Major News and Events of 14 March 2016

The Enforcement Directorate has arrested Chhagan Bhujbal, former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, in a money laundering case linked to the Maharashtra sadan construction scam. According to media reports, the NCP leader was earlier today questioned by the agency.  The agency had earlier arrested Sameer Bhujbal, Chhagan Bhujbal’s nephew and former lawmaker. 

Leading pharmaceutical firm Pfizer has discontinued the manufacture as well as the sale of Corex, a cough syrup. According to media reports, this decision was taken after the government banned a fixed dose combination of Chlopheniramine Maleate+ Codeine Syrup. The company said the ban will have an adverse impact on its revenue and profitability. 

The government has nipped the opposition’s plans to corner it over the Aadhaar Bill, by rejecting its demand to extend the Rajya Sabha's sitting by two days in the first phase of the Budget session. As per reports, the bill was controversially passed last week by the Lok Sabha. On Wednesday, before breaking for a 39-day recess, the opposition had demanded that the Upper House sit for two extra days.

Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has denied making remarks comparing the RSS to the ISIS. According to media reports, the BJP had demanded an apology from him. Ghulam Nabi Azad waved a CD in the Parliament and asked BJP parliamentarians to listen to it. Azad said that his remarks were taken out of context and lost in translation.

The parliamentary ethics panel has asked Rahul Gandhi whether he had once declared himself as a British citizen on the legal papers of a company based in the UK. According to media reports, Sumitra Mahajan, Lok Sabha speaker, has referred to a complaint by Mahesh Giri to the Ethics Committee of the Lok Sabha. The committee is led by senior BJP leader L K Advani. A notice that has been sent by the committee asking Rahul Gandhi to respond to the complaint.