QBullet: Anti-CAB Rage in Northeast; MEA Slams US on Seeking Curbs
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1. Northeast Erupts Ahead of CAB Rajya Sabha Test
Thousands of people blocked roads, burnt tyres and damaged vehicles as massive street protests erupted across the Northeast against the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill [CAB] 2019 on Tuesday, 10 December, a day before it comes up in the Rajya Sabha, with the government confident of pushing through a legislation that fulfils a key election promise of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
Large crowds gathered outside the houses of many prominent politicians and burnt effigies to oppose the draft legislation that cleared the Lok Sabha shortly after midnight on Tuesday.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
2. Govt Hits Back as 2 US Panels Flay Bill, NRC, Call for Curbs
India on Tuesday pushed back strongly against criticism from the United States of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill and the National Registrar of Citizens (NRC), including suggestions for sanctions against home minister Amit Shah and "other principal leadership," saying interpretation that they seek to strip citizenship from any Indian citizen of any faith is "neither accurate nor warranted."
"Every nation, including the United States, has the right to enumerate and validate its citizenry, and to exercise this prerogative through various policies," the ministry of external affairs said in a strongly-worded statement.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. Council May Redo Tax Slabs to Boost Revenue From GST
The GST Council could reduce the four tax slabs that currently exist – 5%, 12%, 18%, and 28% – to three – 8%, 18%, and 28% – two government officials familiar with the matter said on condition of anonymity, adding that the move is aimed at increasing tax revenue by raising taxes on products and services used primarily by the well-heeled.
The two officials added that the tax rate on branded cereals, mobile phones, pizzas, air travel, air-conditioned rail travel, cruises, high-end hospital rooms, paintings, branded garments, and fine fabrics such as linen and silk, may be increased to boost sagging Goods and Services Tax (GST) revenues.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Names Cleared by Collegium, Centre Have to Be Appointed in Six Months, Says SC
Amid intermittent face-offs between the central government and the judiciary over certain choices for the Bench, the Supreme Court has said that candidates cleared by collegium and Centre have to be appointed in six months.
“There may be an aspect as to whether the high court collegium and the Supreme Court collegium with inputs from consultee Judges are on the same page or not—an aspect which can be looked into by the judiciary. There may be cases where Government sent back the names with the recommendation, an aspect emphasised before us.”
(Source: The Tribune)
5. Shiv Sena Takes U-Turn, Says It Won’t Support CAB
A day after voting in favour of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill (CAB) in Lok Sabha, the Shiv Sena made a U-turn on Tuesday as party chief and chief minister, Uddhav Thackeray, said that his party’s queries in the Lower House on the bill remained unanswered. “We won’t support the bill till we get clarity,” he said.
Mr Thackeray on Tuesday said that a detailed discussion and debate on the proposed legislation was necessary. “The Modi government needs to worry about the economy, job crisis and rising cost of living, especially the onions price rise, more than the implementation of the bill,” he said.
(Source: The Asian Age)
6. Hounded Out, Sanskrit Professor Changes BHU Post, Students Celebrate
Over a month after protests broke out in Banaras Hindu University (BHU) over his appointment, Firoze Khan on Monday resigned from the Faculty of Sanskrit following his appointment to the university’s Arts Faculty.
The students, who had been agitating against the appointment of a Muslim to BHU’s Faculty of Sanskrit Vidya Dharma Vigyan (SVDV), celebrated the resignation by distributing sweets among the students and the staff.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Silence on Anglo-Indians Raises Doubts Over Quota
The Lok Sabha on Tuesday passed the 126th Constitution Amendment Bill seeking to extend reservation to SCs, STs until January 2030, but was silent on quota for Anglo-indians.
Opposition parties, including Congress, DMK, NCP, TMC, and CPM, as well as NDA ally Apna Dal (Sonelal), voiced concerns over the legislation seeking to end reservation for the Anglo-Indian community.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. Unnao Rape Accused Claims He Was in Hospital, Doctor Says His Records Fake
One of the two accused in the gangrape of the 23-year-old Unnao woman — who died last week, a day after she was set on fire by five men, including the accused — had, around a month ago, filed a document in court, claiming that he was admitted to the local Primary Health Centre (PHC) on the date of the alleged rape.
Officials at the Sumerpur PHC, however, confirmed to The Indian Express that the purported “medical registration slip” in the name of Shubham Trivedi is “fake” and that no patient by that name was admitted to the hospital on those dates.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. Nirbhaya Convict Files Review Plea in SC
One of the convicts in the December 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape-and-murder case, who was lodged in Mandoli Jail here, has been shifted to Tihar, jail officials said on Tuesday.
Pawan Kumar Gupta was shifted to Tihar recently, Director General (Prisons) Sandeep Goel said.
(Source: The Tribune)
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