The big news: Mamata Banerjee ends dharna after SC intervenes in CBI row, and 9 other top stories
Other headlines: The Supreme Court criticised the Centre for trying to destroy the NRC process in Assam, and activist Anna Hazare called off his hunger strike.
A look at the headlines right now:
- Mamata Banerjee ends three-day dharna, claims it was a victory for Constitution and democracy: The Supreme Court asked Kolkata Police Commissioner Rajeev Kumar to cooperate with the CBI’s investigation. The Shiv Sena claimed the stand-off between CBI and the West Bengal government was orchestrated by the BJP for political gains, while Arun Jaitley said Banerjee’s protest was ‘a disproportionate overreaction’ and Adityanath claimed she was running a corrupt and undemocratic government. Chandrababu Naidu, meanwhile, claimed she is the architect of the federal front.
- Ministry of Home Affairs is hell bent on destroying NRC process, says Supreme Court: The court criticised the ministry for requesting to withdraw security forces deployed in the state during the Lok Sabha elections.
- Anna Hazare breaks seven-day long fast after Maharashtra CM accepts all his demands: Earlier in the day, he had said the BJP had used him to win the 2014 Lok Sabha elections.
- Linking Aadhaar with PAN card compulsory to file income tax returns, says Supreme Court: The court was hearing a plea against a Delhi High Court order allowing the respondent to file tax returns for 2018-’19 without Aadhaar-PAN linkage.
- Bombay HC grants academic Anand Teltumbde protection from arrest till February 12: The court adjourned the hearing in his anticipatory bail petition to February 11.
- ‘Modi is only his own leader, BJP is waiting to push him aside,’ says Rahul Gandhi: The Congress chief said he would not be surprised to find ‘absolute rejection’ for Modi’s style of functioning in the BJP’s senior leadership.
- Woman who entered Sabarimala has the right to stay in her husband’s home, says village court: Kanakadurga was thrown out of her house a few days after she was assaulted by her mother-in-law for offering prayers at the Ayyappa shrine.
- Original edition of book by Shakespeare, document with Nehru’s signature found at IIT-Roorkee: The ‘First Folio’ is a collection of 36 plays published in 1623, seven years after the Bard’s death.
- Centre does not have data on impact of demonetisation on employment, minister tells Lok Sabha: Santosh Kumar Gangwar cited the unemployment rate from 2015-’16 when asked about the latest data available on unemployment.
- In Abu Dhabi, Pope and top Muslim cleric call for freedom of belief, culture of tolerance: The pontiff held talks with Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb, who is the imam of Cairo’s Al-Azhar, during his first visit to the Arabian Peninsula.