The Hindu Morning Digest: May 5, 2025
Supreme Court to hear batch of pleas challenging Waqf (Amendment) Act today
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday (May 5, 2025) a batch of pleas challenging the Waqf (Amendment) Act's constitutional validity, weeks after the government paused two central aspects of the contentious law in the face of probing questions by the top court.
Iran FM Araghchi to visit Pakistan, India this week, days after offering to mediate to reduce tensions
Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi will arrive in Islamabad on Monday (May 5, 2025), ahead of a visit to Delhi later this week, the Iranian Foreign Ministry announced in Tehran on Sunday. The visit by Mr. Araghchi to India had been planned several weeks ago. Now, coupled with the visit to Pakistan, it takes on an added mission, after he offered to mediate between the two 'brotherly neighbours of Iran'.
T.N. Chief Minister to announce nationalisation of books of five Tamil scholars today
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is set to take part in the valedictory of 'Tamil Week', which is being observed to mark the birth anniversary of late Tamil poet Pavendhar Bharathidasan. He is also scheduled to present prizes to the winners of various competitions at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai on Monday (May 5, 2025). During the event, the Chief Minister is also set to announce the nationalisation of the literary works of five Tamil scholars and hand over royalty to their families. The books of Tamil Scholars are being nationalised by the Tamil Nadu government so as to take the treasures of ideas of Tamil scholars to the masses.
My responsibility to give befitting reply to those who dare to attack our country: Rajnath Singh
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Sunday (May 4, 2025) that it was his responsibility to give a 'befitting reply' to those who dare to attack India. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'perseverance, I assure you all, whatever you wish for will be done', he added.
Israel's Netanyahu vows multi-phase response against Yemen's Houthis
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (May 4, 2025) promised a multi-phased repsonse to Yemen's Houthis after the Iran-backed rebels struck the area of Israel's main airport with a missile. 'We have acted against them in the past and we will act in the future, but I cannot go into detail (...) it will not happen in one bang, but there will be many bangs,' Mr. Netanyahu said in a video on published on the Telegram messaging platform.
Married a cousin from Pakistan, kept department in loop, says dismissed CRPF jawan
The Partition of 1947 'divided the clan' of Munir Ahmad, a CRPF jawan who was dismissed for marrying a Pakistani woman on Saturday, and the nikah with his 'cousin' was aimed at reunifying the divided family, according to the dismissed jawan.
Jaishankar says India is looking for partners, not preachers; highlights New Delhi's 'Russia realism'
India is looking for 'partners' and not 'preachers', External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Sunday (May 4, 2025), in a veiled message to Europe in the context of the conflict in Ukraine as he explained the nuances of New Delhi's 'Russia realism' and why the relationship between the two sides was an 'important fit'.
Goa stampede: Fact-finding committee begins probe into incident; Governor meets victims' kin
Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Sunday (May 4, 2025) visited the families of those who died in a stampede in north Goa's Shirgao village in Bicholim taluk, where tens of thousands of devotees had thronged to participate in the annual 'Lairai Jatra' at the Shree Lairai Devi temple.
Election Commission to develop new digital interface for voters, other stakeholders
The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday (May 4, 2025) announced that it was developing a new, user-friendly digital interface for voters and other stakeholders such as election officials, political parties and the civil society.
Conversation on new forces shaping subcontinental geopolitics at The Hindu Huddle
A session at The Hindu Huddle, to be held on May 9 and 10, will discuss all the changes in the world and within the region to understand their impact with two of the region's most experienced thinkers: former Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe and former Indian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, T.S. Tirumurti, who has served as a diplomat in the neighbourhood.
PM inaugurates seventh Khelo India Youth Games being held in Bihar
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday (May 4, 2025) addressed the inaugural ceremony of the seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games via videoconferencing and officially announced the launch of the event. The Khelo India Youth Games is being held in Bihar for the first time from May 4 to May 15. Five districts will host the event, including Patna, Nalanda (Rajgir), Gaya, Bhagalpur, and Begusarai.
NCERT new textbooks for Class 7 introduce games, activities rooted in Indian culture
Class 7 students will now learn traditional games and activities rooted in Indian culture from the new textbooks introduced by National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT).
IPL 2025 PBKS vs LSG | Prabhsimran runs hot again as Kings climb to the second spot
The gorgeous HPCA stadium's aesthetically designed pavilion-roofs were lit up in red. There were plenty of red shirts in the big crowd. Punjab Kings were in red, of course. And that man in red hot form, Prabhsimran Singh, did it again. His muscular 48-ball 91 (6x4, 7x6) powered Punjab Kings to a 37-run win over Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL contest on Sunday (May 4, 2025).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scroll.in
38 minutes ago
- Scroll.in
Assam pushed back 303 ‘foreigners' under 1950 expulsion law, says CM Himanta Sarma
The Assam government has 'pushed back' 303 'foreigners' and will continue to do so under the 1950 Immigrants (Expulsion from Assam) Act, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on Monday. 'Another 35 is in our hand and they will be sent once the [flood] waters recede,' the Bharatiya Janata Party leader told the state Assembly. 'The Supreme Court clearly said the illegal expulsion act is valid and if the government wishes, they can expel the foreigners without going to Foreigners Tribunals.' Sarma's remarks in the Assembly came two days after he claimed that persons declared foreigners were being ' pushed back ' to Bangladesh under a legal framework. The Supreme Court, while hearing the challenges to Section 6A of the 1955 Citizenship Act, had said that 'there is no legal requirement for the Assam government to always approach the judiciary in order to identify foreigners', Sarma had told reporters on Saturday. In October, the Supreme Court had upheld the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the 1955 Citizenship Act. Section 6A was introduced as a special provision under the Act when the Assam Accord was signed between the Union government and leaders of the Assam Movement in 1985. It allows foreigners who came to Assam between January 1, 1966, and March 25, 1971, to seek Indian citizenship. Indigenous groups in Assam have alleged that this provision in the Act had legalised infiltration by migrants from Bangladesh. On Monday, Sarma claimed in the Assembly that the Supreme Court's judgment on Section 6A 'has given sweeping powers to the Assam government'. 'The Supreme Court has said that 1950 act remains valid and operative,' Sarma said. 'By the order of the court, every deputy commissioner is empowered to evict anybody whom he feels is a foreigner. This is an infallible weapon given to the state government by the Constitutional bench.' The BJP leader also noted that the Supreme Court had also criticised the state government for not deporting alleged foreigners. 'So there is a pressure from the Supreme Court on the state government to act on the expulsion of the foreigners,' Sarma said. Stating that 303 persons had been 'pushed back', he added that the action would be intensified under the 1950 law, Sarma said. 'If a deputy commissioner finds prime facie evidence against a person that is an illegal foreigner, that person can be expelled to Bangladesh or pushed back without referring to the Foreigners' Tribunals as per the illegal expulsion act 1950,' Sarma said. The chief minister also told the Assembly that two to four persons, who had received a stay from the Supreme Court and the High Court against their deportations, were also 'pushed back'. 'Through the diplomatic channel, we have also brought them back,' Sarma added. Deportations On May 31, the chief minister confirmed that Assam was 'pushing back' to Bangladesh persons who have been declared foreigners by the state's Foreigners Tribunals. Foreigners Tribunals in Assam are quasi-judicial bodies that adjudicate on matters of citizenship. However, the tribunals have been accused of arbitrariness and bias, and of declaring people foreigners on the basis of minor spelling mistakes, a lack of documents or lapses in memory. Sarma's May 31 statement had come against the backdrop of an increase in detentions of declared foreigners in Assam since May 23. Families say they have no information on their relatives' whereabouts. Some of them have identified their missing relatives in videos from Bangladesh, alleging they were forcibly sent across the border. Sarma had claimed that the process of pushing back foreigners was being taken as per the directives issued by the Supreme Court in February. On February 4, the Supreme Court directed the state government to start the process of deporting foreign nationals being held in the state's detention centres immediately.
United News of India
an hour ago
- United News of India
SC grants interim protection from arrest to MP journalists alleging police assault
New Delhi, Jun 9 (UNI) The Supreme Court on Monday granted interim protection from arrest to two Madhya Pradesh-based journalists who alleged custodial torture, caste-based abuse, and death threats from Bhind police officials, including Superintendent of Police Asit Yadav. The petitioners, journalists Shashikant Jatav and Amarkant Singh Chouhan, approached the apex court under Article 32 of the Constitution, claiming that they were assaulted by the state police for reporting on the alleged exploitation of the Chambal River by the sand mafia. A bench comprising justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Manmohan, while declining to entertain the writ petition, directed the journalists to move the Madhya Pradesh High Court within two weeks. 'We are not inclined to entertain this petition under Article 32,' the bench said. 'However, looking at the allegations, we permit the petitioners to move the concerned High Court within two weeks from today. Till then, the petitioners shall not be arrested.' Counsel for the journalists pleaded for protection, saying, 'We are fearing for our lives. Kindly protect us for at least two weeks.' The court granted the limited interim relief but made it clear that all further remedies must be sought before the appropriate high court. The case brings to light serious concerns regarding alleged police high-handedness and intimidation of media personnel covering illegal activities in the region. UNI SNG PRS
The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Amit Shah's speech in Madurai abominable, divisive and misleading: DMK leader A. Raja
DMK deputy general secretary and the Nilgiris MP, A. Raja, on Monday (June 9, 2025), said the speech of senior BJP leader and Union Home Minister Amit Shah in Madurai on Sunday was nothing but 'an utter lie, a pledge for divisive politics, and abominable vengeance.' Speaking to reporters in Chennai, he said it was unbecoming of a Home Minister to forget his position, duty, and responsibility by making baseless allegations aimed at creating communal divisions and inciting unrest in a peaceful State governed by an opposition party, for political gain. 'His speech was abominable and does not augur well for federalism or the smooth relationship between the State and the Centre,' Mr. Raja said, reiterating his belief that the people of Tamil Nadu would not be swayed by Mr. Shah's 'cheap tactics and politically motivated speech.' Mr. Raja claimed the BJP government at the Centre was unable to digest the development and progress achieved by the DMK government under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who has ensured the continuation of welfare schemes and development projects using state funds, as the Centre has failed to allocate funds on time. 'The Centre and the BJP have enacted a shameful drama in violation of political decency because they cannot stomach the State's growth. This does not reflect well on Amit Shah and his position as Union Home Minister. He should stop such political games,' he contended. Rejecting the suggestion that Mr. Shah's visit to Tamil Nadu had been a 'shock' to the DMK, Mr. Raja said, on the contrary, it was the BJP that felt the shock of the DMK's achievements. 'That is why they sent Mr. Shah to Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu have rejected the BJP's communal and divisive politics and stand solidly behind the DMK in all elections. Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Tamil Nadu five times during the previous Lok Sabha polls. His repeated visits show who is afraid of whom,' he said. Mr. Raja claimed the DMK had fulfilled all its electoral promises except for its assurance to government employees (on restoring old pension scheme). 'But the Chief Minister has constituted a committee to study their demands. We are not afraid of Modi or Amit Shah. Their ideology may win elections elsewhere, but the Dravidian ideology is an antidote to the BJP's ideology. They cannot set foot in Tamil Nadu as long as the Dravidian ideology is alive,' he said. When asked about the Lord Murugan conference (Murugan maanadu) being planned by the BJP in Madurai (on June 22), he charged that unlike the conference organised by the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department, the BJP's motive was to incite communal sentiments against minorities. 'The people of Madurai do not accept their motives. Why has Mr. Amit Shah, who ranted about his love for Tamil, not answered why the Centre has not accepted the report on Keeladi (excavation)? Their mindset is against Tamils and the Dravidian ideology, and they will face the consequences in the 2026 Assembly elections. The visits of Mr. Modi and Mr. Shah only strengthened the DMK's prospects,' Mr. Raja felt.
