Amid outrage over a video that shows police thrashing students, including women, during a protest, Delhi top cop B S Bassi today appeared to defend his force suggesting that the protesters may have provoked them.
“Right to protest coexists with what Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr said – The right to swing my fist ends where the other mans nose begins,” the police commissioner posted on microblogging website Twitter.
Although, Bassi attributed the quote to American Jurist Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr, its origin is disputed as the adage is attributed to various legal luminaries. The quote is also recorded in a 1919 Harvard Law Review essay by legal philosopher Zechariah Chafee which contained a version spoken by an anonymous judge.
Referring to Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwals tweet that Delhi Police was being used as RSS and BJPs “private army”, Bassi said that he will try to clear the CMs “misgivings” when they meet next.
“DP handled 11,156 L&O events in 2015, most peaceful. Whenever I meet HonbleCM, I shall try to clear his misgivings. DP is bound to protect freedom of free speech and peaceful assembly. Help DP and democracy by agitating at JantarMantar,” he said in a series of tweets.
The video of police thrashing a group of students with sticks and fists and dragging women by their hair during a protest over Dalit student Rohith Vemulas suicide has triggered widespread outrage with Congress and AAP seeking action against the erring cops.
Yesterday, Bassi ordered an inquiry into the incident, that took place near the RSS headquarters on January 30, which, he said will be probed from all aspects, including examining whether there was any “indiscretion”.
A Delhi School of Social Work (DSW) student, who was at the receiving end of the police assault, alleged police took turns in “brutally” thrashing him and did not even let him sip water. PTI
Nitish Kumar cabinet today relaxed the norm for mandatory toilets at the homes for candidates contesting the coming elections to panchayat and urban local bodies.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the state cabinet presided over by Kumar, Principal Secretary Cabinet Coordination Department Brajesh Mahrotra told reporters.
The Bihar State Panchayati Raj Act, 2006 had made it compulsory for a candidate in the local bodies poll to have a toilet at home as an eligibility criteria.
The election to local bodies in Bihar is scheduled for next month.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi, who had made a request to the state government for waiver of the clause, expressed happiness over the cabinet decision.
Sushil Modi told reporters that the fault lies with the state government for not building toilets for about 1.5 crore households in the state. The mandatory clause of the toilet would have stopped many genuine candidates from fighting the poll.
In another important decision, the state cabinet gave its nod to a proposal of finance department to increase VAT on petrol and diesel from existing 20 per cent to 30 per cent, Mahrotra said.
An additional Rs 330 crore would be mobilised annually by increasing the surcharge, he said.
The Nitish Kumar cabinet also okayed a proposal to increase dearness allowance by 11 per cent to employees and pension holders with effect from July 1, 2015, he said.
Now they will get 234 per cent DA in place of 223 per cent at present, Mahrotra added.
The Bihar cabinet also gave green signal to creation of 46 posts of different levels of Bihar Vikash Mission headed by Advisor to the CM Prashant Kishor for implementation of CMs “seven resolves”. PTI
Over 67 lakh people in Jammu and Kashmir have been issued Aadhaar cards while over 84 lakh have been enrolled for the unique identity cards in the state.
The J&K government, on the direction of Governor N N Vohra, has set a deadline of March 31 to ensure that all the employees as well as daily wagers, casual and seasonal labourers working in various departments under the state government enroll themselves under Aadhaar, said Hirdesh Kumar, Commissioner, Information Technology.
The direction was given so that the salaries from April 1 are paid to them on the basis of Aadhaar enrolment.
“As many as 84,00,233 people have been enrolled and Aadhaar cards have already been issued to 67,69,272 people in J&K so far,” he said.
“Out of the total population of 1,25,41,302, records have already been digitized in respect of 1,09,43,114 persons,” he said.
To expedite the process for enrolment, 133 additional permanent Enrolment Centres have been sanctioned in the state, with over 193 centres already established in J&K, Kumar said.
The Chief Secretary will have a video-conference with the Deputy Commissioners on February 4 to undertake district-wise review
The French Embassy here on Tuesday said there was no ban on wearing turbans in public space while reacting to a charge by a Sikh organisation that the community has been fighting for their rights in France.
“Outside the premises of public schools, wearing the Sikh turban is very much allowed in public space, contrary to the allegations of certain radical organisations. Only the burkha is banned in public places, for obvious security reasons.
No hostility on Sikhs, their shrines
“Furthermore, neither Sikhs wearing turbans in the streets nor Sikh shrines were ever subject to any hostility in France,” the embassy said in a statement here.
It also noted that the embassy issued this clarification following recent allegations regarding the so-called restrictions imposed on the wearing of the Sikh turban in France.
We uphold the freedom of religion
“France upholds the freedom of religion, as well as the right not to have one, and opposes discriminations on this ground. There is no ban on the wearing of turbans. French law in this matter is very precise: the restriction applies to the wearing of all visible religious signs, without any discrimination, and it applies only to public schools.
“It leaves it to the heads of public schools to take the most appropriate measures, so that it is implemented in a sensitive manner,” the statement added. This measure has been explained to the Indian authorities and representatives of the Sikh community in France, with whom a regular dialogue has been established, the Embassy said.
“The Sikhs of France understand and have assimilated the laws on French principle of separation between the State and religious institutions and practical solutions have been found to reconcile their religious practice with the principles of the French Republic,” it added.
Hollande wanted Sikh contingent at R-Day parade
Protesting against the absence of a Sikh regiment contingent at the Republic Day parade where French President Francois Hollande was the chief guest, the Shiromani Akali Dal on Monday said it was a setback to the struggle of Sikhs who have been fighting for their rights in France.
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had also written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi in this regard.
Four air-conditioned special trains will be run next month from Nagpur to Pune, Nagpur to Amritsar and back, to clear the extra rush of passengers.
Train number 02124 will depart from Nagpur to Pune on February 2, 9, 16 and 23 (every Tuesday), and train 02123 will leave Pune on February 3, 10, 17 and 24 (on Wednesdays).
Train 02124 will leave Nagpur at 7.50 PM and arrive in Pune at 11.45 AM the next day.
Similarly, train 02123 will depart from Pune at 3.15 PM and reach Nagpur at 5.15 AM the next day, Central Railway Public Relations Officer P D Patil said here.
The trains will consist of 16 coaches, including one 1 AC, four 2 AC and nine 3 AC.
These will halt at Wardha, Dhamangaon, Badnera, Akola, Bhusaval, Manmad, Kopargaon, Dound and Pune in both the directions.
Besides, four air-conditioned special trains from Nagpur to Amritsar and back will also be run next month.
The trains to Amritsar will operate on February 6, 13, 20 and 27 and return on February 8, 15, 22 and 29.
Train number 02125 will depart Nagpur at 5.20 PM and reach Amritsar next day at 9.05 PM.
It will return from Amritsar at 4.20 AM and arrive in Nagpur at 4.25 AM the next day.
The trains will halt at Bhopal, Jhansi, Gwalior, Agra, New Delhi, Ambala, Ludhiana and Jalandhar in both the directions.
These will consist of one 1 AC, four 2 AC and nine 3 AC coaches.
India today became the number one side in the ICC T20 rankings after whitewashing Australia in the three-match series here today.
India, who are also the number one in Tests, overtook the West Indies to reach the top sport in the shortest format. India have 120 rating points, two more than the Caribbean unit. Sri Lanka also have 118 rating points like the West Indies but they are third in the charts.
India have hit top form in the T20 format ahead of the World T20 to be held at home in March-April. They had famously won the inaugural World T20 in South Africa in 2007.
England (117 rating points) are fourth in the rankings ahead of New Zealand (116), South Africa (115), Pakistan (113) and Australia (110). Afghanistan (80) and Scotland (66) round up the top-10.
A 42-year-old man has been sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment by the district court here for raping his teenage step-daughter.
Additional Sessions Judge U M Nandeshwar passed the judgement yesterday against the man, who is a resident of Bhiwandi taluka.
Additional Public Prosecutor Ruma Navle told the court that the victim was raped in March, 2013 by her step-father in their house.
After the incident, the traumatised girl fled the house and came to Kalyan train station here, from where she reached Dadar train station in Mumbai, she said.
Some persons, who saw her wandering, enquired why she was there following which she told them about the ordeal.
The girl was then taken to Sneha Sadan, a children’s home, whose volunteers brought her to her residence, she said.
There, she divulged the incident to her mother, following which a case was registered and investigation initiated, she said, adding the accused was arrested on April 3, 2013.
Later, the victim’s mother disappeared from the house, after which the girl was brought to Sneha Sadan again, she said.
The prosecutor, stressing on the serious nature of the crime, demanded strictest punishment for the accused.
The accused was held guilty under relevant sections of the IPC and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment.
The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 5,000 on the convict, and ordered additional imprisonment of six months in case of default in payment of fine, she said.
PTI
New Delhi: Extending support to striking MCD workers demanding dues, Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday hoped that “some solution” will emerge after the high court hears the matter next week.
“I support demand of protesting MCD employees that they shud get their full salaries. I hope some solution will emerge after Tue HC hearing,” Kejriwal, currently in Bangalore for naturopathy treatment, said on Twitter.
The chief minister also lauded personnel from the state’s public works department (PWD) for working the “whole night” to clear garbage and urged AAP functionaries to help the department men.
“I am told PWD people and trucks worked whole nite to clean up garbage. I wud urge all AAP volunteers to help PWD,” he said on the micro-blogging site, urging the PWD to “keep it up”.
The government had yesterday deployed hundreds of PWD workers to lift garbage from across the city as nearly 60,000 civic sanitation workers continued their indefinite strike demanding payment of dues amid a blame game over the issue between AAP and BJP, which rules the three municipalities.
The strike was launched by sanitation workers on January 27, demanding timely salaries and payment of arrears.
New Delhi: The Delhi government has proposed setting up Local Complaints Committee (LCC) in every district of the national capital which the victims of sexual harassment at workplace denied justice by the Internal Complaints Committees (ICC) can approach.
According to the proposal drafted by the Women and Child Development department, District Magistrates or Additional District Magistrates will be notified as District Officers (DOs) to exercise the powers and discharge functions under the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act 2013.
The DO will constitute the LCC in his district and will further appoint a nodal officer in every ward, municipality to receive the complaints and forward it to the concerned Committee within a period of seven days.
The DO will also monitor the timely submission of reports furnished by the local complaints committees and take measures as may be necessary for engaging NGOs in creating awareness about sexual harassment and the rights of women.
The members of the LCC will include a chairperson, to be nominated from among eminent women in the field of social work and committed to the cause of women. There will be one member from among the women working in municipality in the district, two members, of whom at least one shall be woman, to be nominated from among such NGOs or associations as are committed to the cause of women or a person familiar with the issues related to the protection of women from sexual harassment.
Also, an officer dealing with women and child development in the district, shall be it ex-officio member.
The chairperson and every member of the LCC will hold office for three years from the date of their appointment as may be specified by the DO.
Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has expressed sadness over the fact that even after two years of the passage of the Act, the DOs and LCCs have not been notified in the city till date. She had written to Delhi Lt Governor Najeeb Jung about it.
“There has already been a considerable delay in this regard. It cannot be overemphasized that the Act virtually exists on paper and steps are yet to taken for its effective implementation,” she had said in her letter, adding, the Commission has been receiving a large number of complaints regarding sexual harassment at workplace.
Under Section 5 and 6 of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, state is required to set up a LCC to investigate complaints related to sexual harassment from cases which cannot be dealt with by the ICC or where there is no ICC.
by: pti
NEW DELHI: Rahul Gandhi today accused the government of delaying a decision on the issue of net neutrality on the “pretext” of repeated discussions and took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying his ‘Digital India’ scheme cannot become a “euphemism” for an Internet controlled by large remote corporations.
Insisting that the Congress has always stood for ‘Freedom of the Internet’ and ‘Net Neutrality’, he said the party wanted that Internet Service Providers (ISPs)/Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) and government should treat all data on Internet equally.
“With Digital India, people would get more access to the Internet – the whole Internet – and not primarily a filter on the web. This is imperative for India to grow in 21st Century.
I sincerely hope that TRAI report and Modi government will adhere to this bounden need espoused by millions of Indians”, the Congress Vice President said in a statement.
He told the Prime Minister that ‘Digital India’ “cannot become a euphemism for an Internet controlled by large remote corporations. Digital India should mean Internet connectivity as a public utility, open ended and generative.”
“Congress Party’s and my belief is shaped by our faith that Internet users should be free to connect to any website or service that they want, enabling a level playing field on the ‘world wide web’. We recognize the danger of privileging a private platform over a public Internet introducing a new digital divide,” he said.
He wanted the government to realise that Internet is a powerful poverty alleviation tool, offering unbounded opportunities limited only by imagination, whether it is a farmer looking for information on monsoon preparedness, artisans connecting with buyers in a market place or a college student from rural India enrolling for an online course.
“NASSCOM has asked for Net Neutrality, over 500 start-up entrepreneurs are pleading for it, young in India have been demanding it, yet we have a government, which under the pretext of repeated discussions, has been delaying framing a clear-cut policy on this”, Mr Gandhi said attacking the government.
He charged that the BJP government “quietly looked the other way” when Telecom companies introduced price differential through zero rating plans and attempts to charge for OTT (Over The Top) services.
Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) has issued consultation papers on the issue twice over, covering similar questions for consumers to answer on Net Neutrality, free basics and data price differentiation.
“Like millions of Indians out there, I am earnestly hoping to see a TRAI report (scheduled for 31st January) and Modi government’s commitment in favor of an open Internet in its entirety where there is no ambiguity in regard to difference in pricing or VOIP”, Rahul Gandhi said.
The Congress Vice President said he was aware that past few months haven’t been easy for Free Internet and Net Neutrality activists, civil society and researchers, who are engaged in the movement to disseminate useful and relevant information to the public despite “misleading marketing gimmicks.”
“I salute their indomitable spirit and would like to congratulate them.”
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