3 Things

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 19th of June and here are today's headlines.

Beeda Madhuri, the daughter of YSRCP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Beeda Masthan Rao, allegedly ran over a 22-year-old man sleeping on a pavement in Chennai on Monday evening. The incident has sparked a furore as Madhuri, who was allegedly driving the BMW car, was released on station bail after she surrendered on Tuesday morning. According to a top police source, the police erred by letting the accused leave on station bail instead of court bail. The incident has triggered anger among locals and the victim’s relatives who have accused the police of inaction.

A Delhi Court today extended the judicial custody of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal till 3rd of July in the money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy case. His regular bail arguments were also heard. The CM, who is currently in judicial custody, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on 21st of March in the case. The Supreme Court had granted him interim bail from 10th of May to 1st of June, allowing him to campaign ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Meanwhile, Delhi CS Naresh Kumar has been given additional charge of New Delhi Municipal Corporation Chairperson.

After inaugurating the new campus of Nalanda University, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said a golden era of India will begin with the rebuilding of the ancient University. Along with ambassadors from 17 countries, Union Minister for External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar were present at the event. Ahead of the inauguration, PM Modi visited the ancient ruins of Nalanda University, located less than 20 km from the campus.

Hundreds of visitors have died during the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca amid scorching heat, according to press reports and foreign ministries. At least 550 people have died on haj, diplomats told AFP on Tuesday. Saudi state TV said temperatures rose on Monday as high as 51.8 degrees Celsius (125.2 Fahrenheit) in the shade at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Three hundred and twenty-three of the dead were Egyptians, most of whom perished due to heat-related illness, AFP reported, citing two Arab diplomats.

A United States group of lawmakers, following their visit to the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama today, asserted that they would not allow China to influence the choice of his successor. Former United States Congress Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, quote, "His Holiness Dalai Lama, with his message of knowledge, tradition, compassion, purity of soul and love, will live a long time and his legacy will live forever. But you, the President of China, you'll be gone and nobody will give you credit for anything." Unquote.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Chief of the National Bureau Ritika Chopra discusses the changes made to the 11th and 12th standard NCERT political science textbooks regarding the Babri Masjid demolition and the 2002 Gujarat riots.

Next, Indian Express’ Apurva Vishwanath explains why writer and activist Arundhati Roy and Dr. Sheikh Showkat Hussain, a former professor at the Central University of Kashmir, may soon face prosecution under the stringent anti-terror law, UAPA (10:50).

And finally, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt talks about a private medical college where not a single batch has graduated in 13 years, the reasons the National Medical Commission has taken action against it, and the harassment she encountered while reporting on this story (19:45).

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Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 18th of June and here are the top stories of the week.

Hearing petitions highlighting the alleged irregularities in this year’s National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (Undergraduate) exams, the Supreme Court today told the Centre and the National Testing Agency that “even if there is 0.001% negligence on the part of anyone, it should be thoroughly dealt with”. The bench said that all these matters ought not to be treated as adversarial litigation. The court also referred to the effort candidates put in to prepare for the exam.

Saddam Qureshi, who was among three people allegedly assaulted by a mob in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur while they were transporting cattle, died in hospital today after battling for his life for 10 days. The two others with him died on June 7 – the day of the alleged attack. According to doctors the 23-year-old had been in a coma until his death. Chhattisgarh Police had registered a case of attempted murder and culpable homicide in the case after Qureshi’s relative Shoaib said he had received a frantic call from him while the three were being assaulted.

Curfew was imposed in Odisha’s Balasore town late last night following a clash between two communities over suspicion of cow slaughter earlier in the day. Though the administration initially imposed prohibitory orders under CrPC Section 144 in certain pockets of the town, it later decided to impose curfew in the entire town to prevent the situation from escalating. The state government has also ordered suspension of internet services in Balasore town and nearby areas. Additional director general of police, law and order, said 34 people from both communities have been arrested and the number is likely to go up.

AAP Rajya Sabha member Swati Maliwal has written to NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, the Congress’s Rahul Gandhi, the Shiv Sena’s (UBT) Uddhav Thackeray and the Samajwadi Party’s Akhilesh Yadav seeking appointments with them to discuss the assault she was allegedly subjected to at Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s home. All the parties are constituents of the Opposition INDIA bloc. Maliwal also alleged that she had been receiving “multiple rape and death threats” since the AAP started a “smear campaign” against her in “electronic and social media to undermine my reputation, character and credibility”.

With 172 nuclear weapons, India is now ahead of Pakistan in the ranking of nuclear-armed countries across the world, according to findings of Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). According to the report, India’s nuclear arsenal has seen a slight expansion in a year, growing from 164 warheads in January 2023 to 172 warheads in January this year, placing it 6th among the world’s nuclear-armed states. Pakistan, meanwhile, has recorded no increase in the number of warheads which stood at 170 both in January 2023 and 2024. In the same period, China’s nuclear arsenal has increased significantly from 410 warheads in January 2023 to 500 by January 2024.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express' Deeksha Teri joins us to talk about the NEET UG 2024 controversy. She talks about the high-powered committee that was formed to look into the grace marks awarded to the candidates and whether or not it was fair to do so. She also shares the recommendations of the committee. 

Next, Indian Express’ Nikhil Ghanekar speaks to us about the Western Ghats and why protecting their ecology is of utmost importance. He also shares how parts of the Western Ghats have been identified as eco-sensitive areas but that is causing friction between the states and the authorities. (10:44)

And in the end, we talk about a tragic train accident where the Kanchanjunga Express was hit by a goods train in West Bengal, killing 9 people and leaving 25 injured. (20:29)

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Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 17th of June and here are today's headlines.

At least nine people were killed and 25 others were injured today after the Sealdah-bound Kanchanjunga  Express was hit by a goods train in West Bengal’s New Jalpaiguri. According to reports, three coaches at the back of the Kanchanjunga Express derailed between Neechbari and Rangapani stations under the Indian Railways’ Northeast Frontier Railway zone due to the impact of the goods train and fell to the side. Meanwhile, rescue work to get the trapped passengers out was affected by the heavy rain that has been lashing Siliguri since the morning.

The revised NCERT Class 12 Political Science textbook, which hit the market last week, disclosed changes where the chapter on secularism in both versions of the textbook has two paragraphs on ‘vote bank politics’ in a section on “criticism of Indian secularism”. The book reads, quote,"Vote bank politics in India is associated with “minority appeasement” and this means political parties “disregard the principles of equality of all citizens and give priority to the interests of a minority group”.

As the Indian economy grapples with the problem of flagging consumption, policymakers in the government are in favour of rationalising the existing income tax structure, especially at lower income levels. According to two government officials The Indian Express spoke with, it is likely that tax rate cuts for those earning less may likely take precedence over freebies or excessive welfare spending given the focus on fiscal consolidation.

Indian national Nikhil Gupta, who is accused by the US of being involved in a murder-for-hire plot against Sikh separatist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, was extradited from the Czech Republic on 14th of June. Officials at the Czech Ministry of Justice told The Indian Express the decision to extradite Gupta was taken on 3rd of june. India has said it is holding a high-level probe into the US inputs on the alleged assassination plot since November last year, but there have been no outcomes so far.

In the first visit by a senior American official since Prime Minister Narendra Modi was re-elected for a third term, US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan reached India on a two-day official visit beginning today. Sullivan met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and NSA Ajit Doval today. Sullivan’s visit comes at a time when India-US ties are going through challenges, especially in the context of an alleged assassination plot against Khalistani separatist figure Gurpatwant Singh Pannun.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Aditi Raja tells us about the residents of a housing complex in Gujarat who are protesting against a Muslim woman and her family moving into the area.

Next, Indian Express’ Adrija RoyChowdhury discusses the efforts made by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to find evidence for the Mahabharata (13:24).

And in the end, Indian Express’ Deeptiman Tiwary explains the context behind the recent comments made by RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat (25:08).

Hosted, written and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

his is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 14th of June and here are the top stories of the week.

In the midst of a controversy over the NEET-UG results declared on 4th of June, including allegations of a paper leak, Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said that there was no evidence of a paper leak. NTA and the Union Education Ministry formed a committee last week to review the normalisation policy that was adopted for over 1,563 candidates who were awarded “grace marks” to compensate for the “loss of time” suffered while appearing for this year’s NEET UG.

Kannada film star Darshan Thoogudeepa and nine others were taken into custody on Tuesday morning in connection with a murder that took place in Bengaluru. The police on Sunday had recovered the dead body of a man from a drain and identified the deceased as Renukaswamy. Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B Dayananda said that it is alleged that Renukaswamy was sending abusive messages and comments to Pavithra Gowda, who is in relationship with Darshan.

As many as fifty people have been detained so far in connection with the recent terror attack on a bus ferrying pilgrims in Reasi district of Jammu and Kashmir. Nine pilgrims were killed and over 41 injured after terrorists fired on their bus in Reasi, which resulted in the vehicle plunging into a gorge. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday chaired a review meeting of the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir, wherein he was apprised of the counter-terror efforts being undertaken in the Union Territory. The meeting comes in the wake of four militant attacks in three days in the region.

This week, apart from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his cabinet of ministers taking oath, TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh, four-time MLA Mohan Majhi in Odisha and BJP leader Pema Khandu in Arunachal Pradesh were sworn-in as Chief Minister ministers along with their respective council of ministers.

Kuwaiti authorities have identified the bodies of 45 Indians and three Filipino nationals killed in the tragic fire incident in a building housing foreign workers in the Gulf Kingdom. The number of people from Kerala who died in the Kuwait fire tragedy has risen to 24, while five deceased victims are from Tamil Nadu. The blaze erupted early on Wednesday morning in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf area claiming 49 lives and injured 50 others. Kuwait’s Foreign Minister assured full support to the Indians affected in the fire and vowed to promptly investigate the tragedy, hours after meeting Indian Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express' Arun Sharma joins us to talk about the terrorist attack that happened in Jammu and Kashmir's Reasi district, where 9 pilgrims were killed and 33 were left injured when fire was opened on a bus which then plunged into a gorge. 

Next, Indian Express’ Amrita Nayak Dutta speaks to us about the Agnipath scheme that was introduced by the government for recruitment of young individuals in the armed forces. She talks about the scheme, the opposition it faced and how the government responded to it. (9:16)

And in the end, we talk about a fraud that is being investigated by the CBI in Odisha. It pertains to the submission of forged class 10 certificates for recruitment in postal services. (20:00)

Hosted by Niharika Nanda
Produced and written by Niharika Nanda and Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
It’s the 13th of June and here are today's headlines.

BJP leader Pema Khandu was sworn in as Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister for the third consecutive term at Itanagar today. The BJP returned to power in the northeastern state for the third time in a row, winning 46 seats in the 60-member Assembly. Chowna Mein secured the Deputy Chief Minister’s position again and a total of 10 other ministers were inducted into the Cabinet.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan dismissed all reports of paper leaks in NEET UG 2024 today and came out in support of the National Testing Agency who has announced a retest for the 1563 candidates who were awarded grace marks due to ‘loss of exam time’. As per the decision announced by NTA today, the affected candidates will now be given two options — either to accept the score that they were originally awarded, without the grace marks, or re-appear for the exam on the 23rd of June. Meanwhile, the Opposition demanded an SC-monitored investigation into the NEET UG case.

The Indian Express has learnt the Army is conducting an internal survey on the Agnipath scheme to assess its impact on its recruitment process so far. Based on the findings, it is likely to draw up recommendations for the incoming government on possible changes to the scheme. One of the changes being discussed is a hike of retention percentage from the current 25 per cent to 60-70 per cent for regular troops and nearly 75 per cent for technical and specialist soldiers, including Special Forces.

At least five workers were killed and five others injured in an explosion at an explosives manufacturing factory in Nagpur today. ANI news agency quoted the Police Commissioner saying, quote, “About four-five people died in this incident, including 4 women. Our investigation is ongoing. Our team, crime branch and senior officers are present on the spot, and action is being taken.” Unquote. The incident took place at Chamundi Explosive Pvt Ltd at Dhamna when the workers were packing explosives.

Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya assured full support to the Indians affected in the fire at an apartment housing foreign workers and vowed to promptly investigate the tragedy that killed 49 people, including about 40 Indians. He gave this assurance after meeting Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh, who landed in the country this morning. About 24 people from Kerela and 5 from Tamil Nadu are among the 40 Indian casualties.

This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Kiran Parashar tells us about the murder case involving popular Kannada actor Darshan, who has been taken into police custody.

Next, Indian Express’ Sujit Bisoyi talks about Odisha’s new Chief Minister, the reasons behind the BJP's choice, and the challenges that lie ahead for him (09:22).

And in the end, we provide a quick update on a massive fire that broke out in a building in Kuwait yesterday, killing at least 49 people, most of whom were Indian nationals (18:58).

Hosted, written, and produced by Shashank Bhargava
Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar