Morning Digest: Article 370 caused spread of terrorism in Kashmir, says Amit Shah; Rohit Sharma opts to ‘rest’ for Sydney Test, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on January 3, 2024

Article 370 was responsible for sowing the seeds of separatism among the youth in Kashmir by giving credence to the idea that Kashmir’s relationship with India was temporary, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Thursday (January 2, 2025). He pointed out that while there are other Muslim majority areas in the country, terrorism has not spread to those regions.

Finally there was closure to the question around Rohit Sharma. The ‘will he play or won’t he play’ question was emphatically answered when Jasprit Bumrah strode out to the toss ahead of the fifth Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Friday (January 3, 2025). As if to drive home the point, the BCCI’s note on the playing eleven and the entire squad did not have Rohit’s name.

Of the over 14.71 lakh schools in India, up to 1.52 lakh schools have no functional electricity, according to the latest data released by the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE+) maintained by the Ministry of Education. Of the 14.71 lakh schools, 10.17 lakh schools are government-run, of which 9.12 lakh schools have functional electricity, while 1.52 lakh schools do not. 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s annual new year resolutions have been nothing short of jumlas (rhetoric) that have been “destroying the lives of every citizen”, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday (January 2, 2025). Stepping up its attack on the government’s handling of the economy, the Congress also said that the Modi government has earned the “dubious distinction” of being the only government in Independent India that is responsible for ‘stealing’ mangalsutras of women due to rise in default on gold loans in the country.

Union Labour Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said in Delhi on Thursday (January 2, 2025) that the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) will launch its new software system EPFO 3.0 by June this year. He told reporters that the new system will be equivalent to the banking systems in the country and the website will be more user friendly.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday (January 1, 2024) said that disposal of the toxic waste from the Union Carbide factory in Bhopal will not have a negative impact on the environment in Pithampur where it is to be incinerated. Chemical waste weighing 337 tonnes had been lying in the factory premises, where the Bhopal gas tragedy of December 1984 broke out. It was transported to Pithampur, an industrial town 35 km from Indore, for disposal at an incineration facility. However, residents and activists have long protested against shifting the waste to Pithampur in Dhar district, raising apprehensions of contamination of soil and water bodies.

With heightened threat of drones in both conventional and non-conventional conflicts, the Army has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for 23mm ammunition for its Zu-23mm and Schilka air defence weapon systems in service. The Army is also looking to procure air burst rounds for its 30mm cannons on infantry combat vehicles to counter drone threats to its armoured regiments.