The Bharat Bandh call given by the farmers' unions protesting against the three farm bills passed by Parliament earlier this year evoked mixed response in states. The Opposition-ruled states had some impacts of the Bharat Bandh while the BJP-ruled states saw only limited effect of the appeal.
During the day, the Aam Aadmi Party claimed that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had been put under the house-arrest by police. In sports, Australia ended a 10-match winning streak of India in T-20 games. And, the height of the Himalayas has been reviewed one more time. Read these and other top developments of the day below.
Here's what's making headlines at 7 pm on Tuesday.
BHARAT BANDH EVOKES MIXED RESPONSE
The Bharat Bandh call given by the farmers' unions hit daily lives in some states but at an all-India scale, its impact was limited. Train services and road traffic movements were impacted in states such as Punjab, Haryana and some other states. Shops and other commercial establishments remained closed.
Protesters squatted on roads, railway lines and highways in parts of the country. They blocked Delhi borders during their symbolic four-hour 'chakka jam' at the Ghazipur-Ghaziabad border. In Chandigarh, they blocked the highway. In Raipur, the capital of the Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh, the roads wore a deserted look in pre-noon session.
In Hyderabad, the Osmania University cancelled its examinations scheduled for the day fearing disruption due to protest over the three farm bills in wake of the call for Bharat Bandh. In other places, especially in the BJP-ruled states, the party workers were seen working with farmers and other groups to ensure that the Bharat Bandh call did not have much impact.
FARMERS CONTINUE TO PROTEST
Thousands of farmers from several states, primarily from Punjab, are protesting at the Delhi borders demanding the recall of the three farm bills. Their protest continues unabated. All attempts to arrive at a resolution during several rounds of talks between the ministerial panel formed by the Narendra Modi government and the farmers' representatives.
The farmers have appeared adamant on their demand for rolling back the laws the government brought out earlier this year. The government, on the other hand, has agreed to some amendments. But that has failed to satisfy the farmers, who see the three farm bills as detrimental to their income from agricultural produce in the future.
Another round of talks between the farmers and the government is taking place this evening. Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait and some other farmer leaders are meeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah over the farm bills.
Another meeting will take place over the farmers' protest in New Delhi with former Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, also the NCP chief is leading a small delegation of farmers' representatives to meet President Ram Nath Kovind. The political parties opposed to the BJP-led NDA have extended their support to the farmers' protest but the agitation over the three farm bills has largely continued without coming under any political banner.
All developments related to farmers' protest can be followed here.
ARVIND KEJRIWAL UNDER HOUSE ARREST?
Was Arvind Kejriwal put under house arrest by the Delhi Police today? Well, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made this sensational claim this morning. The AAP said the action follows his meeting with protesting farmers at the Singhu border and was timed to sync with the call for Bharat Bandh over the three farm bills.
AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj said the house arrest was made at the direction of the Union home ministry. It was an indirect attack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He said, "Our MLAs are also not being allowed to meet the CM. We will march to the CM's house and meet him and get him out of the house so that he can stand with the farmers."
However, the Delhi Police dismissed the charge with the DCP of North Delhi calling the allegations baseless. "This claim of CM Delhi being put on house arrest is incorrect. He exercises his right to free movement within the law of the land. A picture of the house entrance says it all," the Delhi Police said posting a photograph of his residence on Twitter.
DCP/North has already clarified the claim that Shri Arvind Kejriwal, CM Delhi has been put on house arrest is false and baseless. He exercise the right to move wherever he wants as per law of land @LtGovDelhi @CPDelhi @HMOIndia @PMOIndia @AAPDelhi pic.twitter.com/gMDxlHEYlN
— #DilKiPolice Delhi Police (@DelhiPolice) December 8, 2020
RECORD-BREAKING STOCK MARKET RALLY
Stock markets today touched record highs with BSE Sensex going past 45,704 and NSE Nifty 50 trading at over 13,428. In the gloomy times of the Covid-19 and consequent economic downturn, share markets have been a bright spot.
Domestic stock markets in India have performed exceptionally well in the past few months leading most experts to believe that the record-breaking rally is likely to continue next year. Behind this share market surge lies the success story of IT shares and performance of the Reliance Industries in trading.
The RIL has accounted for nearly a fifth of the 75 per cent surge in the S&P BSE Sensex since March -- that is since the Covid-19 made its impact on the Indian economy. This is literally double the contribution of Apple Inc in the S&P 500 index over the same period.
EMERGENCY APPROVAL FOR COVID-19 VACCINE SOON
There is some positive news on the Covid-19 vaccine front in India. The government has expressed hope that some of the Covid-19 vaccine candidates may get an emergency use licence in India over the next few weeks.
The Serum Institute of India (SII), which is manufacturing, testing and will be distributing the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine in India, and Bharat Biotech, developing an indigenous vaccine, have applied for emergency use approval of their Covid-19 vaccine candidates.
Apart from Serum Institute and Bharat Biotech, Pfizer has also applied for emergency use approval of its vaccine in India after securing approval in the UK. The government today said the production of the approved vaccine will be massively scaled up once the scientists involved in its development and testing give a green signal.
AUSTRALIA BEAT INDIA IN T-20
Australia defeated India by 12 runs in the final T-20I match in the three-match series to avoid a 0-3 whitewash. Australia thus also ended the 10-match winning streak of India in the shortest format of the game with this victory.
Batting first, Australia set a big total of 186 for 5 in their stipulated 20 overs with Mathew Wade and Glen Maxwell playing explosive innings. Fielding errors continued to make matters worse for India in this match.
Responding to Australia's total, India were in the game till the 17th over. Skipper Virat Kohli and in-form Hardik Pandya were at the crease. But Adam Zampa forced Pandya to mistimed his attempted lofted shot.
Departure of Pandya was followed up by the dismissal of Virat Kohli in the 19th over ended the game for India. However, a couple of lusty blows from Shardul Thakur kept the tail of hope wagging for Indian supporters.
HIMALAYAS GROW TALLER
For several years, kids in schools are told that the Himalayas are growing taller. But several generations completed their schooling but the altitude of the Himalayas remained the same -- 8,848 metres at Mount Everest.
The height of Mount Everest was first measured by the British in 1849. The height of 8,848 was confirmed by the Survey of India in 1954.
Now, a joint team of Nepal and China have revised the altitude of the Himalayas measuring Mount Everest to be 8,848.86 metres. That is, the Himalayas are now 86 centimetres taller officially.