Commotion at MCC meeting: Congress, SDPI raise slogans against Savarkar; BJP corporator calls Tipu Sultan a pig

News Network

October 29, 2022

Mangaluru, Oct 29: The ratification of an agenda naming a junction in Surathkal after hardline Hindutva ideologue Vinayak Damodar Savarkar led to commotion with Opposition parties Congress and SDPI raising objections to the proposal, here at the Council meeting of the Mangaluru City Corporation on Saturday.

The meeting was chaired by Mayor Jayananda Anchan.

As the meeting commenced, Opposition leader in the council Naveen D’Souza and SDPI member Shamshaad Aboobakkar raised objections to the ratification of the agenda that was tabled in the council meeting on September 30.

Even as heated arguments in favour of the proposal and against it continued, corporators of the BJP shouted pro-Savarkar slogans — "Deshapremi Veer Savarkar ki jai" — while the Opposition shouted slogans against Savarkar.

Opposition leader Naveen D’Souza and corporator Abdul Rauf said that the agenda of naming a junction in Surathkal after Veer Savarkar was tabled in a “supplement agenda” on the day of the meeting last month. As a result, they could not go through the agenda during the meeting.

Chief Whip in the Council Premananda Shetty said the proposal to name a junction after Savarkar was mooted by Mangalore City North MLA Dr Y Bharath Shetty. The council, in its meeting on October 30, 2021, had referred the proposal to the standing committee for submitting its recommendations.

All the government guidelines, including referring the proposal to the standing committee and calling for objections in two Kannada dailies, were followed before tabling the agenda for approval in the council. After the ratification of the agenda, it will be sent to the government for approval.

BJP corporators Sudheer Shetty and Shwetha termed Savarkar a patriot and objections to the proposal an insult to Savarkar.

Shetty said that during the tenure of Indira Gandhi, a postal stamp on Savarkar was released. The naming of a junction after Savarkar will not be stopped at any cost.

While raising slogans for Savarkar, corporator Shwetha termed Tipu Sultan as a pig. Later, she justified her statement by stating that the opposition had termed Veer Savarkar as traitor and hence “I called Tipu a pig.”

While raising objections to the ratification of the agenda on Savarkar, the Opposition members entered the well of the house and the meeting was disrupted. Meanwhile, Mayor Jayanand Anchan adjourned the council meeting for some time in view of the disruption.

The Opposition members also urged others not to accept the supplement agendas that were tabled at the meeting. To this, the mayor said that no supplement agenda will be tabled from the next council meeting.

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‘Officials to pay from salary’: Supreme Court issues guidelines on ‘bulldozer justice’

News Network

November 13,2024

New Delhi: The Supreme Court took a firm stance on ‘bulldozer justice’ today, affirming that the Executive cannot bypass the Judiciary and that the legal process must not prejudge the guilt of an accused. In a significant judgment, the bench led by Justices BR Gavai and KV Viswanathan set new guidelines for demolition practices, responding to petitions challenging the controversial bulldozer actions taken against individuals accused of crimes.

The rise of this practice, termed 'bulldozer justice,' has seen authorities in various states demolish what they claim to be illegal structures belonging to accused individuals. However, multiple petitions questioned the legality and fairness of this approach, bringing the matter before the court.

Justice Gavai highlighted that owning a home is a cherished goal for many families, and an essential question was whether the Executive should have the authority to strip individuals of their shelter. “In a democracy, the rule of law protects citizens from arbitrary actions by the state. The criminal justice system must not assume guilt,” stated the bench, underscoring that due process is a fundamental right under the Constitution.

On the principle of separation of powers, the bench reinforced that the Judiciary alone holds adjudicatory powers and that the Executive cannot overstep these boundaries. Justice Gavai remarked, “When the state demolishes a home purely because its resident is accused of a crime, it violates the doctrine of separation of powers.”

The court issued a strong warning about accountability, stating that public officials who misuse their power or act arbitrarily must face consequences. Justice Gavai observed that selectively demolishing one property while ignoring similar cases suggests that the aim might be to penalize rather than enforce legality. “For most citizens, a house is the product of years of labor and dreams. Taking it away must be an action of last resort, thoroughly justified,” he said.

In its directives under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court established new demolition guidelines. These include:

Mandatory Show-Cause Notice: No demolition should occur without first issuing a show-cause notice. The person served has a minimum of 15 days or the duration stated in local laws to respond.

Transparency of Notice Content: The notice must include specifics about the alleged unauthorized construction, the nature of the violation, and the rationale for demolition.

Hearing and Final Order: Authorities are required to hear the response of the affected individual before issuing a final order. The homeowner will have 15 days to address the issue, with demolition proceeding only if no stay order is obtained from an appellate authority.

Contempt Proceedings: Any breach of these guidelines would lead to contempt proceedings. Officials who disregard these norms will be personally accountable for restitution, with costs deducted from their salaries.

Additionally, the court mandated that all municipal bodies establish digital portals within three months, displaying show-cause notices and final orders on unauthorized structures to ensure public transparency and accountability.

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