Days After Quitting Congress, Sunil Jakhar Set To Join BJP

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Don’t hear Gyanvapi case for now, SC tells Varanasi court, centre, states have equal power to make laws on GST: Supreme Court, 'entire Maharashtra will burn if..': Warning before Raj Thackeray’s Ayodhya trip, days after quitting Congress, Sunil Jakhar set to join BJP and other top news in this bulletin.
The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the Varanasi civil court to desist from hearing the Gyanvapi mosque survey case for a day, as it deferred the hearing to Friday in view of a request made by the lawyer for the Hindu petitioners. A bench of the apex court, led by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, recorded the undertaking of advocate Vishnu Shankar Jain, who represented the five Hindu women petitioners, and issued a directive to the Varanasi civil judge. Jain submitted that the petitioners shall not press for a hearing before the Varanasi civil court on Thursday where a report on the survey of the Gyanvapi mosque was expected to be submitted by the advocate commissioner. The Hindu petitioners have also moved a fresh plea for demolishing a wall around a site where a “Shivling” was ostensibly found. Jain requested to defer the proceedings for a day on account of the medical condition of the leading counsel for the Hindu petitioners. “We direct that the trial court to strictly act in terms of the arrangement and to desist from taking further action in the suit,” directed the Supreme Court bench, which also comprised justices Surya Kant and PS Narasimha. The Union government and states have equal and co-ordinate power to legislate on matters of Goods and Services Tax (GST), the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday, delivering a significant verdict outlining the powers of federal units in a democratic set up. A bench, headed by justice Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, interpreted the pertinent legal provisions to further hold that the recommendations of the GST Council are not binding on the Centre and states, and that such recommendations only have a persuasive value. The court pointed out that there are no provisions in the Goods and Service Tax Act, 2017 (GST Act) that deal with situations where there is repugnancy between the laws drawn up by the Centre and states, and it is for the GST Council to advise them suitably whenever such occasions arise. “The Union and state legislatures have simultaneous powers to legislate on GST and constitution does not envisage a repugnancy provision and GST council must work in harmonious manner to achieve workable solution,” held the court. Amid opposition over Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) president Raj Thackeray’s visit to Uttar Pradesh’s Ayodhya, the MNS issued a warning Thursday – that the state of Maharashtra would burn if anyone tried to harm their leader. Visuals of the warning – written on a poster and displayed in Mumbai’s Lalbaug area – were shared by news agency ANI. “Entire Maharashtra will burn if anyone tries to hurt Raj Thackeray,” a translation was posted by ANI. Neither Raj Thackeray nor the MNS has reacted to the poster. Raj Thackeray – widely criticised over a row in the state about mosques’ use of loudspeakers for azaan – is expected to visit Ayodhya in June; something he stressed during rallies both last and this month. Earlier reports suggested he would oversee construction of the Ram Mandir. He also wants to meet UP chief minister Yogi Adityanath, whom he praised for removing loudspeakers from religious places. He is expected to oversee the construction of the Lord Ram temple and also wants to meet Yogi Adityanath, whom he had praised for bringing down loudspeakers from mosques. Former Punjab Congress chief Sunil Jakhar, who announced his shock resignation from the party last week, is now a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), joining it on Thursday. The Congress had last month removed him from all positions for alleged anti-party activities. Ever since his announcement on Saturday that he would quit the party, Jakhar has been in the national capital and recently met Union home minister Amit Shah. The Hindu face of the Congress party in Punjab, Jakhar is the son of veteran Congress leader and former Lok Sabha Speaker, the late Balram Jakhar. His nephew Sandeep Jakhar is the Congress legislator from Abohar in Punjab’s Fazilka district. Jakhar’s joining the BJP will be a big shot in the arm for the party amid its attempts to spread its wings in Punjab, considering Jakhar’s seniority in the state’s politics and his oratory skills. A day after he resigned from the Congress, Patidar leader Hardik Patel on Thursday said he hasn’t decided yet about joining the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) but asked people not to vote for his former party, saying the party never speaks anything on issues concerning Hindus and is “too much into caste-based politics”. Patel, who issued multiple appeals asking people to vote for the Congress ahead of 2017 Gujarat assembly elections, on Thursday said that people shouldn’t support the grand old party. The Congress never speaks anything on the issues concerning Hindus, such as the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) or on the issue of a ‘Shivling’ (said to be) found in a mosque in Varanasi. “Moreover, the Gujarat Congress is too much into caste-based politics. I wasted my three years in this party,” Patel said. Patel, who joined the Congress in 2019 and was elevated as one of the Gujarat Congress working president in 2020, resigned from the party on Wednesday. In a one-page resignation letter, the 28-year-old politician was sharply critical of the Congress and its leaders who he said, did not have a roadmap for the people, were non-serious, and behaved as if they hated Gujarat and Gujaratis.