NCBC hails Karnataka HC verdict, says justice delivered to displaced OBC farmers
New Delhi (PTI): The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) on Friday welcomed the Karnataka High Court's ruling upholding its constitutional authority, saying justice has been delivered to displaced OBC farmers and their families.
The commission lauded the Centre's 2018 decision to grant it constitutional status for enabling it to effectively defend the rights of backward classes in court.
The case related to a 2016 agreement between the Maharashtra and Karnataka governments over land acquired for Karnataka Power Corporation Limited (KPCL) projects.
At a 2023 review meeting and public hearing, the NCBC had directed officials to ensure compensation, rehabilitation and settlement of grievances of displaced farmers, labourers and villagers.
The KPCL and the Karnataka government challenged these directions in the high court, prompting the latter to grant a stay initially.
Delivering its verdict on September 19, the court vacated the stay and dismissed the petition, observing that under Article 338B of the Constitution, the NCBC is a constitutional body with powers to investigate, monitor and redress grievances of socially and educationally backward classes.
The NCBC said "justice had been delivered to displaced OBC farmers and their families".
The court has stressed that the commission's role is not limited to individual complaints but extends to collective concerns affecting entire communities.
"The Constitution is not a dead letter; it is a living testament to justice, equality and the welfare of the marginalised," the court said, noting that the plight of displaced villagers due to mining operations was a constitutional concern rather than a contractual dispute.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Leopard that killed 8-year-old boy caught after weeks in Thane
Thane (PTI): Forest officials on Sunday captured a leopard that mauled an eight-year-old child to death nearly a month ago in Shahapur of Maharashtra’s Thane district.
The predator walked into one of the cages set up in the area late Saturday night, ending weeks of panic in several villages in the region, an official from the Dolkhamb division of the forest department said.
"The captured leopard will undergo a thorough medical examination before any further decision is taken regarding its relocation or release," he said.
Senior inspector Suresh Gavit from the Kasara police station confirmed the development, stating that the forest department had successfully secured the animal.
Following the news of the capture, a video surfaced on social media showing a large crowd of villagers, including children, cheering and following the vehicle carrying the caged leopard.
The capture comes as a major relief to the area, which had been on edge since April 16, when the big cat killed an eight-year-old boy.
Krishna Bhaga Agiwale, a resident of Kalbhonde in the Kasara range, had ventured into a forest patch near his house to collect wild fruits when the leopard pounced on him, dragged him into the thicket and killed him on the spot.
