Archives for September 2024

A file photo of Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader MM Lawrence

Kochi : Dramatic scenes unfolded at the Ernakulam town hall, where the mortal remains of CPI(M) leader M M Lawrence were kept for public homage, as the late leader’s daughter protested the decision to hand over his body to the Government Medical College Hospital here.

The unexpected events occurred after Asha moved the Kerala High Court, challenging the decision of her siblings to donate their father’s body to the medical college for educational purposes.

The High Court, after considering the plea, directed the Kalamassery Medical College authorities to hear the objections and take a decision in accordance with the Kerala Anatomy Act.

The court also instructed the college to preserve the body for the time being at the mortuary.

In her petition, the daughter claimed that her father had been baptized and that all his children were baptized in the church.

She further alleged that her siblings along with the Communist party were attempting to project him as an atheist.

Two of Lawrence’s children had previously given their consent to handing over the body to the medical college.

Lawrence died on September 21 at the age of 95.

Meanwhile, the ruling CPI(M) clarified that it has no role in the matter.

Whether to hand over the body to the medical college or bury it in a church is a decision for the family, the party said.

CPI(M) district secretary K A Salim said that the decision to hand over the body to the medical college was made by his son.

The court’s decision came as the Medical College authorities reached the town hall to take possession of the body.

Asha, the complainant in the case, protested as the body was being handed over to the Medical College authorities amidst chanting of slogans by CPI(M) workers who had gathered to pay their last respects to the departed leader.

Lawrence’s son said he decided to hand over the body for medical studies as per his father’s last wish.

Pune: A Maharashtra labour department official on Monday inspected the office of Ernst & Young (EY) here on the directions of the Central government over the death of a woman chartered accountant.

Anna Sebastian Perayil (26) allegedly died due to work stress four months into joining the firm in Pune. Following her death, Sebastian’s mother wrote to EY India chairman Rajiv Memani alleging that the workload and extended working hours took a toll on her daughter. The firm, however, denied the allegations.

The Keralite, who passed her CA exams in 2023, died in July.

Additional labour commissioner Shailendra Pol said, “As per the directions from the Central government, an inspection was conducted today to assess the working conditions and factual situation at the EY Pune office.”

A government labour officer visited the office for the inspection, he said.

“We requested details about the company’s policies regarding office operations, employee welfare, and handling of extra working hours, including compensation to employees. The company has to furnish this information within seven days,” Pol said.

“We reviewed the victim’s appointment letter, including its terms and conditions. From the appointment letter, it was determined that she (her job profile) does not fall under the legal definition of ‘labour’,” he said.

However, since Sebastian was an employee, the matter must be addressed from the perspective of employee welfare and well-being, the official said.

“Once the firm furnishes the details requested, a report will be sent to the Central authorities, who will then determine the next course of action,” he said.

Union Minister for Labour Mansukh Mandaviya had recently said that the matter is being probed.

New Delhi : A man was seriously injured after he jumped in front of an approaching train at Lok Kalyan Marg Metro Station on Monday, a DMRC official said.

Services on the Delhi metro’s yellow line were delayed briefly, he said.

According to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation officials, the train was going towards Samaypur Badli when a passenger jumped in front of the train at 5.47 pm.

“The passenger was rushed to the nearest hospital. Train services were briefly regulated between Vishwavidhyala-Qutub Minar during this period and normal train movement was restored at 6.15 pm,” said the official.

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi

The Congress Monday slammed as “outrageous and unacceptable” Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi’s remark that “secularism is a European concept” and demanded his immediate sacking.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh claimed that Ravi is “only a trial balloon floater” and is echoing what Prime Minister Narendra Modi wants to get done.

Ramesh’s remarks came after Ravi said secularism is a European concept that evolved after a conflict between the church and the king whereas Bharat is a dharma-centric nation and therefore, it was not part of the Constitution but added during Emergency by “one insecure prime minister”.

The Tamil Nadu governor, while addressing an event in the Kanyakumari district on Sunday, said a lot of frauds have been committed against the people of the country and one of those was a wrong interpretation of secularism.

Reacting to the remarks, Ramesh said, “This man, who has taken an oath on the Constitution and who — inspite of his drumbeating — remains a Constitutional functionary, should be sacked forthwith. He is a disgrace.”

“This is not the first outrageous and unacceptable statement he has made. But he is only a trial balloon floater. He is echoing what the non-biological PM wants to get done,” the Congress leader said.

Ravi had also said, “What does secularism mean? Secularism is a European concept, secularism is not a Bharatiya concept.”

Decades later, during Emergency (1975-77), “one insecure prime minister,” introduced secularism in the Constitution in order to appease some sections of people, the Governor alleged.

Indira Gandhi was the prime minister during Emergency.

Ravi further said that secularism emerged in Europe as there was a fight between the church and the king and in order to end this conflict, which went on for a long time, this concept was evolved.

At the time of Independence, when the Constitution was being drafted, a discussion came up on secularism and the Constituent Assembly rejected it observing that Bharat is a dharma-centric country and there has been no conflict, similar to what was witnessed in Europe, Ravi had claimed.

Thane: The family members of Badlapur sexual assault case accused Akshay Shinde have challenged the police claim that he fired at a policeman first following which cops fired in self-defence which led to his death.

Shinde’s kin also claimed that police pressured him for a confession in the sexual assault case.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday night said a high-level probe has been ordered into the incidents leading to Shinde’s death.

Shinde’s body was taken from the Kalwa civic hospital in Thane to the state-run J J Hospital in neighbouring Mumbai for postmortem on Tuesday morning, a senior Thane police official said.

The autopsy was being conducted at the J J hospital, he added.

Shinde, 24, was accused of sexually assaulting two minor girls at a school in Badlapur town of Thane district.

A contractual sweeper at the school in Badlapur, Shinde was arrested on August 17, five days after he allegedly sexually abused the two girls in the school toilet.

He was killed near Mumbra Bypass in Thane on Monday evening when he allegedly snatched the gun of a policeman while he was being ferried in a police vehicle as part of a probe into a case registered against him on the complaint of his former wife, an official earlier said.

After he shot and injured an API, another officer from the police escort team fired at him, and he was declared dead by doctors at the Kalwa civic hospital, the official said.

However, his family members have challenged the theory that Shinde fired at the policeman first and later the cops retaliated.

“It is wrong to say that he first snatched the gun of a policeman and fired at him, and later the police fired at him in self-defence,” Shinde’s mother and uncle told reporters outside the Kalwa hospital on Monday night.

“The police got the confessional statement written by him under pressure to the effect that he has committed the crime. What they got written from him, he only knows,” they claimed.

Akshay Shinde’s father Anna Shinde said an inquiry should be conducted into his son’s killing.

His mother and uncle alleged it was a conspiracy by police and management of the Badlapur school.

They claimed Akshay had told his kin that he was being beaten up police in custody and he also sent a chit seeking money.

His mother and uncle questioned the police version and asserted he could not have snatched the weapon of a policeman.

He was not depressed, they added.

“The police have killed our child. The school management must also be probed. The police got him to write something but we don’t know what it is, only he knew it,” the kin further alleged.

“My son was afraid of bursting crackers and crossing the road. How can he shoot at policemen?” Akshay’s mother asked.

His family members also said he should have been taken to the court for trial in the case against him, and how did the police shoot him dead.

“The charges (in cases against Akshay) are not proved,” they said.

Akshay’s mother said he used to ask her when he will be released.

Some videos showing the body being taken for the autopsy on Tuesday surfaced on social media.

Akshay’s parents were also seen waiting outside the locked gates of the well-guarded Kalwa civic hospital to have a glimpse of their dead son, but in vain.

No one was allowed near the room where the body was kept in the Kalwa hospital after doctors pronounced Shinde dead.

The area around the hospital turned into a fortress with a large number of police personnel deployed there.

Meanwhile, NCP (SP) Kalwa-Mumbra MLA Jitendra Awhad also challenged the police version and termed it as “baseless”.

“How can a handcuffed accused snatch the revolver of a policeman and fire at him, when five more policemen are around,” Awhad told a TV channel.

He claimed the ruling party will take full credit for the entire incident in the upcoming state assembly elections.

“It is for sure that they have planned and killed him,” Awhad further claimed.

He said everyone knows who the school belongs to where the sexual abuse incident had taken place. “Who is that Apte?” he questioned.

Mangaluru: PB D’sa (83), a prominent social activist and resident of Valencia, passed away this morning at a private hospital in Mangaluru. Desa, who was the state president of the People’s Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), was known for his relentless fight against social injustice and illegality. He played a significant role in building movements against police brutality.

He is survived by his wife, two sons, two daughters, and a large extended family.

Family sources have stated that his body will be donated to a private hospital tomorrow, and no rituals will be performed.

Desa faced considerable opposition throughout his life, including surviving an assassination attempt at his office.