 "Om Birla after he was elected as the Speaker of the House during the first session of the 18th Lok Sabha, in New Delhi. PTI")
It’s been a busy, busy week for India. From more revelations emerging from the NEET-UG exam exam paper alleged leak to the commencement of the 18th Lok Sabha, a lot has happened in the country in the past week.
In the week gone by, the NEET-UG paper scandal continued to make headlines. From the CBI taking over the case to making its first arrest, a lot unfolded in the matter, which we shall explain below.
The 18th Lok Sabha also began this week and quite a few big stories emerged from there. There was the Speaker’s election, the debate on Emergency being raised in the lower House and even the row over Asauddin Owaisi’s oath.
The heavy downpour in Delhi and the resulting airport roof collapsing also grabbed headlines this week.
As we bid goodbye to the week, here’s a round-up of the stories in India to keep you up-to-date with the important developments.
1) The first session of the 18th Lok Sabha began on 24 June and it started on a contentious note. The point of contention: the election for the important post of Speaker. While the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), proposed Om Birla for a second term, the INDI Alliance, led by the Congress, put forth K Suresh as their candidate. This was a rare occurrence in Indian politics. Read our essay to find out why this was unusual and different from previous elections.
2) The contest for the Speaker’s post ended on quite an anti-climactic note when the BJP’s choice of Om Birla won the polls through a voice vote and began his second term. But who is Om Birla ? What do we know about the Kota MP?
Impact Shorts
More Shorts3) Parliamentary proceedings in India always make the news and this session is no different. On Thursday (June 27), President Droupadi Murmu addressed a joint sitting of Parliament. During her address, she said: “Today is June 27. The imposition of Emergency on 25th June 1975, was the biggest and darkest chapter of direct attack on the Constitution. The entire country felt outraged.” Her remarks came a day after a row emerged in Lok Sabha over Om Birla’s similar comments and even BJP ministers. But why is there such a discussion on Emergency in Parliament? We decode the reason here .
4) The NEET-UG scam continues to make news. However, it seems the epicentre of the alleged paper leak has been Bihar and neighbouring Jharkhand. The Bihar Police, earlier in the week, had vital evidence in the case and on Thursday (27 June), the CBI made its first arrests from the state too. Our explainer delves into how the state of Bihar has gained notoriety for its cheating crisis.
5) Away from the news of exam cheating and Lok Sabha, there was also the partial collapse of the roof of the terminal at Delhi airport owing to heavy rains. While one person died in the accident, others were left injured, and flight operations were severely affected. But how much rain did Delhi receive and how did it turn into a nightmare for Delhiites .
6) Medicine in India is a tough field. There’s a lot that students have to endure to pass their medical exams and become doctors in India. However, for one first-year MBBS student at Rajasthan’s Dungarpur medical college, it became almost life-threatening. He had to undergo dialysis four times after second-year students made him do more than 300 sit-ups at a place near the college on May 15. What does the law say on ragging in India? Is it legal? Here’s our explainer on it.
7) On June 28, India had a big reason to smile. The country was added to the JP Morgan Government Bond Index – Emerging Market (GBI-EM) suite. Goldman Sachs has estimated that as much as $40 billion could flow into India over time due to this inclusion. Find out why this is a big deal for the Indian economy and the rupee here .
And that’s it from us for this week. If you liked the way we broke down the news and gave you context behind the big headlines, here’s where you can find more.
Also, here’s a weekend read we suggest: Baahubali actor Anushka Shetty suffers from a rare laughing disease. Find out more about it here .