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New Delhi, April 18 (IANS) Former Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Friday expressed disappointment over Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar’s public criticism of the Supreme Court’s authority.

Talking to media persons, Sibal said he was “surprised and saddened” on reading Dhankhar’s comments that had the potential of shaking public faith in the judiciary.

He described Dhankhar’s remarks as an “attack” on the judiciary as the Chairman of the House, and also targeted Union ministers for issuing similar remarks against courts.

“If the judiciary can’t defend itself, then the polity of the country must come forward and defend the judiciary. We trust the judiciary in doing the right thing,” said Sibal, a former Union minister.

“I believe whenever there are certain verdicts of the judiciary that go against the government, then allegations of judicial overreach are made. But when there are verdicts that favour the government’s stand, like on Article 370, then the government silences the opposition by citing the SC verdict,” he said.

Referring to Dhankhar’s remark that “Article 142 has become a nuclear missile against Democratic forces”, Sibal said, “It is not appropriate to make such a comment about a constitutional functionary.”

“What was a nuclear missile was the denomination,” said Sibal, a noted jurist.

Article 142 is the provision through which the Constitution has given the Supreme Court the power to do “complete justice”, he said.

Sibal said the President is a titular head and acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. “VP Dhankhar is not correct in claiming that the powers of the President have been curtailed (by the SC verdict),” he said.

“It does not appear okay or constitutional that statements are issued which create the impression that the judiciary is being schooled,” said Sibal, cautioning the V-P not to cross the lines drawn under the Constitution to stop the intervention of the executive and the judiciary in each other’s domain.

The V-P’s criticism of the apex court came close to a Supreme Court Bench ordering that the President should decide on bills reserved for his or her consideration by the governor within a period of three months from the date on which such reference is received.

Dhankhar claimed that the judiciary was overstepping its bounds by invoking Article 142 — a provision that empowers the Supreme Court to issue orders necessary to do “complete justice” in any matter before it. The Vice President described Article 142 as a “nuclear missile against democratic forces available to the judiciary 24×7”.

“We cannot have a situation where you direct the President of India, and on what basis? The only right you have under the Constitution is to interpret the Constitution under Article 145(3). There, it has to be five judges or more… Article 142, Article 142 has become a nuclear missile against Democratic forces, available to the judiciary 24 x 7,” Dhankhar said.

The Vice-President also expressed dismay at the turn of events following the incident of a large amount of cash allegedly found at the Delhi residence of a High Court judge. He questioned the constitutional validity of the Supreme Court-appointed Commission probing the case, and said the Constitution has accorded immunity from prosecution only to the President and Governors, and there cannot be a category beyond that.

–IANS

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Chennai, May 19 (IANS) With the Southwest monsoon approaching, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Monday chaired a high-level review meeting at the Secretariat to assess the state’s preparedness and finalise arrangements for the scheduled release of water from the Mettur dam on June 12 to support Kuruvai cultivation.

During the meeting, Stalin informed that the Mettur dam’s water level stood at 108.33 feet with 76.06 tmcft of storage as of May 17, ensuring sufficient supply for the customary release. He emphasised the importance of ensuring that the water reaches the tail-end regions of the Cauvery delta to benefit all farmers.

The Chief Minister noted that the Agriculture Department has begun preparations for the Kar, Kuruvai, and Sornavari crop seasons. He directed officials to expedite desilting operations to enhance water flow and prevent obstructions in irrigation channels.

Expecting an increase in Kuruvai yield due to the timely water release and a favourable monsoon, he instructed the Agriculture Department to ensure the timely availability of key farming inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides.

While the India Meteorological Department has predicted normal rainfall, he cautioned that certain districts — especially hilly regions like the Nilgiris — could face flash floods and landslides. He urged officials to remain vigilant and implement proactive disaster preparedness measures.

Stalin stressed the need for round-the-clock functioning of monitoring and control centres, stable communication systems, continuous power and drinking water supply, and the readiness of relief shelters and emergency response teams. Ensuring road safety and safeguarding public infrastructure were also highlighted.

“All departments must work in coordination to minimise the risk to lives and infrastructure,” he said.

“Advanced planning and preparedness beyond the routine will help us handle any eventualities effectively.”

The Chief Minister also instructed officials to secure agricultural produce in warehouses, monitor reservoir levels, and speed up pending civic infrastructure works.

Ministers Duraimurugan, Udhayanidhi Stalin, K.N. Nehru, E.V. Velu, M.R.K. Panneerselvam, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Anitha R. Radhakrishnan, S.S. Sivasankar, and P.K. Sekarbabu, along with Chief Secretary N. Muruganandam and senior officials, attended the meeting.

–IANS

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New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) Tahawwur Rana had aspired for Pakistan’s highest award for gallantry in battle ‘Nishan-e-Haider’ for the nine Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorists who carried out the 26/11 attacks in Mumbai in 2008 and were gunned down by Indian security forces.

The US Department of Justice, in a statement, has released a bit of intercepted conversation between Tahawwur Rana and Headley after the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack.

The statement says, “After the attacks were complete, Rana allegedly told Headley that the Indians ‘deserved it’. In an intercepted conversation with Headley, Rana allegedly commended the nine LeT terrorists who had been killed committing the attacks, saying that ‘[t]hey should be given Nishan-e-Haider’- Pakistan’s ‘highest award for gallantry in battle’, which is reserved for fallen soldiers.”

The statement said that Rana is to stand trial in India on “10 criminal charges stemming from his alleged role in the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai”.

Rana is described as a convicted terrorist, a Canadian citizen and a native of Pakistan by the US.

The US on Wednesday extradited Rana to India, which it said was a critical step toward seeking justice for the six Americans and scores of other victims who were killed in the heinous attacks.

In a detailed statement, the US has said that Rana, 64, is charged in India with numerous offences, including conspiracy, murder, commission of a terrorist act, and forgery, related to his alleged involvement in the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks committed by LeT, a designated foreign terrorist organisation.

Describing the terror attacks, the US statement reads: Between November 26 and 29, 2008, ten LeT terrorists carried out a series of 12 coordinated shooting and bombing attacks in Mumbai. They infiltrated the city by sea and then broke into teams, dispersing to multiple locations. Attackers at a train station fired guns and threw grenades into crowds. Attackers at two restaurants shot indiscriminately at patrons. Attackers at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel gunned people down and detonated explosives. Attackers also shot and killed people at a Jewish community center.

When the terror finally subsided, 166 victims, including six Americans, were dead, along with all but one of the LeT terrorists. Hundreds more were injured, and Mumbai sustained more than $1.5 billion in property damage.

The US said the attacks “were among the most horrific and catastrophic in India’s history”.

Ahead of the extradition, India had handed over detailed investigation reports, documents and evidence to prove Rana’s involvement in the 2008 terror attack.

The US statement says that “India alleges that Rana facilitated a fraudulent cover so that his childhood friend David Coleman Headley (Headley), a U.S. citizen born Daood Gilani, could freely travel to Mumbai for the purpose of conducting surveillance of potential attack sites for LeT. As India alleges, Headley had received training from LeT members in Pakistan and was in direct communication with LeT about plans to attack Mumbai.”

Among other things, Rana allegedly agreed to open a Mumbai branch of his immigration business and appoint Headley as the manager of the office, despite Headley’s having no immigration experience. On two separate occasions, Rana allegedly helped Headley prepare and submit visa applications to Indian authorities that contained information Rana knew to be false, the statement mentions.

Rana also allegedly supplied, through his unsuspecting business partner, documentation in support of Headley’s attempt to secure formal approval from Indian authorities to open a branch office of Rana’s business. “Over the course of more than two years, Headley allegedly repeatedly met with Rana in Chicago and described his surveillance activities on behalf of LeT, LeT’s responses to Headley’s activities, and LeT’s potential plans for attacking Mumbai”, the statement further adds.

US Department of State Spokesperson Tammy Bruce has said that on April 9, the United States extradited Rana, 64, to India “to face justice for his role in planning the horrific 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks.”

She said, “The United States has long supported India’s efforts to ensure those responsible for these attacks are brought to justice, and as President Trump has said, the United States and India will continue to work together to combat the global scourge of terrorism.”

–IANS

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