UP student slap case: SC seeks status report on investigation, issues notice to state govt
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Muzaffarnagar Superintendent of Police to submit a status report on the investigation in the case of a student being allegedly slapped by his classmates on the instructions of his teacher.
A bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Pankaj Mithal asked the SP to inform it about measures taken to protect the student and his parents.
The top court also issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and sought its reply by September 25.
The apex court was hearing a PIL filed by Tushar Gandhi, the great-grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, seeking speedy investigation in the student slapping case.
The Muzaffarnagar Police had booked the teacher accused of making communal comments and ordering her students to slap a Muslim classmate for not doing his homework.
The school was also served a notice by the state education department in connection with the matter.
The teacher, Tripta Tyagi, was booked a day after a video showed her asking her students to slap the Class 2 boy in Khubbapur village and also making a communal remark.
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TN seeks duty-free cotton imports to support textile sector: CM Vijay writes to PM
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Thursday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to remove the import duty on cotton.
In his first letter to Modi after taking over as chief minister of the state, he said Tamil Nadu is the country’s largest textile and apparel exporting state.
Lakhs of people are dependent on this sector for both direct and indirect employment, especially women from rural and semi-urban backgrounds, Vijay pointed out.
Stating that the industry is facing a severe crisis due to an increase in cotton prices and consequently yarn prices, he said, “I understand this is caused primarily due to a shortage in cotton production and increased trading activity in the country.”
Pointing out that the price of cotton has increased from Rs 54,700 to Rs 67,700 per candy—an increase of 25 per cent over the last two months—while yarn prices have increased from Rs 301 to Rs 330 per kg, he said, “In this situation, the continued supply of raw material can be ensured only through imports.”
However, there is an import duty of 11 per cent on cotton, he said, adding that in such a situation, permitting duty-free cotton imports will help the industry meet increasing export commitments and remain globally competitive.
Vijay said that after agriculture, the textile and apparel sector is one of the largest employment-generating sectors.
“There is a significant responsibility on the government to safeguard the employment of lakhs of people and ensure the sustainability of the textile value chain," he said.
“Hence, I request your intervention to remove the import duty on cotton from the existing 11 per cent to 0 per cent to ensure the availability of raw material. This measure will enable the textile and apparel industry to remain globally competitive, enhance exports, and protect jobs,” he added.
