Top news: Home ministry is trying to destroy NRC process, says Supreme Court
The biggest stories of the day.
The Supreme Court on Tuesday criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government of trying to destroy the process of the National Register of Citizens in Assam. Refusing to extend the July 31 deadline set for the publication of the register, the court said it would take a final call on the matter in March.
The Supreme Court asked the Central Bureau of Investigation not to take coercive action against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar. The order came as Mamata Banerjee’s sit-in protest in Kolkata against the CBI entered the third day on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, businessman Vijay Mallya said he would appeal against the United Kingdom’s decision to approve his extradition to India.
Here are the day’s top stories:
Fund crunch forces Army to put on hold the payment of temporary allowances, say reports
The Indian Army has put on hold temporary travel allowances paid to soldiers for tours and training sessions, media reports said on Tuesday, quoting a notice the Army’s accounts division had put up on its website. However, the notice was soon deleted.
NRC: Ministry of Home Affairs is ‘hell bent on destroying’ the process, says Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Tuesday accused the Centre of attempting to destroy the National Register of Citizens process. A bench led by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party-led government for the Ministry of Home Affairs’ plea requesting a suspension of NRC work during the Lok Sabha elections.
Anna Hazare fast: Delegation led by Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis meets social activist
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, two Union ministers and a state minister visited social activist Anna Hazare in the village of Ralegan Siddhi on Tuesday. Hazare has been on an indefinite fast for the last seven days to protest against the delay in the appointment of a Lokpal at the Centre and the passage of the Lokayukta Act in Maharashtra.
Mamata Banerjee is running a corrupt and undemocratic government, Adityanath alleges in Purulia
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath on Tuesday accused his West Bengal counterpart Mamata Banerjee of running a corrupt and undemocratic government in the state. “Nothing can be more shameful for a democracy than a chief minister sitting on a dharna,” he said.
Uttar Pradesh: Opposition MLAs hurl paper balls at governor on first day of Budget session
Opposition lawmakers in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Tuesday threw paper balls at Governor Ram Naik when he was addressing a joint session of the state legislature on the first day of Budget session.
Jind bye-poll: Bhupinder Singh Hooda seeks action against partymen who allegedly sabotaged campaign
Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has called for action against state Congress leaders who allegedly sabotaged party spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala’s campaign during the Jind bye-poll.
Mamata Banerjee’s protest against CBI is ‘a disproportionate overreaction’, says Arun Jaitley
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday said West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s protest against the Central Bureau of Investigation was a “disproportionate overreaction”. The Opposition leaders supporting her are similar to a “kleptocrat’s club” aspiring to capture power in the country, he added.
Maharashtra: Trainee pilot injured after plane crashes in Indapur in Pune district
An aircraft owned by a pilot training institute crashed in Maharashtra’s Indapur in Pune district on Tuesday. The trainee pilot, identified as Sidharth Titus, is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Baramati for a fracture.
Delhi: Couple arrested for allegedly killing Uber driver and dumping body in a drain
A couple has been arrested for allegedly robbing and killing an Uber taxi driver in Ghaziabad, a police official said on Monday. The two allegedly chopped up the body into three pieces and dumped it in a drain in Greater Noida.
Stand-off between CBI and West Bengal government orchestrated by BJP for political gains: Shiv Sena
The Shiv Sena on Tuesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party government of orchestrating the stand-off between the Central Bureau of Investigation and the West Bengal government for political gains.
Uttar Pradesh invokes law banning strikes in state departments for six months
The Uttar Pradesh government has invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act that prohibits strikes in all state departments and corporations for six months.
Delhi High Court asks ED to reply to lobbyist Deepak Talwar’s plea against his deportation
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Enforcement Directorate to reply to corporate lobbyist Deepak Talwar’s petition against his deportation from Dubai and detention in a misuse of funds case.
J&K: Kashmir problem cannot be solved through development packages, says ex-bureaucrat Shah Faesal
Former Indian Administrative Service officer Shah Faesal on Monday said India and Pakistan should engage in dialogue to resolve the Kashmir dispute. He said it was not a political problem that can be solved through development packages.
Original edition of book by Shakespeare, document with Nehru’s signature found at IIT-Roorkee
An original edition of William Shakespeare’s First Folio from 1623 was found among thousands of manuscripts and photographs at the Mahatma Gandhi Central Library at Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. A document bearing the signature of India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in three languages was also discovered.
Delhi: AAP MLA Alka Lamba claims Arvind Kejriwal unfollowed her on Twitter
Delhi Aam Aadmi Party legislator Alka Lamba on Monday hinted that the party was excluding her from official discussions. Lamba said the party had removed her from their official WhatsApp groups and that party chief Arvind Kejriwal had unfollowed her on Twitter.
Parliament: Both Houses disrupted again over Mamata Banerjee’s stand-off with CBI
The Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha were disrupted on Tuesday amid uproar over the ongoing spat between the Central Bureau of Investigation and the West Bengal government. The Lok Sabha was adjourned until noon minutes after it convened, and the Rajya Sabha till 2 pm.
‘Modi is only his own leader, BJP is waiting to push him aside,’ Rahul Gandhi tells HT
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were not on the same page with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and that the entire party was waiting for the day to push him aside.
BJP used me to win 2014 Lok Sabha elections, says Anna Hazare during hunger strike
Social activist Anna Hazare on Monday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of using him to win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. “Yes. The BJP used me in 2014,” Hazare said. “Everybody knows that it was my agitation for Lokpal that catapulted the BJP and also the Aam Aadmi Party to power.”
Kerala floods: Centre bills state Rs 102 crore for Air Force aircraft used in relief operation
The Centre on Monday told Parliament that it had billed Kerala Rs 102 crore for the use of Indian Air Force planes and helicopters for flood relief operations in the state last year.
Supreme Court issues contempt notice to Mamata Banerjee government, Kolkata police chief on CBI plea
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation not to take coercive action against Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar, including arresting him. The court asked Kumar to cooperate with the officials investigating two chit fund scams.
Bhima Koregaon: Academic Anand Teltumbde moves Bombay High Court for anticipatory bail
Academic Anand Teltumbde on Monday moved the Bombay High Court seeking anticipatory bail. Teltumbde is being investigated in connection with the violence that broke out on January 1, 2018 in Bhima Koregaon near Pune.
Centre does not have data on impact of demonetisation on employment, minister tells Lok Sabha
The government does not have data on the impact of demonetisation on jobs in the unorganised sector, Minister of State for Labour and Employment Santosh Kumar Gangwar told the Lok Sabha on Monday.
Andhra Pradesh: Amit Shah says the doors of NDA are permanently closed for Chandrababu Naidu
Bharatiya Janata Party President Amit Shah on Monday said the doors of the National Democratic Alliance were permanently closed for Telugu Desam Party chief N Chandrababu Naidu. Shah called the Andhra Pradesh chief minister the “U-turn CM of the country”.
Vijay Mallya’s extradition: Businessman to initiate appeal against UK government’s order
Fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya has said he will appeal against the United Kingdom’s decision on Monday to approve his extradition to India. On December 10, 2018, the Westminster Magistrates’ Court in London had ordered his extradition after firing merit in the charges filed against Mallya.