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Business Standard
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Business Standard
'Historian or linguist?' HC raps Kamal Haasan over Kannada origin remark
The Karnataka High Court on Tuesday pulled up actor Kamal Haasan over his controversial statement about the origin of Kannada language, which has sparked protests against the release of his film 'Thug Life' in the state. The court asked Haasan to clarify the basis for his remarks, questioning, 'Are you a historian or linguist? On what basis did you speak?' Haasan had approached the court seeking protection for the release of his film, directed by Mani Ratnam, after several pro-Kannada groups demanded an apology from the actor. Haasan's lawyer, senior advocate Dhyan Chinnappa, argued that the statement was taken out of context and submitted Haasan's written response to the court. According to Live Law, the Bench expressed its displeasure at the actor's refusal to apologise, noting that his statement had caused 'unrest and disharmony". The court said, 'Division of this country is on linguistic lines. A public figure cannot make such a statement. What has happened because of it? Unrest, disharmony. People of Karnataka only asked for an apology. Now you come here seeking protection. On what basis have you made the statement? Are you a historian or linguist? On what basis did you speak? You know the importance of the film, saying it is made by Mani Ratnam, but you cannot make a statement.' The court also remarked, 'If it is a reply of apology, we will take it. There is no apology in it. You may be Kamal Haasan or anybody, you cannot hurt the sentiments of the masses.' In the course of the hearing, Chinnappa urged the court to consider the context of Haasan's statement and review the video clip. The Bench responded, 'It may not be drastically wrong. Now you want the film to be run in Karnataka, leave it. Fundamental right of speech and expression cannot be stretched to hurt the sentiments of the masses.' When Chinnappa argued that some people wanted to watch the film and that their right was being infringed, the court replied, 'Let them come before the court, that I want to watch Thug Life.' The matter has been adjourned to 2.30 pm for further hearing. What is the controversy? The controversy erupted after Haasan's remarks at the audio launch of Thug Life drew criticism in Karnataka. During the event, Haasan started his speech with the phrase 'Uyire Urave Tamizhe', which translates to 'my life and my family is Tamil language'. While addressing Kannada actor Shivarajkumar at the same event, Haasan stated, 'This is my family in that place. That's why he has come here. That's why I began my speech saying life, relationship and Tamil. Your language (Kannada) was born out of Tamil, so you too are included (part of it).' Following protests and calls to block the film's release in Karnataka, where it is scheduled to open on June 5, Haasan sought legal recourse to prevent any disruption. In his petition, filed through the CEO of Raaj Kamal Films International, Haasan requested the court to direct the Karnataka government, police, and film trade associations to refrain from obstructing the film's release. Additionally, the petition sought orders directing the Director General of Police and the City Police Commissioner to provide sufficient security to ensure the film can be screened without incident.
Indian Express
16 hours ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Assam man says mother detained, Supreme Court to hear plea
The Supreme Court has agreed to take up next week a Habeas Corpus petition filed by a man from Assam, who alleged that his mother has been picked up for deportation, and her whereabouts since then are not known. Initially, the Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma said it will tag the petition with a pending plea on illegal immigrants. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, however, urged the court to issue notice so that the State can reply. 'We don't know. Son doesn't know. Let them say. If she is in Bangladesh, it's another matter,' Sibal said, contending that the arrest of the petitioner's mother violated norms on arrest laid down by the SC in the D K Basu case. 'Your Lordships know she has to be produced within 24 hours. She is not produced. Picked up from the house. Directly in violation of the D K Basu judgment. SP (Superintendent of Police) goes to the house, picks her up and throws her. How can that be?' the senior counsel submitted. The petitioner, 26-year-old Iunuch (Yunus) Ali, has alleged that his mother Monowara Bewa was detained on May 24 after being called to the Dhubri police station on the pretext of recording her statement. The plea also sought a direction restraining the deportation or 'push back' of the detainee across any Indian border. Sibal said that the woman had previously filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the apex court, which is still pending, and that she had also been granted bail, yet she was being 'thrown out'. The SLP challenges the decision of the Gauhati High Court, which upheld a Foreigners Tribunal ruling declaring Bewa a foreigner – a decision that has remained under challenge before the apex court since 2017. Bewa was on bail since December 12, 2019, following a Supreme Court order in this regard. The court issued notice and fixed the hearing for early next week. The top court, however, refused to entertain a plea challenging the Assam government's move to deport Bangladeshis who have entered the country illegally. The Bench asked the petitioner, the All BTC Minority Students Union (ABMSU), to approach the Guwahati High Court. '69 people are being deported, please go to the Guwahati High Court,' the court said. On February 4, a Bench of Justices Abhay S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan had asked the state to do the needful to deport 63 declared foreigners. The government had then said that it was awaiting confirmation of their nationality. They were subsequently confirmed to be Bangladeshi nationals. The petition alleged that using this order as an excuse, the state 'has reportedly launched a sweeping and indiscriminate drive to detain and deport individuals suspected to be foreigners, even in the absence of Foreigners Tribunal declarations, nationality verification, or exhaustion of legal remedies.' Citing some of the alleged deportations, the plea argued that 'these instances are not isolated, but part of an emerging pattern where individuals are detained and deported without Foreigners Tribunal declarations, nationality verification by the MEA, or even an opportunity to appeal.' 'These instances reflect a growing pattern of deportations conducted by the Assam Police and administrative machinery through informal 'push back' mechanisms, without any judicial oversight or adherence to the safeguards envisaged by the Constitution of India or this court,' the ABMSU claimed.– With PTI
Hans India
a day ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Supreme Court refuses to stay demolitions in Delhi's Batla House, next hearing in July
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday did not pass any interim orders on staying the proposed demolitions in the national capital's Batla House. A Bench of Justices Sanjay Karol and Satish Chandra Sharma told the residents, who had received 15-day eviction notices and apprehended imminent demolition, that they are free to avail remedies available under the law. The Justice Karol-led Bench directed that the matter be listed before the regular Bench for hearing in July. The litigants claimed that they were 'genuine residents' and 'property owners' of Khasra Nos. 271 and 279 in Batla House. They stated that their homes fall within the area now sought to be demolished on the purported ground of being outside the PM-UDAY Scheme coverage, despite having valid title documents, proof of continuous possession since before 2014, and eligibility under the Recognition of Property Rights Act, 2019. Any blanket demolition drive initiated without affording affected residents an adequate and meaningful opportunity of being heard would amount to a gross infraction of the principles of natural justice and a direct violation of fundamental rights enshrined under the Constitution of India, said the plea filed through advocate Adeel Ahmed. Underscoring the need for a fair, humane, and judicious approach before any coercive action is undertaken, the plea stated that applicants have been residing peacefully in the area in question for several decades, forming a stable and law-abiding community. It added that the 15-day eviction notices were mechanically applied to residents and properties which are neither part of Khasra No. 271 nor identified in any report as being outside the scope of regularisation. In spite of their legitimate claims, these residents have been denied an opportunity to be heard, and are now at imminent risk of displacement, said the application filed before the top court.
News18
a day ago
- News18
Supreme Court Clears Teacher Of Abetment Charge, Says ‘Scolding Alone Not Suicide Trigger'
Last Updated: The case arose from an FIR registered by the CBCID under Sections 306 IPC and 174 CrPC, after a student allegedly took his life by hanging himself in a hostel room in 2014. In relief to a school correspondent in Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court has quashed charges framed against him under Section 306 of the Indian Penal Code (abetment of suicide) in connection with the suicide of a hostel student in 2014. The Bench of Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra allowed the appeal filed by the accused against the order of the Madras High Court dated June 14, 2024, which had rejected his plea for discharge. The Court observed, 'No normal person could have imagined that a scolding, that too based on a complaint by a student, would result in such tragedy due to the student so scolded taking his own life…such scolding was the least, a correspondent was required to do, to ensure that the complaint made against the deceased by another student was taken note of and remedial measures effected." The case arose from an FIR registered by the CBCID under Sections 306 IPC and 174 CrPC, after a student allegedly took his life by hanging himself in a hostel room. The charge sheet, however, only included the charge under Section 306 IPC. According to the Appellant, who served as the correspondent of the school and was in charge of its operations, he had merely reprimanded the student after receiving a complaint from another student. The appellant submitted that the reprimand was issued in his capacity as a guardian and authority figure, to ensure discipline and order in the hostel premises. It was contended that there was no personal enmity, and that the appellant could not have foreseen that a mere scolding would lead the student to take such an extreme step. The appellant argued that there was no criminal intent or mens rea, an essential ingredient for invoking Section 306 IPC. Notably, the State of Tamil Nadu, represented by AAG Amit Anand Tiwari, conceded that there appeared to be no justifiable ground to prosecute the appellant under Section 306 IPC. The complainant, who is also the father of the deceased, did not appear before the Court despite valid service of notice. Taking note of the facts and submissions, the Court held that no ordinary person in the appellant's position could have anticipated such a tragic outcome from a verbal reprimand based on a peer complaint. The Court emphasized that in the absence of criminal intent, no offence under Section 306 IPC was made out. 'In the considered opinion of this Court, under such admitted factual position, no mens rea can be attributed to the appellant, much less with regard to abetment of suicide committed by the deceased," the Bench held. Accordingly, the Court allowed the Appeal and set aside the order framing charges. The appellant has been discharged from the case, bringing an end to the criminal proceedings initiated against him. All pending applications in the matter were also disposed of.
The Hindu
a day ago
- General
- The Hindu
Kerala shipwreck: NGT asks shipping firm MSC to clarify hazardous cargo in sunken Liberia-flagged vessel
The National Green Tribunal (NGT) has stated that Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) that owned the Liberia-flagged container vessel MSC Elsa 3 that sank off the Kochi coast on May 25, 2025 was expected to clarify on the contents of the hazardous cargo in the 13 of the 640 containers. An order dated May 27, 2025 issued by the Principal Bench of the tribunal in New Delhi pointed out that there were chances of serious impact to the marine and coastal environment affecting the biodiversity and water quality of the area as the sunken ship was carrying hazardous materials such as calcium carbide, oil and other undisclosed items. The Bench, comprising Prakash Shrivastava, chairperson, and A. Senthil Vel, expert member, said that the incident violated the provisions under the Biodiversity Act, 2002; Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974 and the Environment Protection Act, 1986. Suo motu cognisance The order was issued after the tribunal took suo motu cognisance of the report titled Containers from sunken ship likely to drift towards Alappuzha, Kollam Coasts in 48 hours: INCOIS published in The Hindu. 'On account of wave, wind and current actions of the waters, these pollutants can travel to other coastal parts of the country, including Lakshadweep islands, affecting them. The impact on the Lakshadweep island will be severe as the island coastal water has high bio-diversity with corals,' it said. The Bench has asked the Member Secretaries of the Central Pollution Control Board, Lakshadweep Pollution Control Committee, Kerala State Pollution Control Board; Secretary, Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change; Secretary, Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways; Director General, Indian Coast Guard: and Director, Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS) to submit their responses on the shipwreck one week before the next hearing on July 30, 2025. Besides the 13 containers with hazardous cargo, the vessel was carrying 12 containers having calcium carbide. It was also loaded with 84.44 MT of diesel and 367.1 MT of furnace oil, according to official estimates.
