Indian in Saudi jail: Karnataka High Court seeks reply from Union govt
Bengaluru(PTI): The High Court of Karnataka has sought reply from the Union Government regarding legal help to the Indian national who has been jailed in Saudi Arabia. The court on Monday asked the Centre whether the jailed person will be provided with an opportunity to appoint the advocate of his choice in an appeal and would the government help him in this regard.
It has also sought information on the jurisdiction of the local laws in Saudi Arabia and whether the investigation report from India can be submitted in courts there. The court further asked whether an Indian diplomatic request to postpone the hearing of the appeal in Saudi Arabia till the police investigation in India is completed can be made.
The hearing of the petition was adjourned to August 8.
Shahilesh, from Mangaluru has been convicted and imprisoned in Saudi Arabia, where he was working, for alleged derogatory posts against the king and Islam.
His wife, Kavitha, has petitioned the High Court claiming that the posts, made on February 12 and 13, 2020, were made from a fake profile on Facebook and the local police had failed to provide the proof to Saudi Arabian authorities.
The local police had blamed Facebook for not cooperating with the investigation..
Shailesh had put up a post in support of the Indian Government’s Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizenship (NRC). He allegedly received a threat call and deleted his account. Subsequently, a derogatory post against the Saudi king and Islam was uploaded.
Shailesh was arrested in Saudi Arabia, tried and sentenced to 15 years in jail. His wife lodged the police complaint in India alleging that her husband had informed her that a fake Facebook account was used to upload the post in his name.
He was arrested and jailed on February 23, 2020.
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Flip-flop on COP: Cong's dig at govt on withdrawing bid to host COP33
New Delhi (PTI): The Congress on Thursday attacked the Centre over India withdrawing its bid to host the COP33 climate summit in 2028, and said it reflects the Modi government's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit.
The opposition party said the decision also calls into question the government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term.
Congress general secretary and former environment minister Jairam Ramesh recalled that on December 1, 2023, the prime minister had announced grandly in Dubai that India would be hosting the annual UN Climate Change Conference of Parties (COP) in India in late 2028.
"Clearly the intention was to milk the global gathering for whatever it is worth in the months before the 2029 Lok Sabha elections like Mr. Modi did by having the G20 Summit in New Delhi a few months before the 2024 Lok Sabha polls," Ramesh said on X.
"Unexpectedly last night, it was announced that India will not be hosting the high-profile 2028 Conference. No reasons have been given for this sudden decision. But it does reflect on the Modi Govt's true commitment to the 2015 Paris Agreement both in letter and spirit," the Congress general in-charge communications said.
It also calls into question the Modi government's true commitment to take on more ambitious carbon mitigation goals in the short and medium term, Ramesh said.
By 2028, the seventh assessment report of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) may get published and this could put greater pressure on India as the Chair of the 2028 Conference to forge a new consensus that would undoubtedly involve a scaling up of ambitions not just for a distant future, he said.
"Incidentally, do we recall what the PM had told a group of children some years ago on his view of climate change? He had remarked that 'people have changed, climate has not.' Bizarre!" Ramesh said.
He slammed the government's "flip-flop" on hosting the conference.
Ramesh had on Wednesday night said that he was "surprised" at the development.
"I am very surprised. It was high on the PM's agenda especially since 2029 will be the year of Lok Sabha polls. So atmospherics could have (been) created," he had said.
India has withdrawn its offer to host the United Nations annual climate Conference Of the Parties (COP33) in 2028, according to sources.
During his address at COP28 in Dubai in 2023, Prime Minister Modi had proposed India as the host country for COP33. Usually, the venue for a COP edition is decided two years in advance.
Sources confirmed that the decision was officially communicated to the authorities concerned earlier this week that India is withdrawing its bid to host COP 33. They, however, did not state any specific reason behind the government's decision.
