1 Looks like Covid 19 situation in some of the cities across India is on the rise again. Classical example is national capital , ie city of Delhi/New Delhi, where there have been spike in cases and in the first 15 days of November the new cases touch the figure of 100,000 and this is quite alarming situation. On the other hand Pune city is still the worst affected with the figure of51,857 cases per million of population, which is quite high as compared to other major cities –where as Delhi’s figure is 24,218/million, Mumbai is 27,958/million, where as lowest being Surat 5,554/million. Now if you consider case fatality rate the lowest is Bangalore at 1.1, and highest is 4.0 which is Ahmedabad.
People of Mumbai are having a bit sigh of relief with only 541 cases registered on 17th Nov. On 16th Nov only 16 deaths were reported due to Covid. Both these figures are encouraging, let Mumbaikars keep their fingers crossed and hope similar trends continues for days to come.
2 Today I read one news item regarding a divorce case proceedings where matter went up to The Allahabad High Court (HC), and HC ruled that a DNA to establish a child’s paternity is the “most legitimate and scientific means” that can be used by a man to assert claims of his wife’s infidelity. The court added that this test is also the wife’s “ most authentic way to establish that she had not been unfaithful, adulterous of disloyal”. This ruling came while the court was hearing a plea regarding whether a husband in a divorce petition can ask the court to direct the wife to go for DNA test or refuse to undergo one himself. In case she elects to undergo a DNA test, then the finding of DNA test will determine conclusively the veracity of the accusation levelled by the petitioner husband against her.
I literally failed to understand the ruling issued by HC. Now if a husband accuses his wife for infidelity, then how the DNA test can prove, she has been having an affair with someone else and infidel . DNA test will only prove her DNA is matching with their child’s DNA, unless husband takes the DNA test then only it can be ascertain that he is not the father of the child, if his DNA does not match with DNA of the child. Till then you can not say that the woman is infidel. Now take the case where husband and/or wife are in illicit relationship with someone else outside the marriage, and takes all the precautions that woman does not get pregnant, so in that case both of them can be considered pure, as the DNA test of their natural child will match with both of them. Yes, DNA test can only prove that they are natural parent of their child. How it is going to prove that whether the wife or husband have been infidel or not. So the ruling by the HC that “ The DNA test is the most legitimate and scientifically perfect means which the husband could use to establish his assertion of wife’s infidelity”. Can someone enlighten me on this ruling of HC that DNA test can establish wife’s infidelity”?
3 Now Supreme Court (SC) is trying to push the Central Govt to exercise its powers under the Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act against TV channels to have effective control of aired TV contents to curb fake news. Whereas Centre argued that that it respected the media’s right to free speech and was loath to play the regulator. This was response to the petition filed by some Muslim organisation, that govt did not do any thing to stop the media from targeting during the Covid 19 pandemic by making hateful reports on the Tablighi Jammat Congregation in Nizamuddin. In their reply the Centre said, most of the channels and mainstream newspapers reported responsibly on the event. It said during initial stages some Tablighi members were found positive, it received media and public attention. Centre also gave the details of the number of accounts and URL’s that were blocked to stop circulation of fake news targeting the minority community. The SC said that we are not satisfied by the centre’s affidavit, and asked under the Act ( mentioned above) against Fake news circulated by various TV channels. What is the Grievance redressal under the law? What TV channels show is of great consequence to the country. How do you plan to control channels are showing through the cable TV law?
In my opinion SC is going into right directions to curb the circulation of fake news, but for Centre to this will be very difficult task . if they chose to do so, then media will start shouting about the freedom of speech and right to air their opinion etc etc. Unless the media become responsible, and before airing/printing the news, check its authenticity. Secondly all the political parties should stop spreading the false news against their opponents. When both media and political parties behave sensibly then only this business of fake news can be curtailed.
Awaiting your views/comments/feed backs.
Anil Malik
Mumbai, India
18th November 2020
R. N. Mungale.
Covid19 situation in Delhi is alarming.
I agree with Mr. Malik that DNA test
cannot decide the faithfulness of husband or wife.