Five must-read stories—December 13

Quiet disquiet in BJP over demonetisation causing continuing distress

There is an increasing disquiet among a section of BJP MPs as the Centre keeps shifting its narrative on demonetisation from a fight against black money to cashless economy to less cash and now digital transactions. The Indian Express says the MPs have started worrying about reports of distress and increasing public impatience and resentment against demonetisation.

Hacker group says Indian banking system deeply flawed

A hacker group, which calls itself "Legion", says the banking system of India is "deeply flawed" and has been hacked several times. In a secure online conversation with the Economic Times, the group said it does not believe in a cashless economy. Legion claims responsibility for the recent hacks of Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's Twitter and email accounts, official accounts of the Indian National Congress, liquor baron Vijay Mallya and others.

Not Delhi, air quality in holy city of Varanasi 'most toxic in India'

There has been a growing awareness of the dangers of the smog that envelopes Delhi in the winter months, but a report released on Monday by three environmental groups says air quality in the holy city of Varanasi is “the most toxic in the country”, reports The Guardian.

Kolkata slumdweller finds Rs 60 lakh in Jan Dhan account she didn't know she had

A woman from a slum in Metiaburuz in Kolkata came to know that she has more than Rs 60 lakh in a Jan Dhan bank account that she didn't know she had reports The Times of India. It was only when Enforcement Directorate officials, who were conducting searches, knocked on her door on Sunday night did the woman realise that she had became a millionaire overnight.

After 12 years, Haryana does a U-turn on Aravali forest land

The Haryana forest department, in a controversial move, has proposed to issue a "corrigendum" to denotify 85 acres of forest land in the Aravalis in Gurugram where a `Nature Education and Cure Centre' will be set up in public-private partnership mode. The Times of India says the land, along with another 500 acres, was repossessed by Haryana government in 2001 from Bharat Yatra Kendra.