Close to half the number of abortions performed globally every year between 2010 and 2014 were unsafe. Simply put, the number is a whopping 25 million unsafe abortions constituting about 45% of all abortions The majority of unsafe abortions, or 97%, occurred in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America, according to a new study by the World Health Organisation and the Guttmacher Institute published in The Lancet.

When abortions are performed in accordance with WHO guidelines and standards, the risk of severe complications or death is negligible. 

Approximately 55% of all abortions from 2010 to 2014 were conducted safely, which means they were performed by a trained health worker using a WHO-recommended method appropriate to the pregnancy duration.

Almost one-third (31%) of abortions were “less safe,” meaning they were either performed by a trained provider using an unsafe or outdated method such as “sharp curettage”, or by an untrained person albeit using a safe method like misoprostol, a drug that can be used for many medical purposes, including to induce an abortion.

About 14% were “least safe” abortions provided by untrained persons using dangerous methods, such as introduction of foreign objects and use of herbal concoctions. Deaths from complications of unsafe abortion were high in regions where most abortions happened in the least safe circumstances.

Complications from “least-safe” abortions can include incomplete abortion (failure to remove all of the pregnancy tissue from the uterus), haemorrhage, vaginal, cervical and uterine injury, and infections.

“Increased efforts are needed, especially in developing regions, to ensure access to contraception and safe abortion,” says Dr Bela Ganatra, lead author of the study and a scientist in the WHO Department of Reproductive Health and Research.

“When women and girls cannot access effective contraception and safe abortion services, there are serious consequences for their own health and that of their families. This should not happen.  But despite recent advances in technology and evidence, too many unsafe abortions still occur, and too many women continue to suffer and die,’’ she says.

The new Lancet study provides estimates on safe and unsafe abortions globally. For the first time, it includes sub-classifications within the unsafe abortion category as less safe or least safe. The distinction allows for a more nuanced understanding of the different circumstances of abortions among women who are unable to access safe abortions from a trained provider.

The study also looks at the contexts that commonly result in women seeking unsafe abortions, including countries’ laws and policies on abortion, the financial cost of accessing safe abortion services, the availability of safe abortion services and trained health providers, and societal attitudes toward abortion and gender equality.

In countries where abortion is completely banned or permitted only to save the woman’s life or preserve her physical health, only 1 in 4 abortions were safe; whereas, in countries where abortion is legal on broader grounds, nearly 9 in 10 abortions were done safely. Restricting access to abortions does not reduce the number of abortions.

Most abortions that take place in Western and Northern Europe and North America are safe. These regions also have some of the lowest abortion rates. Most countries in these regions also have relatively permissive laws on abortion; high levels of contraceptive use, economic development, and gender equality; as well as high-quality health services – all factors that contribute to making abortion safer.

“Like many other common medical procedures, abortion is very safe when done in accordance with recommended medical guidelines and that is important to bear in mind,” says Dr Gilda Sedgh, co-author of the study and principal research scientist, Guttmacher Institute.

“In the high-income countries of North America and Western and Northern Europe, where abortion is broadly legal and health systems are strong, the incidence of unsafe abortions is the lowest globally.”

Among developing regions, the proportion of abortions that were safe in Eastern Asia (including China) was similar to developed regions.  In south-central Asia, however, less than 1 in 2 abortions were safe. Outside of Southern Africa, less than 1 in 4 abortions in Africa were safe. Of those unsafe abortions, the majority were characterized as “least safe.”

In Latin America, only 1 in 4 abortions were safe, though  the majority were categorized as “less safe,” as it is increasingly common for women in the region to obtain and self-administer medicines like misoprostol outside of formal health systems. This has meant that this region has seen fewer deaths and fewer severe complications from unsafe abortions. Nevertheless, this type of informal self-use of medication abortion that women have to resort to secretly does not meet WHO’s safe abortion standards.   

Unsafe abortion occurs when a pregnancy is terminated either by persons lacking the necessary skills/information or in an environment that does not conform to minimal medical standards, or both.

To prevent unintended pregnancies and unsafe abortions, countries must make supportive policies and financial commitments to provide comprehensive sexuality education; a wide range of contraceptive methods, including emergency contraception; accurate family planning counselling; and access to safe, legal abortion, said a statement issued by WHO. 

Provision of safe, legal abortion is essential to fulfilling the global commitment to the Sustainable Development Goal of universal access to sexual and reproductive health (target 3.7). WHO provides global technical and policy guidance on the use of contraception to prevent unintended pregnancy, on safe abortion, and the treatment of complications from unsafe abortion, the WHO statement said.

Earlier this year, WHO and the Population Division of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs launched a new, open-access database of laws, policies and health standards on abortion in countries worldwide. The database aims to promote greater transparency of abortion laws and policies, as well as to improve countries’ accountability for the protection of women and girls’ health and human rights.

In a major diplomatic-political development, Doklam Standoff seems to come to an end after three months in Sikkim region as indicated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday. It announced that India and China are gradually disengaging their troops from the site of Doklam. MEA calls it ‘expeditious disengagement’.
“..expeditious disengagment of broder personnel at the face-off site at Doklam has been agreed to and is on-going”, said a press statement from the MEA.
This big move comes ahead of the BRICS Summit, which will be attended by the leaders from five countries including Narendra Modi. The summit will take place between 3-5 September in Xiamen in China. Modi met Xi Jinping in Hamburg on the occasion of G20 summit amidst the standoff.
The MEA press statement is said that during bilateral communications, “we were able to express our views and concerns and interests”. It was on the basis of these communications, according to the statement, that the agreement to disengagement was reached.
According to Reuters, the Beijing foreign ministry said that Indian forces have already withdrawn to the “Indian side of the border”. Chinese foreign Minister Hua Chunying said that China will continue to exerciseits territorial sovereignty in accordance with historical conventions’.
The people’s daily China also tweeted, “China, India agree to end 2-month-long standoff in #Doklam: China confirms India has withdrawn troops”.

New Delhi: CBI Special court pronounced 20 years imprisonment to Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim. Total sentence of 20 years is the divided quantum of 10-10 years for each two rape cases of Dera Sadhvis; both the sentence of 376 and 506 would run consecutively, not concurrently. 
A special court was set-up in the Rohtak jail. The Court also fined the convicted Dera chief Rs 30 Lakh (15 lakhs each for both the victims) for three separate offences.CBI court allotted ten minutes each to both the sides to put forth their arguments. The prosecution demands maximum punishment for the rape convict. CBI judge Jagdeep Singh arrived at the makeshift court via chopper. Defense Lawyer argued that Ram Rahim Singh is social worker who has worked for welfare of people, so judge should take a lenient view. Defense also argued for leniency on the health grounds.The arguments for the quantum of sentence began at Rohtak’s Sonaria jail. Media reports said that Ram Rahim Singh broke down during the quantum of punishment was being read out, pleaded the judge with folded hands.#RamRahim has been lodged in the cell no 1997 of the Rohtak Jail. NDTV reported that Ram Rahim joins a growing number of rape convicts in Haryana jails, which throw some serious statistics.Haryana has the second-highest number of convicts lodged in the district jails.No of deaths of peers of Baba in jail as Haryana jails has 1,003 male convicts in the age group of 50 and above, according to the 2015 data.Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar said, “Law and order situation will not be allowed to be disturbed”.  

With the EPS and OPS factions having merged, it lacks a majority on the floor of the Tamil Nadu assembly. Upheaval in ruling AIADMK in Chennai shows no signs of abating.

With the death of chief minister Jayalalithaa about nine months back, the ruling AIADMK is facing a crisis which was only to be expected. The upheaval shows no signs of abating despite the factions headed by chief minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami and newly appointed deputy chief minister O Paneerselvam respectively having merged, thanks to the intervention of BJP leaders. 

The prospects of a stable political environment with a powerful leader at the helm of affairs in the southern state has been belied amid efforts by the third faction of V K Sasikala and her nephew T T K Dhinakaran seeking to oust Palaniswami. At the same time the efforts of the factions headed by EPS and OPS as Palaniswami and Paneerselvam are popularly known has been to ensure that one does not get the better of the other. 

If EPS is the chief minister, OPS as the former chief minister becomes the coordinator of the AIADMK. A necessary and crucial precondition for the merger was isolating Sasikala, a close aide of the Jayalalithaa serving a four year sentence in a Bengaluru jail in connection with a disproportionate assets case. 

This has palpably weakened the position of EPS having the portends of setting the stage for a snap election. However, none of the legislators want a snap poll with nearly four years remaining for their five-year term to expire in 2021. Seeing the back of Sasikala might not easy as convening the general council meeting of the AIADMK is bound to take some time. 

What is crucial and cannot be lost sight of is that the EPS and OPS factions together lack the crucial majority in the assembly having a strength of 233 out of 234 as the late Jayalalithaa or ‘Amma’s’ seat has not yet been filled. 

The AIADMK chief whip in the assembly S Rajendran, who is with the Palaniswami faction, has recommended that the Speaker disqualify the 19 MLAs in the Dhinakaran camp, who withdrew their support to the chief minister last Tuesday.

In a bid to keep his flock of legislators away from prying eyes, Dhinakaran has taken them to neighbouring Puducherry, a union territory, and lodged them in a resort there to ensure they are not lured by the alleged money power as evidenced in Tamil Nadu politics. 

Simultaneously, the opposition DMK has urged Governor C Vidyasagar Rao, holding additional charge of Tamil Nadu, to call for a floor test in the assembly. It is also somewhat jarring that whenever there is a constitutional crisis in Tamil Nadu, Rao, who is Governor of Maharashtra has to come rushing down to Chennai from Mumbai. 

It is widely felt that considering the importance of Tamil Nadu, the southern state should have a full time Governor so that its constitutional head is free of other encumbrances. 

Impartial observers believe in the prevailing uncertainty it might be advisable to allow matters to take its own course. If a rival faction is keen on moving a motion of no confidence against the Palaniswamy government, it should be left to the assembly to decide. 

On its part the ruling BJP at the Centre is keen on enlarging its footprint in Tamil Nadu hoping that the AIADMK becomes part of the NDA. The Lotus party also wants to rope in cine star Rajnikant who appears inclined to finally enter politics in the run up to the 2019 general elections. 

Rajnikant’s fans were already testing the waters having held a rally in Trichy on August 21. It was meant to persuade the 67-year-old super star to join politics at the earliest. The congregation underlined Rajnikant’s plans revolving around good governance, eradicating poverty and linking of peninsular rivers. Rajnikant himself was conspicuously absent.  

BJP president Amit Shah is keenly eyeing Tamil Nadu which contributes a sizeable 39 seats to the Lok Sabha as he has fixed an ambitious target of at least 350 seats on its own in the 2019 general elections. In the last general elections three years back the BJP secured a majority on its own for the first time in the Lok Sabha with a tally of 282 and along with its allies in the NDA crossed the rubicon of 300 managing  a comfortable 340 odd seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha.. 

With the advent of Modi and Shah on the national scene more than 36 months back, the BJP has grown from strength to strength with the saffron colour becoming dominant across the country’s map at the cost of the Congress and certain regional parties. 

With assembly elections due in Karnataka next year, BJP strategists are currently focussing on regaining power in that state where it had ruled with B S Yedurappa at the helm of affairs. For the last five years the Congress has been in power in Bengaluru with Siddaramaiah as chief minister.

The city of Panchkula, virtually the seat of Haryana Government, has witnessed wide scale violence resulting in death of more than thirty persons and destruction of large number of public and Government properties yesterday at the hands of supporters of Dera Sacha Sauda Chief Gurmit Ram Rahim. The violence took place in the wake of his conviction in a case of rape by Special Court of CBI. The curfew has now been imposed and town handed over to Army for restoring normalcy. Many other towns in Haryana and Punjab have remained tense and had their share of violence. 

The violence in Panchkula was another monumental failure of State Police and administration. The question arises, whether this was avoidable and could have been prevented. The answer is an emphatic YES, more so when the State Police and administration had bitter experience of Satguru Rampal incident and Jat agitation, which also saw largescale violence, and destruction of public property. 

The abject failure of State Police and administration in handling the Jat agitation was followed by setting up a committee under the Chairmanship of Mr. Prakash Singh former DG, BSF to enquire into the acts of commission and omission by the civil and police officers. In a scathing report, the leadership of the police and senior officers of State administration were indicted, and leadership at senior level was adversely commented. Many important recommendations were made but unfortunately, as usual, neither any action was taken on the report nor any lessons were learnt by the State Government. On the other hand, certain individuals in the State Government questioned the report and it remained a mere file like many other in the government cupboards. 

The date of the judgement was known to the State Police in advance and it was also known that the Dera Chief enjoyed a large following in the Star of Haryana and neighbouring states of Punjab and Rajasthan. There was a definite intelligence input and media reports that the Dera was to mobilise a large number of its followers on the day of judgement. In spite of these, the State Police did not impose restrictions under Section 144 CrPC on time and when imposed a day before, these were enforced more in violation. Large number of persons, among them women, many armed with lathis, and children were allowed to trickle in, knowing full well that it would be extremely difficult to deal with an emotionally charged mob especially as it consisted of women and children. The police also remained mute witness to the convoy of more than hundred cars, which accompanied Dera Chief to Panchkula from Sirsa. Even the goading of High Court of Punjab & Haryana did not make any difference. 

Is only the government of the day responsible for this sad state of affairs? The rot is perhaps deeper than we realise. It has been the result of tendency on part of the successive governments cutting across party lines to post convenient and friendly officers at the helm of affairs in both Police and administration. The competent officers often cool their heels in so-called side postings. Unless the State Police and administration is revamped and officers of proven calibre and impeccable integrity made leaders and allowed to function without political interference, one is afraid that this may not be the last unfortunate incident, which we are witnessing. The warning is loud and clear. Unless the States act now, we will see repeat of such events in different parts of the country, agitations on different issues will continue to result in destruction of public property, loss of innocent lives, and deprive many of their daily livelihood.  The promise of the States to generate employment by attracting investment from outside will merely remain a pipe dream. No one will think of investing if peace, tranquillity, and safety of the assets is not assured. 

(The writer, a former IPS officer, retired as Director General of Bureau of Police Research & Development and has earlier served for long years in Andhra Pradesh, CBI & NIA. The views expressed are personal.)

USOF’s push for adopting latest mobile technology instead of the basic one in 10 Left Wing Extremism-affected states is not only delaying the phase-II of the mobile tower project and hiking its cost steeply, it is also putting security of forces deployed in these violence-hit states into jeopardy…

Ignoring serious security implications, the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) under the DoT is pushing for technology upgradation in new mobile towers that are to be set up in 10 Naxal-affected states. USOF, which is funding the project, has also ignored the Cabinet approval which has okayed setting up of over 2,726 towers as this upgradation will hike the project cost by up to 75% and make it economically unviable, thus leading to sheer waste of public money.

In a recent letter to Jaideep Govind, Ministry of Home Affairs’ Additional Secretary (Left Wing Extremism), USOF Administrator Sanjay Singh has stated that “since provision of data connectivity has certain security implications, it is requested that MHA may kindly give their comments regarding the inclusion of specifications for data connectivity (2G/4G) for phase II of the project (in LWE affected areas).”

Such is the desperation on part of the USOF to push for latest technology without considering its security and financial issues that it further states in its letter: “Keeping in view the importance of the project and the urgency of its implementation, MHA’s response is requested, in the absence of this, it would be presumed that MHA agrees to the inclusion of data connectivity in the specification for phase II of the project”.

Explaining “security implications”, a senior MHA official said upgrading network for data usage will make security forces deployed in remote locations in Maoist areas vulnerable as ultras will be able to use applications like WhatsApp and Skype which is hard to intercept. “Calls and SMS are easy to intercept and this was the reason why 2G towers were installed in phase I. It has given excellent results as we have been able to contain and counter the Maoists. But giving Naxalites access to high speed data by deploying latest technology means they will misuse upgraded mobile network to target security forces and weaken our security preparedness. We have been facing this problem in Jammu and Kashmir as we have to disconnect data in times of anti-terrorist operations. We will face same situation in Naxal-affected areas,” the official said.

DoT officials have also objected to USOF’s move as this is not only delaying the project but also raising costs which the government might not be able to recover due to low usage of data in villages and remote areas. A senior DoT official involved in the project said: “Under phase-I, 2,199 mobile towers were installed with an expenditure of over Rs.3,500 crore in 10 LWE-affected states. The successful implementation of the project led to boost in security preparedness of forces deployed in rural and remote areas, a fact which has been appreciated by all state governments. It also led to bringing rural, tribal people into mainstream and quick implementation of government welfare schemes. Buoyed by the response, the PMO, the Home Ministry and concerned state governments started pushing for phase II. But USOF devised yet another way to delay the project in the name of evaluating the installed mobile network in phase I and completing ignoring success reports by union and state government agencies including security forces.”

“Due to this technology upgradation issue the fate of phase II is hanging in balance for almost 12 months even as LWE-affected state governments continue to write to PMO, MHA and DoT to immediately begin work on it. Upgrading technology will increase the cost of installing towers manifold. Moreover, when optic fibre cables are being laid in remote areas for better data connectivity, what purpose will upgrading towers serve except for making our forces vulnerable,” the official said.

According to Home Ministry, there are 106 districts across 10 States which have been identified by the government as the Naxal affected districts across states of Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal.  The project was first approved by the Cabinet in June 2013 after a Maoist attack at Bastar, Chattisgarh in which 27 people, including senior Congress leaders, were killed. It was again sent for the Cabinet approval due to change in cost structure and was cleared in August 2014.

(Courtesy – ictflash)

Book: KHUSHWANT SINGH 

          IN WISDOM AND IN JEST

Publisher:  VITASTA

Price: Rs. 350

Pages: 266

Authors: Onkar Singh & Vijay Narain Shankar

The book “Khushwant Singh: In Wisdom And In Jest’’, co-authored by veteran journalists Onkar Singh and Vijay Narain Shankar, was recently launched at the Press Club of India. Usually a drab affair, this book release event grabbed attention of those present as eminent jurist Soli Sorabjee, Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh, former Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson and economist Montek Singh Ahluwalia participated in a lively discussion reminiscing about Khushwant Singh, his beliefs and writings.

By all accounts, Khushwant Singh was an icon in his lifetime and arguably India’s most popular writer and eminent editor of prestigious publications like the Illustrated Weekly of India and Hindustan Times. Often considered a rebel, he lived by the courage of his convictions and authored internationally acclaimed books “Train to Pakistan’’ and “A History of the Sikhs.’’ He was labeled a “dirty old man’’ for his erotica. But he never seemed to mind such labels. Much loved for his writings, his style was lucid, easy and full of wit and humour. He was a creative and sensitive man.

The book brings to light aspects about Khushwant Singh’s life which were hitherto not much known.  At a time when self-styled godmen are holding the country to ransom, it was Khushwant who questioned such gurus about the depth of their knowledge. At one place, the book recalls that Khushwant never missed an opportunity to meet the spiritual and religious gurus. Those most of them deserve the harsh criticism and summary dismissal that he gave them in his book on Godmen, Khushwant found some of them worth meeting. One such was Kripalu Maharaj, who although being a self-styled Jagadguru, seemed to have impressed Khushwant. In his own words: “His scholarship is profound. His memory chapter and verse…He is in short my ideal of Jagadguru….I listened to him in spellbound attention.’’

Another guru export to the world from India Balyogeshwar was on Khushwant’s list. The godman had to relish Khushwant’s take on spirituality which questioned the need for a guru as everyone can have an equation with God. 

Khushwant was impressed by Mata Amritanandamayi from South India. “In all my life I have not met a warmer personality than her. Even an agnostic like me had great difficulty in holding back my tears,’’ he wrote. 

Khushwant had seen the worst of bloodshed and barbarism that men trapped in the fanaticism of their religious beliefs are capable of. He had spent his early years in the western part of Punjab which later became a part of Pakistan, and went through the trauma of the Partition. After witnessing everything that had happened around him during the Partition, he once said that he thought it was the end of his country. He had read the Upanishads and the Hindu religious texts, he had studied and translated the scriptures of his own Sikh religion, he had gone deep into the verses of the Koran, and had at various times familiarized himself with Buddhism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism and other faiths.

And he was to say: “It is evident that all religious systems have failed us. They have generated more misunderstanding and hatred than love and friendship. He had a complex and a very personal relationship with religion. And though he denied the existence of God, one could also say that he had his own kind of relationship with his own kind of god.

Khushwant’s attachment to his roots was for real. He had made efforts to visit his native village Hadali near Jhelum in Pakistan three times after moving to Delhi. His village stayed with him all his life. His writings transcend time and it seemed that he had finally understood life, in all its beauty and its evanescence. There is no much else a man can do.

In one of his last interviews to a BBC team, Khushwant had spoken about death and that he had done whatever he could have wanted. He missed the century by one year. He had recited the poet Walter Savage Landor’s lines in a firm voice in the interview: “I strove with none, for none was worth my strife; Nature I love, and next to Nature, Art. I warmed my hands before the fire of life; It sinks, and I am ready to depart.’’ He loved his shayari, his scotch and his writings. The book is a lovable discovery of several such facets of Khushwant’s life. The authors have done a commendable job in bringing to light Khushwant’s views even on some of the tricky issues which seem so relevant today. An enchanting and gripping account put together using easy and at times anecdotal style.  

It was a nice flight recently on board Honeywell’s Boeing 757 Flight Tests Aircraft to see the company’s new high speed satellite connectivity innovation.

Everybody wants to be connected these days, through mobile phones and tablets for personal reasons like love for someone in the family or a friend, and indeed for work. And the first thought that came to my mind while flying on this plane for nearly an hour was the 1970s song by John Paul Young and Tom Jones ‘Love is in the Air.’

Young ones and elders, particularly those in their teens and twenties and thirties are often seen everywhere literally swiping their fingertips on keyboards all the time to connect with their loved ones. A passenger could sing, nearly real time – satellite connectivity does delay communication a bit – Love is in the Air or whatever to his or her family and friends.

I myself used onboard wi-fi, and was able to call my grandchild for a small chat during the flight into Rajasthan after taking off from New Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) Connectivity onboard flights, which has been slow, or not available, has been an issue but from now on Honeywell and Inmarsat are resolving this with their hardware and software.

WhatsApp, Google, our office emails, all were easily accessible from my iPhone and Blackberry.

Neelu Khatri, a former Indian Air Force (IAF) officer who is now President Aerospace for Honeywell India, pointed out that uninterrupted connectivity is required for flight operations, civil and military, and Honeywell is about innovations with presence on nearly everything that flies, from aircraft to spacecraft, with some piece of its equipment.

Aircraft connectivity is crucial for pilots and ground control, and in this age of mobile phone connectivity, equally important for passengers. Businesswise also, the potential in the coming years globally, would be around US$ five, six or seven billion.

Neelu, as the pleasant young lady is known among friends, patiently answered all questions, showed the bank of computer consoles and a dish onboard the aircraft to invited journalists and earlier, civil aviation and airline officials. “It’s about future, just as Honeywell is,” she said with a smile.

Sasi Kancharia, or Sunny as he is known, gave details of various systems on board, saying that the computers and antenna and receivers could easily be fitted onboard all aircraft.

Asked if the high speed connectivity, a step farther from what exists today, would help in preventing mishaps like that of the missing Malaysian MH 370 jetliner, he replied it certainly would help but only if the aircraft are connected with some communication satellite, particularly those operated by Inmarsat which provides connectivity to the ships over the vast oceans.

An expert on air traffic modernisation, Sunny said that in the coming years, the number of satellites would increase leading to better and wider connectivity all over.

The Honeywell-Inmarsat venture would actually help an airline save costs by informed decisions like selecting best routes and navigation, cutting on flight delays, and everything that efficient communication can do in personal and technological terms.

Singapore Airlines, which is generally the first to adopt any innovation, has already opted for Honeywell’s new system.

At least 30 people have been killed, including two women and a child, and more than 250 injured as violence erupted in Haryana and Punjab after Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh was convicted in a rape case by a CBI court in Panchkula today. 

The quantum of punishment will be pronounced on August 28.

The Dera Sacha Sauda described the court’s verdict as unjust, and said it would appeal against it.

Appealing its followers for peace, Dera spokesperson Dilawar Insaan reiterated that the Dera Sacha Sauda is dedicated to the betterment of humanity.

Army has been called out in Sirsa, where Dera headquarters is situated, to control the situation. Curfew has been clamped in the town and Internet services continue to remain suspended. 

Scores of jawans, including 15,000 paramilitary personnel, have been deployed in the sensitive areas across Punjab and Haryana.

Police used tear gas shells and fired in the air to disperse mobs who pelted stones and broke barricades in Panchkula. Mobs damaged vehicles on Zirakpur-Shimla road. Vehicles of media organisations were also attacked. 

The power supply in Panchkula and Sirsa has been cut to stop use of the Internet through broadband.

Haryana Chief Minister has said more columns of army have been requisitioned.

The Dera followers set on fire a grid in Matti and Datewas villages of Mansa. The mob also set on fire a wooden shop near Baluana railway station near Malout in Mansa district. 

Our correspondent reports that Curfew has been imposed in several districts.

In Punjab, curfew has been imposed in Patiala and Fazilka. In Fatehabad, Ambala, Jagadhari and Yamunanagar and Sangrur all petrol pumps and other establisments have been closed due to violence. 

A mob set on fire the Tehsil complex in Lahragaga and a power grid in Khandebad. A sewa kendra was also set on fire in Cheemamandi.

In Rajasthan, a vehicle was set on fire by a group of unidentified people in Sriganganagar, the birthplace of Dera chief. More from our correspondent:

In Delhi, there have been reports of arson in some parts of adjoining Uttar Pradesh. Coaches of a train at Anand Vihar Railway Station were torched by the miscreants. A DTC bus was also set on fire in Ghaziabad’s Loni. 

Three people were arrested in connection with arson. Delhi Police PRO, Madhur Verma said, there were no large gatherings of followers of the Dera chief in Delhi yet, adding that adequate security arrangements were in place to deal with any eventuality.

Delhi Police has imposed Section 144 in all district of Delhi except Central district and North district. In a tweet, Police Commissioner Amulya Patnaik requested to people to maintain peace and cooperate police. 

In Uttar Pradesh, prohibitory orders have been imposed in bordering districts in view of violence in Haryana and Punjab. Restrictions have been imposed under section 144 in Muzaffarnagar, Shamali and Baghpat districts.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has reacted sharply to vandalism by Dera supporters. The court has ordered attachment of all properties belonging to Ram Rahim.

It has directed recovery of losses caused due to violence from Dera Sacha Sauda.

President Ram Nath Kovind has appealed to all citizens to maintain peace. The President has condemned the violence and damage to public property by supporters of Dera Sachcha Sauda.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi reviewed the law and order situation in Haryana with the National Advisor Ajit Doval and Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi.

In a series of tweets, Mr Modi said, the law and order situation is being closely monitored. He urged officials to work round the clock to restore normalcy and provide all possible assistance that is required.

The Prime Minister strongly condemned the violence and urged everyone to maintain peace. He said, the instances of violence are deeply distressing. 

Home Minister Rajnath Singh has appealed to everyone to maintain peace.

Delhi Lt Governor Anil Baijal has directed police commissioner to take effective measures to ensure protection of life and property.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has also urged people to maintain peace.

Former J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has called for sacking of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal in the wake of mounting death toll in violence.

The Supreme Court’s majority verdict on triple talaq has far reaching import. The Constitution bench reminded the legislators it was their job to enact laws. 

The Supreme Court’s majority verdict banning triple talaq as unconstitutional is a long awaited progressive step in the emancipation of Muslim women along with ensuring gender equality. The decision has been widely welcomed even as this horrendous practice had already been outlawed in several Muslim countries. 

This paves the way for creating a uniform civil code in keeping with the three-point agenda of the RSS, the mentor of the BJP. The other two pertains to building a Ram Temple in the pilgrim centre of Ayodhya and abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution according special status to Jammu and Kashmir. 

The judgement focussed on triple talaq. It did not address issues like nikah halala or the unilateral privilege of men using two other ways of divorce — talaq-e-ahsan and talaq-e-hasan. The government should perhaps ask the Law Commission to undertake a detailed review of all personal and civil laws so that these did not violate fundamental rights guaranteed to all citizens under the Constitution. 

This judgement brings to the fore the struggle along with the pain and torture meted out to women like Shayara Bano and others who approached the Supreme Court. Its significance cannot be undermined as it is the first time that Muslim women have challenged an Islamic practice being violative of their fundamental rights. 

That Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his government’s support and that of the people at large to ‘Muslim sisters’ from the ramparts of the historic Red Fort during his independence Day address earlier this month on August 15 in their struggle to fight injustice and obstructionist elements in Islam is significant. 

This has won the support of the Muslim women for the Lotus party irrespective of what their elders might advice them when it comes to exercising their franchise. It is an entirely different matter that the judgement suits the political establishment at the Centre. 

On the other hand the minority verdict felt instead of supporting the petitioners, the government should have been legislating against instant talaq. The court should not be asked to do the job of legislators. It is time the government stopped pushing courts on sensitive issues that the legislature must act on. 

The Constitution bench reminded Legislators that they have been elected to enact laws. It may be recalled that Former Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had stated in May that once the Supreme Court had passed its resolution the government would pass laws that would introspect Muslim divorce rules, specifically keeping in mind the violation of women’s rights. 

Banning of triple talaq has created a piquant situation for West Bengal chief minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as well Samajwadi party patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav who cannot seem to be supporting regressive action like instant triple talaq. 

This verdict with far reaching import comes 31 years after a government with a decisive majority in Parliament overturned a court intervention on Muslim personal law in the Shah Bano case. This had steeled the resolve among the women of the minority community compelling the Muslim Personal Law Board to take serious note necessitating course correction. 

Justice Rohinton Nariman, writing for himself and Justice U U Lalit, held that the 1937 Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act had codified all Muslim personal law, including the practice of triple talaq. This brought it within the bounds of the Constitution. He maintained that because talaq-e-biddat allowed unchecked power to the Muslim husbands to divorce their wives, without any scope for reconciliation, it was “arbitrary”, and failed the test of Article 14 of the Constitution. The practice was, therefore, unconstitutional, Justice Nariman added. 

Modi observed on twitter that the judgement finally granted equality to Muslim women and presented a path to pursue powerful measures for women empowerment.  

(The Views Are Personal.)