India's image taking a hit as country of rapes, crimes: Bombay HC
Mumbai, April 19: Against the backdrop of the nationwide furore over the recent rape incidents, the Bombay High Court on Thursday observed sharply that India's image has "taken a beating" with an increased perception abroad that it is a "country of crimes and rapes".
A division bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dangre said besides an impression that "liberal and secular people are not safe", due to the prevailing scenario, the rest of world is hesitant to engage with India on educational or cultural matters.
"Anywhere we go, we have to answer a barrage of questions... Unfortunate that today, the image is such that those living abroad feel only rapes and crimes take place in India.
"They are under the impression that liberal, open-minded and secular people can't be safe here and are bound to be attacked. The country's image is suffering due to acts of a few," the bench observed.
It said that no international body is keen to be part of "our educational-cultural projects, and even investors show initial enthusiasm but pull out later".
"No institution, including the judiciary in the country, is spared from this... We are very sorry to see this... Do we want to live in a cocoon?" the bench asked.
The court's candid observations came while hearing the petitions filed by the kin of slain rationalists -- Narendra Dabholkar on August 20, 2013 in Pune and Communist stalwart Govind Pansare on February 20, 2015 in Kolhapur -- seeking a court-monitored investigation.
Representing the CBI, Additional Solicitor General Anil Singh and Maharashtra CID's senior counsel Ashok Mundargi informed the court that there appears little hope now of achieving any substantial breakthrough from further field investigations.
"Now the only hope is scientific probe and evidence from the forensic evidences call detail records," Mundargi said.
To this, the court asked how could the case be taken to its logical conclusion and whether it should be permitted to reach a dead-end when such crimes are on the rise.
The judges asked why the investigating agencies could not initiate measures to "completely strangulate" the organisational backing enjoyed by the accused instead of merely waiting for them to surrender some day.
Though not critical of the investigations, the court warned that if the two agencies failed to report any progress at the next date of hearing, it would be compelled to summon senior officials.
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Priyanka Gandhi wins Wayanad LS seat in Kerala with margin of over 4.1 lakh votes
Wayanad(Kerala), Nov 23: Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi on Saturday cruised to her maiden electoral victory, from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat in Kerala, with a margin of over 4.1 lakh votes against CPI(M)-led LDF's Sathyan Mokeri, according to figures released by the Election Commission.
Priyanka got 6,22,338 votes which was less than the 6,47,445 votes received by her brother Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha polls in Wayanad in April this year, but her victory margin of 4,10,931 was more than his lead of 3,64,422 votes, despite the decline in turnout in the Wayanad bypoll.
The LS poll turnout in Wayanad, which has over 14 lakh registered voters, was close to 74 per cent in April, but had declined to 65 per cent in the by-election in November.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in Wayanad, CPI's Annie Raja had secured second place with 2,83,023 votes, while BJP's K. Surendran finished third with 1,41,045 votes.
However, both fronts were unable to replicate their performance in the bypoll, despite a reduced voter turnout in the hill constituency.
Mokeri got 2,11,407 and BJP-led NDA's Navya Haridas came third with 1,09,939 votes.
Close to the announcement of the final counting results, Priyanka, in a post on social media platform X, thanked the people of Wayanad for electing her as their representative to the Parliament.
"My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad, I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and fights for you as one of your own. I look forward to being your voice in Parliament!
"Thank you for giving me this honour and even more for the immense love you have given me," she said.
In her post, Priyanka also thanked her colleagues in the UDF, leaders from across Kerala, workers, volunteers and everyone else who supported her and worked "incredibly hard" in her poll campaign, by "tolerating" her "12 hour a day (no food, no rest) car journeys, and for fighting like true soldiers for the ideals we all believe in".
"To my mother, Robert and my two jewels- Raihan and Miraya, no gratitude is ever enough for the love and courage you give me. And to my brother, Rahul, you are the bravest of them all… thank you for showing me the way and having my back, always," she said in her post on X.
My dearest sisters and brothers of Wayanad,
— Priyanka Gandhi Vadra (@priyankagandhi) November 23, 2024
I am overwhelmed with gratitude for the trust you have placed in me. I will make sure that over time, you truly feel this victory has been your victory and the person you chose to represent you understands your hopes and dreams and…
