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With the passage of Disaster Management Act 2005 and subsequent disaster management policies adopted by our country, we know that managing large assembly of people and preventing any disaster during such times is the responsibility of the state and the concerned departments, which are supposed to be prepared to prevent any disaster. The philosophy of the prevention of disaster does not permit us to have any simplistic view that the people on the railway track were ‘trespassers’ and, therefore, ‘railways’ or the state is not guilty in the terrible accident near Amritsar in which over 60 people were mowed down by a train, and as many were injured.

Abandoning the Obama-era rule of granting work permits to H-4 visa holders, mostly Indians, who are spouses of professionals holding H-1B visas, is the first major move to make India bend to the wishes of President Trump. Soft measures against India were on the card from the day New Delhi entered into agreement with Russia for supply of S-400.

The advance of the extreme right-wing candidate Jair Bolsonaro in the first round of the Brazilian presidential election confirms the global threat of the growth of authoritarian reaction. With nearly 50 million votes, 46 percent, it will take an enormous upset for the center-left Workers Party candidate Haddad to defeat him in the runoff on October 28.

Weekly Round-Up of Major Decisions of the Courts in India as also Legal Policy Developments

Last week witnessed the biggest fall out of the #MeToo movement, with the resignation of M.J. Akbar, Minister of State for External Affairs, and an (in) famous journalist, known for his sexual predatory ways. This was the first time that a Minister accused of misconduct resigned from Narendra Modi’s Cabinet in the last four and a half years, which had been plagued by numerous allegations of wrongdoing and misconduct against several Ministers, but always remained brazen in its shameless clinging to power.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is right in saying that the International Solar Alliance (ISA) could replace Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) as the key energy supplier in the future. However, alongside a rapid use of solar power, the world also needs to fast switch over to battery-driven electric vehicles to substantially replace oil. The automobile, aviation and shipping industries continue to be a big oil guzzler. Tropical India may be well placed to build large capacities of solar power, but, it is not in so advantageous position to easily switch over from oil and gas-fed auto engines to batteries. The world’s third largest oil importer lacks both the technology platform and key raw materials to manufacture low cost, high energy batteries.

With Sabarimala and Amritsar, MJ Akbar’s shame seems to have gone under the radar. As we walk through another weekend – time forfeited, they come and go so swift and quick, it’s a wonder they last – the dumped Minister of State for External Affairs must be preparing for the battle of his life. Caught in the eye of the #MeToo cyclone, MJ will be ruing his hands did not keep to themselves. Willy-nilly, they strayed to grab, squeeze and roam. Now, they’re in a saucy soup.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sangh parivar’s sinister agenda to whip up communal passions on the Sabarimala issue and extract political mileage thereof has been exposed.

Subterfuge, masking gender in police uniform, and threats to close the Sabarimala shrine have made null the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages into it. Women rights activists have been compelled to take on the outwardly cover of the male gender! The irony is not lost on anyone. Halted 500 metres short of the 18-steps to redemption, activist Rehana Fatima and journalist Kavita Jakkal returned to base camp Friday morning.

The Modi government is playing a dangerous double game using a flawed Supreme Court judgment lifting the ban on the entry of women of reproductive age into the Sabarimala hill shrine by insisting that the Kerala government ensure enforcement of the order despite widespread opposition from an overwhelming majority of people. And an inept Pinarayi Vijayan government is playing into the hands of the BJP, in the process creating a dream opportunity for lotus to bloom in the otherwise most unlikely state, by allowing the saffron party to highjack the volatile situation to create disaffection among the people against communists.