Morning Brief: Govinda Used Dawood’s Muscle To Become MP?; Trump Wins Indiana; India Junks USCIRF Report

Good Morning, Swarajya Readers!

Here’s what you need to know today.

A joint parliamentary committee formed to suggest changes to Bankruptcy law has submitted its report. The government has agreed to incorporate all the amendments suggested by the committee and will introduce the draft law in the current session of the Parliament. India is ranked 136 in resolving insolvency and Bankruptcy law is key to improving its position.

The government has rejected Apple’s plan to sell refurbished iPhones in India. It’s a major setback for the company. iPhone sales have dropped for the first time this year and the company needs to expand to newer markets like India, where its share of shipments is paltry 2%. Apple’s rivals have been successful in convincing the government that such a move could trigger a flood of used electronics defeating the Make in India program.

Ram Naik, Uttar Pradesh Governor, in his memoir ‘Chaireveti, Chaireveti’ written in Marathi, has alleged that the former Congress MP and film star Govinda used Dawood Ibrahim’s muscle to defeat him in 2004 from Mumbai North constituency. Naik has also accused Govinda of colluding with don Hitendra Thakur in terrorising voters. Obviously, Govinda has refuted the charges and has urged Naik not to damage his image and “create hurdles in his film career.”

Rajya Sabha chairman Hamid Ansari has rejected the resignation letter of Vijay Mallya on procedural grounds. The letter reportedly flouts the norms and doesn’t carry Mallya’s original signature. Mallya has exhorted Indian media to report responsibly. He said it’s Kingfisher that owes money to banks, not he and asked rhetorically how he can be called a defaulter inspite of the settlement offer.

India has rightfully refused to take cognizance of the annual report of United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) which claimed that “India is on a negative trajectory in terms of religious freedom”. Earlier this year, the commission, which wanted to visit India, was denied visas. In a sharply worded rebuttal, India said a foreign entity has no locus standi to pronounce judgement on the state of constitutionally protected rights of Indian citizens.

RLD chief Ajit Singh has finally refused to heed to Nitish and Lalu’s clarion call of creating a Bihar-style Mahagathbandhan in Uttar Pradesh. The decision came after the Jat leader was snubbed by JDU for seeking a Rajya Sabha seat. But JDU is particularly miffed with Singh for opening channels of communication with the BJP.

Donald Trump has trounced his republican rival Ted Cruz in the Indiana primary. Trump is leading Cruz by more than 15%. It was Cruz’s last chance to stop Trump from getting the required 1237 delegates before the party’s convention. Trump is now the leader of the GOP in all but formality. He is on course to be the first Republican nominee who has not served in elected office since Eisenhower.

On Dems side, Senator Sanders (53%) defeated Secretary Clinton (47%), however, it is not going to hurt Clinton much at this point of time. She is way ahead of the rumpled Senator, given her insurmountable lead in Superdelegates.

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