PM Modi, Shah to visit Karnataka in early April, no talks on cabinet rejig during this: CM Bommai
Hubballi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah are scheduled to make official visits to Karnataka during early April, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said on Saturday, as he made it clear that there will be no discussions regarding the much awaited cabinet rejig, during these visits.
The Chief Minister, who also holds the Finance portfolio said that a committee headed by the Chief Secretary is being constituted for the first time in the state, to supervise budget implementation.
"On April 1, Union Minister for Home and Cooperation Amit Shah, who is working for reforms in the cooperative sector, will be visiting the state to attend a large meeting related to 'Ksheerabhivruddi bank' that we are planning to launch, aimed at giving a financial boost to the dairy sector that will increase farmers income and provide them financial support," Bommai said.
Speaking to reporters here, Bommai said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to visit the state on April 5, it is still tentative and has not been fully finalised.
Asked whether the much awaited expansion of his cabinet will be discussed during the visits, he said, "they are visiting the state for government programmes, the cabinet will not be discussed in Bengaluru. Whenever the leadership calls me, I will go to Delhi and discuss it."
There is pressure mounting on the Chief Minister to expand or rejig his cabinet soon, after the Assembly elections in five states.
Some legislators have even been advocating Gujarat-like overhaul of the Karnataka Cabinet soon, to make way for new faces, ahead of assembly election next year.
There are currently 30 Ministers in the State Cabinet, including the Chief Minister, against the sanctioned strength of 34.
Stating that he has instructed departments concerned to initiate implementation of the budget, Bommai said a committee headed by the Chief Secretary is being constituted to look into implementation and issuing of orders in this regard.
"The committee that also consists of the Development Commissioner will coordinate with all the departments including the finance department, and supervise all the activities from issuing of the work order regarding budget announcements to its implementation," he said, adding that this is for the first time such a special committee is being formed for budget implementation.
Further, noting that his government has given priority to industrialisation, Bommai said, all preparations are on for the Global Investors Meet in November and the government expects a large scale investment.
During the last three quarters, Karnataka has stood number one in the country in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), he said, adding this shows the trust of foreign investors in our state.
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.
Questioning religious practices will break religion, civilisation: SC in Dawoodi Bohras case
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday remarked that if individuals start questioning certain religious practices or matters of religion before a constitutional court then there will be hundreds of petitions questioning different rituals, leading to the breaking of religions and the civilisation.
The nine-judge Constitution bench is hearing petitions related to discrimination against women at religious places, including the Sabarimala temple in Kerala, and on the ambit and scope of the religious freedom practised by multiple faiths, including Dawoodi Bohras.
The bench comprises Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices B V Nagarathna, M M Sundresh, Ahsanuddin Amanullah, Aravind Kumar, Augustine George Masih, Prasanna B Varale, R Mahadevan and Joymalya Bagchi.
The Central Board of Dawoodi Bohra Community filed a PIL in 1986 seeking the setting aside of a 1962 judgment, which had struck down the Bombay Prevention of Excommunication Act, 1949 -- this law made excommunication of any community member illegal.
The 1962 Constitution bench judgment said, "It is evident from the religious faith and tenets of the Dawoodi Bohra community that the exercise of the power of excommunication by its religious head on religious grounds formed part of the management of its affairs in matters of religion and the 1949 Act in making even such excommunication invalid, infringed the right of the community under Article 26(b) of the Constitution."
Senior advocate Raju Ramachandran, representing a group of reformist Dawoodi Bohras, submitted that a practice which is conducted in response to secular and social actions of an individual cannot be the subject of Constitutional protection under Article 25 of the Constitution and consequently cannot be a ‘matter of religion’ under Article 26 of the Constitution.
Ramachandran told the court that a practice which may have a religious aspect but also significantly and adversely impacts fundamental rights is not immune to restriction under Article 25 of the Constitution or Article 26 of the Constitution.
Responding to the submission, Justice Nagarathna said that if everybody starts questioning certain religious practices or matters of religion before a constitutional court, then "what happens to this civilisation where religion is so intimately connected with the Indian society".
"There will be hundreds of petitions questioning this right that right, opening of the temple, and the closure of the temple. We are conscious of this," she said.
Adding to the response, Justice Sundresh said, "Every religion will break and every constitutional court will have to be closed.
"If the dispute between two entities are allowed then everybody will question everything. In your case there may be a civil wrong committed to you but in another case, another member will say I don't agree. It is regressive. To what extent can we go in a country like ours which is progressive and on the move is the question," he said.
Justice Nagarathna went on that what sets apart India from any other region is that "we are a civilisation" despite having so many pluralities and diversities?
Asserting that diversity is the country's strength, she added, "One of the constants in our Indian society is the relationship of human beings -- man, woman and child -- with the religion."
"Now, how a religious practice or a matter of religion is questioned, where it is questioned, whether it can be questioned, whether it has to be a question within a denomination for a reform or whether the state will have to do or you want the court to adjudicate upon all these aspects. This is troubling us.
"What we lay down, is for a civilisation that is India. India must progress despite all its economy, everything there is a constant in us. We can’t break that constant. That is what is troubling us ," she said.
Ramachandran replied that India is a civilisation under the Constitution and therefore nothing which goes against the grain of constitution can be continued in a civilised society.
He said that's where court's task come in and "it can't throw hands" and say there will be so many petitions.
