Nicaraguan Sheynnis Palacios wins Miss Universe 2023 title in San Salvador
San Salvador: Sheynnis Palacios, the contestant from Nicaragua, has been crowned Miss Universe 2023 at an event held at the Jose Adolfo Pineda Arena in San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador on Sunday.
Palacios is the 72nd Miss Universe and the first Nicaraguan to win the title, and was crowned by R'Bonney Gabriel of the United States, who was Miss Universe 2022 at the event, reports India Today.
Thai contestant Anntonia Porsild was the first runner-up in the race for the title, while Moraya Wilson from Australia secured the third place in the beauty pageant.
Eighty-four countries and territories sent their contestants for the pageant in San Salvador, which had been hosted by American TV star Jeannie Mai and Miss Universe 2012 Olivia Culpo as well as American TV presenter Maria Menounos.
Miss India Shweta Sharda reached the list of the top 20 contestants. Incidentally, this is the first time that Pakistan participated in the Miss Universe contest.
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Civil society organisations jointly file complaint to election commission against BJP in Karnataka
On 06.05.2024, a delegation of concerned citizens and members of various civil society organisations met the Chief Election Officer, Karnataka to file a complaint against Bharatiya Janata Party, Karnataka. The complaint demanded action against BJP Karnataka for violation of Representation of People’s Act. 1951, Model Code of Contact (MCC) and sections 153A, 505 (1) (c ) and 505 (2) by spreading fake news and hate speech through their X handle and through newspaper advertisements.
The video posted on the BJP Karnataka X handle clearly implies that the Muslim community is “eating” all the funds at the cost of other communities, and that the Muslim community is pushing out the other communities. The very manner in which the Muslim community is portrayed as being “bad” is a shocking and blatant attack against the community.Similarly the advertisement spreads fake news that Muslims are being given reservation on the basis of religion, when they are given reservations for being a member of a socially and educationally backward class as per Article 15(4) of the constitution.
It further stated that BJP Karnataka, in putting out the video and the advertisement had violated Section 123 (3A) of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 by seeking votes on the ground of religion. By attempting to promote hatred among the Muslim and SC/ST/OBC communities, their actions also attracted IPC sections 153(A)1(a), IPC 505(2).The video is in clear violation of the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 as contained in the Handbook for Candidates Edition 2023 issued by the Election Commission of India and the Compendium of Instructions on the Model Code of Conduct 2024.
The delegation urged the Chief Election Officer, Karnataka to exercise their authority under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution and immediately initiate the following measures:
1. Immediately file an FIR against BJP Karnataka Social Media In-charge; JP Nadda, BJP National President; Amit Malaviya, BJP National Social Media In-charge and BY Vijayendra, State President BJP Karnataka.
2. Direct that the BJP Karnataka X handle not be permitted to post for a minimum of 48 hours.
3. Direct the BJP Karnataka to immediately delete the aforementioned post on their X handle.
4. Take strict action against BJP’s star campaigner, Mr. Narendra Modi, and ban him from campaigning for 48 hours with respect to the aforementioned newspaper advertisement.
5. Direct the BJP Karnataka to issue an apology forthwith with regard to the false claims made in the newspaper advertisement on 05.05.2024. Further, direct that the apology be of the same size as the advertisement.
It is important to note that the Election Commission has promptly initiated action against the KC Rao, President of the Bharatha Rashtra Samiti (https://elections24.eci.gov.in/docs/AhtgLNsZsm.pdf ) and Congress leader Randeep Surjewala ( https://elections24.eci.gov.in/docs/U4pbNwetPL.pdf ) for similar violations. The delegation urged the Election Commission to be equally prompt and strict with the violations committed by the Karnataka Bharatiya Janata Party as well.
The CEO, Karnataka informed the delegation that an FIR has already been filed in the matter and the Commission was working with X to bring the video down.
Representatives from Bahutva Karnataka, All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), Campaign Against Hate Speech (CAHS), All India Democratic Women’s Association (AIDWA), Naaveddu Nilladiddare, People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), were part of the delegation.
