72 sitting MPs could go if convicted

October 1, 2013
New Delhi, Oct 1: As many as 72 sitting MPs face criminal charges and could be disqualified if convicted for over two years, watchdog Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) said Tuesday.

lalu_rasheed

According to a study by the NGO, of these MPs, 18 are from the Bharatiya Janata Party while the Congress has 14, Samajwadi Party (eight), Bahujan Samaj Party (six), AIADMK (four), Janata Dal-United (three) and Communist Party of India-Marxist (two). The remaining 17 belong to smaller parties.

The issue has come into focus after a Delhi court convicted Congress MP Rashid Masood in the MBBS scam case and a Central Bureau of Investigation court in Ranchi Monday convicted Rashtriya Janata Dal chief Lalu Prasad in the multi-crore fodder scam case.

Masood had fraudulently nominated undeserving candidates to the MBBS seats allotted to Tripura medical colleges from the central pool. The fodder scam involved the embezzlement from the government treasury in Bihar.

One reason for the low rate of conviction is the excruciatingly slow pace at which hearings of cases proceed in courts, said the NGO working for transparency in politics.

ADR said that an analysis of the elections (including 2009 Lok Sabha and assembly polls since 2008) of the 4,807 elected members (MPs and state legislators), 1,460 (30 percent) have declared criminal cases against them.

Of these, 688 (14 percent) face serious criminal cases.

It further said not all convictions lead to disqualification of sitting MPs or state legislators but only those related to the cases registered under violations mentioned in section 8(1), 8(2) and 8(3) as per the July 10 Supreme Court judgment.

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News Network
May 15,2020

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala activist Rehana Fathima has been asked to take compulsory retirement from BSNL after she was embroiled in Sabarimala row.

Stating that her attempt to enter the shrine of celibate god in 2018 had spoiled the reputation of the company among customers, the BSNL, in its order asked her to take compulsory retirement, further claiming that her acts were “subversive of discipline and amount to misconduct”.

She was suspended from service following her arrest in November 2018 over Facebook posts.

Fathima, who is a technician with the state-run communications company, said she will explore legal remedies against the order sent by her employer.

The Fathima hit headlines when she attempted to enter the Sabarimala shrine, which has traditionally been closed to women in the age group of 10-50 years.

She did after the Supreme Court order allowing entry of women in the age group of 10-50.

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News Network
June 17,2020

Jaipur, Jun 17: Police have registered an FIR against a television news anchor for allegedly making an objectionable comment on Sufi saint Khwaja Moinuddin Chishti.

The FIR was lodged after a complaint against News 18 India anchor Amish Devgan by a "khadim" at the saint's dargah in Ajmer on Tuesday night.

"He is running a communal agenda against the Muslim community. The dargah of Sufi saint is visited not only by Muslims but by people of all religions and his comments have hurt the sentiments of all," Syed Sarwar Chishti said.

The anchor later apologised on Twitter. "In 1 of my debates, I inadvertently referred to 'Khilji' as Chishti. I sincerely apologise for this grave error and the anguish it may hv caused to followers of the Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti, whom I revere. I have in the past sought blessings at his dargah. I regret this error," Devgan tweeted.

Dargah SHO Hem Raj said a case was registered under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the IT Act for outraging religious feelings.

Another complaint was lodged by activist Muzaffar Bharti at the office of Ajmer's Superintendent of Police.

He accused Devgan and his team of trying to incite riots through "misleading and objectionable debates on communal issues".

He said Devgan made highly objectionable remarks on the revered saint, which shall not be tolerated.

"The dargah of Moinuddin Chishti is the symbol of brotherhood and harmony and crores of people of different religions all over the world have deep love and faith in the saint," he said.

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News Network
January 12,2020

Kolkata, Jan 12: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday announced that Kolkata Port Trust will be renamed as Syama Prasad Mukherjee Port.

Addressing the gathering at the inauguration of 150th anniversary celebrations of Kolkata Port Trust, he said: "I announce the renaming of the Kolkata Port Trust to Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Port. He is a living legend who was a leader for development and fought on the forefront for the idea of One Nation, One Constitution."

"This port represents industrial, spiritual and self-sufficiency aspirations of India. Today, when the port is celebrating its 150th anniversary, it is our responsibility to make it a powerful symbol of New India," Modi said.

The Prime Minister said that the Bharatiya Jana Sangh founder had set the stone for industrialization in India. "Chittaranjan Locomotive Factory, Hindustan Aircraft Factory, Damodar Valley Corporation and several others saw active participation from him," he said.

The Prime Minister also felicitated the two oldest pensioners of the Kolkata Port Trust, Nagina Bhagat and Naresh Chandra Chakraborty.

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