Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Wednesday, 01 May 2024
Terming the petitions seeking legal validation of same-sex marriage as one which reflect an "urban elitist" view, the Centre has told the Supreme Court that recognition of marriage is essentially a legislative function which the courts should refrain from deciding.
Questioning the maintainability of the petitions, the Centre said what is presented before this court is a mere urban elitist view for the purpose of social acceptance.
"The competent legislature will have to take into account broader views and voice of all rural, semi-rural and urban population, views of religious denominations keeping in mind personal laws as well as and customs governing the field of marriage together with its inevitable cascading effects on several other statutes," the Centre said.
Heat wave conditions are predicted in parts of east India over the next four days and the northwest region of the country over the next two days, the Met office said on Monday.
The Gangetic West Bengal and Bihar may see heat wave conditions for four days on the trot. Sikkim, Odisha and Jharkhand may also experience heat wave conditions over the next two to three days.
Similar conditions are expected in isolated pockets over Punjab and Haryana on April 17, and western Uttar Pradesh on April 18. Eastern Uttar Pradesh may also be affected on April 18-19, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said.
Senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Chief Minister Jagadish Shettar on Monday joined the Congress, dealing a blow to the ruling party ahead of the May 10 Assembly elections.
Lashing out at the BJP for "humiliating" him and not giving him a chance for an "honourable exit", the former State BJP president said he was beginning a "new episode" in his life by joining the Congress. The Congress was emboldened by Shettar's move. "With this, the Lingayats will turn against the BJP and shift towards the Congress", the party's Campaign Committee Chairman M B Patil said.
Soon after this, the Congress takes a swipe at the BJP claiming the ruling party is "falling like a house of cards". In a tweet on his joining, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "A massive shift in Karnataka politics! Former CM and a widely respected leader across the state, Jagadish Shettar, has joined the Congress party today." "@INCKarnataka is on track to form the government with a full majority. BJP is falling like a house of cards," Ramesh said.
The attacks of the two political Opponents continues as Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Monday the exit of Jagadish Shettar from the BJP would have no adverse impact on the party's prospects in the forthcoming Assembly elections, despite of the Congress's virtual attack BJP tried to portray that the subtraction of one member did not affect the party too much.
Shettar was treated with a lot of respect and the party had given him positions. "In his growth in the last 25 years, the BJP played a main role", the Chief Minister said.
His departure has paved the way for emergence of new leadership in the region, the Chief Minister said
Lashing out at Home Minister Amit Shah for his public call to topple the Bengal government by 2025 if the BJP won 35 seats in the general elections next year, chief minister Mamata Banerjee demanded Shah’s resignation on grounds that his comment was “extra Constitutional” and reeked of “conspiracy”.
“The home minister has every right to hold political meetings in the state. But he swore an oath to the Constitution when he assumed that chair. As a union minister, it’s his duty to protect the democracy and federal structure of this country. Instead, in all his arrogance, the home minister himself seemed to be hatching a conspiracy when he said that an elected government will fall before completing its term. Under what law can he do that? Is he drafting new laws? Is he replacing the Constitution? I think he has lost his right to remain in that chair and we are demanding his immediate resignation,” Mamata Banerjee said from state secretariat Nabanna.
The death of more than 10 persons at the Maharashtra Bhushan award event in Kharghar has evoked strong reactions from a cross-section of Mumbaikars, who on Monday said the state government should have organised it in the evening considering the stifling April heat or should have erected temporary roofs for shade.
Twelve people have died due to sunstroke and other health complications after the award ceremony was held in the open on Sunday morning at the sprawling International Corporate Park in Navi Mumbai, which was attended by several lakh people, most of them followers of awardee Appasaheb Dharmadhikari.
Earlier on Sunday, at least 11 people died due to sunstroke as the 'Maharashtra Bhushan' award function, attended by lakhs, was held in an open ground in Kharghar area of Maharashtra's Raigad district.
Another 55-year-old person was also later declared dead, taking the toll to 12.
The deceased included nine women and three men. “All the bodies have been identified and the post-mortem done by doctors. The bodies have been handed over to their relatives for the final rites,” Panvel Municipal Commissioner Ganesh Deshmukh said.
Forty four people were admitted to five hospitals in and around Kharghar. Out of them, 20 are still undergoing treatment while the others have been discharged, according to the Raigad district information officer.
The Kharghar police have registered accidental death reports (ADR) in connection with the 11 fatalities, an official said.
Seeing the tragedy, Opposition leader of the Maharashtra Assembly Ajit Pawar rises the question of how was the Award ceremony organised during the torrid heat climate during daytime, that claimed so many lives. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader claimed it was a function of the Maharashtra government. It is a well known fact that during April-May, the temperature is very high. During these days, the temperature is around 40 degrees Celsius, he said.
On the other hand, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, “The programme got stretched too long and people fell sick. A few of them even died because of it. The people who attended the event had come for Appasaheb Dharmadhikari and not for any other politician present on the stage”.
Massive fire broke out in a residential building in Dubai, claiming lives of 16 people among them four of the victims were Indians. The fire also injured nine others of the building. Among the dead four Indians there was also an Indian couple who were preparing Iftar meals for their neighbours. Rijesh Kalangadan, 38, and his wife Jeshi Kandamangalath, 32, both from Kerala, were preparing Vishusadhya, a Hindu harvest festival meal, for their Muslim neighbours to end their fast on Saturday evening.
“They had invited us during Onam and Vishu lunches earlier also. This time, they told us to come for iftar as it is Ramzan.” Kaikambam said he last saw the couple outside their apartment. “I could see the teacher was crying,” he recalled, adding that the couple went back into their studio flat.
On the other hand, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin announced a solatium of Rs 10 lakh each to the families of two men who were killed in a building fire in Dubai and said on Monday that efforts were being made to bring the bodies home.
The deceased were identified as Imam Kasim (43) and S Mohammed Rafiq (49) of Sankarapuram block of Kallakurichi district in the State, a government release said. The two persons, besides a couple from Kerala, were among 16 people who died after a massive fire broke out at a residential building in Dubai.
As Sudanese capital Khartoum continued to witness large-scale violence, the Indian embassy in Sudan issued a fresh advisory on Monday urging Indians not to venture out of their residences and stay calm.
On Sunday, the embassy said an Indian national died in Khartoum after sustaining bullet injuries.
"Based on the latest inputs the fighting has not subsided on day two. We sincerely request all fellow Indians to continue stay where they are and not venture outside," the mission said in its second advisory after violence broke out in Khartoum. Grieving the death of the Indian national, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday said the situation in Khartoum remains one of "great concern" and that India will continue to monitor the developments in that country.
The Indian national who died of bullet injuries in the violence-hit Sudanese capital city of Khartoum two days ago was all set to come here for a few days in May when the tragedy struck.
Albert Augestine, a retired soldier, had called his wife and daughter to Sudan a couple of weeks ago to celebrate Easter with them and had booked tickets to travel back with them on May 3. Albert's wife and daughter, who were with him at the time, escaped unhurt and moved into a bunker under the flat.
The Union government has said that all help will be provided to the family of the Indian national who died of bullet injuries in the violence-hit Sudanese capital city of Khartoum. Union Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said the family of Albert Augestine, who hailed from Kannur district in Kerala, will be provided all necessary help and that steps are on to bring his body back to the country.
Observing that the Mumbai Metro has made an attempt to overreach the court's jurisdiction, the Supreme Court on Monday directed it to pay Rs 10 lakh fine within two weeks for felling of trees in Aarey forest beyond permission.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala said it was improper on Mumbai Metro Rail Corporation Limited's (MMRCL) part to move the tree authority for felling of any trees in excess of 84.
"MMRCL within a period of two weeks should provide an amount of 10 lakh to the conservator of forests. The conservator shall ensure that all afforestation which has been directed is completed," the bench said.
The Uttar Pradesh Police has formed a three-member Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the killing of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf in Prayagraj, a senior official said on Monday.
"In the investigation of the case pertaining to the murder of Atiq Ahmad and his brother Khalid Azim alias Ashraf on April 15 (Saturday) in police custody... investigation is being carried out by the SHO of Shahganj police station," a statement issued by Prayagraj Commissioner of Police Ramit Sharma said.
The three assailants who shot gangster-politician Atiq Ahmad and his brother Ashraf were shifted from the Prayagraj Central Jail to the Pratapgarh District Jail on Monday, a senior official said here.
The official said the transfer was done on administrative grounds. The assailants -- Mohit alias Sunny (23) of Hamirpur, Lavlesh Tiwari (22) of Banda and Arun Maurya (18) of Kasganj -- were arrested soon after the dramatic shootout outside the Prayagraj hospital.
On the other hand, leaders of various political parties started raising questions on the uninvited incident, while some also kept their opinions. “The rule of law as laid down in our country’s Constitution is paramount. Criminals should be given the harshest punishment, but it should be under the law of the land,” Congress party communications chief Jairam Ramesh said.
Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday raised a series of questions in a tweet over the killing of Atiq Ahmad and his brother, "Atiq and Ashraf (The art of elimination). Odd: 1) 10pm for medical check up? 2) No medical emergency 3) made victims walk 4) open to media? 5) assassins unknown to each other at the spot ? 6) weapons above 7 lakhs 7) well trained to shoot! 8) All 3 surrendered." The assailants were arrested soon after the dramatic shootout that took place in full view of camera crews.
Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has advised his son Arjun, who made his IPL debut in Mumbai Indians' match against Kolkata Knight Riders here, to continue working hard and respect the game.
"Arjun, today (Sunday) you have taken another important step in your journey as a cricketer. As your father, someone who loves you and is passionate about the game, I know you will continue to give the game the respect it deserves and the game will love you back," Tendulkar tweeted.
