Oppn bloc INDIA must give proper agenda to country: Sena (UBT)
Mumbai (PTI): A day after the INDIA alliance meeting culminated in Mumbai, the Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday said the fabric stitched by its constituents will be futile if the opposition bloc does not give a proper agenda to the country.
In an editorial in its mouthpiece Saamana', the Uddhav Thackeray-led party said the issue of seat-sharing should be resolved peacefully in every state.
The INDIA grouping on Friday vowed to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together "as far as possible", asserting seat-sharing arrangements in states will be concluded at the earliest in a "collaborative spirit of give-and-take".
As many as 63 representatives from 28 political parties took part in the third meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) alliance at Grand Hyatt Hotel in Mumbai.
The editorial said that the Left and the ruling Trinamool Congress have differences in West Bengal, but the two parties took part in the INDIA alliance meeting.
The same is the case in Kerala where the Congress and CPI(M) are arch-rivals. The Aam Aadmi Party has shown its willingness to hold discussions with the Congress in Punjab and Delhi, while there are no major differences in Maharashtra in the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), it said.
The MVA, comprising the Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress and the NCP group with Sharad Pawar, hosted the two-day programme here.
Seeking to highlight more collaborative initiatives, the editorial said that in Jammu and Kashmir, the Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party and the National Conference headed by Farooq Abdullah have come together.
"All these threads (parties) have been woven into an indestructible fabric, but it will be futile if no proper agenda is kept before people," it said.
If "dictatorship" has to be fought with, then all 28 parties must have a free dialogue, it said.
The party also targeted the Centre for calling a special session of Parliament, from September 18 to 22, which coincides with the Ganesh festival celebrated with much fanfare in Maharashtra.
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SC asks Centre to consider amending law on terminating pregnancy of rape survivors
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday took strong exception to a plea by AIIMS seeking to set aside its order allowing a 15-year-old girl to medically terminate her 30-week pregnancy, and asked the Centre to consider amending the law to permit rape survivors to terminate unwanted pregnancies even beyond 20 weeks.
The top court said when there is pregnancy due to rape, there should not be a time limit.
Law needs to be organic and in sync with evolving time, it stressed.
A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said this is a case of child rape and the survivor will have a lifelong scar and trauma if termination is not allowed.
The top court said if the mother does not have permanent disability then it should be carried out.
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It asked AIIMS to counsel parents of the survivor over the issue and said the decision has to be of the person concerned.
"There are children for adoption. In this country we have lot of sympathies...There are deserted, abandoned children on the streets and even mafias on it. We have to look at them. This is an unwanted pregnancy of a 15-year-old child.
"This is a curative petition. Unwanted pregnancy cannot be thrusted on a person. Imagine she is a child. She should be studying now. But we want to make her a mother. Imagine the pain, the humiliation the child has suffered in this," the bench said.
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for AIIMS, mentioned the curative plea, and said the termination of pregnancy is not possible.
"It will be a live baby with severe deformities. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues and cannot reproduce. Minor mother will have lifelong health issues. This child can be given for adoption. It has been 30 weeks now. It is a viable life now," she said.
The top court said the decision on termination has to choice of the survivor and her parents and AIIMS may help them take an informed decision.
On April 24, a bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had allowed the girl to medically terminate her pregnancy of 30 weeks.
