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Journalism of Courage
BJP MP Poonam Mahajan’s efforts to ensure punishment for cruelty to animals have made many party colleagues liken her to former Union minister and senior party leader Maneka Gandhi, another animal lover. Participating in a debate on Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Bill, Mahajan raised the issue of Section 377 of the IPC, which deals with sexual abuse of animals. BNS does not contain a similar provision. Mahajan pointed out that this could be detrimental as cases of bestiality and attacks on animals are only increasing. It would be difficult to get a case registered against those abusing animals if there is no provision to penalise them under BNS, she said. Her passionate arguments won praise from many MPs who said they now see her as a voice for animals in and outside Parliament.
Ahead of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 25, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has proposed renaming the Gomti Nagar railway station in Lucknow after the BJP co-founder. On his directive, a proposal was sent earlier this week to Lucknow Municipal Corporation, which cleared it and decided to send it to the Railway Ministry for final formalities. Sources said Singh on his next visit to Lucknow in January will unveil the new name of the railway station. Vajpayee was elected from the Lucknow parliamentary seat for five consecutive terms from 1991 to 2004 and made the constituency a stronghold of the BJP. He had planned the development of the Gomti Nagar railway station as a terminus and Singh after getting elected from Lucknow in 2014 pushed the project to fulfil his mentor’s dream.
