Modi govt appoints Arnab Goswami, Ram Bahadur, 2 other saffronists as members of NMML

Agencies
November 3, 2018

New Delhi, Nov 3: The Centre has appointed journalist Arnab Goswami, former Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, BJP MP Vinay Sahasrabuddhe and IGNCA chairman Ram Bahadur Rai as members of Nehru Memorial Museum and Library Society, replacing four members who had opposed the move to build a museum for all prime ministers at the Teen Murti Estate.

Former Union Minister MJ Akbar, who resigned from the Cabinet on October 17 in the wake of allegations of sexual harassment levelled by several women journalists, however, continues to be the vice chairman of the NMML executive council.

According to a notification on October 29, the culture ministry replaced economist Nitin Desai, professor Udayan Mishra and former bureaucrat BP Singh. Another member Pratap Bhanu Mehta had resigned in 2016 over the appointment of Shakti Sinha as NMML director.

The newly appointed members will serve until April 25, 2020, the order said.

Pratap Bhanu Mehta, BP Singh and Udayan Mishra, who have been replaced, had openly spoken against the decision to set up the museum for PMs at the complex, sources said.

"Their tenures have not ended. They have been replaced," NMML director Shakti Sinha told PTI on the development.

Asked about the reason behind the appointments, Sinha said they will help meet the goal to develop NMML into a centre of research as envisioned by the present government

"This is part of a bigger plan to make NMML a centre of research. Ram Bahadur Rai has been commenting on the Indian political scene for the last 50 years. He personally knew some of the PMs," Sinha said

"Jaishankar will bring us an insight into how decisions are made at the top and Goswami, as a senior journalist and a scholar in his earlier days, will also contribute immensely to our plans of creating a database of research and information on Indian political history," said Sinha.

Sahasrabuddhe, who is president of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations, took to Twitter to thank the prime minister and hit out at those opposing the proposed museum for all prime ministers.

"It's an honour to be on the board of Nehru Memorial Museum n Library! Many thanks PM @narendramodi ji, @dr_maheshsharma ji! Expectedly, those talking about Inclusive Democracy are opposing conversion of  NMML into all-PM Museum with Pt Nehru Memorial intact!", tweeted Sahasrabuddhe.

Ram Bahadur Rai is the chairman of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts

The 'bhoomi poojan' (foundation stone laying ceremony) for the museum was conducted by Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma on October 15 this year.

The NMML is also embroiled in a controversy over an eviction notice sent in September by the Directorate of Estates of the Union Ministry of Urban Development to the Jawaharlal Nehru Memorial Fund.

Established in 1964, the Fund has been located at Teen Murti, once the residence of India's first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, since 1967.

On November 1, however, the Delhi High Court stayed the eviction notice.

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bangarappa
 - 
Sunday, 4 Nov 2018

loyal DOGS, SLAVES & bootlicker get promotion, true patroit get anti national award, what a day come to our belove country.

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News Network
January 10,2020

New Delhi, Jan 10: The Supreme Court while hearing petitions challenging restrictions in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday stated that the right to access the internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India.

"It is no doubt that freedom of speech is an essential tool in a democratic setup. The freedom of Internet access is a fundamental right under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution," a two-judge bench headed by Justice N V Ramana stated while reading out the judgment.

The top court said that Kashmir has seen a lot of violence and that it will try to maintain a balance between human rights and freedoms with the issue of security.

It also directed the Jammu and Kashmir administration to review the restrictive orders imposed in the region within a week. “The citizens should be provided highest security and liberty,” the apex court added.

The top court made observations and issued directions while pronouncing the verdict on a number of petitions challenging the restrictions and internet blockade imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in August last year.

The Supreme Court had on November 27 reserved the judgment on a batch of petitions challenging restrictions imposed on communication, media and telephone services in Jammu and Kashmir pursuant to revocation of Article 370.

The court heard the petitions filed by various petitioners including Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and Kashmir Times editor Anuradha Bhasin.

The petitions were filed after the central government scrapped Article 370 in August and bifurcated Jammu and Kashmir into two Union Territories -- Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Following this, phone lines and the internet were blocked in the region.

The government had, however, contended that it has progressively eased restrictions.

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News Network
January 15,2020

Srinagar, Jan 15: The Jammu and Kashmir administration on Tuesday evening allowed mobile Internet in parts of Jammu region and broadband in establishments providing essential services, days after the Supreme Court ordered a review of the curbs imposed in the Union Territory.

The order comes into effect from January 15 and shall remain in force for seven days, a government communication said.

In a three-page order, the administration asked Internet service providers to offer broadband facility (with Mac binding) to all institutions dealing with essential services such as hospitals, banks and government offices.

In order to facilitate tourism, the broadband Internet services would be provided to hotels and tour and travel establishments, the order said.

Mac Binding essentially means to enforce a client machine to work from a particular Internet Protocol address.

"Prior to giving such facility, the service providers have been asked to install necessary firewalls and carry out white-listing of sites that would enable government websites and website dealing with essential services like e-banking," the order said.

However, all social media sites remain out of bounds. "There shall be complete restrictions on social media applications allowing peer-to-peer communication and virtual private network applications for the time being," the order said.

The institutions and government offices that are being provided Internet access shall be responsible to prevent misuse, according to the order.

It said the 2G mobile connectivity on post-paid mobiles for accessing white-listed websites including e-banking will be allowed in districts of Jammu, Samba, Kathua, Udhampur and Reasi -- all in the Jammu region.

The order said that the police has brought material relating to the terror modules operating in Jammu and Kashmir including handlers from across the border who are attempting to aid and incite people by transmission of fake news and targeted messages through use of Internet.

The relaxation came days after the Supreme Court said access to the Internet is a fundamental right under Article 19 of the Constitution.

The SC verdict had come on Friday on a batch of pleas challenging the curbs imposed in Jammu and Kashmir after the Centre's abrogation of provisions of Article 370 on August 5 last year.

The court had also asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to review within a week all orders imposing curbs in the Union Territory.

It had asked the J-K administration to restore Internet services in institutions such as hospitals and educational places providing essential services.

The J-K administration's Tuesday communication said that in view of the Supreme Court directions, the situation has been reviewed and Internet has been opened whereever it was possible keeping in view the security consideration.

In Kashmir, 400 additional Internet kiosks will be established, besides the 900 terminals which are already operational in the Valley.

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Agencies
August 7,2020

Kottayam, Aug 7: A trial court in Kottayam on Friday granted bail to Bishop Franco Mulakkal, accused of raping a nun in Kerala, with stringent conditions and directed him to be present on the dates of hearing of the case.

The Additional Sessions Court had cancelled the bail granted to the Bishop on July 13 for failing to appear for the trial and issued a Non Bailable Warrant against him.

Mulakkal was present in the Court on Friday when it considered the matter.

Granting bail, the court directed him not to leave the state till the chargesheet is read out to him on August 13 and to be present in court on the dates of hearing of the case.

The Court also directed him to offer fresh sureties and bail bonds.

On July 13, Mulakkal’s counsel had informed the court that his client could not appear as he had been in self quarantine due to his primary contact with a COVID-19 infected person.

The next day, the former Jalandhar Bishop had tested positive for coronavirus.

The prosecution informed the Court that Mulakkal had not produced the COVID negative certificate, to which the Court observed that the state Health Department can take necessary action on this issue.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday had directed Mulakkal to face trial as it dismissed his plea seeking discharge in the rape case lodged against him by the nun belonging to a congregation under Jalandhar diocese, saying there was no merit in his petition.

A bench of Chief Justice S A Bobde, A S Bopanna and V Ramasubramanian had told the counsel for Bishop that the court is not saying anything on merit, but is dismissing the plea on the issue of discharge from the case.

Mulakkal, in his plea had challenged the July 7 Kerala High Court order, dismissing his discharge plea in the rape case filed by the nun.

The High Court had asked the deposed Bishop of Jalandhar diocese to stand for trial in the rape case, which was registered on the basis of a complaint filed by the nun.

The senior priest of the Roman Catholic Church had filed the revision petition following the dismissal of his discharge plea by a trial court in March this year.

The rape case against the Bishop was registered by police in Kottayam district.

In her complaint to the police in June, 2018, the nun had alleged that she was subjected to sexual abuse by the bishop during the period between 2014 and 2016.

The bishop, who was arrested by the Special Investigation team, which probed the case, charged him with wrongful confinement, rape, unnatural sex and criminal intimidation.

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