NEWSMAKERS OF THE WEEK
LEGAL BATTLES CAN BE REALLY PROTRACTED IN INDIA. A GOOD EXAMPLE IS THE CASE OF VETERAN BJP LEADER L.K. ADVANI’S ALLEGED INVOLVEMENT IN THE AYODHYA DISPUTE. THE CASE IS GOING ON FOR DECADES. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT THERE WAS A DECISION EITHER WAY.
The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved its order on whether the “conspiracy charge” would be revived against BJP leaders L.K. Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi and 19 others and if a joint trial would be held in a special court in Lucknow. Mr Advani and others could get jail terms of up to five years if the conspiracy charge is proved in the joint trial. China has lodged a protest with India’s ambassador in Beijing over the Dalai Lama’s visit to Arunachal Pradesh and warned that it would take necessary measures to defend its territorial sovereignty interests. Meanwhile, the 81year-old spiritual leader said that India has never used him against China, even as he urged Beijing to give Tibet meaningful “self-rule” and “autonomy”. Noted lawyer Ram Jethmalani on Tuesday said he will defend Arvind Kejriwal in the defamation case slapped on him by finance minister Arun Jaitley without taking any fee if the Delhi Chief Minister cannot afford to pay him. The bills totalled around `3.4 crore. “If he is unable to pay I will do it for free. I render free services to 90 per cent of my clients,” Jethmalani said. President Donald Trump has removed chief strategist Steve Bannon from the National Security Council, reversing an earlier, controversial decision to give Bannon access to the high-level meetings. A senior White House official said on Wednesday that Bannon was initially placed on the national security council after Trump’s inauguration as a measure to ensure implementation of the president's vision. Renowned Hindustani classical vocalist Kishori Amonkar passed away on late Monday night in Mumbai. Born on April 10, 1932 in Mumbai, Amonkar was recognised as one of the foremost singers in the Hindustani tradition and as an innovative exponent of the Jaipur gharana. Amonkar’s mother was wellknown vocalist Mogubai Kurdikar, who trained under Alladiya Khan Saheb, the doyen of the Jaipur gharana.
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