Top court makes Haryana govt party to a PIL filed by a single mother troubled by blockade of roads in NCR

File photo for representation.

Satya Prakash
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 9

Public roads can’t be blocked in protest and there should be free flow of traffic on roads, the Supreme Court said on Friday.

While hearing a PIL filed by a woman commuter against blocking roads connecting Delhi with Noida by farmers protesting against farm laws, a Bench led by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul made the government of Haryana party to the case.

The top court clarified that it was not concerned with the larger issue on farm laws which can be decided judicially, politically or administratively but limited to clearing of roads blocked by farmers.

“We have said this before, roads should not be blocked. This is a single mother who has to face many issues because of blocked roads,” the Bench said posting the matter for further hearing on Monday.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta appeared for the governments of Delhi, UP and Haryana.

As the main roads connecting Delhi and Noida remain blocked since the beginning of protests against farm laws in November last, the Supreme Court had on March 29 issued notice to the Centre and the UP government on a petition by a woman who said commuting had become a nightmare for her.

Acting on the PIL filed by Monicca Agarwaal – a resident of Noida and a single parent with some medical issues, a Bench had asked the Centre and Uttar Pradesh government to explain why the roads connecting Delhi and Noida were not kept free from blockades.

“We consider it appropriate to issue notice to the Union government and others to ensure that the road area is kept clear so that the passage from one place to another is not affected,” it had said.

Agarwaal said though her work place was in Noida she had to travel to Delhi frequently as she was in a marketing job.

Noting that it was taking two hours instead of the normal 20 minutes, she contended that it had become a nightmare to commute between Noida and Delhi.

Maintaining that “democracy and dissent go hand in hand”, the Supreme Court had on October 7, 2020 ruled that roads and public spaces can’t be blocked indefinitely and demonstrations expressing dissent have to be in designated places alone.

On February 9, the top court dismissed a petition seeking review of the verdict, saying the right to protest can’t be anytime and everywhere.

Agarwaal pointed out that despite directions issued by the top court to keep the roads blockade-free nothing had happened.

Noting that a judicial view had already been taken and the matter reflected an administrative failure, the Bench agreed to take up the matter after the petitioner said the court should ensure that people’s right to passage wasn’t hindered.

‘Save Constitution Day’ and ‘Kisan Bahujan Unity Day’ to be celebrated on April 14

Farmers participate in a bike rally as part of their ongoing protest against Centre’s farm reform laws, in Gurugram. PTI

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, April 9

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Friday made announcements regarding the next strategy of the movement.

It has announced that on Saturday, April 10, the KMP-KGP expressway will be blocked for 24 hours (from 8 am, 10th April to 8 am, 11th April) as a warning to the government.

On April 13, the foundation day of Khalsa Panth will be celebrated on the borders of Delhi and at the same time there will be programs in honour of the martyrs on the anniversary of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre.

‘Save Constitution Day’ and ‘Kisan Bahujan Unity Day’ will be celebrated on 14 April. On this day, all the stages of the Samyukta Kisan Morcha will be managed by agitators of Bahujan Samaj and all the speakers will also be Bahujan, it announced.

In their spirit of hatred and division, BJP leaders can perform various programmes in Haryana by presenting farmers and labourers as enemies. We appeal to all Dalit-Bahujans and farmers to protest against these forces while remaining peaceful, it said.

On this day, the deputy chief minister of Haryana is deliberately organising a programme in Kaithal. We appeal to the farmers and Dalit-Bahujan to protest against this event by reaching maximum numbers while remaining peaceful.

Honouring the participation and dedication of the local people in this movement, on April 18, local people will be honoured on the stages and the responsibility of managing the stage will also be given to the local people.

On April 20, on the birth anniversary of Dhanna Bhagat, the soil will be brought to the borders of Delhi from his village Doha Kalan and programs will be held on the Tikri border stage in his memory.

On April 24, on completion of 150 days of this movement at Delhi borders, week-long special programs will be organised in which along with farmers and labourers, employees, youth, traders, students and other organisations will be called to join the Delhi Morcha, it announced.

In the last week of April, there will be a national convention of organisations supporting the farmers movement across the country, in which plans will be made to intensify this movement nationwide.

The exact date and preparation of the Parliament march will be announced after the next meeting of the morcha, it said.

‘A regular occurrence but public statement is unusual’

File photo for representation.

Sandeep Dikshit
Tribune News Service
New Delhi, April 9

The sail past by a US Navy ship through the Indian exclusive economic zone (EEZ) has raised political temperatures but may not rock the bilateral diplomatic ties except for the matter of issuance of a public statement by the US Navy which has not happened in the past, said sources.

The US routinely challenges what it sees as “excessive maritime claims” of 22 countries. They include the entire South Asian littoral belt, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar and Pakistan besides close ally Taiwan further in the east.

The statement by the US Navy has been unusually made public and there are several voices against its tone and tenor. But sources said the thrust of the latest statement is the same as the ones quietly served through diplomatic channels since the US Navy started carrying out these sails in Indian EEZ from 1992.

Initially the sails took place every second year. They became annual affairs in 1999. It didn’t take place in 2018 and the COVID-hit 2020.   

Friend or foe, the US has adopted this practice of confronting “inconsistent claims” by 22 countries that it says are “excessive maritime claims”.

The US follows a two-pronged approach. Its Department of State diplomatically protests excessive maritime claims and asks the countries concerned to adhere to international law.  

The Department of Defence then exercises the US’ maritime rights by conducting tangible, operational challenges against excessive maritime claims.

These FON (freedom of navigation) sails are deliberately planned in a manner that does not provoke armed conflict, said sources.

The differences between the US and the 22 countries are on a wide range of issues. But the entire rule book is thrown at China while India’s alleged misdemeanours merit a few lines.

The US conducts these FONs through the Indian EEZ to contradict New Delhi’s claim that prior consent is required for military exercises or manoeuvres in the EEZ.

Top court refuses to entertain BJP leader Ashwani K Upadhyay’s PIL seeking to check fraudulent religious conversions

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 9

Maintaining that an adult is free to choose a religion of his or her choice, the Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a BJP leader’s PIL seeking directions to ban black magic, superstition and fraudulent religious conversions.

“We don’t see a reason why a person above 18 years can’t choose his or her religion,” a Bench headed by Justice RF Nariman said, terming Upadhyay’s PIL a “publicity interest litigation”.

The top court said there was a reason why the word “propagate” figured in Article 25 of the Constitution, which guaranteed right to religion.

After the top court’s refusal to entertain his PIL, Upadhyay chose to withdraw it. Later, the BJP leader said he would approach the Ministry of Law and Justice and the Law Commission with his demand.

Upadhyay — a Delhi BJP leader and an advocate– had sought directions to the Centre and states to ban black magic, superstition and fraudulent and forcible religious conversions. He wanted the top court to ask the government to appoint a committee to ascertain the feasibility of enacting anti-conversion law to check the abuse of religion.

Highlighting incidents of forceful religious conversion by “carrot and stick” and use of black magic “reported every week throughout the country, Upadhyay had pointed out that the Supreme Court had in the Sarla Mudgal Case (1995) directed the Centre to ascertain the feasibility of enacting an anti-conversion law.

“The law may provide that every citizen who changes his religion cannot marry another wife unless he divorces his first wife. The provision should be made applicable to every person whether he is a Hindu or a Muslim or a Christian or a Sikh or a Jain or a Buddhist. Provision may be made for maintenance and succession etc. also to avoid clash of interest after death…This would go a long way to solve the problem and pave the way for a unified civil code,” he had submitted, quoting from the Sarla Mudgal verdict.

In fact, the victims of such forcible conversions were often socially and economically under privileged people, particularly belonging to the SC-ST, Upadhyay had contended.

Terming forceful as a violation of right to equality, right to life and liberty and right to religion guaranteed under Articles 14, 21 and 25 of the Constitution, he had said it was also against the principles of secularism – an integral part of basic structure of Constitution.

Accusing the Government of having failed to take any concrete action against these menace so of the society, he had said, the “Centre is empowered to make special provisions for the benefit of women and children under Article 15(3) and freedom of conscience, free profession, practice and propagation of religion under Article 25 is subject to public order, morality, health and other provisions of Part-III.”

Alternately, he had demanded that the Law Commission should be asked to prepare a report on “Black Magic, Superstition and Religious Conversion within three months in spirit of the Judgment in Sarla Mudgal Case

Being custodian of the Constitution and protector of fundamental rights, the court should use its plenary constitutional power to pass directions to stop conversion by carrot and the stick, he had submitted.

The SC refused to entertain a PIL seeking an independent probe into the Nandigram episode in which Mamata Banerjee allegedly got injured. Top court asks petitioners to approach the Calcutta High Court.

Wife and family members of CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Manhas celebrate after hearing the news of his release, in Jammu on Thursday. PTI

Jammu, April 8

Days of anxious silence gave way to relief and celebration at the house of CoBRA commando Rakeshwar Singh Manhas here as the news of his release from Maoist captivity broke on Thursday.

Family members and relatives of the commando were moved to tears as they saw visuals of him stepping out of an ambulance on a news channel.

Soon neighbours joined the family in its celebrations, and cheers and chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” filled the air. Everyone who visited Manhas’ house was greeted with sweets and smiles.https://0f061510f0aad7f0ab786626fe3a0a4f.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.html

“This is the happiest moment of my life. I always remained hopeful of his return and want to thank the central and Chhattisgarh governments and everybody else who stood by us during the testing time,” Manhas’ wife Meenu said.

The commando’s five-year-old daughter Raghvi was seen kissing his picture on a mobile phone. “I had prayed for my father’s release,” she said. — PTI

Photo for representation only. – File photo

Tribune News Service

Ambala, April 7

More than two years after the civil airport project was approved under the Udan 3.0 scheme, the district administration and the air force authorities have agreed to construct airport on the land adjoining the air force station on Jagadhri road in Ambala Cantonment.

Ashok Kumar, Ambala DC

Discussion held with officials concerned

A civil airport was approved for Ambala Cantonment and efforts were being made to identify and finalise a suitable land for the project. A detailed discussion has been held with the officials concerned regarding the airport project.

In December 2018, the civil airport project was approved but the project has been hanging fire ever since, as the land for the project was not finalised. The runway of the air force station is to be used for the airport. It will have flights for Srinagar and Lucknow.

As per information, Ambala Deputy Commissioner Ashok Kumar, Air Officer Commanding Prashant Arya along with officials from the air force, Cantonment Board Ambala, Civil Aviation, Revenue Department and other district officials held a meeting in Ambala on Tuesday evening and agreed to use the land near Mama-Bhanja Peer, adjoining the air force station for the airport.

While one gate of the airport will be towards Jagadhri road, the other gate will open inside the air force station. The officials of civil aviation who were present in the meeting have been asked to prepare and submit their project report so that it could be forwarded to the higher authorities.

Anil Vij, Home Minister

To be ready in couple of years

All stakeholders have principally agreed on the land identified on the Jagadhri road. The air force has agreed to give passage for the runway. The land will be transferred to the Haryana Government and the state government will pay the cost of the land. If everything goes right, the airport will be ready in a couple of years.

Deputy Commissioner Ashok Sharma said “A civil airport was approved for Ambala Cantonment and efforts were being made to identify and finalise a suitable land for the project. A detailed discussion has been held with the officials concerned regarding the airport project.”

State Home and Health Minister Anil Vij has been taking a keen interest in the project and he has repeatedly raised the issue with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Vij held a meeting with the Defence Minister in February and sought his intervention in the issue pertaining to land requirement for a domestic airport in Ambala.

Speaking to The Tribune, Home Minister Anil Vij said, “All stakeholders have principally agreed on the land identified on the Jagadhri road. It is a 15-acre defence land. The air force has agreed to give passage for the runway. The land will be transferred to the Haryana Government and the state government will pay the cost of the land. We have asked the Civil Aviation Department to prepare and submit the project report. We have taken defence land in the past too for Civil Hospital. After getting approval from the Ministry of Defence, the project will be started. If everything goes right, the airport will be ready in a couple of years. The land identified is suitable for the project as it is near the national highway, bus stand and railway station.”

Farmers asked for land on rent, but man give it free of cost on ‘humanitarian grounds

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Punjab farmers work on the field at the Tikri-Bahadurgarh border in Jhajjar district. Photo: Sumit Tharan

Ravinder Saini
Tribune News Service
Jhajjar, April 8

A retired customs officer residing at Balor village on the Tikri-Bahadurgarh border has provided two acres of his agricultural land to a group of agitating farmers from Amritsar to grow vegetables.

“These farmers have been camping adjacent to my fields for the last four months. Earlier, I provided them with the facilities of bathing, toilets, besides offering them milk and food on many occasions. Recently, they approached me to take the land on rent for cultivation to meet the shortage of vegetables. But I gave them land free of cost on humanitarian grounds as they are fighting the battle for the entire farming community,” said Nar Singh Rao.

Rao, who owns four acres of agricultural land, said the farmers could use the land till their agitation ended. 

“We are prepared for a long haul. Since we have no other work here except participating in the protest, we decided to grow vegetables such as bottle gourd, pumpkin and peppermint etc to meet the daily demand. The residents of Haryana have been extending every kind of help for the last four months, but the supply of vegetables has gone down for the last couple of days,” said Shamsher Singh of Amritsar. 

He said they had ploughed the field and asked kin back home to bring vegetable seeds. The vegetables would be ready to use in 45 days. Thereafter, these would be distributed to the farmers at Tikri, he added. 

Will make direct payments and work out some protection for arhtiyas: Punjab ministers Manpreet Badal and BB Ashu

Punjab delegation talking to mediapersons after meeting with Food Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Thursday. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, April 8

Punjab farmers can look forward to direct online MSP payment from the upcoming procurement season after the Centre on Thursday rejected the state’s demand for yet another exemption from the DBT route.

“We have no option and choice,” Punjab finance minister Manpreet Badal said after a nearly two-hour meeting with Food minister Piyush Goyal who categorically told the state that the Centre will make procurements and reimburse related costs only if the state pays directly to farmers and not through arhtiyas.

“The minister has rejected our requests for exemption from the DBT route and we are now left with no choice. The minister said the state would have to make its own procurement arrangements if it wishes to pay farmers through arhtiyas. So we have no choice,” Badal said.

Punjab food minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu said the state will find a way to pay directly to farmers and will ensure some protection for arhtiyas.

He said the CM has called a meeting with arhtiyas tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Centre has agreed to grant Punjab six month extension to link land record to the national e-procurement portal.

The Centre today said 15 procuring states had started DBT payments to farmers and no further exemption was possible for Punjab which had already got three exemptions in the past.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a meeting in New Delhi. PTI

New Delhi, April 8

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday called for research and documentation of the Sikh spirit of service and the evolution of Gurdwaras as living centres of public service.

Centre will give fitting tribute

The Centre will give a fitting tribute to the ninth Sikh Guru whose life is an example of sacrifice and wisdom. We are blessed to have the opportunity to contribute to this historical occasion. — Narendra Modi, PM

Addressing a high-level committee meeting to plan the 400th birth anniversary of Guru Teg Bahadur virtually today, the PM said the government will give a fitting tribute to the ninth Sikh Guru whose life was an example of sacrifice and wisdom.

He sought written suggestions from committee members on yearlong celebrations the government plans.

The PM said no segment of Indian history in the last four centuries was such as could be imagined without the impact of Guru Teg Bahadur.

“He gave us the mantra of equality, simplicity and sacrifice. It is our duty to take this lesson to everyone,” he said

Stressing the use of digital technologies to spread the message of the Guru, the PM said, “ We must research how Sikhs are following the path of service. We must document this spirit of service.” — TNS