AIMIM Chief Owaisi criticizes UAPA, says Modi Govt hasn't taken lesson from election results
New Delhi: Asaduddin Owaisi, President of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), sharply criticized the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) on Saturday, urging the Modi government to heed lessons from recent election outcomes. He lamented that his hopes for meaningful change under "Modi 3.0" were dashed.
In a statement, Owaisi denounced the UAPA as a severe law that has disproportionately affected Muslim, Dalit, and tribal youth, leading to widespread imprisonment and ruined lives. He specifically pointed out its role in the tragic death of 85-year-old Stan Swamy.
Referring to recent developments, Owaisi criticized the Delhi Lieutenant Governor's decision to approve the prosecution of author Arundhati Roy and former Central University of Kashmir professor Sheikh Showkat Hussain under UAPA provisions. The case stems from speeches at a 2010 conference.
Owaisi concluded by expressing disappointment in the government's continuation of what he described as a series of injustices and excesses facilitated by laws like the UAPA.
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SC raps DDA over felling of trees in Delhi ridge area, proposes massive plantation
New Delhi, Jun 24: Observing that brazen acts of tree felling in the national capital cannot be brushed aside lightly, the Supreme Court on Monday sought a "clear" statement from the vice chairman of the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) about whether trees in the ridge area were cut on the orders of the lieutenant governor without its permission.
A vacation bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan said it proposes to hold a detailed enquiry into the acts of the DDA which resulted in destruction of several valuable trees and consequentially degradation of the environment.
The apex court said it very shocking that the trees were cut despite knowing that it cannot be done without the permission of the top court.
"Such brazen acts in the capital city cannot be lightly brushed aside by this court. If the authorities are not performing their statutory and constitutional duties of protecting the environment, the court has to give a clear and loud signal to all authorities that the environment cannot be damaged in such a fashion," the bench said.
"We direct the vice chairman to state before the court about whether any official record is available regarding the site visit of the Lieutenant Governor on February 3 and on what transpired on the visit of the LG. We need a clear statement of facts from the vice chairman, because if what is indicated in the emails is correct, then the felling of the trees was on the directions by the LG. We expect the DDA to come clean on this aspect," the top court said while issuing contempt notices to the DDA officers concerned.
The top court said it proposes to issue directions for a massive tree plantation drive in the entire national capital territory of Delhi and asked the DDA and Attorney General R Venkataramani to assist it in the matter.
The matter will now be heard on June 26.
The apex court had earlier issued a notice of criminal contempt against DDA vice chairman Subhasish Panda for allowing large-scale felling of trees in the southern Ridge's Satbari area to construct a road from Chhattarpur to South Asian University.
It had expressed displeasure over a "misleading" affidavit filed by the vice chairman and presenting "wrong facts" before the court. It also directed planting of 100 new trees for each tree felled by the DDA.
