Morning Brief: Varun Gandhi Honey-Trapped; Rita Bahuguna Joins BJP; Sharif Issued Notice Over Panama Papers
Good Morning, Swarajya Readers! Here's What You Need To Know Today.
Varun Gandhi Honey-Trapped By Arms Dealer
Whistleblower C Edmonds Allen, in his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Office, has claimed that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Varun Gandhi had been honey-trapped and compromised by arms dealer Abhishek Verma. The whistleblower has also provided a CD with several dozen photographs along with his letter.
Gandhi, who used to be a member of the Defence Consultative Committee, has denied allegations of being "honey trapped and compromised" by the defence middleman and said he didn't pass on any "secret data".
Rita Bahuguna Joshi Joins BJP
In a major setback to the Congress, senior Uttar Pradesh leader Rita Bahuguna Joshi on Thursday quit the party after 24 years to join the BJP, with the all-important state assembly polls a few months away. She also gave up her membership of the Uttar Pradesh assembly.
Joshi is likely to be the BJP candidate from Lucknow Cantonment area against Mulayam Singh Yadav's younger daughter-in-law Aparna Yadav.
Sharif Issued Notice Over Panama Papers
Pakistan's Supreme Court on Thursday issued notice to Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his family members and others in the "Panama Papers" scandal on petitions seeking his disqualification over alleged corruption.
The five petitions maintain that the premier and his dependants were involved in establishing offshore firms as exposed by the Panama Papers, and that he concealed assets of his dependants and also concealed the truth from the National Assembly.
RIL Reports Net Profit Of Rs 7,206 Crore
Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) on Thursday reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 7,206 crore for the quarter ended on 30 September. The company's standalone quarterly net profit stood at Rs 7,704 crore, up 17.9 per cent over the corresponding period of the previous year.
Performance of the petrochemicals business came as a big surprise. According to the company, consolidated petrochemicals margin expanded to a 14-quarter high of 15.2 per cent.
Pakistan Threatens Legal Action
Pakistan said on Thursday that it will take legal action if India breaches any of the bilateral agreements. Pakistan was keeping an eye on the Indus Waters Treaty, the Dawn quoted Foreign Office spokesman Nafees Zakaria as saying.
India has hinted at revisiting the water treaty in view of Islamabad's continued support to terrorists and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir.
MUST READ OP-EDS
Strengthening India’s Energy Security: The commodities slump has already helped tame inflation in India. Now, if New Delhi plays its cards right, it could lock in energy arrangements that would go a long way.
Finding The Money For Changes: The Union Finance Minister has reason to both feel happy and worried. There have been considerable savings on account of subsidy slippages and earnings through spectrum sale. But there still are strains on revenue generation.
Preserving Central Bank Independence: Politicians can’t complain if central banks attempt to fulfil their mandates by keeping interest rates at record lows.
SWARAJYA SPECIAL
Trump Won Battle & Lost The War- India Must Prepare For A Clinton Presidency: The world will heave a sigh of relief that it will be dealing with a known devil; India will have to deal with the possibility that America will elect someone who is part of the consensus that worsened the situation for the world.
We hope you enjoyed reading our morning brief. Have a great day ahead!
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