State to bring law against derogatory remarks on icons

Nagpur: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced in the state legislative council that the state will bring a stringent law to ensure that dignity of national and state icons is protected

Nagpur: Deputy chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Friday announced in the state legislative council that the state will bring a stringent law to ensure that dignity of national and state icons is protected.

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Replying to various issues on the last day of the winter session of the legislative assembly, Fadnavis said that a committee comprising experts and officials will be set up to review and assess statements and utterances of different people against the national and state icons in the recent past.

Both the Houses had witnessed uproar over the recent comments made on iconic figures of the state by some leaders of the opposition and ruling party as well as Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari.

Many members, including leader of the opposition, Ambadas Danve, had demanded a strict law against making derogatory remarks against the state icons, including Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Savitribai Phule, Jyotiba Phule and Dr BR Ambedkar.

The deputy CM said that the state will not allow defamation of its icons and soon bring a law in this regard.

To another question, Fadnavis said that the state will use its offices to defer the elections of five MLCs (teachers’ and graduates’ constituencies) in the state on January 30 as it will fall on the death anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. “We will talk to the election commissioner in this regard,” he said.

The Election Commission on Thursday announced that the council elections of teachers’ constituencies of Nagpur, Konkan and Aurangabad and the graduates’ constituencies of Nashik and Amravati will be held on January 30 next year. As per the schedule, the voting will be held on 30 January, while counting of votes will take place on February 2. A notification will be issued on January 5 in this regard.