Waqf Act will be scrapped in one hour if Congress comes to power at Centre: MP Imran Masood
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Indian Express
2 hours ago
- Indian Express
Sacrilege Bill draft not yet ready; want it watertight: Cheema
The much-awaited Bill providing for a stricter punishment for sacrilege could not be taken up for discussion in the Punjab Cabinet meeting Monday as the government has not been able to prepare its draft, it has been learnt. Cabinet Minister Harpal Cheema, addressing the media after the meeting, said that the government was consulting a panel of officers and legal luminaries while preparing the draft. 'We are taking opinion from Legal Remembrancer (LR) and Advocate General (AG). We do not want to bring any law in haste. We will prepare a draft that will stay the scrutiny of the law even if we have to extend our Vidhan Sabha session. The previous SAD-BJP and Congress governments had passed these Bills in their respective terms. But none could become an Act. We do not want to follow suit,' said Cheema. He said several other important decisions were discussed in the Cabinet meeting. 'We can take up the decision on the Bill anytime once the draft is ready. It could be tomorrow or day after,' he added. Official sources, meanwhile, said that the government was now taking opinion if it should enact a state law or go with the insertions in sacrilege law already existing under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). It was also being debated whether it should entail capital punishment or go ahead with a lifer. It is learnt that the leaders within the ruling Aam Aadmi Party were also divided on the issue of capital punishment. 'There are reservations. Also, most part of the world frowns upon the capital punishment now,' a party leader said on anonymity. Another party leader said that this law could be used against political opponents also. 'Most of the holy books are sold like any other books in the market. In case of holy books, anybody could lodge a complaint against the other for politics. If we happen to sit in the Opposition ever, this could well be used against us.' A source said that the draft was with AG Maninderjit Singh Bedi. There are other legal luminaries also on board. 'Even if we bring a state Bill, it would have to go to the President of India for assent. If the Centre did not forward it to the President in the past, how are we certain that it would be sent to her now?' asked an official. The government has called a special session of Vidhan Sabha on July 10 and 11 following Chief minister Bhagwant Mann's assurance to Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Kanoon Morcha, whose representative Gurjeet Singh Khalsa has been sitting on a dharna atop a BSNL tower in Samana since October last year. He has been seeking a law with exemplary punishment for sacrilege. Even before the Cabinet met Monday, the Morcha issued a statement thanking the CM for tabling the Bill in the Cabinet. Bhai Gurpreet Singh, coordinator of the morcha said in the statement that by fulfilling his June 28 statement to enact a law for strict punishment for the perpetrators of sacrilege, CM Mann has further raised his political stature among the people of Punjab. He said that we are seeing their determination against sacrilege from the speed with which they are fulfilling the promise made to the delegation of the front. He appealed to all the MLAs of Punjab to unanimously pass the Bill and the Governor to immediately give his assent. After the Cabinet meeting, however, the morcha withdrew the statement saying they had issued it in anticipation that the Bill was being tabled. 'We withdraw it. We are hurt,' said Bhai Gurpreet Singh.
Hans India
2 hours ago
- Hans India
Tamil Nadu CPI(M) urges mass participation in July 9 strike against Centre's anti-labour policies
Chennai: CPI(M) Tamil Nadu state secretary P. Shanmugam has called upon workers and the general public across Tamil Nadu to actively participate in the nationwide general strike scheduled for July 9. The strike has been jointly called by central trade unions and sectoral federations to protest against a range of policies introduced by the BJP-led Centre. In a strongly worded statement, Shanmugam said the central strike aims to force the government to roll back what he described as 'anti-worker' labour reforms. Chief among the demands is the immediate withdrawal of the four labour codes that the Centre passed during its tenure. 'These codes undermine the rights and protections of workers and were brought in without meaningful consultation with trade unions,' he said. The strike also demands the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme, the implementation of minimum wages for all categories of workers, and the scrapping of policies that pave the way for the privatisation of the power sector. Shanmugam particularly criticised the Electricity (Amendment) Bill, alleging that it was designed to hand over control of the power sector to private corporates, which would ultimately hurt both workers and consumers. Other key demands include ensuring 1.5 times the cost of production for agricultural produce, protecting public sector undertakings from disinvestment, increasing budgetary allocation for the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), and implementing strong measures to curb the rising prices of essential commodities. Shanmugam noted that while sector-specific protests have been taking place across the country, the July 9 strike represents a united effort by the entire working class to push back against the government's policy agenda. 'This collective resistance is not just about defending the rights of workers and trade unions. It is also about safeguarding democratic values and resisting corporate-driven governance,' he said. He urged party workers, trade unions, farmers' organisations, and the wider public to come out in large numbers and ensure the success of the strike. 'A resounding message of unity and resistance must be sent to the Centre,' he added.
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Panel of legal experts being consulted for law against sacrilege: Punjab FM
Punjab government is consulting legal experts to draft a stringent law against sacrilege of religious scriptures, aiming for harsher punishments. The government is proceeding cautiously to avoid future amendments, carefully reviewing the draft with legal advisors. While a special assembly session is scheduled, the bill's readiness remains uncertain, with potential for extension or another session. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Chandigarh: A panel of legal experts are being consulted for a law under which harsher punishment would be given for acts of "sacrilege" against religious scriptures, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said government is not in a hurry and will not bring such a law which will require subsequent amendments, the minister whether the legislation will be brought in the two-day special session of the Punjab Assembly starting July 10, Cheema said, "A panel of legal experts are being consulted over framing the law. We will take the opinion of LR (legal remembrancer) and the AG (Advocate General) office."Cheema said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is serious about the sacrilege issue."The law will ensure that no person dares to indulge in sacrilege. Our work (on framing the legislation) is not finished yet. When the draft is completely ready, we will share," he said while speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting council of ministers, led by Chief Minister Mann, held a meeting whether the Bill is not ready yet, Cheema said, "If need be, we will extend it (session) or convene another one after 10 days. We are not in a hurry." He added that the Bill was under works."Earlier, SAD-BJP government framed a wrong bill and then the Congress regime framed the wrong one. We will not bring a law that requires repeated amendments," he minister said there are several other Bills, including concerning goods and services tax, that will be tabled in the upcoming assembly AAP government was expected to table the law on "sacrilege" against religious scriptures in the two-day special session of the Punjab Vidhan June 28, CM Mann had said that his government will bring a law for stricter punishment for sacrilege acts. He had announced the move after holding a meeting with representatives of the 'Sarb Dharam Beadbi Rokko Kanoon Morcha'.Mann had expressed concern over existing legal loopholes that allow individuals guilty of such unpardonable acts to walk free, calling it completely unwarranted and CM had highlighted that while the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provides clear provisions regarding religious places, it remains silent on holy 'granths'.Capital punishment could also be part of the is not the first time that a law was being brought for stricter punishment for 2016, the then SAD-BJP government brought in the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 recommending life sentence for sacrilege against Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre later returned the 2018, the then Amarinder Singh government had passed two Bills -- the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2018, which stipulated a punishment of up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and the the president did not give assent to these two Bills.
