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The Army chief wants healthier snacks to replace pakodas at functions, and an end to sycophancy. The directives are among 23 issued by Army chief General Bipin Rawat — on issues ranging from liquor rations and social media use to promotions — many of which have raised concern among serving officers as well as veterans, reports Sujan Dutta for ThePrint.

The home ministry has revised its stance on Section 377. The affidavit submitted by the ministry of home affairs (MHA) in the Supreme Court Wednesday made it clear that it would not contest demands to declare Section 377 unconstitutional. It had earlier defended retaining the draconian, colonial-era section in the books, reports The Indian Express.

PM Modi says Congress never appreciated the farming community. Addressing a ‘thanksgiving’ rally organised by the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and the BJP in light of the recent MSP boost for kharif crops, PM Modi Wednesday accused the Congress of using farmers as a vote bank, reports The Hindu. With former Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, his son Sukhbir Badal and Sukhbir’s wife, union minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal, seated next to him on stage, Modi lashed out at the evils of “dynastic politics”.

Facing backlash on prohibition, Bihar set to water down its harsh provisions: Following reports about the alleged misuse of the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016, the Bihar government has decided to dilute some of its more stringent provisions. At least five provisions under the law could be watered down, reports The Indian Express.

Jayant Sinha expresses ‘regret’ for garlanding lynching convicts. After facing intense criticism for felicitating six lynching convicts, union minister Jayant Sinha said late Wednesday evening that he regretted if the episode had conveyed the impression that he supported vigilantism, reports The Economic Times.

Yogendra Yadav alleges family raided by income tax officials, claiming the action was meant to intimidate and silence him as he had launched an agitation demanding fair crop prices for farmers and against liquor shops in Haryana’s Rewari, reports Rajgopal Singh for ThePrint.

Adultery should remain a crime because marriage is sacred, Centre tells SC. The Centre Wednesday contended that adultery should remain an offence and opposed a petition before the SC that sought to make men and women equally liable under Section 497 of the Indian Penal Code, reports The Tribune.

Now, Aadhaar card mandatory for health benefits. The government has mandated the use of the Aadhaar card for administering its massive project Ayushman Bharat, or National Health Mission. While possessing an Aadhaar card isn’t mandatory to avail of services, proof of enrolment, or request for enrolment, is mandatory, reports The Hindu

Business Class

The ride-hailing app Ola has started making money on each cab ride, inching closer to its dream of making a profit before going for a public offering in the next few years, reports The Economic Times.

The Telecom Commission has approved net neutrality rules, implying internet will remain open to everybody in the country, reports Business Standard. Net neutrality is meant to ensure that no internet service provider can restrict or discriminate in the treatment of content by blocking, slowing down or granting preferential speeds while providing internet access.

News it’s just kinda cool to know

A new study finds ACs essential to productivity during heatwave: Severe heat has obvious effects on public health, but scientists have found that it can also slow down the speed of thought if workers can’t stay cool, reports Sky News.

The oldest colour in the world is pink: Scientists have discovered the oldest colours in the geological record — 1.1 billion-year-old bright pink pigments extracted from rocks deep beneath the Sahara desert in Africa, reports PTI.

Point of View

The Centre has brought two big reforms in the education sector: Conducting entrance examinations twice a year and introducing the concept of institutes of eminence. Business Standard, in its editorial, lauds both the measures, but also asks the government to exercise caution.

The petitions before the Supreme Court on homosexuality being a crime were the subject of an editorial in The Indian Express, which says, “As government declines to oppose striking down of Section 377, SC must seize opportunity to right a shameful wrong.”

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar has decided to continue his alliance with the BJP for the time being. Columnist Vidya Subrahmaniam writes in The Hindu, “Yet, in this one year, the BJP has done all it could to deeply embarrass Mr Kumar. Today, it seems unstoppably on a mission to wreck the one thing closest to his heart: His often reiterated vision of a secular, multi-faith India.”

Prime Time

Fears of a ‘Hindu Pakistan’

As Congress MP Shashi Tharoor warned of India becoming a “Hindu Pakistan” if BJP came back to power in 2019, Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami asked, “Is the Congress party back to hardcore appeasement?”

Slamming the comment made by Tharoor, BJP national spokesperson Sambit Patra said, “How can they abuse Hindus by fear-mongering about India becoming a Hindu Pakistan?”

Political analyst Dr Sumanth C. Raman defended the Congress MP and said,”It is the atmosphere of intolerance that he is talking about.”

Questioning Rahul Gandhi’s intentions in visiting temples before elections, social activist and film-maker Ashoke Pandit added, “How can Tharoor, who is out on bail in his wife’s suicide case, say Modi will turn India into Hindu Pakistan?”

Decriminalisation of homosexuality

With Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra indicating that Section 377 may soon be scrapped, Preeti Choudhry of India Today TV discussed the legalisation of gay sex in India.

Congress spokesperson Sanjay Jha said, “The Congress party would like to see Section 377 abolished.” Hindu Mahasabha president Swami Chakrapani vehemently opposed the idea. BJP spokesperson Sanju Verma would not say what the party believed. “BJP is not a party with an 18th-century mindset,” was the only sentence she kept repeating, with a few variations.