Govt gears up to face debate on intolerance

November 26, 2015

New Delhi, Nov 26: The Modi government is bracing to face flak from the Opposition over rising incidents of intolerance when Parliament meets for the winter session from Thursday.

parliamentThe first two days of the winter session would be dedicated to the commemoration of the Constitution Day and celebrate the 125th birth anniversary of B R Ambedkar.

The broad topic listed for discussion – ‘Commitment to India’s Constitution’ – has given enough scope to the opposition to come out all guns blazing to pin down the Modi government on the intolerance debate.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu got a sense of the opposition mood at an all party meeting convened by him on Wednesday. He conceded the opposition demand on having a discussion on intolerance in Parliament.

“Party leaders, MLAs, MPs, ministers, the political relatives of the BJP and even Governors have made controversial statements, but there is no action against a single person. This shows that the government too is intolerant,” Ghulam Nabi Azad, leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha told reporters here. Opposition leaders said the two-day discussion on the Constitution would be a virtual censure motion against the Modi government.

At the meeting convened by Naidu, the opposition insisted that both Houses of Parliament adopt resolutions, the wording of which should be decided by consensus among political leaders.

CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury said his notice to move a resolution condemning intolerance and communal polarisation has been accepted by Rajya Sabha Chairman Hamid Ansari.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who dropped by at the meeting convened by Naidu, assured the opposition that Finance Minister Arun Jaitley would reach out to them to address their concerns on the GST.

Modi’s offer to have Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar brief the opposition on the Paris climate summit is also seen as the government attempt to adopt an inclusive approach to governance, particularly after the severe drubbing the BJP received in the Bihar Assembly elections.

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Agencies
July 30,2020

Kochi, Jul 30: The Kerala High Court on Thursday refused to grant the extension for the stay of a 74-year-old US citizen, Johnny Paul Pierce, who had earlier said that he felt safer to remain in India than in the United States amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The single-judge bench of Justice CS Dias, which considered the writ petition, observed that the grant or extension of visa to foreign nationals fall exclusively within the domain of the Government of India (GoI) and that judicial review in such matters is minimal.

The power of the GoI to expel foreigners is absolute and unlimited, the bench said.

"In view of the categoric declaration of law by the Supreme Court, the plea of the petitioner to permit him to stay back in India cannot be accepted, as it falls within the purview of the guidelines and the discretion of the Government of India," the order said.

"The petitioner cannot be heard that the guidelines/policies/regulations formulated by the Government of India, that an American national though has been granted a visa having validity of five years has to leave India within 180 days, is irrational or unreasonable," it added.

The High Court, which was hearing a plea to permit the US citizen to stay in India for a further period of six months, said that the petitioner does not have a case that there is an infraction of Article 21 of the Constitution of India.

"The petitioner was well aware of the visa conditions when he arrived in India, and it is too late in the day for him to raise a grievance on the visa conditions," the bench said noting that the petitioner's love for India was heartening.

The High Court also directed the Foreigners Registration Officer to consider the petitioner's representation within a period of two weeks in accordance with the applicable guidelines and policies.

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Agencies
January 25,2020

Patna, Jan 25: JD Women's College in Patna has issued a direction to the students to follow the prescribed dress code on the campus while stating that wearing a 'burqa' in college is prohibited.

"All students have to come to college in the prescribed dress code, every day except on Saturday. Students are prohibited from wearing 'burqa' in college", reads a notice signed by the Principal and Proctor of the college.

The college administration has also imposed a fine of Rs. 250 for violation of the norm.

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Abdullah
 - 
Sunday, 26 Jan 2020

I think this college management will allow girl students to wear tight jeans + t-shair and miniskirts but is not allowing a girl to cover her body.    Are we in ancient days where humans had no dress to cover themselves or in the time of Nair kings in kerala who restricted ladies of low caste from covering their chest.     

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News Network
July 16,2020

Mumbai, Jul 16: Poet-activist Varavara Rao has tested positive for Covid-19. The 80-year old, named as accused in the Elgar Parishad case, was shifted to state-run JJ Hospital from Taloja central jail where he was lodged after he complained of dizziness. The hospital conducted tests including one for Covid-19 the results for which confirmed that he is positive.

Dr Ranjit Mankeshwar, the dean of JJ Hospital said, “He has shown no symptoms of Covid-19 so far. He has no breathing difficulty and is stable. We will soon shift him to a Covid hospital.” Rao is likely to be shifted to St George hospital.

Last week, Rao’s family had held a press conference after receiving a call from him from prison. His family had then said that his condition was deteriorating and he should be provided immediate medical aid. He was earlier shifted to the hospital when he fell unconscious in jail in May but was discharged within three days. The family had said that he was not provided proper medical treatment.

Last month, a special court had rejected his interim bail plea where he had cited his susceptibility to the virus due to his age and other medical conditions. The court, however, had said the superintendent of prison has been directed to take appropriate measures in such cases where medical attention is required. Before he was shifted to the hospital on Tuesday, Rao was admitted to the hospital ward of the jail and as he had been unable to do basic chores without depending on other inmates.

An appeal against the special court’s order is pending before the Bombay High Court. The plea is likely to be heard tomorrow.

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Naresh
 - 
Thursday, 16 Jul 2020

Real criminals got bail or they r free from jail becoz of corona. Varavara rao and other innocents under custody.

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