Month: September 2024

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday overturned a Madras high court order that stated merely downloading and viewing child pornography did not constitute an offense under the POCSO Act and IT law.
A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra ruled that both downloading and watching child pornography are punishable offenses under the POCSO Act and the IT law.The bench also provided guidelines regarding child pornography and its legal implications.
“We have said about lingering impact of child pornography on victimisation and abuse of children and on role to report an offence, including role of society and stakeholders,” the bench said.
“We have suggested to Parliament to bring an amendment to POCSO… so that definition of child pornography can be referred to as ‘child sexually abusive and exploitative material’. We have suggested an Ordinance can be brought in,” it said.
The apex court’s decision came in response to a petition challenging the Madras high court’s ruling. The Supreme Court had previously consented to hear the plea, which argued that the high court’s decision contradicted existing laws on the matter. Senior advocate H S Phoolka, representing two petitioner organizations, highlighted this discrepancy to the court.
Deeming the Madras high court’s decision to quash the criminal proceedings an “egregious error,” the Supreme Court overturned it and reinstated the criminal prosecution. Additionally, the SC called upon Parliament to replace the term “child pornography” with “child sexual exploitative and abuse material (CSEAM)” through an ordinance.
As Justice Pardiwala said he was beholden to CJI for giving him opportunity to write the judgment, CJI Chandrachud said it is a landmark judgment and the first instance in world where law on child sexual exploitative and abuse material is dealt in such detail by judiciary.
The Madras high court had previously quashed a criminal case against a 28-year-old man charged with downloading and viewing child pornography on his mobile phone. The high court had granted relief, stating that to constitute an offense under Section 67-B of the IT Act, 2000, the accused must have published, transmitted, or created material depicting children in a sexually explicit act or conduct.
The high court had also noted that children nowadays face the serious issue of watching pornography and that society should focus on educating them rather than punishing them.

NEW DELHI: Ahead of the upcoming Haryana assembly elections, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Monday urged Dalit leaders to break ties with Congress and other “casteist parties” and follow the path of Dr BR Ambedkar.
Her remarks come as the BSP and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) alliance seeks to position itself as a pro-Dalit alternative in the state.
In a series of posts on X, Mayawati accused the Congress and other parties of exploiting Dalit leaders during crises, only to sideline them later.
“The Congress and other casteist parties only remember Dalits during their bad days and temporarily appoint them to key positions,” she said. Mayawati pointed to the current political scenario in Haryana as an example of this marginalisation.
“But in their good days, these parties mostly sideline Dalits and replace them with casteist individuals, as is currently being witnessed in Haryana,” she added.

She called on Dalit leaders to take inspiration from Ambedkar and detach themselves from these parties, stressing that they should work to distance their communities from political groups that do not prioritise Dalit interests.
“These humiliated Dalit leaders should be inspired by their messiah, Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar, and detach themselves from these parties. They should also work to keep their communities away from these parties,” BSP chief added in her tweets.

Drawing a parallel with Ambedkar’s resignation, Mayawati also recalled her own resignation from the Rajya Sabha in 2017 over the violence against Dalits in Saharanpur.

“Baba Saheb Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar resigned from the post of Union law minister for the sake of self-respect and dignity of the weaker sections. Inspired by him, I also resigned from the Rajya Sabha when I wasn’t allowed to speak on the atrocities against Dalits in Saharanpur. Hence, I advise Dalits to follow in his footsteps,” she said.

Mayawati also targeted the grand old party for being “historically opposed” to reservations for Dalits and backward communities. She accused Rahul Gandhi of expressing anti-reservation views abroad, warning people to be cautious of “anti-Constitution, anti-reservation, and anti-SC, ST, OBC parties.”

According to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, two large asteroids, each about the size of an aeroplane, are set to pass by Earth on September 24, 2024. While these asteroids will come close to our planet, they pose no danger. The asteroids—2020 GE and 2024 RO11—are expected to offer an exciting opportunity for astronomers to observe.
Asteroid 2020 GE, the smaller of the two, has a diameter of approximately 26 feet, comparable to a bus.It will pass Earth just beyond the Moon’s orbit, but scientists assure that it will pass safely.
Meanwhile, the recently discovered asteroid 2024 RO11, much larger at 120 feet in diameter, will fly by at a distance of 4,850,000 miles. Although it won’t be visible without a telescope, astronomers equipped with advanced tools should be able to track its path. On September 25, another asteroid, 2024 RK7, measuring 100 feet across, will also safely pass by Earth, smaller than 2024 RO11 but still no cause for concern.

Asteroid 2020 GE and 2024 RO11 will pass Earth

Asteroid 2020 GE, the smaller object, is around 26 feet in diameter, about the size of a bus. It will pass Earth at a distance of 410,000 miles, slightly beyond the Moon’s orbit. Though relatively close, 2020 GE is no threat and will offer a great viewing opportunity for those with specialised telescopes.
On the same day, asteroid 2024 RO11, with a diameter of 120 feet (about the size of an aeroplane), will pass Earth safely at a distance of 4,580,000 miles. This recently discovered asteroid won’t be visible to the naked eye but may be spotted using advanced telescopes.
On September 25, asteroid 2024 RK7, which is 100 feet in diameter, will pass by Earth at a safe distance. Though smaller than 2024 RO11, it also poses no risk to Earth.

Should you be worried?

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory assures that the asteroids will glide smoothly and safely past Earth. Despite their close proximity, they pose no threat. There is no risk of collision between the two asteroids, which will pass by Earth one after the other.

What are asteroids?

Asteroids are rocky, airless remnants from the formation of the solar system around 4.6 billion years ago. Known as “minor planets,” these objects vary in size from small rocks to hundreds of miles in diameter. Most asteroids are found in the asteroid belt, a region between Mars and Jupiter where millions of them orbit the Sun.
Despite being smaller than planets, asteroids can pose a significant threat if they collide with Earth, which is why scientists monitor their movements closely. These space rocks hold valuable clues about the early solar system and are the focus of ongoing space missions.
Also read: A supermassive black hole shoots two energy beams 140 times the diameter of the Milky Way

NEW DELHI: Sachin Tendulkar was primarily known for his incredible batting, but his bowling was an underrated aspect of his game. Although he wasn’t a frontline bowler, he contributed significantly as a part-time bowler.
Tendulkar was known for his versatility, as he could bowl medium pace, off-spin, and leg-spin, which made him a useful option for breaking partnerships or providing relief to the main bowlers.
In Test cricket, Tendulkar took 46 wickets in 200 matches. While his role was more limited in Tests, he often broke important partnerships. His best figures in Tests were 3/10.
When India toured Pakistan in 2004, they played the first Test in Multan. This match is historically significant as it was the game where Virender Sehwag scored his iconic 309, making him the first Indian to score a triple century in Test cricket, earning the venue the nickname “Multan ka Sultan.”
The Multan Test is also remembered for captain Rahul Dravid declaring the Indian innings when Tendulkar was on 194. But that’s a different story.
After India had declared their first innings at 675/5, Pakistan were 5 wickets down in their 1st innings and Abdul Razzaq and Moin Khan were leading the hosts’ resistance. Tendulkar was bowling the last over of Day 3.
Before the game, Sachin had challenged Moin saying, “Tumhari wicket toh main hi lunga” (I will take your wicket for sure). Playing mind games, Sachin deliberately moved fielders 2 to 3 steps back so that Razzaq could take a single and Moin could come on strike.
And lo behold! Moin, who was extremely nervous at the crease, was clean bowled on the last ball of the over as Tendulkar bowled a brilliant googly to flummox Moin as the ball went between his legs to castle into the stumps.
A stunned Moin Khan walked back to the pavilion as India ended the day perfectly and went on to win the Test by an innings and 52 runs.
Watch the dismissal here:

Though Tendulkar wasn’t a regular bowler, he played a significant role in India’s bowling strategy, often providing crucial wickets and handy overs.
Tendulkar’s knack for breaking partnerships earned him the title of “golden arm,” and captains often turned to him when they needed breakthroughs.

Byju Raveendran, the founder and CEO of edtech giant Byju’s, has expressed his deep regret for the recent challenges faced by the company and its workforce. Amidst reports of layoffs and financial difficulties, Raveendran assured employees of his support and commitment to the company’s future.

Raveendran’s letter to employees

In a letter to his employees, Raveendran acknowledged the “turbulent times” that Byju’s has been navigating and expressed his gratitude for the dedication of the company’s employees.
“It won’t be much, but each one of you will receive a small payment by this weekend. This is not nearly what you deserve, but it is what I can offer right now. And I promise you this — the day we regain control of our company, you will get more than your fair share,” Raveendran said in the letter. As reported by Business Standard, he requested employees to remain dedicated to their roles and continue teaching at the firm.
“I owe you an apology. You have given your best, yet we have not been able to compensate you for your work. This is not right, and for that, I am truly sorry. The past three months have been a perfect storm of legal battles, financial uncertainties, and challenges none of us ever expected. But through it all, you have stood strong. You have upheld the highest calling of a teacher — to educate, to inspire, and to guide,” added Raveendran.
Raveendran also outlined the company’s plans to address the challenges and ensure its long-term sustainability. He assured employees that Byju’s remains committed to its mission of providing quality education to students worldwide and is taking proactive steps to strengthen its financial position and operations.
“Because we believe in this company, we believe in our mission, and most importantly, we believe in you. We know that Byju’s is not just a business model. We serve millions of students across the country, and we do that through the tireless efforts of thousands of teachers like you,” said Raveendran.
He also claimed that US-based lenders have filed a weak case, making a claim on the company’s Indian assets. “But they have no entitlement to these assets, as per the agreement we signed with them. The so-called trust that represents them in India has no legal standing. It does not represent the majority of these lenders. Still, the reality is that I no longer control the company’s bank accounts. We are confident of winning this case, and while we wait, I understand the burden this places on you,” said Raveendran.
He stated that the legal battles are a personal challenge for him. “I know that, together, we will come out of this stronger than before. We cannot stop. We cannot even slow down. Because we have millions of students depending on us. They are the reason we keep going. They are the reason we fight these battles. And they are the reason we will win,” said Raveendran.