STRIKE DOWN SEDITION LAW, OFFENSIVE PARTS OF UAPA
Former Supreme Court Justice Rohinton Nariman has urged the apex court to strike down Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code which criminalises sedition and offensive parts of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). Speaking at a function organised by Viswanath Pasayat Memorial Committee, Justice Nariman said the top court should not leave it to Parliament to remove these laws. He urged the apex court to use its judicial review powers to strike down the law to help citizens breathe more freely. Justice Rohinton Nariman added that the British government used the law to silence freedom fighters.
FATHER-SON DEAD BODIES FOUND IN JAISALMER
Two bodies were found in the bushes on the side of the road in Jaisalmer’s Odhaniya Chacha village on October 10. The deceased Firoz (20) and his father Rahmatullah (52) were residents of Taji’s Chowk Pokhran. They were going on a bike near Ramdevra Road in Pokhran at 9 am on October 10. An army vehicle reportedly hit the bike; the army men put then injured bodies in their vehicle, saying that they were taking them to Pokhran for treatment, but allegedly threw them in the bushes. On getting information about the incident, the police reached the spot and started investigation. At the same time, relatives and villagers also reached the spot, sat on dharna and were demanding arrest of the accused. They say that until the accused are not arrested, they will not pick up the dead body from the spot.
MAN HELD IN JODHPUR FOR SPYING FOR PAKISTAN
The intelligence wing of Rajasthan police on October 14 arrested a fourth grade employee working with chief engineer, Jodhpur zone, of the military engineering services for allegedly sending information of strategic importance to Pakistan, Times of India reported on October 15. Umesh Mishra, director general, intelligence stated that the accused identified as Ram Singh, aged 34, who is a native of Gaongoa village under Delwara police station area of Bhilwara was arrested by the intelligence wing allegedly for spying. “The accused was in touch with a Pakistani woman handler for the past two months. The woman had promised to marry him and later urged him to send the important information of Army by clicking pictures and sending them through WhatsApp,” Mishra added. His job was to photostat various documents at the military engineering wing and was continuously sending the sensitive information.
‘LANGUAGE OF LAW HAS TO BE ENGLISH’
The Gujarat High Court on October 6 asserted that when it comes to the law, the language to be used in court is English only. During a hearing of a case relating to appointments for the post of police sub-inspectors, the bench of Justice J B Pardiwala and Justice V D Nanavati made it clear that for the legal fraternity in India, the mandatory language is only English and the court does not know any other language. The proceedings were with regard to the scoring of marks in English and Gujarati languages in examinations conducted for recruitment of PSIs. The candidates had scored less marks in English and performed better in Gujarati. The lawyer argued that in Gujarat people are more conversant with Gujarati and even law books are available in Gujarati. The judges, however, immediately posed a question, “How will they read the Indian Penal Code and the Criminal Procedure Code? We don’t understand Gujarati.”
TN BJP MAN GETS JUST ONE VOTE IN LOCAL BODY POLLS
A candidate from Coimbatore has got just one vote in the rural local body elections held in the district on October 9. D Karthik, a BJP youth wing leader in Coimbatore, contested for the position of ward councillor in the elections held to the Periyanaickenpalayam union Kurudampalayam panchayat ward number 9. However, he only managed to get one vote. According to some reports, Karthik’s loss was even more embarrassing as he had a total of five members in his family, four of whom did not vote for him. However, reacting to the media, Karthik said that his family’s vote was in ward number 4 and therefore they could not vote for him. Candidates in local body polls do not contest under political party symbols, though parties do back them officially.
INDIA RANKS 101 OUT OF 116 COUNTRIES IN GLOBAL HUNGER INDEX
India has slipped to 101st position in the Global Hunger Index (GHI) 2021 of 116 countries, from its 2020 position of 94th and is behind its neighbours Pakistan, Bangladesh and Nepal. Eighteen countries, including China, Brazil and Kuwait, shared the top rank with GHI score of less than five, the website of the Global Hunger Index that tracks hunger and malnutrition reportedly said on October 14. The report, prepared jointly by Irish aid agency Concern Worldwide and German organisation Welt Hunger Hilfe, termed the level of hunger in India “alarming”. In 2020, India was ranked 94th out of 107 countries. Now with 116 countries in the fray, it has dropped to 101st rank. India’s GHI score has also decelerated from 38.8 in 2000 to the range of 28.8-27.5 between 2012 and 2021.
DR V ABDUR RAHIM BAGS MA JAMEEL AHMED AWARD
Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT), Chennai presented “M.A. Jameel Ahmed Award” to two prominent personalities of Tamil Nadu at Kaviko Arangam at Chennai on October 9. Internationally renowned Arabic scholar Dr V Abdur Rahim, who has authored many books on Arabic learning and now lives in Madinah, received the award for his invaluable services to Arabic literature and Dr Thol Thirumavalavan MP, a renowned leader of depressed society and author of book on real story behind Meenakshipuram, received the award for communal harmony. Maulana M.A. Jameel Ahmed was the founder of Islamic Foundation Trust (IFT) Chennai.