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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Karnataka leadership row intensifies with minister's 'dog' remark
Bengaluru (PTI): The simmering leadership row in Karnataka took a sharp turn on Tuesday after Minister H C Mahadevappa made remarks invoking a High Court observation on stray dogs, drawing reactions from senior Congress leaders and the Opposition.
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru on Monday, Mahadevappa, considered close to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, in cryptic remarks said, "Where is the discussion on leadership issue? The High Court says time and again to catch stray dogs and confine them. Here the political leadership is strong."
When asked to clarify whom he was referring to with the dog metaphor, the social welfare minister said he was only citing the High Court order.
"I was only referring to what the High Court had said. I do not know how you people perceive it," he added.
Mahadevappa's remarks come amid the ongoing speculation over the leadership tussle between Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar. The minister also dismissed talk of any change at the top.
On the issue of leadership change, Mahadevappa said, "Who can give direction to the party high command? Can you and me direct it? It's they who can give us direction and not the other way round. What if tail wags the dog?"
Meanwhile, Shivakumar said he would not comment on Mahadevappa's remarks.
"I am not ready to react to Mahadevappa's statement. Not just him, but anybody. I had said this before as well. Siddaramaiah and our Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge have also spoken on our leadership issue," Shivakumar, who is also state Congress president, told reporters on Tuesday.
He added, "It is a decision taken by me, Siddaramaiah and the party high command. Time will answer what the decision was. There is nothing hidden in this dealing. Siddaramaiah himself will answer the people when the time comes."
Shivakumar's brother D K Suresh said he was unaware of the context of Mahadevappa's remark.
"I don't have the information whom Mahadevappa referred to as dogs," the former Lok Sabha member told reporters.
However, he added, "devout Congress leaders are not stray canines but honest dogs. They never ditch those who favoured them. They clear the debts of their master."
Congress MLC B K Hariprasad likened Shivakumar to a railway engine.
"Shivakumar is like the engine taking along the entire train but when it reaches a destination, he makes lots of noise and rouses vendors over there," he said while addressing mediapersons.
Meanwhile, taking a swipe at Mahadevappa, Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalavadi Narayanaswamy said, "the statement construes that all the leaders in Congress are dogs."
"Congress leaders like dogs very much. Mahadevappa has subtly explained whether the dog is wagging its tail or tail is wagging the dog."
