Arundhati Roy to speak on 'Waqt ki Aahat'
New Delhi: In what may mark writer-activist Arundhati Roys return to controversies, the Booker-winning novelist is scheduled to address a gathering here on the topic "Waqt ki Aahat".
Roy, who rose to global fame as the new deity of prose in 1997 after bagging the most prestigious literary honour 'The Booker Prize' for her debut novel will be in conversation with Alok Rai (Professor of literature at the Department of English, Delhi University) on Wednesday.
Speaking to IANS ahead of the event, Roy criticised the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led NDA dispensation on a range of issues, contending that "I don't think the country has ever been in a situation like this". She said that "there's an ideological preparation to change the constitution" and anticipated that the ruling regime will do "everything they can to re-polarise".
"What I truly fear is that there is a sense this year that the tide is changing and there is a panic among the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, so they will do everything they can to re-polarise.
Although vocal in her criticism of the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS, Roy has, of late, maintained a low-profile and stayed away from controversies.
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SC refuses to entertain plea to impose ban on social media usage for children below 13 years
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking to impose a statutory prohibition on social media usage for children below 13 years.
"It is a policy matter. You ask Parliament to enact the law," a bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih told the counsel appearing for the petitioner.
"We are not inclined to entertain the present petition in as much as the relief sought is within the domain of policy," the bench said.
While disposing of the plea, it granted liberty to the petitioner to make a representation to the authority.
The bench said if such a representation was made, the same be considered in accordance with law within eight weeks.
The plea, filed by Zep Foundation, sought directions to the Centre and others to mandate the introduction of robust age verification system, such as biometric authentication, to regulate children's access to social media platforms.
The petition, filed through advocate Mohini Priya, also sought to implement strict penalties for social media platforms failing to comply with children protection regulations.
