Opinion Soli Loquies

It is pathetic that the Chief Minister of Maharashtra,who on his own admission has not read the whole book,justifies its removal because of alleged objectionable words. The heart of the matter is that if the alleged derogatory references to Shiv Sena and Bal Thackeray were not in the novel,there would have been no agitation at all. The most regrettable part is the action of the Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai University who using his emergency powers promptly agreed to the Shiv Sena’s intimidating demand. We expect Vice Chancellors to be persons of sterner stuff and fortitude and to resist veiled threats of intolerant fascist bullies. A terrible precedent has been set which will facilitate the infiltration of fascist forces into the field of education.

Progressive SC judgment

The spectacle of a woman who has spent a sizeable period of her life in live-in relationship with a man without being formally married and is thereafter left destitute by her partner,offends one’s sense of justice. The recent judgment of the Supreme Court delivered by a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and TS Thakur has admirably dealt with this problem. The Bench held that the expression “a relationship in the nature of marriage” occurring in Section 2(f) of The Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act,2005,is akin to a common law marriage. Common law marriage inter alia requires that although not formally married,the couple must have held themselves out to society as being akin to spouses and voluntarily cohabited for a significant period of time. On that interpretation,the deserted woman would be entitled to grant of maintenance under the 2005 Act. The Bench thereafter struck a sensible note and observed that all live-in relationships such as merely spending weekends together or a one-night stand or where a man maintains a woman financially but uses her mainly for sexual purpose will not attract the 2005 Act. This interpretation would exclude many women from the benefit of the 2005 Act. However,as the expression used in the Act is,‘relationship in the nature of marriage’ and not ‘live in relationship’,the Court in the grab of interpretation cannot change the language of the statute.

Heroic Chilean miners

With daily headlines filling us every morning with grim news of suicide attacks,gang rapes of young girls and other manifestations of human wickedness,the successful heroic rescue of 33 trapped Chilean miners was indeed glad tidings. This extraordinary event exemplified the indomitable spirit of survival of these miners who were trapped for 69 days underground in small cramped space with poor light and meagre food rations. There was no outbreak of violence resulting from anger and desperation nor was there any hint of cannibalism,thanks to their spirit and also their sense of humour which kept them going. Millions of people around the globe watched the rescue mission with deep concern as if the trapped miners were of their own family. This kinship reflected our bond of fraternity. Another heartening feature was the international cooperation involved in the rescue effort. The opening of a public exhibit of the capsule used in the rescue operation outside Chile’s Presidential palace has served as a rallying point of national pride and is drawing hundreds of people irrespective of religious and ideological beliefs.