The most important news was SC dismissal to plea to stay on execution of CAA NPR, which flashed in almost all news agencies globally. This is followed by pushing Pro and Anti CAA narratives by ruling BJP and opposition, respectively.

National

CAA Rows…

Amid, the various protests going on nationwide for and against CAA, NPR and NRC, Supreme Court is last hope to protestors against CAA.

On hearing 143 petitions against CAA, SC refused to put stay the CAA and NPR process and has given 4 week time to center for responding against petitions.
Court indicates setting up of Constitution Bench to hear the petitions challenging CAA.
SC restrains all high courts from taking up any plea till its decision.
The bench will work out the schedule for hearing the cases and take up the cases after 5 weeks to pass interim orders.
Meanwhile, a channel tweeted a video showing “On camera, women at CAA protest in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah (UP) chased, thrashed by cops.”
A Left leader Sitaram Yechuri tweeted “Indians have understood the Chronology of lies and deception of Modi govt and the CAA-NRC-NPR scheme. This is in Gulbarga (Karnataka) where I was today.”
Meanwhile, a UP state based party, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, BSP chief Mayawati accepted the challenge for open debate on CAA, asked by Home Min. yesterday.

Likewise, JDU leader, Pashant Kishor also challenged the Home Min to implement the CAA and NRC.

Court directs police to file action taken report on Jamia University’s plea seeking FIR against police action in varsity on Dec 15, 2019.

After the entry of police in campus without permission of VC, a week later, VC assured students to file FIR on police personals.

Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind presents Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, 2020 (National Bravery Award) at Rashtrapati Bhavan. 22 children – 10 girls and 12 boys are receiving the award this year.

Union Minister Prakash Javadekar in media regarding Cabinet decision.

NITs were established in year 2009 started functioning from academic year 2010-2011 in their respective temporary campus with very limited space infrastructure. They will be fully

functional from their respective permanent campuses by March 31,2022
the extension of tenure of the Commission constituted under Article 340 of the constitution, to examine the issue of sub-categorization within Other Backward Classes (OBC) in the Central List. The tenure has been extended by 6 months, till 31st July 2020.
- Adhering to Article 340 of the Constitution of India, the First OBC Commission was set up by a presidential order on 29 Jan 1953 under the chairmanship of Kaka Kalelkar (First Backward Classes Commission), which represent 27% population of India.

Cabinet approves Amendments/ Extension/ Repeal in Acts dealing with Goods and Services Tax, Value Added Tax and Excise Duty in view of the merger of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu.

JNU administration denies the media report and said we have necessary information regarding students.

Yesterday, news flashed in media that as per a reply of RTI, JNU, one of the most prestigious University of country does not have information on nationality of 82 foreign students out 301 foreign students studying there. These are registered in PhD, M Phil like PG courses. This is somewhat alarming regarding security issues.

Security

French, German firms in final race to supply torpedoes for Navy's nuclear, Scorpene submarines, a 2000 Cr deal

“The last day for responding to the tenders was Jan 17 last week and only two firms including German Atlas Elektronik and French Naval Group have responded to the request for proposal issues in this regard,” defense sources told ANI here.
The immediate requirement of the Navy for heavy-weight torpedoes would be met by the acquisition to be made through the foreign vendors, while the long-term bulk requirement would be fulfilled through the ‘Made in India’ route.
The Navy has also taken assurances from global suppliers that their torpedoes would be allowed by their respective governments for being deployed on the Arihant class nuclear powered ballistic submarines.
The Navy had earlier selected the Black Shark torpedoes belonging to the Italian firm WASS which was part of the scam-tainted Finmecannica group in the AgustaWestland chopper scam. However, it had to be cancelled in the wake of the controversy. As per a media, “The challenge is going to be that of categorization. The tender process itself will take 3 years and then the torpedoes will have to be integrated with the submarines, which will take another 2-3 years, if not more. Unless there is a government-to-government deal, things are expected to drag on,” said a representative of a leading Indian defense firm, requesting anonymity.

Kashmir Zone Police: Encounter has resumed in Awantipora. Police and security forces present.
Kashmir Zone Police: 1 terrorist killed in Awantipora, operation underway.
Yesterday, one Indian Army jawan and one SPO of J&K Police lost their lives during the encounter.

Gujarat Police Seek Blue Corner Notice Against Nithyananda

Interpol issued blue corner notice to Nithyananda on request of CID.
Ahmedabad Rural Police sent a letter to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID), a nodal agency to approach Interpol, on Thur in this regard. A senior official said, who is probing the allegations of abduction and illegal confinement against Nithyananda said.

He was charged with kidnapping and wrongful confinement of children to make them collect donations from followers to run his ashram.

Kerala: NIA custody of Allan Shuhaib and Thaha Fasal, (CPI-M) students of law and journalism respectively of Kannur University has been extended for 6 more days. They were arrested by police for alleged links with Naxals in Kozhikode in November.

They were arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case in Kozhikode last Nov

International

US ready to help Pakistan, India over Kashmir – Trump

As per media, Pakistan’s PM Imran Khan met with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Tuesday where the two discussed the Afghan peace process and the ongoing situation in Kashmir.

“We were talking about Kashmir in relation to what’s going on with Pakistan and India that we can help, so certainly we’ll be helping. We are watching (developments) and following

very closely,” Trump said, without adding any further details.

It’s not for the first time when Trump offer to help both countries, later Whitehouse put clarifications over it also.

Political

MLC, not INC: BJP ‘renames’ Congress as Muslim League Congress, says party ‘talks only about Muslims’.
On Tue, Ashok Chavan (former CM Maha) had claimed that Congress joined hands with Shiv Sena on insistence of ‘Muslim brothers’.

Chavan countered and charged on BJP that it’s only practice to divert attention from basic issues.

After completion 100 days of Maha CM, Uddhav Thackeray scheduled to go Ayodhya. Both (above) news can be seen in totality.

In an election rally, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal appealed to the supporters of opposition parties to vote for the AAP in the Feb 8 assembly polls so that the work done in the last five years in the national capital is not “undone”.

States

JnK

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi meets and interacts with locals at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. He said, “There is a positive environment, we are spreading the positivity among other people too by communicating with them.
Out of a dozen of delegations he met, one delegation seek Naqvi to extension of Article 371 and secure land rights, as in many NE states.
He is in valley under PM outreach demand to meet and contact people.

Yesterday, Jharkhand Police said about input they received regarding murder of 7 people in Gulikera, Chaibasa during Patthargarhi movement.
But later they refused to confirm the information till today. While today forenoon, police informed the deployment of heavy police force is camping in Gulikera village along with reinforcements
Finely, ADG (operations) Murari Lal Meena confirmed all seven bodies recovered from a place 3 km away from Gulikera village.

Maharashtra

Govt passed the bill of “Mumbai 24×7” which means, Mumbai will open 24 hrs in selected area, but date yet to decide. However, earlier, home min expressed concerned over security, but since cabinets has passed, will be executed.

State Education minister Varsha Gaikwad (INC) said to media that “starting Jan 26, students in schools across state will have to compulsorily read out preamble to Constitution during morning assembly”.
Though primarily, it seems natural but can’t be seen in isolation. In fact a way to keep on igniting CAA issue, as INC along with oppositions, had pushed this narrative hard that “constitution is in danger” since BJP came in power, 2014.

Haryana: Police arrested 5 drug peddlers in 3 different sites and seized 6.5 kg opium in Sirsa today. A case has been registered and further investigation is underway.

India in International Frame

Aljazeera

India’s Supreme Court refuses to strike down citizenship law

BBC

Citizenship Amendment Act: Court refuses to put controversial law on hold

Reuters

Supreme Court gives government more time to explain divisive citizenship law