Sushma Swaraj leaves for South Africa
New Delhi, June 2: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Saturday left here for a five-day visit to South Africa during the course of which she will participate in the BRICS and IBSA ministerial meetings and also attend a series of events to commemorate the incident in which Mahatma Gandhi was ousted from a train compartment.
According to a statement issued by the External Affairs Ministry, during the visit, Sushma Swaraj is expected to have meetings with the top leadership of South Africa.
She will also participate in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) Foreign Ministers Meeting on June 4 and chair the IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Foreign Ministers Meeting.
On June 6, she will visit the Phoenix Settlement, a South African Heritage site, marking the place that served as Gandhiji's home and where he developed his philosophy of non-violence.
She will also participate in a series of events on June 6-7 at Pietermaritzburg, South Africa to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the historic incident in the train compartment that became a catalyst for Gandhi's Satyagraha movement.
On June 7, 1893, on a train trip to Pretoria, Gandhi was ordered by a white man to move from first class to third class. Gandhi, who had a first class ticket, refused and was thrown off the train in Pietermaritzburg.
The two-day commemoration activities will also include the release of joint commemorative stamps on South African anti-apartheid revolutionary leader Oliver Tambo and one of the founders of India's Bharatiya Jana Sangh Deen Dayal Upadhaya and a youth summit where 20 diaspora youth from Africa and five from India will participate to speak on the relevance of Gandhi's message of peace to the youth of today.
"The year 2018 is an important year for India-South Africa relations as it marks the 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations, the 125th anniversary of the Pietermaritzburg railway station incident and the 100th birth centenary of South African iconic leader, Nelson Mandela," the ministry statement said.
"India and South Africa enjoy close and friendly relations which are rooted in our history and the values of south-south cooperation. The visit of External Affairs Minister will further strengthen our close and long standing ties with South Africa."
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Advocates' Association, Bengaluru, requests temporary halt to live streaming in Karnataka High Court
Bengaluru: The Advocates' Association of Bengaluru has formally requested the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court, Justice NV Anjaria, to suspend live streaming of court proceedings temporarily. This follows recent controversies stemming from remarks made by Justice Sreeshanand during hearings, which were broadcasted live.
The association's letter, signed by President Vivek Subba Reddy, General Secretary T.G. Ravi, and Treasurer Harisha M.T., highlights that certain statements made by the judge have sparked nationwide discussions and gone viral, leading to significant public and professional backlash. The statements have particularly affected younger and female advocates, leading to concerns over the treatment of members of the Bar by judges.
The Advocates' Association expressed that these remarks have not only damaged the public image of the judiciary but also hurt the sentiments of lawyers. Although Justice Sreeshanand is commended for his integrity and judgments, the association emphasised that his side remarks are undermining his positive work.
In their letter, the association has urged for a temporary halt to live streaming until there is proper sensitization on the nature of statements made in open courts. They believe this step is necessary to prevent further damage to the judiciary's reputation.
The association hopes for immediate action on the matter.
