The Catch Up: 28 October

3 Things

This is the Catchup on 3 Things by The Indian Express and I'm Flora Swain.
Today is the 28th of October and here are the headlines
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today inaugurated a Tata Advanced Systems Ltd (TASL) plant in Vadodara, dedicated to manufacturing the C-295 aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez joined Modi, marking the occasion after both leaders laid the foundation stone for the Final Assembly Line (FAL) plant in October 2022. This facility represents India’s first private sector assembly line for military aircraft. Modi emphasized that recent decisions have bolstered defense manufacturing in India, expressing confidence that the new Tata-Airbus facility will position India as a leading exporter of aircraft and fulfill rising civil aviation demands.
Opposition members of the joint parliamentary committee on the Waqf (Amendment) Bill staged a walkout during Monday's meeting, alleging that individuals with "no stake" in the bill were being invited for oral evidence. Among those who walked out were AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi, Congress member Mohammad Jawed, and Samajwadi Party member Mohibbullah Nadvi. They eventually rejoined after a brief absence. Tensions flared when the Delhi Waqf Board administrator submitted a report to the committee chair, which the opposition claimed was done without approval from the Delhi government.
Bengaluru police have filed charges against Malayalam film director Ranjith Balakrishnan for sexually assaulting a man. The case, originally registered in Kerala, was moved to Bengaluru after the complainant, a 31-year-old artist, stated the incident occurred in a hotel in the city. An FIR has been lodged at the BIAL police station under Section 377 (unnatural offences) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 66E (violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act.
With Diwali approaching, Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai urged Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena to take swift action against the sale and distribution of illegal firecrackers in the capital. Delhi recorded a concerning Air Quality Index (AQI) of 356, classified as ‘Very Poor.’ Despite a complete ban on firecrackers—including manufacturing, storage, sale, and use—vendors continue to sell them in markets, and online delivery remains prohibited. The Delhi Government implemented this ban on October 14, lasting until January 1, 2025.
Indian Olympic hopefuls may face reduced access to public funds as the government considers revising its Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). Discussions are ongoing within the Mission Olympic Cell (MOC), a committee of former athletes, coaches, and officials, regarding new selection criteria that could be finalized in the coming weeks. Currently, around 300 athletes in core and developmental groups receive financial support through TOPS, but an MOC official indicated that this number could be cut in half if stricter selection rules are implemented.
This was the Catch Up on 3 Things by The Indian Express.