FirstUp: PM Modi in Kerala, ED summons Kejriwal, SC hears Moitra plea... big news today

It’s Wednesday.And it’s set to be a big day when it comes to news.Prime Minister Narendra Modi is kicking off campaigning for this year’s general election by addressing a huge gathering in Kerala.The Enforcement Directorate has summoned Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal for the third time.The Supreme Court is set to hear a plea from former Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra.India is set to play South Africa in the second test match at Cape Town.And in England, doctors are set to go on strike over strike over payLet’s take a look at today’s big-ticket items:PM Modi in KeralaThe 2024 campaign season begins today.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is slated to address a mass gathering of over 2 lakh women in Thrissur today.

The rally, entitled 'Sthree Shakthi Modikk Oppam' (Empower Women with PM Modi), the convention, to be held at the sprawling Thekkinkadu ground, has been organised by the Kerala unit of the BJP to congratulate PM Modi for successfully passing the Women's Reservation Bill in both Houses of Parliament.Women from diverse backgrounds, including anganwadi teachers, ASHA workers, entrepreneurs, artists, MGNREGA and neighbourhood network workers, and social and cultural activists, are expected to participate in the event.Though the programme is planned as a mass meeting of women, it is viewed as the official launch of the poll campaign by the BJP for the upcoming general elections in its attempt to make political inroads in Kerala, which is currently dominated by CPI(M)-led LDF and Congress-led UDF.ED summons Kejriwal… againWill Arvind Kejriwal turn up?The Enforcement Directorate has yet again summoned Kejriwal for questioning today in connection with the Delhi Excise Policy case.

This is the third time the agency has summoned the Delhi chief minister.

It earlier did so on 21 December and 2 November.However, Kejriwal did not take the hint and skipped both appearances.The first time Kejriwal was summoned, he headed to Madhya Pradesh to campaign for the Assembly polls.[caption id="attachment_13352042" align="alignnone" width="640"] Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal has been summoned by the ED.[/caption]The next time he left for a 10-day Vipassana meditation course.The AAP has dismissed the case against its supremo as ‘fake and bogus.’Mahua Moitra plea in SC The Supreme Court is set to hear Mahua Moitra’s plea today.The former Lok Sabha MP had approached the apex court against her expulsion in the cash-for-query row.Moitra was held guilty of “unethical conduct” and expelled from the Lok Sabha on 8 December, 2023, for allegedly accepting gifts from businessman Darshan Hiranandani and sharing her user ID and password of the Parliament website with him.Moitra had accused the Lok Sabha committee of being a ‘Kangaroo court’ and vowed to continue to fight against the BJP – inside and outside of Parliament.

The apex court had on 15 December adjourned the case.

Justice Sanjeev Khanna, who was heading up the bench, said he did not have time to read the file.“I have not had time to read the file. Hearing on 3 January,” Khanna said.India-South Africa second testIndia’s wait to conquer its final frontier continues.The first test against South Africa in Centurion saw India crash to a heavy defeat of an innings and 32 runs.While KL Rahul, Jaspreet Bumrah and Virat Kohli were bright spots for India, the tourists were comprehensively defeated thanks to a mammoth 185 by Dean Elger and a rampaging South Africa attack particularly KG Rabada.[caption id="attachment_13561172" align="alignnone" width="640"] India's loss to South Africa at Centurion was nothing short of a debacle. AP[/caption]Rohit Sharma’s batting and captaincy also came in for much criticism on social media – as did the lackluster performances from Shardul Thakur and the debutante Prasidh Krishna.Can India bounce back in the second test? Will Sharma ring in the changes in the bowling attack? Can the top order rebuff South Africa’s quicks on what looks to be a batting paradise?All the answers will be revealed starting today.Birth anniversary of Savitribai PhuleToday is the 193^rd birth anniversary of social reformer and educationist Savitribai Phule.Savitribai was born on 3 January, 1831 in Maharashtra’s Naigaon.Her parents were Lakshmi and Khandoji Neveshe Patil.Savitribai was married off at the age of nine to her husband Jotiba – who was 13 at the time.Savitribai, after learning to read and write, began teaching others.In 1848, she and Jotiba opened India’s first school for girls.She also imparted education to the so-called untouchables.With inputs from agencies