Rohith Vemula Bill, honour killing Bill referred for further review: Karnataka minister
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Minister H K Patil said that the state Cabinet has discussed key legislations, including the proposed Rohith Vemula Bill and the honour killing Bill, and decided to seek further inputs before taking them forward.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, the law and parliamentary affairs minister said the proposed legislations were examined in detail, and certain aspects required additional consultation with the home department.
"The Karnataka Freedom of Choice in Marriage and Prevention and Prohibition of Crimes in the Name of Honour and Tradition Bill, 2026, was discussed in the Cabinet.
"As certain aspects require the opinion of the home department, it has been referred back to it and will be placed before the next Cabinet meeting. This relates to human rights," the minister said.
He said the draft Karnataka Rohith Vemula (Prevention of Exclusion or Injustice) Right to Education and Dignity Bill, 2026, was also deliberated upon by the Cabinet.
"The draft Rohith Vemula Bill was also discussed today. After obtaining certain inputs from the home department, it will be placed before the next Cabinet meeting for finalisation," Patil said.
Asked if the Rohith Vemula Bill would apply only to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes or also include Other Backward Classes, Patil said, "We will discuss the matter when it comes to you as an approved Bill."
Patil reiterated that both the Rohith Vemula Bill and the honour killing Bill would be brought back before the Cabinet after the home department’s views are received, indicating that the government intends to move ahead after completing due consultations.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
