Indira Gandhi was a power crazy woman, why should we honour people like her and Rajiv: Katju on stamps row

September 18, 2015

katjuNew Delhi, Sep 18: Known for being quite vocal about his opinions, former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju on Thursday backed government's decision to discontinue Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi's stamps while also raising questions on their credentials as the former PMs of India.

Former chairman of Press Council of India, Katju in his blog said that though he is not an admirer of BJP government, yet he sees nothing wrong in its decision to discontinue the postage stamps bearing the pictures of Indira Gandhi and Rajeev Gandhi.

“Indira Gandhi was a power crazy woman who was willing to go to any extent to hold on to power. She imposed a fake ' Emergency ' in 1975 because the Allahabad High Court had held her guilty of corrupt election practice,” excerpts from Katju's blog.

“Rajeev Gandhi got the progressive and humanitarian Shahbano decision ( that a Muslim husband who divorces his wife must give her maintenance ) legislatively annulled. He sent the Indian army to Sri Lanka for no good reason, which resulted in the death of several thousands of our soldiers,” he further wrote in the blog.

The NDA government has replaced Builders of Modern India theme, which included stamps of Indira and Rajiv Gandhi, with Makers of India theme.

However, stamps of Jawaharlal Nehru, Mahatma Gandhi, B R Ambedkar and Mother Teresa have been retained.

The new definitive theme, which means stamps for regular services, brings in host of eminent personalities like Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Shivaji, Maulana Azad, Bhagat Singh, Jayaprakash Narayan, Ram Manohar Lohia, Vivekananda and Maharana Pratap.

Katju had a few days ago created a controversy with his tweet on Monday where he had described Subhas Chandra Bose as a "Japanese agent" and Tagore a "British stooge".

He said, "I am soon coming to Kolkata where I will give a speech with a scathing attack on that British stooge Tagore and that Japanese agent Subhas Chandra Bose."

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News Network
May 8,2020

Aurangabad, May 8: At least 15 migrant workers, who were sleeping on the railway tracks while going back to their native places, were run over by a goods train between Maharashtra's Jalna and Aurangabad, officials said on Friday.

A senior railway official confirmed that 15 migrant labourers were run over by a goods train between Jalna and Aurangabad of Nanded Divison of South Central Railway.

The official said that the incident happened around 5.30 am on Friday when the migrant workers, who were on way back to their homes and sleeping on the railway tracks.

However, it is yet not clear from where this group hailed and where they were going.

Amid the nationwide lockdown, thousands of migrant workers stranded in several other cities have started their journey to return to their native places on foot.

The interstate bus service, passenger, mail and express train services have been suspended since March 24.

The railways has started running Shramik Special trains to transport the stranded migrants to their native places since May 1.

Till Thursday railways has run 201 Shramik Special trains.

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News Network
February 21,2020

Pune/Mumbai, Feb 21: A BJP youth wing leader from Pune on Thursday submitted a complaint application to the police against AIMIM leader Waris Pathan for his controversial remarks made recently in Karnataka.

Pathan has claimed he has been quoted out of context.

Parismal Deshpande, a BJYM worker, submitted the written application at the Deccan Gymkhana police station, demading action against Pathan for allegedly promoting enmity between different groups and outraging religious feelings of a community.

Deshpande, in his complaint stated, that Pathan reportedly said "15 crore hai lekin 100 crore pe bhari hai' (We are 15 crore but we can dominate 100 crore).

"The statement by Pathan promotes violence and create a divide between two communities.

"Because of such statements, there are possibilities of atmosphere getting vitiated. Hence, he should be booked under IPC sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups, 295A (outraging religious feelings), and 504 (provoking breach of the peace)," Deshpande said in the complaint.

An officer from the Deccan police station confirmed receiving the application.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the BJP slammed Pathan.

The saffron party on Thursday tweeted @BJP4Maharashtra saying, "Waris Pathan, who are you threatening to? Shiv Sena led government may tolerate your comments; but BJP and people of Maharashtra will teach you a lesson that your hate- mongering speeches will be shut."

However, Pathan has issued a statement to the media, saying he has been quoted out of context.

"I hereby wish to state that the media reports on TV channels showing my statement made in the public meeting at Gulbarga five days back have totally quoted me out of context," Pathan claimed on late Thursday evening.

"I wish to reiterate that I can never say anything intentionally or unintentionally that hurts the sentiments of any caste, community or gender. I am a proud Indian and respects the plurality of this country," he said.

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Agencies
February 26,2020

Kochi, Feb 26: Kerala High Court on Wednesday imposed a ban on strikes in schools and colleges that impact the functioning of the campuses.

''The functioning of campuses should not be hampered by the strikes. The colleges are for study, not for strikes. There should not be any march or gherao on campuses. Do not incite anyone for a strike," a bench of Justice PB Suresh Kumar said in its order.

"The order applies to schools and colleges. Do not harm the rights of others. The college can be a venue for peaceful discussions or thoughts. If actions are contrary to the orders of the court, the authorities can take action. They can call the police and restore peace," the order reads.

The Kerala High Court issued the order while hearing a petition filed by 20 educational institutions against campus politics.

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