Demonetisation, surgical strikes, GST Bill mark 2016

NEW DELHI, Dec 30:  Demonetisation, attack on Indian Air Force Base in Pathankot, imposition of liquor ban in Bihar, fire in Puttingal temple in Kerala, the terrorist attack in Uri and Manipur activist Irom Sharmila ending her 16-year long hunger strike made headlines in the year 2015.
Assembly elections in TamilNadu, Assam, West Bengal and Puducherry brought landslide victories for the AIADMK, BJP, TMC and Congress respectively.
The demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, months-long Kashmir turmoil, Supreme Court’s order to play the National Anthem in cinemas before films and the sacking of Cyrus Mistry as the Chairman of the Tata Sons were other issues that made news.
The landmark Goods and Services Tax Bill was passed in the parliament, and the Government of India accepted the 7th Pay Commission recommendations to increase salaries of employees.
Following is the diary of domestic events:
Jan 2: New Delhi: Veteran Communist Party of India leader A B Bardhan, who steered the party during the turbulent period of coalition politics at national level in 1990s, died here tonight after prolonged illness.
Jan 2: Pathankot (Punjab): Heavily-armed Pakistani terrorists today attempted to storm the Air Force base here, triggering a day-long gunbattle in which three securitymen and four infiltrators were killed, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s surprise stopover in Lahore.
Jan 3:New Delhi: Two Jaish-e-Mohammed militants were suspected to have sneaked into the national capital and were planning high-profile attacks, including taking hostages, following which security was today stepped up in the city, a day after the Pathankot Air Base strike by the same Pakistan-based outfit.
Jan 4: New Delhi: Juveniles of 16 years of age and above can now be tried as adults if they commit heinous offences like rape and murder as President Pranab Mukherjee has given assent to an Act in this regard.
Jan 4: Imphal/Guwahati: At least nine persons were killed and over 100 injured as a strong 6.8 magnitude earthquake epicentred in Manipur today struck the northeastern and eastern regions, damaging buildings and sparking panic that sent people scampering out of their homes.
Jan 5: Pathankot: Bringing the curtains down on Day 4, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said all six terrorists at the Pathankot air base have been killed but admitted to “some gaps” in security that led to the terror attack in which some “Pakistan-made material” have been used.
Jan 7: New Delhi: Putting the ball squarely in Pakistan’s court, India today linked the Foreign Secretary-level talks to Islamabad’s “prompt and decisive” action in the Pathankot terror attack for which it has provided “actionable intelligence”.
Jan 7: New Delhi/Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who crafted an impossible coalition with BJP in the Muslim-majority state, died today and just hours later his party PDP chose his daughter Mehbooba Mufti as his successor.
Jan 8: New Delhi/Chennai: The four-year-old ban on holding of controversial bull taming sport Jallikattu was lifted today in poll-bound Tamil Nadu with certain restrictions, angering animal rights activists who said it is cruel and abusive and vowed to move the Supreme Court against it.
Jan 9: Pathankot: Accompanied by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits the Pathankot air base and voices satisfaction over the counter offensive mounted by the security forces to eliminate the perpetrators.
Jan 9: Srinagar/New Delhi: Jammu and Kashmir is placed under Governor’s rule with the process of new government formation following the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed taking some time.
Jan 11: Srinagar: As suspense mounts over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah rules out the party’s unilateral support to PDP from outside in any new dispensation with Congress backing.
Jan 13: New Delhi: Syria said it received “positive response” from India to its requests on intelligence sharing and economic aid especially in terms of food grains and medicines as worn-torn country battles terrorism on one side and sanctions imposed by the West on the other.
Jan 13:  New Delhi: India says it has received no confirmation of detention of JeM chief Maulana Masood Azhar despite widespread reports of his having been apprehended in connection with the Pathankot attack of which he is suspected to be the mastermind.
Jan 15: New Delhi: The sensational case of the death of Sunanda Pushkar, wife of Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, reaches a new stage with the US-based FBI endorsing the AIIMS report of poisoning as the cause and also saying that a “dangerous chemical” was present in her body that may have killed her.
Jan 17: Srinagar: Meeting nine days after Jammu and Kashmir was brought under Governor’s rule, the PDP’s core group meets and indicates it was veering to the idea of forming a coalition government with BJP, but its president Mehbooba Mufti says she is in no hurry to take over as chief minister.
Jan 18: Gurgaon: Two men, suspected to have links with terror group al-Qaeda have been arrested from Haryana’s Mewat district in a joint operation by Delhi Police and Intelligence Bureau, Mewat Police says.
Jan 19: New Delhi: The head of the AIIMS medical board, which gave its opinion last week on the cause of Sunanda Pushkar’s death, says that Delhi Police caused “unnecessary delay” in sending Sunanda’s viscera sample to the FBI lab on account of which its contents degraded.
Jan 19: Hyderabad/Pune: Protests over the alleged suicide by a Dalit research scholar escalates in Hyderabad and Delhi and also spreads to other cities including Pune, Chennai and Gandhinagar with the incident being described as an “institutional murder”.
Jan 20: New Delhi: No difference can be made between good and bad terrorists and all forms of terrorism and manner of support to them need to be completely eradicated, says President Pranab Mukherjee.
Jan 20: New Delhi/Islamabad: Prime Minister Narendra Modi
strongly condemns the terror attack at a university near Peshawar, a gesture appreciated by his Pakistani counterpart Nawaz Sharif who says terrorism is a “common enemy” and a cooperative approach is essential to eliminate it.
Jan 20: New Delhi: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal demands an explanation from the PMO for the raid at Delhi Secretariat on the ground that it reports to the Prime Minister, on a day a city court directed CBI to return to the AAP government documents seized in the raid.
Jan 22: New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi says said some of the writers, including Nayantara Sahgal, have agreed to take back the awards they had returned citing ‘growing intolerance’ in the country.
Jan 22: Jaipur: Filmmaker Karan Johar’s controversial remarks on intolerance kicks up a storm with the Congress hitting out against the Modi government accusing it of stifling freedom of expression and BJP dismissing the criticism saying India is the most tolerant country.
Jan 23: New Delhi: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose died in an air crash in Taipei on August 18, 1945, a Union Cabinet note 50 years later says amidst the raging controversy over the INA chief’s mysterious disappearance.
Jan 23: New Delhi: NIA and central security agencies arrest 14 people who were allegedly planning to carry out attacks ahead of Republic Day, as the crackdown continues for the second day on a suspected terror group owing allegiance to banned ISIS.
Jan 24: Chandigarh: Against the backdrop of major terror strikes in France and India recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Francois Hollande share concern over the menace, with the Indian leader pitching for a collective fight to defeat the global challenge.
Jan 25: New Delhi: Superstar Rajinikanth, founder of the Reliance empire late Dhirubhai Ambani, Art of Living founder Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and media baron Ramoji Rao have been chosen for Padma Vibhushan, country’s second highest civilian award, this year.
Jan 27: Mumbai: A music launch event in Mumbai where Pakistani ghazal singer Ghulam Ali was due to attend was cancelled following opposition from Shiv Sena which had earlier forced the cancellation of his concerts here and in Pune.
Jan 28: New Delhi: A controversial anti-terror bill, passed by Gujarat assembly but twice rejected by the previous UPA government, is returned by President Pranab Mukherjee seeking additional information from the Government after which the legislation was withdrawn.
Jan 28: New Delhi: Protests by students from varsities across Delhi and a hunger strike by their JNU counterparts over alleged delay in justice to Hyderabad Central University scholar Rohith Vemula continues even as the Delhi Police detains 40 of them from outside the HRD Ministry.
Jan 29: New Delhi: India and Pakistan extend their agreement relating to rail communication by mutual consent through diplomatic channels for next three years.
Jan 30: New Delhi: A six-year-old student of a prominent private school in South Delhi is found dead in a water tank under the school’s amphitheatre triggering demands for cancellation of its licence even as Delhi government orders a magisterial probe into the case.
Jan 30: Thiruvananthapuram/Kochi: Kerala Excise Minister K Babu, who had quit in the wake of vigilance court directing filing of FIR against him in the Bar bribery case, withdraws his resignation soon after he got the full backing of the ruling Congress-led UDF.
Jan 31: Kakinada/Vijayawada/Hyderabad: At least 15 policemen are injured when a stir by Kapu community members seeking reservation under Backward Class category turns violent as the agitators went on rampage, set four coaches of Ratnachal Express on fire at Tuni station and blocks the national highway-16 in East Godavari district.
Feb 1: Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests former MP Samir Bhujbal, nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case in Mumbai after the agency conducts multiple searches in connection with its probe against Bhujbals and others.
Feb 1: Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) arrests former MP Samir Bhujbal, nephew of NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal, in a money laundering case in Mumbai after the agency conducts multiple searches in connection with its probe against Bhujbals and others.
Feb 2: New Delhi/Karachi: Actor Anupam Kher is denied visa by the Pakistan government to attend the Karachi literary festival, prompting him to suggest that the decision may have been influenced by his stand on the issue of Kashmiri Pandits and his support for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Feb 3: Bengaluru/New Delhi: A Tanzanian woman student is allegedly beaten up and stripped by a mob in a case of “mistaken identity” after a woman was mowed down by a car here, prompting the authorities of the East African country to raise the matter with the Indian government.
Feb 3: New Delhi: Veteran Congress leader Balram Jakhar, a former Lok Sabha Speaker and Agriculture Minister at the Centre, dies here after battling ailments for over the last six months.
Feb 5: New Delhi: A controversy erupts over Jet Airways suspending five cabin crew members after singer Sonu Nigam was allowed to use the public address system on a chartered flight to belt out Bollywood numbers with the action being slammed by him as “Real Intolerance”.
Feb 5: Dibrugarh: Seeking to create more jobs, Prime Minister Narendra Modi calls for value-addition of natural resources and creation of ancillary units that will help reduce imports as well as generate employment.
Feb 6: Nowshera (LoC): Terror outfit ISIS does not have “very large footprint” in Jammu and Kashmir but care needs to be taken to ensure it does not make inroads, Northern Army Commander Lt Gen D S Hooda says and advocates an “Intelligence Operation” to prevent spreading of its ideology.
Feb 6: New Delhi: Eminent cartoonist Sudhir Tailang, who chronicled contemporary Indian politics with wit and humour, dies here after battling brain cancer for over two years.
Feb 7: New Delhi: The 39 Indians taken hostage by ISIS more than one-and-a-half-years ago from Mosul in Iraq are alive, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj tells their families, based on her recent meetings with Arab and Palestinian leaders who indicate to this effect.
Feb 8: New Delhi: Notwithstanding allegations of sexual harassment by a former colleague, TERI Chief R K Pachauri is appointed Executive Vice Chairman of the green body after new Director General Ajay Mathur takes over the charge from him.
Feb 9:  Mumbai: Terror outfits LeT, Jaish-e-Mohammad and Hizbul Mujahideen are given “financial” and “military” support by the ISI, Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley says as he makes fresh revelations including about an aborted plan to target Indian defence scientists and famous Siddhivinayak temple here.
Feb 10: New Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee yet again asks Governors to act within the framework of the Constitution and that “they must not only be fair but also be seen to be fair”.
Feb 10: New Delhi: Against the backdrop of a row over actions of Arunachal Pradesh Governor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says Governors should work as catalytic agents in the states, speeding up and improving processes “without themselves becoming a part of them”.
Feb 11: New Delhi: Delhi Police registers a case of sedition in connection with an event at JNU against the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru following complaints by BJP MP Maheish Girri and RSS’s student front ABVP.
Feb 11: Mumbai: Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley tells a special court that college girl Ishrat Jahan – who was killed in an alleged fake encounter in 2004 in Gujarat – was an operative of terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.
Feb 11: New Delhi: Siachen braveheart Lance Naik Hanamanthappa Koppad dies due to multiple organ failure, after waging a grim battle for life for nine days.
Feb 12: New Delhi: Former DU lecturer SAR Geelani has been booked for sedition in connection with an event here, in which a group shouted slogans hailing Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru with police today saying an “early arrest” is expected in the case.
Feb 12: New Delhi: JNU students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar is arrested in a sedition case over an event at the varsity’s campus against hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, sparking massive outrage among students and criticism from non-BJP parties which dubbed it as an “emergency-like” situation.
Feb 12: New Delhi: Facing flak, TERI’s executive vice chairman R K Pachauri proceeds on leave from two other bodies — TERI and its governing council, which also appointed former Competition Commission chief Ashok Chawla as the new chairman in an apparent damage control measure.
Feb 12: New Delhi: JNU students’ Union President Kanhaiya Kumar is arrested in a sedition case over an event at the varsity’s campus against hanging of parliament attack convict Afzal Guru, sparking massive outrage among students and criticism from non-BJP parties which dubbed it as an “emergency-like” situation.
Feb 13: New Delhi: Reacting strongly, India summons US Ambassador Richard Verma to convey its “displeasure and disappointment” over Obama administration’s decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan.
Feb 14: New Delhi: Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh unleashes a political storm with a claim that an event at JNU to protest the hanging of Parliament attack convict Afzal Guru had received “support” from LeT founder Hafiz Saeed amid an escalating showdown over the crisis at the varsity.
Feb: 15: New Delhi: Violence breaks out in the Patiala House court complex when groups of lawyers thrash journalists and students and teachers of JNU while the political slugfest over the arrest of the university’s student leader snowballed with BJP chief Amit Shah targeting Rahul and Sonia Gandhi on the issue.
Feb 16: New Delhi: Delhi Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) chief M K Meena, who had been at the loggerheads with the Arvind Kejriwal government, is transferred along with 14 senior Delhi Police officials in a major reshuffle.
Feb 17: Kolkata: A day after pro-Afzal Guru slogans are raised in Jadavpur University (JU), posters calling for ‘freedom’ for Kashmir, Manipur and Nagaland are found in the campus even as two rival groups of students bring out rallies in the varsity premises.
Feb 18: Chandigarh: Violence breaks out during Jat agitation for quota in Rohtak leaving at least 15 persons injured even as Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar convenes an all-party meet tomorrow to find a way out of the impasse.
Feb 18: Surajkund (Har): The national flag is set to fly atop a 207-ft tall flag mast on the campuses of all 46 Central Universities “prominently and proudly” to signify a “strong India”, a resolution adopted at a meeting of their Vice Chancellors with HRD Minister Smriti Irani.
Feb 19: Itanagar: Dissident Congress leader Kalikho Pul is sworn in as Chief Minister of Arunachal Pradesh after more than two months of political crisis, shortly after the Supreme Court paves the way for government-formation and President’s rule is lifted from the state.
Feb 19: Rohtak (Haryana): Army is called in nine districts of Haryana and curfew imposed in two districts along with shoot-at-sight orders after one person dies and 25 injured during the Jat stir for quota which turned violent with mobs resorting to widespread arson.
Feb 20: Raipur: Three unidentified men allegedly hurl acid like chemical on tribal activist and Aam Adami Party (AAP) leader Soni Sori in Chhattisgarh’s Maoist-hit Dantewada district.
Feb 22: Chandigarh: Haryana government announces full compensation for damage caused to private properties as well as ex-gratia of Rs 10 lakh to the kin of the 19 killed in the Jat agitation for reservation.
Feb 22: New Delhi: Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Masood Azhar, named by India as the mastermind of the Pathankot attack, has been under “protective custody” since January 14, says Pakistan Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz.
Feb 24: Hisar (Har): Twenty eight people have been killed
during the Jat quota agitation in Haryana, Director General of Police Yashapl Singhal says, while maintaining that the situation is fast returning to normalcy and no untoward incident has been reported from anywhere.
Feb 27: New Delhi: JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar tells a Supreme Court-appointed lawyers’ probe panel that he was beaten up, pushed to the ground and injured by men in lawyers’ robes before the police, when he was brought to the Patiala House court premises on February 17.
Feb 28: Hyderabad: Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury are among nine persons who have been booked on sedition charges in connection with the JNU row, police says.
Feb 28: Aligarh (UP): Controversial film ‘Aligarh’, based on the life of an AMU professor who was sacked on charges of homosexuality, is not screened here for the second consecutive day with the film’s director Hansal Mehta terming it as an “extra-constitutional ban”.
Mar 1: New Delhi: Clearing the air on taxing provident fund withdrawals, the government says PPF withdrawals will continue to be fully exempt from tax and only interest accruing after April 1 on 60 per cent of the contributions made to Employee PF will be taxed.
Mar 2: New Delhi: In a sharp attack on P Chidambaram, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley says the second affidavit filed in the Supreme Court by the UPA government in the Ishrat Jahan case was “fraudulent”.
Mar 2: New Delhi: Rahul Gandhi launches a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government over the “fair and lovely” scheme on blackmoney and the raging trouble in JNU and Hyderabad University.
Mar 3:  New Delhi: JNU student leader Kanhaiya Kumar walks out of Tihar jail to a rapturous welcome, three weeks after his arrest on sedition charges that unleashed widespread outrage with a combined opposition mounting a spirited attack on government accusing it of crushing dissent.
Mar 4: New Delhi: Former Lok Sabha Speaker P A Sangma, who had a chequered political career in which he constantly shifted allegiance in the last two decades, dies following a massive heart attack.
Mar 5: Jaipur: Pakistan says dialogue is not a favour by one country to another but a necessity to normalise relations, remarks made in the backdrop of delay in FS-level talks with India which has made it clear that action on Pathankot terror strike takes the priority.
Mar 6: Lucknow: The one-man judicial commission of inquiry that went into the 2013 Muzaffarnagar communal riots concludes intelligence failure and laxity on the part of police leads to the violence that left 62 people dead but is silent on the role of the Akhilesh Yadav government in the conflagration.

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