Yoga guru Ramdev has been booked across the country for “insulting” the Dalit community through his controversial “honeymoon” remark against Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi. Ramdev, a supporter of Bharatiya Janata Party’s prime ministerial nominee Narendra Modi, made the remark in Lucknow on 25 April and has drawn flak from all quarters since then. “Had he (Rahul) married a Dalit girl, who knows, he might have become the PM. Sonia says first become the PM and then bring a foreigner as bride. He goes to Dalit houses to have picnics and honeymoon,” he had said.
The city Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president, Ajay Patil, lodged a complaint at the Sadar police station in Nagpur on Sunday and submitted a video recording to substantiate the evidences that hurt the sentiments of Dalits in the country.
BAIL PLEA OF 3 ACCUSED IN MUZAFFARNAGAR RIOTS REJECTED
A local court has rejected bail plea of three persons accused of murder in a Muzaffarnagar riots related case. Additional district sessions judge Jitender Kumar on 29 April rejected bail plea of Karan Singh Bhogra, Niraj and Ashok accused in a murder case in Kharad village of the district. According to prosecution, the accused allegedly killed a villager Sagir Ahmad and torched several homes and vehicles in Kharad village under Phugana police station during last year’s communal violence on 8 September. Ahmad’s son Meherban had lodged an FIR against several people in this connection and six persons were arrested, said prosecution sources. Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing into the riots, had filed chargesheet against the accused in the case. Court will frame charges against the trio on May 20.
BJP CORPORATOR, HUSBAND BOOKED FOR DEMANDING BRIBE
The Anti-Corruption Bureau has booked a BJP corporator from Ulhasnagar Municipal Corporation in Thane district and her husband for allegedly demanding bribe from a complainant. On 27 April, corporator Maya Haresh Chawla demanded Rs 2 lakhs from Rajkumar Kukreja for halting the construction work being carried out in front of his barrack, said a report citing an official from the Thane unit of ACB.
Her husband Haresh Varadmal Chawla was also booked for abetment of the crime. An offence was registered with the Hill Line police station in Ulhasnagar against the couple under sections 4 and 12 of the Prevention of Corruption Act, the official said.
97 OF 111 CASES SINK BUT GOVT PUSHES FOR SIMI BAN YET AGAIN
Even as the Centre seeks the approval of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal for its decision to extend the ban on the Students Islamic Movement of India for the 7th time in a row, it has emerged that a majority of the cases registered against the outfit until the previous ban – used by the government to justify its proscription – ended in acquittals or the accused being discharged, reports a national daily.
The information has come to light as a writ petition filed by two erstwhile SIMI members challenging the ban is scheduled to be heard by the Supreme Court on Friday. The petition alleges that police forces use the bogey of SIMI as an excuse to target innocent Muslim youth. A “background note” on SIMI submitted recently to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Tribunal by the Centre reveals that courts have decided 111 cases related to SIMI until the ban was reimposed two years back and alleged SIMI members were acquitted or discharged in 97 cases across the country.