National News
Delhi HC asks Centre to consider PIL against ‘VT’ on Indian aircraft
The Delhi High Court on Monday asked the Centre to consider a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking to change the Call Sign ‘VT’ written on Indian aircraft stating that it stands for ‘Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory’, a legacy of the British Raj, as a representation.
A Division Bench of Chief Justice Satish Chandra Sharma and Justice Subramonium Prasad pointed out that only the government can act on such matters.
Granting liberty to the petitioner BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay to approach the government with the plea as a representation, the court also directed the Ministry concerned for considering it in accordance with the law in a reasonable period of time.
Accordingly, the PIL has been withdrawn by the petitioner.
In the PIL, Upadhyay stated that being a ‘Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic’, the Call Sign ‘VT’ is contrary to the Rule of Law, Right to Freedom and Right to Dignity of Indians guaranteed under Articles 14, 19 and 21 of the Constitution.
The prefix ‘VT’ stands for ‘Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory’, which is the nationality code that each aircraft registered in India is required to carry. The Code is generally seen just before the rear exit door and above the windows. All domestic airlines have the prefix, which is followed by unique alphabets that define the aircraft and who it belongs to.
For example, on Indigo flights the registration VT is followed by IDV, i.e., VT-IDV, for Jet, it is VT-JMV, the plea stated.
It further said the prefix marks that the aircraft has been registered in the country and it is mandatory in all countries. The registration of the aircraft is required to appear in its Certificate of Registration and an aircraft can only have one registration in one jurisdiction.
The PIL contended that Britain set the prefix ‘VT’ for India before the partition in 1929. The British set the code for all the colonies starting with V. However, countries like China, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka changed their codes later. While in India, the prefix has remained on the aircraft even after 93 years, which offends the right to dignity of citizens.
The registration is as per international laws and every aircraft must specify which country and airline it belongs to, using a unique alpha-numeric code, which is of five characters, that is in IndiGo’s case, VT-IDV and for Jet, it is VT-JMV. In simple words, the call sign or the registration code is for the identification of the aircraft, it said.
The petitioner submitted that the registration number of Indian aircraft marks the legacy of ‘British Raj’. ‘VT’ code is a reflection of colonial rule. India is a sovereign country, hence cannot be a territory of the Viceroy. Why is India continuing with VT code? The efforts of the government to change the registration code have been fruitless.
In 2004, the aviation ministry approached the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to change the code but no decision has been taken so far.
It is a code given to us in 1929 by British rulers, denoting us as British territory. India, even after 75 years of Independence, retains the symbol of slavery ‘VT’.
The use of VT symbol denotes us still being Victorian Territory and Viceroy Territory, which is true but the government refuses to get it changed or even make an effort even after 75 years of Independence.
The petitioner submitted that most of the countries which went through colonial servitude have got rid of their colonial signs and launched nationalist codes.
He submitted that the call sign ‘VT’ was assigned to India during the International Radiotelegraph Convention of Washington signed at Washington on November 27,1927. Like India, every country has a one-or-two-character alphanumeric code for the identity of aircraft. Like the US has ‘N’, UK has ‘G’, UAE has ‘A6’, Singapore has ‘9V’ and so on.
According to the World Factbook placed in the website of cia.gov, these codes indicate the nationality of civilian aircraft.
National News
Ugly Fight Breaks Out Between 2 Groups Of Women As They Hit Each Other With Sticks Over Playing Music In UP’s Baghpat
A dispute over a seemingly trivial matter escalated into a chaotic clash between two groups of women in Uttar Pradesh’s Doghat on Thursday.
As per reports, the altercation began over playing music but tensions in the area quickly intensified when two groups of women started thrashing each other with sticks and other objects.
A video of the incident, which has gone viral on social media, shows around eight to ten women involved in a fierce brawl on a busy street. Bystanders can be seen watching in shock, with some attempting to intervene but retreating due to the intensity of the fight.
Several women were injured in the confrontation, and the footage has sparked outrage on social media.
Reports suggest that local residents eventually managed to de-escalate the situation, but not before multiple women sustained injuries.
Doghat police have initiated an investigation based on the video. As per reports, they are currently examining the video footage, and appropriate action will be taken following the investigation.
UP: Two burnt alive in truck collision in Fatehpur
Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a truck driver and his helper were burnt alive when two trucks collided and caught fire in the Hussainganj area of Uttar Pradesh’s Fatehpur district, police said on Thursday.
The incident occurred around midnight on Wednesday on the Fatehpur-Lucknow road, Additional SP Vijay Shankar Mishra said.
Vinay Shukla (35), the driver of one of the trucks, and his helper, Ramraj Yadav (23), were burnt alive in the blaze. The occupants of the other truck managed to jump out before the fire spread, Mishra added.
Both victims were residents of Kherwa village in the Shivratanganj police station area of Amethi district. Their bodies have been sent for postmortem, Mishra said.
National News
J&K Assembly: Scuffle Breaks Out After Engineer Rashid’s Brother Shows Article 370 Banner In House
Srinagar: The proceedings of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were disrupted after a scuffle broke out in the House between National Conference and BJP MLAs.
According to reports, the House proceedings were briefly adjourned after Engineer Rashid’s brother, MLA Khurshid Ahmad Sheikh, displayed a banner about Article 370, which led to objections from BJP MLA Sunil Sharma.
Irfan Hafeez Lone displayed a banner on the restoration of Article 370 in the J&K Assembly. After a scuffle between Lone and BJP members, the House proceedings were adjourned for 15 minutes. BJP raised concerns over security, questioning how such actions were allowed.
Leader of the Opposition, Sunil Sharma, stated that under special status, some had built their own “palaces” and even cemeteries. This provoked anger from National Conference (NC) leaders. BJP members began chanting slogans in the House, while NC leaders also responded with their own slogans. The visuals of the incident have surfaced on the internet.
In the viral video, the lawmakers can be seen pushing each other on the floor of the house.
After the House resumed following the scuffle, several opposition MLAs causing disruption were physically removed by marshals and evicted from the Assembly.
Meanwhile, PDP moves a fresh resolution in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly seeking the restoration of Articles 370 and 35A. The BJP opposed the resolution demanding its withdrawal.
Amid uproar, the Jammu and Kashmir assembly has been adjourned till Friday. The UT assembly on Wednesday passed a resolution seeking a dialogue for “restoration of special status and constitutional guarantees” to the Jammu and Kashmir. The resolution was supported by all parties except the BJP.
National News
J&K: One Terrorist Killed During Encounter In Bandipora’s Kaitsan, Operation Underway
Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir): Security forces have eliminated one terrorist in the ongoing Operation Kaitsan in Bandipora, the Army officials said on Wednesday.
According to Army officials, further operation is in progress.
“OP Kaitsan, Bandipora. One terrorist has been eliminated by the security forces in the ongoing Operation. Operation is in progress,” Indian Army’s Chinar Corps said on X.
Earlier on Tuesday, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police, and CRPF in the general area of Chuntawadi Kaitsan, Bandipora after an encounter broke out between Security Forces and terrorists.
“Based on specific intelligence input regarding the presence of terrorists in the general area of Kaitsan forest, a joint operation was launched by the Indian Army, Jammu & Kashmir Police, and CRPF in the general area of Chuntawadi Kaitsan, Bandipora. Contact was established and a firefight ensued. Operation is in progress,” Chinar Corps, Indian Army said on X.
One Terrorist Associate Apprehended
In another development on Tuesday, Jammu and Kashmir police along with 22RR and 92 BN of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) apprehended one terrorist associate identified as Ashiq Hussain Wani who is a resident of Tujar Shareef in J-K’s Sopore, said police.
On November 3, twelve people, including one woman, were injured in a grenade attack at the Tourist Reception Centre (TRC) and weekly market in Jammu and Kashmir’s Srinagar on Sunday, police said.
On November 2, two terrorists were killed by security forces during an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Anantnag district. The encounter broke out after security forces initiated an anti-terrorist operation in the Halkan Gali area.
On October 29, the security forces neutralised three terrorists in a high-stakes encounter in Akhnoor, Jammu, and Kashmir, following an attack on an Army convoy.
On October 20, a doctor and six construction workers were killed when terrorists attacked a tunnel construction site on the Srinagar-Leh national highway in the Ganderbal district.
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