Latest news with #BharatBandh
Hindustan Times
2 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Gujarat high court sets aside conviction of 3 men in 2002 riots case in Anand
AHMEDABAD: The Gujarat high court has acquitted three men who had been convicted in 2006 for rioting and arson during the 2002 post-Godhra violence in Anand town, holding that their conviction was not based on reliable and corroborative evidence. The three men, Sachinbhai Patel, Mitul Patel, and Mitesh alias Dhobi, had been convicted by a First Fast Track Court at Anand in 2006. In a 98-page verdict delivered on July 28, justice Gita Gopi cited inconsistencies in how the accused were identified and named and held that there was no credible evidence linking the three to the offences. The three men, Sachinbhai Patel, Mitul Patel, and Mitesh alias Dhobi, had been convicted by a First Fast Track Court at Anand and sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment under Section 436 of the Indian Penal Code for mischief by fire (arson), along with shorter concurrent sentences under sections 143 and 147 for unlawful assembly and rioting. A fourth man, Alpesh Patel, who was also convicted in the same case, died during the pendency of the appeal. Justice Gopi said the trial court judge erred in evaluating the evidence. 'Conviction is not based on reliable and corroborative evidence. The identification of the accused have not been proved during the trial. The present appellants, whether were the member of the unlawful assembly, was not proved, and that they had common object of creating arson had not been proved, and any act of the appellants accused in prosecution of the common object, of setting things on fire and damaging the private and public property had not been proved during the trial,' the high court said. The case was filed in connection with violence in Anand town's Lotia Bagod area on March 1, 2002, following the killing of 59 kar sevaks when a coach of Sabarmati Express was set on fire at Godhra station on February 27. According to the prosecution, the three were part of a crowd that gathered in Anand on March 1 and set shops on fire, looted goods, and caused large-scale damage. There had been a call for a Bharat Bandh, which prompted police to increase patrolling in sensitive areas. Investigators initially charged nine men in the Lotia Bagod case but the trial court acquitted five of them in 2006, giving them the benefit of the doubt, and convicted the remaining four. One of the convicts, Alpesh Patel, died in 2009, and his appeal abated in 2020. The high court, which reviewed the evidence, pointed out that the police complaint was filed by a sub-inspector, who said he witnessed mob violence at multiple places but did not identify any individual perpetrator. Several police witnesses, including the investigating officer, also stated that the mob dispersed upon police arrival and that no one was apprehended at the scene. A separate complaint was submitted by Liyakat Vohra, the owner of one of the affected shops, in which he named six persons, allegedly based on information given by his relatives. Vohra told the trial court that he did not witness the incident and had listed the names of the accused based on information given by his uncle and brother-in-law. But his uncle, Mohammedbhai Jamalbhai, said that he had seen a large crowd from a distance but could not identify anyone. He also confirmed that some members of the crowd were trying to put out the fire, not just start it. Vohra's brother-in-law, Irfan Yusuf Vohra, was the only person who claimed to have seen the accused. But the court noted that his testimony was not corroborated by independent witnesses or by any Test Identification Parade. 'The conviction is totally based on [his] evidence,' the court observed, adding that even he did not name the accused in the first information report. The court stated that many shop owners who testified claimed they did not see who caused the damage. Some were not present at the scene; others were declared hostile. No physical evidence connected the three men to the arson, and the investigating officer confirmed that no accused was arrested during patrolling. Justice Gopi also said that Section 149 of the IPC, which holds members of an unlawful assembly liable for acts committed by the group, requires at least five persons to be convicted. With only four of the remaining nine having been convicted in this case, the court ruled that the charge under Section 149 could no longer be applied. 'The identification of the accused in court is not on account of his [the witness's] own version. He is not the eyewitness,' the court said, concluding that the prosecution had been unable to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
News18
17-07-2025
- Politics
- News18
Bharat Bandh: Will Schools And Colleges Remain Open Tomorrow?
Bharat Bandh on July 9 may disrupt public services, but schools and colleges are expected to remain open, with no official closure notices issued yet. A major nationwide strike, or Bharat Bandh, has been called for Wednesday, July 9, by a joint forum of 10 central trade unions, in collaboration with farmers' and rural workers' organisations. With over 25 crore workers from critical sectors such as banking, transport, postal services, mining, and construction set to participate, the strike is expected to cause widespread disruption in public services. With the strike gaining momentum, many students and parents are wondering whether schools and colleges will remain open. Schools And Colleges To Remain Open Despite the massive scale of the Bharat Bandh, schools, colleges, and private offices are expected to function normally on July 9. Authorities have not announced any closures or exam rescheduling, and no major educational institution has issued a closure notice as of now. While public transport disruptions may cause delays in commuting, educational institutions are not part of the strike, and normal academic activities are likely to continue. Why Is The Bharat Bandh Being Observed? The strike has been called to protest against what organisers describe as 'anti-worker, anti-farmer, and pro-corporate" policies of the central government. Trade unions allege that recent economic and labour reforms have eroded worker rights, weakened job protections, and ignored the demands of the working class. Who Is Participating? The strike has the backing of several major trade unions, including: Farmers' groups, especially the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, and public sector employees from the railways, NMDC Ltd, and steel industries, are also extending their support. First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
News18
17-07-2025
- Business
- News18
July 9 Bharat Bandh: Are Schools, Colleges, And Offices Closed In Your State Today?
Students and parents across India are bracing for potential disruptions on July 9, 2025, as 10 major central trade unions and farmers' organisations have jointly called for a Bharat Bandh. The strike is a protest against the central government's policies, which organisers describe as anti-labour, anti-farmer, and overly pro-corporate. The organisers have appealed to over 25 crore workers from sectors, including banking, insurance, coal mining, highways, and construction to participate in the nationwide shutdown. Protesters are opposing issues such as privatisation of the public sector, contract-based employment, and other recent economic reforms. In contrast, most other states, including Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, and Faridabad, are expected to keep educational institutions open. However, transport delays and road blockages could affect students' ability to attend school. Parents and students are advised to check with their individual schools or colleges for specific instructions. 5/9 Services that are likely to be disrupted include banking where operations may be disrupted as employees of public sector banks plan to strike. Customers are encouraged to use digital banking options and plan transactions in advance.
Arabian Post
15-07-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Indian Trade Unions Need To Reform Themselves To Remain Relevant
By Nantoo Banerjee Trade unionism seems to have lost focus in India. It has failed to reform itself to keep pace with economic reforms and globalisation, and changing job scenarios. It is also facing the biggest leadership crisis. The poor public and industry response to the nationwide strike call by 10 central trade unions on July 9 once again exposed the irrelevance of such an action in a country where the informal sector employs nearly 44 crore workers today, representing 85 percent of the total workforce. The informal sector encompasses a wide range of activities and workers, including those in agriculture, construction, small factories, domestic work, and various other self-employed and micro-enterprise roles. Workers in this sector don't enjoy job or wage protection. As a result, the old-style trade unionism has become irrelevant in the present-day scenario. The so-called central trade unions exist mostly in the public sector where they play some constructive role in the collective bargaining, especially for periodical wage settlement. The shrinking public sector is a matter of concern to them. However, they could do little when the government decided to hand over the control of the country's largest petrochemical company, Indian Petrochemicals Corporation Limited (IPCL), a highly profit-making public sector enterprise, to the Ambani group's Reliance Industries. The central TUs also made no attempt to prevent total privatisation of Bharat Aluminium (BALCO) in favour of Anil Agarwal-promoted Sterlite Industries (now Vedanta Limited). Even before the total privatisation of IPCL and BALCO, the government sold the prestigious Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL) to the Tata group. The company has been renamed as Tata Communications. Where were the leaders of the central TUs, then? Between 2014 and 2024, the government disinvested from as many as 179 central PSEs without any resistance from the trade unions. This explains why workers even from the central PSEs do not trust their trade unions. It could be the key reason behind the near rejection by a vast section of workers of the 'Bharat Bandh' call on July 9 by a forum of 10 central trade unions, including the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC), Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), Hind Mazdoor Sabha (HMS), Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), Labour Progressive Federation (LPF), and United Trade Union Congress (UTUC). Before the failed 'Bandh', the forum had claimed that over 250 million workers from diverse sectors—including banking, insurance, postal services, and coal mining—are expected to participate in the nationwide strike to protest against what the unions described as 'anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate policies' of the Centre. Incidentally, this one was the fifth nationwide general strike (Bharat Bandh) since 2015, including a two-day strike on January 8-9, 2019 and another two-day strike on March 28-29, 2022. All the TU strikes had more or less the same old issues, protesting against the government policies such as PSE privatization, erosion of labour rights, the increasing use of contractual labour, anti-worker, anti-farmer, and anti-national pro-corporate agenda, the government's unwillingness to engage in dialogue with unions, and the proposed amendments to the Trade Union Act, 1926. According to the government, the proposed amendments to the TU Act, 1926, are aimed to modernize and strengthen the framework for trade union registration, recognition, and collective bargaining. Key features include facilitating recognition of trade unions at the central and federal levels, enhancing transparency in the nomination of worker representatives, and potentially reducing industrial unrest. The amendments may also address the number of members required to form a union and the extent of outside leadership. While the TU Act amendment proposals have understandably created tensions among the traditionally-oriented trade unions, the latter are more upset as the government never consulted with the central trade unions for the purpose. The TUs had submitted a 17-point charter of demands to the Union Labour Minister, Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya, last year. According to the unions, the government paid little attention to their demands and never bothered to convene the annual labour conference in the last 10 years, an omission the trade unions interpret as indifference towards the nation's toiling labour force. Unfortunately, today's trade unions lack the leadership of those in the 1970s such as Sripad Dange, B T Ranadive, Satish Loomba, George Fernandes, Mahesh Desai, who forced the then Prime Minister form the country's first Bonus Review Committee leading to the amendment of the Bonus Act to raise the minimum bonus from four percent to 8.33 percent and making the Dearness Allowance (DA) Rules for the government employees and pensioners to offset the impact of inflation. Interestingly, some of the state governments are now challenging the age-old DA Rules saying that the payment of DA should be made purely optional and has to be linked with a state government's capacity to pay. Few will disagree that currently, the trade union movement in India lacks proper leadership and focus, particularly in the face of economic reforms and globalization, and adopting fast to changing labour landscapes to remain relevant to the situation. The public sector concept has been vastly diluted to provide opportunities for the growth of the generally trade union-resistant private sector. The employment in the public sector has been steadily declining since the 1990s. The effective trade union membership in the organised sector has also declined. Trade unions have become overly politicised. Ruling political parties in states have their own affiliated trade unions. Gone are the days when the TUs such as AITUC, CITU, INTUC AND HMS represented the majority voice of workers at both the levels of states and the centre. The central TUs have now become ineffective in most of the states of the country. The increasing pressure on unions to adapt to new forms of work, such as gig work and contractual employment, are posing unique challenges. Most of the unions are still controlled by external leaders lacking understanding of the needs of workers. They have not been innovative enough in developing new strategies to address the challenges of a rapidly changing labour market with employers, including the central and state governments and their agencies, going for contractual employment. Finally, a lack of strong central legislation for union recognition leading to anti-union practices by employers and growing fragmentation among unions are weakening the bargaining power of trade unions. The successive failure of the nationwide strike attempts should serve a wakeup call for the modern-day TU leaders to revitalise their role shifting focus from job preservation to broader issues that concern all workers, including those in the informal sector, and resist fragmentation of unions to present a united front for collective bargaining with employers, including the government. (IPA Service)
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Spiti Valley gets stargazing boost: Himachal CM launches astro-tourism in Kaza to support tribal entrepreneurs
In a first-of-its-kind initiative in the high-altitude cold desert of Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu formally launched a stargazing facility in Kaza to promote astro-tourism as a tool for community empowerment and local entrepreneurship. The programme, developed under the Himachal Pradesh Council for Science, Technology & Environment (HIMCOSTE), is part of the state's broader push to integrate science with sustainable tourism in the remote Spiti Valley. As part of the launch, the Chief Minister distributed high-end computerised telescopes (Sky-Watcher BKDOB 8' Collapsible GOTO) to two local beneficiaries, with others joining the event virtually. These telescopes will enable locals to host night sky observation sessions for tourists, turning Spiti's pristine skies and minimal light pollution into an economic opportunity. Read more: Bharat Bandh on July 9: 10 key takeaways; what's open, and what's not 'It is a new beginning in the history of the state and will strengthen the local economy by attracting more tourists in the area,' said CM Sukhu. Spiti's clear, high-altitude night skies make it ideal for stargazing. This initiative will not only promote scientific curiosity but also boost the local economy by attracting more tourists, he added. The facility is being coordinated by HIMCOSTE with the support of the office of the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Spiti at Kaza. A tripartite MoU has also been signed between HIMCOSTE, the Central University of Himachal Pradesh (CUHP) and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) to ensure scientific and technical guidance, as well as long-term sustainability of the project. The Chief Minister highlighted the enthusiastic participation of communities in Kaza, Langza, and Rangrik, noting that locals are actively stepping up to be part of the initiative. Selected residents will be provided with telescopes and training to lead stargazing sessions for tourists. He also mentioned that homestay and hotel owners will be involved to expand the programme's reach, creating a region-wide network of community-driven astro-tourism experiences. Read more: 6 must-visit stops along the Bengaluru–Mysuru–Coorg scenic route Sukhu emphasised the importance of a collective effort involving local youth, scientific institutions, and government agencies to make the project a long-term success. He praised the proactive approach of the local tribal community, especially the youth and homestay owners, for embracing astronomy as a means of livelihood and learning. The concept of merging science with tourism through community-led models was envisioned by the Chief Minister in August 2023, as revealed by Chief Secretary Prabodh Saxena. The stargazing facility now stands as a symbol of how science and culture can intersect to create new opportunities in remote areas. Also present at the launch were MLA Anuradha Rana, Principal Advisor (Media) to the CM Naresh Chauhan, ADGPs Satwant Atwal and Abhishek Trivedi, and Special Secretary D.C. Rana, among other senior officials. With this step, night sky observation has now been added as a new and compelling attraction for visitors to the Spiti Valley, one that offers not just scenic beauty, but also a cosmic window into the stars.
