01-09-2022 The Asian Independent

26 01-09-2022 to 15-08-2022 WORLD
www.theasianindependent.co.uk
Mumbai riots: SC seeks Maha
response on compensation paid
to families of missing people
New Delhi : The Supreme
Court on Tuesday sought
response from the Maharashtra
government whether it has paid
compensation to legal heirs of
168 people, who were on the
missing list during the 1992-93
communal riots in Mumbai.
A bench of Justices Sanjay
Kishan Kaul, A.S. Oka and
Vikram Nath asked the state
government to clarify what it
meant by payment paid to heirs
of victims and asked it to file an
affidavit in 2 weeks. Taking
into consideration a chart
before it, the top court said 900
people had died in the violence
and 168 persons have gone
missing. It also asked the state
government to specify the time
lapse between the incident and
the payment of compensation,
and whether 168 people, on the
missing list, were included
among the 900 identified victims.
The bench further queried
the state government to bring
on record whether any compensation
was paid for the loss of
property, and also specify the
time lapse between the incident
and the payment of compensation.
It said after completion of
seven years, the families of
people who have gone missing
must get compensation. The
apex court was hearing a batch
of petitions in connection with
the payment of compensation
to the Mumbai riots victims.
A commission headed by
Justice B.N. Srikrishna, retired
Supreme Court judge, which
probed the Mumbai riots, had
'Social ramifications' notwithstanding:
SC seeks Centre's response on
reservation benefit extension
filed its report in 1998.
The apex court, in February
2020, had asked the
Maharashtra government to
apprise it on action taken
against the police officers
indicted by the commission.
The commission's report
indicted leaders of some political
parties and police officers.
A lawyer, appearing for one of
the petitioners before the top
court pressed for the implementation
of the recommendations
made in the commission's
report.
Delhi court issues fresh
summon to 'Kaali' filmmaker
Leena Manimekalai
New Delhi : A Delhi court
has issued a fresh summon to
filmmaker Leena Manimekalai
in a suit filed against the depiction
of Hindu goddess Kaali in
the poster of her controversial
film by the same name, video
and tweet "in a very uncalled
way".
Civil Judge Abhishek
Kumar of Tis Hazari Courts, in
an order dated August 29,
noted the submissions of plaintiff
Adv Raj Gaurav, in which
it was stated that an application
filed by him on the previous
date is pending for adjudication.
He also sought to serve the
notice to the defendants
(Manimekalai and others)
through e?-mail as well as
WhatsApp.
"In view of the submissions,
let summons be issued
afresh through all modes
including service through e-
?mail as well as Whatsapp,"
the judge ordered.
The matter will be next
heard on November 1.
Earlier in July, the court had
issued summons to
Manimekalai.
The plea moved by advocate
Raj Gaurav contended
that the poster of the film
depicts the goddess smoking,
which not only hurts the religious
sentiments of common
Hindus but is also against the
basics of morality and decency.
Apart from the filmmaker,
notices and summons were
also issued to her company,
Touring Talkies Media Private
Limited.
The controversy had escalated
after Trinamool Congress
MP Mahua Moitra had said
that she had every right as an
individual to imagine goddess
Kaali as a meat-eating and
alcohol-accepting deity, as
each person has his or her
unique way of offering
prayers.
New Delhi : The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the Central
government to clarify its stand on whether reservation benefits
enjoyed by Scheduled Castes can be extended to Dalits after they
convert to Islam, Christianity, Buddhism or any religion apart
from Hinduism.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted
that the matter involves social ramifications.
A bench of Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Abhay S. Oka, and
Vikram Nath said the matter was not listed for a long time, and
"there are social ramifications, but we have to take a call".
The bench orally remarked that old matters are pending because
there are social ramifications.
"We will have to face reality some time or the other," it noted.
Some of the petitioners have contended that Dalit Christians or
Christians of Scheduled Caste origin should enjoy the same quota
benefits reserved for Scheduled Castes.
Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing one of the petitioners,
submitted that earlier government had appointed Justice
Ranganath Misra Commission, which gave a very detailed report
on the issue and recommended Dalits, who convert to another religion,
should get reservation. However, Mehta said that "he missed
the point that the government of the day did not accept the recommendations
of the commission on the ground that they have not
taken into consideration several facts".
The top court asked the Central government to submit its
response in the matter in three weeks and scheduled the matter for
hearing in October. A petitioner has sought direction for reservation
for government jobs and admissions in educational institutions
should be made "religion neutral".
Citing the Constitution (Scheduled Castes) Order, 1950 restricts
Christians of Scheduled Caste origin from availing the Scheduled
Castes status, the petitioners have argued that this restriction was
against the fundamental right to equality, non-discrimination, and
religious freedom.