logo
"What would be the definition of sacrilege in the bill?", asks BJP leader Ashwani Kumar on the anti-sacrilege bill

"What would be the definition of sacrilege in the bill?", asks BJP leader Ashwani Kumar on the anti-sacrilege bill

India Gazette2 days ago
Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], July 14 (ANI): Bharatiya Janata Party leader and the Party's Punjab in charge, Ashwani Kumar Sharma commented on the Anti-sacrilege bill, introduced today in Punjab Assembly and called it a move to 'divert attention from major issues' and asked the 'definition' of sacrilege in the bill.
Ashwani Kumar Sharma raised question as why it was not brought up in the last three years and said to ANI, 'Is the government doing this, do divert attention from the major issues?... This is such a sensitive issue and why has the government not brought this up in three years? They should have sent the bill to us earlier and there should have been a discussion on it. What would be the definition of sacrilege in the bill?...'
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister Tarunpreet Singh Sond expressed his gratitude to the Punjab Chief Minister for introducing the bill and said, 'I express my gratitude to the Chief Minister of Punjab, as today the anti-sacrilege bill is being introduced in the Punjab Assembly. There have been many governments in Punjab before the Aam Aadmi Party and during their tenure, incidents of sacrilege used to happen in large numbers in Punjab... BJP and the opposition should welcome this bill.'
The comments came in response of the 'Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill 2025' introduction by Punjab CM in the Punjab assembly.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led Punjab government on Saturday decided to introduce and pass a law against sacrilege during a special session of the state legislative assembly scheduled for July 10 and 11.
This move marks a major step toward fulfilling a long-standing demand of the people of Punjab for stricter laws to address sacrilege cases in the state. The announcement came from the state government, describing the upcoming assembly session as 'historic for Punjab.'
Officials confirmed that the government will present a new legislation aimed at curbing acts of sacrilege and ensuring strict punishment for those involved in hurting religious sentiments. The official added that the Mann government will fulfil the demand of the people of Punjab. (ANI)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Stray dog population will hit 70 lakh without govt. action, says Goel
Stray dog population will hit 70 lakh without govt. action, says Goel

The Hindu

time2 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Stray dog population will hit 70 lakh without govt. action, says Goel

Former Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party leader Vijay Goel on Wednesday hailed a Supreme Court observation advising a Noida resident to feed stray dogs at home. 'If you are an animal lover, then feed them in your home. There are 12 crore stray dogs in the country and seven lakh in Delhi, which will become 70 lakh if the government does not take action,' Mr. Goel, who has been campaigning against the stray dog menace in the city, told media persons here. 'The situation is such that people and children have started avoiding public parks because of the stray dog menace,' said Mr. Goel. The SC on Tuesday, while hearing the Noida-based petitioner's plea alleging harassment in feeding stray dogs, remarked, 'We give you a suggestion to open a shelter in your own house. Feed every dog in the community in your own house.' The Bench said due to stray dogs, 'morning walkers are at risk' and 'cycle riders and two-wheelers are at a greater risk'.

Lok Sabha select committee proposes 285 changes to Income Tax Bill, 2025
Lok Sabha select committee proposes 285 changes to Income Tax Bill, 2025

Business Standard

time6 hours ago

  • Business Standard

Lok Sabha select committee proposes 285 changes to Income Tax Bill, 2025

Dropping of provision that denies refunds if returns are filed after the due date and reinstatement of the inter-corporate dividend deduction were among the 285 suggestions made by the select committee of Lok Sabha examining the Income Tax Bill, 2025 -- which was adopted on Wednesday. The Income Tax Bill, 2025, will replace the Income Tax Act, 1961. The government aims to implement the new Income Tax law from April 1, 2026. Overall, the committee has recommended about 285 changes, most of which involved simplifying the language of the draft legislation. The committee will present its report in the Lok Sabha on July 21, the first day of the Monsoon session. The committee, headed by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Lok Sabha member Baijayant Panda, has suggested the removal of a controversial provision that denies refunds if returns are filed after the due date. The New Income Tax Bill, 2025 drafted by the finance ministry required that a person seeking refunds under chapter XX must mandatorily file income tax returns within the due date. On top of that, as per section 433 of the New IT Bill states that a refund should be sought only while filing a return, which created a contradiction. 'The Select Committee has appropriately deleted clause 263(1)(ix), so that there is no unnecessary litigation in this matter which would have impacted all the taxpayers. Taxpayers remain ever grateful for this by maintaining that there are no policy changes in the provisions related to refunds in the New IT Bill, 2025,' said Vivek Jalan, partner with Tax Connect Advisory Services. Deduction under section 80M (Clause 148 of New bill) for Inter Corporate Dividends for companies availing the benefit of special rate of tax under section 115BAA (Clause 200 of the New bill) which is available in the Current Income Tax Act, was also erroneously missed out in the New Income Tax Bill 2025. The select committee has now recommended reinstatement of the inter-corporate dividend deduction. In the IT Bill 2025, presented on February 25, in clause 395, only low TDS (Tax Deducted At Source) deduction certificate was available to the taxpayers. Now, in addition to low deduction TDS Certificate, even NIL TDS certificate can be availed by taxpayers. 'This aligns the new IT Bill with the current IT Act, 1961 and would provide consequential relief to taxpayers whose funds get blocked by deduction of TDS where no tax is applicable to them at all. This is beneficial primarily to businesses which incur losses in a tax year or tax exempt entities like charitable organisations,' Jalan added. 'The panel has suggested 285 changes to the Bill. The government, if it deems fit, will incorporate the changes in the Bill, take approval from the Cabinet before moving the bill for consideration and passage in the Lok Sabha,' a member of the select committee said, requesting anonymity.

Assam Chief Minister will go to jail for graft, says Rahul Gandhi
Assam Chief Minister will go to jail for graft, says Rahul Gandhi

The Hindu

time9 hours ago

  • The Hindu

Assam Chief Minister will go to jail for graft, says Rahul Gandhi

Congress MP and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday (July 16, 2025), said Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma will be in jail for 'stealing people's lands' and 'large-scale corruption' after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) loses the State polls in 2026. Addressing a party rally at Chhaygaon, about 40 km southwest of Guwahati, he said the Congress would sweep the elections because of the BJP's 'politics of hate and violence', and the groundwork done by the State party president Gaurav Gogoi and his team. 'Soon, the media will show your Chief Minister going to jail and neither (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi nor (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah can save him,' Mr. Gandhi said. 'When you go home and see him (Mr. Sarma) on TV, observe his eyes. They convey fear from the depths of his heart because he knows the Congress will put him in jail. He knows he will be answerable for the corruption he and his family have indulged in,' he said. Referring to a series of eviction drives across the State, Mr. Gandhi said the youth, farmers, and daily wage earners of Assam wanted to see the Chief Minister behind bars because 'they know he is corrupt, and steals land from the people 24 hours a day for a solar park or resort'. Thousands of acres of land had been taken from the poor, and farmers were being given to 'Adani, Ambani, Ramdev' under one pretext or another, he said. 'India's forest, air, water, and land are being sold to five-six industrialists,' he added. Mr. Gandhi also cautioned the people against possible manipulation of the electoral rolls ahead of the Assam election. 'The Bharatiya Janata Party and the Election Commission of India are working in tandem to change laws and tamper with the voters' list. They did it in Maharashtra, where one crore voters were added in four months; they are doing it in Bihar with the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls; they will do it in Assam,' he said. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also took a swipe at Mr. Sarma and exuded hope that the grand old party would return to power in Assam. Earlier, Mr. Gogoi said Mr. Sarma was acting like a 'real estate broker' and engaging in large-scale land transfers to industrialists from outside the State. 'The Chief Minister and his colleagues are dispossessing the poor and the marginalised. The Congress party in Assam will fight for justice for every citizen suffering under a regime of fear and terror,' he said. The Assam Chief Minister hit back at Mr. Gandhi and his party colleagues. 'He came all the way to Assam just to say this (jail for graft), conveniently forgetting that he himself is out on bail in multiple criminal cases registered across the country,' he wrote on social media platform X. A former Congress leader, Mr. Sarma has frequently engaged in a war of words with Mr. Gandhi since joining the BJP in 2015.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store