1. Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren appeared in Ranchi at a meeting with his MLAs while the Enforcement Directorate, with the help of Delhi Police, was trying to locate the “missing” CM. Soren had skipped eight ED summons. However, he shot an email to the probe agency, saying he would appear before it for questioning at 1 pm on Jan 31 at his Ranchi residence.
2. Delhi is facing air and rail traffic disruptions again due to dense fog, intensified by a western disturbance. So far, 50 flights and 10 trains have been delayed, with visibility dropping to 50 metres for more than four hours. Delays in flight operations in Delhi could affect operations across the country.
3. India observes Martyrs’ Day on Jan 30, the day Gandhi was shot and killed by Nathuram Godse in 1948 at the Birla House compound while addressing an evening prayer meeting. Gandhi led a passive, non-violent struggle against British rule in India till the nation secured its Independence on August 15, 1947.
4. India can aspire to become a $7 trillion economy by 2030, says a Finance Ministry report titled ‘Indian Economy – A Review’ presented on Monday. The report also enumerates various measures by the government to sustain strong growth for a third consecutive year despite the global economy struggling to grow at more than 3 percent.
5. After grilling former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav for more than nine hours on Monday, the Enforcement Directorate has summoned RJD leader and former Dy CM Tejashwi Yadav to appear before its office in Patna on Tuesday. Sources say ED would question Tejashwi about the land-for-jobs scam in Railway recruitment between 2004 and 2009.
6. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Monday called the 2024 Lok Sabha elections a last opportunity to save democracy in the country, adding if Narendra Modi wins again, the country would turn into a dictatorship and India will be ruled like Putin’s Russia. He also equated BJP and its ideologue RSS to poison that people should stay away from.
7. The Gyanvapi mosque management committee, Anjuman Intezamia Masjid (AIM), has refuted the ASI report, calling it “An attempt to set a false narrative.” AIM has claimed that with historical data available, the Mosque was originally built by a wealthy man named Sheikh Sulemani Mohaddis at the beginning of the 15th century on an open land. Akbar and Aurangzeb expanded it further during their rule.
8. The Hindu parties in the Gyanvapi case have approached the Supreme Court, demanding the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) conduct a detailed survey of the “Shivling” found in the Wazu Khana or the fountain of the mosque, stating that artificial walls surrounding it are modern and “unconnected with the original building.”
9. As BJP’s Manoj Sonkar was announced the winner in the Chandigarh mayoral election on Tuesday, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal called the victory “cheating in broad daylight.” Though the AAP-Congress alliance had more votes in the 35-member assembly, the Presiding Officer declared eight of their votes invalid.
10. Indian Navy’s INS Sumitra rescued the Iranian-flagged fishing vessel FV Al Naeemi, securing the release of 19 Pakistani sailors held hostage by pirates. Earlier, in less than 36 hours, the Navy’s indigenous Offshore Patrol Vessel rescued Iranian-flagged FV Iman (with 17 Iranian crew) hijacked by Somali Pirates.