News Updates

25- 30 November, 2019

India, China Should Break ''Strange Circle'' Of Ups And Downs: Beijing. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui has said India and China should break the "strange circle" of ups and downs in bilateral ties instead of attempting to control their differences. Speaking at the two-day ''Fourth India-China Think-Tanks Forum'' held in Beijing on November 28 to 29, Luo Zhaohui said, "The simultaneous rise of China and India is the most important historical event in the 21st century." (NDTV, 30 November 2019)
Day 117: Jamia Masjid locked for Friday prayers on 17th week. Central Jamia Masjid continued to remain locked for congregational prayers on 17th consecutive week amid deployment of forces within and outside grand mosque even as no restrictions were imposed in any area of Srinagar city or elsewhere on Friday. 117 days have passed, spontaneous shutdown though fractional continued in Kashmir with shops in most of the areas of Srinagar for the first time on Friday since August 5 remained open till 1.00 PM and public transport ply on certain routes. (Kashmir Times, 29 November 2019)
Ayodhya site should have been voluntarily handed over to Hindus: K.K. Muhammed. Archaeologist K.K. Muhammed, one among the archaeologists involved in the excavation of the site of Babri Masjid-Ram Janmabhoomi, on Friday said it was advisable for Muslims to voluntarily hand over the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi and the Idgah at Mathura, Lord Krishna’s birthplace, to the Hindus. They missed such an opportunity in Ayodhya, he said. (The Hindu, 29 November 2019)
PM Modi Announces $450 Million Line Of Credit To Sri Lanka After Meeting With Rajapaksa. On his first foreign visit after taking the reins of Sri Lanka, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sealed a major deal Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi with on security and development, including USD 50-million financial assistance for counter-terrorism efforts. After a 'fruitful' meeting with Rajapaksa on Friday, PM Modi announced a line of credit of USD 400 million for development projects in Sri Lanka besides granting a separate fund of USD 50 million to help the country deal with challenges of terrorism. (Outlook India, 29 November 2019)
Inaugural meeting of 2+2 dialogue between India, Japan on Nov 30. Defence minister Rajnath Singh and external affairs minister S Jaishankar will lead an Indian delegation to the inaugural meeting of the India-Japan Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue (2+2), slated to be held in New Delhi on Saturday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. (The Times of India, 29 November 2019)
Maharashtra swearing-in LIVE updates: Sharad Pawar to decide on Ajit’s post, says Sanjay Raut. Around 80,000 people are expected at the swearing-in ceremony of Uddhav Thackeray as Maharashtra Chief Minister at Shivaji Park in Dadar. Besides him, six others will also be sworn-in at the ceremony at 6.40 pm. Uddhav will be the first chief minister from the Thackeray clan. On Wednesday, leaders of the Sena, NCP and Congress got down to business, negotiating Cabinet portfolios. NCP leader Praful Patel said it has been decided that the Assembly Speaker will be from the Congress and the Deputy Speaker from NCP. The lone Deputy Chief Minister will be from NCP. (The Indian Express, 28 November 2019)
Uddhav Thackeray takes reins: Maharashtra govt's focus on 'secular, all-inclusive' common agenda. The Shiv Sena-led Maha Vikas Aghadi announced a "secular, all-inclusive" Common Minimum Programme as it prepared to form the new Maharashtra government in alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party and the Congress on Thursday. (International Business Times, 28 November 2019)
Those who planned 26/11 terror attack still not convicted, says US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the perpetrators of the Mumbai terrorist attack have still not been convicted. Pompeo made the remarks on the 11th anniversary of the November 26, 2008, massacre in Mumbai that claimed 166 lives, six of whom were American. (Scroll.in, 27 November, 2019) Ѫ Centre silent on Indian consul’s comments on settling Pandits. A controversy erupted here after the Consul-General of India in New York, Sandeep Chakravorty, said India should follow the Israeli model of building settlements to facilitate the return of Kashmiri Pandits to their homeland. The External Affairs Ministry declined to comment after Mr. Chakravorty assured a group of Pandits in New York that India would take steps to end the exile of the community. (The Hindu, 27 November, 2019) Ѫ Congress boycott of Constitution Day celebrations insult to Ambedkar: Ravi Shankar Prasad. Senior BJP leader and Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad criticised the Congress for boycotting the Constitution Day celebrations in Parliament and said it was an "insult" to Bhim Rao Ambedkar. Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Shiv Sena, skipped a joint sitting of both Houses of Parliament on Constitution Day to mark their protest against the BJP's alleged high-handedness in Maharashtra. (The Times of India, 26 November 2019) Ѫ India, Israel share and value same principles of democracy, says PM Modi. Israel President Reuven Rivlin and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wished India on Constitution Day in tweets. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 26 thanked the Israeli leadership for their wishes on Constitution Day, saying the two countries share and value the same principles of democracy. (The Hindu, 26 November 2019) Ѫ Only 80 hrs: Devendra Fadnavis becomes Maharashtra CM with shortest tenure ever. On November 9, Devendra Fadnavis created history by becoming the first chief minister in Maharashtra in nearly four decades to complete a full tenure of five years. The last time someone served this long, in one go, was Vasantrao Naik during the late 60s and early 70s. But within 17 days of achieving this milestone, Devendra Fadnavis created another record today by becoming the chief minister with the shortest tenure in Maharashtra. (India Today, 26 November 2019) Ѫ Uddhav to be first Thackeray member to be Maharashtra CM for 5 years. Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray would be the first member of the Thackeray household to grow to be Maharashtra chief minister. Uddhav is about to guide the Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Social gathering-Congress alliance authorities, known as Maha Vikas Aghadi, in Maharashtra. (Herald Publicist, 26 November 2019) Ѫ S Jaishankar Holds Talks With Japanese NSA On Foreign Policy Cooperation. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Monday met Japan's National Security Adviser Shigeru Kitamura and discussed foreign policy cooperation. "A pleasure to receive Japanese NSA Shigeru Kitamura on his first visit to India as the National Security Advisor. Good discussions on our foreign policy cooperation," Mr Jaishankar tweeted after the meeting. (NDTV, 25 November 2019) Ѫ What is the need for ‘Operation Lotus’ if BJP has majority, asks Shiv Sena. The BJP is using the system, power and money, but we will also fight, says Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Raut. “If BJP has majority, what is the need for ‘Operation Lotus,’” asked Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut while speaking to the media on Monday. (The Hindu, 25 November 2019) Ѫ Yashwant Sinha-led group barred from moving outside Srinagar for 2nd day. For the second consecutive day, a five-member civil society delegation, led by former Union minister Yashwant Sinha, was not allowed to move outside Srinagar by the police. (The Hindustan Times, 25 November 2019)

18 - 24 November, 2019

Army, Navy, Air Force Special Forces Deployed Jointly To Hunt Terrorists In Kashmir Valley. In a major step towards enhancing jointness among the three services, the special forces of Army, Navy and Air Force have been deployed in the Kashmir valley to carry out combined counter-terrorist operations. The three special forces, namely, the Army's Para (Special Forces), Navy's Marine Commandos (MARCOS) and Indian Air Force's Garud Special Forces are being deployed in the Kashmir valley under the Defence Ministry's newly-raised Armed Forces Special Operations Division (AFSOD), senior Defence sources told ANI. (ABP News, 24 November 2019)
Maharashtra politics: All eyes on 13 Independents, 16 smaller party MLAs. While the major political parties in Maharashtra are slugging it out to form a government amidst the twists and turns, all eyes are now on which way 13 Independents and 16 MLAs from smaller parties will swing in the quest to achieve the 145-mark in the 288-member House in floor test. The Shiv Sena, which is in talks with the Congress-NCP to form a government sans one-time ally BJP, claims to have the support of seven MLAs apart from its own flock of 56. (The Times of India, 24 November 2019)
Karnataka bypolls: BJP will win all 15 seats, debate only about margin of victory, says CM Yediyurappa. Karnataka chief minister B S Yediyurappa on Sunday said the party would win all the 15 seats and victory margin of BJP candidates would be the matter of debate in the December 5 assembly by polls in the state. (The Times of India, 24 November 2019)
Kumaraswamy attacks PM Modi over India's financial situation. JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy on Sunday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for spending "most of his time" travelling abroad to shake hands with heads of foreign nations while the country's financial situation has been 'deteriorating'. (Times of India, 24 November 2019)
India throws spanner in the Kartarpur works. The turnout of devotees, through the long-delayed overland passage, that connects the Dera Baba Nanak shrine in northwest India’s Gurdaspur with the Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, was lower than expected due to the barriers erected by the Modi administration. “The process of online registration is very difficult. I had registered eight members of my family online, but when we arrived at the Indian Immigration Centre, we found out that only I was registered,” claimed Ramesh Singh, a Sikh from Gurdaspur. (The Express Tribune, 24 November 2019)
No power can stop Ram temple construction in Ayodhya: Rajnath Singh. Union defence minister Rajnath Singh said no power in the world could get in the way of construction of a "grand" Ram temple in Ayodhya. Addressing a poll meeting here in Bishrampur assembly constituency, the minister also noted that the Rafale fighter jets, acquired by the country from France, were capable of destroying terror camps across the border. (The Times of India, 24 November 2019)
PM Modi launches Fit India School grading system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Fit India School grading system in schools across the country. The Fit India School rankings have been divided into three categories — The Fit India Schools, which is the first level of ranking, Fit India School (3 star) and Fit India School (5 star). The level of ranking will depend on how much importance the school gives to inculcating fitness among its students and teachers, besides facilities available for fitness activities. (Moscow News Daily, 24 November 2019)
BJP seeking to trample upon mandate of people: Randeep Singh Surjewala asks 10 questions from PM. “23rd November shall go down as a black chapter in the democratic history of Maharashtra and India, when the Constitution was trampled underfoot. By showing fear of prison bars to opportunist Ajit Pawar, the blind BJP killed democracy”, said Surjewala. He said “Devendra Fadnavis promised to put Ajit Pawar, in Arthur Road Jail in the Irrigation scam, instead he has been made the Deputy CM. ” (The Statesman, 23 November 2019)
Devendra Fadnavis takes oath: President’s Rule in Maharashtra revoked at 5.47 am. The BJP-NCP government took charge in Maharashtra on Saturday after the President's rule, imposed in the state a fortnight ago, was revoked at 5.47 am. According to a Home Ministry notification, President Ram Nath Kovind issued the proclamation for revocation of the central rule this morning. BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis and Nationalist Congress Party's (NCP) Ajit Pawar took oath as the chief minister and deputy chief minister of Maharashtra after the President's rule was revoked. (India Today, 23 November 2019)
Centre invokes special power to revoke President’s Rule without prior Cabinet nod. The Centre invoked Rule 12 of the Transaction of Business Rules, 1961 that empowered it to revoke the proclamation of President’s rule in Maharashtra without the prior approval of the Union Cabinet. (The Hindu, 23 November 2019)
S Jaishankar Holds Meetings With Counterparts From Japan, China, Singapore. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar interacted with his counterparts from several countries as he attended the G20 Foreign Ministers' meeting. Mr Jaishankar concluded the two-day event with a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart Toshimitsu Motegi. (NDTV, 23 November 2019)
India, China finalise 70 activities to celebrate 70 yrs of diplomatic ties. India and China will commemorate the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations next year with 70 celebratory activities, including cultural, religious and trade promotion events besides military exchanges, it was announced. (Business Standard, 22 November 2019)
US backs sustained Indian role in Afghanistan. America stated that it supported continued Indian involvement in Afghanistan, whilst President Donald Trump seems to be to withdraw troops. “America welcomes India’s substantial funding in and help to Afghanistan,” stated Nancy Izzo Jackson, a State Division official answerable for Afghanistan. (The News Observers, 22 November 2019)
India rejects unwarranted reference by Pakistan to Jammu and Kashmir at UNSC. India has strongly rejected references to Kashmir by Pakistan in the UN Security Council and asserted that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of the country. Pakistan's newly appointed envoy to the UN Munir Akram, speaking in the Council for the first time since assuming charge, raked up the issue of Kashmir. (India Today, 21 November 2019)
U.S. Approves $1 Billion Sale of Naval Guns to India. The U.S government has approved the sale of naval guns worth $1 billion to India in the biggest defense deal between the two countries in four years. Putting the U.S. among the top three global arms suppliers to India, the State Department notified the Congress on Nov. 19 of the possible foreign military sale of as many as 13 naval guns made by the Minneapolis-based BAE Systems Land and Armaments. (Bloomberg, 21 November 2019)
Received full understanding from US over Article 370 move in J&K: Govt. India said on Thursday it has received full understanding from across the political spectrum in the US over its decision relating to withdrawal of special status of Jammu and Kashmir. External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India remained engaged with various stakeholders in the US, including the Trump administration, the Congress, civil society and others in addressing their questions on the issue. (Business Standard, 21 November 2019)
AMU teachers association condemns police crackdown on JNU students. The executive committee of Aligarh Muslim University Teachers’ Association (AMUTA) has condemned the “shocking display of brute force by police against JNU students and teachers”, who were marching to Parliament to demand a rollback of the massive fee hike in the university. (The Times of India, 21 November 2019)
Three Rafale jets handed over to India: Govt. Three Rafale fighter jets have been handed over to the Indian Air Force and are being used to train IAF pilots and technicians in France, the government said. (Deccan Herald, 20 November 2019)
Stone-pelting in J&K down since Aug 5, says govt, data differs. Replying to a written question by Rajasthan BJP MP Kanak Mal Katara, Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy told the Lok Sabha: “Since August 5, 2019 to November 15, 2019, 765 people have been arrested in 190 cases registered relating to stone-pelting/ law and order. From January 1, 2019 to August 4, 2019, 361 such cases were registered.” These arrests don’t include those held in preventive detention under CrPC and the Public Safety Act (PSA) after August 5. (The Indian Express, 20 November 2019)
J&K lockdown led to Rs 12,000 crore loss: Kashmir business body. Kashmir trade and local businesses have suffered a loss of approximately Rs 12,000 crore during the shutdown of the last three months following the nullification of Article 370, according to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry. KCCI president Sheikh Ashiq Hussain claimed that a preliminary survey showed that “the loss figure is over Rs 12,000 crore”. (The Times of India, 20 November 2019)
SC on J&K curbs: Lawyers absent, state taking matter very lightly. Expressing displeasure over the absence of senior lawyers representing the government during hearings on petitions challenging the curbs in J&K after the abrogation of Article 370, the Supreme Court said that it “appears the state is taking the matter very lightly”. The observation was made by Justice B R Gavai, who is part of a three-judge bench that is headed by Justice N V Ramana and also comprises Justices R Subhash Reddy. (The Indian Express, 20 November 2019)
Google Removes 'Anti-India App' From Play Store on Punjab Chief Minister's Demand. Acceding to Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh's demand, IT giant Google has removed the secessionist, anti-India mobile application '2020 Sikh Referendum' from its Play Store, state officials said. The Chief Minister, who had also urged the Central government to persuade Google in the matter, had asked the Director-General of Police to coordinate with Central security agencies to tackle the threat resulting from the launch of the app, created by 'ICETECH'. (Gadgets.NDTV, 19 November 2019)
No temple under Taj, Qutub Minar: Archaeologist K K Mohammed. KK Mohammed, the archaeologist who gave an opinion there had been a Hindu temple on the Babri Masjid site, said at a public meeting on Sunday he had no idea the matter would snowball into such an issue. If he had any idea, he would have taken some photographs of the traces of a temple he found on the mosque land, he said. Mohammed was part of the 10-member ASI team which excavated the Babri Masjid site in 1976-77. The sole Muslim member, he was the one to say that the mosque was built on temple land. (The Times of India, 18 November 2019)

11 - 17 November, 2019

Jammu-Srinagar highway reopens, over 4,500 vehicles resume journey. Over 4,500 vehicles, mostly trucks carrying apples from Kashmir, have resumed their onward journey by Sunday afternoon as the Jammu-Srinagar national highway was reopened for traffic three days after being blocked by a massive landslide, officials said. (The Times of India, 17, November 2019)
First night trial of Agni 2 missile conducted successfully in Odisha. India on Saturday conducted successfully the first night trial of ''Agni-II'', its versatile surface-to-surface medium range nuclear capable missile from Dr. Abdul Kalam Island off Odisha coast, defence sources said. The missile has a strike range of 2000 km, the sources said soon after it blasted off from a mobile launcher at the Launch Complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR), the sources said. (The Asian Age, 17 November 2019)
‘NDA is Not BJP’s Property’: Sena Now One Step Closer to Official Break-up | Top Developments. Shiv Sena walking out of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance remains a formality now, Sena MP Sanjay Raut said as the BJP-Sena acrimony reacher a higher level on Saturday with Sena deciding not to attend the NDA meeting on Sunday and both the parties moving their corporators out of Mumbai ahead of mayor elections on November 22. It has also been decided that when the winter session of Parliament begins from November 18, Sena MPs won’t sit in the Treasury Bench. They will sit with the Opposition leaders. “NDA is not somebody’s property. Bal Thackeray and Akali Dal are equally important founders of the NDA,” Raut said. (India.com, 17 November 2019)
BJP leader Nirmal Singh removed as J&K Speaker. The Jammu and Kashmir administration headed by Lt Governor GC Murmu has issued a notification ending the tenure of legislative assembly Speaker and senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh who was appointed to the post under provisions of the now-revoked J&K Constitution. The order comes days after several political parties, especially the Jammu-based National Panthers Party (NPP), questioned Singh's continuation on his post despite the dissolution of the Assembly, abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories. (India Today, 17 November 2019)
JK Admin Shifts Political Prisoners from Centaur Hotel to MLA Hostel. As Srinagar reeled under harsh winter conditions, the Jammu and Kashmir administration on Sunday shifted all 34 political prisoners, lodged at Centaur Hotel since August 5, to the MLA Hostel as the facility lacked proper heating arrangements, officials said. The winter chill took a toll on the health of the detenues — National Conference, PDP and People’s Conference leaders and prominent social activists — and the security personnel guarding them. (Kashmir Observer, 17 November 2019)
FM Sitharaman fudged Budget figures to hide real deficit: Yashwant Sinha. Former BJP leader Yashwant Sinha accused Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman of "fudging" budget numbers to conceal the real fiscal deficit. Speaking at the Mumbai Lit Fest, Sinha, a former finance minister himself, alleged that Sitharaman relied on estimates used in the interim budget of February 1, though the CAG had later provided revised estimates till July 5, when the annual budget was presented. (Business Standard, 17 November 2019)
All India Muslim Personal Law Board decides to file review petition against Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict. The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) said it will file a review petition within 30 days against the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ramjanmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit. AIMPLB said it will not accept the alternative five-acre land. “We feel that restitution by granting five acres of land, where fundamental values have been damaged to the extent of causing national shame, will not in any manner heal the wounds caused,” AIMPLB said after a meeting in Lucknow. (Hindustan Times, 17 November 2019)
Rajnath Singh holds talks with U.S. Defence Secretary with focus on Indo-Pacific. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with U.S. Defence Secretary Mark T Esper in Bangkok on a range of issues of strategic importance including situation in the Indo-Pacific region and ways to further bolster bilateral security cooperation. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), a platform comprising ASEAN and its eight dialogue partners including India, officials said here. (The Hindu, 17 November 2019)
Rajnath holds bilateral meets on ADMM-Plus summit sidelines. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from US, Japan, Australia and New Zealand in Bangkok where they have come to attend the 6th ASEAN Defence Ministers'' Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), an official statement said here. Rajnath Singh reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral defence relations with his various counterparts and discussed ways to further improve the ties. (Outlook, 17 November 2019)
IAF Aircraft Strength to Rise to 2000 Soon: Air Marshall RKS Shera. The number of military aircraft in the country will soon increase to 2,000 from the present 1,400, thus opening up more opportunities for the MSME sector in repair and overhaul, a senior IAF officer said. (NDTV, 16 November 2019)
Government Lists Citizenship (Amendment) Bill On Agenda for Winter Session Of Parliament. The Modi government is set to push for the passage of the contentious Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, a key BJP plank which is aimed at granting nationality to non-Muslim immigrants from neighbouring countries, in Parliament's Winter Session starting from Monday. The BJP-led NDA government had introduced the bill in its previous tenure as well but could not push it through due to vehement protests by opposition parties, which criticised the bill as discriminatory on religious grounds. (NDTV, 16 November 2019)
Hand over 'wanted Indians' living in Pakistan if serious about better ties with India: Jaishankar to Islamabad. External affairs minister S Jaishankar has said relations with Pakistan remain "difficult" because it openly practices terrorism against India, and if Islamabad is serious to cooperate with New Delhi, it should hand over the Indians wanted for terrorist activities living in Pakistan. In a wide-ranging interview with French daily Le Monde, the minister said Pakistan does not deny sending terrorists to India. (The Times of India, 15 November 2019)
India pledges to contribute $13.5 mn for UN development activities for 2020. India has pledged to contribute USD 13.5 million for various operational activities of development across the UN agencies for the year 2020. Counsellor at India’s Permanent Mission to the UN Anjani Kumar announced India’s pledges at the UN General Assembly Pledging Conference for Development Activities. (Daily Excelsior, 15 November 2019)
PM Modi Meets Chinese President Xi Jinping in Brazil, Hails 'New Direction and New Energy' in Ties. During the meeting on the sidelines of the 11th BRICS Summit on Wednesday, prime minister Modi said there was a "new direction and new energy" in bilateral ties after the two leaders' second informal summit in Chennai. (News18, 14 November 2019)
PM Modi at Brics summit: Here is a primer on what's on the agenda. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has arrived in Brazilia to attend the 11th Brics summit. The event, to be held on November 13 and 14, is expected to strengthen India’s ties with the world's four major economies. The PM will hold a series of bilateral meetings with leaders of the Brics member countries, Brazil, Russia, China and South Africa. The theme for the summit this time is 'economic growth for an innovative future'. (CNBCTv, 13 November 2019)
UK's Labour Party shuns Jeremy Corbyn's anti-India stance on Kashmir. In a move that is surely going to embarrass Jeremy Corbyn, the Chair of the Labour Party Ian Lavery has outrightly disowned Corbyn's views on Jammu and Kashmir. In a letter, Lavery said he "recognise" that the language used in the emergency motion has caused offence in not just sections of the Indian diaspora but in India itself. Chalking out the "official position" of the labour party, to which Corbyn belongs, Lavery said, "Kashmir is a bilateral matter for India and Pakistan to resolve together by means of a peaceful solution..." He added that Labour Party's official position on Kashmir remains the same as was stated by its National Policy Forum in its annual report for 2019. (Business Standard, 13 November 2019)
75% of BJP’s poll trust funds in 2018-19 came from Tatas. Corporate India contributed over Rs 472 crore to the BJP through electoral trusts in 2018-19, of which Rs 356 crore – or 75% – came from the Tata Group-controlled Progressive Electoral Trust (PET) alone. The Congress, on the other hand, received about Rs 99 crore from four electoral trusts, of which Rs 55.6 crore – or 56% – was disbursed by PET, according to the latest annual contribution reports submitted by political parties to the Election Commission. (The Times of India, 13 November 2019)
Maharashtra put under President's Rule for 6 months as Governor says no possibility of govt now. President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the cabinet decision to impose President's Rule in Maharashtra following the deadlock over government formation even after almost three weeks since the election results came out. (India Today, 12 November 2019)
India to Host Shanghai Summit’s Heads Of Government Council Meet In 2020. India will host the 19th council of heads of presidency of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation subsequent 12 months, the primary such excessive stage assembly of the eight-member grouping to be organised by New Delhi after its admission into the grouping in 2017, SCO Secretary Normal Vladimir Norov stated. (Herald Publicist, 12 November 2019)
Shiv Sena Invited To Stake Claim In Maharashtra As BJP Refuses: 10 Points. The governor had invited the BJP to form a government amid a tussle with its ally Shiv Sena over which party gets to pick the chief minister. Maharashtra Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari asked Shiv Sena to indicate "willingness and ability" to form government in the state hours after the BJP gave him a negative response on the matter. The Sena called a late-night meeting of the top leaders to discuss the offer. Earlier on Sunday evening, the BJP said it would not stake claim to form government. "If the Shiv Sena wants to insult the mandate of the people and form government with the support of the NCP and Congress, they have our best wishes," the BJP said. (NDTV, 11 November 2019)
Ready to give up claim, Sunni board wrote to SC in March. The Sunni Central Waqf Board, which was a key litigant in the Ayodhya title suit, had offered a settlement formula to resolve the issue in its letter to Supreme Court in March this year, stating it was ready to relinquish its claim over the disputed site in larger interest of national harmony in lieu of a mosque at an alternative site. TOI is in possession of a copy of the settlement offer, which was sent to the Supreme Court after the mediation process was initiated by the court-appointed Justice Kalifulla-led mediation panel. (The Times of India, 11 November 2019)

01 - 10 November, 2019

A day after Ayodhya verdict nearly 90 arrested action against thousands of posts Doval meets religious leaders. Nearly 90 people have been arrested and action taken against over 8,000 social media posts as authorities maintained a tight vigil in the temple town and elsewhere in the country in the wake of the Ayodhya verdict, while Hindu and Muslim religious leaders exhorted people to maintain communal harmony after a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. (The Week, 10 November 2019)
Ayodhya verdict: SC awards disputed land to Hindus for Ram temple, alternative site for mosque. A five-judge Constitution bench of the Supreme Court unanimously decided to allot the disputed Ayodhya plot to a trust that will oversee the construction of a Ram temple there. The bench also ruled that a separate five-acre plot be allotted in Ayodhya to Muslims for the construction of a mosque. The court said that the decision of the Allahabad High Court in 2010 to order a three-way division of the disputed site “defies logic”. The bench also observed that the demolition of the Babri Masjid at the site by Hindutva activists in 1992 was a serious violation of the rule of law. (Scroll.in, 10 November 2019)
NSA Ajit Doval meets Hindu, Muslim religious leaders post-Ayodhya verdict. The religious leaders pledged unstinted support to the government in all steps to maintain peace and order. National Security Adviser Ajit Doval met a group of Hindu and Muslim “religious leaders and intellectuals” at his residence here on Sunday, a day after the Supreme Court allowed the construction of a Ram temple at the site where the Babri Masjid once stood in . A joint statement issued by Mr. Doval and the eminent personalities, including members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad, All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawrat, said, “Those attending the meeting were alive to the fact that certain anti-national and hostile elements, both within and outside the country, may attempt to exploit the situation to harm our national interest.” (The Hindu, 10 November 2019)
Modi thanks PM Imran for opening Kartarpur Corridor. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi thanked his Pakistani counterpart, Prime Minister Imran Khan, on Saturday, for opening the Kartarpur Corridor. Speaking at an event, Modi said that Prime Minister Imran had understood the emotions of the Indian people. (The News, 09 November 2019)
We respect and accept Ayodhya verdict: Ajmer Dargah appeals for peace. The spiritual head of Ajmer dargah welcomed the decision of Supreme Court on Ayodhya case and appealed to people to maintain peace and harmony. The apex court cleared the way for the construction of a Ram Temple at the disputed site at Ayodhya, and directed the Centre to allot a 5-acre plot to the Sunni Waqf Board for building a mosque. (India Today, 09 November 2019)
Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind urges Muslims to accept SC verdict on Ayodhya. A day after BJP-RSS and prominent Muslim organisations issued an appeal for peace and harmony ahead of the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict, Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind faction led by Maulana Arshad Madani said the outfit would accept any verdict, based on facts and evidence. “We are hopeful that the verdict will be in our favour but even if it is not, we will accept the verdict of the Supreme Court,” Madani asserted. (The Times of India, 06 November 2019)
Delhi proposes new initiative to conserve Indo-Pacific region. On a day the US said India plays a critical role in the future of the Indo-Pacific region and described the Quad foreign ministers’ meeting as a “milestone”, New Delhi proposed an Indo-Pacific Ocean’s Initiative to conserve and sustainably use the maritime domain. Delhi’s proposal was articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday when he addressed the East Asia summit. The officials of Quadrilateral grouping met on the sidelines on Monday. (The Indian Express, 05 November 2019)
Maharashtra power tussle: BJP in no mood to give in to Shiv Sena’s demands. The game of nerves between Shiv Sena and BJP threatens to drag on as there was no indication that the alliance partners are ready to engage in serious discussions to resolve differences even as opposition NCP and Congress showed readiness to do business with Sena. (The Times of India, 05 November 2019)
First "Darbar Move" Since Bifurcation, Civil Secretariat Reopens in Jammu. Amid tight security arrangements, the Civil Secretariat, which is the seat of Jammu and Kashmir government and other offices, reopened on Monday in Jammu after functioning for six months in Srinagar as part of the nearly 150-year-old practice locally known as ''Darbar Move''. The bi-annual shift is the first after the state's bifurcation into two Union Territories - Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh which came into existence on October 31. (NDTV, 04 November 2019)
PM Modi holds talks with PMs of Australia, Vietnam; focuses on maritime cooperation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held separate bilateral meetings with his Australian and Vietnamese counterparts with a focus on boosting counter-terror cooperation and forging deeper maritime ties in the Indo-Pacific region. The talks took place on the sidelines of the East Asia Summit. (The Economic Times, 04 November 2019)
U.S.-Australia-India-Japan Consultations (“The Quad”). Senior officials from the United States, Australia, India, and Japan met in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, for consultations on collective efforts to advance a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific. The four nations reaffirmed their support for a rules-based order in the region that promotes stability, growth, and economic prosperity. The officials continued productive discussions held at the September 26 Quad Ministerial, advancing practical collaboration on counter-terrorism, cyber, development finance, maritime security, humanitarian assistance, and disaster response. (US Department of State, 04 November 2019)
1,100 Indian Sikhs arrive at Punja Sahib in religious procession. Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Deputy Secretary Shrines Imran Gondal said that more than 1,100 Sikhs crossed the border through Wagah on Oct 31 via Ludhiana and Amritsar. He said they visited Gurdwara Janamasthan, Nankana Sahib, Gurdwara Sacha Sodda Farooqabad and other temples, and the pilgrimage will conclude at Gurdwara Darbar Sahib in Kartarpur, where a gold palanquin ‘Palki Sahib’ will be installed. “Around 1,300 visas issued for the Nagar Kirtan are over and above the contingent covered under the Protocol on Visits to Religious Shrines 1974 between Pakistan and India,” he said. (Dawn, 04 November 2019)
Army chief calls for building infrastructure on China border with Uttarakhand. Speaking at an event 'Raibaar-2019' in Tehri, General Bipin Rawat said the Army was ready to extend all possible help to Uttarakhand to improve connectivity in the bordering areas. "When I recently met Chief Minister [Trivendra Singh Rawat], he said that advanced landing grounds or airfields should be constructed in the areas bordering China. We are speedily working on it," the Army chief said. (India Today, 04 November 2019)
Political detainees in J&K likely to be shifted in view of approaching winter. The Jammu and Kashmir administration is looking for an accommodation to shift 34 political detainees from Centaur Hotel here as it lacks proper heating arrangements, officials said. The winter chill has already started taking a toll on the health of the detainees -- National Conference, PDP and People’s Conference leaders and prominent social activists -- and the security personnel guarding them. (Hindustan Times, 04 November 2019)
Ahead of SC verdict, Muslims want paramilitary deployed in Ayodhya. Ahead of the Supreme Court’s verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title suit, “worried” Muslims in Ayodhya have asked the district administration to deploy central paramilitary forces in areas with dense population of their community. The demand was raised by representatives of the Muslim community during a meeting with the Faizabad administration. (The Times of India, 03 November 2019)
We diluted Article 370 twelve times without controversy: Congress. Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesman Pawan Kheda said, "Not once or twice, but the Congress party diluted Article 370 as many as 12 times, but without letting any controversy break out." Kheda said the country's affairs are run through dialogue and not through controversies. He said the Congress understands this fact but "the ruling BJP doesn't" as its entire politics is founded on controversies. Kheda said the party's stand on Article 370 has not changed at all but it is objecting to the way the BJP government annulled it. (The Times of India, 03 November 2019)
Pakistan rejects political maps issued by India. Pakistan has rejected the political maps displaying Jammu and Kashmir region issued by the Indian government, denouncing them as “incorrect, legally untenable, void and in complete violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions”. The Foreign Office expressed these reservations over the maps in a statement issued on Sunday. “The political maps of India, issued by the Indian Home Ministry on November 2, 2019, displaying Jammu and Kashmir region and seeking to depict parts of Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu and Kashmir within the territorial jurisdiction of India, are incorrect, legally untenable, void and in complete violation of the relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions,” read the statement. (The Express Tribune, 03 November 2019)
PM Narendra Modi holds talks with leaders of three key maritime neighbours of India. As New Delhi seeks to expand its naval presence in the Indian Ocean region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday held separate bilateral meetings with the top leadership of Indonesia, Thailand and Myanmar, the three strategically-located maritime neighbours of India. The Prime Minister held the meetings on the sidelines of the Asean summit. It is learnt that the issue of maritime security cooperation figured in all the three meetings. (The Times of India, 03 November 2019)
Operation "Maa" by Army in J&K yields results; around 50 local militants return to families. It was a quiet humane operation of approaching "Maa" (mother) launched by Kashmir-based XV Army Corps that saw around 50 Kashmiri youths return to normal life this year, after abandoning the terror groups they had joined. In this operation, the Army, on the directions of General Officer Commanding (GoC) of 15 Corps Lieutenant General Kanwal Jeet Singh Dhillon, undertook an exercise in the hunt for missing youths and approached their families. (The Economic Times, 03 November 2019)
PM Modi meets Indonesian President Joko Widodo at ASEAN summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi held talks with Indonesian President Joko Widodo during which the two leaders resolved to work closely to deal with the threats of terrorism and extremism. The two leaders met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit held in Thailand. (The Hindu Business Line, 03 November 2019)
Rajnath Singh attends first Indo-Uzbek Joint Exercise in Tashkent. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the curtain raiser event of the first Indo-Uzbek Joint Exercise named 'Dustlik-2019' at the Armed Forces in Tashkent. The Defence Minister and his Uzbek counterpart jointly presided over the 'curtain raiser' of the first-ever India-Uzbekistan Joint Exercise. The exercise will be conducted from November 4-13 at Chirchiq Training Area near Tashkent and will be focused on counter-terrorism, an area in which the two countries share a common concern. (Business Standard, 03 November 2019)
PoK in UT of Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan in Ladakh in fresh map of India. Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) is part of the newly created Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, while Gilgit-Baltistan is in the UT of Ladakh in the fresh maps released by the government on Saturday following the bifurcation. In a notification, the ministry of home affairs also released the new map of India depicting the two UTs with PoK 'capital' Muzaffarabad within the geographical boundary of the country. As per the new map, PoK remains with Jammu and Kashmir UT and Gilgit-Baltistan with the UT of Ladakh, according to the maps. (The Times of India, 02 November 2019)
India has received 'fullest' support from US on Kashmir issue: Harsh Vardhan Shringla. Noting that India has received the "fullest" support from America on Kashmir, Indian Ambassador to the US Harsh Vardhan Shringla said that New Delhi is happy that the Trump administration has taken a "very very understanding view" on the issue. Shringla made the remarks during a programme to celebrate Diwali at his residence on Friday. “We are very happy that we have that understanding and support from our friends in the US Administration,” Shringla said. (The Times of India, 02 November 2019)
Germany to spend 1 bln euro in 5 years on green urban mobility projects in India. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said her country will spend one billion euros ($1.12 billion) in the next five years on green urban mobility projects conceived under the new German-Indian partnership. Merkel, accompanied by several cabinet colleagues and a business delegation, began talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that will focus on trade, investment, regional security and climate change. (Reuters, 02 November 2019)
Tashkent: Rajnath Singh meets Afghan Chief Executive, lays emphasis on SCO countries. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh met Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the Chief Executive of Afghanistan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting. The leader laid emphasis on economic cooperation during his address at the SCO meeting earlier in the day. (Asian Age, 02 November 2019)
Chandrayaan-2 not end of story, another landing attempt soon: ISRO chief. Chandrayaan-2 is not the end of the story about the country's attempts to conquer the moon, and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) will attempt another soft landing "in the near future", the space agency's chief K Sivan said. Sivan, who was in the national capital to attend IIT Delhi's golden jubilee convocation said a number of advanced satellite launches are planned in the coming months. "You all have heard about Chandrayaan-2 mission. On the technology part - yes, we could not achieve soft landing, but all the systems functioned until 300 metres from the moon's surface. (Millenniumpost.in, 02 November 2019)
As Kartarpur inauguration nears, PM Imran announces special waivers for Sikh guests. Prime Minister Imran Khan announced that Sikh pilgrims who arrive from India to visit Kartarpur will no longer need a passport to cross over into Pakistan as long as they have a valid identity. In a tweet on Friday morning, the premier also announced that he had directed that the condition for pilgrims to register 10 days before their arrival to the Kartarpur shrine also be waived. The prime minister further announced that the pilgrims who arrive on the day of the Kartarpur corridor's opening and on Baba Guru Nanak's 550th birth anniversary will not be charged any fee to visit. (Dawn, 01 November 2019)

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