SPEAKER OM BIRLA WRITES TO EU PARLIAMENT OVER ANTI-CAA RESOLUTIONSAs the European Parliament prepares to debate five resolutions against theCitizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Monday wroteto European Parliament President David Maria Sassoli stating that it isinappropriate for one legislature to pass judgement on another as thepractice can be misused by vested interests."I would urge you to consider the proposed resolution in this light,confident that none of us want to set an unhealthy precedent," he wroteFive key groupings in the European Parliament have moved resolutions thatslam the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, with two of them stating that the CAAmarks a "dangerous shift" in the way citizenship will be determined and willcreate the "largest statelessness crisis in the world".The resolutions, which could impact the way EU member-nations engage withIndia, come less than two months before Prime Minister Narendra Modi islikely to travel to Brussels for the India-EU summit on March 13.Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu also expressed concern today over the trendof foreign bodies meddling in matters within the purview of IndianParliament and government.'CONGRESS DELEGATION MOVES NHRC OVER 'BRUTALITIES' ON ANTI-CAA PROTESTERSA Congress delegation led by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Mondaymet officials of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to demand aprobe into the alleged allegations of police atrocities against thoseprotesting against the CAA across the state of Uttar Pradesh."Given the role of a reckless state government that views the law andConstitution as mere inconveniences, treats its own citizens like criminalsand wears its hostility towards ordinary citizens as a badge of pride, theduty of institution such as the NHRC to act as check and balances and toembody and protect the values enshrined in the Constitution becomesparamount," the Congress memorandum to the NHRC said.After the meeting, Congress leader Abhishek Singhvi told reporters, "It hasbeen found that there has been a failure to lodge FIRs. Not a single policeofficer (has been) named as accused. There have been numerous FIRs againstprotestors in which victims have become accused".Uttar Pradesh is the worst-affected state by the protests against the CAAwith violence erupting mainly in 12 districts. At least 20 people have beenkilled so far- mostly of bullet injuries from firearms with seriousquestions being raised concerning the conduct of the UP police and the stateadministration.CENTRE SIGNS PACT WITH ASSAM, BODO OUTFITS FOR 'PERMANENT SOLUTION'At a time when Assam has been roiled by protests over the new citizenshiplaw, the Centre Monday signed a tripartite agreement with the stategovernment and different Bodo groups, including four factions of theNational Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), for a "permanent" solution tothe Bodo issue.The Memorandum of Settlement (MoS) with Bodo groups will pave the way forreorganisation of areas under the Bodoland Territorial Council region,enhance the powers of the BTC, increase Assembly seats from 40 to 60,rehabilitate surrendered militants of NDFB and bring a special developmentpackage of Rs 1,500 crore for the region. The agreement will also addressconcerns of Bodos living outside the BTC area, and promises to increasetheir representation in the state police and paramilitary forces.Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who presided over the signing of theagreement between the Centre (through Joint Secretary Satyendra Garg), Assam(through Chief Secretary Kumar Sanjay Krishna) and representatives of fourNDFB factions and the All Bodo Students Union, said: "Today, with thisagreement, a permanent solution has been found for a problem that has costthe region 4,007 lives. The Bodo movement was peaceful in the beginning butbecame violent in 1986. A peace agreement was signed in 2003, but all groupswere not on board. This time, all groups are here. This is an extension ofthat agreement."WEST BENGAL BECOMES FOURTH STATE TO PASS ANTI-CAA RESOLUTIONThe West Bengal Assembly became the fourth state to pass a resolutionagainst the Citizenship (Amendment) Act in the Assembly.West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Trinamool Congress cametogether with rivals CPI(M) and the Congress to pass such a resolutionagainst the contentious law on Monday.Contending that NPR, NRC, and CAA were correlated, Banerjee said the newcitizenship law was "anti-people".The chief minister, while speaking on the anti-CAA resolution tabled in theAssembly, demanded that the contentious law be immediately repealed. "TheCAA is anti-people, anti-constitutional... We want this law to be repealedimmediately," she said.Kerala, Punjab and Rajasthan are the other states to have already passedresolutions against the law.CORONAVIRUS: DEATH TOLL CLIMBS TO 106 AS CHINA TIGHTENS MEASURESChina says 106 people have died from the new coronavirus and the cases ofnewly infected have almost doubled.The number of total confirmed cases in China rose to 4,515 as of 27 January,up from 2,835 a day earlier.The country has meanwhile further tightened travel restrictions to try andcurb the spread of the virus.The government has sealed off Wuhan and other cities in Hubei province,effectively trapping tens of millions of people including thousands offoreigners, in a bid to contain the virus as the Lunar New Year holidayunfolds.The coronavirus causes severe acute respiratory infection and there is nospecific cure or vaccine.Most of the deaths have been of elderly people or those with pre-existingrespiratory problems.Beijing has stopped most of the bus services into neighbouring Hubeiprovince while both the capital and Shanghai have introduced a 14-dayobservation periods for people arriving from Hubei.Cases have been identified in more than a dozen other countries, includingthe first confirmed patients in Canada and Sri Lanka.President Donald Trump said the United States has offered Beijing "any helpthat is necessary" in combating the virus.POMPEO URGES IRAQ TO UPHOLD 'SOVEREIGNTY' FACED WITH IRAN 'ATTACKS' ON U.S.TARGETSSecretary of State Mike Pompeo on Monday urged Iraqi Prime Minister AdilAbdel Mahdi to uphold his country's "sovereignty" in the face of "attacks"from Iran on U.S. facilities in Iraq. Pompeo "expressed his outrage at thecontinued assaults by Iran's armed groups against U.S. facilities in Iraq,including yesterday's rocket attacks against our Embassy, which resulted inone injury," the State Department said in a statement.The statement said that "these attacks demonstrate a wanton disregard forIraqi sovereignty and a failure to rein in these dangerous armed groups."Pompeo said on Twitter that "the government of Iraq must take immediatesteps to protect our diplomatic facilities as required by internationallaw."U.S. MILITARY JET 'CRASHES' IN TALIBAN TERRITORY IN AFGHANISTANA U.S. military jet crashed in the mountainous territory of easternAfghanistan, where there is a heavy Taliban presence, the Pentagon confirmedMonday, rejecting the insurgents' suggestions that it was shot down.Afghanistan U.S. Forces spokesman Colonel Sonny Leggett confirmed in astatement that the aircraft was a U.S. Bombardier E-11A, a type of jet usedas a military airborne communications node in the region. "While the causeof crash is under investigation, there are no indications the crash wascaused by enemy fire," he said.SONIA HAD SOUGHT UNDERTAKING FROM UDDHAV: ASHOK CHAVANFormer Maharashtra chief minister Ashok Chavan on Monday revealed thatbefore joining the Maha Aghadi coalition, Congress chief Sonia had sought awritten undertaking from Shiv Sena that the new government would work withinthe ambit of the Constitution.Chavan, in a meeting in Nanded, said clear guidelines were given by theCongres president that the state government must work within the frame ofthe Constitution. "She told us that first, we should get this in writing(from Sena) that the government should work within the ambit of theConstitution and shouldn't violate the Constitution preamble. We were toldto convey this to Uddhav Thackeray," Chavan said.AMIT SHAH CONTINUES TO DRAG KAJRIWAL INTO IDENTITY POLITICSStepping up attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Home Minister AmitShah on Monday dared the AAP chief to visit the anti-CAA protest site atShaheen Bagh so that the people of Delhi can decide who to vote for in theassembly election.Addressing a rally in Rithala in northwest Delhi, Shah said Kejriwal andCongress leader Rahul Gandhi were against the construction of Ram temple,the scrapping of provisions of Article 370 and were not bothered about thecountry's image and soldiers.The opposition fears that they will upset their votebank, he said and asked,"Are you their vote bank? Where is their vote bank?" To this, the crowdreplied, "Shaheen Bagh".The BJP leader claimed the Delhi Police has booked Sharjeel Imam, a JNUstudent, on the charge of sedition for his comment of "trying to cutchicken's neck" and breaking the North East from the rest of the country."I want to ask Kejriwal whether he is in favour of apprehending SharjeelImam or not? Whether you are with the people of Shaheen Bagh or not, pleasetell the people of Delhi," Shah said addressing an election rally in Rithalain northwest Delhi.Hitting back at the BJP, Kejriwal alleged that the saffron party does notwant to open the Shaheen Bagh stretch of the Kalindi Kunj road as it isdoing "dirty politics" over it.He said law and order in the national capital lies entirely with the Centreand "if they are saying that they need permission from me, I am giving thempermission, open the road in one hour". "I can give it to you in writing,the BJP does not want to open the route in Shaheen Bagh. The Shaheen Baghroute will remain closed till February 8 (election day) and it will openFebruary 9," Kejriwal told reporters.Calling Kejriwal a member of the 'tukde tukde' gang, a term used by the BJPto attack groups it accuses of working to promote violent leftists andseparatism, Shah sought to return fire and said the protestors of ShaheenBagh will not listen to his party. "They will not listen to us. You people(AAP leaders) say that you are with Shaheen Bagh, if you have the guts thengo and sit with them and let Delhi decide," Shah said.OPPN SLAMS GOVT OVER PADMA SHRI TO ADNAN SAMIThe Modi government's decision to confer the Padma Shri on Pakistani-originsinger Adnan Sami has led to an uproar from Opposition parties, withCongress questioning the merit of the award and NCP calling it an "insult".Hitting back at the Opposition, BJP raked up the citizenship of Congresspresident Sonia Gandhi while asking if the party only likes Muslims who are"against" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India and its institutions.Countering Congress' criticism over Sami's father's background as aPakistani Air Force pilot, BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra alleged that SoniaGandhi's father was "associated" with the regimes of Italian dictatorMussolini and Germany's Hitler. "If his father's background is held againsthim by some 'liberals' and opposition parties for criticising the Padmaaward to him, then the Congress should answer as to why Sonia Gandhi wasgiven Indian citizenship," said Patra.Weighing in on the issue, Sami said he "first came in 'legally' as opposedto 'jumped' and lived 'legally' for 18 years in India before becoming a'legal citizen!" "Did they teach you in Berkley that a son is to be heldaccountable or penalised for the acts of his parents?" Sami asked Congressspokesperson Jaiveer Shergill, who had earlier stated that the singer's"recognition was due to his sycophancy".Sami, born in London to a Pakistani Air force veteran, applied for Indiancitizenship in 2015 and became a citizen of the country in January 2016.ANDHRA ASSEMBLY PASSES RESOLUTION TO ABOLISH UPPER HOUSEAndhra Pradesh Assembly passed a resolution to abolish the LegislativeCouncil on Monday.The YSRCP Government is making an all-out attempt to abolish the APLegislative Council to overcome the obstacles from opposition TDP that has amajority there and can obstruct business in the Vidhan Sabha as it has donein case of the three capital Bill by referring it to a select committee.The state government has proposed moving its capital, currently atAmaravati, to three places-Vishakhapatnam, Vijayawada, and Kurnool.Andhra's resolution will now be sent to the central government, which willhave to table it in Parliament. The Bill will have to be cleared by bothHouses of Parliament before it can be sent to the President of India.SHARJEEL IMAM'S REMARKS DO NOT CONSTITUTE A CRIME: MARKANDEY KATJUSharjeel Imam gave a speech on 16 January in Aligarh during ananti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest meeting, asking people to cutAssam and the North East off from the rest of India. Consequently, thepolice forces of Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Assam have registered FIRs againsthim on sedition charges, and are seeking his custody.The cops went on to add that the speeches had the "otential to harm thereligious harmony" and the unity and integrity of India, for which the casewas registered against him.But former Supreme Court Judge Mr. Markandey Katju says Sharjeel Imam hasnot committed a crime. According to him, inflammatory speech is alsoprotected by the Freedom of Speech guaranteed by Article 19(1)(a) of theIndian Constitution - unless it incites or produces imminent lawless action."I disapprove of Sharjeel's speech, and I am against the cutting-off ofAssam or the any part of the rest of the North East from India. However, Ido not see how his speech would incite or produce imminent lawless action,"says Katju. "Therefore, I am of the opinion that Sharjeel Imam committed nocrime and the FIRs against him deserve to be quashed by the high court underArticle 226 of the Constitution or Section 482 of the CrPC."A GAY COUPLE IN KERALA FILES PLEA FOR REGISTRATION OF MARRIAGEA gay couple on Monday filed a writ petition in the Kerala High Courtstating that the provisions of the Special Marriage Act are discriminatoryas they do not allow the registration of same-sex marriages.The petition was filed jointly by Nikesh Usha Pushkaran and Sonu MS whoexchanged rings with support of both of their families at the popularGuruvayurappan temple in July 2018. However, their wedding hasn't beenlegalised yet.Their petition contended that officials are not taking a decision on theirapplication to register their marriage under the Special Marriage Act.The judge in the High Court admitted the petition and sent notices to thestate government and the Centre for their responses.GOVT TO SELL 100 PC STAKE IN AIR INDIA; ISSUES BID DOCUMENTThe govt on Monday announced sale of 100 per cent stake in debt-laden AirIndia as it issued the preliminary bid document for the strategicdisinvestment with the deadline for submitting expression of interest set asMarch 17.As part of the strategic disinvestment, Air India would also sell 100 percent stake in low-cost airline Air India Express and 50 per centshareholding in joint venture AISATS, as per the bid document issued onMonday.Management control of the airline would also be transferred to thesuccessful bidder.This is the second time in less than two years that the govt has come outwith a proposal for selling stake in Air India, which has been in the redfor long.AISATS is an equal joint venture between Air India and Singapore Airlines.It offers ground handling services. Air India also has interests in AirIndia Engineering Services, Air India Air Transport Services, Airline AlliedServices and Hotel Corporation of India. These entities are in the processof being transferred to a separate company -- Air India Assets Holding Ltd(AIAHL) -- and would not be a part of the proposed transaction, the documentsaid.According to the document, debt of Rs 23,286.5 crore would remain with AirIndia and Air India Express at the time of closing of the disinvestment.The remaining debt would be allocated to AIAHL.In 2018, the govt proposed to offload 76 per cent equity share capital ofthe national carrier as well as transfer the management control to privateplayers. However, there were no bidders then.ALL EYES ON VIDHU VINOD CHOPRA'S FILM ON KASHMIRI PANDITS' EXODUSThe second trailer of Vidhu Vinod Chopra directorial Shikara is out. As wasthe case with the first promo, the second clip too promises a daring peekinto the events leading to the exodus of Kashmiri Pandits from the Valleybetween January and March 1990.In a couple of minutes, VVC presents the arduous journey the KashmiriPandits had to take. There are telling images of burning houses, growingtension among communities of the Kashmir valley as the voiceover of theprotagonist informs the viewers that he plans to make a return to hisbirthplace.Shikara has been directed, edited and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Itsscreenplay has been penned by Vidhu Vinod Chopra, Rahul Pandita and AbhijatJoshi.Earlier, during an event, Rahul Pandita remarked Shikara, to be realsed onFeb 7, 'is the true story of many Kashmiri Pandits.'AUS OPEN: SINGLES DOWN TO LAST 8sMen's Singles Quarter Finals Line-upR. Nadal (1) vs D. Thiem (5)S. Wawrinka (15) vs A. Zverev (7)T. Sandgren vs R. Federer (3)M. Raonic (32) vs N. Djokovic (2)Women's Singles Quarter Finals Line-upA. Barty (1) vs P. Kvitova (7)S. Kenin (14) vs O. JabeurA. Kontaveit (28) vs S. Halep (4)G. Muguruza vs A. Pavlyuchenkova (30)