July has had a bleak start. The first week was full of heartbreaking and shocking news from across India. The stampede in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras, the floods in Assam, and the public flogging in Bengal.
In Uttar Pradesh, the tragedy unfolded on Tuesday. The crowd crush at a satsang claimed 121 lives, mostly women and children, making it one of the deadliest in the country. What went wrong, who is to blame? We explain it all.
Those responsible for the stampede will be punished under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). That is India’s new criminal code, which has come into effect from 1 July. We tell you how it is different from the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC).
In Assam, it’s the same old story. Floods are wreaking havoc and ravaging parts of the state. And in neighbouring West Bengal, a public flogging has come as a big shocker.
All this and more in our weekly roundup of explainers from India.
1. It was a tragic Tuesday in Uttar Pradesh’s Hathras. Lakhs gathered at Phulari village to listen to the sermon of ‘Bhole Baba’, a self-styled preacher. But when the ‘guru’ left, his followers rushed to touch his feet and collect dust from his car tyres. Is that what led to the disaster? Or was it overcrowding and the lack of exits?
Here’s
how the disaster unfolded.
2. Narayan Sakar Vishwa Hari or ‘Bhole Baba’, the self-proclaimed guru who addressed the ‘satsang’ in Hathras, is not new to controversy. He was arrested in 2000, as he claimed he had ‘magical powers’ that could revive the dead and has faced allegations of sexual assault. Here’s the
story
of a cop-turned-preacher, who is now said to be absconding.
3. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, changes continue to sweep the country. On July 1, India’s three new criminal laws – Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam – came into force. They replace the colonial-era Indian Penal Code (IPC), Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), and Indian Evidence Act. What changes to the new laws bring? We
explain
.
4. As new laws come into force, Section 69 has created quite the buzz. It has a provision that could land a man in jail if they break up with their partner after a promise to marry. Critics say this could criminalise consensual relationships.
In this
explainer
, we take a deep dive into Section 69 of the BNS and what it entails.
5. You’d think this is a story from a conservative country with repressive laws. Sadly, it is from India, from West Bengal.
In a shocking incident, a Trinamool Congress functionary, Tajimul Islam, assaulted a couple at a salishi sabha, a kangaroo court of sorts, in West Bengal’s Uttar Dinajpur. The crime? The man and the woman were allegedly having an extramarital affair. The incident led to widespread outrage and condemnation and rightly so.
Read on
to find out more.
6. In Assam, it’s the same old story. The state has been ravaged by floods. More than 16.5 lakh people have been affected across 29 districts with major rivers flowing above dangerous levels. The death toll in this year’s floods, landslides and storms has crossed 50. But why does the Northeastern state face the same disaster every year? We
explain
.
7. Earlier in the week, the Parliament saw a lot of action. On Monday, Rahul Gandhi gave a speech which was expunged. There was a lot of uproar over it. On Tuesday, PM Narendra Modi took centre stage. He spoke for two hours and 15 minutes. Was this his longest speech in Parliament? What did he say? We
tell
you.
We’ve got the big developments from India covered. If you like the way we explain the news,
come back
for more.
PS: The news has been grim. But to bring cheer, you can go back and look at all the videos of Team India’s big T20 World Cup win and the homecoming. It never gets old. Happy scrolling and have a good weekend.
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