Ahmedabad Apr 23 PTI A Congress delegation on Saturday met Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat at Raj Bhavan and sought action against elements trying to create communal polarization and misusing government machinery to suppress the voices of dissent The Congress also accused the BJP government in the state of bulldozer politics like its counterpart in Uttar Pradesh The delegation which included Leader of Opposition Sukhram Rathwa AICC Gujarat in charge Raghu Sharma and several MLAs and senior leaders submitted a memorandum and accused the ruling BJP of indulging in politics of hatred and misusing government machinery to suppress dissenting voices Attempts are being made to create a situation of communal polarization in the state and those in the government who are responsible to maintain law and order are behaving unconstitutionally the Congress memorandum stated It sought action against those who are trying to create fear in the minds of citizens adding that the BJP was trying to instigate and create communal tension to hide its inability to bring the state back on track amid the COVID-19 pandemic It also said the Gujarat government was adopting the politics of bulldozer after getting inspired by the Uttar Pradesh government In truth they are bulldozing the soul of Mahatma Gandhi and the Constitution Such efforts to create hatred among people is affecting the state economically The party BJP is targeting those opposing its unconstitutional activities using government machinery it added The Congress requested the governor to direct the state government to take immediate action against those spreading hatred and disturbing law and order as well as lodge FIRs against those using social media and delivering instigating speeches It has become a way of functioning of the BJP to suppress the voice of dissent there and then It should understand it cannot suppress the voice of the public through its bulldozer politics the memorandum further said PTI KA BNM BNM

Chennai Apr 20 PTI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday asserted that not even a speck of dust fell on state Governor R N Ravi during a black flag protest against him in Mayiladuthurai and said the opposition AIADMKs attempts to do politics over the matter will not fructify as this is DMK rule Seeking to turn the tables on the principal opposition which staged a walkout of the Assembly over the issue Stalin also sought to remind it of an alleged attack on then Governor Chenna Reddy in the 90s during the AIADMK period and pointed out that an Assembly resolution for his recall was also adopted thenAlso he recalled the humiliation meted out to Subramanian Swamy Rajya Sabha MP and a former bureaucrat during the AIADMK regimeAfter questioning the government the AIADMK members should have remained in the Assembly House for my reply They could have walked out if the reply is not convincing But they chose to stage a walk out apparently realising what the reply would be and thinking of what they had done during their rule Stalin saidExplaining about the black flag protest against Ravi Stalin quoting the ADGP LO told the Assembly that there was no truth in the claim that stones and flagpoles were thrown on Ravis convoy during his visit to a mutt in Mayiladuthurai district on TuesdayLeader of Opposition K Palaniswami and state BJP chief K Annamalai had on Tuesday made such claims about the protest against the Governor when he visited the Dharmapuram Aadheenam a Saivite monastic institution in Mayiladuthurai districtStalin rejected the allegations as baseless The ADGP had clarified that police erected barricades and confined the agitators Later when they were arrested and taken in the van argument ensued and they untied the black flags tied in plastic pipes and threw them the CM saidThe Aide De Camp ADC to the Governor had also written to the state DGP saying Ravi and the convoy passed unharmed he addedTargeting the AIADMK Stalin said they saw this as a chance to do politics which is normal for political parties and that separate statements from party Coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Palaniswami on the matter was proof enough of it as they generally issued joint statements on various mattersDetailing the security measures for the Governor Stalin said nearly 1200 police personnel under the Central Zone IG with officers including two DIGS and six SPs were deployedEven if the protest was democratic this government has taken due steps for the safety of the governor This government wont make any compromise in ensuring security for the governor the CM saidThe Leader of Opposition Palaniswami and deputy leader Panneerselvam think they can do politics over the matter using the Governor Let me make it clear-- that will not at all happen because this is DMK government Stalin said and lashed out at the LoP over the Sathankulam custodial deaths and police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin when he was chief ministerAs far as this government is concerned let me make one thing clear Police had prevented those who staged the black flag demo and ensured not even a speck of dust fell on the governor Not just that cases have been filed against the agitators and a probe is on This government has a duty to protect those in constitutional positions to ensure their security The police department is diligently doing that the chief minister addedRaising the issue Palaniswami claimed that the Governors convoy was targeted with stones and flagpoles by anti-social elements This is reprehensible It is regrettable that the police instead of taking action on the trouble mongers offered them protection This is also condemnable he said drawing the governments attention to the matterHe led his AIADMK in staging a walk out from the House protesting the attack on Governors convoySpeaking on the issue BJP floor leader Nainar Nagendran alleged that sufficient protection was not provided to the Governor during his visit to Mayiladuthurai He demanded action on the police officials responsible for the alleged attack on Governors convoy and staged a walkout over the issueCongress floor leader K Selvaperunthagai an ally of DMK raised the issue in the House PTI JSP SA ROH ROH

Chennai Apr 20 PTI Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Wednesday asserted that not even a speck of dust fell on state Governor R N Ravi during a black flag protest against him in Mayiladuthurai and said the opposition AIADMKs attempts to do politics over the matter will not fructify as this is DMK rule Seeking to turn the tables on the principal opposition which staged a walkout of the Assembly over the issue Stalin also sought to remind it of an alleged attack on then Governor Chenna Reddy in the 90s during the AIADMK period and pointed out that an Assembly resolution for his recall was also adopted then Speaking on the black flag protest against Ravi in the state Assembly Stalin quoting the ADGP LO said there was no truth in the claims that stones and flagpoles were thrown on Ravis convoy during his visit to a mutt in Mayiladuthurai district on Tuesday Leader of Opposition K Palaniswami and state BJP chief K Annamalai had on Tuesday made such claims about the protest against the Governor when he visited a mutt in Mayiladuthurai district Stalin rejected the allegations as baseless The ADGP has clarified that police erected barricades and confined the agitators Later when they were arrested and taken in the van argument ensued and they untied the black flags tied in plastic pipes and threw them the CM said The Aide De Camp ADC to the Governor has also written to the state DGP saying Ravi and the convoy passed unharmed he added Targeting the AIADMK Stalin said they saw this as a chance to do politics which is normal for political parties and that separate statements from party Coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator Palaniswami on the matter was proof enough of it as they generally issued joint statements on various matters Detailing the security measures for the Governor Stalin said nearly 1200 police personnel under the Central Zone IG with officers including two DIGS and six SPs were deployed Even if the protest was democratic this government has taken due steps for the safety of the governor This government wont make any compromise in ensuring security for the governor The Leader of Opposition Palaniswami and deputy leader Panneerselvam think they can do politics over the matter using the Governor Let me make it clear-- that will not at all happen because this is DMK government Stalin said and lashed out at the LoP over the Sathankulam custodial deaths and police firing on anti-Sterlite protesters in Tuticorin when he was chief minister As far as this government is concerned let me make one thing clear Police had prevented those who staged the black flag demo It ensured not even a speck of dust fell on the governor Not just that cases have been filed against the agitators and a probe is on This government has a duty to protect those in constitutional positions to ensure their security The police department is diligently doing that the chief minister added The BJP and AIADMK staged a walkout over the issue The two opposition parties besides DMK ally Congress raised the issue in the House PTI JSP SA ROH ROH

Islamabad [Pakistan], March 29 (ANI): After Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan alleged that some people are trying to topple his government with the help of foreign funds, federal minister Asad Umar claimed that the PM is ready to show a letter to Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Umar Ata Bandial to back his claims.

Kolkata Mar 23 PTI A day after eight people were charred to death in Bengals Birbhum district in the suspected fallout of a TMC panchayat officials murder the opposition BJP on Wednesday demanded Chief Minister Mamata Banerjees resignation over the incident alleging that attempts were being made to shield the culpritsBanerjee has asserted that strict action would be taken against the perpetrators of violenceThe chief minister is also the home minister of the state She has failed in discharging her duties as the home minister She should immediately resign Leader of the Opposition and BJP MLA Suvendu Adhikari told reporters on his way to Birbhum along with other legislators of his partyBJP MP and the partys state vice-president Arjun Singh stated that the CM must take moral responsibility for the incident and step downEarlier it was the opposition workers facing the heat Now it is TMC versus TMC in the state Leaders of the ruling party are fighting among themselves The CM must immediately step down and the probe into Birbhum killings must be handed over to the CBI The police are trying to hush up the matter Attempts are being made to shield the culprits Singh addedMeanwhile the TMC taking a dig at the opposition BJP said its members were out on a picnicSharing on Twitter a video of BJP leaders at a sweetmeat shop he said that the saffron camp made arrangements for the visit of its members to violence-hit Birbhum but they are having a picnic on their way to the district PTI PNT RMS RMS

Mumbai Feb 23 PTI The BJP on Wednesday demanded the resignation of Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik following his arrest by the ED but Shiv Sena MP Sanjay Raut countered it saying that the NCP leader should not be asked to step down as he was held in a cunning manner The Enforcement Directorate ED arrested Malik in a money laundering case linked to the activities of fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim his aides and the Mumbai underworld The 62-year-old NCP leader was taken to the EDs office in south Mumbai for questioning in the morning and was later arrested Malik is the first serving cabinet minister to be arrested on money laundering charges Following his arrest Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrakant Patil demanded that the minister should be removed from the state cabinet Speaking to reporters he said There is a law which states that a minister should be removed from his post if he is facing criminal charges Malik should be removed or asked to step down from his post Apart from being the chief spokesperson of NCP Malik is the Minority Affairs and Skill Development Minister in the Shiv Sena-NCP-Congresss Maha Vikas Aghadi MVA government Two chief ministers of Maharashtra had resigned from their post in the past after facing such serious allegations It is a tradition in the state to step away from a constitutional post till the charges are cleared he said BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said After former home minister Anil Deshmukh now Malik has been arrested under the ongoing probe by the EDThose ministers who are indulging in corrupt practices in the Uddhav Thackeray-led government will face the consequences We will make Maharashtra corruption-free Countering the BJPs attack Sanjay Raut said in a tweet Attempts of backstabbing are on since it is not possible to fight the MVA face-to-faceLet it be Let there be euphoria that a minister has been arrested in a cunning manner Nawab Malik shouldnt be asked to resign We will fight and win Even Kansa and Ravana were killed This is Hindutva Jai maharashtra PTI ND MR NP NP

New Delhi Nov 26 PTI Observing that Laxman Rekha of separation of power is sacrosanct Chief Justice of India N V Ramana Friday said at times courts are compelled to intervene in the interest of justice and the intention is to nudge the executive and not to usurp its role and they should not be projected as judiciary targeting another institutionThe CJI warned against any such attempts to project judicial interventions as targeting of the executive and said that it was totally misplaced and would prove detrimental to the health of democracy if encouragedSpeaking at the Constitution Day celebration organised by the Supreme Court registry Justice Ramana also raised the issue of attacks on the judges and judiciary especially in social media and said that they appeared to be sponsored and synchronised An area of grave concern for the judiciary is the increasing attacks on Judges Physical attacks on judicial officers are on the rise Then there are attacks on the judiciary in the media particularly social media These attacks appear to be sponsored and synchronised The law enforcing agencies particularly the Central agencies need to deal with such malicious attacks effectively The Governments are expected to create a secure environment so that the judges and judicial officers can function fearlessly the CJI said at the function attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi Justice Ramana termed as alarming the huge pendency of cases particularly in lower judiciary and batted for a multi-pronged approach involving all the stakeholders to tackle the menace saying the same judiciary which offers solutions based on a mere postcard paradoxically struggles for years to take regular litigations to their logical conclusion due to various complex reasonsHe said filling up existing vacancies of judicial officers creation of more and more posts filling up vacancies of Public Prosecutors Government Pleaders and Standing Counsel creation of necessary infrastructure sensitising police and the executive about the need to cooperate in court proceedings deployment of modern technological tools and Infrastructure development are the steps needed to tackle the pendency He dealt with the criticism of the judiciary crossing its boundaries and said The Laxman Rekha drawn by the Constitution is sacrosanct But there are times when courts are compelled to pay attention to unresolved grievances in the interest of justice The intention behind such limited judicial interventions is to nudge the executive and not to usurp its role Attempts to project such interventions and constructive observations as the targeting of one institution by another are totally misplaced If encouraged such attempts will prove to be detrimental to the health of democracy he said and stressed the need of educating even the well-informed sections of society about the Constitution Misgivings about the constitutional scheme are mainly due to a lack of Constitutional literacy among even the well-informed sections of society Despite it being the document that decides their destiny the vast majority of our population is oblivious to its relevance and importance There is an urgent need to launch a massive drive to raise awareness about the Constitution- the rights and duties of citizens as well as the roles of other coordinate branches of the State he said The CJI thanked the Centre for clearing names of judges in the higher judiciary for appointments and said that now the apex court has four women judges and hoped that the number of vacancies will be reduced to bare minimum soon He also raised the issue of poor infrastructure in lower courts and said I beseech the Honble Prime Minister to strengthen our efforts in building state-of-the-art Court complexes for the lower judiciary The framers of the Constitution made accountability an integral element with respect to the Legislature and Executive However they consciously decided to keep the Judiciary on a different pedestal They trusted the competence of the men and women who would adorn the Bench in upholding the Constitution Looking back I can proudly claim that as an institution the Judiciary has lived up to the faith reposed in it by the Constituent Assembly The fact that the Indian Judiciary continues to be the last hope for those in distress suggests that it is on the right track For this I give full credit to my colleagues on the Bench- present and past the members of the Bar and the Registry he said He said it is a duty of all to secure social economic and political justice to all the citizens and it was not the responsibility of the Judiciary alone The Executive and the Legislature must work in conjunction with the Judiciary to ensure complete justice as envisaged under the Constitution Any deviation by the Legislature or Executive from the path prescribed by the Constitution will only lead to additional burden on the Judiciary he saidOne notable outcome of this enrichment is the idea of Public Interest Litigation I am not sure if anywhere else in the world a simple letter written by a common man receives judicial attention of the highest order Yes it is sometimes ridiculed as Publicity Interest Litigation due to occasional misuse We must be ever vigilant to discourage motivated PILs At the same time we must also acknowledge the enormous public good achieved through such progressive expansion of Constitutional Jurisprudence he said PTI SJK AAK SJK RKS RKS

Dera Ghazi Khan [Pakistan], November 1 (ANI): Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has warned Imran Khan government against any attempts to rig the vote "again" and said that any such attempt may lead to rebellion, reported Dawn.