Here are the top 5 news updates of January 8, 2022:
The Election Commission today announced the dates for Assembly elections in five states - Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Manipur, Punjab, and Uttarakhand. The five states will vote in seven phases starting February 10, with counting of votes scheduled for March 10. Uttar Pradesh will vote in each of the seven phases - on February 10, February 14, February 20, February 23, February 27, March 3, and March 7. Punjab, Goa, and Uttarakhand will vote on February 14. Manipur will vote in two phases on February 27 March 3. Meanwhile, no political rally, no roadshow will be allowed till January 15 in the wake of the COVID-19 surge.
The Union Home Ministry has restored the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) registration of the Missionaries of Charity, days after revoking it following some "adverse inputs". A home ministry official said that with the restoration of the FCRA licence, the Kolkata-based famed organisation will be able to receive foreign fundings and can also spend the money lying in the banks. The Missionaries of Charity (MoC) is a Catholic religious congregation established in 1950 by Nobel laureate Mother Teresa to help the poor and destitute. The Missionaries of Charity did not officially comment on the report when asked about it, but a top official, who requested anonymity, confirmed to news agency PTI that the MHA indeed restored FCRA licence from January 7 and said "we are happy with the development".
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi today accused the BJP of having set up several "factories" of hate and said the 'Tek Fog' app is one of them. He said the entire country is wondering where so much hate is coming from, going by the age of the accused in the 'Bulli Bai' app case that targeted women of a particular religion. "Looking at the young age of the accused in the BulliBaiApp case, the entire country is asking where does so much hatred come from. In fact, BJP has set up many factories of hate. Tek Fog is one of them," Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi. He tagged a report that said 'Tek Fog' is BJP's helpful app that has given the power to the 'cyber army' to spread hatred and tinker with the trends on social media.
In view of the steep rise in new COVID-19 cases in Tamil Nadu, passengers who have received the two doses of vaccination would be allowed to travel on its suburban services with effect from January 10, the Southern Railway said today. In the latest set of guidelines issued by it, passengers with two doses of vaccination would be allowed for taking up journeys in the Chennai region. The Southern Railway also warned of collecting Rs 500 as fine from a passenger who is found not wearing a face mask in the premises. Taking into account the current surge in COVID-19 cases and a threat of the Omicron variant, the Tamil Nadu government has imposed several restrictions from January 6 onwards following which suburban train services are operating with 50 per cent seating capacity.
BJP MLA Yogesh Sagar has written letter to Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray to draw his attention to the corruption done by BMC officials and Shiv Sena leaders in exchange of lands with private builders. Sagar alleged corruption of Rs.500 crores happened in exchange of a plot at Mahul with a builder. Sagar demanded that the CM should immediately stay the process of exchange and give an order for inquiry. In his letter, the MLA stated about the recent plot exchange between BMC and a builder. He said the civic body gave its plot to Ajmera builder which was reserved for garden and was having clear title. “In lieu of that, the BMC took a plot from the Ajmera builder for Mahul Pumping station which is near buffer zone and not good for development and stuck in the environment permissions. The exchange was meant to favour the builder and help him to dodge the environment permissions. There is a straight benefit of Rs 500 crore. It’s condemnable that the MVA government is helping builders and giving away Mumbai’s public land,” Sagar wrote in a letter.
