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The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
The Hindu Morning Digest: July 21, 2025
Parliament Monsoon session: Open to discussion on Operation Sindoor, says Centre The Government is open to discussing all issues in Parliament, including Operation Sindoor, it said in an all-party meeting held on the eve of the monsoon session, which begins on Monday (July 21, 2025). At the same time, it cautioned the Opposition that any debate on the subject has to be held within the laid-down rules and procedures. Mumbai advocate moves Supreme Court against Raj Thackeray over 'anti-Hindi' remarks A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking criminal proceedings against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly inciting violence and spreading linguistic hatred against Hindi-speaking citizens in Maharashtra. Ishiba's coalition loses majority in Japan's Upper House election Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba 's ruling coalition failed on Monday (July 21, 2025) to secure a majority in the 248-seat Upper House in a crucial parliamentary election, NHK public television said. Mr. Ishiba's Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner Komeito needed to win 50 seats on top of the 75 seats they already have to reach the goal. With two more seats to be decided, the coalition had only 46 seats. 'A useful tool': annual share of abstentions in India's U.N. votes at all-time high An increasingly polarised world has led to India altering its voting strategy at the United Nations in such a way that the proportion of abstentions every year has increased while the 'yes' votes have reduced, an analysis has found. According to former diplomats, this rise in the share of abstentions could in fact help India establish its own position on various issues. Over 58% Dalit voters in Bihar think unemployment is biggest poll issue: survey More than 27.4% Dalit voters in Bihar have 'no trust' in the Election Commission of India (ECI), a new survey released ahead of the Assembly Elections due in the State has found. It also shows that over 58% Scheduled Caste (SC) voters in the State thought that unemployment was the biggest issue in the upcoming polls. Congress leaders detained in Jammu as police foil street march for J&K Statehood The top leadership of the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, including the party's national secretary G.A. Mir and its J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra, were detained in Jammu on Sunday (July 20, 2025), as the police foiled the party's street campaign for the restoration of 'full statehood' to J&K. Appellate Tribunal upholds ED's attachment of Chanda Kochhar's assets The Appellate Tribunal under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act has found a 'prima facie case' in the matter allegedly involving the former Chief Executive Officer of ICICI Bank Chanda Kochhar and others. Nepal PM Oli to visit India in mid-September Nepal Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli will pay an official visit to India towards mid-September, the Foreign Ministry said on Sunday (July 20, 2025). Punjab police busts BKI terror module linked to grenade attacks in Patiala Punjab police on Sunday (July 20, 2025) claimed to have busted a Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) terror module allegedly operated by foreign-based handlers Maninder Billa and Manu Agwan, with the arrest of three individuals accused of carrying out grenade attacks on police posts at Badshahpur in Punjab's Patiala district and Ajimgarh in Haryana. Prioritise national interest over politics, V-P Dhankhar tells parties Vice-President and Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar has urged all parties to prioritise national interest over politics and called for bonhomie and constructive engagement ahead of the Monsoon Session of Parliament. UIDAI to roll out biometric Aadhaar update for children through schools in phased manner The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) is working on a project to initiate biometric updates for children through schools in a phased manner within the next two months, a top official of the Aadhaar-issuing authority said. Indonesian passenger ferry catches fire at sea, killing at least 5 A passenger ferry carrying hundreds of people caught fire at sea on Sunday (July 20, 2025) off Sulawesi island in Indonesia, killing at least five people, officials said. More than 280 people were rescued and evacuation efforts were ongoing. Nitish in danger of ruled out of the remainder of Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy Nitish Kumar Reddy is in danger of being ruled out of the remainder of the Anderson-Tendulkar Trophy after picking up a knee injury while training at the gym.
The Hindu
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mumbai advocate moves Supreme Court against Raj Thackeray over ‘anti-Hindi' remarks
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking criminal proceedings against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray for allegedly inciting violence and spreading linguistic hatred against Hindi-speaking citizens in Maharashtra. The petition was filed by Bombay High Court advocate Ghanshyam Upadhyay on Friday (July 18, 2025) and is expected to come up for hearing in the coming week. It calls for strict legal action under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and aims to curb what the petitioner describes as 'language-based chauvinism' that threatens India's constitutional values. The PIL alleges that Mr. Thackeray's recent public statements—particularly around the Marathi language—violate multiple sections of the IPC: Section 153A for promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of language and place of birth, Section 295A for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage feelings and Section 505(2) for making statements creating or promoting enmity, hatred or ill-will between classes. The 114-page petition includes multiple news reports as evidence and alleges that Mr. Thackeray, along with his political party and its workers, has been involved in repeated incidents of mob violence and physical assault targeting individuals from other States residing in Maharashtra—particularly in cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Pune, and Raigad. The petition accuses Mr. Thackeray and his party of engaging in acts of aggression based on caste, creed, and language, labels such actions as anti-national. It further claims that these activities pose a serious threat to the sovereignty, integrity, and unity of India, and have continued unchecked and with impunity. Row over three-language policy On April 16 and June 17, 2025, the Government of Maharashtra issued resolutions introducing a three-language policy in primary schools. These decisions brought together two long-time political rivals—cousins Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray—who united in opposition to the inclusion of Hindi as the third language in schools. While their alliance is rooted in regional language concerns, the broader issue at hand reflects a long-standing debate over adopting Hindi as a national language. According to the petitioner, given that Hindi is widely spoken across many regions and relatively easy to learn, proponents argue it is a natural candidate to serve as India's national language. 'It is, however, disheartening to note that even after 78 years of Independence, Hindi has yet to be officially recognised as such. The petitioner therefore urges the Government of India to take necessary steps to declare Hindi as the national language in the interest of national unity,' Mr. Upadhyay said. The petition alleges that Mr. Raj Thackeray, in a bid to gain political ground ahead of the upcoming local body elections—particularly in the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, one of the wealthiest civic bodies in the country, sought to exploit the controversy surrounding the introduction of Hindi as the third language in Maharashtra's primary schools. It claims that, in doing so, he has delivered a series of provocative speeches targeting Hindi-speaking migrants from States such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, who have settled in cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Raigad, and Pune. The petition accuses Mr. Thackeray of actively promoting enmity between communities based on place of birth, residence, and language—actions that not only disrupt social harmony but also threaten the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of the nation. 'Threat of violence' 'Mr. Thackeray's speeches have incited public unrest, turning what began as opposition to Hindi into the forceful imposition of Marathi on non-Marathi speakers in Maharashtra. At a rally held around July 5, 2025, titled Awaj Marathicha, Mr. Thackeray allegedly endorsed physical violence, stating that those who don't speak Marathi should be struck 'below the eardrums'. He reportedly mocked Hindi-speaking States like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Rajasthan as economically backward, questioning how Hindi could resolve problems in Maharashtra if it hadn't done so in those regions,' Mr. Upadhyay said. The PIL further claimed that Mr. Thackeray named Union Home Minister Amit Shah in his speech, misrepresenting his stance on language and employment. The petition accuses Mr. Thackeray of encouraging his party workers to assault and intimidate Hindi-speaking migrants, engage in incidents of mob violence, vandalism of shops, and targeted attacks in cities such as Mumbai, Thane, Pune and Raigad. Mr. Upadhyay said, 'One such case cited involves a businessman from Rajasthan who was allegedly beaten up in Mira-Bhayander for not speaking Marathi—an incident that sparked widespread protests from the local business community.' He is accused of publicly warning that such incidents were 'just trailers', threatening further violence if the use of Hindi is not curbed in Maharashtra. The petition alleges that in recent months, at Mr. Thackeray's behest, MNS workers began inspecting offices and business establishments to check if operations were being conducted in Marathi. In one instance, they allegedly stormed a bank and assaulted an employee for not speaking Marathi. Similar incidents reportedly involved a security guard and a Zomato delivery worker. 'Politically motivated' The petition further claimed that Mr. Thackeray's so-called 'Marathi pride' is politically motivated, aimed at consolidating votes ahead of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections—where a massive ₹74,427 crore budget is at stake. It accuses the MNS chief and his supporters of systematically targeting, intimidating, and humiliating Hindi-speaking migrants. 'Despite a formal complaint dated July 10, 2025, addressed to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister, Maharashtra CM, Election Commission of India, and police authorities—urging FIR registration and even cancellation of MNS' recognition—no action has been taken,' Mr. Upadhyay said.
India Today
4 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Mumbai lawyer moves court seeking case against Raj Thackeray over language row
A Public Interest Litigation (PIL) has been filed in the Bombay High Court seeking directions to register an FIR against Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray and his political workers over alleged assault on citizens concerning the use of the Hindi Ghanshyam Upadhyay, who filed the PIL, earlier submitted a complaint to authorities requesting action on the matter. However, after no case was registered, he approached the court citing "extreme urgency".advertisementThe plea highlights a victory rally held on July 5, organised by Raj Thackeray and his cousin, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray. According to the petition, during the rally Raj allegedly justified assaulting individuals who do not speak Marathi, suggesting people should "hit below their eardrums". Upadhyay's petition claims that Raj Thackeray's remarks are not a genuine expression of love for the Marathi language but are politically motivated. 'These tantrums are blown out of proportion with the oblique and ulterior motive of gaining advantage in the forthcoming municipal corporation elections in the city of Mumbai,' the plea advocate further contends that Raj Thackeray is 'promoting enmity between different groups and is doing it purposely or knowingly'.The petition adds that Thackeray 'excites subversive activities and encourages feelings of separatist activities and thereby endangers the sovereignty, unity and integrity of the country', actions punishable under Section 152 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries imprisonment for life or up to seven the plea seeks court direction for the police to ensure that 'incidents of such mob violence and lynching by Raj Thackeray and his political workers do not take place and the same are dealt with in iron hands by the Respondents (police).'The PIL also urges the Election Commission of India and State Election Commissions to "formulate a policy in coordination with each other to have watch and control on such illegal activities of political parties of the country, which endanger or tend to endanger the sovereignty, integrity and unity of India and withdraw recognition of such political parties, which are found indulging in such illegal and unlawful acts."- EndsMust Watch
Time of India
5 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
HC rejects plea against Prada
The Bombay High Court on Wednesday dismissed the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed against Prada in the case of alleged copying of Kolhapuri Chappal design. The court said that as per the Geographical Indications law , the affected parties (the producers associations) should have come forward to defend their case. Kolhapuri chappal is a GI products under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act. Five lawyers had filed a public interest litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court demanding that the Italian fashion house Prada should pay monetary compensation to the artisans making Kolhapuri chappals. Prada had presented a toe ring sandal collection at Milan that was allegedly inspired by India's Kolhapuri Chappal. The court told the five lawyers that the registered owners of the GI product should come to the court seek redressal. However, the GI for Kolhauri Chappal was awarded to the jointly two government agencies of Maharashtra and Karnataka and not to the manufacturers' associations like in case of many other GI products. These agencies have not approached the courts to defend their GI rights. Instead of taking the legal course, industry body Maharashtra Chamber of Commerce Industry and Agriculture is looking to work with Prada to help local artisans.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Citizens' forum moves Karnataka High Court seeking stay on formation of Greater Bengaluru Authority
As the state government goes ahead with its plans to split Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) into multiple corporations, Citizens' Action Forum (CAF), a group of people and civil society leaders, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) before the Karnataka High Court seeking a stay on several sections of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act 2024 and declaring them as unconstitutional, arbitrary, and unreasonable. The PIL seeks to strike down the establishment of the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA), its composition, powers, and functions, including urban planning, infrastructure development, and coordination of local bodies. The GBA can issue directives, acquire land, manage funds, and delegate powers to municipal corporations, which are also tasked with managing public markets, collecting taxes, and forming ward committees for local governance. The petition challenges sections 9, 10, 13, 14, 15, 85, 95, 96, 100(2)(iv), 101, 103(4), 129(2), 130, 137(2), 145, and 249 of the Greater Bengaluru Governance Act, which was notified by the state government on April 24. The PIL also contests provisions allowing the GBA to borrow funds, prepare budgets, and undergo audits, as well as the state government's rule-making powers and the repeal of conflicting laws such as the Karnataka Municipal Corporations Act, 1976. Vijayan Menon, vice-president of CAF, told The Indian Express, 'The Greater Bengaluru Governance Bill, blatantly violates the 74th Constitutional Amendment, which entrusts city governance to municipalities as the third tier of governance. The amendment calls for devolving power to local bodies, but this Bill hands control to the state government and bureaucracy, stripping away local authority. The Greater Bengaluru Authority, set up under the Bill, is dominated by the chief minister and bureaucrats, with elected leaders, including mayors, relegated to a mere 1:5 ratio in representation.' He said the state's role should be oversight, not running the city. 'By marginalizing elected representatives, the Bill undermines the democratic principles meant to empower our municipalities,' he said. The petitioner has requested the court to issue a writ of certiorari or any other appropriate writ to strike down the sections. Additionally, the petitioner has sought an interim stay on the operation of these sections until the final disposal of the case, citing urgency and grounds for interim relief. The petition is set to be listed for a preliminary hearing before the Division Bench of the High Court. Meanwhile, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister and Bengaluru Development Minister D K Shivakumar said on Tuesday that the new Greater Bengaluru Authority would have five city corporations under it. This comes ahead of a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, where the subject is likely to be discussed, before the new corporations are notified by the government. 'We have formed the GBA. After this, we will definitely form five corporations,' he said in Bengaluru, speaking at a convention of implementation committees for the Congress government's various guarantee schemes. Shivakumar said elections would be held soon for the new bodies. There has been some opposition to dividing BBMP into smaller bodies, but the split is essential to improve administration in the city, he added. Congress MLA Rizwan Arshad, who headed a joint legislature committee on the GBA Act, had said that each of the smaller corporations was likely to have 80 to 100 corporators. Sanath Prasad is a senior sub-editor and reporter with the Bengaluru bureau of Indian Express. He covers education, transport, infrastructure and trends and issues integral to Bengaluru. He holds more than two years of reporting experience in Karnataka. His major works include the impact of Hijab ban on Muslim girls in Karnataka, tracing the lives of the victims of Kerala cannibalism, exploring the trends in dairy market of Karnataka in the aftermath of Amul-Nandini controversy, and Karnataka State Elections among others. If he is not writing, he keeps himself engaged with badminton, swimming, and loves exploring. ... Read More
