HIGHLIGHTS

New Delhi, Dec 17 (PTI) Following are the top stories at 5 pm:
    
    NATION
    DEL45 RJ-LD-PM
    * Cong only talks big about farmers, it neither does anything for them nor let others do: PM Modi
    Jaipur: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday hit out at the Congress, saying they talk big in the name of farmers but they neither do anything for them nor let others do anything. *
    
    PAR42 LS-LD SIMULTANEOUS POLLS
    * One Nation One Election bills introduced in Lok Sabha; opposition terms move 'dictatorial'
    New Delhi: Two bills that lay down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections were introduced in the Lok Sabha after a fiery debate on Tuesday, with the opposition terming the move "dictatorial" and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal asserting that the legislation would not tamper with the powers enjoyed by states. *

    PAR31 LS-SIMULTANEOUS POLLS-SHAH
    * PM favoured referring ONOE bill to JPC for wider discussions: Shah tells LS
    New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi favoured detailed discussion at every level on the 'one nation, one election' bill and wanted it to be referred to a Joint Committee of Parliament, Home Minister Amit Shah said on Tuesday. *
    
    PAR19 RS-CONSTITUTION-NADDA
    * Nadda slams Cong over Preamble amendment, says 'bad lot' interfered with Constitution many times
    New Delhi: Even a good constitution can prove to be bad if those implementing it are not good, Leader of the House in the Rajya Sabha J P Nadda said on Tuesday, asserting the "bad lot" interfered with the Indian Constitution many times. *
    
    DEL42 SIMULTANEOUS POLLS-THAROOR
    * Voting showed BJP does not have 2/3 majority for constitutional amendment: Tharoor on ONOE bills
    New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday hit out at the government, saying voting at the introduction stage of two bills on simultaneous elections in the Lok Sabha showed the BJP did not have the two-third majority required to pass a constitutional amendment. *

    DEL38 SIMULTANEOUS POLLS BILLS-PRIYANKA
    * Anti-constitutional, against federalism: Priyanka Gandhi slams bill for holding simultaneous polls
    New Delhi: Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday termed as "anti-constitutional” the bill that lays down the mechanism to hold simultaneous elections and asserted that it is against federalism. *
            
    PAR41 RS-OPPOSITION-MANIPUR
    * Constitutional rights suspended in Manipur yet no BJP MP raised issue: Opposition in Rajya Sabha
    New Delhi: Opposition members from TMC and CPI(M) on Tuesday alleged that constitutional rights in Manipur had been suspended and slammed the BJP MPs for not raising the issue during the debate on the Constitution. *
    
    PAR40 LS-FM-SUPPLEMENTARY
    * Lower Q2 GDP growth a temporary blip; economy to improve in coming quarters: Sitharaman
    New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Tuesday said the lower-than-expected GDP growth of 5.4 per cent in the second quarter was a "temporary blip" and the economy will see healthy growth in the coming quarters. *
        
    CONG-PAR-PROTEST
    * Cong MPs express solidarity with Bangladesh's minorities with message on handbags
    New Delhi: Several Congress MPs, including Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, staged a protest in Parliament premises on Tuesday, demanding justice for Hindus and Christians facing atrocities in Bangladesh. *
    
    DEL35 MOE-PRADHAN-NEET
    * NEET in online or pen and paper mode: Decision expected soon, says Pradhan
    New Delhi: The Education and Health Ministry are deliberating on whether to conduct medical entrance exam NEET-UG in pen and paper mode or online mode and a decision in this regard is expected soon, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday. *

    DEL17 MOE-PRADHAN-EXAM REFORMS
    * NTA to focus only on higher education entrance exams: Pradhan
    New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) will not conduct any recruitment exams starting 2025 and will focus on only higher education entrance exams, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said on Tuesday. *

    
    LEGAL
    LGD5 UKD-HC-MOSQUE
    * Communal harmony being maintained in Uttarkashi: State to Uttarakhand HC
    Nainital: Amid the ongoing dispute over a mosque in Uttarkashi, the state has submitted before the Uttarakhand High Court that communal harmony was being maintained in the town and any attempt to disturb it would be viewed strictly with necessary steps. *
    
    
    FOREIGN
    FGN31 CHINA-INDIA-LD TALKS
    * Doval in Beijing to attend India-China Special Representatives' talks to restore ties after Ladakh standoff
    Beijing: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived here on Tuesday to take part in the India-China Special Representatives' talks to be held on Wednesday aimed at restoring the bilateral ties stalled for over four years’ due to the military standoff in eastern Ladakh. By K J M Varma *

    FGN29 BANGLA-MODI-LD LAW ADVISER
    * Bangladesh Law Adviser slams Modi’s Vijay Diwas post, says India was merely an ally in 1971 victory
    Dhaka: Bangladesh interim government's Law Adviser Asif Nazrul has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's post on X commemorating Victory Day saying, "India was merely an ally in this victory, nothing more." *
    

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)