Youth Congress activists cane-charged outside Himachal assembly
Shimla, Aug 24: Agitating Youth Congress activists were cane-charged outside the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Friday over deteriorating law and order in the state, including drug-related incidents. At least 10 of them sustained injuries.
The protesting activists, who were joined by their party leaders, including legislative party leader Mukesh Agnihotri and state president Sukhwinder Sukhu, were lathicharged by the police after the protest turned violent outside the assembly premises.
The police also used water cannons to disperse them.
Earlier, the Assembly could not take up the question hour due to protests by the Congress. The opposition legislators were demanding debate on law and order.
As soon as the question hour started, the Congress members shouted slogans against the government when Speaker Rajeev Bindal refused to accept their demand at that point.
Later, Congress lawmakers walked out of the assembly.
In the post-lunch session of the assembly, the opposition legislators again staged a walkout when they came to know that the police used water cannons to disperse the Youth Congress activists.
They staged a sit-in outside the Assembly gate.
The assembly session, however, continued despite the Congress walkout.
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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.
