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| US President Donald Trump called up Prime Minister Narendra Modi and congratulated him on his recent electoral success. This is said to be the third telephone exchange between the two leaders since Trump’s election victory on November 8, 2016. “The president spoke with German Chancellor Merkel and Indian Prime Minister Modi to congratulate them on their parties’ success in recent elections,” Press Secretary Sean Spicer said. The two leaders have also invited each other to visit their respective countries. |
| Parliament passed a bill that decriminalises suicide attempt by mentally ill people. The Mental Healthcare Bill also focuses on community-based treatment and provides for special treatment for women. It seeks to ensure health-care, treatment and rehabilitation of persons with mental illness “in a manner that does not intrude on their rights and dignity.” |
| Lok Sabha speaker Sumitra Mahajan pitched for an amicable resolution to the domestic airlines’ blanket ban on Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad. Though she did not categorically call for the lifting of the ban on Gaikwad, who had assaulted an Air India staffer last week, she said MPs need to attend Parliament and they cannot always travel by train. “I am playing the role of ‘tai’ (elder sister). As of now, everybody is angry. It is time to calm down and resolve the issue. How the ban could be lifted needs to be discussed and resolved amicably,” she said. |
| After Uttar Pradesh, the Jharkhand government ordered closure of illegal abattoirs yesterday. The slaughterhouses were given 72 hours to shut their illegal businesses if they failed to obtain licence from relevant authorities. Principal Secretary (Home) S K G Rahate wrote to all deputy commissioners, senior superintendents of police, superintendents of police, municipalities and notified area committees to take steps for closure of illegal abattoirs. |
| The All India Muslim Personal Law Board told the Supreme Court declaring triple talaq illegal would be like rewriting the Quran. Explaining that triple talaq was mandated by the Holy Quran, the AIMPLB in its written submission, said, “If such casual denunciation of the verses of the holy book is permitted, then soon Islam would cease to exist. Though triple talaq in one sitting is an unusual mode of divorce in Islam, it cannot be declared to be invalid in the light of the direct verses of Holy Quran and categorical command of the Messenger of Allah.” |
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