Under fire for blocking porn sites, the NDA government, on Monday, 10 August, told the Supreme Court that it does not believe in a "totalitarian" state and cannot become moral police.

The government, however, told a bench headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu that it has blocked "porn sites dealing with child pornography" and this is "standard accepted practice" across the globe

"The state cannot become the moral police. We cannot peek inside. The entire issue needs larger debate. Every computer and mobile phone have the child lock...It is difficult to stop such things at the source level," attorney general Mukul Rohatgi said.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Aadhar card will be optional for availing various welfare schemes of the government. It has also asked the government to ensure that that no personal information of the holders of such cards is shared by any authority.

A three-judge bench hearing a bunch of petitions challenging the Aadhar scheme and the issue of right to privacy has referred the matter to a larger Constitutional bench.

The bench, headed by Justice J Chelameswar has also asked the Centre to widely publicize through electronic and print media that the card is not mandatory to avail government schemes.

Photo: Tomohiro Ohsumi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

China devalued its currency, yuan by 1.9 per cent on 11 August. This is the highest cut made since January 1994, and unsurprisingly, affected global currency and stock market s. This announcement raises the pressure on Indian exports, which are already on the decline. Right the sudden move by China, global currencies ranging from South Korea's won to the Australian dollar weakened against the US dollar. The Indian rupee has also dipped by 32 paise, which is a two month low against the dollar (64.19 to a US dollar).

Photo: Kuni Takahashi/Bloomberg via Getty Images

The consumer affairs department filed a complaint against Nestle India with the National Consumer Disputer Redressal Commission (NCDRC). The department seeks Rs 640 crore damages from the company for selling an 'unsafe and hazardous' product like Maggi noodles to millions in India. It has also been alleged that Nestle India misled with deceptive advertisements and took to unfair trade practices for some 'unjust profit'. The department demands that Nestle India deposit the sum in Consumer Welfare Fund as permissible under the Consumer Protection Act. It has also asked for a 18 per cent interest on the damage claimed till the actual payment is made by the firm.

Photo: PTI

Staying on a downward trajectory for the fifth straight session, the rupee lost another 48 paise against the US dollar to 64.67, its weakest level since September 2013, due to appreciation of the dollar overseas after China devalued the yuan for the second straight day. Forex dealers said increased demand for the greenback from importers after China lowered the yuan value continued to put pressure on the rupee. Furthermore, a lower opening of the domestic equity market played spoilsport, they said. The rupee had plunged 32 paise to close at nearly a 2-month low of 64.19 per dollar in yesterday's trade on persistent demand for the American currency from banks and importers on the back of a higher greenback overseas. Meanwhile, the benchmark BSE Sensex was down 120.70 points, or 0.43 per cent, at 27,745.39 in early trade today.

Vociferous protests by Congress today once again stalled discussion in Rajya Sabha on the constitution amendment bill for GST, even as the Chair asked protesting members to allow discussion on the bill saying it was their 'baby' and termed their protest as "undemocratic". As soon as the House met after two adjournments and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley moved the Constitution amendment bill for Goods and Services Tax (GST) for discussion, Congress members stormed the Well shouting a resounding 'No'. As Deputy Chairman P J Kurien asked members that since the Bill was moved yesterday, it was time for discussion now, the Congress members shouted slogans and encircled the Well, leading to adjournment of the House for the day. Protesting Congress members had yesterday too blocked a debate on the bill. The Monsoon Session ends tomorrow.

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Displaying a picture of unity, JD(U), RJD and Congress on 12 August announced formation of a grand alliance and seat sharing among the three parties for the upcoming Bihar elections.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar held a joint press conference with RJD President Lalu Prasad and Congress General Secretary and in-charge of Bihar affairs C P Joshi to announce the alliance.

As part of the tie-up, JD(U) and RJD would contest 100 seats each while Congress would fight in 40 seats. In the 243-member Bihar Assembly, the alliance is yet to announce who would contest in the rest three seats. "The first rally of the grand secular alliance would be held in Patna on August 30," Kumar and Lalu Prasad said.

Photo: Patrika

Parliament on Wednesday allowed for External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj to defend charges levelled against her. In a spirited fight back, Swaraj tore into Congress, saying it had helped Bofors accused Ottavio Quattrocchi and Bhopal gas leak accused Warren Anderson flee from India.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Lalit Modi row, she specifically responded to Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi's charge that she had got money to help the IPL founder. She claimed that neither her husband nor her daughter made any money from Modi. Instead she accused former finance minister P Chidambaram of conflict of interest when his wife Nalini Chidambaram represented the accused in the Shraddha scam case.

Swaraj has been battling charges of conflict of interest on account of helping Lalit Modi acquire his travel papers from British authorities. Congress stalled all parliamentary proceedings during the ongoing monsoon session demanding her resignation.