BJP leader and ex-Union minister Birender Singh extends support to farmers' agitation
Chandigarh: Former Union minister and senior BJP leader Birender Singh has extended his support to the ongoing farmers' agitation against the three agriculture-marketing laws passed by the Centre.
Singh is grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram, a prominent politician during the pre-independence era who championed the interest of farmers.
Singh, whose son Brijendra is a sitting BJP MP, said it was his moral responsibility to stand with the farmers who he said are "worried" as they fear the new legislations will have an "impact" on their economic condition.
"Whatever I have achieved in politics, would not have been possible had I not been the grandson of Sir Chhotu Ram," Singh said on Friday.
"Therefore, it is my moral responsibility to stand with the farmers in their fight today and, therefore, I have decided to support this (farmers') fight," said Singh, a prominent Jat leader in Haryana.
Singh further said that he along with his supporters will soon observe a symbolic hunger strike in Haryana's districts bordering Delhi.
Under the banner of Chaudhary Chhotu Ram Vichar Manch, the former Union minister along with his supporters had sat on a protest at Rohtak on Friday.
Farmers from different parts of the country, including Haryana and Punjab, have been camping at various border points of Delhi for three weeks to demand a repeal of the farm laws.
Farmers worry these laws will eliminate the safety net of the Minimum Support Price (MSP), do away with mandis system and will leave them at the "mercy of big corporates", apprehensions the government has been insisting are misplaced.
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Mangaluru: Man sentenced to 20 years rigorous imprisonment in POCSO case
Mangaluru: A court in Mangaluru has sentenced a 44-year-old man to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with a case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
According to Deccan Herald, the Additional District and Sessions Judge, FTSC-II (POCSO), Maanu K S, delivered the judgment.
The convict has been identified as Dayanand Moolya (44).
According to Special Public Prosecutor Sahana Devi Boloor, the incident occurred on November 16, 2025, when a seven-year-old girl was studying alone at home and the accused illegally entered the house and raped her. He threatened to kill her and throw her into a well if she revealed it to anyone.
The survivor later informed her mother, following which a complaint was registered at Mulki Police Station on November 22. Police Inspector Manjunath B S investigated the case and submitted the charge sheet to the court.
For the rape, under POCSO Section 6, along with Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Act 65(2) and POCSO 4(2), the man has been sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 30,000. For illegal entry into the house, under BNS Section 332(B), the convict has been sentenced to three years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000. For issuing death threats, under BNS Section 351(3), he has been sentenced to two years of simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5,000.
The court also directed payment of Rs 4 lakh as compensation to the survivor, including Rs 40,000 from the fine amount, and instructed the District Legal Services Authority to provide the remaining Rs 3.60 lakh.
