Poll panel defends Bihar electoral roll clean-up: Pure list vital for democracy
He asserted that "pure" electoral rolls are inevitable for strengthening democracy.Kumar's remarks came against the backdrop of various opposition parties moving the Supreme Court, questioning the intent of the SIR ahead of the Assembly polls in Bihar.The EC has all along maintained that the revision, being held after 22 years, will cleanse the voters' list of ineligible people and duplicate entries, and include those eligible, in accordance with law, to vote.The apex court on Monday agreed to hear on July 10 a batch of petitions challenging the ongoing SIR of the electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar.Several pleas, including a joint petition by leaders of the Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), Shiv Sena (UBT), Samajwadi Party, JMM, CPI and CPI(ML), were filed in court against the poll panel's decision to conduct the SIR before Bihar went to polls later this year.- EndsMust Watch
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India.com
an hour ago
- India.com
‘We Expect Positive Response,' Says Husband Of Kerala Nurse On Death Row In Yemen
Tomy Thomas, husband of Nimisha Priya, the 37-year-old Indian nurse from Kerala who faces execution in Yemen on July 16 after being convicted of murder in June 2018, informed about the ongoing efforts to save her life. Thomas met with the Kerala Governor, Rajendra Arlekar, recently, who offered support to Nimisha's mother through video conferencing. According to Thomas, the Central government, the State government, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) are making efforts to secure Nimisha's release. While speaking to ANI, Thomas said, "I am in contact with Nimisha. It is possible to send text and voice messages to her. I met the Governor yesterday, who offered all support to Nimisha's mother through video conferencing.." "The Central government, State government and the MEA have been making efforts, and we expect a positive response. Our advocate is doing everything possible....", Thomas added. Earlier, Communist Party of India (CPI ) Rajya Sabha MP Sandosh Kumar wrote to External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, seeking immediate diplomatic intervention to save Nimisha Priya, an Indian national facing execution by Yemeni authorities on July 16. In a letter to Jaishankar, the CPI MP highlighted that Nimisha Priya's case has "shaken the conscience of the public" about the lack of legal safeguards."I am writing this letter with utmost urgency and deep concern regarding the impending execution of Ms. Nimisha Priya, a nurse from Kerala, who has been sentenced to death by a court in Yemen. Reports indicate that the execution may be carried out within days. Nimisha's case has not only shaken the conscience of the public but also raised serious concerns about the lack of legal safeguards and the humanitarian dimensions of her ordeal, " Sandosh Kumar wrote in his letter to Jaishankar. This comes amid reports that the 37-year-old nurse from Kerala is scheduled to be executed on July 16. The trial court convicted her of killing the Yemeni national, a decision that was upheld by the country's Supreme Judicial Council in November 2023. Sandosh Kumar emphasised that Nimisha Priya "endured repeated abuse and coercion" at the hands of her business partner and said that now Yemen has placed her on death row, "a country with which we do not have formal diplomatic relations." "Nimisha Priya travelled to Yemen to work as a nurse, like many others who leave their homeland in search of a livelihood. Her years there were marked by grave suffering-accounts suggest she endured repeated abuse and coercion at the hands of her business partner. Denied her passport and subjected to constant fear and exploitation, she found herself in a desperate situation. What followed was a tragic turn of events that has now placed her on death row in a country with which we do not have formal diplomatic relations. In such circumstances, the role of the Government of India, particularly the Ministry of External Affairs, becomes critical and urgent," the CPI leader said. The Rajya Sabha MP Sandosh Kumar further added that the Communist Party of India has consistently stood by Nimisha Priya's family in their appeal for justice and compassion. "Several initiatives and communications have been made over the years. We understand that the Yemeni legal system allows for resolution through the provision of diyat (blood money), which opens a window for negotiation, provided the Indian government steps in to facilitate it," he said. The CPI MP urged the external affairs minister to use every possible diplomatic and humanitarian channel to secure a stay on the execution and pursue all available means to prevent this irreversible punishment."It is a question not only of saving a life but of reaffirming the nation's responsibility towards its citizens abroad, particularly those vulnerable and caught in extreme circumstances. India must speak with urgency, compassion, and resolve" Kumar said. Previously, MEA confirmed its awareness of the death sentence handed to Nimisha Priya and assured that the government is providing all possible assistance. In response to media queries regarding the case of Nimisha Priya, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, "We are aware of the sentencing of Ms. Nimisha Priya in Yemen. We understand that the family of Ms. Priya is exploring relevant options. The government is extending all possible help in the matter."
The Print
an hour ago
- The Print
Bihar is ripe for civil disobedience over electoral roll revision. 50 yrs ago, JP showed the way
As it is, there are serious suspicions about India's election system being weaponised to facilitate easy stealing of people's mandate. This has led to calls for 'civil disobedience,' publicly aired by a sitting MP from West Bengal, Mahua Moitra. It won't be long before this call catches up and reverberates across the country. As India commemorates the 50th anniversary of Emergency, Bihar — the land of Jayaprakash Narayan, the 'realis causa' of that dark era — is in turmoil. And for very good reasons. Around 30 to 40 percent of the state's voting population faces 'disenfranchisement' due to the hasty, arbitrary, and whimsical special intensive revision of the electoral rolls ordered by the Election Commission of India. Writing the 'foreword' for historian Dharampal's 1971 book, Civil Disobedience in India Tradition, JP wrote: 'There had developed in the course of Indian history an understanding between the ruled and the ruler as to their respective rights and responsibilities. Whenever this traditional pattern of relationship was disturbed by an autocratic ruler, the people were entitled to offer resistance in the customary manner, that is, by peaceful non-cooperation and civil disobedience. It also appears that in the event of such action, the response of the ruling authority was not to treat it as unlawful defiance, rebellion, or disloyalty that had to be put down at any cost before the issue in dispute could be taken up, but as rightful action that called for speedy negotiated settlement.' Also read: The mystery of JP's kidney failure continues. There was a purpose behind it JP's civil disobedience movement JP virtually kickstarted the civil disobedience movement from Patna on 5 June 1974 with these stentorian words: 'This is a revolution, friends! We are not here merely to see the Vidhan Sabha dissolved. That is only one milestone on our journey. But we have a long way to go… After 27 years of freedom, the people of this country are wracked by hunger, rising prices, corruption… oppressed by every kind of injustice… it is a Total Revolution we want, nothing less!' This launched the 'JP Movement', which was a coalition of organisations and individuals with very diverse beliefs, preoccupations, life circumstances, and objectives. Though 'Total Revolution' was the ultimate objective, the JP Movement commenced with civil disobedience, peaceful resistance, and non-cooperation. This was because JP took inspiration from the old idiom 'aim for the sky and you'll reach the stars' that encourages ambitious goal-setting and striving for great things. As per the template, on 7 June 1974, a non-violent satyagraha was initiated. JP called for the closure of all colleges and universities for a year. He also encouraged people not to pay tax and launched related campaigns to paralyse the government. In the following days, several people were arrested while picketing and offering dharna before the Assembly gates. Even when the Assembly session concluded on 13 July, there was no let-up in the demands and agitations for its dissolution. JP's call for the boycott of classes and exams elicited a mixed response. The first phase of the agitation concluded in the third week of July. The second and more intense phase began on 1 August, with the commencement of no-tax campaigns. Farmers were advised to withhold the state levy on food grains meant for the public distribution system. Wine and country liquor shops were picketed. There was complete mayhem. Exceptions were made only for departments like post and telegraph, hospitals, courts, railways, banks, and ration shops. JP directed students to hold ten to fifteen meetings in each assembly constituency to turn public opinion against non-performing MLAs. Addressing a public meeting in Jamshedpur, JP urged the police to disobey orders that their conscience told them were improper. He also warned, for the present, the call is on Gandhian lines and should not be mistaken for a call for rebellion. But a stage will come when he would call for total rebellion. By October, a certain fatigue seemed to have set in, even as there were increased incidences of violence and coercion in implementing the civil disobedience programme. Largely restricted to urban areas, the protests were failing to draw in poor peasants, agricultural workers, and casual labourers. To energise the movement and expand its base, JP announced a new plan of action, which included the intensification of the struggle from 2 October. A three-day bandh was organised between 3 and 5 October. Leading the bandh, JP marched through the streets of Patna on 3 October with his followers. People lined the streets to support him. He ended his march at the gate of the secretariat and sat in dharna, surrounded by supporters, curious onlookers, the media, and sections of the bureaucracy. Following the success of the bandh, JP posed another direct challenge to state power. Students and Jana Sangharsh Samiti (People's Struggle Committee) volunteers were directed to move in strength to block, subdivision, and district offices to paralyse their work and set up parallel, revolutionary people's governments or Janata sarkars. These micro-organs of people's power were expected to adjudicate disputes, ensure the sale of essential commodities at fair prices, organise redistribution of ceiling-surplus land amongst the landless, prevent black market activities and hoarding, and fight against caste oppression. They were also expected to gradually bring about a shift in people's consciousness and make them reject untouchability, casteism and its symbols like the donning of the sacred thread by Brahmins, patriarchy, and its manifestation in early marriage and dowry. Also read: Modi govt's assault on democracy is more sinister than the Emergency. Look at the differences Why people followed JP's call for action Even though JP repeatedly said that the movement was democratic and non-violent, the agitations were not entirely free of coercive violence. Shopkeepers were forced to pull down their shutters. Trains and buses were arbitrarily stopped. At Bhabua, Sasaram, Samastipur, Sitamarhi, Muzaffarpur, and Danapur stations, young children blocked railway tracks. The police retaliated with ruthless brutality. Hundreds of students were beaten up and arrested including several women and girls. They were incarcerated in the jails of Hazaribagh, Bhagalpur, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Samastipur, Arrah, Bankipur, and Patna. Between 2 and 5 October, the police opened fire at many places, resulting in a number of deaths. In a single incident in Patna City, twenty-two rounds were fired, and unofficial sources reported seventy-five deaths. However, JP did not backtrack because he agreed with the rationale of Howard Zinn (1970): 'Civil disobedience is not our problem. Our problem is civil obedience. Our problem is that people all over the world have obeyed the dictates of leaders…and millions have been killed because of this obedience… Our problem is that people are obedient all over the world in the face of poverty and starvation and stupidity and war and cruelty. Our problem is that people are obedient while the jails are full of petty thieves…(and) the grand thieves are running the country. That's our problem.' How true is this today even after half a century of 'practicing' democracy. At the 25 June 1975 rally at Ramlila Grounds, Delhi, following the disqualification of Indira Gandhi as a Member of Parliament, JP formally declared civil disobedience: 'Friends, this civil disobedience will be of varied types. A time may come when, if these people do not listen, it may be necessary to de-recognise the government. They have no moral, legal, or constitutional right to govern; therefore, we would de-recognise them; we would not cooperate with them; not a paise of tax shall be given to them.' What followed is now history. An introspection of the movement would reveal that JP's involvement was the main factor that enabled the disparate non-Congress forces to come together for political action. While these parties, organisations, and sectors were no more diverse than the factions within Congress, they did not have a cause and a leader to unite them until the opposition to Congress rule intensified, and JP emerged for them to rally behind. The reason JP was able to perform this role was because of his public stature. He had a reputation for honesty and incorruptibility, for moral and physical courage (the latter derived from his bold exploits during the freedom struggle), for his deep concern for the fate of the Indian people, and perhaps most importantly, for his refusal to take up positions of power. In Indian tradition, there is the figure of the rishi (seer) who does not hold power, but instead exercises moral authority over those who do. Gandhi was considered such a person, and people came to see JP in the same light. Today, JP's cause for people's action not only survives, but has grown stronger. The true patriot has already paved the way. [Portions of the article are from the writer's recent Book 'Emergency and Neo-Emergency: Who will Defend Democracy?', The Browser, Chandigarh] M.G. Devasahayam is a retired IAS officer and chairman of People-First. He also served in the Indian Army. As the District Magistrate of Chandigarh, he was the custodian of JP in jail. He had a ringside view of Emergency and has written a book titled Emergency and Neo-Emergency: Who will defend Democracy?. Views are personal. Views are personal. (Edited by Prashant)
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Japan eyes bigger role in Gujarat's semiconductor, EV sectors; Envoy meets CM Patel
Japan's Ambassador to India Keiichi Ono and Japan's Minister of Economic and Development Affairs Koyoko Hokugo met Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel in Gandhinagar on Friday. During the meeting, the Ambassador highlighted Japan's intent to deepen ties with the state and appreciated Gujarat government's support to over 350 Japanese companies operating here, said a government release. "The CM told the delegation that Gujarat offers a supportive environment with Japanese townships, restaurants, and industries. He also highlighted Japan's active participation in the Vibrant Gujarat Global Summit ," the release said. Patel also mentioned that all MoUs signed during the 2017 Indo-Japan Annual Summit in Gandhinagar attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have been successfully implemented, it said. The Japanese Ambassador particularly emphasised the role of Dholera Special Investment Region (SIR) in the growth of semiconductor industries and expressed his country's commitment to leveraging its expertise in this sector for Gujarat's benefit, the release said. "He said many Japanese semiconductor companies are eager to invest in Dholera. In this regard, the delegation requested the Chief Minister to further strengthen the facilities for industrial infrastructure, social infrastructure, and human resource development," the release said. CM Patel said his government gives priority to the semiconductor sector and is also working with a commitment to provide all the required world-class infrastructure facilities within a defined timeline. "The Ambassador of Japan also shared details about a survey being conducted by Japan's Mizuho Bank in Dholera and Japan's semiconductor parks to explore how the best possible ecosystem for the semiconductor sector can be developed. On this, the Chief Minister said the survey will prove useful in building a bright future for semiconductor industries and establishing Gujarat as a semiconductor hub," it added. Ono, while expressing Japan's companies' interest in electric vehicle manufacturing in Gujarat, also advocated for accelerating the Ahmedabad-Mumbai High-Speed Rail Corridor, popularly called the bullet train project, through cooperation, the release said.
