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Strengthening the Indian Value System
Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu expressed his strong disapproval of attempts to ridicule other religions and create dissensions in the society , saying every person has the right to practice and preach his or her faith in the country. “Practice your religion but don’t abuse and indulge in hate speech and writings,” the Vice President said at an event organized to mark the 150th death anniversary of Saint Kuriakose Elias Chavara, a spiritual leader and social reformer from the Kerala Catholic community, at Mannanam near Kottayam. Observing that hate speeches and writings are against culture, heritage, traditions, constitutional rights and ethos, Naidu said secularism is in the blood of every Indian and the country is respected world over for its culture and heritage. In this context, the Vice President called for strengthening the Indian value system, an official statement said.- PTI news published in ToI dated 4 Jan,2022
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Ancient Indian jurisprudence must be taught in law colleges
In a spirited ‘back to the roots’ call, Justice S Abdul Nazeer, the lone Muslim Supreme Court Judge, said the surer yet arduous way to free administration of justice in India from the colonial psyche is to teach law students about ancient yet advanced legal jurisprudence developed by great personalities like Manu, Kautilya, Brishaspati and others. Quoting liberally from the jurisprudential works of great sages and thinkers as narrated in scriptures, Justice Nazeer said, “Even though it may be an enormous and time consuming effort, I firmly believe that it would be a worthy endeavor which could revitalize the Indian legal system and align it with the cultural, social and heritage aspects of our great nation and ensure more robust delivery of justice.”
Pitching for introduction of ancient Indian jurisprudence as a subject in law colleges which produce the future lawyers and judges, Justice Nazeer said, “There can be no doubt that this colonial legal system is not suitable for the Indian population. The need of the hour is the Indianization of the legal system. The eradication of such a colonial mindset may take time but I hope that my words will evoke some of you to think deeply about this issue and steps that need to be taken to decolonize the Indian legal system. He said, the future of the rule of law and parliamentary democracy in India depends to a great extent on the ability, wisdom and patriotism of our future lawyers and judges. “Such lawyers and judges will only grow from the social soil of India and will be nurtured by its social atmosphere. Great lawyers and judges are not born but are made by proper education and great legal traditions, as were Manu, Kautilya, Katyayana, Brishaspati, Narada, Parashara, Yajnavalkya and legal giants of ancient India. The continued neglect of their great knowledge and adherence to the alien colonial legal system is detrimental to the goals of our Constitution and against our national interests,” he added.
Speaking on “Decolonization of Indian Legal System at Akhil Bharatiya Adhivakta Parishad’s National Council meeting at Hyderabad, Justice Nazeer said the concept of demanding justice was inbuilt in the ancient Indian legal system. In contrast, under the British colonial system, which persists even today , justice has to be requested in the most polite manner while addressing the judges as Lordships and Ladyships, he said. The SC Judge said under Indian jurisprudence marriage was a duty, a job to be performed as one of the many social obligations, which everyone had to perform.
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Army pivotal in ensuring national security
Every year Army day is remembered on 15 January, to remind the people of the role played and sacrifices made by the Indian Armed forces to ensure national security. Messages and greetings are extended by the President and the Prime Minister which are also published by some newspaper but go unnoticed . In national interest the messages of the President and Prime Minister notified on 15 January 2022 are reproduced which were as follows.
President Ram Nath Kovind extended his greetings on Army Day and said that Indian Army has been pivotal in ensuring national security. The President highlighted that soldiers have displayed professionalism, sacrifice and valor in defending borders and maintaining peace. The nation is grateful for your service. Jai Hind. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his message said that India is proud of the stellar contribution of the Army in peace keeping missions overseas. The Prime Minister also highlighted that Indian Army personnel serve in hostile terrains and are at the forefront of helping fellow citizens during a humanitarian crisis . The Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in his message on the Army Day said that Indian Army will remain central to securing the national interests as India grows in stature an d strength. He also sa id that the Indian Army inspires confidence among the citizenry as it resolutely maintains an unflinching vigil across the frontiers of the nation.
The Indian Army day is celebrated to acknowledge the importance of the Indian Army and to honor each soldier of the country for their selfless service. On this day in 1949, the Indian Army got its first chief Field Marshal Kodendra M Cariappa as first Commander-in- Chief after independence who took over the command from General Francis Bucher, the last British Commander-in-Chief in India.
NOTE FOR FUTURE
After completing first comprehensive research study project titled “Making of Corruption Free United India after 75 years- as progressive and welfare state”(details available on page ‘Corruption free India’), Central Himalayan Institute is pleased to introduce this new page for the benefit of the responsible citizens of the country so that they are informed about the present status of law and governance in the country and can contribute to make India corruption free, in whatever capacity they are working, in due course of time.
Aug 1,2025 TOI
Anti-defection law: In a significant judgement, the Supreme Court said to protect foundations of democracy, Parliament must take a call on the effectiveness of the anti-defection law mechanism, which has been virtually blunted due to the widely perceived partisanship of speakers, leading to delays in deciding disqualification petitions against political turncoats. The SC was hearing a case pertaining to 10 BRS MLAs who defected from BRS to Congress party after the 2023 elections in Telangana state. The CJI Gavai said that it is the Parliament to consider whether mechanism of entrusting speakers the important task of deciding issue of disqualification on ground of defection is serving the purpose of effectively combating political defection or not.
Aug 6,2025 TOI
Environmental clearance: A bench of SC headed by B R Gavai upheld the Jan 29, 2025 notification and said no central environmental nod would be required for the following categories of constructions and reactivated stalled construction activities related to housing projects, industrial sheds, schools, colleges, universities and hostels with covered area between 20,000 and 1,50,000 square metres by ruling that these can go ahead with the state environmental authority’s nod, thus exempting them from the rigors of environmental clearance from the center. Importantly the SC bench resolved an ambiguity over which authority- State or Center should grant clearance to projects located in eco-sensitive areas, wildlife protected areas, critically and severely polluted areas and those near inter-state boundaries. SC upheld the notification granting the power to the state.
Aug 10, 2025 TOI
Lawyers for elderly at tribunals: Announcing a verdict that will have sweeping implications on the rights of senior citizens across India, the Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court declared Section 17 of the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007, unconstitutional. The provision prohibited legal representation before maintenance tribunals, denying elderly litigants access to professional legal assistance. The ruling aligns with those of Kerala high court, Delhi high court, and the Goa bench of Bombay high court, all of which struck down Section 17.
Feb 11, 2025 TOI
Corruption in China: According to a report by Chris Buckley published in TOI , the current wave of investigations and removals has reached some commanders handpicked by Xi, suggesting recurrent problems in a system that he has tried for years to clean up. In the first year after Xi came to power in 2012, he launched an intense campaign to clean up corruption in the military. When Xi Jinping sees his own men making mistakes he is always furious and takes steps to crush the happenings severely to ensure control over the military. The most jarring absence in the military leadership is that of General He Weidong. He is reported to be absent from public events and may be under investigation. Another top commander, Admiral Miao Hua was paced under investigation las year for unspecified serious violation of discipline which could be corruption or disloyalty. Three of the seven seats on the Central Military Commission -the Communist Party Council that controls the Armed forces-appear to be vacant after members were arrested or simply disappeared.
Aug 5,2025 TOI
Ecological and geological damages due to unregulated mining: An expert committee formed by the government representing Geological Survey of India, the Uttarakhand Landslide Mitigation and Management Centre, the Department of Geology and Mining, and Indian Institute of Remote Sensing found unsafe excavation practices such as vertical cutting without benches, direct dumping of mining debris into natural drainage, and encroachment near homes, fields and springs in the state of Uttarakhand. The report flagged that these activities had made the terrain extremely prone to landslides and rockfalls, especially with the districts falling under seismic zone-V – the highest risk zone for earth quakes. The panel’s report drew comparisons with the Jan 2023 subsidence, where over 800 homes developed cracks due to poor drainage and construction in a geologically fragile zone. The report also noted that there was inadequate documentation of slope modifications and mapping of water resources, making regulation difficult and ineffective. The panel recommended mandatory slope stability assessments, scientific monitoring using local seismic networks and satellite data, digitization of mining leases, and mapping of local water sources. It also suggested enforcement of buffer zones bend reviewed by a competent tween mines and human settlements, and holding leaseholders accountable for violation of laws. NGT , which is hearing the matter, directed that mining must not resume in geotectonically sensitive areas unless a seismic study is completed by a competent body.
Aug 8, 2025 TOI
Faked deaths, jobs in huge loan and insurance scam: Sambhal police station in Meerut district Uttar Pradesh unearthed an elaborate interstate fraud that involved faking deaths to claim life insurance and forging jobs to securepersonal loans using the names of poor individuals. The racket came to light after the arrest of a Ghaziabad man on Aug 6, 2025 during an on going investigation into a multi-state insurance scam first exposed by TOI in Feb 2025. According to Sambhal ASP Anukriti Sharma the gang’s fraud had two main components. First, they identified poor and vulnerable individuals like Dharmendra, a laborer from Delhi suffering from liver disease and addiction-and persuaded them to hand over identity documents under the pretext of helping them access govt welfare schemes. The identity documents were tampered with, the gang bought insurance policies worth nearly Rs 90 lakh ween Jan and July 2024. Later the accused used forged hospital documents and fake medical records to declare Dharmendra dead from a heart attack at GB Pant Hospital in Delhi. Based on these documents, Delhi municipal corporation issued a death certificate dated Nov 28, 2024. Police said the gang lured economically weak individuals, fabricated employment records under shell companies, and secured personal loans using their names, while diverting the full amounts to themselves.
Aug 13, 2025 TOI
Governance and corruption cases: The Azamgarh police in Uttar Pradesh have registered an FIR against 26 individuals for allegedly running a govt-aided Janta Primary School in Azamgarh with fake teachers for 11 years since 2014 with forged documents and no official approval. In Meerut UP, STF arrested three members of a gang, including its kingpin for running a decade-old racket that forged high school and intermediate marksheets to help students secure admission to higher educational institutions. In New Delhi, CBI arrested three individuals, including the Additional Director and the Office Superintendent of Swasthya Bhawan in Meerut, for demanding a bribe of Rs50 lakh to prevent the de-empanelment of hospitals from the CGHS empaneled list.