1. Cong-JD(S) Go Into Huddle as 2 Independent MLAs Drop Support to Karnataka Govt
The Congress-JD(S) coalition in Karnataka received its first jolt on Tuesday, 15 January, with two independent MLAs withdrawing support to the HD Kumaraswamy-led government.
The desertions don’t threaten the government’s survival as it still commands the support of 117 MLAs in the House of 224 but coming against the backdrop of BJP’s efforts to bring down the ruling coalition, pushed Congress and JD(S) into a long huddle.
The MLAs — R Shankar from Ranebennur and H Nagesh from Mulbagal — are expected to meet Governor Vajubhai R Vala on Wednesday, 16 January, and submit letters withdrawing support to the government. Copies of the letters were released to the media on Tuesday.
(Source: The Times of India)
2. Collegium Changing Picks for SC: Former Judges Speak Out, One Writes to President
At a time when there is disquiet among a section of judges of the Supreme Court over its Collegium’s 10 January resolution that dropped names of two High Court Chief Justices picked for elevation to the apex court a month ago and recommended, instead, two new names, at least four retired senior judges have reacted sharply to the changes.
One of the four, Justice Kailash Gambhir, a former judge of Delhi High Court, has written to President Ram Nath Kovind, saying the Collegium resolution, especially on elevating Justice Sanjeev Khanna, is “appalling and outrageous” that such an “earth-shattering decision has been taken to supersede as many as 32 judges, which include many Chief Justices, casting aspersions on their intellect, merit and integrity”.
He has asked the president to ensure that the “credibility and independence of the judiciary” is “preserved and another historical blunder… not committed.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
3. Interim CBI Chief Illegal, Call Panel to Select New Director: Kharge Writes to PM
Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge, the sole dissenting voice in the high-powered selection committee that decided to oust Alok Verma as CBI director over corruption charges, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make public the findings of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and Justice AK Patnaik’s report on Verma as well as the minutes of the 10 January meeting.
In a letter to the prime minister, Kharge has said this should be done “so the public can draw its own conclusions in this matter”.
Calling the appointment of M Nageswara Rao as interim director of the agency “illegal”, Kharge has asked for immediate convening of the selection committee to appoint a new CBI director without further delay.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. From July, Quota in Higher Education Across All Private Institutions: Govt
Reservation for SCs, STs, OBCs and economically-weaker sections in the general category will be extended in higher education to all private institutions from the new academic session starting July, HRD Minister Prakash Javadekar announced on Tuesday, 15 January..
The central government, in all probability, will introduce a Bill in the upcoming Budget session of Parliament to implement Tuesday’s decision, which comes 12 years after the Constitution was amended to pave the way for reservation in private educational institutions.
However, the government may not take the legislative route to implement the newly announced 10 percent quota for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) of the general category in central educational institutions. Sources said it will be introduced through an executive order this week.
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. Kerala Govt’s Sabarimala Position ‘Shameful’: Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday, 15 January, launched a scathing attack on Kerala’s Left Democratic Front government on its handling of the Sabarimala controversy, saying the Communists didn’t respect India’s culture and spiritual traditions. He also slammed the Congress for taking multiple stands on the issue.
Hitting out at the LDF led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Opposition spearheaded by the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in the state, Modi said both the fronts were two sides of the same coin. “We know that the Communists do not respect India’s culture, history, and spirituality,” Modi said at a public meeting in Kollam.
Turning to the Congress, he said: “They say one thing in Parliament and another in Pathanamthitta [where the Lord Ayyappa shrine is located].” He added that “they are only different in name but are similar when it comes to corruption, casteism, communalism and in damaging the cultural fabric of Kerala.”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
6. First Woman to Enter Sabarimala Claims Assault by Mother-in-Law
Kanakadurga, who along with Bindu Ammini, made history by entering the Sabarimala temple on 2 January, was allegedly beaten up by her mother-in-law when she returned home on Tuesday, 15 January, after two weeks in hiding. Kanakadurga, 42, who suffered injuries to her head and ears, has been admitted to Kozhikode Medical College Hospital (KMCH).
Police said Kanakadurga had returned to her husband’s house at Angadipuram in Malappuram on Tuesday accompanied by a few activists. Her husband and children were not present. Her mother-in-law Sumathiyamma asked her to wait outside but Kanakadurga entered the house, leading to a clash between the two women. Kanakadurga has claimed her mother-in-law hit her with a wooden plank.
(Source: The Times of India)
7. MayDay! Brexit in Jeopardy as UK PM Suffers Crushing Defeat
British lawmakers defeated Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit divorce deal by a crushing margin on Tuesday, 15 January, triggering political upheaval that could lead to a disorderly exit from the European Union or even to a reversal of the 2016 decision to leave.
Parliament voted 432-202 against her deal, the first time since 1924 that a government has endured a defeat by more than 100 votes on the floor of the Commons. Soon after the vote, UK opposition Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn moved a vote of no-confidence.
(Source: The Times of India)
8. BSF Officer Killed in Pak Sniper Fire Near Jammu
A Pakistani sniper shot and killed a Border Security Force (BSF) officer patrolling the border in Jammu’s Kathua district on Tuesday, 15 January, the fourth deadly attack carried out by the neighbour in less than a week.
Tuesday’s attack was along the formal border between the two countries, which makes it a violation of international conventions, while Friday’s (11 January) – when an Army major, a soldier and a porter were killed – took place along the Line of Control.
“On Tuesday at about 10:50hrs (10:50 am), BSF troops while carrying out border domination were fired upon by Pakistan snipers resulting in grievous injuries to assistant commandant Vinay Prasad. The injured officer was evacuated to Military Hospital at Satwari in Jammu where he succumbed to his injuries and attained martyrdom,” said a BSF spokesperson.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. HAL Yet to Build Tejas Trainer
The Indian Air Force has 11 Tejas fighters built by state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and is likely to receive five more by March, but it doesn’t have a single aircraft to train its pilots to fly the warplane.
The two-seater Tejas trainer aircraft are not expected to be delivered before 2021, a senior ministry of defence official said, asking not to be identified because he is not authorised to speak to the media. “The process of building the trainers hasn’t yet started,” he said.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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