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UN Human Rights Office Praises SC Order On Sedition Law

Supreme Court

New Delhi: The United Nations Human Rights office has praised the order passed by the Supreme Court on sedition. It has also called for immediate release of all who were detained under this law.

“We welcome the Indian Supreme Court’s order to reconsider the Sedition Law, which has been used arbitrarily & widely against peaceful critics. All those currently detained under the law should be considered for immediate release,” the UN Human Rights said in a tweet on Thursday, May 12.

The Supreme Court on May 11, ruled that the sedition statute be put on hold while the administration completes its assessment. Those who are already facing sedition accusations can seek bail from the courts. “The Union of India will reconsider the law. The petitioners say the law is being misused. The Attorney General had also mentioned the sedition charge filed in Hanuman Chalisa case. It will be appropriate not to use this provision of law till further re-examination is over. We hope and expect that centre and state will desist from registering any FIR under 124A or initiate proceeding under the same till re-examination is over,” said Chief Justice NV Ramana.

Section 124A under the Indian Penal Code defines sedition as: “Whoever, by words, either spoken or written, or by signs, or by visible representation, or otherwise, brings or attempts to bring into hatred or contempt, or excites or attempts to excite disaffection towards, the Government estab­lished by law shall be punished with im­prisonment for life, to which fine may be added…”

Under this controversial law, total 326 cases were registered between 2014 and 2019. In this six persons were convicted. In Assam, 54 cases were registered, chargesheets were filed in 26 cases and trials were completed in 25 cases. However, the Home Ministry Data showed that not a single case led to conviction between 2014 and 2019.

In Uttar Pradesh, 17 cases were filed and in West Bengal eight cases were filed between 2014 and 2019. While chargesheets were filed in eight cases in UP and in five cases in West Bengal, no one was convicted in the two states.

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Make films on Rafale issue, demonetisation too: RJD MP

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New Delhi | Taking a dig at the BJP over the biopic “The Accidental Prime Minister”, RJD MP Manoj Jha on Friday alleged the party opened up its coffers for the film and said that movies should also be made on alleged irregularities in the Rafale fighter jet deal, demonetisation and farmers’ suicide.

He said films should also be made on embattled liquor tycoon Vijay Mallya and fugitive billionaire jewellers Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi.

The trailer of the film “The Accidental Prime Minister”, a political drama based on a book written by former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s media advisor Sanjaya Baru, was released in Mumbai on Thursday.

The biopic stars Anupam Kher as Manmohan Singh and Akshay Khanna as Sanjaya Baru. The trailer of the movie shows Singh as a victim of the Congress’s internal politics ahead of the 2014 general elections.

“The film is not accidental. The BJP opened up its coffers for the movie. It is the first time I have seen a party handle (twitter) promoting a film.

“Why not produce films on Rafale, demonetisation, GST, farmers’ suicides and Nirav bhai, Vijay bhai and Mehul bhai? We are looking forward to these films,” the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) leader said.

The Congress alleged the movie is the BJP’s propaganda against it after the saffron party tweeted the trailer from its official Twitter handle on Thursday night.

The riveting tale of how a family held the country to ransom for 10 long years. Was Dr Singh just a regent who was holding on to the PM’s chair till the time heir was ready? Watch the official trailer of ‘TheAccidentalPrimeMinister’, based on an insider’s account, releasing on 11 January,” the tweet read.

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