Morning Digest | Doctors call off strike after Bengal government lists reforms; MEA dismisses report about Indian ammunition entering Ukraine, and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on September 20, 2024

Protesting resident doctors in West Bengal decided to call off their agitation outside Swasthya Bhawan and announced that they will join emergency services in the State run health facilities from Saturday (September 21, 2024). Thousands of junior doctors have been on a strike for nearly 41 days since the body of a doctor was found inside the seminar hall of the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

India described as “inaccurate” a media report that said artillery shells sold by Indian arms manufacturers have been diverted by European customers to Ukraine and New Delhi has not intervened to stop it. “We have seen the Reuters report. It is speculative and misleading. It implies violations by India, where none exist and hence, is inaccurate and mischievous,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.

Praising voters for turning up in huge numbers at polling stations in the first phase of Assembly elections in J&K, Prime Minister Narendra Modi attacked the Gandhis, the Abdullahs and the Muftis for the three decades of instability in Kashmir and reiterated his promise to restore Statehood. Addressing an election rally at the She-i-Kashmir Cricket Stadium in Srinagar to campaign for the candidates contesting in the Valley, PM Modi reiterated that the promise made on the floor of the Parliament on J&K’s Statehood will be kept.

In the initial days of the Gaza offensive, Israel required artillery shells but India took a “policy decision” not to supply them, according to defence sources, who also stated that India is “firmly neutral” between Russia and Ukraine and has taken a stand to “not supply kinetic equipment” to either of them.

A war of words between the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Congress escalated after BJP president J.P. Nadda accused the Congress of having a “history of using abusive language against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and OBCs (Other Backward Classes)” in his response to a letter from Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge to the PM a few days ago. Mr. Kharge in his letter had accused the ruling party of using violent language against Opposition leaders. Mr. Kharge had written a letter addressed to Mr. Modi a few days ago, with reference to certain remarks made against him by Union Minister Ravneet Singh Bittu

Amidst the continuing outrage in Kolkata over the rape and murder of a female trainee doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital (RGKMCH), the medical registration of Sandip Ghosh, its former principal, has been cancelled. Numerous medical bodies had sought the cancellation of his registration after he was taken into the Central Bureau of Investigation custody on September 14 in connection with the rape-murder case and financial irregularities at the RGKMCH.

A Dalit tola (hamlet) was attacked, and at least 34 houses were set on fire by alleged land mafia at Krishna Nagar village under Mufassil Police station in Bihar’s Nawada district. Villagers said that the land mafia, who numbered in the dozens, allegedly fired several rounds. There is panic among the people living in the village and police are continuously conducting raids to nab the culprits. So far 15 people have been arrested by the police.