The sixth accused in the Delhi gangrape case has been left out of the police chargesheet since he is still a minor — he would become an adult in five months. Under present law, the juvenile could be free in a few months even if he gets the maximum three-year sentence. If he is held guilty after turning 18, he can`t be kept in a correction home. But in this case, where the nature of crime
Various bar associations in the capital have appealed to lawyers to not represent the six men accused of gangraping a 23-year-old woman. But legal experts say the decision will only benefit the accused. The Supreme Court has said that a trial in which an accused does not get an opportunity to properly defend himself can be declared invalid from the outset. In the past, there have been instances
Union minister Shashi Tharoor has favoured making public the identity of the 23-year-old gang rape victim. He does not find a valid reason in keeping her name under wraps. Tharoor also wants the revised anti-rape legislation to be named after the victim. Under the law, the identity of a rape victim cannot be disclosed. But now that the victim is no more, would it not be right to honour her by n
This is what Subhash Agrawal, one of our readers, has written in: Brave young girl resisted tooth and nail against being gangraped which also resulted in her being mercilessly beaten to death. The brave girl also exhibited unmatched courage to fight for life and recording her statement not once but twice towards the heinous crime of rapists. Union government should honour the girl p
Abhijit Mukherjee’s comments (since withdrawn) are only the latest in a series of insensitive remarks from our ruling class. Politicians, police officers and public officials have been making crass comments on the question of rape, indicating their seriousness or otherwise in tackling this delicate matter. Once there is outrage, they retract their statements, issue a formal apology and mo
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa walked out of the National Development Council (NDC) meeting accusing the Centre of "stifling" the voice of chief ministers by restricting their speeches to 10 minutes. She said the Centre came out with a "new method" of limiting the speeches of chief ministers to 10 minutes which was not enough to articulate their views. Jayalalithaa
The Delhi Police used water cannons and tear gas to disperse those protesting against the gang rape of 23-year-old and seeking safety for women in Delhi. They also lathi-charged the protesters, most of whom were protesting silently. Do you think the police should have lathi-charged them?
After his consecutive third thumping victory in the state assembly elections, many are supporting Narendra Modi as the BJP’s prime ministerial candidate. Some BJP leaders said Modi should now be projected as the party’s prime ministerial candidate. BJP sources say Modi would be given a prominent role to galvanise the party rank and file for the next Lok Sabha elections.
The Sunday night incident when a 23-year-old woman was gangraped in a moving bus in Delhi is a grim reminder of how vulnerable a woman is in the absence of stringent laws which act as a deterrent. With conviction rate remaining abysmally low, even if a victim approaches for justice, either it is the long procedure of justice which takes a toll on the victim or even if justice is done the convic
Chief minister Sheila Dikshit`s has drawing criticism for her statement that Rs 600 is enough to provide for basic rations of rice, wheat and pulses for a family of five. She said this at the launch of Annshree Yojana. Activists have criticised the CM for her disconnect with the reality. They say when inflation is at its peak, how can this meager amount of money suffice for a family of five?
In signals that he could well be the next prime ministerial candidate, Congress declared that Rahul Gandhi will lead UPA`s campaign in the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and take up an "important responsibility" in the party "very soon". Keeping in mind that the opposition will leave no stone unturned in the 2014 polls, do you think Rahul Gandhi is the right candidate to
Activist Anna Hazare has said he would not vote for Arvind Kejriwal`s Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). The anti-corruption crusader has blamed Kejriwal for his fascination for power. He said, "I thought I will (vote for AAP) but now I find it difficult because it is being seen that it is moving towards the path of `money through power and power through money`, I will not be anywhere near them."
Chief election commissioner V C Sampath has expressed his disapproval over the centre`s plan to go ahead with the direct cash transfer scheme when assembly elections were round-the-corner in Gujarat. The three-member body has questioned the urgency behind announcing the scheme in November when the roll out was slated in January, by when the poll process would be over. Do you thi
Union minister jairam Ramesh feels direct cash transfers to intended beneficiaries is "far more efficient in dealing with corruption than the Lokpal model". He says the Lokpal model is needed but to think that the Lokpal is a panacea as some fellows seem to think is ridiculous. Do you think Ramesh is right in saying that direct cash transfer can tackle graft better than
Shweta Bhatt, the wife of suspended IPS officer Sanjiv Bhatt, has announced that she will contest the state Assembly elections on a Congress ticket against Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi from Maninagar constituency. In an affidavit in the supreme court last year Sanjiv Bhatt had alleged complicity on the part of Modi in the 2002 riots. He also deposed against Modi before the Nanavati Comm
Father of Kargil martyr Saurabh Kalia had to move supreme court to get justice for his slain son Lt Saurabh Kalia. Kalia was brutally tortured to death by the Pakistani army. As the successive Indian governments could not provide justice to the deceased’s family, his father had to move the apex court. Should not the government now act by taking up the matter with Pakistan and the
The supreme court has sought the centre`s response to a plea for collection of 25% of the cost of a diesel car or SUV sold in the national capital region as green tax. This is to deter people from buying more polluting personal vehicles and help fight the growing levels of pollution in Delhi. Do you think a green tax will help cut down on pollution level in the national capital? Or a mo
After 26/11 attack convict Ajmal Amir Kasab was hanged, the debate around abolishing death penalty has surfaced again. Home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde says the government needs to rethink on its policy of capital punishment. While the popular argument for abolishing capital punishment is that as the state does not give life, it has no right to take life. A convict may have been cruel while ta
The government has opposed the BJP’s plea to adjourn a day’s work in the winter session of parliament on Thursday as a mark of respect to Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray who died last week. The Left, RJD and a few other parties also favoured the government’s opposition, saying that Thackeray could not be given this honour because he had been disenfranchised by the apex court in
Mumbai police showed unprecedented speed in arresting two girls – Shaheen Dhada and Renu – over their Facebook post opposing the Mumbai shutdown during Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray’s funeral following complaint by a local Sena leader, but were granted bail after they furnished personal bonds. Shaheen had allegedly said in the post that one should not observe bandh for
