Rush Hour: Karnataka governor’s House speech sparks row, Manipur man shot dead and more

Protests erupted in the Karnataka Assembly after Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot only read out two lines from his customary address to the joint session of the state legislature. Gehlot objected to 11 paragraphs in the speech prepared by the Congress government in the state.

The speech contained criticism of the Union government, including its introduction of the Viksit Bharat – Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act that replaced the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act.

Citing the Constitution, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said that the governor is “bound to read the address prepared by the Council of Ministers and has no authority to substitute it with a speech of his own”.

This was the third such controversy in three days involving governors in Opposition-ruled states. The previous two instances took place in Tamil Nadu and Kerala. Read on.

Members of the Great Nicobar Tribal Council alleged that in a January 7 meeting with the district administration, they were asked to sign “surrender certificates” as a way to hand over their ancestral lands for the Great Nicobar Project. They said that the administration made the request verbally.

The project includes the construction of a new township, a power plant, a greenfield international airport and a transhipment port. It is expected to use...

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