Friday, November 22
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Laos for the 21st ASEAN-India and 19th East Asia Summit strengthened India's commitment to ASEAN relations. Modi described the visit as productive, emphasizing cooperation for peace, prosperity, and sustainable development. He also engaged in bilateral meetings and discussed challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.
Rahul Gandhi's claim of a psychological advantage for the Congress after the Lok Sabha polls has been undermined by the Haryana election results. This outcome has shifted the pressure onto the opposition, highlighting the necessity of alliances, as shown by the Congress's missed opportunity with AAP. The upcoming Maharashtra elections now pose a significant challenge.
The National Conference sources indicated that reversing the 10% ST reservation for the Pahari community in Jammu and Kashmir is unlikely, fearing agitations. They argue that changes might spark protests, affecting the new government. BJP's failure to win in Pahari-populated areas further complicates the situation.
BJP's dominance in SC-reserved seats in Jammu and Haryana signals erosion of Congress's influence and casts doubt on allegations against Modi government's stance on caste quotas. BJP benefitted from inclusive development focus and addressing Dalit concerns beyond major castes, contrasting Congress's perceived biases.
The National Conference-Congress alliance won the Kashmir region, seen as a rejection of the BJP's policies post-2019. The BJP's strategy to use proxies in Kashmir failed, leading to a significant setback. While the BJP maintained a hold in Jammu, the results indicate dissatisfaction with changes in Kashmir's status.
Karnataka HC acquitted three convicts, including a Pakistani national, in a 2012 terror case due to insufficient evidence. The court noted lapses in referring the UAPA case to an independent authority. Rehman’s conviction under the Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act was upheld.
More than 10 tigers have vanished from Pilibhit's Amaria block, raising concerns among forest officials. Leopards now occupy the sugarcane fields that were once tiger habitats. Pilibhit Tiger Reserve's divisional forest officer has called for a high-level investigation to determine whether poaching or migration is responsible, and proposed relocating some tigers to other sanctuaries.
A Dehradun Pocso court sentenced an 18-year-old footballer to three years' rigorous imprisonment for kidnapping a 17-year-old girl he met during training. Despite the girl's non-support for the prosecution, the court convicted him while acquitting him of rape charges.
A Rajasthan court acquitted the last eight of the accused in the 1987 Roop Kanwar 'sati glorification' case due to inadequate evidence, ending a 36-year-long trial. The case revolved around the forced immolation of 18-year-old widow Roop Kanwar. The incident led to the enactment of the Commission of Sati (Prevention) Act in 1987.
A special PMLA court in Bengaluru has acknowledged the ED's chargesheet against former Karnataka minister B Nagendra for allegedly masterminding a ₹20 crore scam involving ST welfare funds, intended for use in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The investigation revealed substantial misappropriation and money laundering.
