France became the first nation in the world to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution on Monday, according to CNN.
The proposal was approved by lawmakers in both chambers of the French Parliament, with a vote of 780 to 72 in favour, meeting the necessary three-fifths majority to change the French constitution.
Notably, after the US Supreme Court in 2022 reversed the Roe v. Wade ruling that recognised women’s constitutional right to abortion, a campaign was started in France to explicitly protect the right in its basic law.
The last stage of the parliamentary procedure was the voting on Monday, which took place at the Palace of Versailles, southwest of Paris, during a special assembly of legislators.
The legislation was overwhelmingly passed earlier this year by the French National Assembly and Senate.
According to the amendment, abortion is a “guaranteed freedom” in France.
Legislators and certain groups had pushed for tougher wording that would clearly designate abortion as a “right.”
Hailed by lawmakers as a historic step, the measure demonstrated France’s unwavering support for reproductive rights at a time when abortion rights are under attack in the US and in regions of Europe like Hungary where far-right parties are gaining ground, according to CNN.
“My body, my choice” was illuminated on the Eiffel Tower after the results of the vote.
Before the vote, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal stated that MPs owed women who had previously been compelled to undergo illegal abortions a “moral debt.”
“Above all, we’re sending a message to all women: your body belongs to you,” Attal said.
French President Emmanuel Macron said the government would hold a formal ceremony celebrating the amendment’s passage on Friday, International Women’s Rights Day, CNN reported.
France first legalized abortion in 1975, after a campaign led by then-Health Minister Simone Veil, an Auschwitz survivor who became one of the country’s most famous feminist icons.
According to CNN, while abortion is a highly divisive issue in US politics that often falls along party lines, in France it is widely supported. Many of the lawmakers who voted against the amendment did so not because they opposed abortion, but because they felt the measure was unnecessary, given the wide support for reproductive rights.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Delhi High Court recently dismissed petitions moved by 7/11 Mumbai Train Blast death convict Ehtesham Qutbuddin Siddiqui seeking information of officers of the Home Ministry who probed the case and gave sanction for his arrest.
The High Court said, “The Information sought may expose these officers to grave danger.” He had also sought information related to an alleged report of the Intelligence Bureau (IB). He also sought information from the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).
Justice Subramonium Prasad refused to interfere with the orders of CIC refusing to give information under RTI. The Petitioner had moved petitions through advocate Arpit Bhargava claiming that the personal information can be granted to him because the information has been sought after 20 years from the date of appointment of the officers concerned.
In the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and DoPT cases, the High Court noted that the information as sought by the Petitioner is against the officers who were involved in the investigation and who were also involved in granting sanction to the prosecution relating to the arrest and conviction of the Petitioner.
“The information is of such a nature, if given to the Petitioner, may expose these officers to grave danger,” Justice Prasad held. The High Court noted that the incident for which the Petitioner has been sentenced to the death penalty occurred in the year 2006.
The Court said that admittedly, 20 years have not passed after the date of the incident, and therefore, in any event, the benefit of Section 8(3) of the RTI Act is not available to the Petitioner in the facts of the present case.
“Even if it is assumed that 20 years have passed, in such cases the right of privacy for these officers, who can be exposed to grave risk, cannot be diverged to an accused and that too when the accused has been convicted and sentenced to death penalty,” Justice Prasad pointed out.
The High Court rejected the contention that it would serve the public interest if the information was provided. The Bench said that the Petitioner has not brought out any case as to what public interest would be served by giving such information as sought for by the Petitioner which would outweigh the protected interest under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act.
The bench observed, “Rather in the facts of this case, the protected interest is in the nature of the danger to the life and property of the officers who were involved in the investigation relating to the Petitioner and that disclosing their information to the Petitioner would certainly outweigh the public interest that has been claimed.”
They dismissed the petitions and said, “As rightly pointed out by the Learned CIC, in the present case, the public interest would lie in not disclosing the names and details of the officers concerned to protect their life and property and there is no public interest in disclosing the details of the officers concerned regarding their appointment, which is sought for by the Petitioner.”
The Petitioner has been convicted and sentenced to the death penalty in the Mumbai Twin Blast known as the 7/11 bomb blast case which took place in the year 2006.
The Petitioner had made an RTI application seeking copies of UPSC forms and other documents related to the appointment of 12 IPS officers who had supervised the investigation relating to the bomb blasts in which the Petitioner had been arrested and convicted.
In another petition, he had made an RTI application seeking copies of the UPSC form and other documents related to the appointment of 4 IAS officers who had accorded sanction to the prosecution related to the arrest and conviction of the Petitioner.
The information was denied by the CPIO, (MHA) and the CPIO, (DoPT) on the ground that the information as sought by the Petitioner is exempted from disclosure under Section 8(1)(j) of the Right to Information Act, 2005.
The appeals thereto were also rejected by the Appellate Authority on the very same ground. The Petitioner before both the CPIOs and the Appellate Authority had taken the ground that the information as sought could not be rejected on the ground that it relates to the personal information of the officers as 20 years had passed since the appointment of the officers was made from the date on which the request for the information has been made.
The Central Information Commission (CIC) rejected the appeal and held that the information sought would encroach upon the right of privacy of the officers concerned. The CIC held that the object of the RTI Act is to ensure transparency and accountability but since the right to privacy is a continuous process such a right to privacy will continue even after 20 years.
In the third petition, it was stated that he had made an RTI application, on September 4, 2017, to the CPIO (IB) seeking a copy of an alleged Intelligence Bureau report, suggesting false implication and arrest of accused persons, placed before the Ministry of Home Affairs in the year 2009 for review of evidence in the bomb blast case.
The information sought was rejected by the CPIO, (MHA), by way of a letter dated September 21, 2017, on the ground that the agency from which the information was sought by the Petitioner is exempted from the purview of the RTI Act under Section 24(1). The information was also denied by the CIC.
The High Court said that the information sought by the Petitioner is on the basis of a newspaper article, published in the year 2009, alleging the existence of an Intelligence Bureau report, suggesting false implication and arrest of accused persons, placed before the MHA for review of evidence in the bomb blast case.
The High Court said that It has been well established, through various judgments of the apex court, that a report or an article published in a newspaper is considered only heresy evidence and such a newspaper report, or article, is not a document through which an allegation of fact can be proven.
“This court is of the opinion that no such gross error has occurred by the CIC in their adjudication of the order. The premise on which the Petitioner is relying, the publishing of such a newspaper article, cannot be taken as gospel truth. Affidavits have been filed by responsible officers in the Court stating that no such report exists. This Court has no reason to disbelieve the affidavit of the Respondent, Justice Prasad said.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On Monday, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) unveiled two new technological initiatives to enhance the fight against mobile-based scams. Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed the introduction of ‘Chakshu’, a platform empowering citizens to report suspected fraudulent communications from mobile numbers through calls, SMS, or popular social media apps like WhatsApp.
Additionally, he highlighted that the DoT’s Sanchar Sathi Portal will soon be accessible through a mobile application.
Spam Reporting Platform
Incorporated into the DoT’s Sanchar Sathi portal, ‘Chakshu’ will initiate re-verification processes for suspected fraudulent numbers. If re-verification fails, the number will be disconnected. The DoT has assured that usernames and details of both suspected numbers and reporters will be kept confidential and not shared with anyone.
Digital Intelligence Platform
The government has introduced a new Digital Intelligence Platform, providing a unified space for banks, payment wallets, social media platforms, and Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) to share data on suspected fraudulent connections. Banks and payment wallets can cross-check their databases against the master list to prevent fraud.
Grievance Redressal Portal
Additionally, the government is developing a grievance redressal portal for reporting connections mistakenly disconnected through the Sanchar Sathi portal, according to DoT officials. Launched in May last year, the portal is the government’s primary tool for safeguarding mobile phone users against various frauds such as identity theft, forged KYC, and handset theft.
Collaboration with RBI and Department of Financial Services DoT officials also mentioned collaboration with the Reserve Bank of India and the Department of Financial Services to return the frozen ₹1,008 crore in suspected accounts back to the citizens.
TRAI’s Calling Name Presentation (CNAP)
Telecom Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced that the DoT will review TRAI’s recommendations regarding the proposed Calling Name Presentation (CNAP) service. CNAP aims to allow users to see the registered name associated with incoming calls.
Vaishnaw emphasized the importance of user safety and privacy, stating, “As a user, it is my right to know who is calling me. It is important for people who are calling to at least identify themselves.” Regarding unsolicited commercial communication, the Minister informed that 1.9 lakh text message headers have been blacklisted after analyzing 35 lakh headers.
On Monday (4th March), Bengaluru Police arrested three people for raising ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans inside the Vidhana Soudha after a Congress candidate won the Rajya Sabha elections last week. The arrests come after the forensic report confirmed that the video of the said incident was not doctored and that pro-Pakistan slogans were indeed raised in the assembly, India Today reported.
JUST IN: 3 arrested for Pro-Pakistan sloganeering in Vidhan Soudha. Those arrested are Mohammad Shafi From Haveri, Munawwar from Bengaluru and Iltiyaz from Delhi. Breaking on @TimesNow
The arrested accused have been identified as Ilthaz, Munavar, and Mohammad Shafi. According to the News18 report, DCP Central, Bengaluru City Police said, “All three arrests are based on FSL report, circumstantial evidence, witness statements, and other evidence.”
Notably, on 27th February, pro-Pakistan slogans were raised inside the Vidhana Soudha after Congress leader Syed Naseer Hussain registered a victory in the Rajya Sabha elections. The video of the incident went viral on the internet last month in which some supporters of the Congress leader could be heard shouting “Pakistan zindabad” in the Karnataka assembly to celebrate Hussain’s victory.
A day later, on 28th February, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar retweeted a post claiming that ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans were raised in the Karnataka state assembly after the re-election of Hussain in the Rajya Sabha polls.
Congress and ecosystem peddled claim that slogans raised were ‘Nasir saab zindabad’
However, the Congress party, its ecosystem, and notorious fake news peddler Md. Zubair had peddled the claim that Congress workers were only raising slogans for Hussain, chanting ‘Nasir saab zindabad’.
Meanwhile, on 29th February, BJP MLAs staged a protest in the Karnataka Assembly demanding the arrest of the culprits who chanted pro-Pakistan slogans.
Following massive outrage, the Siddaramaiah-led government was forced to order a probe by a government-run forensic science laboratory (FSL) to check the veracity of the claims that pro-Pakistan slogans were raised or not.
He said that the state government has forwarded the audio recording to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) and assured that action will be taken once the report is received.
He said, “As I have told you already the government is committed, we’ll not spare any person once the report comes. We have given it to FSL. We’ll take action once the report comes.”
Subsequently, the forensic report confirmed that the video of the said incident was not doctored and that pro-Pakistan slogans were indeed raised in the assembly, as reported by India Today.
Later, the BJP cited a report of a private forensic science laboratory named Clue4 Evidence Forensic Investigations Private Limited that indicated that the “Pakistan Zindabad” slogan was shouted in the Vidhana Soudha. The forensic report stated that the examined video of the incident is “not tampered/ doctored in between and is a result of single capture”.
Karnataka Home Minister targets private lab for FSL report confirming ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ sloganeering
However, the Congress party rejected the report alleging that the government does not consider private reports.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara went further and went after the laboratory asking who permitted it to do the same. “We will find out with whose permission he has done it, who gave him ‘No Objection Certificate’ and is he authorised to make such reports public,” PTI quoted him as saying.
However, as per the News18 report, the DCP while confirming the arrest stated that the arrests have been carried out based on evidence including the FSL report and witness statements.
Mohammed Zubair and Congress had claimed ‘Pakistan Zindabad’ slogans weren’t raised
Notably, after the state unit of BJP flagged the issue, dubious ‘fact-checker’ Mohammed Zubair claimed otherwise and was supported by several Congress leaders including the son of President of the Indian National Congress Mallikarjun Kharge and Karnataka Minister of Information and Technology Priyank Kharge as well as party’s Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala among others. However, the local police acknowledged the allegations and started an inquiry that proved the authenticity of the controversial clip.
On Monday (4th March), the Delhi High Court refused to stop BJP MP Nishikant Dubey and lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai from posting allegedly derogatory comments about Trinamool Congress leader Mahua Moitra on social media. In the defamation suit Moitra filed against Dubey and Dehadrai about the “cash for query” allegations, Justice Sachin Datta denied Moitra interim relief. On December 20, last year, the court reserved judgment on Moitra’s motion for an ad interim injunction.
”I’ve dismissed the injunction application,” Justice Datta said.
Moitra had filed a Defamation case against Dubey and Dehadrai and sought directions to restrain them from making defamatory allegations and to take down the social media posts made.
The former TMC MP sued Dubey and Dehadrai for defamation after they claimed Moitra posed questions in parliament and exchanged her parliament account login details with Hiranandani in exchange for favours and pricey presents.
In light of these allegations, the Lok Sabha Ethics Committee recommended Moitra’s expulsion from the lower house, and she was ousted from parliament on December 8, 2023.
Moitra has denied the charges, claiming that Hiranandani is her friend and there was no quid pro quo. She claimed that the allegations were part of a ‘political vendetta’.
Dehadrai and Dubey, on the other hand, claimed that Moitra provided Hiranandani full access to her online Lok Sabha account, which he used to post parliamentary questions to his liking. It was reported that 50 of the 61 questions Mahua Moitra asked in parliament were by Hiranandani.
Reacting on the Court’s decision, Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai wrote on X, “Grateful to the Hon’ble High Court.”
— Jai Anant Dehadrai (@jai_a_dehadrai) March 4, 2024
Speaking to ANI, Dehadrai said, “I am very grateful that the interim application that had been filed against me and MP Nishikant Dubey has been dismissed today. This was a completely malafide attempt by certain individuals who wanted to silence us from speaking the truth about their corrupt, crooked activities. I remain committed to this fight. The real actor behind all of this, apart from the person who filed this, is a man from Odisha…I am grateful that this has happened today. The matter is sub-judice, so for me to say anything else beyond this is inappropriate…”
#WATCH | Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai says, "I am very grateful that the interim application that had been filed against me and MP Nishikant Dubey has been dismissed today. This was a completely malafide attempt by certain individuals who wanted to silence us from… https://t.co/an01AMCQv6pic.twitter.com/0Sy3bKSmD2
“But having said that, I’m extremely happy and grateful to the High Court for recognizing that free speech in a situation like this, where brazen acts of corruption have been disclosed by a citizen, should be protected. So to that extent, I’m extremely grateful to the High Court for protecting my right to free speech. And, of course, that of Nishikant Dubey, who’s also a member of parliament…” Dehadrai continued.
#WATCH | On Delhi High Court dismissing TMC leader Mahua Moitra's application against BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, Advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai says, "I think the matter is still sub judice…So for me to say anything about that would be a little inappropriate. But having said that,… pic.twitter.com/1NdNdHs6zs
Mahuagate: TMC MP Mahua Moitra faces allegations of ‘cash for query’
On 8th December 2023, Lok Sabha expelled Trinamool Congress’s MP Mahua Moitra based on the recommendations of the Ethics Committee in a cash-for-query case. Moitra was expelled hours after the Ethics Committee report was tabled in Lok Sabha.
On 14th October last year, the Indian political scene experienced a major tremor as BJP MP Nishkant Dubey wrote to the ethics committee seeking an inquiry against TMC MP Mahua Moitra in the ‘Cash for Query’ matter. He based his complaint on the letter written by Supreme Court lawyer Jai Anant Dehadrai, who alleged that most of the questions asked by the TMC MP in Lok Sabha directly or indirectly benefit businessman Darshan Hiranandani. Dehadrai also accused Moitra of “kidnapping” his pet dog Henry, adding another layer of complications to Mahuagate.
Moitra filed a case against Dubey and Dehadrai but never denied accepting gifts. Interestingly, she has also been accused of sharing her Lok Sabha credentials with Hiranandani so he can post questions independently. Hiranandani has reportedly turned approver in the case and submitted an affidavit suggesting the allegations against Moitra are true.
Nobody supports Narendra Modi more than his opponents. During the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Rahul Gandhi used the vile ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ jibe to malign PM Modi, but the political genius turned it to his favour, resulting in the ‘Main Bhi Chowkidar’ wave. In a deja-vu scenario, Lalu Yadav has taken the lead and attacked Prime Minister Modi over his family/Parivar. This time, PM Modi, displaying his political prowess, used the slur to further cement his bond with the people of Bharat, whom he considers family. Thus, the “Modi Ka Parivar” campaign emerged as a tight slap to those who resort to personal attacks against Modi instead of opposing him for his policies.
From senior BJP leaders, and party workers to supporters, social media is flooded with people proudly calling themselves the family of Narendra Modi, the leader they love, the leader they trust, the leader they vote for. This came after PM Modi today said, “140 crore countrymen are my family. Today, crores of daughters, mothers and sisters of the country are Modi’s family. Every poor person in the country is my family. “Those who have no one, they also belong to Modi and Modi belongs to them. My India-My family, with the expansion of these feelings, I am living for you, fighting for you and will continue to fight for you, to fulfill my dreams with determination.”
No politician ever has enjoyed such deep, emotional, protective and assertive admiration from people as Narendra Modi does. What sets him apart even in the age of social media, where every big leader is subject to constant trolling and slandering, how Modi manages to turn every abuse hurled at him as the ‘Vijay Tilak’ on his forehead?
Chowkidar to Parivar: Modi loves Bharat, Bharat loves Modi
It is interesting to note that this is not the first time that the anti-Modi leaders have attempted to tarnish PM Modi’s image. It is also not the first time that their malicious jibes have backfired.
In the lead-up to the 2019 elections, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi frequently lied about the Rafale deal at all of his rallies, mocking Prime Minister Modi with the phrase ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’. Soon after, BJP supporters online began prefixing their names with ‘Chowkidar’. The campaign was started by Surat-based businessman ‘Mr Sinha.’ When it became trending on social media, the BJP leaders also began following suit.
While Congress, other opposition parties and the anti-Modi lobby left no stone unturned to project Narendra Modi as ‘corrupt’, not only the Supreme Court but also the people of India outrightly rejected Rahul Gandhi’s apocryphal narrative and gave a historic victory to Modi. It is worth recalling that in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the BJP won 303 seats with NDA getting 352 seats. Interestingly, the BJP and NDA not only managed to increase their seats but also widened their vote share. According to the data, BJP recorded a vote share of around 37% while NDA as a whole received around 45% of the votes in 2019, making it the highest vote share received since 1980.
This time, the I.N.D.I Alliance member and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav tried to target Modi over his biggest strong point. PM Modi has been an unabashedly proud Hindu. A large section of Hindus have this quality of Modi and consider him as one of their own. This means a lot for the Hindus who have over the years seen governments, and leaders relentlessly trying to suppress Hindus, appease the religious ‘minority’, guilt-trip the Hindus and yet seek votes from them. However, since 2014, the winds have changed. Lalu Yadav who once vowed to answer the ‘Trishul’ with ‘Lathis’ now has the audacity to attack Modi over his Hindu credentials.
“(Modi) keeps bragging about the Ram temple. He is not even a true Hindu. In Hindu tradition, a son must shave his head and beard after the death of his parents. Modi did not do so when his mother died,” Lalu Yadav recently said in an apparent attempt to project Modi as someone not a true Hindu but a ‘political Hindu’.
It's utterly disgraceful that leaders of the INDI Alliance have stooped so low as to launch personal attacks against PM Shri @narendramodi ji.
Despite PM #Modi ji's effective governance, the opposition has resorted to baseless personal attacks, revealing their lack of… pic.twitter.com/raD1CAYBWd
— Satya Kumar Yadav (Modi Ka Parivar) (@satyakumar_y) March 3, 2024
As Lalu mentioned Ram Mandir, it is pertinent to recall that the nation witnessed how, during his 11-day fast, PM Modi, as “prateekatmak yajman,” adhered to strict rituals such as sleeping on the floor and drinking coconut water, not taking salt, and feeding cows (gau seva) in preparation for the ‘Pran Pratishtha‘ of Ram Lalla at his rightful abode in Ayodhya.
Ironically, the anti-Modi leaders have learned nothing from the ‘Chowkidar Chor Hai’ fiasco and have continued to resort to below-the-belt personal attacks on PM Modi. Recently, Rahul Gandhi had attacked Prime Minister Modi over his caste and claimed that PM Modi lied about his OBC caste saying that he is not an OBC by birth and later included his caste in the OBC list. However, as we factchecked Rahul Gandhi’s claim, it turned out that the Gandhi scion was himself telling a lie since it was his own parties government in Gujarat and in Centre when Modi’s Modh Ghanchi caste was notified in the OBC list in 1994, many years before Modi became Gujarat’s Chief Minister.
Interestingly, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has also been a target of the opposition’s similar personal attacks, be it mocking him for his saffron attire to calling him by his birth name “Ajay Singh Bisht” despite him becoming a Sanyasi.
During the run-up to the 2014 elections, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar had taken a dig at Prime Minister Modi’s humble beginning as a tea seller and said that Modi can distribute tea but can never be the Prime Minister. Modi had then converted that remark as a badge of honour and held ‘Chai Pe Charcha’, discussion forums over tea across the nation as a way to connect directly to voters.
Years later, notorious for his controversial remark Aiyar doubled down his attack on Modi and in December 2017, called PM Modi a “neech kisam ka aadmi” ahead of the Gujarat Assembly election. “Ye bahut hi neech kisam ka aadmi hai, is mein koi sabhyata nahi hai…” Aiyar said. In a damage control move, Congress’s Prince Rahul Gandhi had tried to distance himself from Aiyar’s casteist remark against PM Modi and “expected” an apology from him.
Mujhko lagta hai ki ye aadmi bahut neech kisam ka aadmi hai, isme koi sabhyata nahi hai, or aise mauke par is kisam ki gandi rajniti karne ki kya avashyakta hai?: Mani Shankar Aiyar, Congress on PM Modi pic.twitter.com/VrLM6TOlNr
It is worth recalling that during the Gujarat assembly elections in 2017, PM Modi had strongly reacted to Mani Shankar Aiyar’s ‘neech’ jibe and it changed the game for BJP since then Congress has lost whatever little ground it was gaining in Gujarat.
“You [crowd] tell me if I am a neech because I was born in a poor family? I was born in a backward class is that why I am a neech? Or because I am a Gujarati that’s why I am a neech? You tell me, what wrong have I done to the country to be called a neech? This is not the first time that Congress leaders have called Modi neech,” Modi said.
In September last year, Haryana Congress president Udai Bhan called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a “R**dwa” while implying that PM Modi killed his wife alive. The Congress leader said that the “R**dwa” who killed his wife even as she is alive is ruling at the centre.
The opposition leaders have called PM Modi as neech, Asur, Hitler, Kutte ki maut marega and what not, however, he turns their “Gaalis” into “Ashirwad” and never stoops down to their level merely to give it back. Narendra Modi leaves it to his “Parivar”, the people of Bharat to respond aptly with their vote. Interestingly, During his speech from the ramparts of Red Fort on the occasion of 76th Republic Day Prime Minister Narendra Modi referred to the people of Bharat as ‘parivarjano (family members)’, now the opposition has literally prompted the citizens of Bharat to embrace their family member. As PM Modi aims for “Abki Baar 400 Paar”, there is no better slogan or campaign than the people proclaiming that they are “Modi Ka Parivar”.
On Monday (4th March), the Supreme Court came down heavily over the alleged ‘encroachment’ of land by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for occupying the land meant for Delhi judiciary as its party head office. Subsequently, the apex court directed the Arvind Kejriwal-led political party to vacate the premises. However, considering the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, the court granted AAP time to approach the Land and Development Office (L&DO) to get an alternate land for its offices and set 15th June as the deadline.
Notably, it is said that AAP encroached on the land located at Rouse Avenue in New Delhi. The encroached land is earmarked for the Delhi judiciary for the expansion of the district judiciary, but AAP has been occupying it as its party office. However, AAP has rejected the allegations claiming that the land was lawfully allotted to the party before it was earmarked for the expansion of the Rouse Avenue court complex.
A bench comprising Chief Justice DY Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ruled, “In view of the impending elections, we grant time till 15 June, 2024, to vacate the premises so that the land which has been allotted for the purpose of expanding the footprint of the district judiciary can be duly utilised on an expeditious basis.”
Slamming Aam Aadmi Party for ‘illegally occupying’ the encroached land, the three-judge bench emphasised that AAP has no lawful right to continue occupying the allotted land.
The apex court further highlighted in its ruling the urgent requirement for premises to accommodate new recruits of the Delhi High Court, as courtrooms are currently unavailable. Given that the MTNL building, which was earlier proposed, has been found to be unsuitable, the Court directed the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government to present an alternative proposal within two weeks and convey it to the Chief Justice of the High Court.
AAP cannot hold Supreme Court and High Court to ransom: Solicitor General
During the proceedings, CJI Chandrachud asked, “After L&DO allotted it to the District court complex, how did it go to the political party (AAP).”
The Amicus Curiae informed the bench that the High Court has not been able to utilise the land, adding that the HC refrained itself from getting into politics.
Appearing for AAP, Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi argued that AAP has not ‘encroached’ or is not ‘occupying’ the land as it was “lawfully allotted” to the party. AAP’s counsel Singhvi also sought relaxation claiming that AAP is a national party and it deserved something.
Singhvi argued, “From 1993 the land was used by NCT, and in 2015 the NCT allotted it to the party for its party office.. it was not the LNDO.. I am only one out of 6 national political parties.. it is a party that has a certain percentage of votes and presence in 2 or more states.”
He added, “They are telling us as a national party we get nothing. I’m given Badarpur, while everyone else is in better places.”
To which, the CJI criticised Singhvi for using the platform of the Supreme Court to allot land to Aam Aadmi Party. CJI Chandrachud pointed out, “You are using our good offices to have a land allotted to you…”
CJI: you are using our good offices to have a land allotted to you…
Singhvi: it was allotted to us in 2015..
Adv K Parmeshwar: please see the 2022 allotment to establish family courts.
Responding to Shingvi’s argument, the Solicitor General slammed him stating that he cannot hold the Supreme Court and High Court to ransom and that he (representing AAP) will not vacate till the party is given another land.
Singhvi: they are telling as a national party we get nothing.. we get something atleast in central delhi
SG: he cannot hold supreme court and high court to ransom that i will not vacated till given another land
While the bench noted that AAP has no lawful right to continue occupying the allotted land, it granted the party time till 15th June to approach L&DO to get alternate land for its offices. It also directed the L&DO to process the application in accordance with the law in the meantime and communicate its decision within 4 weeks.
Pertinent to note that in previous hearings, the CJI, who appeared to be annoyed after learning about the encroachment, had warned the counsel representing the AAP-led Delhi government that the land must be returned to the High Court. CJI Chandrachud remarked, “No one can take the law into their own hands … How can a political party sit tight on that?”
The Delhi government was represented by Senior Advocate Wasim Qadri and Vikramjit Banerjee.
The Supreme Court had earlier criticised the Delhi government for its negligent approach to allocating funds for infrastructure in the Delhi district judiciary. At that time, the Chief Justice of India noted that as of March 2021, approvals had been given for three out of four projects, yet the funds for these projects had not been disbursed.
Arjun Modhwadia, a veteran Congress leader and Porbandar MLA, has tendered his resignation from the party after four decades of service.
On Monday, he submitted his resignation as the MLA to the speaker of the Gujarat Vidhan Sabha. In a letter addressed to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Modhwadia expressed his decision to step down from the party. He highlighted his dissent with the Congress’s choice to decline an invitation to the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 11.
Gujarat Congress leader Arjun Modhwadia resigns from the Congress party.
His letter to party chief Mallikarjun Kharge reads, "…Prabhu Ram is not just Pujaniya to Hindus, but he is the Aastha of Bharat. Declining the invitation to witness pran pratishtha mahotsav has hurt the… pic.twitter.com/jHCpn6nOD1
Describing Lord Ram as the “Aastha of Bharat,” Arjun Modhwadia expressed his disappointment, stating that the Congress had disregarded “the sentiments of the people” and had “failed to gauge the sentiments of the people.”
In his letter, he wrote, “I have encountered numerous individuals who felt offended by how the Congress party insulted Lord Ram by boycotting the Mahotsav in Ayodhya.”
The former MLA criticized Rahul Gandhi for his actions, accusing him of attempting to disrupt and demean the Pran Pratishta ceremony. “To further distract and humiliate this sacred occasion, Rahul Gandhi attempted to create chaos in Assam, which only served to anger our party members and citizens of Bharat,” he stated.
Feeling “helpless to serve the people,” Modhwadia announced his resignation from the party.
Arjun Modhwadia, a former Gujarat Congress president and former Leader of Opposition, had been elected twice as an MLA, winning from Porbandar in the 2022 Assembly elections.
In a rare political development on Monday (4th March), the Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy from the Congress party heaped praises on the Bhartiya Janata Party’s Gujarat development model. CM Reddy added that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is an elder brother to him and with his support, states can reap benefits of development akin to the Gujarat development model.
Notably, CM Revanth Reddy extended a warm welcome to PM Modi who is on a visit to the state to inaugurate a slew of development works worth Rs 15718 crores. This is seemingly PM Modi’s first visit to Telangana after the Congress government came to power in the State in December 2023. During the event, CM Reddy shared the Dias with PM Modi while the latter inaugurated several development projects.
While addressing the public meeting, CM Reddy hailed PM Modi as his elder brother and lauded the development work undertaken by the Modi government at the Centre and the BJP-led government in Gujarat.
In PM Modi’s presence, Congress’ CM Reddy said, “Narendra Modi ji, according to me, Pradhan Mantri means ‘Bade Bhai’. (The Prime Minister is like an elder brother.) With the help and support of ‘Bade Bhai’, the Chief Minister of the state can bring development in their respective areas. If Telangana has to develop like Gujarat, we need your support.”
CM Revanth Reddy added that the Central government aspires to make India a five trillion economy. There are five metropolitan cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, and our city was one among them, the Chief Minister noted.
CM Reddy said, “We want to contribute to your vision of a five trillion economy and please support us with Metro Rail, River Musi Development Front on the lines of Sabarmati River developed by you (Prime Minister).”
He further added that the State (Gujarat) government is also proposing to establish a semiconductor industry. The Central government had recently announced incentives and Hyderabad is the right place for the semiconductor industry, Telangana CM said.
CM Reddy further pointed out, “If an acrimonious relationship prevails between State and Central governments, people will have to suffer and State development will be affected. Politics will have to be limited to elections and later elected public representatives should strive for State development.”
The Congress leader highlighted that considering these aspects, soon after the Congress government came to power, a meeting was held with the Prime Minister to discuss the promises made to Telangana as per the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act.
Further in his address, he asserted that from the State government’s end, there would not be any acrimonious attitude towards the Central government. CM Reddy noted, “We want your blessings for Telangana and we don’t want to fight with the Central Government.”
CM Revanth Reddy earns praises for accepting good things about competitive political party
Following his cordial welcome to PM Modi, several netizens and politicians have appreciated his remarks, for acting like a ‘statesman’ and setting the template for cooperative federalism.
Taking to X, Karnataka Leader of Opposition R Ashoka who is from BJP, shared a snippet from Telangana CM Revanth Reddy’s address. Apart from the video, he praised CM Revanth Reddy for showcasing how a responsible and statesman-like Chief Minister of a state should deal with the Prime Minister of the country in a federal system.
Ashoka tweeted, “This is how a responsible and statesmanlike Chief Minister of a state is expected to conduct with the Prime Minister of the country in a federal system. CM Siddaramaiah avare and DCM DK Shivakumar avare, please learn from your younger colleague in Telangana on how to put the development of the state and interests of the people of the state above petty party politics.”
This is how a responsible and statesmanlike Chief Minister of a state is expected to conduct with the Prime Minister of the country in a federal system.
— R. Ashoka (ಮೋದಿ ಅವರ ಕುಟುಂಬ) (@RAshokaBJP) March 4, 2024
Several netizens have also highlighted that it is a brave act by Congress’ Telangana CM Revanth Reddy to acknowledge the development under a competing political party and to go against the Congress party line, which has been consistently cynical and dismissive of everything that the PM Modi-led BJP does.
Revanth Reddy wants to implement the Gujarat Model. MP Rahul Gandhi should learn from Congress CM ? pic.twitter.com/vTSBvmIc2Y
— Mohit Babu ?? (Modi Ka Parivar) (@Mohit_ksr) March 4, 2024
Telangana CM Revanth Reddy says he wants his state to become developed like Gujarat Model.
It's good that Congress leaders are ignoring stupid politics of Rahul Gandhi and accepting what is good.
Revanth Reddy also ignored Rahul Gandhi and signed MoU with Adani in Telangana. pic.twitter.com/cVo5AU7raV
Telangana Congress CM Revanth Reddy envisions a Gujarat model and aspires to emulate it in the future. He is inspired to support PM Modi's vision to make India a $5 trillion economy. And praises PM modi for many developmental schemes.
— Mr Sinha (Modi's family) (@MrSinha_) March 4, 2024
Meanwhile, in Telangana, PM Modi inaugurated infrastructure projects worth over Rs 15718 crores. The development projects include national highways, an NTPC power plant, and the final section of MMTS Phase II. PM Modi is also slated to address public meetings at Sangareddy and Adilabad.
Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)’s chief S Somanath revealed in an interview with Tarmak Media House that he was diagnosed with stomach cancer on the lase of the Aditya L1 launch in September 2023. He has, however, recovered from the disease and resumed office after only four days of hospitalisation. The interview was published on 3rd March 2024.
Reportedly, on 2nd September 2023, the day when Aditya L1 was launched, S Somanath underwent a scan that revealed a growth in his stomach. Speaking to Tarmak Media House, he said, “There were some health issues during the Chandrayaan-3 mission launch. However, it was not clear to me at the time, I did not have a clear understanding of it.”
On the day of the launch of Aditya L1 mission, he got a scan done and was shocked to learn about a growth in his stomach. Further scans at a hospital in Chennai revealed he has a hereditary disease. Within days, it was confirmed that there were significant health challenges S Somanath had to face while fulfilling his professional responsibilities.
During the interview, he said, “It was a shock for the family. But now, I perceive cancer and its treatment as a solution.” He added, “I was uncertain about a complete cure at the time, I was undergoing the process.”
S Somanath underwent surgery followed by chemotherapy. His recovery was no less than a miracle as he had to spend only four days in the hospital and resumed office. On the fifth day of the surgery, he was at ISRO without any pain. He said, “I will be undergoing regular checkups and scans. But, now I am completely cured, and have resumed my duties.” S Somanath said it was a difficult time for him and his family.
