1. Inadmissible and Loose: SC Strikes Down Plea for Probe Into Sahara-Birla Diaries
Stating that democracy will be hampered if investigations are ordered against Constitutional functionaries on the basis of what it called “loose and inadmissible” documents, the Supreme Court on Wednesday declined to order a probe based on entries of alleged pay-offs to politicians recovered during raids at the premises of Sahara companies and based on interrogation of Birla executives.
A bench of Justices Arun Mishra and Amitava Roy rejected applications moved by NGO Common Cause, which had sought criminal investigations into the alleged recovery of various documents by CBI and Income Tax during raids at offices of Birla and Sahara.
These documents purportedly reflected payments to various politicians, including Narendra Modi during his time as Gujarat Chief Minister.
(Source: The Indian Express)
2. SC Rejects Plea to Make It Mandatory for Parties to Declare Source of Funds
Political parties will continue to enjoy income tax exemption for the funds they collect as the Supreme Court ruled on Wednesday that there is no illegality in the exception made to keep parties out of the tax net. The decision puts to rest the debate over whether the exemption was an unfair privilege granted to political parties. The apex court said the matter was one of executive determination and parties needed money to propagate their beliefs.
A bench of Chief Justice JS Khehar and DY Chandrachud dismissed a public interest litigation challenging the constitutional validity of Section 13A of the Income Tax Act which grants exemption to political parties.
The issue had gained salience in the context of PM Narendra Modi's push for reforms in political funding.
(Source: The Times of India)
3. PM Modi Instilling Fear, Wrecking Economy: Rahul Gandhi at Congress Convention
Setting the tone for the Congress’ campaign in assembly polls in five states, Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday launched a no holds barred attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of instilling fear among people and wrecking the economy through demonetisation, while asserting his party will unseat the BJP from power in 2019.
A day-long national convention, called in the wake of demonetisation, saw top Congress leaders, including former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and former Finance Minister P Chidambaram coming down hard on Modi. Singh cautioned people that “worse is still to come”.
Squarely blaming the Prime Minister for “undermining” institutions like Reserve Bank of India, Election Commission and judiciary, the Congress Vice President said the ruling dispensation has also created fear among the media, which he felt was not being able to carry out its responsibility as a watchdog effectively.
(Source: The Indian Express)
4. Amazon Canada Sells Indian Flag as Doormats, Sushma Directs Action
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj is not only helping out Indians in distress, she is also protecting India’s pride manifested through national symbols. On Wednesday, she sought an unconditional apology from Amazon for selling Indian Flags as doormat or she said that the company’s officials will not be allowed entry in India.
The issue was brought to Swaraj’s notice by one of her followers, who tagged her with a screenshot of the company’s website selling “Indian Flag personalised” Welcome Doormats.
“Indian High Commission in Canada: This is unacceptable. Please take this up with Amazon at the highest level,” Swaraj tweeted in response.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
5. Rs 2,000 Notes Too Being Pushed Into Human Trafficking: Kailash Satyarthi
A day after demonetisation on 8 November, Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi had said that banning high-value currency notes would curb child trafficking. But two months later, the child rights activist expressed his disappointment saying, "I'd expected black money-driven human trafficking would be crippled completely following demonetisation.
But no significant effort is being seen on ground." "Demonetisation is a way, and not the end in itself for checking trafficking," said Satyarthi, who has waged a war on child labour and trafficking through his movement 'Bachpan Bachao Andolan'. He lamented there was no comprehensive law in the country to fight human trafficking. "The law should be victim- or survivor-friendly with a proper redressal mechanism," he added.
Incidentally, on 27 December, at an election rally in Dehradun, PM Narendra Modi had asserted that demonetisation "had destroyed, in one stroke, terrorism, drug mafia, human trafficking and underworld".
(Source: The Times of India)
6. Move to Take Over Dawood Ibrahim's Properties Cleared
The Appellate Tribunal for Forfeited Property on Wednesday cleared the Centre’s move to take over underworld Don Dawood Ibrahim’s two properties under the provisions of the Smugglers and Foreign Exchange Manipulators (Forfeiture of Property) Act.
It passed the order dismissing 27 appeals of people claiming to be “long-term tenants” at the Dambarwala Building and Shabnam Guesthouse in Mumbai. Dambarwala building, where Ibrahim’s s brother Iqbal Kaskar lives, had been declared “illegally acquired property” along with the guesthouse.
The government had seized the properties in 2002 and 2005. Kaskar had moved the Mumbai High court in 2015 against Dambarwala building seizure claiming that his mother, Amina Bi, owned the property.
(Source: The Indian Express)
7. Icy Winds Send Shivers Across Delhi, Lows to Hover Near 3°C
Fresh snow in the hills and icy winds sweeping northern plains will keep Delhi shivering for another four days, at least.
“With a western disturbance expected on 15 or 16 of January, temperatures in the city will rise. Minimum temperature will be around 10 degrees,” an RWFC official said. Some parts of the city and neighbouring areas may also get rain.
The season’s coldest day was surprisingly a fog-free day for Delhi and that is how the remaining week would be. The westerly and north-westerly winds are keeping the fog at bay.
“Though it is quite cold, it still doesn’t feel like Delhi winter. The sun makes it extremely pleasant,” said Tanushree Sarkar, who lives in Delhi University’s south campus.
Gurgaon, however, is going under cover. A dense fog is forecast for the remaining month, officials said, advising commuters to use fog lights and drive carefully.
(Source: Hindustan Times.)
8. Mulayam Advises Akhilesh Yadav to Keep Away From Samajwadi Party Dispute
Asserting that he would not allow the SP to split, party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav on Wednesday turned emotional, saying he has given whatever he had and advised his son Akhilesh Yadav to keep away from the dispute.
Amidst the ongoing tussle in the party, Mulayam in his address to party workers at the SP headquarters before leaving for New Delhi, once again trained his guns at cousin Ramgopal, accusing him of conspiring to break the party and threw his weight behind brother Shivpal Yadav, who is at loggerheads with the UP Chief Minister.
“I know who met the president of another party thrice. He wants to save his son and daughter-in-law. He should have approached me. I would have saved them. I asked them (rival camp) not to dispute. I want unity in the party. I am neither making new party, nor changing our symbol,” he said. “I know who is forming Akhil Bhartiya Samajwadi Party (ABSP) and desiring motorcycle symbol,” he added.
(Source: The Indian Express)
9. Two Killed in Attack on TMC Kharagpur Office
Two Trinamool Congress (TMC) activists, one of whom is the husband of a party councillor, were killed on Wednesday, while three others were seriously injured when miscreants opened fire at them.
The incident took place inside the party office at Related reports on P 12 Kharagpur in West Midnapore district, police said.
Srinu Naidu, the husband of Ward 18 TMC councillor of Kharagpur municipality, A Puja, as well as party activist V Dharma were rushed to a private hospital in Kolkata in a critical condition where they were declared “brought dead“ by the doctors.
The two, along with three other Trinamool Congress workers, were sitting inside the party office at Nayakhuli locality of Kharagpur when miscreants hurled a bomb and opened indiscriminate fire at them, police said.
(Source: The Times of India)
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