Rajya Sabha condemns Katju for remarks on Gandhi, Bose
New Delhi: Cutting across the political divide, Rajya Sabha on Wednesday unequivocally condemned former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju for calling Mahatma Gandhi a British agent and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose a Japanese one by unanimously adopting a resolution moved by Chairman Hamid Ansari. The Zero Hour saw members from opposition and treasury benches coming together to condemn Justice Katju’s remarks in his blog with the entire House later unanimously adopting a resolution by a voice vote. “This House expresses its unequivocal condemnation of the recent remarks of the former judge of the Supreme Court, Shri Justice Markandey Katju, against the Father of the Nation Mahatma Gandhi and Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, who led the Indian National Army for the freedom of the country,” said the resolution read out by Ansari. Earlier, the government had agreed to bring a resolution condemning Katju’s statement, but it was decided that the resolution should come from the Chair. Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said he shared the anguish of the members and “outrightly condemned” it. “It is unquestionable that Gandhi probably has been the greatest citizen of India in the recent era,” he said, terming the role the Father of the Nation in freedom struggle as paramount and the single biggest contributor. Jaitley said in addition, this also was reflective of the present system by which individuals with “this kind of mindset” get appointed as judges of the apex court. This, he said, speaks of the “weakness of the present system which we are trying to change”. (PTI)
BJP member embarrasses govt over low literacy levels
New Delhi: A BJP member on Wednesday embarrassed the government saying it should be “ashamed” over the low literacy levels in the country, drawing a snub from Union Minister Smriti Irani who said he should be careful in choosing words. During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Nishikant Dubey cited data from a UNESCO report and said the “Indian government should be ashamed” about low literacy levels in the country. The BJP member was also quick to add that it was not the fault of the present dispensation led by his party but that of the previous UPA regime. In response, a visibly peeved HRD Minister said the member should be careful while speaking. “You should ask the question quickly… When you say ‘Indian government should be ashamed’, you should be careful as it would also cover the present government,” she noted. Irani also said that instead of asking a question, Dubey had given a long speech. Speaker Sumitra Mahajan too said everyone should speak with responsibility. (PTI)
Wrong to ban rape documentary, says Kiran Bedi
Washington: Former top cop and BJP leader Kiran Bedi has said that the controversial BBC documentary on the Delhi gang rape case need not have been banned by the government without watching and analysing it, as it meets the “needs of crime prevention strategies” in chauvinistic segments of Indian society. The documentary, “India’s Daughter”, about the infamous 2012 Delhi gang rape, premiered in the US this week but has been banned by the Indian government. Bedi told PTI in an interview, that the film is “very strongly reflective of a prevailing mindset, which is rampant in our country, both in urban and rural settings”. Currently in the US on a speaking tour, Bedi, who has seen the documentary, said the film “meets the need for a holistic crime prevention approach, particularly crimes against women”. The male mindset of certain segments of society continues to be parochial, she said, adding that they feel that the “space of women has to be restricted”, and that women are supposed to be “subordinate” to the male needs. (PTI)
Married woman gang raped
Jind: A married woman was allegedly gang raped by five youths near Roopgarh village in the district, police said on Wednesday. The victim, a native of Harsola village in Kaithal district, had come to Roopgarh village to meet her relatives when five car-borne youths abducted and raped her in the nearby fields on Tuesday, police said. A case has been registered against Chander Shekhar, Manoj, Jitender, Kala and Sandeep; residents of Kandela village in the district on the complaint by the victim. (PTI)