Kashmir Meeting Good Beginning
Top politicians from Jammu and Kashmir, including four former chief ministers who recently held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seem to be over satisfied with the outcome of the meeting, where actually no big development took place on June 24. The PM did not make any commitment in his concluding remarks regarding restoration of statehood to Kashmir but he promised this will be done in future. The National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party proved their relevance. There were also differences over whether elections or statehood should come first. Most leaders agreed perhaps realistically, that a decision on Article 370 should be left to the Supreme Court, but PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti stuck to her party’s known positions while the National Conference seems to have softened its responses. However, this seems to be good beginning.
Nazeer Ahmed Kazi
Prof SECAB
Vijaypur, Karnataka
Welcome Delhi HC Order
Delhi High court’s decision comes as a welcome sign for all the political prisoners and students who have been accused wrongfully in UAPA. Our youth should not be booked under these tough and unjust acts like UAPA, TADA, POTA for just criticising the incapable and discriminatory behaviour of the government. While these acts have been created for terrorism not for criticism. The idea of these acts is actually to contain the persecution to humanity, which the government is using dauntlessly to trammel the voices. But today judiciary put a little hold on this humiliation of our fundamental rights. I welcome the Delhi High court’s decision. I always had faith in judiciary and I hope that rest of the political prisoners and students who are wrongly implicated in these cases also get justice soon.
Hamza Sufyan
Former Vice President
Aligarh Muslim University
SC for ‘One Nation, One Ration Card’ Scheme for Migrants
The Supreme Court on June 29 directed States and Union Territories to implement the ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme by July 31, and said they “must run community kitchens to feed migrants till the end of the pandemic”. The apex court also ordered the Centre to provide dry ration for free distribution among migrant workers till the situation eases.
On pleas of activists Anjali Bharadwaj, Harsh Mander and Jagdeep Chhokar, a bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and M R Shah has said the ration scheme is for welfare of poor citizens as it allows migrant workers to get ration at the place of their work in other states as well where their ration cards are not registered. The bench directed the Centre to develop a portal with the help of the National Informatics Centre (NIC) for registration of unorganised sector workers for granting them the benefits of welfare schemes by July 31.
The Supreme Court order has brought huge relief to migrant workers who have been undergoing sufferings for over one year. This order has also once again restored the citizens’ faith in judiciary.
Kamal Ashraf
Bihar Sharif, Bihar
Misuse of New IT Rules on Social Media
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology on June 29 directed social media platforms Facebook and Google to comply with new IT rules and follow rules of the country. Led by Congress leader Shashi Tharoor, the committee was hearing the views of the companies about safeguarding the rights of the citizens and how to stop the misuse of social media.
There has been tussle between the social media giants and the Government. Now with the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology’s compliance order is likely to open ways for them to contain misuse of IT rules on social media, and citizens’ posts may not be blocked.
- Anthony
New Delhi