SC reiterates need to publicise laws against lynching, mob violence
New Delhi, Sep 24 : The Supreme Court on Monday once again asked the Centre and the states to "absolutely religiously comply" with its orders and give wide publicity on radio, television and other media platforms to its direction that lynching and mob violence of any kind will invite the wrath of law.
The bench of Chief Justice Dipak Misra, Justice A.M. Khanwilkar and Justice D.Y. Chandrachud reiterated its order after senior counsel Indira Jaising told the court that its direction to give wide publicity to its July 17 direction through public broadcaster and other media platforms have not been complied with.
Describing the direction as a part of "preventive measures", the court on Monday said: "It has to be borne in mind that the said direction was issued so that people realise the gravity of their act and the effect on the law and order situation. The said purpose has to be put on the high pedestal and people must realise that involvement in such activities will invite the wrath of law."
Saying this, the court noted the statement by Attorney General K.K. Venugopal and Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta that "the same shall be done, if not already done, within a week hence".
Thereafter, the top court ordered that "all the state governments shall comply with the said direction absolutely religiously within a week from today (Monday)".
The top court by its July 17 judgment had directed the Central and the state governments to "broadcast on radio and television and other media platforms including the official websites of the Home Department and police of the states that lynching and mob violence of any kind shall invite serious consequence under the law".
Noting that none appeared for the NCT Delhi, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and the state of Telangana, the court directed them to comply with its direction within a week's time.
The court had by its last order said that the home secretaries of the states and the union territories that would fail to file report on the compliance of its direction would be directed to appear before the court in person.
The court by its July 17 order had issued a series of directions for preventive, remedial and punitive steps to deal with the lynching crime and mob violence.
The court asked senior counsel Sanjay Hegde to prepare a chart, states/UTs-wise giving details of victims of mob violence who have not been given compensation.
The court direction came after Hegde said that some States have framed scheme for the grant of compensation to the victims of mob lynching.
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Uncompromising stand against Bangladesh-origin Muslims swayed votes for NDA: Himanta
Guwahati (PTI): Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Tuesday asserted that his government's "uncompromising stand" in taking steps against Bangladesh-origin Muslims swayed people in favour of the BJP-led NDA in this year's assembly elections, resulting in the alliance securing a two-thirds majority.
He maintained that the NDA's win was a victory for the Assamese indigenous people and affirmed continuing developmental work in the state.
Addressing a press conference, Sarma said, "The double-engine government and unprecedented development the state witnessed in the last five years are among the main reasons for our victory."
"We had assured of securing the Assamese 'jati' (community) and took steps to deliver it. Assam progressed in the cultural and economic sectors. Our uncompromising stand against Bangladesh-origin Muslims also had an impact," he said.
The NDA swept to a third successive term in the state by securing 102 seats in the 126-member state assembly. The BJP won 82 seats, while its allies AGP and Bodoland People's Front bagged 10 each.
On Sarma predicting nearly exact numbers for the alliance before the results, he said the assessment was based on his connect with the people.
"I visited every assembly segment thrice before elections. I have a good mass connect system, which helped in my assessment," he said.
Sarma claimed that recommendations of the Justice (retd) Biplab Sharma committee on Clause 6 of the Assam Accord, which deals with constitutional safeguards for the indigenous Assamese population, were implemented by his government.
"It was because of it that the Assamese people won yesterday. It was not just a BJP victory," he asserted.
The CM claimed the NDA secured the support of all sections of people, including Gen Z, which was evident in the young faces fielded by the BJP emerging victorious.
He dismissed the charge that the BJP has an "outsider" among its MLAs, referring to Guwahati Central legislator-elect Vijay Gupta.
"Vijay Gupta is an Assamese. If he is a Bihari, we (ancestors) also came from Kannauj. We all have come from different parts. Mongoloids came from outside, Aryans came from outside. This outsider narrative has been created by you all (media)," Sarma said.
On the Congress' poor poll performance, he maintained that there were very few people in the opposition party who understood the sentiments of the Assamese people.
Otherwise, the Congress would not have brought singer Zubeen Garg's name in its manifesto or levied allegations against an Assamese woman, Sarma added, referring to the opposition party's charges of multiple passports and undisclosed foreign investments of his wife.
The CM also maintained that Raijor Dal could have won four-five seats had it not joined hands with the Congress.
The Congress and Akhil Gogoi-led Raijor Dal were part of a six-party opposition alliance that fought the elections together. Congress won 19 seats and Raijor Dal two, with the other allies drawing a blank.
"If Akhil Gogoi had not made the mistake, Sherman Ali Ahmed would have been his MLA today," Sarma said, referring to the expelled Congress leader who won as a TMC candidate after Raijor Dal refused him a ticket owing to the alliance.
On Gogoi being the only opposition MLA to win from a Hindu-majority seat, Sarma said, "It is the people of Sibsagar who decided who will represent them. On my part, it was the only Hindu majority seat where I didn't go to campaign."
"Akhil Gogoi should be kept in the assembly, else he will create chaos on the streets with his protests," Sarma said.
He also claimed that Gogoi had failed to make a single serious speech in the assembly during his first tenure as MLA and dubbed the Raijor Dal president a "comic relief" when the proceedings get dull.
