Top headlines of 2023: On August 23 India entered elite space club by successfully landing on the moon
2023 was a year of big news events for India as well as the world. The year saw India enter the elite space club with the success of its mission to the moon, and grab the international spotlight by successfully organising the G20 summit. It also saw our cricketers put up a stunning show of cricket in the men's world cup before facing a disappointing defeat in the final.
As for the world, 2023 saw the Israel-Palestine conflict snowball into a full-blown war in Gaza following the Hamas attacks on Israel cities. This added another ongoing conflict to the geopolitical landscape, which had been watching with concern the war in Ukraine. As the year draws to an end and we get ready to go into 2024, here is a look at the 2023 events that made big headlines for the country and the world.
Wrestlers Hit The Streets
In January, top wrestlers of the country, Bajrang Punia, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik, joined hundreds of grapplers at a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi. The wrestlers accused Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, BJP MP and then chief of the national wrestling federation, of sexually harassing women wrestler. The allegations raised a storm, prompting the government to launch a probe against the ruling party MP. Later this year, in June, the wrestlers called off the protest following meetings with the government. Singh, who faces serious charges including sexual harassment and criminal intimidation, has trashed the allegations. Owing to the protest and the events that followed, the Asian Wrestling Championships, which was to be held in India, was moved to Kazakhstan.
Devastating Earthquake In Turkey
On February 6, Turkey woke up to a devastating earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale. An area of about 350,000 square kilometres was affected across Turkey and neighbouring Syria. According to estimates, about 14 million people were affected and nearly 60,000 deaths were reported.
Manish Sisodia Arrested
Manish Sisodia, Delhi's former Deputy Chief Minister who was seen as Aam Aadmi Party's No 2 leader, was arrested on February 26 in connection with a corruption case relating to Delhi's now-scrapped liquor policy. The development was a big blow to the Arvind Kejriwal government. Earlier, senior AAP leader Satyendra Jain was arrested in a corruption case. Later, in October, AAP MP Sanjay Singh was also arrested. Mr Sisodia has rejected the allegations against him and accused the BJP-led central government of targeting him for political reasons. He has been approaching courts for bail but has not got any relief so far.
BJP Consolidates Northeast Hold
The BJP consolidated its influence in the Northeast by winning the March polls in Tripura and joining the ruling coalition in Meghalaya and Nagaland. The Tripura elections also saw the emergence of tribal party Tipra Motha, led by former Congress leader and erstwhile royal Pradyot Bikram Manikya Debbarma.
Rahul Gandhi Disqualified As MP
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as an MP in March after a Gujarat court convicted him in a defamation case for his remarks on 'Modi' surname. This sparked a huge uproar from his party Congress and other Opposition forces. Mr Gandhi got relief after the Supreme Court stayed his conviction in August, enabling his reinstatement as an MP.
Gangster Atiq Ahmed Killed On Camera
Jailed gangster and former MP Atiq Ahmed made headlines in February after the daylight murder of Umesh Pal; Pal was a witness in a former MLA's murder case, in which Ahmed was an accused. Several of his relatives were allegedly involved in the shocking shooting that was caught on camera. On April 15, Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were being taken for a medical check-up under police security when three people posing as journalists shot them at a close range, killing them instantly. The chilling incident was caught on live television, prompting widespread criticism of Uttar Pradesh police. Questions were raised on how the killers managed to shoot the gangster and his brother at point-blank range despite a police cordon in place.
Khalistani Terrorist Amritpal Singh Arrested
Khalistani separatist leader Amritpal Singh, who had been making incendiary remarks since last year, made headlines in February when his supported stormed a police station in Punjab's Ajnala after the police arrested one of his associates. In March, Punjab police launched a crackdown against the radical preacher, who styled himself like Khalistani terrorist Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, a leading figure of the Khalistan movement who was killed during Operation Blue Star at Golden Temple in 1984. Indian government sources said that Amritpal was propped up by Khalistani terror groups with the support of Pakistan's spy agency ISI. On April 23, Amritpal surrendered outside the gurdwara where he had been hiding. He now faces serious charges under the National Security Act.
India Becomes World's Population Topper
This April, India surpassed China to become the world's most populous country. India now hopes to reap the benefits of its demographic dividend as the share of the working population in its total population grows.
Congress Sweeps Karnataka Elections
The Congress posted a thumping victory in Karnataka Assembly polls in May, returning to power in the southern state. The win was a shot in the arm for the main opposition after a string of electoral setbacks. The party managed to keep a united front despite having two strong contenders for the Chief Minister post - Siddaramaiah and DK Shivakumar. After several rounds of talks, Mr Shivakumar agreed to become Deputy Chief Minister and Siddaramaiah made it to the top post.
Manipur Violence
Ethnic violence erupted in Manipur after a protest rally taken out by a tribal students' organisation in hill districts. The trigger was a Manipur High Court directive to the state government to send a recommendation to the Centre on the Meitie community's demand for a Scheduled Tribe status. This drew strong protests from the tribal communities, sparking an unrest that still continues. Over 180 people have been killed in violent clashes between the Meities and Kuki-Zo communities.
India Gets New Parliament Building
This year, India got a new Parliament building. Located right next to the old one, the new building was inaugurated on May 28 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Part of the Central Vista project, the new building was built to address infrastructure challenges due to limited space in the old building. The new Lok Sabha chamber has 888 seats and Rajya Sabha 384.
Odisha Train Collision Kills 296
On June 2, as many as 296 people were killed in a train accident in Odisha's Balasore district when 22 compartments of Coromandel Express derailed after a collision with a stationery goods train. Three of the derailed coaches were flung to the adjoining tracks, where they hit some compartments of Bengaluru-Howrah superfast express. The Railways, which drew strong criticism for the crash, has said a signalling error led to it.
Opposition Parties Unite Under INDIA
During a meet in Bengaluru thus July, as many as 28 parties decided to join ranks to take on the BJP in the general election due next year. The alliance, led by the Congress, named itself Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance. The alliance has held three meetings so far, and the allies have tried to project a united front. But their electoral impact will depend on how they navigate regional rivalries and build consensus on seat-sharing.
India Lands On The Moon
India's biggest occasion to celebrate this year came on August 23 when it entered the elite space club by successfully landing on the moon. India became the fourth country to make a moon landing and the first to land a spacecraft on the lunar south pole. The success of Chandrayaan-3 was celebrated across the country. Prime Minister Modi has described India's moon touchdown as "one of the most inspiring moments of this century".
India Hosts G20 Summit
Delhi decked up in its finest as India played host to leaders from across the world during the G20 summit on September 9-10. Roads were spruced up, fountains installed and pavements revamped as the national capital underwent a makeover ahead of the big meet. Among the key outcomes of the summit was the inclusion of African Union into the grouping. The Global Biofuel Alliance, a move towards adopting sustainable biofuels, was also launched. The big takeaway for India was the agreement on an economic corridor linking India, Gulf countries and Europe.
War In Gaza
On October 7, Hamas launched attacks on several Israeli cities, killing about 1,200 people and taking more than 200 hostages. Israel hit back hard, bombing the narrow Gaza Strip, which is a Hamas stronghold. As the war rages on, Israel's brutal retaliation in the Gaza Strip, home to about 2 million people, has drawn global condemnation. According to estimates, more than 18,000 people have been killed in Gaza and over a million displaced. Israel has justified its actions, citing the October 7 terror attacks that targeted civilians. Over a 100 people taken as hostages by Hamas have been released so far as part of ceasefire agreements, but the war is far from over.
Supreme Court Does Not Legalise Same-Sex Marriages
On October 17, queer couples were disappointed when the Supreme Court stopped short of legalising same-sex marriages. The case saw the five-judge constitution bench put out four separate judgments, reflecting the complexity of the subject. The verdict, however, was not based on in-principle opposition to marriage equality but primarily on concerns of judicial legislation. All the judges agreed that queer couples are neither urban nor elitist, dismissing an argument by the centre on these lines. They accepted the government's proposal of a panel that will look into practical problems faced by same-sex couples.
India Shines In World Cup, Falters In Final
The men's Cricket World Cup this year saw India put up a stellar show with an undefeated streak through 11 matches. Our World Cup campaign, however, ended in disappointment, with Australia taking home the trophy after prevailing over the men in blue in the final. There was heartbreak in this World Cup, but there were many moments that won the heart. This World Cup saw an all-round performance by the Indian team. Virat Kohli was judged the man of the tournament for his consistent performance through the World Cup. What's more, the ace batter broke the record of most ODI centuries by legend Sachin Tendulkar. On the bowling front, India's Mohammed Shami emerged the highest wicket-taker of the tournament.
Uttarakhand Tunnel Collapse And Bold Rescue Op
On November 12, when the nation lit up to celebrate Diwali, 41 construction workers were trapped inside an under-construction tunnel in Uttarakhand's Uttarkashi district. What followed was a long-drawn and challenging rescue operation in the Himalayan region. The operation faced several setbacks owing to the tricky terrain. As the days went by, the nation prayed for the safe return of the 41 workers. Eventually, they were safely rescued after 16 days of captivity.
BJP Wins Heartland, Congress Gets Telangana
The beginning of December saw the BJP sweep the Assembly polls in heartland states Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The Congress, which had expected a better performance in these states, had to seek consolation in its sole victory in Telangana. These elections were being seen as a semi-final to the Lok Sabha polls next year. With these polls over, the stage is now set for the big fight.
Parliament Security Breach
Shocking scenes played out inside Lok Sabha on December 13 when two intruders deployed coloured smoke canisters and jumped from desk to desk. They were soon overpowered and put under arrest, as were two of their associates, who used coloured smoke outside. The four have been charged under the stringent anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A total of six people have been arrested in this connection so far. The accused have said their objective was to draw attention towards the Manipur unrest, unemployment and farmers' issues, but a detailed probe to get to the bottom of the matter is underway.