Mumbai, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a scathing attack on the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government at the Centre, Maharashtra Congress President Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday asked why Prime Minister Narendra Modi has yet to meet fasting Ladakh social activist Sonam Wangchuk, despite the latter raising the same concerns over the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) paper leak as the Congress.

Speaking to the media, Sapkal strongly defended his party's stance, demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.

Addressing queries over whether Congress Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi would meet Wangchuk, the Maharashtra party President redirected the focus toward the Central government's apathy.

He pointed out that Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike for the past 20 days over the NEET paper leak scandal, which has compromised the future of nearly 2.4 million students.

Sapkal reminded reporters that when Wangchuk previously protested for Ladakh's constitutional safeguards, the BJP government detained him under the National Security Act (NSA).

"The Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has not uttered a single word on the NEET issue in his 'Mann Ki Baat' address," he said, adding that trying to link the Congress to Wangchuk to deflect blame is "highly misleading".

Emphasising that the Union government is trivialising the mega student crisis, Sapkal noted that Rahul Gandhi has launched a nationwide campaign titled 'Chhatron Ki Goonj' (The Echo of Students) to fiercely push for the Union Education Minister's resignation.

Shifting focus to the Shiv Sena-UBT inviting Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) Chief Mohan Bhagwat to their upcoming 'Ram Raksha' programme, the Maharashtra Congress President launched a direct assault on the ruling Maharashtra government-led alliance's religious credentials.

"The BJP and RSS follow the policy of 'Ram Naam Japna, Paraya Maal Apna' (Chanting Ram's name while pocketing others' wealth). The massive theft that took place at the Ayodhya's Ram Temple involves people directly appointed by the Narendra Modi government. The BJP and RSS are maintaining a guilty silence on this," Sapkal remarked.

He dismissed the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed to probe the Ayodhya temple theft, calling it a "puppet of the BJP government" that would never catch the real culprits.

"If the Chief Minister and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat have the courage, they should accept the invitation and attend Uddhav Thackeray's Ram Raksha event," he challenged.

When asked about the ongoing media speculation regarding internal friction within the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar), the State Congress chief chose to downplay the rumours.

He said that top NCP-SP leaders, including Jayant Patil and MP Supriya Sule, have already clarified their party's firm position, and the media should rely on their official statements rather than rumours.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Union Minister for Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi on Friday inaugurated the National Commission for Women's (NCW) two-day programme on the Prevention of Sexual Harassment (POSH) Act, underscoring that dignified workplaces is the key to women-led development.

The Union Minister emphasised that every woman has the right to work with dignity and without fear, and that creating a safe work environment is a shared responsibility of governments, employers and institutions.

The two-day NCW's National Awareness Programme on The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013, began at Vigyan Bhawan in the national capital on Friday, an official statement said.

Annpurna Devi noted that strengthening workplace safety is fundamental to increasing women's participation in the workforce and achieving inclusive national development.

The Union Minister highlighted several initiatives undertaken by the Ministry of Women and Child Development to strengthen implementation of the POSH Act.

She said that these initiatives are helping organisations better understand their legal responsibilities and establish effective institutional mechanisms for prevention and redressal of workplace sexual harassment.

The programme brought together senior government officials, legal experts, representatives of Internal and Local Committees, civil society organisations and other stakeholders to strengthen awareness and implementation of the POSH Act.

On the occasion, the Union Minister released the Booklet on Inquiry Procedures for Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) under POSH Act prepared by the NCW.

The booklet aims to serve as a practical guide for conducting fair, transparent and time-bound inquiries under the POSH Act.

In a message on social media, NCW Chairperson Vijaya Rahatkar said, "It's time to know your rights against sexual harassment at the workplace, understand your responsibilities, and raise your voice against injustice."

"The National Commission for Women today (July 17) organised an awareness programmme on the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 (POSH Act) at Vigyan Bhawan in New Delhi. Awareness is the first and most important step towards prevention," she added.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Mohan Yadav, on Friday said only those having one marriage would have the right to reside in the state, under the proposed Uniform Civil Code (UCC), which his government will introduce during the Monsoon Session of the Assembly beginning July 20.

Yadav made the announcement while addressing a gathering after inaugurating newly constructed Sandipani Schools at Jhinjhri and Bahoriband in Katni district.

"Under the new UCC law, only those having one marriage will have the right to reside in Madhya Pradesh," the Chief Minister said.

He said the proposed law would be applicable to people of all religions.

"With the blessings of Lord Ram, Madhya Pradesh is moving towards one nation, one Constitution, one flag and one law. During the Monsoon Session of the Assembly, we will bring the Uniform Civil Code for people of all religions," Yadav said.

The Monsoon Session of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly will be held from July 20 to July 25, and the BJP government is expected to introduce the UCC Bill during the session.

Yadav had earlier also said that the proposed UCC would recognise only one marriage in the state.

The state government had subsequently constituted a committee to prepare the draft of the proposed law, which has submitted its report.

If the Bill is passed, Madhya Pradesh will become the second state after Uttarakhand to implement a Uniform Civil Code.

The Chief Minister also said the state was moving ahead with the objective of implementing a common legal framework for all citizens.

The announcement assumes political significance as the BJP has consistently backed the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, a key promise in its election manifesto, while the issue has remained part of the party's broader national agenda.

During the programme in Katni, Yadav also inaugurated two Sandipani Schools and addressed students, highlighting the importance of education and cultural values before reiterating the government's commitment to bringing the UCC in the upcoming Assembly session.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former Rajasthan Chief Minister and senior Congress leader, Ashok Gehlot, on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Bhajanlal Sharma government over the delay in Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections, citing the Rajasthan High Court's strong oral observation that "if the Commission cannot conduct elections, let us know; judges will get it done."

Gehlot said the court's remark was a reflection of the state's "gross administrative failure" and described the situation as "shameful" for the BJP government in the state.

During the hearing on Thursday, the High Court expressed dissatisfaction over the prolonged delay in the electoral process and orally remarked that if the Rajasthan State Election Commission was unable to conduct the elections, "let us know; judges will get it done." Reacting to the court's observations, Gehlot alleged that the delay reflected the state government's "gross administrative failure."

In a post on X, the senior Congress leader said, "What could be more shameful for the state government than the fact that, due to the deliberate delay in Panchayat and local body elections, the Hon'ble High Court had to say, 'If the Commission cannot conduct elections, let us know; judges will get it done.' This is proof of the Rajasthan government's gross administrative failure."

Gehlot further referred to submissions made before the High Court that the State Election Commission had written six letters to the Panchayati Raj Department seeking information on reservation for Scheduled Castes (SC), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Other Backward Classes (OBC), and women, but had not received the required details.

He alleged that this indicated the Panchayati Raj Department was functioning under government pressure and claimed the Rajasthan government had no intention of holding the elections on time.

"The government is rendering constitutional institutions ineffective," Gehlot said. The former chief minister also accused the Rajasthan government of repeatedly disregarding court directions, calling it an affront to constitutional principles and the judiciary.

"A government that fails to respect the judiciary and obstructs democratic processes has no moral or constitutional right to remain in power. Such a situation is highly detrimental to democracy," he said.

During Thursday's hearing, the Rajasthan High Court directed the state government and the State Election Commission to submit a road map for conducting Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections.

The court also asked the government to place the OBC Commission's report on record and complete the reservation process by July 20. It further directed the officials concerned to appear in person on the next date of hearing with complete details regarding the election schedule. The state government has not yet publicly responded to Gehlot's allegations.

Source: IANS

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Thiruvananthapuram, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday accused the Congress-led UDF government of striking a political deal with the BJP by deciding to implement the Centre's new Waqf guidelines, including the induction of non-Muslims into the Kerala Waqf Board.

Addressing the media here, Vijayan said Kerala's stand marked a complete departure from the position taken by the previous Left government, which had strongly opposed the Centre's amendments to the Waqf Act.

He said that when the Centre introduced the changes, several non-BJP ruled states, including Kerala, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, had strongly objected to the move.

According to him, the Sangh Parivar's objective was to induct non-Muslims into Waqf Boards, a step he claimed would undermine the rights of the Muslim community.

"Today it is the Waqf Board. Tomorrow similar guidelines could be imposed on institutions belonging to other religious communities," Vijayan said.

Recalling the Left government's stand, he said the Kerala Assembly had unanimously passed a resolution in October 2024 defending the rights of minority communities and opposing the Centre's move.

He also pointed out that senior Congress leader and AICC General Secretary, K.C. Venugopal, had then publicly expressed concern over the proposed changes.

The UDF, including the Indian Union Muslim League, had also opposed the amendments at the time.

However, Vijayan alleged that the present Satheesan government had now reversed its stand by informing the Kerala High Court that it would abide by the provisions of the Unified Waqf Act framed by the Centre.

He said the submission was made by the Muslim League's nominee serving as Special Pleader and was supported by the Advocate General.

Vijayan noted that the Waqf Board currently has 11 nominated members.

During the Left government's tenure, nine members had been appointed, while the remaining two posts were left vacant pending the Supreme Court's decision on petitions challenging the amended law.

He said the Waqf Board requires only five members to constitute a quorum and, therefore, there was no urgency to fill the remaining vacancies.

He alleged that the present Satheesan government was insisting on appointing two non-Muslim members to the Board despite the matter being pending before the Supreme Court.

He also pointed out that one of the petitioners seeking the appointment of two non-Muslim members was BJP State Vice-President Shone George. Calling the government's stand a betrayal of the minority community, Vijayan alleged that it exposed a political understanding between the UDF and the BJP that had been reached even before the Assembly elections.

"The Congress has completely bowed before the Centre, whereas the Left had taken a firm and principled stand," he said.

Describing the government's position as shameful, Vijayan said the a strong campaign against what he termed the UDF's double standards on the Waqf issue will happen.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Delhi Police on jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam's bail plea in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots "larger conspiracy" case and sought its response.

A Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

Imam has challenged the order of the Karkardooma Court refusing him regular bail in the case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other penal provisions.

Earlier this month, Additional Sessions Judge, Sameer Bajpai, dismissed the regular bail pleas of Imam and co-accused Umar Khalid, saying that the trial court was bound by the Supreme Court's January 5 order declining them bail and that their fresh applications were not maintainable.

The trial court had said that the apex court had made it clear that the two accused would be at liberty to renew their prayer for bail only after the examination of the protected witnesses relied upon by the prosecution or on the expiry of one year from its January 5 order, whichever was earlier.

"The Court has no option but to follow the judgment dated January 5, 2026, as passed by the Supreme Court, whereby the petitions of both the applicants were dismissed," the trial court had said.

It further held that, in view of the Supreme Court's directions, it could not entertain the fresh bail applications and grant relief to the applicants.

During the proceedings before the trial court, Imam had contended that there had been a change in circumstances after the Supreme Court's January order refusing him bail. He argued that despite the passage of more than six months, there had been no meaningful progress in the trial, with arguments on framing of charges still continuing, while he had remained in custody for nearly six years.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court dismissed the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, holding that the prosecution material disclosed prima facie grounds attracting the statutory embargo on grant of bail under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA, while granting bail to five co-accused -- Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed.

More recently, the apex court granted six months' interim bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi while referring to a larger Bench the question of whether prolonged incarceration and delay in trial can justify the grant of bail despite the restrictions under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA.

The case pertains to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020. Imam is among several accused booked under the UAPA and other penal provisions.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of the reported maternal deaths in Rajasthan's Bhilwara and Banswara districts and issued a notice to the Chief Secretary of the Rajasthan government, seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The Commission acted on media reports highlighting the deaths of women following childbirth at government hospitals in the two districts.

According to the reports, eight women, including a minor, died within a week after undergoing treatment or childbirth-related procedures.

Five deaths were reported at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital in Bhilwara, while three, including a minor, occurred at the District Hospital in Banswara.

In its notice, the NHRC observed that if the reported facts are accurate, the incidents raise serious concerns of human rights violations, particularly regarding access to safe maternal healthcare in the BJP-ruled state.

The Commission has sought a comprehensive report from the Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma government outlining the circumstances surrounding the deaths, findings of ongoing investigations, and the measures being taken to prevent similar incidents. Meanwhile, reports suggest that maternal fatalities have continued in Banswara.

A woman reportedly died following childbirth on Wednesday night, coinciding with the visit of Rajasthan Medical and Health Minister Gajendra Singh Khinvasar to the district.

With this incident, six postpartum women and three newborns have reportedly died in Banswara in recent days.

Preliminary reports indicate that severe anemia may have contributed to several of the maternal deaths. One of the latest cases involved 20-year-old Shilpa, a resident of Kalakhunta village in Sajjangarh block. She reportedly delivered a stillborn baby before reaching a healthcare facility and was later referred from a rural hospital to the district hospital on July 14.

Owing to excessive bleeding and her critical condition, she was referred to Udaipur, where she reportedly died on July 15.

The reported maternal deaths in Banswara include Rekha (29), Ambapura, Reshma (23) Alkakheda, Madhya Pradesh, Lakshmi (21), Savaniya, Ghatol, Leela (32), Kahela, Garhi, Lakshmi (32) and Patela Panda.

In Bhilwara, five women died within six days after undergoing Caesarean deliveries at Mahatma Gandhi Hospital.

The deceased were identified as Shimla Gurjar (July 5), Phori Devi (July 7), Isha Pandey (July 8), Divya (July 9), and Sangeeta Jinagar (July 10).

According to reports, all five women were shifted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit after their condition deteriorated but could not be saved.

Reports have also indicated that an infection screening of one of the hospital's operation theatres tested positive, prompting further scrutiny.

However, Mahatma Gandhi Hospital Superintendent, Dr. Arun Gaur, has maintained that the deaths resulted from severe obstetric complications and has denied allegations of medical negligence.

The NHRC is expected to examine the state's response after receiving the Chief Secretary's report.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 17 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken cognisance of a complaint alleging that several women died under suspicious circumstances and many others suffered kidney failure after undergoing Caesarean (C-section) deliveries at government hospitals in Rajasthan, particularly the Prince Bijay Singh Memorial (PBM) Hospital in Bikaner.

A Bench presided over by NHRC Member Priyank Kanoongo on Thursday issued notices to the Bikaner Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Pukhraj Saad, Bikaner District Magistrate Nishant Jain, Rajasthan Medical, Health and Family Welfare Department's Principal Secretary Gayatri A. Rathore, Jaipur Directorate of Medical and Health Services (DMHS) Director General Ravi Prakash Sharma, and the Chairman of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Abhijat Chandrakant Sheth, directing them to inquire into the allegations and submit an Action Taken Report (ATR) within two weeks.

The action has been initiated under Section 12 of the Protection of Human Rights Act, 1993, which empowers the apex human rights body to inquire into alleged violations of human rights.

According to the complaint, several patients who underwent C-section deliveries developed kidney failure and are presently on ventilator support and undergoing daily dialysis.

Referring to media reports, the complainant alleged that the incidents may have resulted from medical negligence, contaminated medicines or serious lapses in treatment and hospital administration.

Seeking the NHRC's intervention, the complainant requested an independent high-level inquiry into the incidents, stringent action against the officials found responsible, compensation for the affected families, and directions to prevent recurrence of such incidents.

After examining the complaint, the NHRC said that the allegations, prima facie, appear to involve violations of the human rights of the victims.

The apex human rights body directed the concerned authorities, including the National Medical Commission, to investigate the allegations and submit a detailed Action Taken Report within two weeks for its consideration.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday showed solidarity with agitating activist Sonam Wangchuk at his protest site at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, suggesting that the engineer-turned-activist from Ladakh should be appointed the Education Minister to end irregularities in exams.

Kejriwal's surprise appearance at Wangchuk's protest site coincided with his post in Hindi on social media platform X in which he said, "… Sonam Wangchuk should be appointed as the country's Education Minister... We're really very proud of you Sonam ji."

The AAP leader reached the Jantar Mantar protest site of Wangchuk to lend support to the demonstrators who have demanded action over alleged exam paper leaks.

Addressing Wangchuk's supporters at the protest site, Kejriwal said a change in the Education Ministry is called for and Wangchuk is the ideal candidate to be the nation's Education Minister.

In another X post, the AAP leader said, "Today, I went to Jantar Mantar to support Sonam Wangchuk ji's struggle. My salute to his courage."

Kejriwal was accompanied by AAP MP Sanjay Singh and Delhi AAP convenor Saurabh Bharadwaj.

Sixty-year-old engineer-turned-activist Wangchuk began his fast on June 28 as part of a larger agitation being fuelled by a social media movement .

The appearance of politicians at Jantar Mantar came on a day when the National Testing Agency released the final answer key for the NEET-UG 2026 exam retest held on June 21 following the scrapping of the May 3 exam over alleged irregularities and leak.

In a post on X, the NTA on Thursday evening said, "The NEET-UG 2026 Final Answer Key has been released. Visit the official portal to check the Final Answer Key."

After releasing the scanned images of OMR sheets of candidates who appeared in the NEET UG 2026 re-exam on June 21, the NTA had closed the window to challenge OMR responses on Wednesday.

Students will have to pay Rs 200 per challenge. The Rs 200 fee will be refunded if a student's challenge is upheld, the NTA said.

The window to challenge the provisional answer key for the re-exam had closed earlier on June 28.

Earlier this month, the NTA started the NEET-UG 2026 fee refund process after urging the students to update their bank account details on the official portal.

On June 21, as the NEET-UG 2026 retest was conducted without major glitches, the NTA had credited the whole-of-government effort and thanked seven lakh officials involved in the mega exercise.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, July 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Rajasthan High Court on Thursday directed the State Election Commission (SEC) to announce the schedule for Panchayat and Urban Local Body elections within five days, warning of possible contempt proceedings over the delay in complying with its earlier orders.

A Division Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice, S.P. Sharma and Justice Sanjeet Purohit also directed the state government to announce by Monday the timeline for submission of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) Commission's report and the draw of lots required for reservation of seats.

State Election Commissioner, Rajeshwar Singh and the Member Secretary of the OBC Commission were present during the hearing.

Expressing dissatisfaction with the delay, the Bench asked the State Election Commissioner, "Why should contempt proceedings not be initiated against you?"

In response, the Election Commissioner told the court that the Commission was ready to conduct the polls but was awaiting the government's reservation classification.

"We are fully prepared. The government has not yet provided us with the reservation classification. Once the government completes the lottery process and hands it over to us, we can initiate the election process within two days," he submitted.

The Bench also questioned the delay in the OBC Commission's report, observing that the Commission had been constituted on May 9, 2025, for a three-month term.

"If you are unable to complete the task, you should say so," the court remarked while seeking an explanation for the prolonged delay.

The High Court had earlier, in its May 22 order, directed the state government and the State Election Commission to complete the Panchayat and Urban Local Body election process by July 31, 2026. However, the election process has yet to begin.

During an earlier hearing, the High Court had expressed strong displeasure over the delay in holding the elections, observing that timely local body polls are a constitutional requirement.

The Bench had warned that if the State Election Commission failed to discharge its responsibilities, the court could consider appointing an independent authority to oversee the election process.

It had also cautioned the state government against further delays and indicated that stricter orders could follow if the court's directions were not implemented.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 16 (SocialNews.XYZ) As educationist and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk's fast-unto-death entered its 19th day, the Delhi High Court on Thursday directed the Centre and the Delhi government to ensure daily clinical monitoring of his medical condition and undertake all necessary medical intervention to address any deterioration in his health.

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia passed the direction while disposing of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking urgent medical intervention for Wangchuk, who has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre and the Delhi government, submitted that Wangchuk's health is already being monitored regularly by government doctors and medical experts.

"The health condition of Wangchuk shall be regularly monitored on a daily basis by government doctors. Depending on the opinion of the doctors, whatever medical intervention is needed to check the deteriorating health condition of Wangchuk shall also be taken," the SG Mehta told the Delhi High Court on instructions.

Recording the assurance, the CJ Upadhyaya-led Bench observed: "Life of any citizen is precious and all efforts ought to be made by the government authorities to save the same."

During the hearing, the Delhi High Court orally remarked that it wanted Wangchuk to be examined regularly by government doctors and that any medication required on the basis of medical opinion should be administered.

The PIL, filed by advocate Rakesh Kumar Saini, sought directions to the Centre and the Delhi government to shift Wangchuk to a government hospital and administer necessary treatment, including force-feeding through a liquid diet containing essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals to save his life.

The petition claimed that Wangchuk's health had deteriorated rapidly, alleging that he had lost around 8.5 kg during the hunger strike and cautioning that continuation of the fast could prove fatal.

It also contended that the authorities had failed to provide adequate medical care despite his worsening condition.

According to the plea, the least the government could do was provide proper medical attention, even forcibly if required, to protect Wangchuk's life.

However, the Delhi High Court disposed of the PIL after recording the Centre's assurance regarding daily medical monitoring and necessary intervention.

The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) launched a movement at Delhi's Jantar Mantar on June 20 seeking the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak controversy, with Wangchuk supporting the campaign from the outset.

He later announced that he would begin an indefinite hunger strike if the Centre failed to respond positively by June 27, and commenced his fast on June 28 after receiving no response.

Wangchuk has been fasting in solidarity with Dipke, who is staging a sit-in at Jantar Mantar seeking Pradhan's resignation over the examination paper leak controversy.

Appeals have meanwhile been made from various quarters urging Wangchuk to end his indefinite fast in view of his deteriorating health.

Source: IANS

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Chandigarh, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday intensified its campaign against the Punjab government's "anti-farmer" land pooling policy, saying "it is not a development initiative but a major conspiracy to grab the land of farmers".

As part of the campaign, State BJP President Kewal Singh Dhillon visited fields of affected farmers in Patton village of Mohali district.

He listened to their grievances and declared that the BJP "stands firmly with the farmers against what he described as the government's high-handedness".

The affected farmers told Dhillon that the state government was determined to forcibly take away their land, even though it was their only source of livelihood and they were unwilling to part with it under any circumstances.

They said that land previously acquired by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority and Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority has still not been fully developed, while pending compensation and other long-standing issues remain unresolved.

The farmers said that they no longer have any faith in the intentions of the AAP government.

The farmers also added that when their land had been acquired earlier, they were promised electricity motor connections. However, those promises have remained unfulfilled, with files for the connections gathering dust in government offices.

They thanked State BJP President Dhillon for visiting their fields and extending his support during this difficult time.

Speaking on the occasion, Dhillon launched a sharp attack on Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and the AAP leadership.

He claimed that after suffering a humiliating defeat in Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership had now turned its attention towards the highly valuable agricultural land of Mohali and Punjab.

According to Dhillon, the state government intends to orchestrate a multi-crore scam through this policy.

He alleged that reintroducing the policy after it had previously been withdrawn clearly demonstrated the state government's dishonest intentions.

He accused the state government of attempting to lure farmers with fresh promises and incentives.

Issuing a strong warning, the State BJP President asserted that the BJP would not allow even an inch of Punjab farmers' land to be sacrificed under what he described as this "black policy" and would firmly oppose every act of injustice by the state government.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) After the announcement of the 'Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Farmers Crop Loan Waiver Scheme', Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday took a sharp dig at the Opposition, saying that "while some doubted the implementation of the waiver, this (MahaYuti) is a government led by the farmers' own "Devabhau" (Brother Deva)".

He was speaking at the event organised by the BJP Kisan Morcha to felicitate him.

Hitting back at critics who accused the state government of political calculation, Chief Minister Fadnavis remarked, "If we were thinking purely politically, we could have delayed the loan waiver until January 2029, since the next big elections are far off. But decisions regarding farmer welfare are not tied to politics. Some people expected that the government would fail to deliver, allowing them to stage protests and keep their 'shops of publicity' running. They forgot that this is a MahaYuti government -- a Devabhau's government dedicated to the farmers."

He highlighted that the decision to waive loans was driven purely by farmer welfare rather than upcoming elections.

He recalled that the debt waiver was a key promise in their previous election manifesto, which subsequently led the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the MahaYuti alliance to sweeping victories across Zilla Parishads, Municipal Corporations, and Municipal Councils.

Explaining the technicalities of the scheme, the Chief Minister said that the state government approved a waiver for loans up to Rs 2 lakh, alongside an incentive of Rs 50,000 for farmers who have been regular with their repayments.

"Initially, an exclusion criteria was placed, saying that beneficiaries of the 2019 debt waiver would not qualify for this round."

Chief Minister Fadnavis noted that such exclusions are standard practice -- citing historical precedents from 2008, 2009, 2017, and 2019 -- to maintain financial discipline and prevent farmers from falling into default traps in anticipation of waivers.

However, upon reviewing the data, the Chief Minister found that this clause would leave out 12 lakh farmers.

"I asked the officials what would happen if the government provided up to Rs 50,000, and the farmers cleared the rest. It turned out that out of the 12 lakh excluded farmers, nearly 600,000 could benefit by paying just Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 out of their own pockets. Therefore, going completely beyond the committee's official report, we decided that the state government would provide up to Rs 50,000 to support them," Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

He shared that he usually distances himself from public honours.

"I accept very few felicitations in my life. However, when the Kisan Morcha approached me, I saw it as a valuable opportunity to connect directly with the farmers of Maharashtra and convey two important points to them," Chief Minister Fadnavis said.

The Chief Minister noted that he initially suggested holding the event within their local divisions, but the Morcha insisted on the capital city of Mumbai.

He emphasised that he accepted the honour on behalf of the entire state Cabinet, explicitly mentioning both Deputy Chief Ministers, Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Wednesday expressed concern over the difficulties being faced by students due to the Central Board of Secondary Education's (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system for evaluation of Class 12 board examination answer sheets.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) seeking supervision and regulation of the CBSE's digital evaluation mechanism and directions for remedial measures in cases of alleged irregularities.

Observing that students had been facing persistent problems under the newly introduced digital evaluation mechanism, the CJI-led Bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to assist the top court in resolving the issue.

The apex court said the Union government should not treat the proceedings as adversarial and stressed that it was looking for a permanent solution to the concerns raised over the evaluation process.

Appearing for the Centre, SG Mehta submitted that while most of the individual marksheet-related grievances referred to in the petition had been resolved, the government was taking the broader concerns regarding the evaluation system seriously. He informed the bench that a one-member commission headed by S. Radha Chauhan had been constituted to review the OSM mechanism and recommend reforms.

"We are not taking this adversely," SG Mehta told the top court, adding that the panel was already examining the grievances raised by students and other stakeholders.

Taking note of the submission, the Supreme Court directed the Solicitor General to place a status report on record detailing the steps taken by the government and the CBSE to address the issues.

The matter has been posted for further hearing next week on July 24.

According to the petition filed by Rakesh Binjola, the OSM system, introduced by CBSE for the first time through circulars issued in February this year, suffered from large-scale irregularities in the evaluation of answer sheets.

The plea alleged that due to scanning errors and portal glitches, the digital evaluation process resulted in arbitrary assessment and, in some cases, non-evaluation of answers, violating students' rights under Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution.

It further claimed that teachers were not provided adequate formal training before implementation of the OSM system and that scanned answer sheets suffered from defects such as missing pages, illegible scans and incomplete evaluation.

The petitioner also alleged that the irregularities had adversely affected a large number of students in India and abroad and pointed to a decline in the overall Class 12 pass percentage to 85.2 per cent this year, seeking re-evaluation, rechecking and an independent inquiry into the evaluation process.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court had also agreed to examine concerns surrounding the CBSE's newly introduced OSM system.

On June 8, a Bench of Justices Neena Bansal Krishna and Madhu Jain issued notice to the Centre and CBSE on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), which questioned the fairness, transparency and reliability of the digital evaluation mechanism.

The PIL alleged that thousands of students across the country faced issues such as blurred scans, missing pages, mismatched answer sheets, incomplete uploads and unexpectedly low marks after the declaration of the Class 12 results. It also sought directions to reopen the verification portal, permit manual rechecking and physical verification of disputed answer sheets, order an independent inquiry into the alleged irregularities and frame safeguards for future digital evaluation systems.

Source: IANS

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Raipur, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Monsoon Session of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly turned stormy on Wednesday as the Opposition Congress created a major ruckus over the 'Nakti bulldozer action'.

During the Zero Hour the Opposition strongly raised the issue of demolition of allegedly 77 houses in Nakti village, located near the state capital Raipur on June 29.

The issue triggered a massive uproar in the House.

The minister for revenue and disaster management Tank Ram Verma clarified that the demolition was carried out strictly as per legal and administrative procedures following a complaint of illegal encroachment filed by Rajnish Chandrakar with the Raipur Collector.

Notices were issued, due judicial process was followed, and sufficient time was given to residents to remove their belongings.

The administration also made arrangements for their relocation.

The Congress members alleged that the action against poor families was a violation of human rights and accused the BJP government of promoting ‘bulldozer culture’.

The Opposition demanded a detailed discussion on the issue in the House through adjournment motion.

The minister, however, strongly defended the action and further clarified that the encroachers were properly rehabilitated, no household belongings were damaged, and the claim of rain affecting the operation was incorrect.

Speaker Raman Singh rejected the adjournment motion, which led to intensified protest by Congress legislators.

They entered the Well of the House and raised slogans.

In another significant development, the Opposition also raised the issue of tiger poaching in the Indravati Tiger Reserve through a Call Attention motion.

Leader of Opposition, Charandas Mahant, alleged political patronage in the case and criticised the government for not disclosing the name of the IB personnel arrested.

Forest Minister Kedar Kashyap assured the House that strict action would be taken against all those found guilty.

Meanwhile, a no-confidence motion moved by the Opposition on the second day of the session will be taken up for discussion on the last day — July 17.

During Question Hour, the Opposition also raised the tragic death of 25 people in an accident at the Vedanta plant in Sakti and sought answers from the government.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, July 15 (SocialNews.XYZ) The West Bengal government is set to initiate the process of withdrawing cases registered during the previous Trinamool Congress regime against doctors and civil society members who participated in what it describes as “peaceful and democratic” protests following the RG Kar rape and murder in 2024.

According to sources at the state secretariat, the move will be based on recommendations from a newly constituted judicial commission headed by retired Calcutta High Court judge Justice Biswajit Basu. The commission is expected to identify cases in which protesters were allegedly booked to harass them or suppress the agitation seeking justice in the RG Kar rape and murder case.

However, the police administration will also initiate the process of identifying and taking action against those involved in ransacking and vandalising the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital in North Kolkata on the midnight of August 14, 2024. This was reportedly done with twin intentions -- to destroy evidence at the scene of crime within the hospital premises and to divert media attention from the “Women, reclaim the night” protests against the ghastly rape & murder of the lady junior doctor.

Following the BJP's rise to power in West Bengal earlier this year, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ordered the reopening of the R.G. Kar case. He announced the suspension of three IPS officers -- former Kolkata Police Commissioner Vineet Kumar Goyal, former Deputy Commissioner (North Division) Abhishek Gupta, and former Deputy Commissioner (Central Division) Indira Mukherjee. Departmental inquiries were also initiated against them.

"The new government's position on the RG Kar issue is clear,” a senior source at Nabanna said, adding, “The priority is to ensure punishment for those involved, directly or indirectly, in attempts to dilute the larger conspiracy through tampering with evidence, while also freeing peaceful protesters from what are seen as unnecessary cases and harassment.”

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Delhi High Court has refused to allow a Chinese national and Vivo executive facing prosecution in a money laundering case to travel home to visit his critically ill father, holding that humanitarian considerations alone could not outweigh the need to secure his presence during trial, particularly in the absence of an extradition treaty or Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between India and China.

A single-judge bench of Justice Madhu Jain dismissed the application filed by Guangwen Kuang @ Andrew, who had sought release of his passport and permission to travel to China's Guangzhou for a temporary period to visit his 82-year-old father, who is stated to be on life support after suffering a right cerebellar haemorrhage.

"This Court is conscious of the humanitarian circumstances projected by the applicant regarding the medical condition of his father. However, while considering an application seeking permission to travel abroad during the pendency of criminal proceedings, humanitarian considerations alone cannot be determinative," it said.

It added that the court was required "to balance such considerations with the interest of justice and the necessity of securing the presence of the accused throughout the proceedings".

In its order, the Delhi High Court recorded that the applicant, a Chinese national, is facing prosecution under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in a case involving alleged proceeds of crime amounting to approximately Rs 2,02,41,17,72,292.89, describing the allegations as relating to "a serious economic offence of an exceptionally high magnitude".

Justice Jain accepted the Enforcement Directorate's contention that there was no extradition treaty between India and China, observing that "the apprehension expressed by the prosecution that the applicant may not return to India cannot be brushed aside as merely speculative".

"If the applicant fails to return, the possibility of securing his presence before the learned Trial Court would become highly uncertain," the order said.

The Delhi High Court further observed that India and China also do not have a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters, making it impossible to verify the authenticity of the medical documents relating to the applicant's father's condition within a reasonable time.

"In the absence of such a mechanism, the only course available would be by way of issuance of Letters Rogatory or a judicial request through diplomatic channels. Such a process is time-consuming and may take several months, and in some cases approximately a year, before any response is received," it observed.

The order also relied on a 2024 Karnataka High Court judgment, which had taken note of Chinese law restricting foreign nationals facing criminal proceedings from leaving the country, and held that the principle assumed significance in the present case as well.

"It would not be adopting a substantially liberal approach in favour of a foreign national facing prosecution before an Indian Court, particularly when no effective legal mechanism exists to secure his return in the event of non-compliance," the Delhi High Court said.

Rejecting the applicant's reliance on the Supreme Court's decision in Wu Chuaannan & Ors. v. State of Chhattisgarh, Justice Jain held that the facts were distinguishable since that case involved several safeguards, including previous compliance with travel permissions, a bank guarantee of Rs 1 crore, an undertaking by a government-owned Chinese employer, and an assurance from the Chinese Consulate General.

In the present case, the Delhi High Court said that the undertaking furnished by the applicant's private employer "neither emanates from any governmental authority nor creates any legally enforceable obligation capable of securing the applicant's return to India".

"Having regard to the seriousness of the allegations, the enormous magnitude of the alleged proceeds of crime, the applicant's status as a foreign national, the absence of any extradition treaty or Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty in criminal matters between India and the People's Republic of China, this Court is of the considered opinion that no case for grant of permission to travel to Guangzhou, China is made out," the Delhi High Court held while dismissing the application.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a notice to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) on a fresh batch of petitions challenging the implementation of its revised three-language policy, which mandates the study of two Indian languages from Class 6 onwards, and sought its response within two weeks.

A Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and V. Mohana issued notice to the Centre, the CBSE, and the NCERT on the fresh petitions and fixed the matter for detailed hearing on July 29.

No interim stay on the operation of the impugned CBSE circulars was granted at this stage. Appearing for the CBSE, Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati assured the apex court that it would file its response within two weeks.

The fresh petitions challenge the CBSE's Secondary School Curriculum (Classes IX-X) 2026-27 and circulars dated April 9 and May 4, contending that they make the study of two languages "native to India" compulsory from Class 6 onwards in CBSE-affiliated schools, contrary to students' academic choices and fundamental rights.

The petitioners, represented by senior advocate Anand Grover, along with advocates Tripti Tandon and Advocate-on-Record Rohit Kumar-I, argued that the policy has been implemented without authority of law and is unconstitutional.

According to the plea, the petitioners are parents of children studying in Class 6 in CBSE-affiliated private schools in Delhi-NCR whose children had been studying English, Hindi and a foreign language.

It alleged that after the commencement of the academic session, schools abruptly discontinued foreign languages and directed students to study Sanskrit instead, causing "enormous mental stress, anxiety and uncertainty".

The petition contended that under Section 29 of the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009, only the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), as the notified academic authority, is empowered to prescribe the curriculum for elementary education, including Class 6.

"The 2026-27 CBSE Curriculum has neither been developed nor issued by the Respondent No.3, as required by the RTE Act, 2009. It is therefore, without legal sanction and cannot be enforced in respect of children studying in class VI," the plea said.

It further claimed that the abrupt implementation of the revised curriculum after the academic session had already commenced was arbitrary and unreasonable.

"The sudden imposition of changes in the linguistic curriculum for class VI, after the commencement of the academic year... is arbitrary and unconstitutional," the petition said, adding that schools were directed to comply with the revised curriculum within seven days, effectively ending the teaching of foreign languages "overnight".

The plea also questioned the feasibility of implementing the revised language framework in the absence of textbooks and teaching material, highlighting that NCERT itself had reconstituted the committee responsible for developing school syllabi and textbooks.

"It is inconceivable how the new linguistic curriculum will be implemented without proper syllabi and teaching and learning materials," the petition submitted.

The petitioners further argued that the CBSE circulars infringe the fundamental right to freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a), relying on the Constitution Bench judgment in State of Karnataka vs. Associated Management of English Medium Primary and Secondary Schools (2014).

The petition also challenged the classification of English as a non-native language for the purposes of the policy, contending that English, being one of the official languages of the Union under the Official Languages Act, 1963, cannot be equated with foreign languages such as French, German or Spanish.

It described the requirement compelling students to choose between English and a foreign language as "irrational and arbitrary".

Further, the plea alleged that the revised framework discriminates against middle-class students studying in CBSE schools by effectively depriving them of the opportunity to learn foreign languages, while such options remain available in more expensive international boards.

The petitioners also argued that the policy runs contrary to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which emphasises flexibility, learner choice and academic autonomy, and instead compels students to study two Indian languages irrespective of their interests or aspirations.

The Supreme Court is already seized of an earlier batch of petitions challenging the revised three-language policy.

In May, a Bench headed by CJI Kant had issued notice to the Union government, CBSE and NCERT after agreeing to examine the validity of the revised framework mandating Class 9 students to study three languages, including at least two Indian languages.

At that stage as well, the apex court had declined to stay the implementation of the policy, observing that it would examine implementation-related concerns, including the availability of teachers and study material, while leaving constitutional questions to be considered during the final hearing.

Meanwhile, the CBSE has since issued further implementation guidelines clarifying that the third language (R3) will not be a Board examination subject in the Class 10 examination for the present batch of Class 9 students.

However, students will have to successfully clear the school-based assessment in the third language to become eligible for the CBSE Secondary School Examination Pass Certificate.

The Board also clarified that while students promoted to Class 10 without clearing the third-language assessment in Class 9 would be given an opportunity to qualify during the following academic year, those entering Class 6 from the 2026-27 academic session would eventually face a Board examination in the third language once the curriculum and textbooks are fully rolled out.

Source: IANS

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Bhopal, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Bhopal district court on Tuesday extended the judicial custody of former district judge Giribala Singh and her son Samarth Singh till July 28 in the Twisha Sharma death case after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) informed the court that the two accused had not cooperated during the collection of their voice samples.

The hearing was conducted through video conferencing amid heavy security at the court premises.

The CBI sought extension of the judicial custody, informing the court that both accused had failed to cooperate during the voice sample collection carried out on July 6.

Counsel for Twisha Sharma's family, Advocate Ankur Pandey, said Samarth Singh refused to provide his voice sample, while Giribala Singh initially gave one sample but later declined to continue the process.

"The CBI informed the court that both accused did not cooperate during the voice sample collection and sought extension of their judicial custody. Accepting the agency's submission, the court extended their custody till July 28," Pandey told reporters after the hearing.

The court also heard an application filed by the victim actress-model Twisha's family seeking a copy of the post-mortem report. According to the family's lawyers, AIIMS Bhopal informed the court that the post-mortem report and related documents had already been submitted to the CBI in a sealed cover and, therefore, could not be provided separately.

AIIMS Delhi is yet to respond to a similar request.

Sources said a five-member medical board of AIIMS Delhi submitted its final forensic report to the CBI in a sealed cover on July 10. Though the contents of the report have not been made public, it is expected to play an important role in the investigation.

Giribala Singh and Samarth Singh have been lodged in Bhopal Central Jail since June 2 after the completion of their CBI custody.

The two have been in judicial custody since then as the CBI continues its probe.

Twisha Sharma was found dead at her matrimonial home in Bhopal's Katara Hills area on the night of May 12. While her in-laws claimed she died by suicide, her maternal family alleged that she was murdered.

The case gained significance after the Madhya Pradesh High Court ordered a second post-mortem by AIIMS Delhi following objections raised by the victim's family over the first autopsy given Giribala Singh's influence.

The High Court later transferred the investigation to the CBI on May 25. The CBI is examining forensic evidence, digital records and witness statements.

With the statutory deadline for filing the chargesheet nearing, the investigation has entered a crucial stage and the agency is expected to place its findings before the court soon.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 14 (SocialNews.XYZ) The feminine, leaving aside the sacred feminine motif present in several religions, is not just a concept of the human condition but rather a facet of creation itself, given its role in gestation and nurturing. Even if it is viewed as half of the equation of life, it unfortunately does not reflect in the social configuration, or the infamous patriarchy, which long deprived women of their due status and agency.

In the Indian context, the question that crops up is whether it was always like this, given that this inequality is purported to be rooted in the hoary annals of "traditional and/or scriptural authority". Or is this ruse another colonial construct, rooted in selective interpretation or mischievous misinterpretation in pursuance of vested interests?

This is what civil servant Mukul Kumar seeks to investigate in his first non-fiction work, "Women in the Womb of Time: Unveiling Ancient Feminism" (BluOne Ink Pvt/328 pp/Rs 799), with his basic question being to find out "how did the discrimination against women emerge?"

This he seeks to answer by undertaking a comprehensive and intense scrutiny of ancient texts and other evidentiary material to see what they tell us about the status of women in hoary antiquity.

And what he finds is quite eye-opening, not to mention counter-intuitive!

But before beginning what proves to be a most extensive - yet lucidly-presented - survey into Ancient India's social mores and norms, Mukul Kumar, an Indian Rail Traffic Service officer whose previous published oeuvre comprises half a dozen works split between novels and poetry anthologies, seeks to clarify his terms of reference and yardsticks, particularly the contested definitions of the binary constructs of 'feminity' and 'masculinity'.

This entails an engrossing philosophical, historical, and anthropological excursion into the genesis and development of human society and gender roles and the definition and scope of feminism, which draws in Karl Marx - and his theory of the influence of the means of production, his collaborator Friedrich Engels, Simone de Beauvoir, Judith Butler, and more.

With this done, the author then begins his examination with the 'Shruti' literature, encompassing both the venerable Vedas, particularly the Rig Veda, as well as the Upanishads, and the 'Smriti' literature, which includes both the great epics - the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, the Shastras, and the Puranas.

And in the process, he brings the spotlight on several female luminaries of the Vedic period, of which Gargi, Maitreyi, and Lopamudra are known, but also the likes of Viswavara and Apala who deserve more attention.

Similarly, he does strike new ground in his study on epic literature, where the focus is not only on Sita and Draupadi, but several other key characters, both central and cited, like Tara, Mandodari, and Savitri, among others.

More significantly, Mukul Kumar delves deep into the Manusmriti, the Arthashastra, and the Kamasutra, all of which get their separate chapters.

Explaining his choice of the trio, he says the first needs an examination for its contradictory nature on the subject (among other issues), the second for being the first Indian work to deal with the role of women in the economic domain beyond their home and hearth, and finally, the last, which is not, as commonly perceived, only a manual of erotic love but a more wider work of social customs and advice.

Varying traditions across the subcontinent, including Buddhism and Jainism, are then taken up for how they deal with the issue of women, before the author moves on from his scriptural exegesis to what extant epigraphical and numismatic evidence tells us before wrapping up his quest in the Gupta era of the 7th Century C.E. - and the wider landscape of the sub-continent - to reflect on what his research indicates.

The course of the journey is most engrossing, not to mention cerebral but accessible at the same time, for the author does wear his erudition lightly and despite the profuse quotations from the source works, presents his work as more of an informed conversation than a discourse.

And then, along with his own reading of the matter concerned, Mukul Kumar marshals the thoughts of a considerable number of domain and other experts, including (but not limited to) Mahatma Gandhi, Sri Aurobindo, Romila Thapar, Radha Kumud Mukherjee, D.N. Jha, Wendy Doniger, et al.

In all, it is a thought-provoking excursion into a period of early Indian civilisational ethos, with its sets of binary opposites, and an aim of seeing how far the "ancient articulations are resonant with current feminist concerns", but based on indigenous intellectual and cultural heritage, instead of Western interpolations.

While the author does add the caveat that his work shouldn't be seen as definitive but as the beginning of informed exploration, it certainly is an impressive start.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Monday asked banks to empower their Internal Ombudsmen (IO) mechanism to strengthen customer service and redress grievances speedily in order to avoid external escalation of cases.

Addressing the third annual conference of Internal Ombudsmen (IO) of banks and NBFCs here, RBI Deputy Governor Swaminathan J. exhorted the internal ombudsmen to provide a meaningful, fair, and effective resolution of customer complaints.

The Deputy Governor also requested the IOs to identify recurring issues, undertake root cause analysis, and help implement remedial measures. He added that an effective IO mechanism should reduce external escalation and urged Boards and senior management to empower the IO mechanism and use its insights to strengthen customer service and grievance redress.

The Internal Ombudsman serves as the final independent level of review within a regulated entity for customer complaints that have not been fully resolved, before the customer approaches the RBI Ombudsman or another external forum.

The conference brought together IOs from across a representative spectrum of regulated entities, including banks, non-banking financial companies (NBFCs), credit information companies (CICs) and other regulated entities, along with the Managing Directors and Chief Executive Officers, Executive Directors in charge of customer service, Principal Nodal Officers as well as RBI Ombudsmen and senior officials of the Reserve Bank.

The Conference sessions covered recent grievance redress, regulatory expectations, and RBI Ombudsman insights, focusing on faster, higher quality resolutions and systemic improvements to prevent avoidable escalations.

RBI Executive Director Sonali Sen Gupta interacted with the participants during an open-house session to exchange views on further enhancing the effectiveness of the IO framework.

Under the RBI’s scheme, the Ombudsman shall receive and consider complaints relating to the deficiencies in banking or other services filed on the grounds mentioned in Clause 8 irrespective of the pecuniary value of the deficiency in service complained and facilitate their satisfaction or settlement by agreement or through conciliation and mediation between the bank concerned and the aggrieved parties or by passing an Award as per the provisions of the Scheme.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Monday upheld a Himachal Pradesh High Court verdict holding that the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had illegally invalided a constable after he lost vision during service, saying authorities were under a statutory duty to accommodate him instead of removing him from employment.

A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and A.G. Masih dismissed an appeal filed by the Union government and the CRPF, while modifying the relief granted by the Himachal Pradesh High Court by awarding the respondent, Bali Ram, a lump sum compensation of Rs 1.25 crore, inclusive of back wages, interest, and litigation costs.

The top court held that the respondent, a CRPF constable (driver), acquired visual disability while in service in 1996 and was medically invalidated in 1998 in violation of Section 47 of the Persons with Disabilities (Equal Opportunities, Protection of Rights and Full Participation) Act, 1995.

"The duty imposed by the PwD Act being mandatory and not discretionary, the law did not leave the appellants (authorities) with an option to discharge their duty at their convenience. Appellants were required to find a chair for the respondent, and not wait for the respondent to beg for one," the Justice Datta-led Bench said.

The judgment recorded that after the constable developed an ophthalmic condition, he was declared permanently unfit for driving and combatant duties by the Medical Board and was medically invalidated from service on March 11, 1998.

Rejecting the Centre's contention that the CRPF stood exempt from Section 47 of the PwD Act by virtue of a 2002 notification, the apex court held that the exemption operated only prospectively and could not validate an action that had already become illegal.

Referring to the conduct of the CRPF, the bench said it was difficult to understand how the paramilitary force ignored the statutory mandate despite being an instrumentality of the state.

"It is intriguing that the CRPF... failed to respond in time. Being an instrumentality of the state, it was expected to be fully cognisant of the provisions of the PwD Act and the statutory protection conferred upon the respondent under Section 47 thereof," the judgment said.

"By not offering alternate posting, the appellants failed in their role as a model employer and converted a welfare provision into a dead letter," the top court remarked.

Noting that the respondent had remained out of service for nearly three decades and had suffered prolonged financial hardship despite succeeding before the Himachal Pradesh High Court in 2008, the Supreme Court said reinstatement was no longer feasible as he had already attained the age of superannuation.

"The situation of non-employment of the respondent is entirely the appellants' creation. Respondent is, thus, entitled to full back wages and the appellants must bear the consequences of their own inaction," it said.

While affirming the finding that the respondent's medical invalidation was illegal, the apex court modified the relief granted by the High Court and directed the Union government and the CRPF to pay him a consolidated sum of Rs 1.25 crore within eight weeks. It also directed the Himachal Pradesh State Legal Services Authority or the District Legal Services Authority, Kangra, to assist the visually impaired respondent in safely investing part of the compensation and overseeing his future medical needs.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Supreme Court on Monday set aside ex parte opinions passed in 24 Foreigners Tribunal and erstwhile Illegal Migrants (Determination) Tribunal cases in Assam, holding that declarations of a person as a foreigner cannot rest on a mechanical adjudication without ensuring a fair opportunity of hearing and meaningful consideration of the material on record.

A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta remanded all the matters to the competent Foreigners Tribunals for fresh adjudication, while granting the proceedees one final opportunity to establish their claim to Indian citizenship.

The apex court directed the appellants to appear before the Foreigners Tribunals concerned within four weeks and permitted them to file written statements, documentary evidence and affidavits in support of their citizenship claims.

The Tribunals have been requested to decide the references afresh, preferably within six months from the date of the appellants' appearance.

Setting aside the judgments of the Gauhati High Court as well as the corresponding opinions of the Foreigners Tribunals and erstwhile IMDT Tribunals, the Justice Vikram Nath-led Bench clarified that it had not examined the merits of any individual's citizenship claim.

"The determination of such status must be made through a process which is fair, lawful and reasoned," the Supreme Court said, adding that while the statutory burden under Section 9 of the Foreigners Act, 1946 remains on the proceedee, "the remand being directed by this Court is not intended to dilute that burden".

Highlighting the serious consequences flowing from a declaration of foreigner status, the bench observed that an ex parte proceeding "may dispense with the participation of the absent party, but it does not dispense with objective consideration and meaningful adjudication by the Tribunal".

"It does not permit the Tribunal to treat absence of the proceedee as a substitute for examination of the material placed before it," the judgment said, adding that Section 9 of the Foreigners Act "does not authorise a mechanical declaration".

"The existence of a statutory burden under Section 9 of the 1946 Act cannot be read to mean that the Tribunal is relieved of its own obligation to conduct a lawful adjudication. Section 9 does not authorise a mechanical declaration. It does not permit the reference to be accepted as conclusive merely because it has been made," the judgment said.

The apex court said that even where a proceedee fails to appear despite service of notice, the Foreigners Tribunal continues to function as a quasi-judicial forum and must satisfy itself that notice was duly served, the "main grounds" of the allegation were disclosed, the state's evidence was examined, and reasons were recorded before returning its opinion.

Referring to constitutional safeguards, the Justice Vikram Nath-led Bench said that Articles 14 and 21 protect "any person" and "no person", respectively, and are not confined to Indian citizens. "A person proceeded against before a Foreigners Tribunal may ultimately fail to establish Indian citizenship, but the process by which such determination is made must still satisfy the constitutional requirements of fairness, reasonableness, and non-arbitrariness," it observed.

The top court further held that while the state has a legitimate interest in identifying persons who are not entitled to Indian citizenship, such determination cannot rest on a mechanical or one-sided process. "The serious consequence of being declared a foreigner follows from an adjudication which satisfies the requirements of the 1946 Act, the 1964 Order, and the constitutional mandate of fairness," the judgment said.

Pending fresh adjudication, the Supreme Court directed that no coercive action will be taken against the appellants on the basis of the earlier opinions that have now been set aside, provided they appear before the Foreign Tribunals within the stipulated period and cooperate with the proceedings.

Source: IANS

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Kolkata, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) had been filed at a division bench of the Calcutta High Court, on Monday, challenging the new West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Act, 2026, a law to prevent corruption, anti-social and rowdy activities in the state, that came into force in the wee hours of Monday.

Advocate and CPI(M) leader, Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, approached a Division Bench of the Calcutta High Court’s Acting Chief Justice, Tapabrata Chakraborty and Justice Partha Sarathi Chatterjee with the PIL.

In his petition, Chattopadhyay had also pleaded for an immediate stay on the new law.

The PIL has been admitted and is scheduled to come for hearing during the current week, though the exact date for the first hearing in the matter is to be finalised.

It is learnt that in his PIL, the petitioner had mainly opposed the provision in the new law which permits the police administration to keep any individual identified as a danger to public safety under preventive detention for a year.

In fact, the Opposition parties and a section of the civil society had been vocal against this provision since the Bill on this count was passed on the floor of the West Bengal Assembly last month and subsequently became an Act after Governor, R.N. Ravi, gave his assent to the Bill.

In the PIL filed on Monday, the possibilities and apprehension of misuse of the detention provision had been highlighted.

Despite opposition to this provision, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had defended the provision by putting forth a counter-argument that preventive detention provision will be effective only after going through the proper and detailed procedure, where the individual concerned will be given enough chance to defend himself through his council in front of an advisory board constituted to assess the reasonableness of the preventive detention.

The new law also has a provision for an “externment order”. If a District Magistrate or police officials of the rank of Superintendent or higher determine that a person, particularly a known criminal or troublemaker, poses a risk of inciting unrest in a specific location, they have the authority to mandate the individual's removal from that area or the entire district for a duration not exceeding one year.

Chief Minister, Suvendu Adhikari, had already announced that law-abiding citizens in the state will not have to worry about the new law which is meant for proven anti-social elements, history-sheets, rowdy elements and individuals with proven charges of involvement in corruption.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has taken suo motu cognisance of media reports regarding the death of workers and injuries to several others in an explosion at a factory situated in the Urla industrial area of Chhattisgarh's Raipur district.

Observing that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the victims' human rights, the apex human rights body has issued notices to the Chhattisgarh Chief Secretary and the Director General of Police (DGP), seeking a detailed report within two weeks.

The NHRC said the report is expected to include the current health status of the injured workers and details of any compensation paid to the next of kin of the deceased and the injured persons.

According to Press reports, at least three workers died and several others were injured in the explosion at the factory on June 7.

The explosion was allegedly caused due to the bursting of an oxygen cylinder in the factory.

The injured workers were shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment and the factory was subsequently closed, according to the media report carried on July 8.

In a separate matter, the NHRC has also taken suo motu cognisance of a media report regarding a snake bite incident involving four girl students at the hostel of a higher secondary residential school in Jharkhand's Lohardaga district, resulting in the death of one student.

The apex human rights body has issued a notice to the Jharkhand Chief Secretary, calling for a detailed report within two weeks.

The NHRC said the report is expected to include the current health status of the injured students.

According to the media report, four girl students were bitten by a snake in the hostel on July 7 while they were sleeping after dinner in a ground floor room.

One of the students died, while the other three are undergoing medical treatment.

The NHRC observed that the contents of the news report, if true, raise a serious issue of violation of the human rights of the students.

According to the media report, the condition of one of the injured students is critical and she has been referred to the Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi, for specialised treatment.

Source: IANS

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Bhubaneswar, July 13 (SocialNews.XYZ) A delegation of Opposition Biju Janata Dal (BJD) on Monday met the Odisha State Commission for Protection of Child Rights (OSCPCR) chairperson and submitted an application seeking an enquiry into the alleged use of children in a political programme by the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The BJD in its complaint sought the issuance of notices to Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, BJP state president Manmohan Samal and former MLA Pravat Ranjan Biswal, who along with his supporters joined the BJP on Sunday.

Referring to the rally organised by Pravat Ranjan Biswal and his supporters on the occasion of his joining the BJP on July 12, the BJD alleged in the complaint that during the rally, several minor children were reportedly seen participating while wearing BJP caps and carrying party flags, placards, and banners.

“The participation of children in a political rally in such a manner raises serious concerns regarding their rights, welfare, and protection. Children should not be involved in political activities or rallies in a manner that may expose them to political influence or public mobilisation,” the party further added.

The party has urged the commission to take cognisance of the matter and conduct an appropriate enquiry into the alleged use of minor children in the political rally held on July 12 in Bhubaneswar.

It also requested the OSCPCR to issue notices to CM Majhi, BJP state president Samal and Biswal, seeking their responses regarding the alleged involvement of children in the said political programme.

“Take appropriate action in accordance with the law and issue suitable directions to ensure that children are not used in political rallies, demonstrations, or campaigns in the future. We have full faith that the Hon'ble Commission will take immediate cognisance of this matter and take the necessary steps to safeguard the rights and best interests of children,” the regional party demanded.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, Jul 12 (SocialNews.XYZ) The YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) has condemned the brutal and high-handed actions of the N. Chandrababu Naidu-led state government against farmers in Undavalli under the guise of developing Amaravati as the state capital.

The YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Saturday on his X account that despite farmers clearly and unequivocally expressing their unwillingness to part with their lands -- which are their sole source of livelihood -- the government has refused to listen to their concerns or objections.

Instead of engaging in dialogue, the state administration deployed a large contingent of police personnel, sent bulldozers into agricultural fields, and destroyed standing crops.

Farmers were forcibly dragged out of their own fields, intimidated, and subjected to coercive tactics to seize their land, the YSRCP President said in the X post.

He warned the Chandrababu Naidu-led state government and said such inhuman and arbitrary measures are unacceptable in a democratic society.

"The majority of those affected are small and marginal farmers for whom these few acres represent their only means of sustenance. It is through these lands that they cultivate crops, educate their children, and support their families."

Jagan Mohan Reddy in the X post said: "When farmers legitimately ask how they are expected to survive after losing their only source of income, the government has no answers. Instead, it resorts to police force to suppress their voices -- a clear reflection of the authoritarian attitude of the Chandrababu Naidu government. The government has failed to address critical questions; What will happen to the investments farmers have already made in their crops? Who will compensate them for the destroyed produce? And what authority does the government have to destroy the very livelihoods of these families?"

"Thousands of acres of land were acquired earlier in the name of the capital city, yet even those farmers who voluntarily gave up their land have not received proper justice or support."

He expressed his sympathy with the farmers and said that it is deeply disturbing that the state government is once again targeting farmers for additional land through coercive means.

"Proceeding with land acquisition without the consent of affected farmers, claiming that compensation has been "finalised on paper", and failing to even inform them of the details is grossly unjust. These are not remote or low-value lands."

Located barely minutes from Vijayawada, adjacent to the Chennai-Kolkata National Highway, and bordering the urban limits of Tadepalli, these highly valuable properties command premium market rates.

The government's decision to impose arbitrarily low compensation and acquire them without farmers' consent raises serious questions about whose interests are truly being served.

"After displacing farmers, to whom does the government intend to hand over these lands?" Reddy asked.

"The YSRCP will not remain silent while farmers are forcibly evicted, thrown onto the streets, and deprived of their dignity and livelihood," he warned and demanded that voluntary consent must remain the foundation of any land acquisition.

"The use of police force, destruction of standing crops, and coercive seizure of land is completely unjustifiable."

"We strongly warn the Chandrababu Naidu government to immediately halt all coercive land acquisition activities in the capital region. The government must provide full compensation for the destroyed crops without delay. Not a single cent of land should be acquired without the explicit consent of the farmers," the YSRCP President said.

The YSRCP stands firmly with the farmers in their rightful struggle to protect their land and livelihood.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, Jul 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) In a significant move to bolster its engagement with tribal communities across the country, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) on Saturday announced the appointment of new State Chairpersons for the All India Adivasi Congress.

The decision, approved by Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, aims to invigorate the party's grassroots presence in key tribal-dominated regions.

According to a press statement issued by AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal, the appointments will take immediate effect.

The move is seen as part of the Congress' broader strategy to address the aspirations of Adivasi populations, who have historically faced socio-economic challenges and seek greater political representation.

The newly appointed chairpersons are -- Umesh Chandra from Uttar Pradesh, Raj Oraon from Jharkhand, Sanghrima Chongthu from Mizoram, Sameer Anup Minj from Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Suresh Ramanbhai Radiya from Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

These appointments cover strategically important areas with substantial tribal populations.

Jharkhand and parts of Uttar Pradesh have large Adivasi communities that play a decisive role in state politics.

The inclusion of northeastern and island territories like Mizoram and Andaman and Nicobar indicates the Congress' commitment to inclusive development across diverse geographies.

The All India Adivasi Congress serves as the tribal wing of Congress, working to advocate for the rights of Scheduled Tribes, including issues related to land rights, forest conservation, education, healthcare, and reservation policies.

These appointments will help the party reorganise its cadre, improve coordination with local leadership, and prepare for upcoming electoral battles by addressing long-pending tribal concerns.

The Congress has been vocal about protecting tribal interests.

With these new appointments, the party hopes to translate its policy commitments into stronger organisational machinery at the state level.

The fresh Congress leadership is expected to focus on expanding membership, organising awareness campaigns on constitutional safeguards for tribals, and ensuring effective implementation of welfare schemes.

The new chairpersons are now tasked with mobilising Adivasi communities, strengthening the party's connect at the booth level, and playing a pivotal role in shaping the Congress' tribal agenda ahead of future Assembly and Parliamentary elections.

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP) legislator Rohit Pawar said on Saturday that the Maharashtra government's decision to scrap the restrictive terms and conditions previously tied to the Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar Loan Waiver Scheme is a major victory for the collective struggles of farmers, organisations, and political leaders across the state.

At the press conference, Pawar said that the state government on June 2 had announced a massive Rs 36,585 crore loan waiver intended to benefit nearly 56 lakh farmers.

However, the NCP-SP leader added that the scheme was initially burdened with highly complex and unfair conditions.

Under the original framework, more than 35 lakh farmers were at risk of being completely excluded from the benefits.

Pawar highlighted two primary main points that triggered widespread outrage.

He said that farmers who had already availed benefits from the 2019 loan waiver were strictly capped at a maximum relief of just Rs 50,000.

He criticised this condition as inherently unjust, noting that since 2019, farmers have faced skyrocketing costs for fertilisers, seeds, labour, and transport, alongside the devastating impacts of climate change.

"To qualify for the state government's incentive subsidy, the initial rule required farmers to have repaid their crop loans on time for any two years out of the 2022–23, 2023–24, and 2024–25 cycles. However, the state government added a steep secondary clause requiring them to have also paid off their crop loans for 2025–26 and 2026–27. This meant farmers effectively had to clear four years of debt just to access the incentive, threatening to leave millions empty-handed," Pawar claimed.

Detailing the sustained agitations that forced the state government's hand, the NCP-SP legislator outlined a timeline of intense demonstrations.

From June 12–14, activists and farmers launched a hunger strike in Pandharpur.

The strike was temporarily called off after Minister Girish Mahajan promised a review meeting, which the state government subsequently failed to schedule.

On June 29, in response to the state government's silence, thousands of farmers marched in the massive Elgar Morcha in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.

Pawar said that on July 1, he and farmer representatives met with the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, presenting hard data to prove how the existing clauses were actively harming the farming community.

"On July 3 and July 8, a meeting was set up with Pravin Singh Pardeshi, the head of the committee, whose recommendations shaped the waiver. However, when farmer leaders and multi-party representatives showed up for the scheduled discussion on July 8 to advocate for an unconditional, blanket waiver, government officials failed to attend. Following the administrative snub on July 8, the issue was repeatedly raised inside the Legislative Assembly, culminating in a firm ultimatum delivered to the administration," the NCP-SP leader noted.

"The pressure ultimately paid off when Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis announced on the floor of the House that the controversial conditions had been officially repealed," Pawar said.

Concluding the press conference, the NCP-SP leader expressed his deep gratitude to the farmers, supporting organisations, political representatives, the media, and the police forces who cooperated during the protests.

"Today, the demands of thousands of farmers in the state have succeeded," he said, adding that: "This is a triumph of absolute farmer unity."

Source: IANS

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Mumbai, July 11 (SocialNews.XYZ) NCP-SP leader Naseem Siddiqui on Saturday came in support of an alleged objectionable remark made by the All India Imam Association President Maulana Sajid Rashidi, associating sexual assault cases with women opting for late marriages, saying "At least 50 per cent of rape cases occur because women are not married off early".

Earlier on Friday, Maulana Rashidi sparked a major controversy by making a similar statement during a public interaction.

"Rapes are occurring because marriages are being delayed. If you want to ensure your daughters' safety, get them married early," Rashidi had said.

Speaking to IANS, Naseem Siddiqui defended the Maulana's statement, saying: "What he said is absolutely correct."

"Just as the human body has different needs, and just as people need food, sex is also a natural human need for men. Men may also engage in sexual relations before marriage, but they are not stigmatised, whereas women often face social stigma," he said.

Siddiqui claimed: "Somewhere late marriages are also one of the reasons of rape and sexual abuse."

The NCP-SP leader urged that the matter should not be given a different angle.

"If girls are allowed to vote at the age of 18 years, that means they are adult...and boys by the age of 21 years, there should not be any barriers to marriage after that. As soon as a girl becomes an adult, she should be married at the earliest," he said.

"When marriages are delayed, they are being exposed to all kinds of information on mobile phones in today's age of technological advancements and therefore may indulge in wrongdoings. So, Maulana's statement should be taken in a positive way," he added.

He also said: "At least 50 per cent of rape cases occur because women are not married early and then get trapped in some love triangle."

Earlier on Saturday, Uttar Pradesh State Women's Commission Chairperson Babita Chauhan launched a harsh critique against the Muslim cleric, accusing him of possessing a "narrow mindset".

"Today, India's women have made the country proud across various fields, even at the global level. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also talks about women empowerment and wants to brings them at par with men because women comprise half of the nation's population. If we are still lagging behind, it is because of people having this kind of mentality," she told IANS.

Source: IANS

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Jaipur, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) President, Govind Singh Dotasra on Friday demanded that the state government conduct a credible survey of the Other Backward Classes (OBC) community to ensure accurate reservation data and immediately announce elections to Panchayati Raj institutions and Urban Local Bodies.

Govind Singh Dotasra stated that any compromise with the interests of the OBC community would not be tolerated.

Addressing a press conference at the State Congress Headquarters in Jaipur, Dotasra said the Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma-led government should complete the OBC reservation exercise on the basis of verified and authentic data before notifying elections to Urban Local Bodies.

He accused the BJP-led Rajasthan government of delaying the electoral process by failing to complete the OBC survey in a time-bound manner.

The Congress leader claimed that the OBC Commission was constituted nearly 10 months after the present government led by Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma assumed office, despite the expiry of the terms of Gram Panchayats, Panchayat Samitis and several Urban Local Bodies.

He claimed the Commission was required to submit its report on OBC reservation within three months, but more than a year had passed without completion of the exercise.

Dotasra further stated that the delimitation process, which should have been completed within four months, took around 13 months, delaying elections further.

Referring to the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments, he said Articles 243E and 243U mandate that elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies be conducted immediately after the completion of their five-year tenure.

He also claimed that the government failed to provide the OBC Commission with adequate infrastructure, including office space, computers and staff, affecting its functioning.

Questioning the newly launched Rajdhara application for the OBC survey, Dotasra claimed that the app's "Government" login option had been disabled, leaving only the "Citizen" option active.

According to him, allowing citizens to self-register data without verification by authorised government personnel could compromise the authenticity of the survey.

He urged the Rajasthan government to complete the OBC survey through a transparent and accountable process, finalise reservation on the basis of verified data and announce elections to Panchayati Raj Institutions and Urban Local Bodies without any further delay.

The Rajasthan government has not responded to the allegations as yet.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Chairperson Justice V. Ramasubramanian heard 86 cases of alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts of Haryana during an online hearing, directing officials to launch a helpline to help labourers in distress, an official said on Friday.

During the hearing on Thursday on alleged bonded labour in brick kilns across various districts of Haryana, Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi and other officials assured the NHRC that all 86 cases would be reviewed and the requisite information and reports would be submitted thereafter.

They also assured the Commission that full compliance with the directions of the Supreme Court and the applicable laws would be ensured to facilitate immediate remedial action in cases relating to bonded labour, a statement said.

Chairperson Justice Ramasubramanian, while presiding over the hearing, said that in most cases, the records had not been properly examined by the concerned government functionaries.

Therefore, they did not have credible evidence to declare the labourers as bonded labourers, he said.

He urged the officers to remain vigilant while dealing with cases of bonded labour, asking them to follow the requirements laid down in the Standard Operating Procedure for Identification and Rescue of Bonded Labourers and Prosecution of Offenders, issued by the Ministry of Labour and Employment, while constituting the team for the enquiry into the complaint.

He also emphasised the need to launch a helpline so that labourers could seek help when needed and incidents of bonded labour could be tracked.

Samir Kumar, Joint Secretary, NHRC, highlighted the need to comply with the NHRC directions and take action in accordance with its 'Advisory 2.0 to Identify, Release and Rehabilitate Bonded Labourers.'

The hearing was attended by senior functionaries of the state government, including Labour Commissioner Vijaykumar Bhavikatti and the District Magistrates (DMs) of all the districts.

The Haryana Chief Secretary, the Labour Commissioner and the DMs presented the bonded labour cases during the hearing. The Commission reviewed the Action Taken Reports (ATRs) submitted by the DMs on the complaints under its consideration, the statement said.

Source: IANS

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Hyderabad, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Telangana Human Rights Commission (TGHRC) has taken suo-motu cognisance of the news reports about the alleged food poisoning incident at a residential school in Nagarkurnool district.

A total of 27 students of the tribal welfare Gurukul at Mannanur village in Amrabad Mandal of Nagarkurnool fell ill after breakfast on Thursday.

Taking suo-motu cognisance of the media reports, the Commission has called for a detailed report from the District Collector, Nagarkurnool, on the circumstances leading to the incident, the present health condition of the affected students, the inquiry findings, the food and water sample analysis, the action taken against those responsible, if any, and the preventive measures taken to prevent recurrence.

The Commission has posted the matter for report on August 11.

The incident happened on Thursday morning at Primitive Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Boys Gurukul after the students were served khichdi and tamarind chutney as breakfast.

Soon after the breakfast, some students started vomiting during the school prayer, while several others complained of stomach pain.

The affected students were shifted to a local government hospital.

Meanwhile, leaders and activists of United Students Federation of India (USFI) on Friday tried to lay siege to Praja Bhavan in Hyderabad, demanding that the government resolve the problems faced by students.

Holding placards and raising slogans, the protestors gathered in front of Praja Bhavan and squatted on the road.

Praja Bhavan houses the official residence of the Deputy Chief Minister and a few offices of the state government.

The protestors were demanding that the government immediately release pending scholarships of students and address other problems faced by the students.

The USFI leaders accused Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy of neglecting the problems of students. They alleged that the government is playing with the future of thousands of students.

The protestors urged the government to release funds for the fee reimbursement and bring legislation to control fees in private schools.

Police detained the protestors and shifted them to the police station.

Source: IANS

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Kochi, July 10 (SocialNews.XYZ) The Kerala High Court on Friday vacated its interim order granting police protection to Monalisa Bhosle, the young woman who shot to national fame as the Viral Kumbh Mela Star, after the State informed the court that police were unable to trace her using the address and contact details furnished in her petition.

Justice Bechu Kurian Thomas withdrew the interim protection after the Government Pleader submitted that repeated attempts by the police to contact Monalisa had failed.

According to the State, officers were unable to locate the petitioner despite efforts to provide the protection ordered by the court.

"The police wanted to provide protection, but the petitioner could not be traced. This has become a regular pattern. Every time she approaches the court seeking police protection, the police are unable to contact her," the Government Pleader submitted before the court.

Monalisa's counsel told the court that he had no instructions from his client regarding the State's submissions.

Taking note of the developments, the court vacated its interim order issued on June 19. However, it clarified that if Monalisa approaches the police in writing seeking protection, the authorities must provide the necessary security.

The case has been posted for further hearing on July 21.

Monalisa had approached the High Court alleging that she had become the target of hate campaigns on mainstream media and social media platforms after marrying Mohammed Farmaan, a Muslim.

She became a household name during the Maha Kumbh celebrations after videos of her selling 'rudraksha' garlands went viral on social media, earning her the sobriquet Viral Kumbh Mela Star.

The legal battle surrounding the couple has witnessed several twists over the past few months.

Earlier this year, while in Kerala for a film shoot, Monalisa sought police assistance claiming that her family was opposing her marriage to Farmaan.

The couple subsequently got married.

Her father later lodged a complaint in Madhya Pradesh alleging that Farmaan had abducted her, prompting the couple to move the Kerala High Court.

The court had earlier granted Farmaan one month's transit anticipatory bail to enable him to seek regular relief before the competent courts in Madhya Pradesh.

The couple has also approached the Madhya Pradesh High Court alleging that Monalisa's birth certificate had been forged to falsely invoke provisions of the POCSO Act against Farmaan.

However, last week, the Kerala High Court declined to extend Farmaan's transit anticipatory bail after a POCSO court in Madhya Pradesh rejected his plea for anticipatory bail, leaving the couple's legal battle spread across courts in two States.

Source: IANS

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New Delhi, July 9 (SocialNews.XYZ) The National Commission for Women (NCW) has constituted a committee, led by the former Delhi High Court Judge Asha Menon, to review the regulatory framework and laws governing IVF clinics and Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) centres, an official said on Thursday.

The NCW said that the committee will propose Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and best practices for ART clinics and IVF Centres to promote ethical treatment practices, standardised clinical protocol and greater transparency across the sector.

The multidisciplinary composition of the committee is intended to ensure a comprehensive examination of legal, ethical, medical and administrative issues associated with assisted reproductive technologies amid growing concerns over irregularities, the NCW said in a statement.

The panel brings together experts from judiciary, medicine, forensic science, law enforcement, gynaecology, public policy and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.

The committee will review the implementation of the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, the Surrogacy (Regulation) Act, 2021, and the relevant Amendment Rules notified in 2026, an NCW statement said.

It will examine existing safeguards relating to consent, privacy and biological traceability, identify regulatory and procedural gaps that may enable exploitation or fraudulent practices and recommend reforms to strengthen institutional accountability, it added.

The recommendations of the committee are expected to guide future legal; policy and administrative reforms aimed at strengthening governance of the ART ecosystem while ensuring that women seeking fertility treatment are protected by the robust safeguards at every stage of the process.

The NCW reiterated that reproductive healthcare must be guided by the principles of dignity, informed choice, transparency and accountability and that every woman accessing assisted reproductive services must be assured of safety, ethical treatment and protection of her rights.

While registration under the National ART and Surrogacy Registry is mandatory for all RT Clinics and Gamete Banks, the commission has said that regulatory compliance alone has not been sufficient to prevent unethical practices.

The emergence of medical tourism in the fertility sector has also raised concerns about the possible circumvention of India's legal safeguards, including those aimed at preventing sex selection, the statement said.

The absence of uniform treatment protocols across states has further highlighted the need for stronger oversight to protect women from unnecessary procedures, inconsistent standards of care and financial exploitation, it added.

Source: IANS

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