Archives for 2024

Chennai: Never in their wildest dreams, three school girls of a village, tucked away in a sleepy region of Karur district had imagined that their passion for music and dance would one day goad them to take the path unknown; of attempting to travel to a foreign country with little money and without passports.

Passionate fans of BTS, the hugely popular Korean pop band, the girls, all aged 13 and students of Class 8 in a state-run school, decided to go all the way to Seoul, the South Korean capital, to meet their loved stars.

“They took a firm decision to somehow meet the BTS stars and shortlisted the seaports of Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu and Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh to take a ship to South Korea and they eventually chose Visakhapatnam,” a Child Welfare Committee official told PTI.

The girls quietly stepped out of their homes on January 4 and reached Chennai after taking a train from Erode, which is near Karur.

Since the girls did not return home, their parents lodged a complaint with Karur police, who alerted authorities state-wide and began searches.

Though the teenagers together had just about Rs 14,000 with them, their savings, they naively believed that they could still make it. After much difficulty, they got a room in a Chennai hotel on Thursday night and were under the impression that they could take a ship to Seoul without passports.

On Friday, their desperate attempts to go ahead dragged them from pillar to post and they lost all energy. Left with no choice, they boarded a train from Chennai to reach their homes.

“At Katpadi railway station, when they got down at mid night to buy food, they missed the train. Police personnel spoke to the children and Child Line authorities and we were alerted,” P Vedanayagam, head of Vellore District Child Welfare Committee said.

They were accommodated in a state-run facility in Vellore district and their parents were summoned and counselling sessions were held for the children and their parents.

“We learnt that the girls knew the minutest details about the BTS band and the stars, the way they dressed and what not; they had bought shoes similar to the ones used by the pop band stars.”

The BTS stars were their inspiration and unhindered access to smartphones led to obsession. “It was very clear to us that they yearned for a life of dance and music.” However, their decision ‘to go abroad’ to chase their dreams was a terrible mistake and this was conveyed to them politely.

The official said the children were encouraged to focus only on studies which would help them realise their dreams, whatever it may be.

“We told the children about the importance of education and its value and advised the parents to keep an eye on what their children do.” The teens were told that smartphones and the internet, though useful in everyday life, should be utilised primarily for education related purposes.

“The family background of the children too cannot be ignored. In the case of one girl, it was a single parent. Another girl’s father is mentally challenged. The mothers of these girls work as farm labourers. They have little or no time to monitor what their children do and what they want.”

The parents were requested to make suitable arrangements to take care of their children to ensure that they get support and guidance. After counselling, the children were sent to their home district with their parents and they took a train on January 6 night.

Dhaka Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday secured a record fourth straight term as her Awami League party won two-thirds of the seats in the general elections marred by sporadic violence and a boycott by the main opposition BNP and its allies.

Hasina’s party won 200 seats in the 300-seat parliament while counting is still underway after the end of the day-long voting on Sunday.

“We can call Awami League winner with the already available results but the final announcement will be made after the end of the counting of votes in the rest of the constituencies,” an election commission spokesman told reporters.

Hasina won the Gopalganj-3 seat for the eighth time since 1986. She bagged 249,965 votes while her nearest rival M Nizam Uddin Lashkar from the Bangladesh Supreme Party secured just 469 votes.

The 76-year-old leader, who has been ruling the strategically located South Asian nation since 2009, secured a record fourth consecutive term and fifth overall term in the one-sided election, which witnessed a low turnout.

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader claimed that the people have rejected the BNP and Jamaat-e-Islami’s boycott of the election by casting their ballots.

“I sincerely thank those who braved the fear of vandalism, arson, and terrorism to participate in the 12th national parliamentary elections,” Quader said.

Jatiya Party Chairman GM Quader won the Rangpur-3 seat in the 12th national parliamentary election.

According to the initial estimates, the voter turnout was around 40 per cent but the figure could change after the final count, Chief Election Commissioner Kazi Habibul Awal earlier said.

The 2018 general election recorded an overall turnout of more than 80 per cent.

Despite the largely peaceful voting, officials and the mainstream media reported at least 18 arson attacks across the country since late Friday, with 10 of them targeting polling places.

Former premier Khaleda Zia-led Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leaders said the party plans to intensify its anti-government movement through a peaceful public engagement programme from Tuesday as it dubbed the polls as “fake.” The BNP boycotted the 2014 election but joined the one in 2018. This time, they boycotted the polls. Fifteen other political parties also boycotted the election.

The party leaders claimed that the low turnout was evidence that their boycott movement had been successful. They said that peaceful democratic protest programmes will be accelerated, and the people’s right to vote will be established through this programme.

The BNP is observing a 48-hour nationwide general strike which began at 6 am on Saturday and will end at 6 am on Monday. It had called upon voters to shun the election to mark the beginning of an end of what it calls a “fascist government.”

Earlier, an election commission spokesman said that other than some sporadic incidents of violence, the voting was largely peaceful in 299 of the 300 constituencies. The Commission suspended polling in one seat because of the death of a candidate.

The election commission cancelled the candidature of a ruling Awami League candidate in northeastern Chattogram at the fag-end of the voting hours as he “scolded and threatened” a police officer.

The usual election-day fervour was nowhere to be seen. Even in front of the election campaign booths, there was no presence of voters except the ruling party-backed supporters and election agents.

Voters cast their votes without any disruption in the absence of long queues, leaving presiding officers with idle time.

Prime Minister Hasina cast her vote at Dhaka City College polling centre soon after the voting started. Her daughter Saima Wazed accompanied her.

She alleged that the opposition BNP-Jamaat-e-Islami alliance does not believe in democracy. “People will vote as they wish. And we were able to create that voting environment. Although the BNP-Jamaat alliance has caused many incidents, including arson attacks,” she told reporters.

In response to a question, Hasina said that India is a “trusted friend” of Bangladesh.

“We are very lucky…India is our trusted friend. During our Liberation War, they supported us not only that after 1975, when we lost our whole family – father, mother, brothers, everyone (in a military coup) – and only we two (Hasina and her younger sister Rehana) survived… they gave us shelter. So, we have our best wishes to the people of India,” she told reporters.

In August 1975, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, his wife and their three sons were assassinated in their home by military officers. His daughters Hasina and Rehana survived the purge as they were abroad.

In response to a question on how acceptable the election will be while the BNP is boycotting it, Hasina said that her responsibility is towards the people.

“Whether people accept this election or not it is important to me. So, I don’t care about their (foreign media) acceptance. No matter what did the terrorist party say or not?” she said.

The 27 political parties that contested the elections include the opposition Jatiya Party. The rest are members of the ruling Awami League-led coalition, which experts dub as “satellite parties.”

A total of 119.6 million registered voters were eligible to vote at Sunday’s polls in more than 42,000 polling stations, according to the country’s Election Commission.

More than 1,500 candidates from 27 political parties were contesting in the election, besides 436 independent candidates.

Over 100 foreign observers, including three from India, monitored the 12th general election, which was held under tight security.

More than 7.5 lakh members of law enforcement agencies and security forces were deployed to ensure law and order during the polls.

Former Election Commissioner Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hussain termed Sunday’s polls a unique one compared to the previous two elections.

“This time the election is taking place between candidates from the same party in the name of independents and dummies. As a result, voters are less interested in the polls,” said Sakhawat.

“So, it is a unique model election Results of the election are certain, everybody knows who is going to win. The only uncertain thing is who will be in the opposition bench,” he added.

On Friday, the UN Special Rapporteur, Clement Nyaletsossi Voule, said he was “deeply disturbed” by the repressive environment surrounding the polls in Bangladesh.

Kolkata West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose has sought a report from the state government on action taken in response to a mob attack on ED officers, who conducted a raid at TMC leader Sahajahan Sheikh’s house in connection with the multi-crore ration distribution scam, an official said.

Bose asked the state government to provide a report explaining why Sheikh has not been arrested, and to clarify whether he is still in India.

The governor has also urged the West Bengal government to “hold accountable those responsible for the failure of the law and order machinery, and to take action against police officers who neglected their duties,” the official said.

Bose had held a meeting with top officials of the CRPF and the ED on Sunday, during which he expressed strong displeasure over the police’s “failure” to apprehend Sheikh, he said.

The ED has issued a lookout notice for Sheikh due to concerns that he might flee the country following the incident in which three of its officers were injured and several vehicles damaged by a mob at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district, on January 5.

Wajima (Japan) (AP): Thousands of people made homeless overnight are living in weariness and uncertainty on the western coast of Japan a week after a powerful earthquake caused at least 161 deaths and left dozens missing.

The rescue effort since magnitude 7.6 New Year’s Day quake has drawn thousands of troops, firefighters and police who picked through collapsed buildings Monday hoping to find survivors.

Authorities warned of the danger of landslides throughout the Noto Peninsula in Ishikawa Prefecture, where the quakes were centered. The risks were worsened by snowfall, which grew heavier over the weekend and continued into the new week.

Fluffy white blanketed a landscape telling the story of the quake dark crumbled houses, ashen blocks of a city, highways with gaping holes and cracks.

Of the deaths, 70 were in Wajima, 70 in Suzu 11 in Anamizu and the rest in smaller numbers spread among four towns. At least 103 people were still unaccounted for, 565 people were listed as injured, and 1,390 homes were destroyed or seriously damaged.

A tsunami of several meters (feet) followed the initial major quake, adding to the damage. Aftershocks have continued daily.

For the residents of Ishikawa, their work has barely started.

Shuji Yoshiura, a fisherman, said he could not get his boats out to sea yet because the seabed was lifted by the quake.

Wajima had featured a shopping street and seafood and traditional crafts that had drawn tourists. Much of the city was destroyed in the fires that broke out after the Jan. 1 quake.

Kentaro Mitsumori, who runs a corner grocery shop, slept in his car with his wife to guard against looting. Their store still stands but has no lock, electricity or running water. Everything sold out in three days. But he plans to close his business.

“Even if I manage to fix up the place, there just aren’t going to be enough customers. I don’t know how Wajima can survive,” he said.

Nearly 30,000 people staying in schools, auditoriums and other evacuation centers worried about infections as cases of COVID-19 and other sicknesses popped up.

In the shelters, people are still sleeping on cold floors, but after initial help provided only a piece of bread and a cup of water for each person a day, the arrival of aid is allowing some facilities to begin serving hot food cooked in huge pots.

People were delighted by the temporary bathing facilities set up by soldiers, sitting in the hot water they had missed for days.

Still, exhaustion and stress are wearing people down. Many are in mourning. The main quake struck on New Year’s Day, a time for families to gather in Japan. Some survivors said they were all alone now.

Mizue Kaba, 79, was lucky she survived, as did her daughter, son-in-law and grandson, who were visiting on New Year’s from Osaka in central Japan.

Kaba is sleeping at a school, and no one is sure what might happen when schools open in a week after the New Year’s break.

Three stoves had strained to heat the school’s big hall, but the arrival of more heaters has the shelter’s inhabitants hopeful it will warm up.

Agartala: Hundreds of Muslims from Tripura’s Ramnagar Assembly constituency on Sunday offered prayers for Surajit Datta, a BJP MLA who passed away on December 28.

Datta, a seven-time MLA, was admired by both the Hindus and Muslims for his generosity, locals said. He died at a hospital in Kolkata after a prolonged illness at age 71.

Abdul Rahim, the imam of South Ramnagar mosque, said, “Datta served both communities equally and always helped us when needed.”

“On Sunday, we held a prayer for the departed soul and for the wellbeing of his family. He was like a guardian to us, supporting us in every step of life,” he added.

Rahim also mentioned that a special prayer will be held in all the mosques of Ramnagar Assembly constituency for Datta next Friday.

Mohan Dutta, the MLA’s younger brother, expressed gratitude to the Muslim community for their support.

“I would like to thank the members of the Muslim community for offering prayers for my elder brother, who worked tirelessly for the wellbeing of both communities in his constituency. Our Muslim brothers came to our residence on Sunday and prayed for my brother. It demonstrates that my brother served the people of his constituency in the best possible way,” he added.

“Although I have lost my brother, our doors will remain open for everyone. Our family does not discriminate people based on their caste, creed, or religion. We serve all people,” he added.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday quashed the Gujarat government’s decision to grant in the case of the gangrape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of seven of her family members during the 2002 riots in the state.

A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice B V Nagarathna and also comprising Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, who had reserved its verdict on October 12 last year, pronounced the judgement today.

The court refused to answer the point regarding the maintainability of the PILs since Bilkis Bano’s petition is already held to be maintainable.

The Top Court also said that its previous judgement by a separate bench on May 13, 2022, allowed the Gujarat govt to decide on the remission plea of one of the convicts, as a nullity.

It said the State, where an offender is tried and sentenced, is competent to decide the remission plea of convicts.

“The order of remission by the Gujarat government has to be quashed for lacking competence,” Justice Nagarathna said in the verdict.

The Gujarat govt had granted remission of all these 11 convicts following a May 2022 judgment in which the top court held that an application of remission should be considered in line with the policy of the State where the crime was committed and not where the trial was held.

The Gujarat government’s remission to all the 11 convicts of Bilkis and freeing them created a huge public outrage and social activists, lawyers, and civil society termed it a “miscarriage of justice.”

The name of 11 convicts who were set free by the Gujarat govt are Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana.

Primarily, a bunch of Public Interest Litigations (PIL) were filed in the Supreme Court by private parties, including; Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Subhashini Ali, Professor Rooplekha Verma, journalist Revati Laul, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, former IPS officer Meeran Chadha Borwankar, and National Federation of Indian Women.

Bano had after this, moved the Supreme Court challenging the Gujarat government’s order of remission granted to her 11 convicts who gang-raped her and murdered many of her family members in 2002 during the Gujarat riots.

She pointed out that the remission was granted despite the objections raised by the Presiding Judge and the Investigating Officer to the premature release of convicts who have committed grave and heinous offences.

Bano had argued that the release of the prisoners, who committed horrific crimes against herself and her family members, has caused fear and emotional trauma to her.

Eight minors were killed, including Bilkis’ three-and-a-half-year-old child, whose head was smashed into a rock. A pregnant woman was gang-raped. A woman who had just at that time then, delivered a child was raped and murdered. 14 counts of murder in total. It’s heartwrenching to read about the condition in which the bodies were discovered, Gupta said.

The brutal gangrape survivor, Bano’s lawyer, Shobha Gupta, had told the Supreme Court that the factors which are to be considered, as per the SC judgement, while granting remission to her 11 convicts have been given a complete go-by.

She said that these 11 convicts needed to be sent to jail, their original place.

“There is no doubt that the crime was committed brutally. Look at the way, how Bilkis Bano has suffered. The remission is incorrect. The Apex Court should cancel the remission order and all these 11 convicts of Bilkis be sent to jail,” Gupta said.

She also said that the maximum sentence is of 14 years, but for people convicted of murder committed with premeditation and with exceptional violence or brutality, it is 26 years; while for those convicted of crimes with exceptional violence or with brutality or death of victim due to burn and/or murder with rape, it is 28 years.

“Such was public outrage. Public spirited individuals even approached this court challenging the remission,” Gupta had told the Apex Court.

She also questioned if the men who raped her and killed her entire family deserve the leniency they have been given. The answer is no.

Additional Director General of Police, Prisons and Correctional Administration, Gujarat had given a negative opinion and did not recommend the premature release of convict Radheshyam, she told the Apex Court.

“In this case how the leniency has been extended to the convicts,” Gupta questioned.

On the other hand, the Gujarat Government told the Supreme Court that it decided to release the 11 convicts as they completed 14 years of sentence and as their behaviour was found to be good. The Court was also told that the decision was taken with the requisite approval of the Centra Government (as the case was investigated by the CBI).

Opposing the Gujarat government’s arguments, Gupta said that even good behaviour in jail and completion of 14 years are not only factors to be considered when considering remission application in such kind of brutal offences, but she also said. 

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday renamed the Rahul Gandhi-led East to West march as the ‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra,’ set to commence from Manipur on January 14. Previously, the yatra was known as the “Bharat Nyay Yatra.” The party has extended an invitation to all members of the INDIA bloc to join the yatra at any point along its route.

Spanning 6,713 km, the yatra will traverse 15 states, including Arunachal Pradesh. Notably, the 66-day journey will spend its longest duration — 11 days — in Uttar Pradesh, a politically crucial state that contributes the most MPs to Parliament. The Congress aims to improve its performance in Uttar Pradesh, where it secured only one seat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The yatra will journey through 1,074km across 20 districts of the state. In Assam, participants will cover 833km in 17 districts over eight days.

Ramesh said, “Gandhi’s Yatra is fundamentally about justice, aiming to achieve political, economic, and social justice for the people of India.” Addressing the participation of INDIA bloc parties in the yatra, Ramesh stated, “The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is open to everyone. We invite INDIA alliance parties, Congress-aligned parties from various states, and civil society organizations to participate.” 

When questioned about the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)’s involvement, he confirmed that all INDIA bloc members, including AAP and Arvind Kejriwal, have been invited. He further mentioned that the yatra will proceed both by buses and on foot, covering approximately 110 districts, around 100 Lok Sabha constituencies, and 337 assembly segments. Ramesh asserted that the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra would be as politically transformative as the previous Bharat Jodo Yatra.

“The concept of ‘Nyay’ derives from the preamble of the Indian Constitution, which promises justice—social, economic, and political—to all its citizens,” Ramesh elaborated. He added that liberty, equality, and fraternity are deeply interconnected principles.

Ramesh recalled that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted major concerns such as increasing inequality, escalating social polarization, and rising political tyranny and authoritarianism. The solution, he suggested, lies in ensuring justice for the people. The yatris will spend five days in West Bengal and eight days in Jharkhand. The schedule includes a one-day stop in Manipur and four days each in Bihar and Odisha.

‘Solution lies in ensuring justice for the people’
Addressing the participation of INDIA bloc parties in the yatra, Ramesh said, “The Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is open to everyone.” He recalled that during the Bharat Jodo Yatra, Gandhi highlighted major concerns such as increasing inequality, escalating social polarization, and rising political tyranny. The solution, he suggested, lies in ensuring justice for the people. The yatris will spend five days in West Bengal and eight days in Jharkhand. The schedule includes a one-day stop in Manipur and four days each in Bihar and Odisha.