Morning Brief: SC To Begin Ayodhya Title Suit Hearing Today; Over 3,300 Devotees Of Lord Ayyappa Arrested For Sabarimala Protests; And More

Good morning, dear reader! Here’s your morning news brief for today.

Supreme Court To Begin Ayodhya Title Suit Hearing Today

The Supreme Court is set to start hearing a batch of pleas challenging the Allahabad High Court's verdict on the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute today. In a 2010 verdict, the Court had divided the disputed site into three parts – one third to Ram Lalla, represented by the Hindu Mahasabha; one third to the Islamic Waqf Board; and the remaining third to the Nirmohi Akhara. The apex court would take a call on the future course of hearing in the case.

A new bench, comprising of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and justices S K Kaul and K M Joseph will hear the pleas. The old bench comprised of CJI Dipak Misra and justices Abdul Nazeer and Ashok Bhushan. On 27 September, the court had declined to set up a larger bench for reconsidering its 1994 verdict which held a "mosque is not an essential part of the practice of Islam".

Over 3,300 Devotees Of Lord Ayyappa Arrested For Sabarimala Protests

At least 3,346 devotees of Lord Ayyappa have been detained by the Kerala Police since 26 October, The Tribune has reported. According to the daily, over 510 cases have been registered by the state machinery under the Communist Party of India-led Left Democratic Front government. Sabarimala tantri family member and activist Rahul Easwar was also arrested.

The state saw massive protests after the state government decided to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict despite resistance from the devotees. The court, in a controversial ruling, had overturned a centuries-old tradition restricting the entry of women in their reproductive age, into the shrine. Earlier, the police had used brute force to dislodge protesters from camps and were seen vandalising vehicles and pelting stones on devotees.

Jet Airways Looks For Help From Ratan Tata, Mukesh Ambani

Jet Airways, which is struggling to raise funds, is reportedly in talks with Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani and chairman emeritus of Tata Group Ratan Tata for help. The company, in which founder Naresh Goyal owns a controlling stake of 51 per cent, is also holding talks with overseas airlines. Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways owns 24 per cent in the carrier.

The Tata group, which started the country’s first commercial airline in 1932, is in talks with Jet Airways to pick up a large stake in the company. The $103 billion business behemoth has sought management control of the carrier. In June 2018, the airline was reported to have a market share of 13.7 per cent. The Tata group is already in the business and has two aviation joint ventures, one with Singapore Airlines operating Vistara and the other with budget airline Air Asia.

Brazil Elects Right-Wing Candidate As President

Latin America’s biggest country and the world’s fourth-largest democracy, Brazil, has elected right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro as the country’s new president, the Supreme Electoral Tribunal has said. After 94 per cent of the votes were counted, Bolsonaro was leading with 55 per cent of the votes against 45 per cent for Fernando Haddad from the left-wing Workers Party.

The former army captain has projected himself as a decisive leader. During the election campaign, Bolsonaro was stabbed and suffered life-threatening injuries. Among other things, he had called for looser gun laws, immunity for police who kill criminals and chemical castration for rapists. Corruption and a struggling economy were among the most important issues.

Political Turmoil Continues In Sri Lanka As Speaker Backs ‘Sacked’ PM

Sri Lankan Parliament’s Speaker has refused to endorse the sacking of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe and appointment of Mahinda Rajapaksa to the post by President Maithripala Sirisena. In a letter to the President, he has backed Wickremesinghe’s request to maintain his privileges and security until another candidate proves majority.

Wickremesinghe has told reporters on Friday he had no intention of leaving his post. He said he enjoys a majority in Parliament. Mahinda Amaraweera, a politician from Rajapaksa's party, said he had a majority needed in the 225-member Parliament for him to take over. President Sirisena, however, has suspended Parliament.

As the SC starts hearing the Ayodhya title suit, here’s what you should read for a better understanding of the issue:

Why A Temple, And Only A Temple Should Come Up At The Ram Janmabhoomi Site: A Ram temple in Ayodhya is the most natural thing to happen. Trying to stop that can only accelerate hatred among communities.

Isn’t It Time For Left Historians To Apologise For Their Dishonesty? It is time for all of us to sit and exclaim: the Left has no clothes.

Why SC Bench And Muslims In General Must Read Sita Ram Goel: Muslims should read Hindu Temples: What Happened To Them: Volumes 1 & 2 to know that the Hindu case in Ayodhya is stronger than they think.

More From Swarajya

What Went Into Making Jammu And Kashmir Part Of India: 27 October marks a crucial landmark in Indian history, and the personalities that go with this date are heroes of the nation in every right. Lt Gen (retd) Hasnain explains.

Can The Non-Banking Finance Sector Be Nursed Back To Health? It appears that the current flux in the NBFC sector, sparked by an asset liability mismatch, will take some time to settle down.

The Amur Falcon, A Remarkable Story Of Nagaland’s Flight To Conservation: A major conservation drive to protect the entrapment and massacre of Amur falcon has seen a spectacular turnaround, with the first ever Amur Falcon Conservation Week & Festivals in Nagaland’s Pangti village, early November, waiting to relate everything about the successful conservation story.

We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!

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