SC ruling on activists vindicates Pune police: Fadnavis
Mumbai, Sep 28 : Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday welcomed the Supreme Court ruling on the arrest of five rights activists and termed it a "victory for the Pune police and the country."
"We welcome the decision based on Pune police investigations and evidence it collected has been considered valid. The court has said it will not interfere in the investigations," Fadnavis said to the media here.
He pointed out that the apex court had accepted that there is no political influence nor a plot to suppress opposition voice.
"They (activists) have been indulging in this for many years, but since there was no evidence, the probe was incomplete," Fadnavis added.
He said that the verdict vindicates the government's stand against urban Maoists who have been hatching a conspiracy to create unrest in the country.
"These persons have been working against the nation and planning to kill our Prime Minister. But we have collected all evidences against them and now will move the appropriate courts to seek their custody. They will not be spared," Fadnavis said.
In nationwide swoops in August, Pune police arrested five human rights and Dalit activists -- Varavara Rao, Sudha Bhardwaj, Arun Ferreira, Vernon Gonsalves and Gautam Navlakha.
They were accused of involvement in the Koregaon-Bhima riots in January and other charges. They were later placed under house arrest by an apex court order on August 29.
In a 2:1 ruling, the Supreme Court on Friday declined relief to the activists, rejected their plea for a Special Investigating Team and allowed the Pune police to continue with their investigations.
While extending their house arrest by another four weeks, the apex court also directed the activists to approach local court for relief in the matter.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
TN Assembly elections: Eight-month pregnant homemaker wins Thiru Vi Ka Nagar seat for TVK
Chennai (PTI): Before giving birth, she had already delivered a mandate—a symbol of hope for Thiru Vi Ka Nagar.
Echoing Delhi’s 2013 “common citizen” political churn associated with the rise of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), an eight-month-pregnant homemaker, M R Pallavi, has been elected as an MLA from Chennai’s Thiru Vi Ka Nagar constituency, emerging as one of the notable first-time faces of the Vijay-led TVK in the recently held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
In the narrow lanes of Thiru Vi Ka Nagar, a steady stream of media personnel has been making their way to Pallavi’s residence—a scene reminiscent of the result day in Delhi when journalists thronged the modest home of Rakhi Birla, who had won from Mangolpuri on an AAP ticket.
Pallavi, 36, a homemaker educated up to class XII, defeated the DMK candidate K S Ravichandran by a margin of 22,333 votes in the reserved Thiru Vi Ka Nagar Assembly constituency.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam emerged as the single largest party by winning 108 seats, while DMK and AIADMK got 59 and 47, respectively.
Pallavi’s victory has drawn attention due to her personal circumstances. She campaigned extensively while eight months pregnant, going door-to-door to reach voters.
According to local accounts, she even fainted once during the campaign but continued her outreach.
She has not spoken to the media following her victory, as doctors have advised her to rest. Her husband, Rajesh, briefly recounted her campaign efforts.
A self-professed admirer of actor-turned-politician Vijay, Pallavi joined TVK soon after its formation and is now among its first-time legislators.
Doctors have advised her to be hospitalised around May 20, as she is expecting her second child. Ahead of that, voters in Thiru Vi Ka Nagar have entrusted her with representing them in the state Assembly.
Political observers say the rise of candidates like Pallavi signals a possible shift in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, with voters backing a new party and candidates from non-traditional backgrounds.
