1. Firm On CAA, Kashmir Despite Pressure From All Sides, Says PM Modi
Ruling out a rethink on the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and scrapping Jammu and Kashmir's special status, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that his government will remain firm on the steps despite pressure from all sides.
"Be it the scrapping of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir or the Citizenship Amendment Act, the country waited for decisions on these for years," he told a public meeting in Varanasi during a day-long visit to his Lok Sabha constituency.
"These decisions were necessary in the interest of the nation. Duniya bhar ke saarey dabaon ke bawjood, inn faislon par hum qayam hain, qayam rahengey (Despite pressure from all sides, we remain firm on the decisions and will continue to remain firm," PM Modi said.
(Source: NDTV)
2. India Rejects UNSG’s Offer to Mediate on Kashmir
India on Sunday rejected UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres’ offer to mediate on the Kashmir issue and said the only issue to be addressed is the vacation of territories illegally occupied by Pakistan.
Guterres made the offer to mediate while addressing a news conference in Islamabad after his meeting with Pakistan’s foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi. He also said it is important for India and Pakistan to de-escalate “militarily and verbally” and exercise “maximum restraint”.
Responding to Guterres’ comments, external affairs ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said: “India’s position has not changed. Jammu and Kashmir has been, is and will continue to be an integral part of India. The issue that needs to be addressed is that of vacation of the territories illegally and forcibly occupied by Pakistan.”
(Source: Hindustan Times)
3. Video Appears to Contradict Cops on 15 Dec Jamia Action
The Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) on Sunday tweeted a video purportedly showing security personnel in masks barging into a library at Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia and baton-charging students during a crackdown on protests against India’s controversial citizenship law.
The 44-second clip, which appeared to be from CCTV, contradicts the police’s claim that they did not enter the library on 15 December, the day protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, or CAA, flared up in the national capital and clashes broke out near the university.
The police said that they will probe the clip, which prompted a top Jamia official to say that it vindicates the university’s stand. The video also triggered a barrage of criticism by opposition leaders who condemned the use of force against students inside the premier institute.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
4. Elgar Parishad Case: Role of Cops Needs to Be Probed by Retired HC Judge, Says Sharad Pawar
NCP President Sharad Pawar on Sunday said that the conduct of Maharashtra’s police officers, who made the arrests in the Elgar Parishad case, should be probed by a committee headed by a retired high court judge.
“There needs to be an investigation by a retired high court judge into the conduct of police officers who have arrested people in this case. There needs to be an in-depth investigation,” Pawar said in Jalgaon.
Pawar’s statement came a day after Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh said he has sought legal opinion from the Advocate General of Maharashtra on the formation of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to inquire into the Elgar Parishad case even as the Home department has given consent for the transfer of the investigation into the case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).
(Source: The Indian Express)
5. If You Have Courage, Seek Fresh Mandate: Fadnavis to Uddhav
Former chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Sunday dared his successor Uddhav Thackeray to seek a fresh mandate from the people of Maharashtra for his Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government.
Describing it as a battle between dharma and adharma, the BJP leader said his party alone can fight Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, the three parties in the Uddhav-led coalition government.
Addressing BJP’s state-level convention held at Nerul in Navi Mumbai, Fadnavis said: “Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has challenged us to bring down the government. I would like to say that we will not pull down any government. We have no such dreams. Instead, if you (Uddhav Thackeray) have courage, go to polls and seek a fresh mandate. Thackeray should verify whether the people of Maharashtra have given consent to the three-party coalition.”
(Source: The Indian Express)
6. Manmohan Singh Asked Me If He Should Resign In 2013: Montek Ahluwalia
After the Rahul Gandhi ordinance-trashing episode of 2013, the then prime minister Manmohan Singh asked Montek Singh Ahluwalia whether he thought he should resign, the former deputy chairman of the now-defunct Planning Commission says.
Ahluwalia says he told Singh, who was then on a visit to the US, that he did not think a resignation on this issue was appropriate.
In a major embarrassment to his own government, Rahul had denounced the controversial ordinance brought by the UPA dispensation to negate a Supreme Court verdict on convicted lawmakers. He had termed it as "complete nonsense" that should be "torn up and thrown away".
(Source: PTI)
7. ‘Wish You Could Come But...’: Arvind Kejriwal, PM Modi's Twitter Exchange
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was invited to Arvind Kejriwal's oath-taking ceremony but couldn't attend, on Sunday congratulated the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief on Twitter for becoming the Chief Minister of Delhi. Kejriwal, in a swift response, said he wished the PM had attended the event.
"Thank you for the warm wishes sir. I wish you could come today, but I understand you were busy. We must now work together towards making Delhi a city of pride for all Indians," Kejriwal tweeted.
(Source: NDTV)
8. Shaheen Bagh Protesters Turn Back After Being Stopped From Marching to Amit Shah’s House
The Delhi Police on Sunday refused permission to anti-CAA protesters at Shaheen Bagh for a spontaneous march to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s residence and engaged them in talks following which the protesters agreed to continue their protest at the venue till they are granted official permission for the march.
“They (Shaheen Bagh protesters) told us that they wanted to take out a march (to meet HM) but we told them they cannot as they do not have an appointment call from Union Home Minister. We are talking to them and we hope that they will understand,” RP Meena, DCP (South East), said according to ANI.
Following their discussion with the police, the protesters decided to continue their stir at Shaheen Bagh.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
9. Telangana to Pass Anti-CAA Resolution, Urges Centre ‘Not to Discriminate’ on Basis of Religion
The Telangana government on Sunday decided to pass an Assembly resolution against the Citizenship Amendment Act, joining the ranks of anti-CAA states.
The Telangana government took the decision in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, while urging the Centre to repeal the last year’s changes in the Citizenship Act.
It also appealed to the Centre “not to discriminate” on the basis of religion in granting citizenship to anyone.
(Source: Hindustan Times)
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