The Hindu – 5 Aug

SC stays Rahul’s conviction for Modi surname remark :

The supreme court on Friday stayed the conviction of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in a criminal defamation of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in Criminal defamation case for his ‘ Modi ‘ surname remark in a Karnataka rally in 2019.

                     A three judge bench headed by RS Gavai , said that Surat court that awarded the punishment , failed to give even a single reason for serving maximum punishment of 2 years .Even Gujarat high court too skipped the issue of awarding maximum punishment in the case .  SC however observed that the statement made was ” not in good taste ” , and mankind such statement should had to be abstained .

Restore Rahul’s LS membership immediately urge Congress leadership .
 

PM to lay foundation stone to revamp 508 railway stations .

PM Narendra Modi will virtually lay the foundation stone of 508 railway stations on 6 th August . According to ministry of railways redevelopment work is being done at an estimated cost of ₹24, 479 crore .Only 508 stations are currently taken to be revamped under Amrit Bharat Scheme . The scheme was launched to redevelop 1309 stations .

           Currently revamping work at 24 railway stations with a cost of around 11 , 436;crore is going on.

SC upholds ASI study at Gyanvapi Mosque

SC on Friday refused to stop ASI Survey from continuing with its ” scientific investigation ” of the Gyanvapi Mosque premises at Varanasi , though it asked the expert body to stick true to its assurance to use only “non evasive methodology ” .   On Thursday Allahabad High court had given its nod for go ahead with its survey ordered by the Varanasi District Judge on July 21 .

                The advocate of Masjid side said that the survey was merely a ” salami tactics ” and that it breached places of Worship Act 1991 . CJI however told that the matter was open for arguments and survey was only a ” interlocutary one ” .

               The survey is meant to determine whether the 17 th century mosque had been constructed over a pre-existing Hindu temple .

Ahead of assembly election , Rajsthan approved formation of 19 new districts .

With an eye on upcoming Assembly elections , the congres govt in Rajasthan on Friday approved a proposal to form 19 new districts and three new divisions in the state .

                 The decision will take the total no of districts in the country’s largest state to 50 .

                 On March 17 , CM Ashok Gehlot had annot formation of new districts based in based on proposal of high level committee named Ram Lubhaya committee .

              Mr Gehlot said the move is towards decentralisation of power .And that it will help in bringing Rajsthan to. the front row of developed stayed by 2030 .

Row over Kerala speakers remark : CPI ( M) secretary  denies terming deities ‘myth’

Kerala speaker R.N. Samsher recently a kannur school while delivering a speech had called center of trying to teach students Hindu myths  , he had cited Lord Ganesha and ‘puspaka vimana ‘ .

                  Many organisations such as Nair Service Society (NSS ) called for an apology .

Many have questioned CPI( M) for disdainful belief of Hindus while not questioning the faiths cherished by other religions .

Loksabha conducts business even as opposition contii protest

Lok Sabha passed Bills on IIMs and Inter services Organisation bill .

ISO Bill –  Inter Services Organization ( command , control and descipline ) Bill , 2023  seeks to empower commander in Chief and Officer in Command of ISOs  with all desciplinary and administrative power s in respect to personal serving inor attached to such organisations.

National Research Foundation Bill was also tabled in Lok sabha .

The bill proposes to create a National Research Foundation ( NRF ) a new body will provide ” high level strategic direction for research ,innovation and entrepreneurship .” NRF governing board will be presided by PM and will have minister of science and education as ” vice president ” . It wa told to be formed in NEP .A tolal of ₹50,000 crore will be spent on scientific research over five year period under this .

DGFT suspends it’s laptop ,PC import curbs till November 1.

A day earlier it Directorate General of Foreign Trade ( DGFT ) issued a statement to suspend imports of laptop , pc . But the decision was held just one day later .

World

     Russian Warships damaged as Ukraine targets Black Sea port with drones :

Ukriane on Friday siad that it’s sea drones struck a major Russian port in Black Sea and becomes increasing lu important battlefield in the war .

Novorossiyk which halted maritime traffic for a few hour , marks the first time a commercial Russian port has been targeted in Ukriane Russia war . The black sea port has Russia s naval base , shipbuilding yard and oil terminal .

                    Fighting across black sea has increased since Russia withdrew from Black sea grain export deal .So far Russian Forces has controlled black sea , attacking. Ukriane from the region . A advisor to Zelensky heralded its latest attack on Russia saying ” drones are changing the rules of the games ….and ultimately destroying value of Russian fleet .

Court temporarily halts Imran’s trial over sale of state gift .

A Pakistani High court on Friday set aside lower courts verdict in Toshakhana case and has asked it it to rehear the case . It has come to great relief to Imran Khan.

                       The general election is very near in Pakistan , the National Assembly will end on 12 August . And PM is expected to dissolve by the lower house on August 9 .

Pakistan passes bill to meet FATF demand

On Friday Pakistan National Assembly passed a bill that will bring all institutions related to Financial Action Task Force (FATF ) under one command .” National Anti Money Laundering  and Counter Financing of Terrorism Authority Bill ” is now in senate after getting passed by National Assembly .

            Pakistan was in Grey list of FATF in 2018 and had to make huge effort to come out of it in 2021.

FATF is an intergovernmental organisation that looks in to terror Financing ,money laundering .

It’s headquarters is in Paris .

Mutinous soldiers in Niger secer French military ties while ‘ hostage ‘ President pleads for US help .

Niger military Junta says it is severing agreements with France , its former colonial ruler firing some of the previous govt key ambassadors and warning citizens of the west African Nations to watch for foreign armies and spies .

                  Two days are remaining before a deadline by the West African bloc to release and reinstate private President Bazoum or face possible force .president Bazoum from his exile wrote opinion in Washington Post in which he urged US and partners to help .

Editorial 1

Incremental Injustice

Motivated cases for altering status of places of worship must be discouraged .

About the editorial: .

The editorial is about the Gyanvapi Mosque case in which recently SC granted permission for a survey . The editorial tells that places of worship act should be upheld and such permission by court should not be given .

About Gyanvapi case:

The current case was filed on 12 may 2022 by some women who wanted that the be allowed daily worship at the premises of Gyanvapi Mosque which they used to perform prior to 1990s . They also called for survey of whole site . Sessions court granted permission for survey . A shivling was found during survey . SC sealed the area of shivling by its order and the asked for indefinite stay on survey . On July 21 both sessions court of Varanasi and Allahbad high court allowed the survey .SC also allowed it. .

                     Daily worship used to go under one of its premises daily till 1990s . After 1993 , worship one day at a year was permitted . The petitioner women wanted that daily worship be allowed .

 Places of Worship Act 1991 –

Places of worship  act freezes status of all places of worship as on August 15 , 1947 , means no alteration in worship places will be done and it will be kept as on 15 August 1947 .

Courts has hold this in many of its arguments

               Editorial however say that allowing survey which will try to find out if there was a structure like temple before the mosque may be in direction of places of worship act and has not been permitted .

Editorial 2

A tentative rethink

The GST councils retake on gaming bets does not provide enough certainty

About the editorial :

 In 51 st meeting of GST council , FM Nirmala Sitharaman promised to look into tax slab for Gaming , six months after its implementation . The editorial talks about its current status and tells that GST council should not be swayed away by disaffection by certain group over tax for gaming .

About GST on gaming :

GST council in its 50 th meet a month ago had decided to impose 28 % GST to online gaming , betting and similar industries . Industry persons had called it death knell to the flourishing industry such as gaming .Gaming has been put under sunrise industry , means govt looks a lot of investment in gaming sector and tells that its policies will be to attract investment in this sector .  But increased GST was seen as death knell to the industry by many . FM however clarified that the tax will be on initial money and not winning amount , for example  a person enters casino and puts 1000 rs if he wins ₹300 more . The tax will be on initial amount ₹1000 and not on winning amount. This has soothe neeve to many . Despite states like Goa and Sikkim has expressed displeasure over this .

                     It will be interesting to look what govt decides 6 months after its implementation

 However GST councils decison should not be so  loose that it need to review it in 6 months.