by Editor | Aug 23, 2024 | News, Politics
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday deferred till September 5 hearing on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s pleas seeking bail and challenging the arrest by the CBI in the alleged excise policy scam.
A bench of justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan allowed the CBI to file its counter affidavit in the matter and gave two days’ time to Kejriwal to file a rejoinder.
Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, appearing for Kejriwal, said the CBI filed a counter affidavit in only one of the pleas and it was served upon them at 8 pm on Thursday.
ASG SV Raju said they will file the counter in another plea in one week.
The bench then posted the matter for further hearing on September 5.
Kejriwal has filed two separate petitions challenging the denial of bail and against his arrest by the CBI in the case. He has challenged the August 5 orders of the Delhi High Court.
On August 14, the top court refused to grant interim bail to Kejriwal in the case and sought a response from the probe agency on his plea challenging his arrest. Kejriwal was arrested by the CBI on June 26.
The Delhi High Court had on August 5 upheld the arrest of the chief minister as legal, and said there was no malice in the acts done by the CBI which was able to demonstrate how the AAP supremo could influence witnesses who could muster the courage to depose only after his arrest.
The high court had asked him to move the trial court for regular bail in the CBI case.
by Editor | Aug 23, 2024 | News, Politics
Mumbai: Maha Vikash Aghadi (MVA) ally, Shiv Sena (UBT) President and ex-CM Uddhav Thackeray on Friday issued a clarion call to the people asking them to participate in Saturday’s Maharashtra Bandh (shutdown) wholeheartedly to protest against ‘perverse mentality’ in the state, here.
He said that the shutdown will commence from Saturday morning and will be on till 2 p.m., while all essential services shall be exempt, urged for stopping local trains and bus services during half-day ‘bandh’, called by the combined Opposition including Congress, Nationalist Congress Party (SP), Shiv Sena (UBT), plus other allies.
“Tomorrow’s ‘bandh’ is not political. There’s a fear in the minds of the people not only in Maharashtra but across India. The masses are concerned about the safety and security of their little girls, daughters, women who go to schools, colleges, hospitals, offices and other places. The ‘bandh’ is to express their sentiments against the perversity,” said Thackeray.
by Editor | Aug 23, 2024 | Business, Economy, News
Mumbai: Equity benchmark indices Sensex and Nifty began the trade on a positive note on Friday but later pared gains to quote lower amid a muted trend in global markets and selling in IT stocks.
Market analysts said investors are awaiting cues from the US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments at Jackson Hole Symposium.
The 30-share BSE Sensex opened 37.32 points or 0.05 per cent higher at 81,090.51 points. The NSE Nifty gained 18.25 points to 24,829.75.
Later, both the benchmark indices pared their early gains and were trading in the negative territory. The BSE benchmark quoted 117.82 points or 0.15 per cent lower at 80,935.37 and the Nifty traded at 24,776.95, down by 34.55 points.
From the Sensex pack, Infosys, Titan, Tata Steel, UltraTech Cement, ITC, Tata Consultancy Services, Tech Mahindra and Asian Paints were the laggards.
On the contrary, Tata Motors, Reliance Industries, Sun Pharmaceuticals, Mahindra & Mahindra, Bajaj Finserv and ICICI Bank were among the gainers.
“Globally the market’s focus on Friday will be on US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s comments at Jackson Hole on the economy and the possible rate cut trend. Powell is likely to sound dovish indicating a rate cut in September,” V K Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Financial Services, said.
In Asian markets, Tokyo, Shanghai were trading higher, while Hong Kong and Seoul were quoting in the red territory on Friday.
The US markets were closed lower on Thursday.
by Editor | Aug 22, 2024 | News, Politics
Social activists protest in Bengaluru expressing their frustration with the opposition’s inaction
Team Clarion
BANGALORE – Rising violence against Muslims across the country has prompted a wave of protests, with Congress workers in Bengaluru taking to the streets to voice their outrage. The demonstrators condemned the ongoing attacks on the Muslim community, accusing the opposition, particularly the Congress party, of failing to stand up against the escalating atrocities.
Over the past few months, several states have witnessed a disturbing increase in violence targeting Muslims. Mosques have been vandalised, and mob lynchings have become alarmingly frequent. These incidents have sparked fear and anger within the Muslim community, which feels increasingly vulnerable in the current socio-political climate.
Social activists N. Sri Ram, Tanveer Ahmed, and A.J. Khan, who were at the forefront of the Bangalore protest, expressed their frustration with the opposition’s inaction. “The people entrusted the opposition with their votes, expecting them to be a voice for the oppressed,” said N. Sri Ram. “But instead of standing up for justice, the opposition has remained conspicuously silent, seemingly more concerned with its political interests.”
The activists specifically called out the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, questioning his silence on the issue. “It is disheartening to see that someone in Rahul Gandhi’s position has not spoken out against the violence Muslims are facing,” said Tanveer Ahmed. “We had higher expectations from a leader who claims to stand for justice and equality.”
A.J. Khan added: “This silence is not just disappointing; it’s dangerous. It sends a message that the lives of Muslims are not worth defending, and that is something we cannot accept.”
The protestors’ concerns are not unfounded. Reports of mob violence targeting Muslims have been steadily increasing, with several incidents resulting in fatalities. In many cases, the victims were targeted based on unfounded accusations, such as allegations of cow slaughter or interfaith relationships. The lack of swift and decisive action from both the government and the opposition has only exacerbated the situation.
The silence of the opposition, particularly the Congress party, has become a focal point of criticism. Activists argue that the party’s lack of response undermines the role of the opposition in a democracy, which is to hold the government accountable and protect the rights of all citizens. “The opposition is supposed to be the watchdog of democracy,” said Tanveer Ahmed. “But when it remains silent in the face of such blatant injustice, it fails in its duty.”
In response to the mounting criticism, senior Congress leader Dr K. Rehman Khan attempted to reassure the public. He acknowledged the concerns raised by the activists and promised that the Congress party would address these issues in the upcoming parliamentary sessions. “Congress has always stood for the rights of minorities and the downtrodden,” he said. “We will not stay silent. We will bring these issues to the forefront in parliament and demand accountability.”
However, activists and many within the Muslim community remain sceptical. While Congress has made promises of action, the lack of concrete measures so far has led to growing distrust. “We’ve heard promises before, but what we need now is action,” said N. Sri Ram. “The violence against Muslims is not just an issue for the Muslim community; it’s an issue for all Indians who believe in justice and equality.”
The protest in Bangalore is just one of many taking place across the country. Activists and community leaders are mobilising to demand more than just words from the opposition. They want to see a comprehensive strategy to address the violence and protect the rights of all citizens, regardless of their religion.
The ongoing violence has also raised concerns about the broader implications for the country’s secular fabric. “India’s strength lies in its diversity,” said A.J. Khan. “But when one community is targeted and the rest of the country remains silent, it threatens the very foundation of our nation.”
As the situation continues to unfold, all eyes will be on the opposition to see whether it will rise to the occasion and take a stand against the growing violence. The coming days will be crucial in determining whether Congress can regain the trust of the people and fulfill its role as a defender of justice and equality.
In the meantime, the Muslim community, along with its allies, is preparing for what many believe will be a long and challenging struggle for their rights and safety. The protests in Bangalore are a clear indication that Muslims are no longer willing to accept silence as an answer and will continue to demand action until their voices are heard.
by Editor | Aug 22, 2024 | News, Politics
Guwahati: The Assam government will introduce a bill in the upcoming Autumn Session of Assembly for compulsory government registration of marriage and divorce of Muslim people, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said.
Addressing a press conference after a cabinet meeting, Sarma said the government will table the Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, 2024 during the upcoming session, which will begin on Thursday.
Sarma also claimed that marriages of minors were also registered by the Kazis earlier, but the proposed bill will prohibit any such move.
“Now, minor marriage registration will not happen at all. We want to end the menace of child marriage. So, the marriages will be registered at the Sub-Registrar’s Office,” he added, citing cabinet decisions.
Sarma said that there will not be any restriction on the rituals followed by Muslims during the marriage ceremonies, but only the registration by the Kazis has been restricted.
