K'taka BJP MLC hints at bringing private member's Bill for banning halal certification
Belagavi (K'taka), Dec 19: A ruling BJP MLC in Karnataka has sought to introduce a private member's Bill that is said to be aimed at banning halal certification, during the ongoing winter session of the state legislature here.
N Ravikumar, who is also state BJP general secretary, had written to Chairman of the Legislative Council, seeking permission to introduce a Bill to amend the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, to ban any private person or organisation from issuing certification of foods.
The December 12 letter states that the Bill seeks to ban any private organisation or an individual from advertising with a claim that a religious institution has certified the food product.
The letter claims the proposed amendment will not put any financial burden on the government and will, rather, bring in an additional revenue of Rs 5,000 crore for the state exchequer.
Though the proposed Bill is said to be aimed at banning halal certification, the letter does not give details on this specifically.
Some Hindutva groups have been carrying on a campaign against halal certification in recent times.
Asked about the MLC planning to introduce a private member Bill which reportedly seeks to ban halal certification, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said, "Let's see when it comes; private member bill has its own position. We will see what it is."
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Stalin accuses Centre of trying to use women's quota as 'weapon,' slams EPS over delimitation
Chennai (PTI): Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has strongly criticised the Centre over the women's reservation and accused it of trying to use it as a "weapon" to tackle the opposition before taking up the delimitation exercise based on population.
"The Union government is not concerned about implementing reservations for women. If their concerns were genuine, they could have done it right away. Rather than doing that, the BJP-led Centre is thinking of using it as a weapon to tackle opposition and take up the delimitation exercise based on population," he told PTI in an interview.
"Hence, the women's reservation must be implemented immediately without showing delimitation as a reason," the DMK president added.
Expressing apprehensions on the proposed delimitation exercise, the CM said it was the DMK that raised the first voice asserting the rights of the state after realising that Tamil Nadu would be affected by the proposed exercise. He also attacked his rival and AIADMK chief Edappadi K Palaniswami over the delimitation issue.
Recalling efforts made by the DMK to raise the issue of population-based delimitation, he said an all-party meeting and a meeting of CMs under the auspices of the Joint Action Committee seeking fair delimitation were convened. It sought to freeze delimitation for 25 years and stick to it based on the 1971 Census population.
"We urged the union government that states which successfully implemented population control programmes must not be punished," he added.
The party came up with "Tamil Nadu poradum, Tamil Nadu vellum" (Tamil Nadu will struggle, Tamil Nadu will win) and this is DMK's stand, he said.
"However, Palaniswami, who is seeking votes for the entry of the BJP through the backdoor, has till date been mute over delimitation, and this is a betrayal of the people of Tamil Nadu."
