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This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 26th of February and here are the headlines. The Allahabad High Court today dismissed an appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid Committee challenging the Varanasi district court’s order to allow prayers in the Gyanvapi mosque. On 31st of January, the district court allowed prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque complex. The district court order was challenged by the mosque committee in the Supreme Court which asked the committee to approach the Allahabad High Court. The Calcutta High Court on Monday clarified that there is no stay on the arrest of absconding Trinamool Congress leader Sheikh Shajahan, who has been accused of sexual harassment and landgrab in Sandeshkhali. The court directed that Shajahan, the Enforcement Directorate, the CBI, the state home secretary be impleaded as parties in the suo motu matter initiated on the allegations of sexual atrocities and land grab reported from the area in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district. The Assam assembly witnessed stormy scenes today, with the Speaker rejecting the Opposition’s bid to discuss the Cabinet’s decision to repeal the Assam Muslim Marriage and Divorce Registration Act 1935. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had asserted that the decision had been taken to curb child marriage, stating that the Act has a provision that enables the marriage of brides and grooms below the ages of 18 and 21, respectively. The decision had been announced while the current Assembly session was ongoing and the Cabinet approved the ‘Assam Repealing Ordinance 2024’ for the repeal of the Act. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today told the Supreme Court that he “made a mistake by retweeting” an allegedly defamatory video posted by YouTuber Dhruv Rathee in 2018. Kejriwal had approached the court challenging a Delhi High Court order upholding the summons issued to him in the criminal defamation case. On 5th of February, the High Court had said, quote, “When a public figure tweets a defamatory post, the ramifications extend far beyond a mere whisper in someone’s ears.” Unquote. The Haryana Police booked 12 people, including former Bahadurgarh BJP MLA Naresh Kaushik, in connection with the murder of Indian National Lok Dal state president and former MLA Nafe Singh Rathee on Sunday. They have been booked under murder and conspiracy charges. Nafe Singh’s family members and supporters have announced they will not cremate the bodies of the INLD leader and his security team member Jai Kishan, who was also killed in the attack, until the accused are arrested. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Sukrita Baruah explains why the Assam Cabinet has decided to repeal the state’s Muslim Marriage law and the state’s plan to implement a Uniform Civil Code. Next, Indian Express’ Anonna Dutt tells us about Kala Azar disease and the steps that the government has been taking to eliminate it. And in the end, Indian Express’ Maulshree Seth shares with us the details about the seat-sharing arrangement between the SP and the Congress party in Uttar Pradesh. Hosted by Shashank Bhargava Produced by Shashank Bhargava, Rahel Philipose, and Niharika Nanda Further listening: Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code: All You Need To Know - Spotify - Apple Podcasts - YouTube

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 23rd of February and here are the top stories of the week. The farmers’ protest that resumed on Wednesday, was suspended for two days after a protester, 21-years-old Subhkaran Singh of Bathinda district, died due to a head injury. In the view of this, farmer leaders demanded registration of a murder case against those responsible for the death. Several farmers were also injured as the Haryana Police dropped tear gas shells at the Shambhu and Khanauri border. The leaders will review the situation and announce the next course of agitation this evening. Sandeshkhali has been at the centre of a political firestorm ever since protests broke out in the area earlier this month. On Monday, a journalist was arrested for allegedly outraging the modesty of a woman and trespassing into the complainant’s house and was later granted bail by the Calcutta High Court. The police also booked a talk show host of a Bengali news channel for promoting enmity and "conducting public mischief". Moreover, Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Brinda Karat of the CPI(M) were stopped by the police from visiting Sandeshkhali on Tuesday. West Bengal DGP Rajeev Kumar visited the violence-hit area for the first time on Thursday and said the police will listen to the complaints of every individual and strict action will be taken against those found guilty. The Maharashtra Assembly on Tuesday unanimously passed a Bill granting 10 per cent reservation in education and jobs to the Maratha community. The principle of creamy layer will be applicable and reservation under this Act will be available only to those in the Socially and Educationally Backward Classes who are not in the creamy layer category. CM Eknath Shinde described the Bill as historic and bold and said it would survive the test of law. The Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed and set aside the result of mayoral polls for the Chandigarh Municipal Corporation. The court perused the ballot papers and said that the eight ballots on which the presiding officer had made a marking, and were later counted as invalid, were duly cast in favour of Kuldeep Kumar. A three-judge bench presided by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud thus ruled in favour of the AAP-Congress coalition candidate. Controversy erupted on Wednesday over Congress workers allegedly roughing up a broadcast journalist at Raebareli on Tuesday and the manner in which Rahul Gandhi quizzed him. The TV channel released a video where Rahul is seen asking the TV journalist, his name, and also that of the owner of the channel. The Editors Guild of India on Thursday voiced concern over this and urged all political parties and leaders to exercise caution, particularly during election season when tempers can run high, and ensure that no individual is put in harm’s way. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

On Tuesday, Ameen Sayani, the man who revolutionized radio presentation and perhaps became its most recognizable voice, passed away after suffering a cardiac arrest in his Mumbai home. In this episode, we take a look at Ameen Sayani’s iconic career and hear from veteran singer Usha Uthup, filmmaker Saeed Mirza, and Rajya Sabha MP Derek O'Brien, who remember the radio legend very fondly. But to talk about his career we are first joined by Indian Express’ Suanshu Khurana. Hosted by Niharika Nanda Written and Produced by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda Edited and Mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 22nd of February and here are the headlines. The Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party have finalised their seat-sharing alliance for the seven Lok Sabha seats in Delhi after several rounds of deliberations this week. Sources from both parties confirmed that they had settled for a four-three seat-sharing formula, with AAP contesting four constituencies and Congress on three. The agreement was finalised after the AAP agreed to the Congress’ proposal to contest from one Lok Sabha seat of its choice and another suggested by the latter. Prime Minister Narendra Modi today underlined his government’s commitment to fulfilling its pledge for the welfare of farmers, asserting that a "historic" hike in sugarcane’s price is part of such efforts. In a series of posts on X, he sad this will benefit crores of sugarcane farmers. The Cabinet meeting headed by Modi hiked the minimum price that mills have to pay to sugarcane growers by Rs 25, raising it to Rs 340 per quintal for the 2024-25 season starting October. Social media company X (formerly Twitter) has said that it has received orders from the Indian government to block certain accounts and links, failing which the platform and its employees could face potential penalties including significant fines and imprisonment. In an early morning post today, X’s government affairs handle said that while it was complying with New Delhi’s blocking orders, it "disagrees" with its actions. The Indian Express has learnt that a majority of these accounts were tweeting in support of the ongoing farmers’ protests. As per a preliminary probe by New Delhi’s cybersecurity agency, The Indian Express has learnt that a data breach impacted the systems of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation in 2018. This exposure of the personal data of millions of Indians was found to have been "repackaged" by a Chinese cyber agency. According to information that has been uploaded to Github, the leaked database claims to have information from across Indian institutions – both government and private. However, in 2018, when reports about the alleged breach had first surfaced, the EPFO had denied that its systems were compromised. The Enforcement Directorate has asked the Bureau of Immigration to issue a look-out-circular against Byju Raveendran, the CEO of Byju’s to ensure that he does not leave the country without intimating the investigation officer. In November last year, the agency had issued show cause notices to Think & Learn Private Limited, the parent company of Byju’s, and Raveendran on the basis of a complaint filed against alleged contraventions of Foreign Exchange Management Act to the tune of Rs 9,362.35 crore. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express's Amitabh Sinha informs us about the findings of a new study that reveals a previously unknown factor that might be affecting India's air pollution. Next, Indian Express's Apurva Vishwanath discusses the controversial money bill route that helped the passage of legislations related to the electoral bonds scheme, Aadhaar, and the PMLA (11:34). And finally, Indian Express's Kanchan Vasudev reports on the 22-year-old farmer who died after being hit by a rubber bullet while protesting at the Delhi-Haryana border (21:42). Hosted by Shashank Bhargava Produced and written by Shashank Bhargava and Niharika Nanda Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 21st of February and here are the headlines. As the Dilli Chalo protest resumed today, several farmers were injured as the Haryana Police dropped tear gas shells at the Shambhu and Khanauri border. Meanwhile, the telephonic talks between the farmer leaders and Union government officials concluded and leaders Jagjit Singh Dallewal and Sarvan Singh Pandher are insisting on a statement on MSP law by the Prime Minister or the Home Minister. Indian Space Research Organisation today said that it completed the human rating of its CE20 cryogenic engine that will power the cryogenic stage of the human-rated LVM3 launch vehicle to be used in crewed Gaganyaan missions. The seventh and final round of ground qualification tests were completed earlier this month. The ambitious Gaganyaan mission will demonstrate ISRO’s human spaceflight capability by launching a crew of one or more members to an orbit of 400 kilometres in space on a three-day mission. India and China held the 21st round military talks earlier this week, emphasising that a complete disengagement in the remaining areas along the Line of Actual Control in eastern Ladakh is the essential basis for restoring normalcy along the borders. In a statement released today, the Ministry of External Affairs said that the two sides shared their perspectives on disengaging from the remaining friction points along the LAC. Actor-politician Kamal Haasan today said discussions were on for his party, Makkal Needhi Maiam's political alliance and stressed it would support any bloc that would “selflessly” think about the nation and desist from being part of “feudal politics.” His remark came in the backdrop of speculations that Haasan’s party was involved in alliance talks with Chief Minister M K Stalin-led DMK for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. Ameen Sayani, the iconic radio presenter of the popular show ''Binaca Geet Mala”, died on Tuesday of a heart attack. He was 91. As a voiceover artist, he holds a record for hosting and compering over 54,000 radio programs. Sayani also holds a record in the Limca Book of Records for his contributions to approximately 19,000 jingles as a voiceover artist. His show, Binaca Geetmala, which began as a 30-minute programme on Radio Ceylon turned into a rage and was aired from 1952 to 1994. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Bijin Jose explains the significance of OpenAI’s latest generative AI tool, Sora, and its potential applications. Next, Indian Express’ Mihir Vasavda talks about Janneke Schopman, the first female to coach the Indian women’s hockey team, opening up about the challenges she has faced in India (06:44). And in the end, we give you a quick update about a Sikh IPS officer who hit back at a group of protesting West Bengal BJP leaders and activists who allegedly called him 'Khalistani' (13:48). Hosted by Niharika Nanda Produced by Rahel Philipose, Niharika Nanda, and Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 20th of February and here are the top stories of the week. In a special session of the state legislature, the Maharashtra government today unanimously passed the bill extending 10 percent reservation to Marathas under the socially and economically backward category in education and job sectors. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde tabled the bill based on a report submitted to the state government by the Maharashtra Backward Class Commission (MBCC) headed by chairman Justice (Retired) Sunil Shukre. The Supreme Court today directed recounting in the Chandigarh mayoral polls by treating 8 ‘invalid’ ballots to be valid. These 8 votes were cast for the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). During the hearing, Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud orally observed that the votes cast during the polls be counted again, treating the ballots defaced by returning officer Anil Masih as valid. Leader of Opposition in the West Bengal Assembly Suvendu Adhikari and Brinda Karat of the CPI(M) were stopped by the police from visiting the troubled area of Sandeshkhali in the state’s North 24 Parganas district this morning. This comes a day after the Calcutta High Court had granted permission to Adhikari to visit Sandeshkhali. In a jibe at the Opposition, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said he was glad Jammu and Kashmir is “getting freedom from dynastic politics”. Addressing a public rally in Jammu, PM Modi said, quote, “Jammu and Kashmir had to bear the brunt of dynastic politics for decades. They are only concerned about their families, not about your interests, your families.” Unquote. Blaming Article 370 for stalling development in J&K, PM Modi said the BJP government was responsible for its abrogation. Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher today urged the Centre to call a one-day Parliament session and bring legislation on MSP guarantee. He said, quote, “PM can call a one-day Parliament session and bring legislation on MSP guarantee. All the Opposition parties should clear their position that if the Centre brings a law on MSP in the Parliament then they would vote for it. from Congress. From Akali Dal to Congress to Trinamool Congress, everyone should clear their stand." Unquote. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Ravik Bhattacharya and Atri Mitra inform us about the allegations of sexual harassment against certain TMC members in the village of Sandeshkhali, West Bengal. Next, Indian Express’ Jayprakash Naidu shares the details of a new bill slated to be introduced in the Chhattisgarh assembly, aimed at regulating religious conversions in the state (09:20). And in the end, we give you a quick update on the Chandigarh Mayoral polls, including the recent statements made by the Supreme Court (15:24). Produced by Shashank Bhargava Edited and mixed by Suresh Pawar Further listening: The Chandigarh Mayor Polls controversy - YouTube - Spotify - Apple Podcasts

This is the Catch Up on 3 Things for the Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain. It’s the 19th of February and here are the headlines. Calling it an "abuse of power", the Bombay High Court said that the arrest of former ICICI Bank CEO Chanda Kochhar and her husband Deepak by the Central Bureau of Investigation in December 2022 was done "without application of mind". The court made the observation in its order confirming the interim bail granted to the couple. The two were arrested on 23rd of December 2022 in connection with alleged irregularities in loans provided by the bank to the Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon Group. The Supreme Court today stayed further proceedings on a notice issued by the Lok Sabha Privileges Committee to West Bengal officials, to appear on a complaint by BJP MP Sukanta Majumdar over alleged "misconduct, brutality and life-threatening injuries" to him. Majumdar had complained to the parliamentary committee about a breach of privilege as an MP after he was allegedly injured last week during protests in Sandeshkhali where leaders of the ruling Trinamool Congress have been accused of sexually assaulting women villagers. Following a closed-door meeting between former Madhya Pradesh CM Kamal Nath and his supporters, his loyalists have claimed Nath would stay with the Congress. After emerging from the meeting today, former state home minister Bala Bachan said, quote, "There was no question of (Nath) joining the BJP. Kamal Nath is a national level politician of the Congress and has given his entire life to the party." Unquote. The Enforcement Directorate today said that it has filed a complaint against Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal for "intentionally disobeying the first three summons issued to him." Sources in the ED said, quote, "The court has taken cognisance of the same, thereby the court has prima facie accepted that Kejriwal has done an offence for which he is liable to be prosecuted. The question in front of the court is not about the validity of the summons rather the illegal act on part of Kejriwal of intentionally disobeying three summons." Unquote. In another setback to the Opposition INDIA alliance in Uttar Pradesh, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav is set to give a miss to Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Amethi and Raebareli. Akhilesh today said that he will join Rahul’s Yatra only after the finalisation of seat-sharing between the SP and the Congress for the UP seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. This was the Catch-Up on the 3 Things by The Indian Express.

First, Indian Express’ Raakhi Jagga joins us to talk about the AAP government in Punjab and how the farmer's protest offered them some relief. Second, we talk to Indian Express' Anonna Dutt about the successful launch of the ISRO rocket which has been nicknamed the ‘naughty boy’. (9:09) Lastly, we talk about Rahul Gandhi's visit to his constituency, Wayanad. (17:24) Hosted by Niharika Nanda Written and Produced by Niharika Nanda, Shashank Bhargava and Rahel Philipose Edited and Mixed by Suresh Pawar