Morning Digest: Haryana votes today in single-phase election to 90-member Assembly; PM Modi says the two global conflict-hit regions are important for energy security, and more

Here is a select list of stories to start the day

1,031 candidates in fray for Haryana Assembly polls on October 5

An electorate of over 2 crore will decide the fate of 1,031 candidates, including political heavyweights like Congress’s Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Vinesh Phogat and Chief Minister Naib Singh Saini, in the Haryana Assembly election on Saturday (October 5, 2024). While the BJP is looking at a third straight term in office, the Congress is seeking a return to power after a decade. The key contesting parties are the Bharatiya Janata Party, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party, Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) and its ally Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), and Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) and ally Azad Samaj Party (ASP) (Kanshi Ram).

PM Modi says conflict-hit regions are important for energy security

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made oblique references to the widening conflict in the Middle East and the Russia-Ukraine war on Friday (October 4, 2024), saying the two regions were crucial for the global economy and energy security. His comments came amid fears of further escalation in the Middle East if Israel were to retaliate and attack Iran, potentially its nuclear, and oil facilities. This, analysts fear, could fuel a surge in energy prices and draw the region into a wider conflict.

Omar Abdullah’s claim on government move to curtail powers of J&K CM misleading: Union Home Ministry 

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday (October 4, 2024) denied National Conference leader Omar Abdullah’s allegations that there was any proposal tasking the Chief Secretary of Jammu and Kashmir to change the transaction of business rules to curtail the powers of the elected Chief Minister and assign the same to the Lieutenant Governor.  Mr. Abdullah said in a post on X that sensing defeat ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election results on October 8, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government at the Centre was mulling administrative changes in the union territory.

Security forces kill at least 28 Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Abujhmad

At least 28 Maoists were killed by security forces in a gunfight in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Friday (October 4, 2024), according to the police. No security personnel were injured in the operation. The gunfight began around 1 p.m. in the Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district in the left-wing extremism-affected Bastar region. At 8 p.m., the police provided the final number of bodies recovered, after which Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai congratulated the forces in a post on X.

Ahead of poll, credit war breaks out in Maharashtra over classical language status to Marathi

The Union Cabinet’s decision on Thursday to grant classical language status to Marathi, a demand pending since 2013, has set off a political credit war in the State ahead of the Assembly election due this year. After Prime Minister Narendra Modi took to X to state that “Marathi is India’s pride” and “this honour acknowledges the rich cultural contribution of Marathi in our nation’s history”, political parties spared no time in highlighting their efforts in ensuring that the language was accorded this status.

Himachal CM says no toilet tax in State, BJP making false claim for political gains

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday denied any claims of imposition or proposal of a so-called ‘toilet tax’ in the State and asserted that the Opposition Bharatiya Janta Party was making baseless claims for political gains ahead of Haryana Assembly election.

Rahul Gandhi ‘true voice of people’ as Leader of Opposition, says Congress

Congress leaders on Friday listed out the achievements of Rahul Gandhi as he completed 100 days as the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in the Lok Sabha.  Congress general secretary (organisation) K. C. Venugopal said whether it was about raising the concerns of NEET students over paper leak, visiting strife-torn Manipur or pressing for the caste Census, Mr. Gandhi ensured that the government took steps “to correct its missteps”.

Israeli airstrikes rock southern suburbs of Beirut, cut off key crossing into Syria

Israel carried out another series of punishing airstrikes Friday (October 4, 2024), hitting suburban Beirut and cutting off the main border crossing between Lebanon and Syria for tens of thousands of people fleeing the Israeli bombardment of the Hezbollah militant group. The overnight blasts in Beirut’s southern suburbs sent huge plumes of smoke and flames into the night sky and shook buildings kilometres away in the Lebanese capital. Additional strikes sent people running for cover in streets littered with rubble in the Dahiyeh neighbourhood, where at least one building was levelled and cars were burned out.

Cricketer-actor Salil Ankola’s mother found dead in Pune flat

Former cricketer Salil Ankola’s mother was found dead in her Pune flat on Friday with her throat slit, a police official said, adding the injuries prima facie look “self inflicted”. The body of Mala Ashok Ankola (77) was found in her flat on Prabhat Road in Deccan Gymkhana area in the afternoon, the official said. “The incident came to light after her maid came to the flat and then alerted relatives after no one answered the door,” he said. “When the door was opened, the woman was found dead with her throat slit. Prima facie, it looks like the injuries are self-inflicted. However, we are probing the case from all angles,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone I) Sandip Singh Gill.

Lone NCP MLA along with his son joins BJP in poll-bound Jharkhand

In Jharkhand, lone Nationalist Congress Party (NCP- Ajit Pawar group) MLA Kamlesh Kumar Singh on Friday joined Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the presence of party’s State unit president Babulal Marandi and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma who is also the co-incharge of Jharkhand election. 

Cases can’t be lodged against journalists for criticising govt: Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Friday (October 4, 2024) said criminal cases could not be slapped on media persons perceived as critical of the government while barring the Uttar Pradesh Police from taking coercive steps against a journalist for his article about a “casteist tilt” in the deployment of officers occupying key positions in the Yogi Adityanath administration. “In democratic nations, freedom to express one’s views is respected. The rights of the journalists are protected under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. Merely because writings of a journalist are perceived as criticism of the government, criminal cases should not be slapped against the writer,” a Bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S.V.N. Bhatti underscored in its judicial order.

Former principal and police officer tried to hush up R.G. Kar rape and murder, alleges CBI

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday (October 4, 2024) alleged that former principal of R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital Sandip Kumar Ghosh and well as ex officer-in-charge of Tala police station Abhijit Mondal tried to hush up the rape and murder of a doctor at the State-run facility. The allegations were made in the remand application made by the agency before Sealdah Court seeking extension of the judicial custody of the two accused.

Jharkhand Assembly election: Popularity of Soren’s cash transfer scheme a tough challenge for BJP

The cash transfer scheme started by Chief Minister Hemant Soren is turning out to be a tough challenge to the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ahead of the upcoming Jharkhand Assembly election. In the run-up to the Assembly election, the cash transfer scheme Mukhyamantri Maiya Samman Yojna (MMSY) has made the women economically stronger as they are able to meet their daily expenses. The BJP has been continuously targeting CM Soren over the scheme and calling it a political stunt before the Jharkhand election. Under the scheme the financial assistance of ₹1,000 is given to eligible women above 21 years to 50 years of age; so far, 48,15,048 women have been registered to provide the benefits of the scheme out of which 45,36,597 women have been covered.

Women's T20 World Cup: Devine leads New Zealand to victory over India

New Zealand captain Sophie Devine led from the front with an unbeaten 57 in her team's 58-run win over India in their opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup on Friday. Devine, who hit seven fours in a late blast, steered New Zealand to 160-4 despite a stutter after she had elected to bat first in Dubai. Medium-pace bowlers Rosemary Mair and Lea Tahuhu then shared seven wickets to bowl out India for 102 in 19 overs to end New Zealand's 10-match losing streak.

Published - October 05, 2024 06:21 am IST