Will have no shame in taking advice and support of Gandhi family: Kharge
Bengaluru (PTI): Senior Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday said he would have no shame in taking the advice and support of the Gandhi family in running the party affairs, in case he becomes its President, as they have struggled and put their strength for its growth.
The veteran leader said that he is the "delegates' candidate" in this polls to the party's highest post, scheduled for October 17.
"They say such things as there is nothing else to tell. BJP indulges in such a campaign and others follow it. Sonia Gandhi has worked for 20 years in the organisation...Rahul Gandhi was also president...they have struggled for the party and put their strength for its growth," Kharge said responding to a question about talk that he would be the remote control of the Gandhi family on becoming the AICC President.
Speaking to reporters here, he highlighted that the Nehru-Gandhi family has contributed immensely and sacrificed for this country from Jawaharlal Nehru to Indira Gandhi to Rajiv Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi.
"Just because we (Congress) lost a few elections, saying such a thing (against Gandhis) is not right. They have done good for this country, their advice will benefit the party, so I will definitely seek their advice and support. There is no shame in it. If something benefits from your (media) advice, I will take it as well. They have worked for this party and taking their advice is my duty," Kharge said.
"Further Sonia and Rahul Gandhi know every nook and corner of the country, who is where and who can do what for the party. What has to be done to have unity in the party, I need to learn and I will do it," he added.
The Member of Rajya Sabha from Karnataka today met some state Congress leaders and addressed the media, as part of his campaign trail here. He is pitted against Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor in the grand old party's presidential polls for which results will be declared on October 19.
Khage however, did not want to make any direct comments on his opponent in the poll- Tharoor or his campaign, and merely said that, everyone has the right to speak about their merit, while seeking support, like he has been highlighting about his connection with the party's grassroots level.
"I don't want to get into any controversy, he (Tharoor) is saying his thoughts, I don't want to debate on his thoughts. I'm sharing my thoughts. It is our organisation or a family matter. He has the right to say what he wants to, similarly I too have. It is an internal friendly fight," he said, to a question about his message for Tharoor.
Rebutting talk that it will be a rigged election, with senior leaders and delegates who will vote, openly supporting him, Kharge said, "I'm contacting election delegates, my campaign managers are organising...I'm a candidate of delegates, senior leaders and delegates have sponsored me."
He said after the Gandhi family took a stand that none of them would contest for the Congress President post, senior leaders, leaders and delegates from various states, asked him to contest, considering his long service to the party organisation.
Asked about the Congress in election-bound Karnataka and about the impact of his election as party president, Kharge said, "leaders in the state are fighting with a cause and working hard...I believe in collective leadership, collective consultancy. The Congress in Karnataka is united and will form a government in the state (after the 2023 Assembly polls).
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SC dismisses pleas seeking review of 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage
New Delhi, Jan 9: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of pleas seeking to review its October 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage.
A five-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, B V Nagarathna, P S Narasimha and Dipankar Datta took up about 13 petitions related to the matter in chambers and dismissed them.
"We do not find any error apparent on the face of the record. We further find that the view expressed in both the judgements is in accordance with law and as such, no interference is warranted. Accordingly, the review petitions are dismissed," the bench said.
It said the judges have carefully gone through the judgements delivered by Justice (since retired) S Ravindra Bhat speaking for himself and for Justice (since retired) Hima Kohli as well as the concurring opinion expressed by Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, constituting the majority view.
The bench also rejected a prayer made in the review petitions for hearing in an open court.
According to practice, the review pleas are considered in chambers by the judges.
The new bench was constituted after Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the present CJI, recused from hearing the review petitions on July 10, 2024.
Notably, Justice P S Narasimha is the only member of the original Constitution bench comprising five judges which delivered the verdict, as former CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices S K Kaul, Ravindra Bhat and Hima Kohli have retired.
A five-judge Constitution bench led by then CJI Chandrachud on October 17, 2024, refused to accord legal backing to same-sex marriages and held there was "no unqualified right" to marriage with the exception of those recognised by law.
The apex court, however, made a strong pitch for the rights of LGBTQIA++ persons so that they didn't face discrimination in accessing goods and services available to others, safe houses known as "garima greh" in all districts for shelter to members of the community facing harassment and violence, and dedicated hotlines in case of trouble.
In its judgement, the bench held transpersons in heterosexual relationships had the freedom and entitlement to marry under the existing statutory provisions.
It said an entitlement to legal recognition of the right to union, akin to marriage or civil union, or conferring legal status to the relationship could be only done through an "enacted law".
The five-judge Constitution bench delivered four separate verdicts on a batch of 21 petitions seeking legal sanction for same-sex marriages.
All five judges were unanimous in refusing the legal recognition to same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act and observed it was within Parliament's ambit to change the law for validating such a union.
While former CJI Chandrachud wrote a separate 247-page verdict, Justice Kaul penned a 17-page judgement where he broadly agreed with the former's views.
Justice Bhat, who authored an 89-page judgement for himself and Justice Kohli, disagreed with certain conclusions arrived at by the former CJI, including on applicability of adoption rules for such couples.
Justice Narasimha in his 13-page verdict was in complete agreement with the reasoning and conclusion of Justice Bhat.
The judges were unanimous in holding that queerness was a natural phenomenon and not an "urban or elite" notion.
In his judgement, the former CJI recorded Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's assurance of forming a committee chaired by the cabinet secretary to define and elucidate the scope of entitlements of such couples in a union.
The LGBTQIA++ rights activists, who won a major legal battle in 2018 in the Supreme Court, which decriminalised consensual gay sex, moved the apex court seeking validation of same-sex marriages and consequential reliefs such as rights to adoption, enrolment as parents in schools, opening of bank accounts and availing succession and insurance benefits.
Some of the petitioners sought the apex court to use its plenary power besides the "prestige and moral authority" to push the society to acknowledge such a union and ensure LGBTQIA++ persons led a "dignified" life like heterosexuals.
