Pinarayi Vijayan writes to Madhya Pradesh CM over arrest of Kerala priest
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has drawn the attention of his Madhya Pradesh counterpart, Mohan Yadav, to the reported arrest of a Kerala priest in the Jhabua area of the state.
Vijayan urged Yadav to ensure that Father Godwin, who was reportedly arrested for alleged religious conversion, is not subjected to any harassment.
In his letter, Vijayan noted that Father Godwin is a native of Thiruvananthapuram district in Kerala and has been engaged in several charitable activities in Madhya Pradesh.
"I request you to kindly look into the matter personally and ensure that Father Godwin is not subjected to any kind of harassment and that there is no arbitrary action on the part of any officials," the CM said in his letter, according to a statement from his office.
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Shivakumar says Hate Speech Bill to safeguard constitutional values, hits back at BJP
Belagavi (PTI): Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Thursday said that a bill to curb hate speech was to safeguard constitutional values and curb provocative political discourse.
He also hit out the opposition BJP for criticising the bill.
The state government on Wednesday tabled in the Assembly the Karnataka Hate Speech and Hate Crime (Prevention) Bill that proposed a jail term of up to 10 years and a maximum fine of Rs 1 lakh.
Speaking to reporters at the Belagavi Circuit House, Shivakumar said the opposition had no reason to object it.
"If the BJP refrains from indulging in hate speech, everything will be fine. They have been the pioneers of creating hostility, be it through caste-based, religious, or personal attacks," he said.
He argued that the bill aims to reinforce constitutional principles, countering the BJP's allegation that it is being introduced to target political opponents.
"Let the BJP conduct itself as per constitutional values. This legislation is meant to safeguard the Constitution," the Deputy Chief Minister said.
Speaking about Karnataka State Cricket Association's request to hold cricket matches at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is suspended following June 4 stampede that killed 13 people, Shivakumar confirmed that the issue would be taken up in Thursday's Cabinet meeting.
Calling the stampede at the stadium unfortunate, he said, "Such an incident should never have happened. Several mistakes have taken place and they must be rectified in line with proper guidelines. My only wish is that the reputation of Karnataka should not be tarnished."
