SC calls Ayodhya case a ‘land dispute’ to Bangladesh jails Khaleda Zia: Top stories of the day

The Supreme Court will hear the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case as a “pure land dispute”, sidestepping appeals that the law considers ramifications on the country’s secular fabric and polity. Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said her party is willing to ally with “like-minded political parties” in the 2019 general elections to defeat the BJP. These stories made news on Thursday. Here is more about them.

SC says will treat Ayodhya case as a ‘pure land dispute’

The Supreme Court said it will deal with the Ram Mandir-Babri Masjid case as a “pure land dispute” and refused to hear it on day-to-day basis. Appeals have asked the court to consider the case’s ramifications on the country’s secular fabric and polity. A three-judge bench of the Allahabad high court had in 2010 ordered that the land in Ayodhya be partitioned equally among three parties: the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara and Ram Lalla.

Sonia Gandhi calls for alliance to defeat BJP in 2019

There are “winds of change” blowing in the country and the Congress is willing to ally with “like-minded political parties” in the 2019 general elections to defeat the BJP, said party leader Sonia Gandhi. The Congress and allies last year won 80 of the 182 seats in Gujarat, the home state of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It recently bagged two Lok Sabha and one assembly seats in BJP-ruled Rajasthan, which is due for election later this year.

Four arrested in Kashmir for helping Pak terrorist escape

Four men were arrestedin Kashmir for allegedly helping a Pakistani terrorist escape from a Srinagar hospital after a dramatic raid left two security personnel dead two days ago. The four men surveyed the hospital and were present when Naveed Jhatt alias Abu Hanzalla, an alleged member of the banned Pakistani terrorist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, escaped.

Bangladesh court sends former leader Khaleda Zia to prison

A Bangladesh court sentenced former prime minister Khaleda Zia to five years in prison on corruption charges. The conviction means that Zia, the archrival of the current prime minister, could be barred from running in the December national elections. Bangladesh media reported five police officers were injured during the clashes that broke out ahead of the verdict.

Maldives president sends envoys to China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia, not India

Maldives President Abdulla Yameen, who is under pressure from the world community to end a state of emergency, has sent envoys to “friendly nations” China, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia to lobby for support but not to India, a close ally of the island nation. The Maldives plunged into turmoil last week after Yameen refused to obey a Supreme Court order clearing a former president of terror charges and freeing eight top opposition leaders. He instead imposed a 15-day emergency and detained two top judges, including the chief justice.

TDP MP from Chittoor N Sivaprasad, (foreground) and other members from Andhra Pradesh hold a demonstration demanding special package for their state, during the budget session of Parliament . (PTI)

Andhra Pradesh bandh against Union budget shuts down state

State-owned buses didn’t run, many colleges and schools shut down, and government offices reported poor attendance during the day-long shutdown in Andhra Pradesh to protest the “raw deal” for the state in the Union budget. The state’s Opposition parties organised the shutdown, but chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu’s Telugu Desam Party tacitly supported it.

PM Modi campaigns in Tripura, asks state to dump Left govt

Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged voters in Tripura to throw out the Manik Sarkar government and give the BJP a chance, stepping up his party’s election campaign in the northeastern state with the slogan “chalo paltai” (let us change). The state, which votes for 50 assembly seats on February 18, has been ruled by the Left Front since 1978. Sarkar has been chief minister since 1998.

Renuka Chowdhury not amused by Kiren Rijiju’s Facebook video

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury has warned Kiren Rijiju she will file a privilege motion against him after the junior home minister shared a video of mythological character Surpanakha laughing. Rijiju’s post didn’t name Chowdhury, but the Congress leader believes it targeted her.

Competition Commission fines Google Rs 136 crore for ‘search bias’

India’s antitrust watchdog imposed a Rs 136 crore fine on Google for “search bias” and abuse of its dominant position, in the latest regulatory setback for the world’s most popular internet search engine.

Richard Pryor and Marlon Brando were lovers: Quincy Jones

The widow of Richard Pryor has confirmed a claim by music producer Quincy Jones that the late comedian and Marlon Brando were lovers in the 1970s. Jones, in a newspaper interview, also claimed that Brando had slept with the singer Marvin Gaye and with novelist James Baldwin.