News18 Daybreak | Kumbh Mela Commences in UP's Prayagraj and Other Stories You Need to Watch Out For

BSP Supremo Mayawati to kick start election campaign on 63rd birthday

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati is expected to spell out her party's views on the political situation and the tie-up with Samajwadi party on her 63rd birthday on Tuesday. In a grand event. “All the leaders of Samajwadi Party, Indian National Lok Dal, Janta Dal (S), Janta Congress Chattisgarh and some more regional parties might be invited to attend the birthday programme,” a senior BSP leader disclosed. On Saturday, in a historic move, BSP and the SP announced their alliance ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.

WB RATH YATRA CASE:

The Mamata Banerjee-led West Bengal government will file its response on Tuesday to the Supreme Court on a plea by the BJP seeking permission to take out rath yatra in the state. The Bhartiya Janata Party had submitted a writ petition after it was denied permission by Mamta Banerjee for their ‘Save Democracy Yatra’. In December, 2018 the court had asked the BJP to submit a list of ‘self-restrictions’ measures for the yatra and three tentative dates for the yatra. The Mamata Banerjee-led government had previously cited law and order disruptions as the reasons for not allowing the yathra. The Bengal CM had also stressed that the yathra is not just political in nature but had religious overtones.

Rajasthan to felicitate people taking care of stray cows on R-Day and I-Day

Ahead of Republic Day, the Congress government in Rajasthan is in preparations to felicitate those taking care of stray cows. According to a letter issued to all district collectors by the Directorate of Gopalan on December 28, “Those charitable and sensitive citizens, who have adopted stray cows, will be felicitated at the state level by the district collector on Independence/ Republic Day.” Under the previous BJP government, Rajasthan became the first state to have a ‘Cow Minister’. Pramod Bhaya is now the ‘Cow Minister’ in the Ashok Gehlot-led government.

Kumbh Mela to commence today at Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj

The Prayagraj Kumbh mela, the grand congregation of Hindu devotees takes place four times over a course of 12 years, begins today. The festivities will commence with the shahi snan or the holy dip with sadhus from 13 akhadas (tent) taking a dip in the rivers along where the mela takes place. More than 12 crore people are expected to take part in the events over the next 50 days. Read News18.com’s stories on the historic akhada of the kinnar community and the ‘Mullah Ji’ who lights up the Kumbh for the many devotees.

What you may have missed

BJP and JD(S) at loggerheads over three Congress MLAs surrounding allegations of horse trading

New political turbulence in Karnataka has travelled from Bengaluru to Delhi as the BJP flew its 104 lawmakers to the capital and then a resort in neighbouring Gurgaon, alleging that Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy was trying to split its ranks.

Five Congress lawmakers appear to be out of contact with their party, though ally Mr Kumaraswamy claimed they were in touch with him.

A group of 'missing' Congress lawmakers in Karnataka is the biggest clue that the BJP has set "Operation Lotus" in motion, the party said today even as its partner, Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy, dismissed any threat to his coalition government.

The Congress has called a meeting in Bengaluru in the backdrop of its worry about "Operation Lotus", which describes allegations that the BJP is trying to draw away ruling coalition lawmakers and take power in the state. The term was first used in 2008, when the BJP was accused of inciting several opposition legislators to defect to ensure the stability of its government headed by BS Yeddyurappa.

In the 224-member Karnataka Assembly, the JDS-Congress combine has 118 lawmakers, more than the majority mark of 113. The BJP has 104 lawmakers and is far short of the required numbers.

But the Congress alleges that it is trying to muster up the numbers, which is the reason five of its lawmakers have gone missing. Mr Kumaraswamy claims they are in a Mumbai hotel and in touch with him. "All of them (Congress MLAs) are continuously in contact with me. They went to Mumbai after informing me. My government isn't under any threat," the Chief Minister said indignantly.

BJP sources confirmed on Monday that the party is in efforts to poach three disgruntled Congress MLAs and if all goes to plan Karnataka will have a new government after Makar Sankranti. The three MLAs are said to be camping in a hotel in Mumbai. Chief Minister Kumaraswamy rubbished the allegations saying that all the three Congress members are in touch with him and that there is no threat to the government. Meanwhile, state BJP president Yedyurappa said that 104 BJP legislators are camping out in the national capital. Last year, the BJP in Karnataka lost by a very narrow margin after the Kanata Dal(Secular) and Congress moved to form a coalition government.

Gujarat to become the first of states to implement quota bill

A day after President Ram Nath Kovind gave his approval for the new quota bill which gives 10% reservation to the economically weaker sections in the general category, the Gujarat government announced that it would implement the provisions in education. “From Makar Sankranti — January 14, 2019 — the economically weaker sections of non-reserved candidates will start getting benefit of 10 per cent reservation in higher education admissions and government jobs…,” Chief Minister Vijay Rupani said in an official release.

Centre mulls over increasing tax exemption limit ahead of 2019 polls

Centre will decide on whether to increase the income tax exemption limit for individuals to Rs. 5 lakhs ahead of the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The income tax exemption limit till last year was 2.5 lakh per annum. Sources have however said that the indirect tax policy is unlikely to see any change. The government is also not likely to cut corporate tax rate for remaining 1% corporate taxpayers.

Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and 7 others named in 12000-page chargesheet

The Delhi police on Monday filed a 12000 page chargesheet naming former JNU students Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid, Anirban Bhattacharya almost three years after they were accused of raising ‘anti-India slogans. "We congratulate the Delhi Police, the Home Ministry and the government for waking up from their deep slumber 3 years after 9 Feb 2016, and barely 3 months before the general elections 2019 and filing a charge sheet against us," Khalid and Bhattacharya said in a joint statement. Patiala House Courts has taken cognizance of the chargesheet.

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Almost three years after former JNU students’ union president Kanhaiya Kumar and 9 others were accused of raising anti-India slogans, the Delhi police on Monday charged them with sedition.

Defending himself Kumar described the chargesheet as "politically motivated" and questioned its timing, which comes just months ahead of the Lok Sabha poll.

The police claimed it has video clips to prove the offence which has been corroborated by the statements of the witnesses and that Kumar was leading a procession and allegedly supported seditious slogans raised on the JNU campus in February 2016.

The other seven accused chargesheeted in the case are Kashmiri students Aquib Hussain, Mujeeb Hussain, Muneeb Hussain, Umar Gul, Rayeea Rassol, Bashir Bhat and Basharat, some of them were then studying in JNU, Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia Millia Islamia.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram dubbed the charges against Kanhaiya Kumar and others in the JNU sedition case as "absurd" while his party said it hoped that the legal process will be carried out rightfully.