News Updates

23 - 31 December, 2019
  • PM Modi launches social media campaign in support of CAA. The ruling BJP on Monday launched a social media campaign to highlight the features of the new citizenship law, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi posting a video of spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev backing the legislation and the Twitter handle of Modi’s personal website urging people to support the hashtag of “IndiaSupportsCAA”. (The Indian Express, 31 December 2019)
  • Five J&K political figures freed after 4 months. The Jammu and Kashmir government on Monday released five second-rung leaders of three mainstream political parties after they reportedly signed bonds assuring the authorities that they will not indulge in any activities prohibited in the documents.The five belonging to the National Conference (NC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and Congress are among hundreds of Kashmiri political leaders and activists from both separatist and mainstream camps detained ahead of the Centre’s abrogating special status given to J&K under Article 370 and splitting the state up into two Union Territories on August 5. (The Asian Age, 31 December 2019)
  • A day before his retirement, Gen Bipin Rawat appointed India's first Chief of Defence Staff. The government on Monday appointed Indian Army Chief General Bipin Rawat as the first Chief of Defence Staff with a mandate to bring in convergence in functioning of the Army, the Navy and the Indian Air Force and bolster the country's military prowess. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently established the post of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS). As CDS, General Rawat will be the topmost defence officer of the country and will be the single point of contact for the government. (India Today, 30 December 2019)
  • J&K parties up in arms against recruitment on pan-India basis. The recent advertisement inviting applications from non-locals also for various Non-Gazetted posts in J&K High Court has triggered a sharp reaction among all the political parties and other organizations who said opening of jobs to outsiders is unacceptable to them as this will put careers of local unemployed youth in jeopardy. Reacting over the recruitment notification, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) said that another bluff of BJP leaders with regard to the safeguards of local youth in Government employment has been exposed. (Daily Excelsior, 30 December 2019)
  • In Force for Decades, Controversial AFSPA to Remain as Govt Declares State 'Disturbed' for 6 More Months. The entire state of Nagaland has been declared a "disturbed area" for six more months, till June-end, under the controversial AFSPA which empowers security forces to conduct operations anywhere and arrest anyone without any prior notice. (News 18, 30 December 2019)
  • Hemant Soren Takes Oath as Chief Minister Of Jharkhand. Hemant Soren took oath as the eleventh Chief Minister of Jharkhand at a mega event in Ranchi. This is the second time that Mr Soren is being sworn in as the chief minister - where leaders across political spectrum are present- has been projected as a show of opposition unity. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, CPM's Sitaram Yechury, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav and DMK's MK Stalin among other opposition leaders are present at the grand swearing-in ceremony. (NDTV, 29 December 2019)
  • 'Take immediate action': Union minister Naqvi on UP cop's 'Go to Pak' comment. Union Minister for Minorities, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, demanded "immediate action" against a UP cop who purportedly asked Muslims to "go to Pakistan" during a protest. "It is condemnable if it is true. Immediate action should be taken against the police officer," Naqvi told media in response to a question on the incident. In a viral video, a police officer was seen abusing and asking Muslims to go to Pakistan during an anti-CAA protest in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh. (The Asian Age, 29 December 2019)
  • Indian Navy gets big boost in offensive capability, to build 18 conventional, six nuclear attack submarines. To boost its underwater fleet, the Indian Navy is planning to build a fleet of 18 conventional and six nuclear attack submarines. The announcement was made by the Standing Committee on Defence in its report which was tabled in the winter session of Parliament. (Times Now News, 29 December 2019)
  • India-US strategic partnership registers rapid growth in 2019. India-US strategic partnership witnessed rapid growth in 2019 with the two sides inking a crucial deal to facilitate transfer of defence technology and their leaders - President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi - meeting a record four times post-May elections, displaying growing ties between the world's two largest democracies. (The Economic Times, 29 December 2019)
  • VHP reiterates demand for amendment to Articles 29, 30. Reiterating its demand before the government, the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) said that there was a need to amend Article 29 and Article 30 of the Constitution to bring parity among all educational institutions irrespective of the whether they were being managed by the minorities or members of the majority community. (The Hindu, 28 December 2019)
  • Congress marks 135th foundation day. The Indian National Congress on its 135th foundation day on December 28 said India has always come first for it through the ages and sacrifice for the nation stands above all else for the party. On the occasion, Congress chief Sonia Gandhi hoisted the party’s flag at its headquarters in New Delhi at 24, Akbar Road. (The Hindu, 28 December 2019)
  • Indian army chief lambasts protests over ‘anti-Muslim’ citizenship law. The head of the Indian army has criticised massed protests against new citizenship laws, breaking the military’s neutrality to lambast “arson and violence in our cities and towns”. The comments from General Bipin Rawat, chief of staff, drew anger from the opposition Congress Party, which described his implicit backing of legislation introduced by Narendra Modi’s Hindu nationalist government as “highly objectionable, unethical and beyond his remit”. (The Times, 28 December 2019)
  • Anti-CAA protests: 1,113 arrests, 5,558 preventive detentions, 19 dead in UP. More than 1,100 people are under arrest and 5,558 kept in preventive detention following violence related to the anti-citizenship amendment act protests, officials said on Thursday, putting the death toll in police clashes across the state at 19. Giving details of the protests that have rocked the country's most populous state since last week, police officials said five people were killed in Firozabad, four in Meerut, three in Kanpur, two each in Sambhal and Bijnor and one each in Muzaffarnagar, Rampur and Lucknow. (India Today, 27 December 2019)
  • Priyanka to launch 'Save India, Save Constitution' campaign in UP tomorrow. In a big morale boost for cadres, the party national general secretary Priyanka Gandhi would be attending Indian National Congress foundation day celebrations in Lucknow. Deviating from the trend, Priyanka would be the first Gandhi to be hoisting the Congress party flag in UP Congress headquarters. Priyanka would also make the leadership and workers take an oath to save the Constitution during the function that marks its 135th foundation day. The ceremony is a part of party’s Save India Save Constitution Campaign against BJP’s divisive actions and policies. (The Times of India, 27 December 2019)
  • J&K will be granted statehood in near future: Ram Madhav. Statehood status will soon be restored to Jammu and Kashmir, according to BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav. “The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir will be granted statehood in the near future. BJP is in favour of granting statehood to J&K as early as the conditions permit,” he said and added that delimitation will soon be started in the region. (The Times of India, 27 December 2019)
  • 'PM Modi Lying About Detention Camps, Sanctioned Rs 46 Cr In 2018': Former Assam CM Tarun Gogoi. Amid the ongoing debate over existence of detention camps in Assam and other parts of the country as claimed by Narendra Modi recently, former Assam CM and Congress leader Tarun Gogoi on Friday said that Prime Minister is a 'liar' claiming that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre had sanctioned Rs 46 crore for one in Assam's Goalpara district. Further justifying his statement, Gogoi also said the Congress government in Assam he had headed had set up detention camps in the state as per a Gauhati High Court order. (ABP News, 27 December 2019)
  • IMF paints grim picture of India’s economy. The International Monetary Fund has expressed concern about India’s economic downturn and called for “urgent steps” to return the country to growth. In its annual review, the IMF observed that declining consumption and investment, as well as falling tax revenue, had combined with other factors to put the brakes on one of the fastest-growing economies in the world. (Asia Times, 26 December 2019)
  • 3,000 Dalits in Tamil Nadu to convert to Islam over ‘govt inaction after caste wall’ collapse. Nearly 3,000 Dalits from five Tamil Nadu districts have decided to convert to Islam next month, alleging continued caste discrimination and torture. The decision comes weeks after a wall collapsed at Mettupalayam taluk in Coimbatore, killing 17 Dalits. The 20-ft wall known as the ‘caste wall’, was built five years ago to keep the Dalits separated from their upper caste neighbours. It collapsed on 5 December due to incessant rains. (The Print, 26 December 2019)
  • More India protests as Hindu hardliners flex muscles. On Wednesday several thousand baton-wielding volunteers from a Hindu hardline group - of which Modi is a lifelong member - held a rally in the southern city of Hyderabad, in a show of support for the government. Members of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a militaristic group that has long espoused “Hindutva” or Hindu hegemony, marched through the streets beating drums and blowing horns. (Gulf News, 26 December 2019)
  • Detention centres set up in compliance with law, in cognizance of SC: Sources. Detention centres were set up in different parts of the country in full compliance with law and with the Supreme Court's cognizance, sources said. Such detention centres were in existence in various states for the last few decades and the setting up of such centres was not at all connected with the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the sources said. (The New Indian Express, 26 December 2019)
  • Jammu and Kashmir: After over 4 months, 72 companies of security forces withdrawn by Centre. The Centre has ordered the withdrawal of 72 companies of Central Armed Police Forces from the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, more than four months after it revoked the region’s special status and deployed thousands of personnel in the region. In an order on Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs asked for the immediate withdrawal of the forces. (Scroll.in, 25 December 2019)
  • J&K government gives nod to prosecute Yasin Malik, Asiya Andrabi under UAPA. The home department of the Union territory of J&K has given its nod to launch prosecution against Jammu & Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) chairman Yasin Malik and Dukhtaran-e-Milat (DeM) chief Asiya Andrabi under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in two separate cases dating back to 2010 and 2018, respectively. Though both JKLF and DeM are banned outfits, government permission is mandatory for the prosecution of any accused under UAPA. (The Times of India, 24 December 2019)
  • Cabinet Committee on Security approves creation of chief of defence staff. The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) approved the creation of a chief of defence staff (CDS), who will be the single-point military adviser to the government as suggested by the Kargil Review Committee in 1999, official sources said. The CCS also approved the report of a high-level committee, headed by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, which finalised responsibilities and the enabling framework for the CDS, they said. (The Hindu Business Line, 24 December 2019)
  • 11 State Govts, representing 56% of India, have now taken a ‘no-NRC’ stance. As protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act continue across the country, 11 chief ministers have rallied against the implementation of the National Register of Citizens in their respective states. The 11 states account for 54 per cent of India’s landmass, and 56 per cent of its total population. (The Print, 24 December 2019)
  • PM Modi congratulates Ashraf Ghani on re-election. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called up Afghanistan's President, M Ashraf Ghani, and congratulated him after preliminary results of the recently held presidential polls in the war-ravaged country indicated his re-election for a second term in the top office in Kabul. (Deccan Herald, 24 December 2019)
  • India: Deadly Force Used Against Protesters. The Indian authorities should cease using unnecessary lethal force against demonstrators protesting a law that discriminates against Muslims, Human Rights Watch said today. Since protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act began on December 12, 2019, at least 25 people have been killed and hundreds have been arrested. Police have used excessive force only against demonstrators protesting the law, including many students. (Human Rights Watch, 23 December 2019)
16 - 22 December, 2019
  • 'Unity in diversity is India's speciality': PM Modi's new slogan at Delhi rally. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday began his address at the BJP rally at Ramlila Maidan with the slogan 'Unity in diversity is India's speciality'. Amid the chants of Bharat Mata ki Jai, the Prime Minister urged the crowds to join him in saying, "Vividha me ekta, Bharat ki visheshta" (Unity in diversity is India's speciality). The people present at the rally joined the Prime Minister after being urged by him. (The Times of India, 22 December 2019)
  • 'People dying': Malaysia's Mahathir slams India's citizenship law. Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has criticised India's new citizenship law, which is seen as discriminatory against Muslims and has sparked deadly protests across the South Asian country. Speaking on the sidelines of the Kuala Lumpur Summit 2019 on Friday, Mahathir questioned the "necessity" of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), when Indians have "lived together for 70 years". (Al-Jazeera, 21 December 2019)
  • India, Afghanistan, Iran meet to monitor implementation of Chahbahar Pact. The second meeting between India, Afghanistan and Iran took place to monitor implementation of the 2016 agreement regarding development and management of the Chahbahar port in Iran, according to an official statement. (Business Standard, 20 December 2019)
  • Let UN conduct referendum on CAA, says Mamata; multiple rallies choke Kolkata. “Let United Nations and human rights bodies hold a referendum on citizenship law. Let them study it. All political parties and religious groups will stay out of this process,” Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at huge rally organised in the heart of Kolkata by Trinamool Congress’s youth and student wings against Citizenship Amendment Bill and National Register of Citizens. (The Hindustan Times, 20 December 2019)
  • Common documents, no pre-1971 or parents' papers needed for proposed NRC: Official sources. Seeking to allay citizenship concerns of a large number of people, government sources said on Thursday that one can prove Indian nationality by submitting any document related to his date of birth and its place, and there will be "absolutely no compulsion" to submit any document by his parents during any such exercise. (The Times of India, 20 December 2019)
  • Pakistan Writes to UN, Says India Placed Missiles in Kashmir. Pakistan's foreign minister said he has written to the United Nations to warn the world body of what he says are actions by New Delhi to position missile launchers in the Indian-controlled Kashmir. (The New York Times, 19 December 2019)
  • Second 2+2 dialogue: India, US agree to expand bilateral ties. External Affairs Minister Jaishankar makes a pitch for granting more H-1B visas to Indians. India and the US have agreed to deepen their bilateral cooperation in areas of defence, counter-terrorism and trade, and to work with like-minded countries for a free and open Indo-Pacific region. The decisions were taken at the second India-US 2+2 dialogue that concluded here. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Defence Secretary Mark Esper hosted their Indian counterparts External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for the dialogue at the Foggy Bottom headquarters of the State Department. (The Hindu Business Line, 19 December 2019)
  • Campaigning for Final Phase Polling Ends in Jharkhand. Campaigning in 16 assembly constituencies ended on Wednesday as the fifth and final phase of polling in Jharkhand will be held on December 20. Over 40,000 security personnel have been deployed in these assembly constituencies spread over six districts to ensure free, fair and peaceful polling, Election Commission officials said. (News18, 18 December 2019)
  • Ayodhya trust will have no BJP member, Centre won’t spend money on the temple, says Amit Shah. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said no one from the Bharatiya Janata Party will be part of the trust that will oversee the construction of a Ram temple in Ayodhya. “I want to make two things clear: there won’t be any trustee from among BJP members and the government will not spend anything on the project,” Shah said in an interview to Times Now. “The trust will have to collect donations from the society to make it [the temple].” Media reports had suggested that Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath will be part of the trust. (Scroll.in, 18 December 2019)
  • UN voices concern over violence in India against CAA, urges respect for freedom of expression. Urging respect for the rights of freedom of opinion and expression, UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has voiced concern over the violence and alleged use of excessive force by security personnel in India against the amended Citizenship Act. Protests are being held across the country ever since a bill was introduced in Parliament earlier this month for this law. The agitators claim that the legislation is "unconstitutional and divisive". (India Today, 18 December 2019)
  • Jamiat faction moves SC to challenge CAA. Maulana Arshad Madani led faction of Jamiat Ulema-i-Hind filed a petition in apex court challenging the Citizenship Amendment Act. Senior advocate Rajeev Dhavan will represent JUH. (The Times of India, 18 December 2019)
  • 400 students from 19 US universities condemn attack on protesters. Nearly 400 students from 19 universities across the United States, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford and Columbia, have signed a statement “condemning recent police brutality in Indian universities”. At Oxford in the United Kingdom, students carried out anti-CAA demonstrations. The signatories have also expressed solidarity with “students across universities in India who are peacefully protesting against the recent passing of the unconstitutional and discriminatory Citizenship Amendment Act.” (The Times of India, 18 December 2019)
  • India protests: students condemn 'barbaric' police. Students in Delhi have condemned their “barbaric” treatment at the hands of police who stormed a peaceful protest against the new citizenship bill over the weekend, injuring dozens. (The Guardian, 17 December 2019)
  • Narendra Modi hails armed forces for India’s victory in 1971 Indo-Pak war. “On Vijay Diwas, I pay tributes to the courage, valour and bravery of Indian soldiers. The history that our troops created on this day will be embossed in golden letters,” Mr. Modi tweeted. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday hailed the armed forces for India’s victory in the 1971 Indo-Pak war, saying the history created by the soldiers will be written in golden letters. (The Hindu, 16 December 2019)
  • Backlash over India's new citizenship law sees 100 injured as police raid a college. Violent protests raged Monday around Indian universities where thousands of people are railing against a controversial new citizenship law that grants amnesty to illegal immigrants from three neighboring countries, unless they're Muslim. The Citizenship Amendment Bill was passed by India's parliament last week and its constitutional validity has been challenged in the Supreme Court, which will start hearing arguments Wednesday. (CBS News, 16 December 2019)
9 - 15 December, 2019
  • Bharat Bachao rally: Congress workers protest against Modi govt outside high commission in London. London chapter of Congress staged a 'Bharat Bachao' rally outside the Indian High Commission on Saturday (December 14). It was in alignment with all the other similar rallies across the world initiated by the Congress. "We want to expose BJP failures. The unemployment rate is high and the economy is in a terrible state. Forget Beti Bachao, Modi could not save beti [daughter]. We are protesting so that our voice is heard by the government of India. By doing so, at least they would try to change their policies," Kamal Dhaliwal, President of UK Congress, said. (India Today, 15 December 2019)
  • Protests Rage as US, UK Warn About Travel to Northeast India. Protests against a divisive new citizenship law raged as Washington and London issued travel warnings for northeast India following days of violent clashes that have killed two people. (Voice of America, 14 December 2019)
  • J&K admin extends Farooq Abdullah’s detention by three months under PSA. The Jammu and Kashmir administration extended the detention of National Conference (NC) chief and three-time chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah by three months, news agency PTI reported quoting officials. (The Indian Express, 14 December 2019)
  • Looking Forward To Working Together: PM Modi To Boris Johnson. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Boris Johnson on Friday for returning to power in the United Kingdom, saying he looks forward to working together for closer ties between the two countries. "Many congratulations to PM @BorisJohnson for his return with a thumping majority. I wish him the best and look forward to working together for closer India-UK ties," Modi tweeted. (BloombergQuint, 13 December 2019)
  • Citizenship Bill: US State Department Urges India To Protect Rights Of Religious Minorities. The US State Department has urged India to protect the rights of minority communities in light of the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday. The Hindu quoted the US State Department as saying, “We are closely following developments regarding the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Respect for religious freedom and equal treatment under the law are fundamental principles of our two democracies. The United States urges India to protect the rights of its religious minorities in keeping with India’s Constitution and democratic values.” (Daily Excelsior, 13 December 2019)
  • BJP to launch campaign about amended Citizenship Act. Under the Opposition’s attack over the amended Citizenship Act, the BJP is set to launch a public awareness programme to inform people about its features and benefits, and also “dispel the propaganda” that the legislation is against any community. (Daily Excelsior, 13 December 2019)
  • Amit Shah visits BSF headquarters in Delhi; reviews operations along Pakistan, Bangladesh borders. Union home minister Amit Shah visited the headquarters of the Border Security Force (BSF) and reviewed its operational preparedness along the borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh, officials said. (The Times of India, 13 December 2019)
  • Amended Citizenship Act attempt to change narrative by design: Kamal Nath. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath accused the government of practising a "politics of distractions" and said the amended Citizenship Act was an attempt to change narrative by "design". Addressing the Indian Women's Press Club, Nath said he was most worried about the future of the Indian youth given the present economic condition of the country. "The worst part is the politics of distraction, changing the orbit of people's imagination. Every time there is economic slowdown, a bill is introduced, a decision is taken to distract people," the Madhya Pradesh chief minister said. (India Today, 13 December 2019)
  • US Congress Nod To Induct India’s Navigation Satellite As Allied System. The US Congress has consented to designate India’s NAVIC as its “allied” navigational satellite tv for pc system together with the Galileo of the European Union and QZSS of Japan. (Herald Publicist, 12 December 2019)
  • Citizenship Bill: Tensions rise as protests flare in Assam. At least two people have been killed in India's Assam state, according to reports, as police clashed with protesters opposing a new law that would make it easier for non-Muslim minorities from some neighbouring countries to seek citizenship. Police in Assam's main city of Guwahati on Thursday fired bullets and tear gas as groups of protesters demonstrated in the streets, defying a curfew imposed the previous day. (Al-Jazeera, 12 December 2019)
  • India passes controversial citizenship bill that excludes Muslims. India's parliament has passed a bill that would give Indian citizenship to immigrants from three neighboring countries -- but not if they are Muslim. The controversial Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) will fast-track citizenship for religious minorities, including Hindus, Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis and Christians, from Afghanistan, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Opposition parties say the bill is unconstitutional as it bases citizenship on a person's religion and would further marginalize India's 200-million strong Muslim community. (CNN, 12 December 2019)
  • Nanavati panel gives clean chit to Modi on Gujarat riots. Giving a clean chit to then Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi in the 2002 post-Godhra riots case, the final report of Nanavati-Mehta Commission has held that the riots were not organised and the state administration had taken all necessary measures to control the situation. “There is no evidence to show that these attacks were either inspired or instigated or abated by Chief Minister Narendra Modi or any minister of the state,” the commission said in its report tabled in the state legislative assembly on Wednesday. (Gulf News, 11 December 2019)
  • Shiv Sena Boycotts Citizenship Bill Vote In Rajya Sabha. The Shiv Sena abstained from the vote on the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, two days after voting in favour of the bill in the Lok Sabha citing "national interest". Behind the U-turn from one house to the other is the Sena's new Maharashtra ally Congress, which had made clear its displeasure at the party's support to the bill in the Lok Sabha. (NDTV, 11 December 2019)
  • ‘Dangerous turn’: US commission seeks sanctions against Amit Shah over Citizenship Bill. The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, or USCIRF, on Monday said it was “deeply troubled” by the passage of the Citizenship Amendment Bill in Lok Sabha and sought sanctions against Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other principal leadership if it is passed by the Rajya Sabha. In a statement, the commission said the bill was “a dangerous turn in the wrong direction”, pointing that the legislation uses religion as a legal criterion to grant citizenship. “It runs counter to India’s rich history of secular pluralism and the Indian Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law regardless of faith,” USCIRF added. (Scroll.in 10 December 2019)
  • Lok Sabha to vote on Citizenship (Amendment) Bill today: All you need to know. Union home minister Amit Shah on Monday tabled the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to profoundly alter how Indian citizenship will be determined by offering Indian nationality on grounds of "religious persecution" to Hindus and other minorities from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. Last week on Wednesday, the Union cabinet had cleared the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill. The Bill is likely to be taken up in Rajya Sabha on Tuesday after LS vote. (The Times of India, 09 December 2019)
  • Indian-American Democratic congresswoman Pramila Jayapal tables resolution in U.S. House on easing of restrictions on Kashmir. The resolution urges India to lift the remaining restrictions on communication and to restore internet access across all of Jammu and Kashmir as swiftly as possible. As India stepped up its efforts to lobby Congressional Democrats, a Democratic member of the U.S. House of Representatives, Pramila Jayapal, introduced a bi-partisan resolution in the House calling for an end to the restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir and for the Government of India to respect international human rights law. (The Hindu, 08 December 2019)
1 - 8 December, 2019
  • Persecuted minorities of neighbouring nations victims of partition, India duty-bound to give them citizenship: Madhav. India is duty-bound to give citizenship to persecuted minorities from neighbouring countries as they are "victims" of the decision to divide the country on religious lines, BJP general secretary Ram Madhav has said while defending the Citizenship Amendment Bill. Non-Muslim refugees, who have come from Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan after facing religious persecution, will not be treated as illegal immigrants and will be given Indian citizenship under the Bill which is set to be introduced by Union home minister Amit Shah. (The Times of India, 08 December 2019)
  • Unnao rape case: Indian woman set on fire on way to hearing dies. The 23-year-old died late on Friday after suffering cardiac arrest at a Delhi hospital. She had 90% burns. She was attacked on Thursday as she was walking to a hearing in the rape case she filed against two men in March in Unnao, in northern Uttar Pradesh state. (BBC, 07 December 2019)
  • Indo-China joint military exercise 'Hand-in-Hand-2019' commences in Meghalaya. A joint military exercise between India and China – ‘Hand-in-Hand-2019’ on counter-terrorism commenced at the Joint Training Node at Umroi in Meghalaya. The eighth edition of the joint military exercise will cover company level joint training on counter-terrorism operation in semi-urban terrain under United Nations mandate. (WION, 07 December 2019)
  • Since 2014, MoD placed order worth 1.96 lakh crore with private sector. The Ministry of Defence has signed more than 180 contracts valued at over Rs 1,96,000 crore with the Indian Industry since 2014 while a few are in the pipeline to be signed in near future. (Indian Defence Industries.in, 07 December 2019)
  • Indian Army issues guidelines for personnel wishing to visit Kartarpur in Pakistan. Having a large number of Sikh officers and troops in its ranks, the Indian Army has issued procedures and guidelines for its personnel desirous of visiting the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur in Pakistan. (Business Standard, 06 December 2019)
  • No congregational prayers at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid for 'record' 18th consecutive Friday. No congregational prayers were offered at Srinagar's Jamia Masjid for the 18th consecutive Friday since the Centre announced the abrogation of Article 370 provisions on August 5 – the longest curb on the grand mosque of Kashmir in the recent memory, officials said. "The restrictions on the prayers are still in place and we have not been allowed to offer prayers at the Jamia Masjid," said an official of the Jamia Masjid Auqaf - the managing committee of the mosque. (Times of India, 06 December 2019)
  • Assam Agitation 2.0? State braces for fight against CAB. Unrest over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill intensified in Assam and spread to Tripura amid reports emerging from Delhi that the proposed legislation would be introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 9 and taken up for debate the next day. The central executive of the All Assam Students Union (Aasu), of which chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal was once the president, held an emergency meeting to discuss the feasibility of moving the Supreme Court against the bill if it gets past Parliament. (Times of India, 06 December 2019)
  • Supreme Court Puts Hold On Tamil Nadu Local Body Elections. The Supreme Court on Friday decided to put on hold the elections for the local bodies in nine new districts, carved out of four existing ones, in Tamil Nadu for complying with legal formalities such as delimitation and reservation in four months. (NDTV, 06 December 2019)
  • Govt asks nations to act against Kashmir cells in Pak missions. The government has asked other countries to realise the danger posed by so-called ‘Kashmir cells’ in Pakistani missions abroad and take action against them for openly inciting violence. While maintaining that it had received support from the international community on the Kashmir issue, the government told Parliament that it had asked China, Malaysia and Turkey to not comment on the internal affairs of India, respect India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and develop proper understanding of the issue. (Times of India, 06 December 2019)
  • Jharkhand polls Phase 2: 67 face criminal cases. Ahead of the second phase of the five-phase Jharkhand Assembly elections, the Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) has released a report on the candidates with criminal cases against them. The ADR analysed 260 candidates across multiple political parties and found that 67 of them have criminal charges against them, while 44 have serious criminal charges against them. (Deccan Herald, 06 December 2019)
  • In touch with Pak on unhindered consular access to Jadhav: India. India said it has asked for "immediate, effective and unhindered" consular access to Kulbhushan Jadhav from Pakistan and was in touch with the neighbouring country through diplomatic channels on the matter. (India Today, 06 December 2019)
  • Internet curbs: Kashmiris lose WhatsApp accounts on 120th day of inactivity, thrown out of groups. WhatsApp accounts belonging to Kashmiri users have begun to expire as the region completed 120 days of an internet blockade on Tuesday. The social media platform deletes accounts that have stayed inactive for that long. (Scroll.in, 05 December 2019)
  • High Court quashes PSA detention of Kulgam cancer patient. Jammu and Kashmir High Court has quashed the detention of a Kulgam resident, Parvaiz Ahmad Pala, who is suffering from cancer. Pala is serving detention under Public Safety Act since August 7. From south Kashmir’s Matibugh village in district Kulgam, Pala was arrested under Public Safety Act on August 7 this year soon after Article 370 was abrogated and J&K State bifurcated into two Union Territories. He was imprisoned in District Jail Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh. (Greater Kashmir, 04 December 2019)
  • Lynch all rapists in public, Jaya Bachchan tells House. The gang-rape and murder of a veterinary doctor in Hyderabad reverberated in both Houses of Parliament with Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan going to the extent of demanding that the rape accused be brought to justice in public and lynched. “These types of people (the rape accused in the Telangana case) need to be brought out in public and lynched,” Ms Bachchan said. (The Asian Age, 03 December 2019)
  • Protests escalate in India over gang-rape and murder of woman. Outrage has continued to grow in India over the gang-rape and murder of a 27-year-old woman, with protesters taking to the streets and politicians calling for the offenders to be “lynched”. Demonstrations spread to cities including Delhi, Bengaluru and Kolkata and MPs spoke out in parliament following the discovery last week of the woman’s burned body in Hyderabad. (The Guardian, 02 December 2019)
  • Sri Sri Ravi Shankar slams Muslim side's decision to file Ayodhya review plea, says matter is 'resolved'. Spiritual leader and one of the members of the mediation panel in the Ayodhya dispute Sri Sri Ravishankar, on Monday, said that the Muslim side has the right to file a review petition, but "would request them to think over it". Ravi Shankar said that though a review petition is an "opportunity", the Ram temple matter has been "resolved" and should be accepted. (Times Now, 02 December 2019)
  • Hope govt reaches out to India Inc to work out solutions to revive growth: Kiran Mazumdar Shaw. Biocon Chairperson and Managing Director Kiran Mazumdar Shaw on Sunday said the government did not want to hear any criticism on the economy while expressing hope that it reaches out to the India Inc to work out solutions to revive growth. Shaw’s remarks came a day after veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj said the people were afraid to criticise the government. (The Financial Express, 02 December 2019)
  • King, Queen of Sweden arrive in Delhi on five-day India visit. King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silvia of Sweden arrived on a five-day India visit. The King will have meetings with President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on ways to further boost bilateral ties between the two nations. Earlier Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde sent its stringent message on Jammu and Kashmir urging the Indian government to remove all restrictions placed in the region and calling for it to “involve” Kashmiris for a resolution of the issue. (The EurAsian Times, 02 December 2019)
  • India, Sweden to sign MoU for polar science cooperation. India and Sweden are likely to sign their first maritime cooperation agreement, Cooperation in Polar Science, during the visit to India of the Swedish royal couple and senior Ministers, including Foreign Minister Anne Linde. (The Hindu, 02 December 2019)
  • BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis named Leader of Opposition in Maharashtra Assembly. Maharashtra BJP legislature party leader Devendra Fadnavis was named Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly. Speaker Nana Patole made the announcement in the House. (India Today, 02 December 2019)
  • You can burn me, Pragya Thakur dares Congress MLA Govardhan Dangi. A day after a Congress MLA from Madhya Pradesh threatened to burn Bhopal MP Pragya Thakur alive if she dares to enter the state, controversial BJP MP retorted by saying, "Congress has experience in burning Sikhs alive during 1984." Congress MLA Govardhan Dangi controversial statement came a day after Pragya stirred up a row in Parliament by calling Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse 'a patriot' during a discussion on the Special Protection Group (SPG) bill. She later apologised for her comment. (India Today, 01 December 2019)
  • The big 5 who will help run Uddhav Thackeray’s show. Taking over as the chief minister (CM) of Maharashtra, Uddhav Thackeray now has a bigger responsibility besides heading the Shiv Sena — running the government and handling a coalition of three parties. This will need strategizing and political management, and according to people close to the Sena chief, Thackeray will now have a team to assist him with this task. (Hindustan Times, 01 December 2019)
  • Will never dump Hindutva: Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray tells House. Notwithstanding the ruling Shiv Sena-NCP-Congress combine mentioning the word "secular" in the preamble of its Common Minimum Programme (CMP), Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said he would never abandon the ideology of Hindutva. Thackeray, who heads the Sena, told the Legislative Assembly that ideology of Hindutva cannot be separated from him. "I am still with the ideology of Hindutva which cannot be separated from me," he said while addressing the special session. (The Times of India, 01 December 2019)
  • FM Nirmala Sitharaman doesn't know economics, says Subramanian Swamy. Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former Harvard economics professor Subramanian Swamy took a dig at Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman saying that "she doesn't know economics" after she defended the Narendra Modi-led government's record on the economy. The finance minister had defended Modi government's economic policies denying that there is an economic slowdown in the country. In a recent interview, Swamy said, "If you see the press conferences, she is handing the mic to civil servants to answer." (International Business Times, 01 December 2019)
  • 99% Muslims want review of SC judgment on Ayodhya dispute: AIMPLB. The AIMPLB, which was not a party to the law suit, has previously said a review petition will be filed by December 9. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board on Sunday asserted that 99% of Muslims in the country want a review of the unanimous Supreme Court verdict on the Ayodhya dispute. (The Hindu, 01 December 2019)
  • Babri Demolition Post-verdict, Nyas says no to Shaurya Diwas, VHP divided. The senior leadership of Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and prominent religious leaders in Ayodhya are divided on whether to celebrate Shaurya Diwas on December 6, in the wake of the Supreme Court verdict in the Barbri-Ram Janmabhoomi land dispute. The day is celebrated to mark demolition of the Babri mosque in 1992. Before and after the Ayodhya verdict in favour of the Hindu parties on November 9, religious and political leaders had urged people to restrain themselves from rallies and celebrations. (The Indian Express, 01 December 2019)