QBullet: PM Targets Opposition In Lucknow; SC Sacks Thakur As BCCI Head

1. In Lucknow, PM Targets Rivals: Busy With Son, Family, Money

Addressing a huge rally in Lucknow, Prime Minister Modi said it was not just the BJP, but UP's development that had been “exiled” for 14 years and the situation would change soon. “People of the state have already seen politics of caste and family… For once, rise above caste and vote only for development in the elections and see whether UP changes or not,” he said.

“Have you ever seen the SP and the BSP together. If the SP says it is sunrise, the BSP will say it is sunset. After so many years, both have come together on an issue and are saying ‘Modi ko badlo' (change Modi), ‘Modi ko hatao' (remove Modi), but Modi is saying change your notes, remove black money,” he said.

Targeting the Congress, the Prime Minister said: “There are some parties which are nowhere in the picture. There is one party which has been trying in vain for the last 15 years to establish the son.”

(Source: The Indian Express)

Also Read:
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2. Akhilesh Yadav Camp: 90 Percent Members Are With Us, Symbol Doesn't Matter

With Mulayam Singh Yadav having taken the fight for control of the Samajwadi Party to the Election Commission, the Akhilesh Yadav camp flexed its muscle by claiming it has majority support.

At the same time, camp followers also claimed they are not unduly worried about the prospect of the EC freezing the party's cycle symbol. Party General Secretary Ram Gopal Yadav is scheduled to visit the Election Commission on Tuesday to submit Akhilesh's claim as the new national president of the party.

MLC Rajpal Kashyap, who had invited delegates to the special convention that appointed Akhilesh national president in place of Mulayam, said that over 90 per cent of the delegates put their signatures on the proposals taken up at the convention, including the appointment.

(Source: The Indian Express)

Also Read:
Samajwadi Party's Symbol War: EC Can Freeze Cycle of Discontent
The Yadav Feud: Who Stands to Gain in UP Politics If SP Splits?

3. SC Sacks Thakur as BCCI Boss, Shirke as Secretary

The Supreme Court fired on Monday India's cricket board President Anurag Thakur and Secretary Ajay Shirke for stalling administrative reforms, and said it will appoint its own panel to change the way the sport is run in the country.

The top court also ordered the immediate disqualification of all office-bearers at the board and its state affiliates who fail to meet norms laid down by a panel it had set up to look into the operations of the world's richest cricket body.

Led by Chief Justice TS Thakur, the bench also came down hard on Anurag Thakur for “lying” to the court. It issued both contempt and perjury notices against him.

“...The turf of the cricket field is not a personal turf or fiefdom,” the bench said, emphasising that vested interests in office had stalled the BCCI's makeover.

(Source: Hindustan Times)

Also Read:
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4. Service Charge by Hotels/Restaurants Not Mandatory: Govt

New Year comes with good news for food lovers across the country! In the wake of a number of complaints from consumers that they are being forced to pay service charge in the range of 5-20 percent, in lieu of tips, irrespective of the kind of service provided to them, the government has said that a consumer can now refuse to pay the service charge if he/she is not satisfied with their dining experience.

The Consumer Protection Act, 1986 stipulates that a trade practice which, for the purpose of promoting the sale, use or the supply of any goods or for the provision of any service, adopts any unfair method or deceptive practice, is to be treated as an unfair trade practice and that a consumer can make a complaint to the appropriate consumer forum established under the Act against such unfair trade practices.

(Source: The Indian Express)

Also Read: Didn't Enjoy Restaurant Visit? You Can Now Say No to Service Fee

5. SC: Candidate Using Religion, Caste, Race, Community to Seek Votes Can Be Barred

The Supreme Court ruled on Monday that seeking votes in the name of religion, caste, race, community or language by a candidate, his agent or anyone with his consent, would be a corrupt electoral practice rendering the person open to disqualification.

The order, which some political and official sources felt would be of limited utility in a country teeming with parties appealing to regional, caste-based and community identities, widened the scope of Section 123(3) of the Representation of the People Act in order to "maintain the purity of the electoral process".

In addition, the apex court sought to deal a body blow to communal politics by ruling a candidate could be disqualified if an appeal is made by any religious leader to his community to vote for him if it is established that such an appeal was made with the consent of the candidate.

(Source: The Times of India)

Also Read: Supreme Court Makes Use of Religion to Seek Votes Illegal

6. Private Banks Follow SBI's Lead, Begin to Pare Down Lending Rates

Two private sector banks slashed a key lending rate on Monday as a surge in deposits following the ban on high-value bank notes sparked a race among the country's lenders to woo consumers with cheaper home and vehicle loans.

The rate cuts came a day after the country's biggest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), slashed the so-called marginal cost of funding-based lending rates (MCLR) by a steep 0.90 percent.

While ICICI Bank, the country's largest private lender, slashed its MCLR by 0.70 percent, Kotak Mahindra Bank announced a 0.45 percent cut. Another public sector lender, Dena Bank, also announced a 0.75 percent cut in its MCLR for one-year loans.

(Source: Hindustan Times)

Also Read: Home Loans Cheapest in 6 Years as SBI, Other Banks Slash Rates

7. It Was 'Mass Molestation,' Says Bengaluru Witness On New Year Eve Horror

Witnesses have described the horror on Bengaluru's famous MG Road on New Year's Eve, when several women were molested as thousands of revellers poured out on to the street close to midnight.

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A young woman who was present on the boulevard in the heart of the Karnataka capital that night described the situation as "almost a stampede" and said she saw "girls crying and shouting for help." One woman she said fainted, another took off her shoes to fend off attackers.

Two days later, she is still traumatised by what she saw, the woman said. A friend who was attacked is in shock.

(Source: NDTV)

Also Read:
Is Bengaluru Going the Delhi Way With Women's Safety?
Victim Blaming Again: Min Says Clothing Led to B'luru Molestations

8. N-Capable Agni-IV Ballistic Missile Tested Successfully

India successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable strategic ballistic missile Agni-IV with a strike range of 4,000 km as part of a user trial from a test range off Odisha coast on Monday.

Supported by a mobile launcher, the surface-to-surface missile was flight tested from launch complex-4 of the Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Dr Abdul Kalam Island, known as Wheeler Island, at 11.55 hours, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) sources said.

Describing the trial as successful, they said this was the sixth trial of the indigenously developed Agni-IV missile which met the mission objectives. The last trial conducted by the specially formed strategic force command of the Indian Army on 9 November, 2015 was also successful.

(Source: Hindustan Times)

Also Read: Nuclear Capable AGNI-IV Completes Final Test-Fire From Balasore

9. Return of Debit Card, ATM Fee Worry Cash-Strapped People

With effects of demonetisation still being felt across the country, customers are upset that the government has not rolled back ATM usage charges or capped debit card transaction fees, till situations turns normal.

"The industry was expecting the waiver (on ATM transaction charges) to continue even after 31 December," said Navroze Dastur, managing director, NCR Corporation, India and South Asia. But the RBI, was silent on ATM transaction charges, which in effect made banks resume charging the ATM transaction fee.

"The first five transactions will be free of cost. After that it will be left to the discretion of the banks and the card category of the customer. Banks generally have an agreement with individual customers on charges levied. Many banks were not charging premium customers before demonetisation," said V Balasubramanian, president, transaction processing and ATM service, FSS.

(Source: The Times of India)

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