Home Blog Page 4157

Why UP Law Commission’s draft population control bill is likely to face most challenges from Muslim community

K Bhattacharjee
-
0
Why UP Law Commission’s draft population control bill is likely to face most challenges from Muslim community

There is a lot of discussion around the draft population control bill proposed by the Law Commission in Uttar Pradesh. The draft, titled The Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021 contains numerous provisions to provide incentives for people to have only two children, or even more, for a single.

In a separate article, we have discussed the issues with the individual provisions of the draft. Here, we shall discuss the challenges to the implementation of the law and the extent to which it is likely to achieve its stated objectives.

Why most resistance is likely to come from the Muslim population

It can be said for certain that the draft if implemented into law will face severe challenges from a significant section of the population. And upon its announcement, it is pretty clear where the challenge will come from.

Zainab Sikander Siddiqui, Islamist apologist columnist for The Print, has said that the Uniform Civil Code and the population control bill is the basis on which BJP will try to win 2022. While she does not state it explicitly, the hints are clear that she believes the draft is directed at the Muslim community, since she if of the fervent disposition that every move of the party is directed against Muslims, even though that is clearly not the case.

Mohsin Raza, the MoS for Minority Welfare Muslim Waqf and Hajj in UP, also said, “If we have two children it is easier for us to make them doctors or engineers, but if we have 8, then there are possibilities that they will grow up to only become labourers or make punctures at the cycle shop.”

Studies have well documented the fact that Muslim women tend to have more children than their Hindu counterparts, all other factors considered. According to available data, the total fertility rate (TFR) of the Muslim community in Uttar Pradesh, that is the number of children per women, was 3.10 in 2015-16 and for Hindus, the number was 2.67. Thus, it is an observable fact that Muslims tend to have larger families.

Thus, it is likely to be face resistance the most from members of the Muslim community.

Challenges towards implementation

The biggest challenge towards implementation is the fact that people who believe it is their religious mandate to procreate will not be hindered by government disincentives towards the same. Thus, those who want to have more than two children will continue to have the same.

This mentality is more prevalent among the Muslim community as the religious sanction to procreate is sanctified by Islamic tenets and clerics. Therefore, the proposed draft if implemented will further tilt the scales of demographic balance towards them and give cause for demographic instability.

Moreover, the TFR among Muslims in Uttar Pradesh is on the decline as well. Under such circumstances, political action might instigate a fair section of them to turn more religious and have more children fueled not just by religious mandates but political cause as well.

It should not be considered beyond the realm of possibilities that having more children may become a symbol of political protest. Under such circumstances, the draft if turned into law will act counterintuitively against its intended purposes.

The same factors are unlikely to operate among the Hindu masses. Thus, it is very likely that the impact will be borne primarily by the Hindu community with birth rates plummeting faster than it currently is with the same remaining fairly stagnant for the Muslim community after opposing factors canceling themselves out.

If that is indeed the case, then the proposed draft might lead directly to demographic instability.

Will State Government leave those who have more children to suffer?

The proposed draft also envisions that those who have more than two children will not receive benefits of government welfare schemes. Thus, it means that the state government will have to deny welfare schemes to people who need them the most. The optics of it will be disastrous.

Every study indicates that poorer people have more children than wealthier sections of society. Thus, if state government denies them welfare, then they will have to suffer the brunt of media propaganda against them and it is really extremely difficult to defend against images of poor people suffering because the government would deny them welfare because of the number of babies they have.

Allegations will also follow that they are targeting Muslims on purpose and while the state government may deny them as much as they want but the images of the people in misery will stick. And if the images are of a Hindu community or from specific castes which have popular leaders in other parties, the optics will be even more disastrous. As such, it is inconceivable that all welfare schemes for those with more than two children will be stopped.

A can of worms will be opened by the draft if it is implemented into law, a can of worms that democratically elected governments would generally like to avoid.

Lack of permanence may foil its chances of success

A significant chunk of the populace which believes they must procreate for divine grace might evaluate all options and consider having babies anyway because in a democracy, no law is really permanent.

Thus, members of the Muslim community who want to have more than two babies may choose to have them anyway because no law is permanent. Governments will change one day and it is very likely that when a different party comes to power, they will repeal the law if the draft is implemented and consequently, the incentives and disincentives associated with the same.

Given the transitory nature of democratic governments, Islamic fundamentalists will undoubtedly prefer to endure than to submit. And due to the demographic advantage they will possess going forward, it is likely that before long, they will be in a position to reverse the proposed law.

Thus, there will be no real long term benefits but plenty of adverse consequences due to the demographic imbalance it will engineer.

The case of the blasphemy law

The ‘blasphemy law’ in the Indian Penal Code, section 295A, prohibits speech that could incite communal passion. Consequently, there is punishment associated with the same. But does anyone believe that they will be able to criticise Islam in the same manner as they slander Hinduism if the law is repealed?

Obviously not, because criticism of Islam carries the not-so-subtle threat of violence from Jihadists and fundamentalists. Thus, even if section 295A were to be repealed, it would only embolden Hinduphobes and have no impact on anything else.

Murder and incitement to murder and violence carries the greatest disincentives with strict punishment envisaged in the Indian Penal Code, however, when anyone criticises Islam, threats to commit violence and even murders are committed.

Take the example of Kamlesh Tiwari for example, the disincentives against committing murder did not prevent Jihadists from murdering him. Similarly, if people believe that procreation is religious mandate, they will produce children regardless of the sanctions against it.

‘If we have 8 children, they will become labourers or puncturewalas only’, UP Minister Mohsin Raza favouring the proposed population control bill

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘If we have 8 children, they will become labourers or puncturewalas only’, UP Minister Mohsin Raza favouring the proposed population control bill

Mohsin Raza, the MoS for Minority Welfare Muslim Waqf and Hajj of the state in the Uttar Pradesh government led by Yogi Adityanath has come out in support of the proposed draft of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021. The draft has been prepared by the Uttar Pradesh Law Commission, and it has sought public opinion on it. Batting in support of the Yogi Government’s proposed population control bill, Raza stated that the bill does not intend to target the Muslim community, as being peddled by many opposition leaders. Regardless of one’s religion or caste, the bill has been introduced with the aim to take the country forward.

“If we have two children it is easier for us to make them doctors or engineers”, MoS Mohsin Raza

Minister Mohsin Raza emphasised that it will be simpler for Muslims to provide a decent education and shape the future of two offsprings, as compared to many. “If we have two children it is easier for us to make them doctors or engineers, but if we have 8, then there are possibilities that they will grow up to only become labourers or make punctures at the cycle shops”, said the minister, explaining the benefits of the proposed bill.

“We aim to advance our people. We want to see them progress from topis to ties”, added Mohsin Raza, slamming Congress and the Samajwadi Party in the state for indulging in petty caste and religion-based politics. “Congress and the Samajwadi Party do not have the support of the masses so they want to divide the people on the basis of caste and religion”, said MoS Mohsin Raza. He said that the Yogi Adityanath government has sought the opinion of the public on the Population Bill draft and only after considering the public opinion, the commission will hand it (UP Population Bill) over to the State Government. The government might also withdraw it if the majority are not in favour of the bill, added Raza.

Yogi Govt’s population control bill draft

The proposed draft of the Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021 was presented to the public with requests for suggestions and recommendations from the public by the UP Law Commission. The proposed bill, if implemented into law, will provide benefits to those who have only up to two children.

According to reports, soon after the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath participated in a presentation on a proposed population policy, people turned up in large numbers in front of the Ghaziabad Collector’s office, asking for the implementation of the bill and demanding provisions for strict actions against those, who have more than 2 children. As per reports, the crowd was led by the Jansankhya Samadhaan Foundation. 

Opposition parties criticise Yogi Govt for the population bill, says wants to polarize society on the basis of religion

Meanwhile, the Congress party hit out at the Yogi Adityanath government for the proposed bill saying that the BJP government is indulging in communal politics before the upcoming Assembly elections. Congress leader PL Punia opined that the Yogi government should have discussed it with various public representatives and NGOs before proposing the bill. Poonia alleged that this draft has been proposed keeping in view the upcoming state Assembly elections slated to be held next year. Through this bill, BJP is trying to polarize society on the basis of religion, said the Congress leader.

Moreover, Samajwadi Party spokesperson Anurag Bhadoria hit out at the BJP-led UP state government and said that the Yogi Adityanath-led government did nothing in the last 4.5 years. Bhadoria said, “Now that the elections have come near, the UP state government has come up with fake promises.” They will not tell what they have done in the past 4.5 years, he added. 

Delhi: L-G constituted committee asks DTC to scrap ₹3,412 crore AMC for DTC buses over ‘procedural lapses’, says tender terms were too restrictive

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Delhi: L-G constituted committee asks DTC to scrap ₹3,412 crore AMC for DTC buses over ‘procedural lapses’, says tender terms were too restrictive

On Saturday (July 10), a three-member committee constituted by the Lt Governor of Delhi directed the Delhi Transport Corporation (DTC) to scrap the Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) awarded for low-floor buses due to ‘procedural lapses’. The committee was constituted by Lt. Governor Anil Baijal on June 16 to probe the alleged scam in the procurement and AMCs of the new fleet of buses.

The DTC had floated separate tenders for the purchase and AMC for the buses. Although the initial plan was to award a ₹4265 crore contract for AMC for 1250 buses, the number was reduced to 1000 buses. The maintenance contract of ₹3412 crores was kept for 1000 buses for a 12-year period. While the purchase order was given to JBM auto and Tata Motors on a 7:3 ratio, it was expected that a large number of companies will bid for maintenance contracts. However, the committee found that the tender conditions ensured that there were not many bidders for the AMC contract.

The committee noted, “While separate bids for purchase and AMC can be justified with a view to get greater competition and a larger number of bids, the efforts made to get more bids is not apparent.” In its report, the committee said that the tender for AMC was ‘too restrictive’ and the rates were ‘far higher’ than the previous contracts floated by the Delhi Transport Corporation. Due to the restrictive nature of the eligibility criteria for AMC, the objective behind splitting the tender failed. The report added, “The process of discounting for a longer duration contract was not undertaken and only a total cost evaluation was done.”

Committee found eligibility criteria for AMC as restrictive, and rates as high

The committee highlighted that DTC could only procure low-floor CNG buses due to the orders of the Judiciary. It added that there are a few manufacturers of such buses in the market. The committee emphasised, “If these deviations had become necessary, DTC should have ensured that they did some kind of reasonableness test of the rates for AMC, especially since the rates were far higher than what they had in earlier contracts. To say that they did not have the expertise is not a good enough response.”

The report concluded, “The committee, prima facie, did not come across any material to impute criminal misconduct attributable to any public official. There were only procedural lapses apparently arising out of a bonafide decision-making process. However, a greater effort for understanding the market and a greater degree of due diligence in assessing the reasonableness of bids was required compared to what seems to have been demonstrated.” The committee comprises IAS OP Agarwal, Principal Secretary (Vigilance) KR Meena, and Principal Secretary (Transport) Ashish Kundra.

AMC kicks in before 3-year warranty’s expiry

The DTC had proposed in a meeting on November 27 last year that the AMC would kick in, just before the expiry of the 3-year-warranty period. As per the minutes of the meeting, the warranty period will expire on completion of 3 years or 2.10 lac kms (whichever is the earliest). Accordingly, it was made clear that the AMC rates of the bidders covered only major/ sub-major assemblies and not the cost of consumables required for day-to-day maintenance. However, for the first 3 years, the company would be responsible for any replacement/repair of failed equipment free of charge.

It must be pointed out that the 3-member committee found no ‘major infirmity’ in the procurement part of the tendering process for 1000 buses. Following the purchase, the total fleet of DTC buses will reach up to 4,760 from 3760.

Overemphasis on Mughals, caste issues, no mention of Hindu kings, saints: Think-tank flags distortion in NCERT books before Parliamentary panel

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Overemphasis on Mughals, caste issues, no mention of Hindu kings, saints: Think-tank flags distortion in NCERT books before Parliamentary panel

A research report published by a prestigious think tank presented before the Parliamentary Committee on education has stated that History textbooks published by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) and textbooks issued by the Kerala government give disproportionate attention to Mughal rulers, caste issues and barely mentions the achievements of Hindu kings, Indian saints, social reformers etc.

According to a report by the Economic Times, the research produced by Public Policy Research Center (PPRC) director Sumeet Bhasin, researchers Chandni Sengupta, Deepa Kaushik and Sanket Kate, titled “Distortions and Misrepresentations of India’s Past: History Textbooks and Why they need to change“, has highlighted that NCERT textbooks have deliberately overstated the contributions of Mughal rulers to India.

Analysing the NCERT History textbooks in detail, the research think tank has revealed that there is an average of 97 references to Emperor Akbar, 30 references to Shah Jahan, Aurangzeb and Jahangir each. However, there are only eight references to Maratha king Chhatrapati Shivaji, and there are hardly any references to Rajput kings Rana Sanga and Maharana Pratap.

Think tank compares Kerala and Gujarat textbooks

The group of researchers have also compared history textbooks ordered by the education boards of the Kerala and Gujarat governments in detail to highlight the distortions and a skewed view of India’s history in Kerala textbooks.

According to the researchers, the NCERT and the Kerala textbooks has put greater emphasis on accounts of Muslim chroniclers like Ibn Batuta, along with social reform movements and reformers, and ignored the works of Chanakya, Bodhayan, Bhaskaracharya, Aryabhatta and the works of social reformers such as Swami Dayanand Saraswati and Swami Vivekananda, the ET report said.

The think tank also pointed out how Kerala textbooks “blacked out” references to ancient India and Rig Veda while overstating the caste of Hindu saints who led the Bhakti movement and also downplayed their philosophy and teachings. In their research, the think tank also said that NCERT textbooks excessively use words such as “gotra, jati, and varna”.

The research report praised the Gujarat government’s approach to history, wherein it “underplayed the caste system, valorised Rajput women and talked about the role women in ancient India played in society”.

The Gujarat textbooks, while mentioning the four varnas, have not gone into their details and have chapters on different temples of the country and how they survived assaults by invaders, an account missing in Kerala and NCERT textbooks, the report said.

On Kerala History textbooks, the research says it has just a few passing references to the 1857 uprising, while NCERT makes it centred around Mughal emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar, as opposed to Gujarat textbooks that have highlighted the role of Rani Laxmibai of Jhansi, Tatya Tope and Nanasaheb.

The report has also revealed that the textbooks gave prominence to MK Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru in chapters of Modern India from classes eight to twelve. At the same time, nationalists leaders such as Sardar Patel, Lokmanya Tilak, Bhagat Singh, Surya Sen, Khudiram Bose have been dropped from these chapters.

In its detailed report submitted to the Parliamentary panel, the researchers have also made nine recommendations, including one to stop the publication of textbook content glorifying the “invasions of Arabs, Turks, and Mughals”. They have also proposed a history rewriting project that will highlight the glorious past of India, its civilizing greatness, the rationality of Vedic rituals, development in the field of medicine and the importance of Sanskrit.

The researchers have recommended teaching topics such as the desecration of Hindu and Jain temples, particularly in the cases of the Somnath temple in Gujarat, the Quwwat-ul-Islam mosque in Delhi, Adhai Din Ka Jhonpra in Ajmer and others. They have also highlighted the need of highlighting stories of Hindu kings like Raja Dahir, Maratha and Rajput rulers like Tanhaji, Rani Durgavati and Rani Kiran Devi Rathore in the textbook.

NCB files 1000 page charge sheet against son-in-law of NCP leader Nawab Malik for procuring, purchasing, transporting and selling drugs

OpIndia Staff
-
0
NCB files 1000 page charge sheet against son-in-law of NCP leader Nawab Malik for procuring, purchasing, transporting and selling drugs

The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) probing the Bollywood drug nexus, deliberated by the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput, has filed a 1,000-page charge sheet against Sameer Khan. Sameer Khan is the son-in-law of NCB leader and Maharashtra Minority Affairs and Skill Development Minister Nawab Malik, who had ‘predicted’ that Republic Editor Arnab Goswami will commit suicide after getting frustrated with numerous cases filed against him by the Maharashtra govt. He was arrested for possession of drugs on January 13th this year.

Along with Sameer Khan, Karan Sejnani, Rahila and Shaista Furniturewalas, Ramkumar Tiwari and alleged drug peddler Anuj Keshwani have also been named in the charge sheet. While Rahila Furniturewala is the former manager of activist and film actress Dia Mirza, Ramkumar Tiwari is one of the owners of Mumbai’s millionaire Paanwala- Muchhad Paanwala.

According to the charge sheet, Nawab Malik’s son-in-law and the other accused have been charged for procuring, purchasing, transporting and selling about 200 kilograms of ganja and six cannabidiol (CBD) sprays.

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede said the chemical analysis or forensic report shows the presence of 86 kg of cannabis, which is a commercial quantity as per the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Meanwhile, Khan and Rahila’s counsel, Advocate Taraq Sayyed, said after going through the chargesheet, “There is nothing in the chargesheet. The CA report says that there is only ganja and CBD, which do not fall under the definition of cannabis as per the NDPS.”

According to reports, the chemical analysis (CA) report had suggested that “On the basis of physical examination, chemical and instrumental analysis, and botanical examination report, presence of cannabidiol (CBD) was detected in substances in about 83 kg of material.” For the other 114 kg, the report states that the “presence of any narcotic drug and psychotropic substance could not be detected in the vegetative substances.”

Nevertheless, as per the norms, a special NDPS court will take cognisance of the chargesheet and the accused who are on bail will have to present themselves before the court during the procedure.

NCB which has been probing the alleged Bollywood-drugs nexus ever since the untimely demise of actor Sushant Singh Rajput has made several arrests in connection with the case. Last year, Komal Rampal, sister of Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal, was also interrogated by the NCB office in Mumbai, in the case.

Arjun Rampal was also probed in a drug-related case. He was questioned by the NCB on November 13 last year, after raids were conducted at his residence on November 9. His girlfriend Gabriella Demetriades was later questioned for six hours on the same day. 

After NCW intervention, Twitter suspends one Sajid Sheikh’s account who was posting pornographic photos of Hindu woman

OpIndia Staff
-
0
After NCW intervention, Twitter suspends one Sajid Sheikh’s account who was posting pornographic photos of Hindu woman

Social media giant Twitter has suspended the account of one user Sajid Shiekh (@SajidDSheikh), after the National Commission for Women (NCW) took cognisance and wrote to the microblogging site drawing its attention towards the sexist and hateful handle which shared pornographic photos to objectify Hindu women.

Twitter suspends the account of one Sajid Shiekh after NCW writes to Twitter about the sexist and hateful handle

Slamming Twitter for not taking independent action against such vile Tweets, Rekha Sharma Tweeted: “The account got suspended after @NCWIndia wrote to @TwitterIndia but the question is do we have to write everytime such tweets come up? Why @Twitter doesn’t have a check on these handles?”

NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma had taken cognisance of the matter after one Twitter user Aayush (@ModifiedAayush) flagged the issue. Sharing one such deplorable Tweet (which is now unavailable) by @SajidDSheikh and tagging NCW chairperson Rekha Sharma and Union Minister Smriti Irani, Aayush had Tweeted: Today everyone is silent on this tweet because he is Muslim. I magine if this one was a Hindu, then by now there would have been a ruckus on the whole of Twitter. I request to @NCWIndia and @smritiirani to take strict action against this person so that no one can commit such mistake https://twitter.com/SajidDSheikh/status/1411217201550356481“.

Welcoming the decision to suspend Sajid Shiekh’s Twitter handle, many social media users shared screenshots of the misogynistic, communal and hate-filled Tweets posted by the Muslim youth. In most of his Tweets, Shiekh dehumanised Hindu women by sharing pornographic images, obviously without the consent of the said women, claiming that the Hindu women lust for Muslim men.

Shiekh humiliated Hindu women insinuating that they are deceitful and unethical, having two stark opposite characters, one which they paint in front of their family and the other which they present in front of their “Muslim BF”.

Screenshot of a Tweet from Sajid Sheikh’s now-suspended Twitter account

Displaying his deep-rooted prejudice against women and his misogynistic mindset, the Twitter user had written: “Nature intends women to be our slaves. They are our property.

“Hindu woman has two sides, one for the society and another for her Muslim Daddy”. Shiekh wrote while posting two pictures of the same woman, one in a traditional attire alongside a picture of hers in a bikini to rationalize his unsavoury perception.

Screenshot of a Tweet from Sajid Sheikh’s now-suspended Twitter account

In another sexist Tweet, Sajid Sheikh went on to mock Hindu traditions and customs by posting a picture of women taking a holy dip in the river Ganga, a ritual considered sacred by the Hindus.

Sharing screenshots of these disgusting Tweets, many social media users had sought action against the pervert.

UP Law Commission floats population control bill draft: How the draft, in its current form, sacrifices merit in favour of fewer children

K Bhattacharjee
-
0
UP Law Commission floats population control bill draft: How the draft, in its current form, sacrifices merit in favour of fewer children

The Uttar Pradesh Law Commission on Saturday made available to the public its draft population control bill and sought suggestions from the public regarding the same. The Uttar Pradesh Population (Control, Stabilization and Welfare) Bill, 2021 envisions benefits for those with two children and more for those with only one with disincentives attached for those who act in contravention of the proposed bill.

While the proposed Bill was, no doubt, implemented with good intention, there are multiple fundamental flaws with the bill. One of the most fundamental flaws is that it does not establish the fundamental necessity of the Bill.

According to data available, population growth rate in Uttar Pradesh is already on the decline and the Total Fertility Rate (TFR), that is, the number of children per woman, was 2.7 in 2015-16, a sharp fall from 3.8 in 2005-06. Thus, the population growth rate is already declining without government intervention. Furthermore, in large parts of India, the TFR is less than 2.1 already, that is, the replacement level TFR at which population remains stable and does not decline or grow.

Thus, there does not appear to be any justification for the implementation of the Bill for the purposes intended. All of this aside, there are multiple provisions in the draft Bill that forces us to question the wisdom of it.

The problematic provisions of the UP population control bill draft

One of the most fundamental problems with the draft is that it sacrifices merit at the altar of population control. If the bill is implemented as law, then admissions to premier educational institutions and promotions will be based on the number of children one has.

The draft promises preference for single child in all admission in all educational institutions including AIIMS and IIM. Admission to institutions should be based on merit. There is no valid justification as to why a single child should be preferred over others for admission to educational institutions. It just does not make any sense at all.

The draft also envisions a preference for single child for appointment to government jobs. Again, running a government is not an easy job. And consequent appointment should be based on merit and ability. It is unclear how a preference for a single child figures into all of this.

The draft also bans people with more than two children from applying for government jobs and bans promotions for the same. All of this combined only confirms the death of merit.

Where is the money going to come from?

The draft also proposes multiple sops for those with two children and even more for those with one child and a lot of these are not limited to public servants but encompass the whole population. Furthermore, the UP Government is yet to provide the estimated cost of the said sops.

The draft proposes free education till graduation for the single child, free healthcare and insurance till the age of 20 years, and scholarship for higher studies till the age of 20. This is in addition to benefits provided for those with a maximum of two children.

The benefits for those abiding by the two-child norm include housing loan at nominal rates of interest, rebates on charges for utilities such as water and electricity among other things. The most contentious, however, is 12 months maternity or paternity leave with full pay and allowances. And these are benefits available for not just public servants but the general population as well.

It is not clear how this is going to work for those who work in the private sector. Who will pay the salary, the government or the company? And if it is the private company that has to pay for the maternity or paternity leave, then the cost of labour is going to increase exponentially in the state and the business environment is going to suffer as a consequence.

After all, why should the company hire someone they have to pay 12 months salary for no work at all? If the government says that they will bear the cost of salary and allowances, it is hard to see where the money is going to come from.

These are benefits that are available to all citizens, not just public servants. For public servants alone, increments are promised as well as subsidies for the purchase of plots for houses and “three per cent increase in the employer‘s contribution Fund under national pension scheme.”

Again, the estimated cost of all these sops has not been provided and it is not clear at all where the money is going to come from.

The permanence of the law

India is a democracy and all laws can be changed when a new government comes to power. Therefore, no law is permanent per se and subject to change via elections. The same goes for the proposed bill should it ever become law.

Consider this for a moment. A couple that would have otherwise had more than two children decides to limit themselves to two children due to the draft which may become a law. After 10 years, however, the law is repealed by a different government that comes to power and consequently, most of the benefits as well. What happens then? Perhaps, there is no cause for serious complaints here but it is a consideration that must be taken into account as well.

Moreover, democracy is dependent on the votes that are earned. What happens if a section of the population continues to violate the law and when they have reached a sufficient advantage in terms of numbers to win elections, they elect people who would then repeal the law?

All of these factors have to be taken under consideration while accepting the draft but such answers, thus far, have not been provided.

Javed Akhtar enters battleground pronouns, suggests ‘hesh’ and ‘shim’, gets mocked: Details

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Javed Akhtar enters battleground pronouns, suggests ‘hesh’ and ‘shim’, gets mocked: Details

Bollywood lyricist Javed Akhtar has come up with a novel idea to rectify what he appears to consider gendered language. In his infinite wisdom, he reckons that we ought to substitute the pronouns ‘he’/’she’ and ‘him’/’her’ with gender neutral terms ‘hesh’ and ‘shim’ respectively.

Javed Akhtar does not appear to realise that despite his best intentions, the terms will be discarded by the very people he seeks to appease by suggesting such bizarre terms. One can be assured that the Woke camp will reject these terms because ‘hesh’ consists the pronoun ‘he’ and ‘shim’ contains ‘him’. Thus, it appears that his ‘toxic masculinity’ has once again motivated Akhtar to suggest words that emphasise toxic masculinity.

Javed Akhtar suggests ‘hesh’ and ‘shim’

Furthermore, he commits the grave error of claiming that there are only two genders, which is unpardonable. As we all know, there are an infinite number of genders. Jokes apart, the suggestion by Akhtar is bizarre and frankly, downright stupid. Therefore, it is not surprising that his suggestion sparked widespread mockery.

People also noted that if ‘hesh’ and ‘shim’ are mixed, they get ‘Himesh’.

It is quite clear that Akhtar is attempting to popularise himself by jumping on the pronoun bandwagon. But in doing so, he has only made a joke of himself. However, his tweet is further confirmation of the fact that the pronoun politics that has taken the West by storm is coming to India as well, brought here by anglophile elites.

While Akhtar may be grossly out of touch, other upcoming ‘activists’ are much more suave and savvy, and thus, pose a much greater threat to common sense and sensibilities.

Watch: Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar slaps a party worker in public for trying to touch him

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Watch: Karnataka Congress leader DK Shivakumar slaps a party worker in public for trying to touch him

Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar has courted yet another controversy after he was caught on camera slapping a party worker in public on Saturday.

In a video that has gone viral on the internet, Karnataka Congress chief DK Shivakumar was seen losing his cool after a party worker tried to approach him during his visit to Mandya on Saturday. As the party worker tried to touch the Congress leader, DK Shivkumar got angry and slapped him on his face.

Reportedly, the Congress leader was in Mandya on Friday to visit ailing Congress leader G Madegowda when the incident took place. The party worker had apparently tried to touch DK Shivakumar’s shoulder. This angered the Congress leader, who slapped him and told him to behave in front of the public.

“What is this behaviour at this place? I have given you freedom, but that doesn’t mean you can do this,” the Congress leader can be heard saying.

BJP leader CT Ravi shared the video on Twitter saying DK Shivakumar showed his might on an ordinary party worker and asked Gandhi-scion Rahul Gandhi whether he had given a license to commit violence against common men.

“If this is how the “former shishya” (protege) of Kotwal Ramachandra (former mafia don) treats his party worker, one can imagine what he would do with Others. Have you given DKS the “licence for violence”, tweeted BJP leader CT Ravi.

The video of the incident has gone viral on social media.

As DK Shivakumar realised that his act of arrogance was caught on the camera, he warned the media persons to delete the video.

This is not the first time that DK Shivakumar was seen attacking common party workers in public. In 2018, during a Congress election campaign in Bellary, DK Shivakumar had slapped another man who wanted to take a selfie with him.

Similarly, in another incident in 2017 in Belgaum, DK Shivakumar had slammed a man on his arm for taking a selfie. The incident took place in front of the reporters. The Congress leader had defended the attack saying the selfie was uncalled for and termed his reaction as normal.

DK Shivakumar, who is an MLA from Kanakapura, is currently on bail in connection with a money laundering case.

Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre to be shut down temporarily after 40 years after dog was tortured, abused and killed: Maneka Gandhi

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre to be shut down temporarily after 40 years after dog was tortured, abused and killed: Maneka Gandhi

Days after a dog was brutally thrashed by two para vets at the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC), BJP MP Maneka Gandhi has announced the temporary shutting down of the animal care facility.

In a statement on Twitter, Gandhi said, “This is a statement of grief and rage. Recently, a dog was brought in for a rescue to Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre (SGACC) in New Delhi. Over the last year, SGACC has been short-staffed due to COVID-19, and two newly hired para-vets were providing support. The rescue took a regrettable turn when the dog — naturally agitated, as she was in extreme pain — bit the para-vet, who in turn retaliated with frightful violence. The dog died from her injuries.”

The BJP MP further added, “This incident has shocked us all to the core — I have been personally seething with rage and have been sick to my stomach since I watched the horrifying video. We immediately filed an FIR against the para-vets and they have been arrested. The doctor in charge of the section has been given the notice to leave. But this is not enough. SGACC has faltered in its mission and needs to be rebuilt again.” Maneka Gandhi announced temporary shutting down of Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre and cessation of animal rescue missions, after 40 years of service.

She assured that all existing animals would be rehabilitated by the animal care facility. The BJP MP from Sultanpur vowed to rebuild the animal shelter physically, create new infrastructure and ensure adequate staff members. “We will overhaul the hospital management and its staff completely while ensuring everyone working there is provided with animal-sensitivity training. We will also review our internal policies and incentive mechanisms. It is time to re-build this institution from the ground-up, and ensure that such an incident is never repeated again,” she concluded.

Dog tortured, abused and killed by vets at SGACC

In a tweet on Monday (June 5), People for Animal (PFA) activist Kaveri Chowdhury shared a disturbing video of a dog being brutally abused by two para vets. She tweeted, “Poor Sick Dog Thrashed On Floor And Beaten On Mouth While The Staff Laughs. I received a series of Horrifying videos today from an anonymous reporter about this brutality at Sanjay Gandhi Animal Hospital. Its tormenting to the soul to even watch it!”

The informant was a girl, who worked at the same animal shelter. She identified the accused as para vets Satyam and Pradeep. The girl accused the duo of trying to rape the female dog. The animal was found with a bloated stomach and heavy vaginal bleeding. Unfortunately, the dog succumbed to the injuries and died.

1...4,1564,1574,158...7,680Page 4,157 of 7,680