Supreme Court judges sing for Kerala flood relief
NEW DELHI: In a rare, benevolent gesture, two Supreme Court judges on Monday sang at a cultural programme organised by apex court journalists in Delhi to raise money for relief and rehabilitation of people in flood-ravaged Kerala.
Justices Kurian Joseph and K M Joseph, both hailing from Kerala, performed at the event at the auditorium of Indian Society for International Law, opposite the Supreme Court complex. The programme was attended by Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra and several apex court and Delhi High Court judges.
The CJI said it was a consolidated effort for a cause.
"Some may feel that this is a celebration because there are certain performances, but I would like to say this is a consolidated effort of finding energy to raise contribution for a noble cause," Justice Misra said.
Justice K M Joseph, who was recently elevated to the apex court, sang a song from a classic Malayalam movie 'Amaram', which tells the story of a fisherman.
"Fishermen were the first to react when the state was reeling under severe floods. This song is a tribute to them," he said. Justice Kurian Joseph and playback singer Mohit Chauhan sang the song 'We shall overcome someday'.
More than Rs 10 lakh was collected during today's event. A few journalists also performed during the event.
Earlier, the apex court judges contributed Rs 25,000 each to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund.
The apex court staff has donated one day's salary.
Attorney General KK Venugopal had contributed Rs 1 crore to the fund. Venugopal's son and senior advocate Krishnan Venugopal also contributed Rs 15 lakh to the relief fund.
Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi has announced a contribution of Rs 50 lakh to the flood-ravaged state.
A group of Delhi-based Malayali lawyers had initiated a collection drive and dispatched eight truck-load full of necessary supplies, including clothes, sanitary napkins, candles, baby food, water bottles and medicines in a Navy aircraft.
Justice Kurian Joseph has remained active in ensuring and arranging relief materials. He had taken part in a drive in support of lawyers collecting supplies at a collection point near the apex court.
He had also contributed a significant amount for flood relief activities for Kerala. Senior lawyer Jaideep Singh contributed Rs five lakh towards the distress relief fund.
Another senior advocate Chander Uday Singh has reportedly contributed Rs five lakh. On August 16, the Supreme Court Bar Association has donated Rs 30 lakh from its Calamity Relief Fund.
The deadliest deluge in Kerala in nearly a century has claimed more than 300 lives since August 8. According to the Home Ministry's National Emergency Response Centre, 443 people have died in Kerala and 54.11 lakh have been severely affected in 14 districts this monsoon season.
Kerala has been receiving financial aid from various state governments across the country.
courtesy : timesofindia.indiatimes.com
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Ruckus outside counting centre in Mamata's constituency, TMC claims entry of car with BJP flag
Kolkata (PTI): The counting centre at West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's Bhabanipur assembly constituency witnessed a ruckus a day ahead of the counting of votes, with TMC workers alleging two cars bearing the BJP's flag were allowed entry to the compound where EVMs are kept.
The incident comes close on the heels of a four-hour-long sit-in by Banerjee in front of the same counting centre at the Sakhawat Memorial Girls School on Thursday night, alleging unauthorised entry of persons into the strongroom.
With the polling now over, the wrangling for power in West Bengal has turned into a battle of nerves between the incumbent TMC and the BJP. Workers and leaders of both parties have been keeping a steely gaze on the security of strongrooms across the state where the electoral fate of the candidates is sealed.
Despite expressing her confidence in a "landslide victory", Banerjee has repeatedly aired her apprehensions of "counting malpractice and EVM tampering ahead of the day of results".
On Sunday morning, TMC workers camping 100 metres from the counting centre alleged that two cars with BJP flags entered the premises and went near the strongroom.
"The CAPF personnel at the spot are not allowing any vehicle or person to enter the premises of the counting centre without valid identity proof. Then how come this car, which we have not seen in the past few days, was allowed entry? Once we protested, the central forces asked us to move 100 metres away," a TMC activist said.
The TMC claimed that while the police personnel posted there promised the vehicle would be removed from the spot, it remained there for some time.
A senior Election Commission official said the car was passing by the Harish Mukherjee Road, and after checking by security forces and police, it was allowed to leave as nothing objectionable was found in it.
On Thursday night, two counting centres, including one at Sakhawat Memorial Girls School in the city, witnessed high drama after TMC leaders alleged a lack of transparency and possible malpractice at the strongrooms housing sealed EVMs of the assembly polls, which concluded on April 29.
TMC leaders and candidates, Sashi Panja and Kunal Ghosh, held a sit-in outside the Khudiram Anushilan Kendra counting centre on Thursday evening, alleging unauthorised activities inside the strongroom amid the absence of TMC agents
In Howrah, TMC protested renovation work by the public works department at a place adjacent to the strongroom, and the EC stopped the work temporarily.
On Saturday, the ruling party filed a complaint with the poll panel, alleging unauthorised sorting of postal ballot covers at the EVM strongroom in Khudiram Anushilan Kendra.
Similar scenes were witnessed on Saturday outside the strongrooms at Asansol College in Paschim Bardhaman and the Barasat Government College in North 24 Parganas districts, where TMC workers held protests, alleging that CCTV cameras were switched off for several minutes.
The EC turned down all allegations, saying the surveillance cameras were working in an uninterrupted manner.
BJP spokesperson Sajal Ghosh told reporters that the people of Bengal were finding it "hilarious" that the TMC, "which used to win elections through unfair means and strongarm tactics" were now coming up with all sorts of "frivolous charges".
"Are they scared of losing?" he posed.
