National News
Farmers’ protest: SC seeks compliance report from Punjab over Dallewal’s health, safety

New Delhi, Dec 27: The Supreme Court on Friday sought a compliance report from the Punjab government regarding hospitalisation of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on a fast unto death.
A Vacation Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant was hearing a plea seeking contempt action against the Chief Secretary of Punjab for not complying with the apex court’s orders.
“Medical aid has to be given (to Dallewal) and the impression is that you are not following it,” remarked the Bench, also comprising Justice Sudhanshu Dhulia.
Expressing concern over Dallewal’s life and safety, it said, “We are very anxious to see how you comply with our direction to get him hospitalised. Not saying much but this matter will be heard on Saturday.”
In the meantime, it ordered the Punjab government to file an affidavit detailing compliance with earlier orders passed by the apex court.
Last week, the Justice Kant-led Bench had ordered the Punjab government to ensure the stable health condition of Dallewal and directed his hospitalisation.
“It is entirely the responsibility of the State of Punjab to ensure the stable health condition of Mr. Jagjit Singh Dallewal, for which if he requires hospitalisation, the authorities must ensure to do so. The State Government, therefore, will take a call as to whether Mr. Dallewal can be shifted to the makeshift hospital (temporary hospital, which is said to have been set up at a distance of 700 metres from the site) or to any other well-equipped Hospital,” the SC had ordered.
The 70-year-old cancer patient has been fasting at Khanauri, the border point between Punjab and Haryana, since November 26 in support of their long-pending demands, including a legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops, loan waiver and reforms to improve conditions in the agricultural sector.
Posting the matter for hearing on January 2, 2025, the SC had asked the Chief Secretary as well as the Chairperson of the Medical Board for a fresh medical report about the stability of Dallewal’s health, along with the necessary steps taken meanwhile to prevent any irreversible damage to his health.
“If any necessity arises to approach this court during the interregnum, liberty is granted to all concerned,” the apex court said in its December 20 order.
In an earlier hearing, the Justice Kant-led Bench said that protesting farmers are free to put their grievances directly before the top court after it was told that the farmer leaders did not attend the meeting with the court-appointed panel.
Remarking that the court’s doors were always open, it said that farmers can put forth their demands directly before the apex court or through their authorised representative.
Before this, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a fresh plea seeking directions to immediately clear the blockage of national as well as state highways in Punjab, which “alleged farmers and farmer unions” have blocked permanently for an indefinite period. “Why are you filing repeated petitions? We are already seized of the matter and have already taken some initiatives. There is no question of repeated petitions,” it told the PIL litigant.
“In pending PIL, we never say ‘no’ to any counsel. You assist us on the fixed date, we will see what orders could be passed on the opening of highways,” the apex court said.
Saying that no fresh petition should be entertained on the same subject matter, it proceeded to dismiss the fresh plea but granted liberty to the petitioner’s counsel to assist in the pending matter relating to the “larger public interest issue”.
In September, the Supreme Court had ordered the formation of a committee to amicably resolve the grievances of the farmers protesting at the Punjab-Haryana border. It had suggested the panel headed by Justice Nawab Singh, a former judge of Punjab and Haryana High Court, to hold negotiations with the protesting farmers for the removal of their tractors, trolleys, etc from the National Highway for the ease of the general public.
Further, the apex court had granted liberty to farmers to shift their peaceful protests to an alternative site. Apart from Justice Nawab Singh, the panel comprised former Haryana DGP B.S. Sandhu, agricultural analyst Devender Sharma, Prof Ranjit Singh Ghuman, agricultural economist Dr Sukhpal Singh, and Prof Baldev Raj Kamboj as a special invitee.
National News
LS Speaker reprimands Sonia Gandhi over Waqf bill ‘bulldozed’ remarks

New Delhi, April 4: Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Friday reprimanded former Congress president Sonia Gandhi over her remarks that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill was bulldozed through the Parliament.
Taking strong objection to her claims of Waqf Bill passed ‘forcefully’ in the House, Om Birla termed the comments as ‘unfortunate’ and said that the allegations by senior Congress member was a violation of the democratic norms of the Parliament.
The Speaker noted that the bill was discussed for 13 hours and 53 minutes, with every party participating in the debate and followed by three rounds of voting but despite that Congress member was making such allegations.
“Three rounds of voting were conducted, and the Bill was passed according to the rules of the House. It is unfortunate that, despite following all the parliamentary procedures, such allegations are being made. This is not in line with the democratic norms of Parliament,” Speaker said.
Om Birla’s objection to Sonia’s claims of Waqf bill ‘bulldozed through’ the Parliament came after Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju raised the matter in Lok Sabha today.
Rijiju, alluding to Congress RS MP Sonia Gandhi, said that extensive discussions took place in both the Houses over the Waqf bill, still the Opposition was making ‘baseless and absurd’ claims that the bill was passed with force.
He also demanded that the Speaker issues an “appropriate order” in response to these remarks.
Rijiju also highlighted that the Waqf reform debate broke the previous record of longest discussion in the Rajya Sabha.
“The previous record for a long discussion in the Rajya Sabha was during the ESMA (Essential Services Maintenance Act) discussion in 1981, which lasted for 16 hours and 51 minutes. Yesterday, this record was broken with a 17-hour and 2-minute discussion, making it the longest debate so far,” he informed the House.
A day ago, after Lok Sabha passed the Waqf Bill after marathon debate, Sonia Gandhi made her displeasure over the amendments known to party leaders, while addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) meet yesterday. She stated that the bill was bulldozed through the House and termed it a brazen assault on the Constitution.
“Yesterday, the Wakf Amendment Bill, 2024 was passed in the Lok Sabha and today it is scheduled to come up in the Rajya Sabha. The bill was in effect bulldozed through. Our party’s position is clear. The Bill is a brazen assault on the Constitution itself,” she said.
National News
After passage from Parliament, Waqf Bill awaits President’s nod: Details here

New Delhi, April 4: The Waqf (Amendment) Bill was passed by Rajya Sabha in the wee hours of Friday after a marathon debate, involving heated exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches. The Upper House debated the bill for nearly 14 hours and then cleared it with 128 votes in favour and 95 against.
The legislation was earlier cleared by the Lok Sabha after nearly 12 hours debate, with 288 votes in favour and 232 against.
With this, both the Houses have cleared the decks for amendments in the Waqf Bill of 1995 and repealing the Mussalman Wakf Act of 1923.
The next course of action is the Presidential assent for the bill, following which it will turn into a law.
The Bill will be sent to President Droupadi Murmu soon and her approval will pave the way for amending the 1995 laws, governing Waqf properties.
According to a leading portal, the government is expecting a smaller window for the approval, unlike the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The NDA government, which is projecting the Waqf Amendment Bill as one of key milestone decision in first year of Modi 3.0 is expected to notify it for implementation, soon after getting President’s nod.
Interestingly, one of the major highlights of Rajya Sabha voting last night, was Biju Janata Dal (BJD)’s stand on the contentious bill.
As per the numbers of NDA and INDIA bloc, the bill was expected to sail through in Rajya Sabha but with a lower margin as compared to Lok Sabha. NDA was expected to get support of 123 MPs but ended up securing 128 votes in favour while INDIA bloc ended at 95 (as against expected figure of 98).
Hours before the voting, Naveen Patknaik-led BJD opened the gates for “conscience vote’, telling its 7 MPs that they would not be bound by a whip and could vote for whichever side they wanted.
Some BJD MPs cross-voted in favour of NDA, there bettering its tally than earlier expected. A total of 119 votes was needed for the bill to get through but BJP’s efficient floor management helped it secure 128 votes.
Meanwhile, Congress has stated that it will challenge the constitutionality of the Waqf legislation in the Supreme Court.
“The INC will very soon be challenging in the Supreme Court the constitutionality of the Wakf (Amendment) Bill, 2024,” he wrote in a post on X.
National News
Congress MP Imran Masood calls for banning liquor during Navratri

Saharanpur, March 29: Congress lawmaker Imran Masood said on Saturday that not just meat shops, liquor establishments should be shut during the nine-day festival of Navratri and called for embracing and promoting the spirit of brotherhood and communal harmony.
“Everybody is demanding a ban on meat shops during Navratri. Why is no one asking for a ban on liquor shops? Why is there no outpouring on the free flow of liquor during Navratri? Will this not spoil the purity and sanctity of the festival?” Saharanpur MP said in a special interaction with media.
The Congress Parliamentarian said that peaceful celebration supersedes everything, and it is incumbent upon all communities to maintain decorum during festivities and also make certain sacrifices, be it Eid or Navratri.
Notably, Eid-ul-Fitr and Navratri are coinciding on the same day this year. Both festivals are set to fall on Monday, with little possibility of change in the Eid schedule on account of moon sighting.
Days ago, the Congress MP also extended support to the demands of a meat ban during Navratri celebrations. In an apparent message to the Muslim community, he said that nothing would change if one did not eat meat for ten days.
“What matters above everything is the peaceful co-existence of communities. At no point in time, the differences over food preferences lead to communal strife,” Masood told newspersons.
Congress MP, when asked questions on the party’s strategy for the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, said that the Opposition is fully prepared to take on the Centre on “partisan legislation”.
“We opposed the amendments in the JPC meeting, tooth and nail. We will strongly voice our dissent in Parliament too,” he said.
Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that the Waqf Bill will not be delayed any further and will be reintroduced in the ongoing session of Parliament.
Only four working days of the Budget Session are left, as it concludes on April 4.
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