In a major blow to the opposition, the Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to consider a joint petition signed by 14 opposition parties including Congress, SP, NCP, RJD, JD(U), DMK, TMC, BRS, AAP, JMM, Shiv Refused. Shiv Sena (Uddhav), Left parties, National Conference are demanding strict guidelines to be followed by CBI and ED before arrest of political leaders. A bench of Chief Justices DY Chandrachud and JB Pardiwala said, “You (political parties) say that opposition leaders are selectively targeted, but at the same time, you say that you do not want any special treatment for politicians. Then, how can we give guidelines saying that if it is not murder, assault or child sexual abuse, then a politician should not be arrested?” The Apex Court categorically said, “Once we accept that political leaders are at par with the citizens of the country, they shall face equal process of law”. The answer should be found in the political space and not in the court. Finding the Court’s objections strong, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, counsel for the opposition parties, withdrew the petition. While the Congress and other parties put up a brave face and said they would study the matter in depth, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said, “The opposition had taken the wrong approach, they should not have approached the apex court… You cannot do this kind of politics against the BJP. Especially when Modi is leading it. Owaisi is a barrister and he knows that What are they saying. No court in the world can give immunity to politicians from arrest, nor can they order their immediate bail after arrest and even if bail is not granted, it can send politicians to house instead of jail. Can’t send under arrest. No court in the world can issue such an order. The petition itself was wrong. It was filed by 14 political parties, and it doesn’t read like a petition. A petition and a political speech There is a difference between .Opposition parties wanted the Supreme Court to fight their political battle against Modi.Abhishek Manu Singhvi is a senior advocate. I wonder how they even thought that the apex court would entertain such a frivolous petition as no specific case was mentioned. For the last nine years, the opposition parties have been alleging that Modi is misusing the CBI and ED to win elections. Most of these opposition leaders felt that since it was difficult to defeat Modi in the elections, they could try their luck in the Supreme Court by filing a joint petition. Had the Supreme Court agreed to hear his plea, it could have become a major ground to attack Modi, but the apex court declined to entertain and told him categorically that the court was a political battleground. No, and the leaders should fight their political battles outside. This ploy of the opposition has completely failed and it is definitely going to cause political damage. BJP will now go to the city and say that corrupt and anxious leaders went to the top court but did not get any relief. It will be difficult for the opposition parties to answer their voters.
Mamata, Nitish Politics Over Bengal, Bihar Riots
While Nitish Kumar and Tejashwi Yadav are blaming the BJP for the recent violence in Bihar, the BJP on Wednesday alleged in the state assembly that rioters are still roaming freely and have not been arrested. Leaving aside politics, the ground reality is astonishing. In Nalanda, the FIRs filed by the Police Circle Officer and the BDO are conflicting. CO Dharmendra Pandit has written in his FIR that when the Ram Navami procession reached the ‘kabristan’, some Muslims instigated others and stone pelting and arson started soon after. In the second FIR lodged by BDO Anjan Dutta, it has been alleged that the participants in the Ram Navami procession were violent, they were raising provocative slogans and after talking to some people on the phone, the stone pelting and arson started. Officials of the same riot affected area are giving two contradictory statements. Though Nalanda SP Ashok Mishra has promised action against the rioters, it is surprising how the authorities have registered two contradictory FIRs. One blamed the Hindus and the other the Muslims. It seems that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has been informed about only one FIR in which Hindus have been convicted. Now senior officials have started saying that all the call detail records of that area will be checked and the instigators will be caught. In order to polarize the voters, Nitish Kumar is trying to prove BJP’s hand behind the Bihar riots. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee has also made the same allegation. Several such videos are already circulating in which the faces of the stone pelters are clearly visible in Howrah and Hooghly. The arrest figures of people from both the communities are well known. BJP leaders are alleging ‘Muslim appeasement’ on the part of Mamta and her party leaders. Now it is the responsibility of Mamta Banerjee to explain to the people of Bengal that fair action is being taken against the rioters. The problem is that at present Mamta’s focus is not on police action but on politics. Both Mamta and Nitish Kumar are trying to prove that it was the BJP that got the riots in both the states. Their aim is to create a sense of fear among Muslims and in the process garner Hindu votes.
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