India, Seychelles need to work together as partners: Kovind
New Delhi, June 25: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday said India and Seychelles need to work together as partners in strengthening the regional architecture of the Indian Ocean.
"Our countries need to work together as partners in strengthening the regional architecture of the Indian Ocean," the President said while hosting a banquet in the honour of Seychelles President Danny Antoine Rollen Faure here at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.
He said that India and Seychelles share a very special relationship, built on the foundation of mutual trust, enormous goodwill and shared values.
"The two countries are happy to share the same geostrategic vision of maintaining peace, security and stability in the Indian Ocean," Kovind said.
Welcoming President Danny Faure to India, Kovind said: "India recognises the leadership role of Seychelles in Small Island Developing States (SIDS), Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and on climate change and maritime security issues.
"Seychelles has also emerged as the top African country in the Human Development Index. It has consistently figured among the top five ranking countries in Africa for overall governance," he said.
The President further said that the vast natural resources provide limitless opportunities for the growth and prosperity of future generations. "Our common goal should be to harness the full potential of the ocean-based Blue Economy in a sustainable manner," he said.
Kovind assured the President of Seychelles of India's continued commitment for extending development assistance to Seychelles in all the areas which the government of Seychelles considers critical and of direct benefit to its people.
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Karnataka Governor gives assent to legislation against ‘honour killing’ in inter-caste marriages
Bengaluru: The government has brought into force the Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the name of honour and tradition (Eva Nammava Eva Nammava) Act, 2026, intended to restrict ‘honour killings’ in inter-caste marriages.
According to The Indian Express, the legislation received assent from Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot on April 9 and was officially notified in the state gazette on April 10. The law had been passed unanimously by the state legislature last month.
The Bill was proposed by the Congress government in the wake of caste-linked ‘honour killings’ in the state, including the December 21, 2025, murder near Hubli of a 20-year-old Lingayat woman by her father for marrying a man from another caste.
The phrase ‘Eva Nammava Eva Nammava’ in the title is in reference to the message of universal humanity that the Lingayat saint Basavanna espoused. Basavanna, who rebelled against the caste system to lay the foundation of the Lingayat faith system, an amalgamation of all castes, used the words meaning ‘he is a part of me’ to say all people are one.
Under the new law, crimes committed in the name of ‘honour’, including murder, assault, threats, and social boycott, are specifically addressed with stringent punishments. ‘Honour killing’ offences carry a minimum imprisonment of five years, while serious assaults attract at least three years in jail.
The new law defines the social boycott of inter-caste couples as forcible eviction to remote corners of villages, refusal to provide services, refusal to provide work, refusal to conduct business, denial of loans and admissions to schools, and makes it punishable.
In the case of ‘honour killings’ per se, the new law prescribes a minimum imprisonment of five years, and in the case of assaults, a prison term that is not less than three years for serious injury and two years for minor injuries.
The offences under the proposed law are cognisable and non-bailable, which means police can carry out arrests without court permissions after taking up a case.
The legislation follows several reported inter-caste relationship-related killings in Karnataka in 2025, including cases in Raichur and another involving 18-year-old Kavita.
The law to protect the freedom of choice in marriages is among several social bills that the Congress government has brought out in line with its policies for the backward and downtrodden communities in the state.
