISIS-inspired men arrested for allegedly planning terror attacks in Assam, Delhi
The Delhi Police on Sunday arrested three men who were allegedly planning to carry out terror attacks, inspired by the ideology of the Islamic State group. The arrests were made in Assam after a joint operation by the Delhi Police and the Assam Police. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Pramod Singh Kushwah said the accused were identified as Ranjeet Ali, Muqaddar and Zameel.
Maharashtra crisis: Sharad Pawar says he isn’t responsible for nephew Ajit Pawar’s revolt
Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar on Monday asserted that he was not responsible for his nephew Ajit Pawar’s recent rebellion. Ajit Pawar, also a leader of the party, had on Saturday taken oath as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, while Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis was sworn in as the chief minister. These developments took place within 12 hours of the Shiv Sena, the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress finalising a deal to form an alternative alliance government in the state.
Maharashtra irrigation scam: ACB closes some cases, but says none related to Ajit Pawar
The Maharashtra Anti-Corruption Bureau on Monday closed inquiries into alleged scandals in nine irrigation projects in the state, but said that none of these involved Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. On Saturday, Pawar, who belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party, was sworn in as the deputy chief minister after siding with the Bharatiya Janata Party, which had targeted him for the scam in the run-up to last month’s Assembly elections.
Air pollution: ‘Better to use explosives and kill people in one go,’ SC rebukes Centre and states
The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up the states of Punjab and Haryana again for continued stubble burning despite the top court’s order against it. Earlier this month, the court had pulled up the two states along with Uttar Pradesh for failing to reduce cases of stubble burning, which is said to be one of the primary reasons for depleting pollution levels in the national Capital and parts of North India.
Sensex, Nifty reach record highs due to gains in telecom, metal and auto stocks
Indian markets hit new highs on Monday, on the back of gains, mainly in telecommunications, metal and auto stocks, as well as renewed optimism about trade relations between the United States and China, PTI reported. The BSE Sensex surged 529.82 points to close at 40,889.23, and the National Stock Exchange Nifty rose 159.35 points to finish at 12,073.75.
‘Move away from Ayodhya dispute’: Eminent Muslims urge litigants not to file review petition in SC
Ninety-one Muslim lawyers, journalists, actors, social activists, businessmen and Islamic scholars from across India have opposed the decision of several Muslim litigants in the Ayodhya land case to challenge the Supreme Court’s unanimous decision in favour of a Ram temple at the disputed site.
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia dismisses rumours that he quit party
Congress leader Jyotiraditya Scindia on Monday dismissed rumours that he had resigned from the party. The rumours began after he removed his affiliation to the party from his Twitter biography and changed it to “public servant, cricket enthusiast”.
Congress stalled Ayodhya case for decades due to vote bank politics, Modi claims in Jharkhand
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused the Congress of stalling the Ayodhya land dispute for several decades. Modi was speaking at Palamu district’s Daltonganj city as part of the BJP’s campaign ahead of the Assembly elections that are scheduled to begin on November 30.
Vadodara: House owner cancels sale to Muslim buyer after society residents protest
An owner of a house in a residential society in Vasna area of Vadodara, Gujarat, called off his plan to sell his property to a Muslim after residents objected to it. The members of Samarpan Society claimed the sale was illegal as the area falls under Disturbed Areas Act. According to the law, a “disturbed” area is where “public order in the said areas was disturbed for a substantial period by reason of riots or violence of mob”. The society was declared a “disturbed area” in 2014.
West Bengal, Uttarakhand bye-elections: Polling under way in four Assembly seats
Voting is under way in four Legislative Assembly constituencies – three in West Bengal and one in Uttarakhand. The seats are Pithoragarh in Uttarakhand, and Karimpur, Kaliaganj and Kharagour Sadar in West Bengal. The results will be declared on Thursday. At noon, 30.26% of the voters had turned up to vote for the three seats in West Bengal, and 16.04% voted in Pithoragarh, according to the Election Commission.
Maharashtra government: Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress stake claim even as Supreme Court hearing is on
The Shiv Sena, the Congress, and the Nationalist Congress Party on Monday staked claim to form the government in Maharashtra amid the Supreme Court hearing on the alliance’s petition. The three parties have filed the plea against the governor’s decision to invite the Bharatiya Janata Party to form the government early on Saturday.
UP: College student allegedly abducted, raped in car in Muzaffarnagar; incident filmed
A 24-year-old college student was allegedly abducted and raped in a moving car by her friend in Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, while two others filmed the incident.
Punjab: 16-year-old boy tied to pillar and burnt to death in Mansa district
The police in Punjab on Sunday said a 16-year-old Dalit boy, identified as Jaspreet Singh, was tied to a pillar at an abandoned rice mill and burnt to death in Mansa district the day before. The three accused – Jashan Singh, his cousin Gurjeet Singh, and their friend Raju Singh – also belong to a Dalit community, and have been arrested.
Bengaluru: Scores of houses flooded, families affected after Hulimavu lake breach
A large number of houses and streets in Bengaluru were inundated on Sunday after the boundary wall of Hulimavu lake off Bannerghatta Road collapsed. More than 1,000 families were reportedly affected and over 300 cars had submerged.
Maharashtra: Ajit Pawar, Devendra Fadnavis hold late night meeting, CMO says for farmers matters
Rebel Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar held closed-door discussions with newly-anointed Maharashtra chief minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis late on Sunday night, PTI reported. This came hours after Ajit Pawar was locked in a Twitter war with his uncle and party president Sharad Pawar.
A tweet from the chief minister’s office said both the leaders discussed “various measures for additional support and assistance to unseasonal rain affected farmers”.
‘Gave up in 2 hours,’ says AAP as BJP leader retracts statement naming Manoj Tiwari as Delhi CM face
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on Sunday took a dig at the Bharatiya Janata Party after Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri retracted his statement naming Delhi unit chief Manoj Tiwari as the party’s chief ministerial face for the upcoming Assembly elections.
The 2020 polls are expected to be held early in the year.
Rajnath Singh says ‘no power in the world’ can stop construction of Ram temple
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday that no power in the world can stop the Ram temple from being built in Ayodhya, PTI reported. Singh was speaking at an election rally in Bishampur Assembly constituency of Jharkhand. The state will hold five-phase polls starting from November 30, with results to be declared on December 23.
“A grand Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya and no power in the world can stop that from happening,” Singh said. “The path for construction of the temple has been cleared by the Supreme Court.”
JNU fee hike protests: University administration forms committee to resolve standoff
The Jawaharlal Nehru University on Sunday announced the formation of a seven-member “high-level” committee to resolve the standoff between the students and the administration in the fee hike matter, PTI reported. The panel was formed even as a committee created by the Ministry of Human Resource Development was due to submit its report in the matter.
University Registrar Pramod Kumar said the panel has to receive suggestions from student representatives on methods to end the impasse.
Ayodhya case: Narendra Modi thanks Indians for showing ‘maturity’ following SC verdict
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday thanked citizens of the country for showing “maturity” following the Supreme Court’s verdict in the Ayodhya case, PTI reported. He said that the patience, restraint and maturity citizens showed proved that there was nothing bigger than national interest for Indians.
Rajasthan: Kashmiri students beaten up at Mewar University, four arrested
The Chittorgarh Police in Rajasthan have arrested four students for beating up four Kashmiri students at Mewar University in the city on Friday, The Times of India reported on Sunday. Additional Superintendent of Police Sarita Singh sacked Gangrar Station House Officer Labhu Ram Bishnoi from his post for alleged negligence in handling the matter. Bishnoi allegedly did not act immediately on the complaint filed by the university in the case.
Maharashtra: SC seeks letter that convinced governor to invite BJP to form government
The Supreme Court on Sunday sought the letter sent by Bharatiya Janata Party leader Devendra Fadnavis to Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari, on the basis of which he was invited to form the state government early on Saturday, Live Law reported. The letter supposedly had signatures of support from at least 145 MLAs – the majority mark in the 288-member state Assembly.
The top court also asked for Koshyari’s order revoking the President’s Rule in the state, and said both letters should be submitted by 10.30 am on Monday. The court also issued notices to the Centre, Fadnavis, rebel Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar and the Maharashtra government.