Akhilesh Yadav backs Bharat Bandh against SC verdict on SC/ST reservations
Lucknow: Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav has expressed support for the Bharat Bandh called on Wednesday to protest the Supreme Court's ruling that permits sub-classification within reservation categories for Scheduled Castes (SC) and Scheduled Tribes (ST).
Yadav spoke on the importance of the mass movement to protect reservations, describing it as a positive effort that would instill new consciousness among the exploited and deprived sections of society. He asserted that peaceful protest is a democratic right and a powerful tool against any attempt to undermine the reservation system.
"The mass movement to protect reservations is a positive effort. It will instill new consciousness among the exploited and deprived and will prove to be a shield of people's power against any kind of tampering with reservation. Peaceful movement is a democratic right," Yadav stated in a post on X.
Yadav further warned that the public must take to the streets if the government attempts to tamper with the Constitution and the rights of people through fraudulent means.
"Baba Saheb Bhimrao Ambedkar had already warned that the Constitution will only work if the intentions of those implementing it are correct. When the governments in power tamper with the Constitution and the rights given by it through fraud, scams, and scandals, then the public will have to take to the streets. Public movements put a check on unbridled government," he added.
The 'Reservation Bachao Sangharsh Samiti' has called for a day-long Bharat Bandh to protest the Supreme Court's recent judgment on reservations.
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati has also extended her support to the Bharat Bandh, citing widespread anger and resentment among SC/ST communities over the court's decision. She accused parties like the BJP and Congress of conspiring to make reservations ineffective.
The Supreme Court's landmark ruling on August 1, delivered by a seven-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud, held that states have the authority to sub-classify SCs and STs and suggested that the state develop a policy for identifying the creamy layer within these groups. The judgment overturned a previous ruling that had deemed sub-classification impermissible.
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SC to hear on May 4 PIL seeking stringent guidelines for issuing Aadhaar to adolescents, adults
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on Monday a plea seeking a direction to the Unique Identification Authority of India to issue new Aadhaar cards only to citizens up to the age of six years, and frame stringent guidelines for its issuance to adolescents and adults to stop infiltrators from masquerading as Indian citizens.
As per the apex court's causelist of May 4, the plea would come up for hearing before a bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by lawyer Ashwini Upadhyay has also sought a direction to the authorities to install display boards at common service centres stating that the 12-digit unique identification number is only a "proof of identity" and not a proof of citizenship, address or date of birth.
Besides all the states and Union Territories, the plea has made the UIDAI -- which is the authority that issues Aadhaar -- and the Union ministries of home, law and justice, and electronics and information technology as parties.
The plea, filed through advocate Ashwani Dubey, said Aadhaar, originally intended as a proof of identity, has increasingly become a "foundational document" enabling individuals to obtain other identification documents, such as ration cards, domicile certificates and voter identity cards.
"The UIDAI has issued 144 crore Aadhaar and 99 percent Indians have been enrolled. Therefore, the petitioner is filing this writ petition as a PIL under Article 32, seeking a direction to UIDAI to issue new Aadhaar to children only and frame new stringent guidelines for adolescents and adults, so as to stop infiltrators from getting it and masquerading as Indian citizens," the plea said.
It said the need to file the plea arose when the petitioner came to know the manner in which infiltrators are able to procure Aadhaar through a verification process that is weak and can be easily manipulated.
"Foreigners apply for Aadhaar under the 'foreign' category. But infiltrators apply for Aadhaar under the 'Indian citizen' category and get it easily made. Thereafter, they obtain a ration card, birth and domicile certificate, driving licence, et cetera, essentially becoming indistinguishable from Indian citizens…," it said.
Besides seeking other directions, the plea has raised legal questions, including whether the Aadhaar Act 2016 has become "temporally unreasonable" for failing to keep up with the legislative intent of distinguishing foreigners from Indian citizens.
It said the alleged misuse of Aadhaar undermines targeted welfare delivery and leads to diversion of public resources.
