Why pay Rs 66 lakh to KPMG for designing website: Congress
Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 14 : The Congress party on Friday asked the Kerala government to explain why service firm KPMG is being paid Rs 66 lakh to design a website of a state government organisation.
The Congress had already expressed its reservation over the selection of the international company as consultant partner for rebuilding the state in the wake of the worst flood disaster that it faced in nearly a century.
"Now with the government order of giving the job of web designing of Roots-Norka to KPMG for a whopping Rs 66 lakh, the state government should explain the relation between the government and the firm," Leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala said.
He also reminded them that the government had earlier said that the KPMG was doing the rebuilding of Kerala for free.
"What's more important is that the contract to redesign the website was given to KPMG, on August 17 -- the day when the state was passing through its worst ever floods," the senior Congress leader said.
"It should be noted that the job of redesigning a website was given to KPMG, when there are several state government agencies who are experts in this job.
"The state government owes an explanation on why this happened and should come clean on if there are any more contracts that has been awarded on the sly," added Chennithala.
Chennithala earlier in September had written to State Industries Minister E.P. Jayarajan, who is spearheading the rebuilding operations, to first verify the numerous complaints that have surfaced against KPMG, even if their offer is free.
Chennithala said the government should instead accept the offer of the Netherlands government to help rebuild the state.
Jayarajan then had said that there was nothing binding on the state government with the KPMG and there was nothing wrong in getting a report from them for free.
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Karnataka HC quashes FIR against three men accused of 'preaching Islam' near temple premises
Bengaluru, Jul 25 (PTI): The Karnataka High Court has quashed a First Information Report (FIR) filed against three Muslim men who were accused of "preaching Islam" and distributing religious pamphlets near a Hindu temple in Jamkhandi, Bagalkot district.
The complaint had alleged that the men attempted religious conversion by making promises of employment and passed derogatory remarks about Hinduism.
However, the High Court held that there was no substantial evidence of coercion, fraud, or inducement--criteria necessary for prosecution under the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act, 2022.
The court made it clear that mere expression or distribution of religious literature does not amount to an offence unless accompanied by forceful or deceitful attempts to convert.
"The essence of a free society lies in the freedom to express, discuss, and propagate beliefs," the bench observed.
It further stated that peaceful preaching, in the absence of coercion or allurement, is protected under Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to freely profess and propagate one's religion.
Additionally, the bench noted that the complainant in the case was neither the alleged victim nor a relative of one. As per Section 4 of the 2022 Act, only an aggrieved individual or their close relatives are permitted to lodge such complaints--making the FIR procedurally invalid.
