The Catch Up: 28 August

Aug 28, 2024

In this discussion, Droupadi Murmu, the President of India, shares her deep dismay over the recent rape and murder of a junior doctor, highlighting the urgent need for society to combat violence against women. She emphasizes the responsibility to protect future generations from fear and atrocities. Additionally, heavy rains in Gujarat have resulted in tragic flooding and ongoing rescue efforts, further reflecting the pressing societal issues faced in the country.

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Key Headlines: Societal Concerns and International Relations

00:00 • 4min

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 28th of August and here are the headlines.

In her first reaction to the alleged rape and murder of a junior doctor at R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata, President Droupadi Murmu today said that she was “dismayed and horrified” over the incident and asked the country to wake up to the “perversion” of crimes against women. The President told news agency PTI, “Those who share such views then go further and see the female as an object… We owe it to our daughters to remove the hurdles from their path of winning the freedom from fear." The President added that no civilised society can allow daughters and sisters to be subjected to such atrocities. “The nation is bound to be outraged, and so am I,” she wrote.

From the Army leading rescue operations in Vadodara, nine more people dying, taking the toll in rain-related incidents to 16 to Prime Minister Narendra Modi dialling CM Bhupendra Patel to assure all help— heavy rains have wreaked havoc in Gujarat. Over 8,500 people have been relocated and rescued from flood-affected areas as rain continued to lash some parts of the state for the fourth consecutive day today. The IMD has issued a ‘red alert’ for several districts, predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall over the next five days.

The Enforcement Directorate today said a penalty of Rs 908 crore has been slapped in a case related to the violation of foreign exchange rules against DMK MP S Jagathratchakan and his family members. The federal agency issued a statement which said that properties worth Rs 89.19 crore, seized in September 2020, have been confiscated following an adjudication order issued on August 26 under the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA). Jagathratchakan, 76, represents the Arakkonam Lok Sabha seat. The agency said a FEMA probe was initiated against the MP, a businessman from Tamil Nadu, his family members and related Indian entity.

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved setting up of 12 industrial smart cities under the National Industrial Corridor Development Programme (NICDP) with an estimated investment of Rs. 28,602 crore. The project spans across 10 states and is strategically planned along six major corridors. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the project will create an investment potential of about Rs 1.52 lakh crore.

The Kremlin announced on Wednesday that India's position on a peaceful resolution for the Ukraine conflict aligns with Russia’s worldview. According to a Reuters report, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov stated that while Russia supports India's advocacy for a peaceful settlement, it is "more than obvious" that there is no basis for negotiations at the moment. Peskov also dismissed Ukrainian President Zelenskyy’s proposed plan to end the conflict, asserting that Russia would continue its "special military operation" in Ukraine.

This was the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express.