Tushar Mehta must 'publicly apologise' for misleading the Supreme Court: KUWJ statement
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The Kerala Union of Working Journalists issued a statement demanding that Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apologise for his "baseless criticisms" of the organisation.
"He should publicly apologise for trying to mislead the Supreme Court," the union's statement read.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta Must withdraw his wrong arguments against KUWJ and apologize publicly for trying to mislead the Supreme Court.
— Justice for Siddique Kappan_ KUWJ (@kuwjcampaign) April 28, 2021
KUWJ pic.twitter.com/L5aWJoQtMb
During a Supreme Court hearing on transferring jailed journalist Siddique Kappan to a Delhi hospital for better treatment, Mehta had described the union as a "purported association...not even a well known one".
SG begins his submissions.
— Live Law (@LiveLawIndia) April 28, 2021
SG: This is a purported association of journalists, not even a well known one. When this person was arrested, he was carrying a card of a newspaper called Tejas which hasn’t functioned for years. #SiddiqueKappan #SupremeCourt
KUWJ pointed out that it had been working for 60 years for "the welfare rights of journalists in Kerala", working alongside the government to provide health schemes and pensions for members of the press. "The schemes are pioneering," the statement said, "and an example for the whole country."
It also noted that India's first press club owned by journalists themselves was set up by the KUWJ in Kochi.
The union said it would send complaints to the prime minister, the Chief Justice of India, and the attorney general, among others, asking that action be taken against Mehta.
Kappan was arrested in Uttar Pradesh in October while on his way to Hathras to report on the gangrape and death of a Dalit woman. He was charged with sedition and under the UAPA, and has been in jail ever since.
Earlier this week, the apex court said that Kappan, who is Covid positive, must be transferred from a Mathura hospital to a Delhi government hospital for treatment. Kappan's wife and the KUWJ alleged that he was being “chained like an animal” and had collapsed in the bathroom.
Courtesy: www.newslaundry.com
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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.
