HYDERABAD FRIDAY OCTOBER 04, 2024 `9.00 PAGES 36 LATE CITY EDITION ISRAEL STEPS UP AIR STRIKES ON BEIRUT, SAYS HEZBOLLAH INTEL HQ HIT Israeli military said it struck Hezbollah’s intelligence headquarters and other buildings linked to the group in Beirut, killing 15 fighters MORE LEBANON RESIDENTS TOLD TO EVACUATE MARKETS TANK; NO ATTACK ON IRAN TODAY A source close to Hezbollah said one of the attacks hit an “evacuated” building housing the group’s media relations office. Earlier in the day, a rare Israeli attack on central Beirut hit a residential building, killing nine. In the south, the Israeli military asked residents in 20 areas to evacuate northward, signaling that it may widen a ground operation launched earlier this week ■ ■ Suspense continued over Israeli response to the Iranian missiles attacks. US President Joe Biden said he is discussing with Israel about striking Iran’s oil facilities. “There is nothing going to happen today,” he added Amid the spiralling conflict in West Asia, domestic equity markets fell sharply. Sensex and Nifty tanked more than 2% each on Thursday 1,974 PEOPLE KILLED IN ISRAELI ATTACKS ON LEBANON SINCE LAST OCTOBER CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI The BJP in Gujarat can develop the Sabarmati river, but should we not develop the Musi river in Hyd? A Revanth Reddy, chief minister SC outlaws caste discrimination in jails across India S U C H I T R A K A LYA N M O H A N T Y @ New Delhi THE Supreme Court on Thursday held that there should not be any caste discrimination in prisons across the country and all present provisions in jail manual perpetuating such discrimination must go. The apex court also registered a suo motu case to monitor the issue. A three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud directed all states and Union territories to revise their CM A Revanth Reddy speaks at the launch of the Family Digital Cards | SRI LOGANATHAN VELMURUGAN NO CASTE DETAILS TO BE ENTERED The CJI-led bench also ordered the deletion of caste details of prisoners from prison registrars. “Caste column in convict or undertrial registrars shall be deleted,” it said in its order Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra. It also ordered the Centre to make necessary changes according to the judgment to address caste-based discrimination in the Model Prison Manual, 2016 and the Model Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2023. The apex court gave the Centre and states three months to amend their prison manuals to read down discriminatory laws and file compliance reports before it. The verdict came on a plea filed by Sukanya Shantha, a native of Kalyan in Maharashtra, alleging that prison manuals of some states encourage castebased discrimination. The order dealt with certain discriminatory provisions of jail manuals of 10 states—Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Himachal Pradesh— and set them aside. The court held that assigning cleaning and sweeping tasks to inmates belonging to the mar- STOP DRAMA, GIVE `500 CR TO EVICTEES, REVANTH GOADS BRS Don’t criminalise marital rape: Centre to court While the govt wants to rid Hyd of floods, traffic, BRS is casting aspersions: CM EXPRESS NEWS SERVICE @ New Delhi M A N DA RAV I N D E R R E D DY give 150 sq yd to each Musi vic@ Hyderabad tim and provide Indiramma houses. Come, let us discuss. I STRIKING back at the BRS appeal to BJP and BRS leadfor its recent remarks regard- ers: Let’s gather details of who ing the Musi riverfront devel- encroached the full tank level opment project, a visibly (FTL) and buffer zones of combative Chief Minister A lakes and government lands.” Revanth Reddy on Thursday Asserting that the adminisadvised the opposition party tration was willing to listen to to donate `500 crore from its the problems of the people, treasure trove of `1,500 crore Revanth said that when the lying in its bank accounts to government initiated discusthe project evictees rather sions on HYDRAA in the Asthan merely expressing sembly BRS MLAs hastily ex, outrage. ited the House. “If they had Speaking at the launch of given suggestions then, this the pilot phase of Family Dig- situation would not have arisital Cards (FDC) in Secun- en. Now, tell us what we should derabad, he said, “While the do for the poor. Neither you nor Congress government in- I are giving away our ancestral tends to protect Hywealth; it is money ‘All-party derabad from floods collected from the meet to be and traffic probpeople through taxconvened’ lems, [BRS leaders] es,” he added. KT Rama Rao and Announcing plans The chief minisH a r i s h R a o a re to convene an all- ter pointed out that slinging mud at the party meeting on while 12,000 people gover nment. The the relocation of are living in the people are watching Musi evictees, the Musi catchment arthe drama staged by eas, the government CM said, “Come the BRS with hired has allocated 15,000 and give your actors. They are cry2BHK houses. “The suggestions. ing that injustice is government is proThere are 1,000 being done to the viding 2BHK houses acres of people. So, the BRS government land and `25,000 to help should donate `500 at Jawaharnagar. those living in unhycrore from its ac- Let us give 150 sq gienic conditions to count — which has yd to each victim relocate to dignified `1,500 crore looted places. Tell me, what and provide from the people — alternative is there? Indiramma to distribute to peoWhat can be done houses.” ple living along the for poor people?” he Musi. Before [the BRS] came questioned. to power [in 2014], its leaders Revanth also challenged didn’t even have chappals to BJP MP Eatala Rajender to wear. Now, they have `1,500 get `25,000 crore from the Cencrore in the bank account of tre for rehabilitating the Musi the party Who does the mon- evictees. “I will also come; let . ey belong to? Isn’t it meant us both go and meet Prime for Telangana people?” Minister Narendra Modi to reAnnouncing plans to con- quest funds for Hyderabad. vene an all-party meeting on The BJP government in Guthe relocation of Musi evict- jarat can develop the Sabarees, Revanth said, “Come and mati river, but should we not give your suggestions. There develop the Musi river in Hyare 1,000 acres of government derabad?” he quipped. CONTINUED ON P4 land at Jawaharnagar. Let us THE Centre on Thursday strongly opposed the demand to criminalise marital rape, arguing in its affidavit in the Supreme Court that punitive measures are already in place to deal with it. “Parliament has provided different remedies, including criminal law provisions, to protect consent within marriage. Sections 354, 354A, 354B, 498A IPC, and the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005, ensure serious penal consequences for such violations,” the affidavit said. A three-judge bench compris- prison manuals to end castebased allotment of work. “Distribution of manual work among prisoners on the basis of their caste hierarchy is discriminatory and unconstitutional,” said the bench, also comprising ing Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra is hearing a batch of pleas on the matter. In its affidavit, the Centre said that the issue is primarily “social rather than legal”. “Criminalizing marital rape would have significant implications for society. The jurisdiction to criminalize such acts (marital rape) does not lie with the Supreme Court but rather with the legislature,” the Centre said in its affidavit. It added that the present question is essentially a social issue on which Parliament RAPE ACCUSED JANI GETS BAIL TO ATTEND NAT’L FILM AWARDS E X P R E S S N E W S S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad A Rangareddy court on Thursday granted fourday interim bail to Tollywood choreographer Shaikh Jani Basha, known as Jani Master, who was arrested over allegations of rape and criminal intimidation. He sought bail to attend the National Awards ceremony in the coming week. After hearing the arguments of Jani’s counsel, the court granted him bail from October 6 to 10, directing him to appear before the court on the morning of October 10. Jani was recently conferred a national award for choreographing the song Megam Karukkatha, for the 2022 Tamil film Thiruchitrambalam, starring actors Dhanush and Nithya Menen. The choreographer has been accused of raping and criminally intimidating his female assistant choreographer on multiple occasions since she was a minor. The survivor, now 21, alleged that Jani first raped her in 2020 in a Mumbai hotel room when she was 16. He allegedly threatened her to remain silent about the incident and warned her that she would lose her job if she spoke up. He was arrested in Goa on September 19 and brought to Hyderabad on a transit warrant. INTERNSHIP SCHEME ROLLED OUT | P8 Surekha forced to retract Sam-Chay comment Tollywood bigwigs condemn remarks The film fraternity, as one, has stood by the Akkineni family and condemned Surekha’s statement. Prominent personalities such as Rajamouli, Mahesh Babu, Jr NTR and Allu Arjun, among others, openly criticised her comments. The RRR director said, “Respect boundaries, maintain dignity. Baseless allegations are intolerable, especially when made by public officials!” Meanwhile, the Pushpa actor termed the remarks “baseless” and “derogatory”. Dragging personal lives into politics is a new low, said Jr NTR. Mahesh Babu said he was extremely pained by the comments made by the minister on a fellow member of the film industry. E X P R E SS N E WS S E R V I C E @ Hyderabad UNDER attack from various quarters for linking the divorce of actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Naga Chaitanya to BRS leader KT Rama Rao, Endowments Minister Konda Surekha on Thursday “unconditionally” withdrew her statement only to attempt to justify it later. Earlier in the day, she said her comment was intended to target the Sircilla MLA as his comments against her had left her emotional. “My comments were meant to question a leader [Rama Rao] who was belittling women and not hurt your sentiments, Samantha,” the minister posted on X. “Taking the name of a family was inadvertent. I felt really bad after seeing her [Samantha’s] post [on Instagram]. Last night itself, I posted a message withdrawing my comments,” Surekha said. However, later in the day the , minister was quick to change tack, going on to claim that even though what she said about the divorce was wrong, the reasons for their divorce have not been disclosed by their family members to date. “Obviously Samantha cannot reveal , the reasons behind the divorce. We have some internal information from the film industry and I spoke about the divorce out of anger. However, I will continue to speak the truth,” she said. The minister went on to warn Rama Rao that he would not be allowed to venture out of his house or tour the districts. Nagarjuna files defamation suit Meanwhile, veteran actor Akkineni Nagarjuna, father of Chaitanya, filed a defamation case in the Nampally Civil Court seeking action against the minister under Section 356 (defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya CONTINUED ON P5 Sanhita. I was shocked by Konda Surekha’s comments which insulted Nagarjuna’s family in the most horrible way. Dragging the most respected Nagarjuna family on to the road in the middle of taking revenge on her political rival should not be tolerated … How is this an insult to Samantha? … She is a minister and should be strongly condemned for such vile words against a dignified family Ram Gopal Varma, film director has taken a position after weighing all shades of opinions. Parliament, it added, decided to retain Exception 2 to Section 375 of IPC in 2013 while amending the said section in 2013. Striking it down on the grounds of constitutional validity will have a far-reaching effect on the institution of marriage, it argued. “It may severely impact the conjugal relationship and may lead to serious disturbances in the institution of marriage. In the fast-growing and ever-changing social and family structure, misuse of the amended provisions can also not be ruled out, as it would be difficult and challenging for a person to prove whether consent was there or not,” the Centre said. “In an institution of marriage, there exists a continuing expectation, by either of the spouse, to have reasonable sexual access from the other...these obligations, expectations and considerations, which are completely absent in the case of a stranger who seeks sexual congress, or even from any other intimate relationship, constitutes as a sufficient basis for the Legislature to distinguish qualitatively between an incident of non-consensual sex within the marital sphere and without it,” the Centre said. ginalised sections and allowing the higher castes to do cooking is a clear violation of Article 15(1). “Such indirect uses of phrases which target so called lower castes cannot be used within our constitutional framework. Prison manuals are only reaffirming such discrimination,” the CJI said. Observing that right to live with dignity extends even to the incarcerated, the bench said: “Criminal laws of the colonial era continue to impact the postcolonial world.” EXPRESS READ Azharuddin seeks time to answer ED summons Hyderabad: Former MP and former India cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin on Thursday requested the Enforcement Directorate for more time to appear before it. The ED has filed a case against Azharuddin based on cases registered by the Uppal police related to irregularities amounting `3.8 crore in Hyderabad Cricket Association. The agency summoned him to appear on Thursday, but he said he was not available in the city. WITH THIS ISSUE CITY’S BEST WEEKEND GUIDE 36 PAGES, INCLUDING 24 OF INDULGE (TABLOID)
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