Morning Digest: President Murmu gives assent to Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, U.S. Vice-President Vance and NSA Waltz set to visit India this month; and more

The Hindu Morning Digest gives a select list of stories to start the day. Read the top news today on April 6, 2025

President Droupadi Murmu has given her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, the Union Law Ministry said in a notification.

President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday (April 5, 2025) gave her assent to the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 (2025 Act), the Union Law Ministry said in a notification. The contentious legislation was passed by Parliament this week after two marathon debates in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. Originally introduced last year, the law was earlier referred to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) chaired by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Jagdambika Pal for scrutiny. The report was laid before both Houses on February 13, 2025. 

After a few postponements, U.S. Vice-President J.D. Vance, his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance and their children are set to visit India later this month, sources in Delhi confirmed. Mr. Vance, who met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Paris and Washington this year, had sent out feelers for the visit to India, and in particular for a chance for a “heritage tour” for his family, given his wife is an American of South Indian origin.

The historic Indo-Lanka Accord of 1987 remains the only instrument to achieve a political solution for the Tamils of the island, and India’s “legitimate involvement” will be important to reach this goal, Sri Lanka’s Tamil parties told Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Justice Yashwant Varma, who is at the centre of a raging controversy after unaccounted-for cash was found at his official residence in the capital, took oath as judge at the Allahabad High Court on Saturday.

Speaking elaborately on the Kunal Kamra controversy for the first time, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said on Saturday that people should not misuse their rights in a democracy.

Sri Lanka’s Tamil political leaders urged India to ban bottom trawling in order to decisively resolve the fisheries conflict affecting the fishermen of northern Sri Lanka and Tamil Nadu.