BJP backs SC verdict on gay sex

December 15, 2013

RajnathNew Delhi, Dec 15: Breaking its silence on the Supreme Court order banning homosexuality, BJP has said it favours the verdict and will not support any "un-natural act".

While initially party leaders had refused to take a stand on whether they support the order or not, BJP President Rajnath Singh has said that if the government convenes an all-party meeting on the issue, his party will support Section 377 of IPC which bans homosexuality.

"If an all-party meeting is called, we will support Section 377 as we believe that homosexuality is an un-natural act. We cannot support it," Singh said.

Earlier when this question was posed to Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj and her Rajya Sabha counterpart Arun Jaitley at a press conference, Swaraj had said, "The Supreme Court judgement says if Parliament wants it can change it. The government can call an all-party meeting to build a consensus on the issue. We will see the government proposal in the meeting and tell our view."

The party has been cautious in taking a stand on the issue as many BJP leaders feel opinion in the society is divided on it.

Some BJP leaders, however, appeared to be opposed to the Supreme Court order.

"Section 377 of IPC only bans sexual conduct that goes against the order of nature. A reading down of this law can be that to be born with gay tendencies cannot be against the order of nature. The court does not have to legalise or illegalise such a thing. It is not against the order of nature," a BJP leader had said.

However, Singh's comments are being treated as the official line of the party on this issue.

"What Rajnath Singh has said is the official stand. We have a culture and tradition and this goes against it. One cannot allow a new culture of this kind," BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said.

Refuting the stand taken by Congress President Sonia Gandhi and party vice president Rahul Gandhi, Naqvi said homosexuality is against the established norms of the society.

Sonia Gandhi has described the Supreme Court verdict as "disappointing".

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News Network
June 29,2020

New Delhi, Jun 29: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday paid tribute to the senior doctor of city government-run LNJP Hospital who died battling COVID-19, saying the society has "lost a very valuable fighter".

The 52-year-old doctor served in the front line of the war against the pandemic at the government facility, and died of novel coronavirus infection in an ICU of a private hospital on Sunday.

"Dr Aseem Gupta, a senior doctor of LNJP Hospital succumbed to Covid yday. He was known for going out of his way to serve his patients. We have lost a very valuable fighter. Delhi salutes his spirit and sacrifice...," Kejriwal tweeted.

The chief minister also said in his tweet that he has spoken to Dr Gupta''s wife and "offered my condolences and support".

LNJP Hospital is a dedicated COVID-19 facility under the Delhi government. It recently completed 100 days of being declared a coronavirus facility.

"LNJP Hospital has displayed great fortitude in the face of acute challenges. It''s recovery rate is going up, death rate is reducing, ICU capacity is being ramped up - the hospital is saving so many lives," the chief minister said.

A condolence meeting to pay respect to Dr Gupta has been scheduled at 1 pm in the office of the Medical Director of the hospital, a senior official said.

The doctor, a consultant anaesthesiologist died at the Max hospital, Saket in south Delhi, a private dedicated COVID-19 facility.

"He was a front line anaesthesia specialist who contracted COVID-19 infection while on duty. He tested positive on June 6, when he had mild symptoms and was shifted to a quarantine facility. His symptoms aggravated on June 7 and he was admitted in the Intensive Care Unit of the LNJP Hospital," the LNJP Hospital said in a statement on Sunday.

He was shifted to Max Hospital, Saket on June 8 on his request, it said.

The doctor was battling the disease for the last two weeks at Max Hospital, where he succumbed to the illness on Sunday, the statement said.

He was Specialist, Grade I, in the Department of Anaesthesia at the LNJP Hospital, the statement said.

Several hundreds of healthcare workers have been infected with COVID-19 till date in Delhi.

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News Network
July 9,2020

Ujjain, Jul 9: Kanpur encounter main accused Vikas Dubey has been arrested at a police station here on Thursday, as per sources in the Uttar Pradesh government.

"Vikas Dubey, the main accused in Kanpur encounter case, has been arrested at a police station in Ujjain," said UP government sources.

Dubey is the main accused in the encounter that took place in Kanpur last week, in which a group of assailants allegedly opened fire on a police team, which had gone to arrest him.

Eight police personnel were killed in the encounter.

Earlier today, Bahua Dubey and Prabhat Mishra, close aides of the main accused, were killed in separate encounters in Etawah and Kanpur respectively.

Whereas, Shyamu Bajpai, also an aide to Dubey, has been arrested by Chaubeypur police following an encounter. He carried a reward of Rs 25,000. Uttar Pradesh's Special Task Force (STF) had gunned down Vikas Dubey's close aide Amar Dubey in Hamirpur district, earlier on Wednesday.

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Agencies
July 7,2020

New Delhi, Jul 7: The University Grants Commission (UGC) has issued revised guidelines regarding the conduct of terminal semesters and final year exams by Universities and educational institutions. It has been suggested that exams may be completed by September in online or offline modes.

Releasing a statement, the UGC said it accepted the recommendations suggested by the expert committee. "In continuation to earlier Guidelines issued on 29.04.2020 and based on the Report of the Expert Committee, the UGC Revised Guidelines on Examination and Academic Calendar for the Universities in view of COVID-19 Pandemic were also approved by the Commission in its emergent meeting held on 6th July 2020," the statement read.

The Commission further said that while it was important to safeguard principles of health, safety and equal opportunities, it was also very important to ensure academic credibility, career opportunities and future progress of students.

"The Commission approved the recommendations of the Expert Committee regarding the conduct of terminal semester(s)/ final year(s) examinations by the universities/ institutions to be completed by the end of September 2020 in offline (pen & paper online/ blended (online + offline) mode," it added.

The UGC also said that if required it would also issue relevant details related to admissions and academic calendar in the universities and colleges. It asked the students to adopt the latest guidelines and complete the terminal semester or final year exams accordingly. 

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