Lok Sabha polls | PM Modi vows to take stringent action against corruption over next five years
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 19 said that stringent action would be taken against corruption over the next five years, and asked the people of Tamil Nadu to give his BJP-led National Democratic Alliance a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha elections. Participating in a public meeting in Salem, Mr. Modi said the DMK and Congress party were two sides of the same coin as both were involved in corruption and family rule. “Only after sending the Congress home, has 5G technology grown. But in Tamil Nadu, the fifth generation [of the DMK] is coming to power,” he said.
Supreme Court to hear arguments on stay of CAA rules on April 9
The Supreme Court has said that it will hear arguments on the stay of the Citizenship Amendment Act rules on April 9 after the Centre sought time to file its response to multiple applications seeking the stay. The Centre has refused to give a statement in Supreme Court that there will not be any citizenship granted under CAA till the next apex court hearing on April 9.
The Supreme Court on March 19 disposed of a fresh plea challenging the Allahabad High Court order consolidating 15 suits related to Mathura’s Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid dispute. A Bench of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta gave the Committee of Management Trust Shahi Masjid Idgah, which has challenged the January 11 order, the liberty to pursue its recall application before the High Court.
The Supreme Court on March 19 allowed the Sharad Pawar faction to use ‘Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar’ as its name for the upcoming Lok Sabha and Assembly polls in the country. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan also permitted the NCP bloc led by the veteran politician to use as its symbol ‘man blowing turha’ (a traditional trumpet also known as tutari).
Supreme Court asks Baba Ramdev to be present in court in Patanjali case
The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked self-styled yoga guru Baba Ramdev to personally appear in a contempt case initiated against Patanjali Ayurved for publishing misleading advertisements in violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 despite an undertaking given to the court in November last year. A Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued show cause notice to Baba Ramdev to file his response against initiating contempt proceedings against him.
AAP leader Sanjay Singh takes oath as Rajya Sabha member
Aam Aadmi Party leader Sanjay Singh on March 19 took oath as member of the Rajya Sabha after a Delhi Court permitted him to visit Parliament. Mr. Singh who has been in Tihar Jail since October 2023 in connection with a case pertaining to now scrapped Delhi excise policy took oath in the presence of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar who also serves as the chairman of the Rajya Sabha. This is Mr. Singh’s second term as a Rajya Sabha Member from Delhi. Since Parliament is not in session, Mr, Singh’s oath taking ceremony was not conducted in the House.
Union Minister Pashupati Kumar Paras resigns after being denied ticket in Bihar
Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party chief Pashupati Kumar Paras on March 19 resigned from the Union Cabinet, after his party was not given a single seat in the NDA coalition for Bihar for which seat distribution was done on March 18 in Delhi. While resigning from the Union Cabinet, Mr. Paras said “injustice has been done with my party”. Mr. Paras made brief remarks at the press conference about his resignation and did not elaborate about his future plans.
MEA reaffirms Arunachal Pradesh as integral part of India, rejects China’s claims
Days after the Chinese military reiterated its claim over Arunachal Pradesh, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on March 19 said, “Arunachal Pradesh was, is and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India.” “We have noted comments by Chinese Defence Ministry spokesperson advancing absurd claims over territory of Arunachal Pradesh. Repeating baseless arguments doesn’t lend such claims any validity,” he said.
The Nayab Singh Saini government in Haryana carried out the first cabinet expansion on March 19 by inducting eight MLAs as Ministers. Mr. Saini and five ministers took oath last week. Governor Bandaru Dattatreya administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new Ministers at the Raj Bhavan in Chandigarh. BJP MLA from Hisar Kamal Gupta was the first one to be administered oath as Cabinet Minister.
Former Indian Ambassador to U.S. Taranjit Singh Sandhu joins BJP
Former Indian Ambassador to the United States, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, joined the BJP on March 19, and is likely to contest on the party ticket from Amritsar, where he has been reaching out to people since he retired from the foreign service a few months ago. Mr. Sandhi joined the BJP in the presence of BJP’s national general secretaries Vinod Tawde and Tarun Chugh (in charge of party affairs in Punjab).
Jharkhand Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan given additional responsibilities of Telangana, Puducherry
President Droupadi Murmu on March 19 gave Jharkhand Govenor C.P. Radhakrishnan additional charge of Telangana and Puducherry after accepting the resignation of Tamilisai Soundararajan who had stepped down from these posts. “The President of India is also pleased to appoint Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Governor of Jharkhand to discharge the functions of the Governor of Telangana and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry in addition to his own duties, until regular arrangements are made,” a Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said.
North Korea says Kim Jong-un supervised tests of rocket launchers targeting Seoul
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un supervised a live-fire drill of nuclear-capable “super-large” multiple rocket launchers designed to target South Korea’s capital as he vowed to boost his war deterrent in the face of deepening confrontations with rivals, state media said on March 19. The report came a day after South Korea and Japan said they detected North Korea firing multiple short-range ballistic missiles toward waters off its eastern coast, adding to a streak of weapons displays that have raised regional tensions.
Russia plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems
A Russian energy ministry official told a parliament meeting on March 19 there were plans to defend oil and gas facilities with missile systems. “We are jointly working, including with colleagues from the Russian National Guard, to cover objects, on installing, accordingly, protection systems such as Pantsir,” said Artyom Verkhov, director of the Energy Ministry’s department for gas industry development.
Blinken underscores ‘ironclad’ support for the Philippines as it clashes with China in disputed sea
Secretary of State Antony Blinken underscored Washington’s “ironclad commitment” on March 19 to help defend the Philippines in case of an armed attack against its forces after clashes between Chinese and Filipino coast guards in the disputed South China Sea recently turned more hostile. Mr. Blinken, the latest high-level official to visit the United States treaty ally, met his Philippine counterpart Enrique Manalo on March 19 before separately meeting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. in Manila.
Cricket Australia calls off Afghanistan T20 series over women’s rights concerns
Australia have called off a T20 series against Afghanistan citing a deteriorating human rights situation for women and girls in the Taliban-ruled country, Cricket Australia said on March 19. Australia withdrew from a ODI series scheduled for March 2023 in the United Arab Emirates after the Taliban imposed strict restrictions on Afghan women, including banning them from attending universities.
