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Radical Sikh outfits plan to hold Human Rights march in Kashmir, media forgets to mention their Khalistani links

OpIndia Staff
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Radical Sikh outfits plan to hold Human Rights march in Kashmir, media forgets to mention their Khalistani links

Pro-Khalistani Radical Sikh outfits Dal Khalsa and Simranjit Singh Mann-led Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) have planned to organise a human rights march in Kashmir to observe the World Human Rights Day on December 10. The members of these outfits will be visiting Kashmir to hold a sit-in at Lal Chowk in Kashmir against the perceived human rights abuses of the Kashmiris.

Kanwar Pal Singh, the Dal Khalsa spokesman said, “Our primary concern is to strive for the fundamental rights of the people of Kashmir and it will be our endeavour to call to attention their sufferings.” Exhorting “human rights defenders” to join their peaceful sit-in at Lal Chowk in Srinagar, Pal said that both the organisations would leave for Kashmir from Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur on December 9 and plan to reach Srinagar on December 10.

Besides this, Pal also mentioned that they will also highlight the issues of custodial death, illegal detention and harassment of undertrials, the predominance of archaic laws such as 124-A (sedition), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, denial of relief for political prisoners etc.

Several news outlets such as The Hindu and The Tribune India reported this development but they failed to draw attention to the fact that one of these radical Sikh groups, Dal Khalsa, who claims to be championing the cause of violations of human rights in Kashmir now, is a known proponent of Khalistan and actively indulged in carrying out anti-India activities.

Last year, on its foundation day, Dal Khalsa had claimed that it would continue to strive for a peaceful, political and democratic struggle for a separate Sikh homeland. However, the radical organisation also paid tribute to “militant” leaders and recognised the “contribution” of Pakistan-based Sikh leaders and bragged about the support it receives from Kashmiri separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani.

In a sting operation, telltale details came to the fore revealing the nexus between the Khalistani leaders with Pakistani intelligence agency-ISI. It was disclosed that its members plotted attacks against political leaders with the support of the ISI, extended support to terrorists like Hafiz Saeed, carried out anti-India campaigns in the UK and US and openly pandered to the Khalistani supporters and supported them in their nefarious designs of breaking India.

Karnataka: Man convicted of raping 7-year-old girl in 2014, sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Man convicted of raping 7-year-old girl in 2014, sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment

A 32-year-old man accused of raping a 7-year-old girl has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by a special court in Shivamogga of Karnataka, reports ANI. 

According to the reports, the man named Bhaskara has been convicted of raping a 7-year-old girl. In 2014, the police had registered a case at the Mallur police station under the POCSO Act against the rape accused.


The Special (POCSO) Court Judge KB Sivaprasad sentenced the man to imprisonment for ten years and also imposed a fine of Rs 30,000 on the convict. The Special court also directed the Karnataka government to provide a compensation of Rs 3 lakh to the victim.

In case if the accused fails to pay the fine, his sentence will be extended by another six months, the court said. Special Government Prosecutor SK Murthy Rao represented on behalf of the government.

Read- ‘Save me, I don’t want to die, want to see them sentenced to death’: Unnao rape victim dies of cardiac arrest after suffering 90% burns

Talking about the crime, Rao said, “the accused, Bhaskara, who used to work as a coolie, had called the girl to her house under the pretext of offering prasad and then sexually assaulted her. She had then narrated the incident to the other girls and the caretaker.” He added that the matter was raised by a social activist from the area after listening to the ordeal of the girl.

He added that such cases should be dealt with in a year according to law. But as there is only one court, it is not possible to do so because of the huge backlog of cases.

After Pakistanis claimed Usman Khan did not have Pakistani origin, London Bridge terrorist’s body flown to Islamabad

OpIndia Staff
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After Pakistanis claimed Usman Khan did not have Pakistani origin, London Bridge terrorist’s body flown to Islamabad

Pakistan has forever been on a denial mode that they have ever bred Jihadis on their soil. After similar bruhaha over the London Bridge Jihadi, Usman Khan’s origin by several infuriated Pakistanis, the terrorist’s body was ultimately flown from London to Islamabad, Pakistan, to be buried in his home town on December 6.

Khan’s body was released by the City of London coroner and flown to Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, by his family in the early hours of Friday. It was then transported to the rural village of Kajlani in Pakistan occupied Kashmir, where he was quietly buried in an Islamic funeral later at night.

Officials at Islamabad International Airport confirmed that the 28-year-old Jihadist’s body had been flown out on Thursday afternoon and arrived in Pakistan on Friday morning.

Read: London Bridge Jihadi of Pakistan origin was jailed for 8 years for another terror plot where he wanted to unleash 26/11 like carnage in London

The Pakistani terrorist who had stabbed multiple people, killing two Cambridge graduates, while armed with two kitchen knives and wearing a fake suicide vest had been shot dead by the London police.

Usman Khan had gone on a stabbing rampage just before 2 PM (1400 GMT) near the London Bridge, an area that had seen a deadly terrorist attack just two years ago.

Meanwhile, Pakistanis who are embarrassed by the fact that any terror incident that happens anywhere across the globe inevitably finds its roots to Pakistan had come down heavily on the Pakistani newspaper ‘The Dawn’ for reporting that the accused involved in the London Bridge attack had Pakistani origins.

Read: ‘I write so I can enter coldest of hearts’: London Bridge terrorist was the poster boy for ‘deradicalization’ program he attended

Hundreds of angry Pakistanis had swelled around the Pakistani newspaper’s office premises, blocking the entry and the exit on December 3.

The disgruntled Pakistanis contended that the Dawn Newspaper has incorrectly claimed that the perpetrator of the London Bridge attack had Pakistani roots. Many on Twitter too hailed the attack on the Dawn claiming that Usman had no connection with Pakistan and the newspaper was simply besmirching the reputation of the country by linking the London Bridge attacker with Pakistan.

Read: Irate Pakistanis attack Dawn newspaper for reporting that London jihadist had Pakistani origins

According to the report published in the Dawn, Khan is a British citizen born in the UK and of Pakistani origin. He left school with no qualifications after spending part of his late teens in Pakistan, where he lived with his mother when she became ill. After returning to the UK, he partook in promulgating extremism on the Internet and garnered a significant following.

However, this intricate detail was lost on indignant Pakistanis who claimed that since Usman was born and brought up in England, he cannot have Pakistani origins.

Woman protesting against Unnao rape case attempts to set ablaze her 6-year-old, arrested as daughter rushed to hospital

OpIndia Staff
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Woman protesting against Unnao rape case attempts to set ablaze her 6-year-old, arrested as daughter rushed to hospital

Protesting against the Unnao rape case, a woman outside the Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi attempted to set her 6-year-old girl on fire in opposition to the brutality inflicted upon the Unnao rape victim by the rape accused. The 23-year-old woman died on Friday night after hours of fighting at the Safdarjung Hospital, Delhi.


The girl was taken to an emergency ward for treatment while her mother, who tried to set her ablaze was taken into custody by Police.

Protests erupted outside the Safdarjung hospital after the Unnao rape survivor breathed her last yesterday following a fatal attack on her by the rape accused. On the early hours of Thursday, the 23-year-old rape victim was set on fire by pouring kerosene on her by five men, including the duo who are accused of raping her a year ago. The incident occurred at Sindupur village under the Bihar police station area on the wee hours of Thursday and has caused tension in the area.

Read: ‘Save me, I don’t want to die, want to see them sentenced to death’: Unnao rape victim dies of cardiac arrest after suffering 90% burns

She was earlier admitted to a Lucknow hospital on Thursday with 90 per cent burns and was later airlifted to Delhi for further treatment. However, the victim suffered a cardiac arrest at 11:10 pm on Friday night at the Safdarjung hospital and passed away at 11:40 pm, the Sardurjung Hospital spokesperson confirmed.

The victim was attacked on early hours of Thursday by the accused when she along with her family were on their way to a court in Rae Bareli to attend a hearing in the rape case. The five men also included the two who were accused of raping the woman in December.

Thok diya, theek kiya: Wrestler Babita Phogat congratulates Telangana police on encounter of rape-accused

OpIndia Staff
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Thok diya, theek kiya: Wrestler Babita Phogat congratulates Telangana police on encounter of rape-accused

All the four accused in the Hyderabad veterinarian’s rape and murder case have been killed in a police encounter at Shadnagar after the Telangana police opened fire at the four as they tried to escape in the wee hours of December 6. The Telangana police have received a mixed reaction on their action against the four accused. However, wrestler and BJP leader Babita Phogat has without reserve, lauded the department for what they did.

Phogat took to Twitter Phogat to write: ‘Thok Diya, Theek Kiya’ (did the right thing by shooting them).


Moreover, talking to news agency ANI, the Commonwealth Games gold medallist wrestler congratulated the Telangana police, saying that it will make every woman in the country really proud.

“What happened this morning, has made me really happy. Hyderabad police killed all four accused in the rape and murder of a young veterinarian in an encounter. I would like to thank and congratulate the police for what they did today. I would just like to say that whatever they did today, makes every woman in the country really proud,” Babita Phogat told ANI.

According to the Telangana police, the four accused in the Hyderabad rape and murder were shot dead in an encounter on the NH-44 near Hyderabad, the same highway where the charred body of the 26-year-old was found.

Read: Telangana encounter: No right answer

The Telangana police had arrested all the four under charges of gang-rape and murder in less than 24 hours after the crime. The police had confirmed that a lorry driver named Mohammad Pasha from Narayanpet in Mahababub Nagar district was the main suspect. The other accused were identified as Naveen from Gudigandla, cleaner Kesavulu, and an assistant named Shiva.

As per the media statement, given by Shamshabad DCP Prakash Reddy, a police team had taken the four accused to the very spot of the crime early today morning between 3 to 6 am. The accused had snatched some weapons from policemen and tried to escape. They were killed by retaliatory fire in self-defence by the police. Two policemen have also reportedly suffered injuries in the encounter.

On last Wednesday night, a 27-year-old veterinarian Dr Preeti Reddy (name changed) was brutally raped and murdered and her body was set ablaze on the outskirts of Hyderabad. Four people have been reportedly arrested in connection with the case.

Read: Here is how Telangana top cop VC Sajjanar who led the Hyderabad encounter had eliminated Warangal acid attack accused

The four accused had pre-planned the crime after they had noticed that the victim had parked her two-wheeler at the Tondupally toll plaza. The accused assumed that the lady would come to pick it up later in the evening. The accused then deflated the tyre.

As Preeti Reddy was returning home from work a little after 8 pm to pick her vehicle, she noticed a flat tyre. She immediately called her sister, who suggested that she leave her two-wheeler at the toll plaza and take a cab home. Before she could, two men approached her, who offered to take her vehicle for repair.

The woman was ambushed and dragged into the bushes by the accused barely 50 metres from Tondupally toll plaza behind a line of trucks that was parked near the road. Her charred body was found under an underpass later.

NCP MP Supriya Sule introduces Right to Disconnect Bill giving employees the right to refuse official calls after office hours, experts say not viable

OpIndia Staff
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NCP MP Supriya Sule introduces Right to Disconnect Bill giving employees the right to refuse official calls after office hours, experts say not viable

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule representing Baramati constituency in Maharashtra introduced a private member bill- Right to Disconnect Bill, 2019 in the Lok Sabha’s ongoing winter session.


This Bill which was introduced by the NCP leader on December 28 last year, seeks to allow employees to refuse work-related calls and emails beyond office hours and on holidays.

Sule who is a Member of Parliament said the Right to Disconnect Bill seeks to “confer the right on every employee to disconnect from work-related telephone calls and emails beyond work hours and on holidays and right to refuse to answer calls and emails outside work hours”.

The manifesto of the Congress-NCP alliance for the Assembly elections in Maharashtra, also promises to bring a ‘Right to Disconnect Bill’.

On December 28, 2018, Sule had taken to Twitter to introduce the Bill: “Introduced Three Private Member Bills in Lok Sabha today — Tuberculosis (Prevention and Eradication) Bill 2018, Right to Disconnect 2018, and Gender Sensitization (Training and Education) Bill 2018.”

Inspired by global modules, the 10-page Right to Disconnect Bill proposes to give employees the right to not respond to a communication from employers outside of office hours, and to mandate companies to detail out-of-work demands “as a way to reduce stress and ease the tension between an employee’s personal and professional life”.

“Studies have found that if an employee is expected to be available round the clock, they tend to exhibit risks of over-work like sleep deprivation, developing stress and being emotionally exhausted,” Sule had told at the time.

“This persistent urge to respond to calls and e-mails (termed as ‘telepressure’), constant checking of e-mails throughout the day, and even on weekends and holidays, is reported to have destroyed the work-life balance of employees,” she said.

How will the Bill work:

  • It will apply to companies with more than 10 employees who will have to set up an Employee Welfare Committee to ensure compliance, which would also include the Ministers of IT, Communication and Labour.
  • The Authority would publish a study regarding the impact of digital tools beyond work hours and yearly reports, and outline a charter of employee-employer negotiations.
  • The bill also says that no disciplinary action can be taken against you if you choose to not respond to your employer after your stipulated work hours.
  • According to the bill, if the employee worked outside of the agreed-upon conditions, he or she would be entitled to overtime compensation.
  • In addition, the government would have to provide employee counselling, digital detox centres, and similar resources “to free an employee from digital distractions and enable him to truly connect with the people around him”.

Is it viable:

Many experts feel that this Bill, which is inspired by global modules is not viable in the Indian work scenario.

  • Human resource officials believe that even if the law is introduced, it will be a huge challenge to implement it.
  • The head of human resources at a Mumbai-based manufacturing firm said they have a strict deadline of 6 pm and do not contact employees across the sector unless there is an emergency. “If this is made a law, any mishaps at the plant cannot be addressed immediately since the concerned person can say that this is beyond their work hours,” he added.
  • A few HR experts also believed that the bill was not viable as it is a reality in India that there is a backlog of work in most companies, due to which disconnecting cannot be possible.
  • Moreover, according to another human resource official working in a mid-sized IT services firm, it is a reality that employees carry work home and nobody is penalised for not answering calls or emails. He further added that considering a lot of Indian IT firms work with global companies where there is a time difference, completely switching off is not practical.

An open letter to the people of Maharashtra: Mi Punha Yein

Shweta Shalini
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An open letter to the people of Maharashtra: Mi Punha Yein

Dear Maharashtra,

Over the last few days, I have been pained beyond words at the political situation of Maharashtra – the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. As this situation unfolds, I can share my feelings only with those who have as much stake in this … you, the citizens of Maharashtra.

I have seen the functioning of Devendra Fadnavis closely as a member of his task force for the last five years. He was on a passion trip- to make Maharashtra the number 1 state. Every day, from 7 AM in the morning to 3 AM early the next morning, was spent working like a man possessed for the progress and betterment of the state. I remember his 8-year-old daughter writing him a letter saying, “Baba, I need nothing for my birthday, just give me one hour of your time !”

It was all celebration for us when on 24th October results came in as you had given a clear mandate to the Mahayuti comprising of BJP and Shiv Sena. However, the celebration wasn’t to last long as our alliance partners of the last 3 decades had opportunistic ideas. In the post results Press Conference, while we stuck to our pre-poll promise of providing a stable government with the Shiv Sena, they unilaterally declared that they had all options open unless the Chief Minister’s chair was shared with them.

Read: It is Shiv Sena’s turn now, but the anti-Modi fever has ruined many political careers

We didn’t give up and would never have given up the opportunity to serve you for another term of 5 years. Our leaders incessantly called up the Sena to the negotiating table but all efforts were futile. Our Hon. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis himself called Uddhav Thackeray but no calls were answered. Meanwhile, Shiv Sena systematically went on a public humiliation spree with daily Press Conferences, not realising that the insult was actually getting directed towards the people of Maharashtra who voted us to power as an alliance. BJP leaders, on the other hand, were strictly advised to not give tit for tat replies, for it would have been an insult of the public mandate.

You the people have been witness to all this drama as the whole nation looked at Maharashtra, especially Shiv Sena’s antics. While Shiv Sena crawled when asked to bend by the NCP-INC aghadi alliance, they didn’t even consider our respectable solutions. They gave up everything – Hindutva, Marathi manoos and all ideological association even when the Congress didn’t seem to be too keen on an alliance. Forget BJP, they even humiliated the whole legacy of Balasaheb Thackeray who is held in high esteem by us, the  Hindutvawaadi BJP leaders.

Read: Trouble for Shiv Sena in Maharashtra: Party sees mass resignations after it turned ‘secular’, 400 workers quit to join BJP

It was during such a situation that Ajit Pawar, the Gatneta of NCP came to us offering to support the BJP for reasons best known to him and you. It is common knowledge that BJP doesn’t hold Ajit Pawar in high esteem for the numerous corruption cases where his name has come up. However, we still went ahead and accepted the support as the state desperately needed a functioning government and our opinion regarding Ajit Pawar was secondary, compared to the interest of people of Maharashtra.

We overlooked a lot of allegations without compromising our ideals (No CMP, it was our vision he had to support) so that the ordinary citizens don’t have to go through the trouble of re-election. Besides, the burden on state exchequer would have been borne for by the ordinary citizens themselves and not the Shiv Sena which was responsible for this mess.

We are a democracy, a proud one at that, and democracy has rules. Post elections, it’s the number game that has to add up. Ajit Pawar, who by the way had won by the maximum number of votes in Maharashtra was the LOP, had the whip and the support. Now, Devendra Fadnavis had to choose between the opportunity of breaking the deadlock and giving the state a much-needed government on one hand and protecting his hard-earned,  clean corruption-free image on the other. Knowing him, I knew he would choose the former. Ajit Pawar backtracked due to family pressures. He may well become the Deputy CM but Maharashtra lost its real Sevak.

Read: Shiv Sena leader Ramesh Solanki resigns from party protesting against the alliance with Congress and NCP

As BJP we gave the best shot, tried till the last hour and worked till the last man was standing to support the people’s mandate. We don’t regret doing anything that kept the interest of Maharashtra in mind, even if it meant swallowing bitter pills and allying with NCP which clearly doesn’t share our ideology.

Shiv Sena which had called for removing the word “Secular” from Constitution, signed the CMP with the same in its Preamble. While Devendra Fadnavis was clear whether as a deputy CM or a common citizen, Ajit Pawar would have to face the law and will be convicted if found guilty.

As an outsider to politics, I see it with a different lens. Here an Honest man is always alone and the dishonest always have company. Here a man who has no personal gains, no properties in the posh south Mumbai locality, no mills, no institutions, not even a home of his own in Mumbai, is not what others want. Here it’s not how you perform, here it’s not how you deliver – it’s a Number Game.

Here, too many crooks broiled the plot. Having said that, BJP is still the single largest party & is looking forward to serving the people of Maharashtra as this alliance of convenience falls apart due to their inherent contradictions and ambitions. All we will say is, repeat what our Former Chief Minister has said – Mi Punha Yein (We will be back).

Telangana: Akbaruddin Owaisi rejects govt circular making singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in schools, government backtracks

OpIndia Staff
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Telangana: Akbaruddin Owaisi rejects govt circular making singing of Vande Mataram mandatory in schools, government backtracks

On Friday, controversial AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi met Telangana education minister P Sabitha Indra Reddy over the Vande Mataram row and demanded that the recent circular making it mandatory for the students to sing Vande Mataram in schools be cancelled.

According to the reports, Akbaruddin Owaisi, an MLA from Chandrayangutta met Telangana Education minister to discuss regarding the recent directive issued by the Hyderabad District Education Officer making singing of National song Vande Mataram mandatory in schools.

On October 31, DEO B Venkata Narasamma had held a meeting of deputy education officers and deputy inspectors of schools in which it was decided that ‘prayers should be conducted in a systematic manner’.

In the meeting, it was decided that prayers like Vande Mataram, Jayajayahe Telangana should also be sung along with students taking a pledge in their daily prayers. Apart from that news reading, Sukhti and GK questions were also added to the prayer list.

Following this directive, there was confusion among the teaching fraternity, particularly those working in the old city, where Muslim population is much higher.

“The National Anthem is already sung in schools, where is the need to chant Vande Mataram,” Owaisi had questioned.

Reportedly, the Muslims residing in these areas had opposed the move by saying that reciting Vande Mataram was against the beliefs of Muslims. It is the basic tenet of Islam that nobody and nothing else is entitled to be worshipped except Allah, a parent had said.

“We respect and love our country, but it does not mean that we have to worship it. Students should not be forced to recite Vande Mataram,” Mohammed Kashif, whose ward is studying in Asifnagar government school had said. He hoped the government will intervene and issue instructions to the education department not to insist on the song during the assembly.

Read: Vande Mataram – the history of Muslim opposition and support

Abdullah Faiz, Secretary of the Students Islamic Organisation, had said that the DEO’s orders to sing Vande Mataram during daily assembly is unconstitutional and against the Supreme Court’s 2017 judgment which clearly states that Vande Mataram cannot be given status on par with the national anthem as there is no provision in the constitution regarding a national song.

Following opposition from Muslim groups including AIMIM, the Telangana government has now stated that singing Vande Mataram in schools will not be made mandatory. T Vijaya Kumar, Commissioner of school education, confirmed that Vande Mataram will not be made mandatory and a circular regarding the same was not issued.

Rahul Gandhi repeats his ‘tribal land snatched’ lie while blaming Modi for incidents of violence in the country

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi repeats his ‘tribal land snatched’ lie while blaming Modi for incidents of violence in the country

After a brief gap, Rahul Gandhi is back in delivering public speeches, and with that, his lies have resumed. Addressing a rally in Kerala today, the former Congress president alleged that violence against minority communities and Dalits have increased, and PM Modi is responsible for this increase in violence.


Rahul Gandhi said that incidents of “violence against Dalits, thrashing them, cutting off their arms. Atrocities against Tribals, snatching their land” have increased in the country. With this allegation, he was repeating his lies about the amendments to the Indian Forest Act and Adivasi law. In April this year, he had claimed that the Modi government had included a provision in the Adivasi law which will empower the government to shoot down Tribals (Adivasis) without having to face any consequences.

Addressing an election rally ahead of Lok Sabha elections in Madhya Pradesh, he had said, “The Modi government has legislated a new provision in the Adivasi law which empowers them to snatch away your (tribals) land and resources and shot bullets at you with impunity.” Today he repeated the same allegations, replacing shot bullets with the cutting of arms. But this was a big lie, as the government has not made any law that allows it to snatch land of tribal population and thrash them. Even the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) had issued a notice to Rahul Gandhi for his blatant lie.


Rahul Gandhi also alleged that there is an increase in violence across the country, lawlessness and atrocities against women have gone up. He added that people are taking law into their own hands “because the man who is running this country believes in violence & indiscriminate power.”

Rahul Gandhi forgot that law and order is a state subject, and incidents of such violence are being reported from across the country, not just BJP ruled states. After the Maharashtra elections, the Congress supporters and pro-Congress media houses were proudly circulating a map showing the decline in the number of states ruled by BJP over the last couple of years. Telangana, where the Hyderabad incident happened, is ruled by TRS, not BJP. Two days ago a 4-year-old girl was gang-raped and murdered in Congress-ruled Madhya Pradesh, but strangely it didn’t create nationwide outrage like the Hyderabad or Unnao case have been doing.

Therefore, such crimes are happening across the country, even in states where there are Congress and other non-BJP parties are in power, but Rahul Gandhi spreads yet another lie to target the Modi government at the centre.

Law Ministry charts a comprehensive plan to get rid of pending rape and POCSO cases in 1 year with 1023 fast-track courts

OpIndia Staff
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Law Ministry charts a comprehensive plan to get rid of pending rape and POCSO cases in 1 year with 1023 fast-track courts

The law ministry has chalked a comprehensive plan to clear the backlog of pending rape and POCSO Act cases within a year. The law ministry plans to dispose of 1,66,882 pending rape and POCSO Act cases within a year by setting up 1023 Fast-Track Courts across the country.

Addressing the grave menace of sexual depravity, the government has asked each High Court and state to convey their willingness to be a part of the scheme by December 31. Several states are already running FTCs for trials of POCSO Act cases. The government is also likely to suggest a similar Fast Track Court scheme under the 15th Finance Commission (2020-2025).

Read: Child rapists convicted under POCSO should not have the right to file mercy petitions: President Ram Nath Kovind

“POCSO Act also directs that probes in such cases be completed within 2 months of the registration of FIR and the trial be completed within 6 months. However, despite strong law and policy framework, a large number of POCSO Act cases and rape cases remain pending across the country,” the law ministry said.

According to the data accumulated by the ministry, there are about 389 districts across the country where the pending POCSO Act cases exceed more than 100. In compliance with the Supreme Court directive, the government has ordered to set up Fast Track Courts in such districts.

The FTC trials will be monitored quarterly by the department of justice under the law ministry and each of these FTCs will be connected to the National Judicial Data Grid (NJDG) that updates the status of the cases on a daily basis.

Read: Modi government’s bill to amend POCSO Act gets Cabinet nod, child rapists to be awarded the death penalty

The department of justice will analyse the data received from the quarterly reports by the high courts and the NJDG to draw a comparative analysis of the performances of FTCs and identify best practices from it.

Out of the pending 1,66,882 rape cases, 1,60,989 cases fall under the POCSO Act, which amounts to over 96%. The POCSO Act, 2012 was legislated to provide a robust legal framework for the protection of children from offences of sexual assault, sexual harassment and pornography, while safeguarding the interest of the child at every stage of the judicial process. The Act includes mechanisms for child-friendly reporting, recording of evidence, investigation and speedy trial of offences through designated Special Courts.

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