CURRENT AFFAIRS
28 January 2021
NATIONAL NEWS:
A) Farmer unions blame violence on ‘conspiracy’; cancel Budget Day march to Parliament.
Farmers’ unions have blamed Tuesday’s violence on a conspiracy hatched with the Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC) and anti-social elements such as Deep Sidhu. They claimed that the incidents on Republic Day had exposed the anti-farmer forces and vowed to continue a peaceful protest. After an emergency meeting under the chairmanship of veteran Punjab leader Balbir Singh Rajewal, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha said they had discussed the violent incidents in New Delhi and concluded that the Union Govt. has been severely shaken by this peasant agitation. Therefore, a dirty conspiracy was hatched with Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee and others against the peaceful struggle of other farmer organisations. After the Republic Day parade plans were made, anti-social elements like Deep Sidhu and others, including the KMSC, attempted to torpedo the farmers’ agitation, the SKM said. The farm unions condemned the violence, the government, the KSMC, and the anti-social elements who tried to damage the struggle. The organisations resolved not to allow the government and other forces inimical to the peaceful movement to break this struggle. Yesterday’s events exposed and isolated the anti-farmer forces clearly, said the SKM statement. The SKM claimed that the KMSC was not part of the organisations which jointly undertook the struggle, noting that the Punjab union had set up its own separate protest site with a separate stage at the Singhu border within 15 days of the start of the agitation. Although the KMSC is part of the negotiations with the Centre along with the other unions, SKM leaders emphasised that this was only because the government had invited the rogue Punjab union. Meanwhile, union leaders announced that they have cancelled the scheduled march to Parliament on Budget Day, February 1. Instead, they now plan to hold ‘jan sabhas’ across the country on January 30, Mahatma Gandhi’s death anniversary.
B) Delhi Police detain 200, name key farmer leaders in FIRs.
The Delhi Police have detained 200 people in connection with the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day, officials said on Wednesday. Police said they are likely to detain and question more people in connection with Tuesday’s violence in the national capital. Tens of thousands of farmers broke barriers on Tuesday to storm the national capital and highlight their demands. The Delhi Police has also registered 22 FIRs so far in connection with the violence that left over 300 policemen injured. More than 35 farmer leaders have been named in the FIRs, including Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal Singh, Rajinder Singh, Balbir Singh Rajewal, Buta Singh Burjgil, Joginder Singh Ugrahan, and Yogendra Yadav. Interestingly, Deep Sidhu, the man widely believed to be behind the incitement that led to the violence at Red Fort on Tuesday, has not been named in any FIR. Sidhu was an election agent for Sunny Deol, a BJP MP. He has been photographed with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, and has been a campaigner for the BJP.
C) Three TV journalists booked in U.P. for showing students ‘shivering in cold’ during govt function. Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur Dehat district have booked three television journalists on charges of airing a baseless news report of children of a government school shivering in cold in knickers and cotton shirts during a drill at a public function on January 24. The event was part of a government function held at the Eco Park in Kanpur Dehat on the occasion of U.P. Foundation Day. Minister for Technology Ajit Singh Pal, MLAs and officials were present. The FIR was lodged at the Akbarpur police station on a complaint of Sunil Dutt, district basic education officer. Dutt accused the three journalists of publishing baseless and misleading reports and videos that suggested that pupils were made to shiver in cold while performing drills and yoga. Children perform at a Uttar Pradesh Foundation Day function attended by State Minister Ajit Singh Pal at Kanpur Dehat district on January 24, 2021. Three journalists have been booked by the district police for airing news report showing children of a government school shivering in cold during the event. The three, working for a local TV channel, have been identified as Mohit Kashyap, Amit Singh and Yaseen Ali. The three were not even present at the event, officials said. Visuals of the event shows pupils performing drills apparently in summer uniform and holding toy guns. The FIR accused the journalists of suggesting that the officials were busy while the children shivered in cold. In the complainant, Dutt said the pupils were made to take off their winter-wear only while performing yoga and exercise, and that subsequently they wore their warm clothes. Yoga and physical exercise could not be carried out in winter clothes and required loose clothing, he pointed out.
D) Supreme Court stays Bombay High Court POCSO order.
The Supreme Court has stayed a controversial Bombay High Court verdict, which acquitted a man found guilty of assault under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) on the grounds that he groped his victim over her clothes and there was no ‘skin-to-skin’ contact between them. A Bench led by Chief Justice of India Sharad A. Bobde on Wednesday took cognisance instantaneously after Attorney General K.K. Venugopal made a special mention in court, saying the High Court decision would set a very dangerous precedent and cripple the intention of POCSO to punish sexual offenders. On January 19, a single judge of the Bombay High Court’s Nagpur Bench created a furore after he acquitted a man under POCSO Act and held that an act against a minor would amount to groping or sexual assault only if there was skin-to-skin contact. The High Court had concluded that mere touching or pressing of a clothed body of a child did not amount to sexual assault. Venugopal said that in the future, because of the order, an accused could claim innocence under POCSO by arguing that the child he assaulted was clothed and there was no direct physical skin-to-skin contact between them. The Bench issued notice to the accused and to the State of Maharashtra after registering a case on the basis of Venugopal’s mentioning.
E) No protection from arrest for makers of ‘Tandav’
The Supreme Court today declined to pass an order to protect the makers and artists of Amazon Prime’s ‘Tandav’ web series from arrest even as it agreed to examine their plea to club the FIRs registered against them in various States on the charge of hurting Hindu religious sentiments. A three-judge Bench led by Justice Ashok Bhushan asked them to approach the concerned lower courts for interim relief, including bail. The court also rejected their plea to quash the FIRs. The court did not appear convinced when the makers and artists explained that the web series was a political satire and urged the court to protect their freedom of artistic speech and expression. Justice M.R. Shah, on the Bench, said free speech is not absolute and is subject to reasonable restrictions. One of the actors, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, described to the court that he had enacted a character whose dialogues in the series had no connection whatsoever to his own individual beliefs. You cannot play the role of a character which hurts the religious sentiments of others, Justice Shah responded.
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
A) Iran says Israel is waging a psychological war.
A top Iranian official on Wednesday said Israel was waging a psychological war after the Jewish state’s Army said new offensive options were being drawn up in case they were needed against the Islamic republic. Mahmoud Vaezi, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani’s chief of staff, also vowed that his country was ready and willing to defend itself. They have no intention of going to war, but they are serious about defending the country, he said. Israel, a close U.S. ally, accuses Iran of seeking to build a nuclear bomb, a charge Tehran denies. Israel’s military chief General Aviv Kochavi said on Tuesday he had ordered new plans be drawn up this year to counter Iran’s nuclear capabilities, in case political leaders decided to target the country. The power to initiate them lies with the political echelon, Gen. Kochavi stressed. However, the offensive options need to be prepared, ready and on the table. Mr. Vaezi shot back on Wednesday, accusing Israel of conducting a psychological war. Iran’s recent military manoeuvres, testing missiles and drones, Mr. Vaezi added, showed that our armed forces are trained to defend Iran. Gen. Kochavi’s remarks came nearly a week after the inauguration of U.S. President Joe Biden, who has signalled he wants to return to dialogue with Iran.
B) Pak. plans to hold Senate polls through open vote. Pakistan Cabinet has decided to table a Bill in Parliament to amend the Constitution for holding the Senate elections through open vote. The decision was taken during the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, presided over by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The government wants the (Senate) polls to be held in a transparent manner and without horse-trading. This is why we want Senate polls to be held through an open ballot, Information Minister Shibli Faraz told the media after the meeting. He said that in the past, money was used in Senate elections and votes were bought making the House election a mockery. The Minister asked what was the use of an upper house in which people come through purchasing of votes. Mr. Faraz also said that people opposing the proposed move are forgetting that their own party had demanded open ballot in the past. The government will present a constitutional amendment Bill in the Parliament so that Senate polls are held through open ballot, he said.
