India

New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) A day after Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) organised a rally in Dilshad Garden area of Shahdara district, the Delhi Police has now lodged an FIR against the organisers of the rally.

The rally was held to show solidarity with the family of one Manish who was allegedly killed by Bilal, Alam and Faizan in Sundar Nagri. It has been alleged that hate speech was delivered in the rally.

R Sathiyasundaram, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Shahadra district, confirmed that the FIR was lodged in the matter. "We have lodged the FIR under section 188 of the IPC. The rally was held in a ground in Dilshad Garden," the official said.

Meanwhile, the spokespersons of VHP, Vinod Bansal, said that the FIR lodged against them was nothing but laughable.

"They say we didn't take permission from them whereas the police personnel were deployed over there. How it was possible to deploy the police officials if we didn't take permission," said Bansal.

The VHP had planned the rally in nearby area of Manish's home but later they had to change the location as police had said that it would create tension in the area.

In the rally, some BJP leaders allegedly delivered hate speech. A video of BJP MP Parvesh Verma has gone viral on social media. Verma allegedly asked people to boycott a particular community.

--IANS
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Jaipur, Oct 10 (IANS) Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Monday made a scathing attack on Rajasthan government questioning its silence on the rising incidents of communal frenzy being reported in the state.

"The way communal frenzy is spreading in the state and no action is being taken against the fanatics, it is clear that the Gehlot government is indirectly giving shelter to such people. The law and order situation in the state is deteriorating day by day. Crimes against women are increasing and the government is playing 'Kissa Kursi Ka'," he said.

While interacting with the media, Shekhawat said that 'Sar Tan Se Juda' slogans were raised in the Chief Minister's home turf that is in Jodhpur. If such slogans are raised in the home district of CM, who is also the Home Minister, and if no action is seen, then the public will definitely be forced to live in the shadow of fear," he said.

On occasion of Eid Milad-un-Nabi on Sunday, a procession was taken out in Pipad town of district Jodhpur, Rajasthan, in which 'Sar Tan Se Juda' slogans were raised.

On the allegations of misuse of agencies like ED and CBI, Union Minister said that I want to thank the honourable CM that at least this time, he did not blame the Central agencies and the BJP when 'Kissa Kursi Ka' is going on in Rajasthan.

Speaking on CM statement that Jai Shah, Ambani will be welcomed if they come with investment, Shekhawat said that when these people go to some other state and work, they are accused of being fed by Central government, but when the same entrepreneurs invest in Rajasthan, a red carpet is laid in front of them. This is a dual mindset, he added.

"In such conditions, Congress government is claiming to repeat however, they have no base ready for them to repeat their government. No announcement has been implemented on grounds. Congress MLAs are questioning their own govt's Chiranjeevi scheme. Just by giving a good budget and praising it doesn't work," he said.

Speaking on Eastern Rajasthan Canal Projects (ERCP), Shekhawat said, "The Gehlot government is spreading confusion on it. Despite repeated requests, Gehlot is conspiring to complicate this project by not working in accordance with the set norms of the Government of India. The government is misleading people of these 13 districts for their political gains. They claim to complete this project on their own, which they will never be able to do."

Shekhawat said, "Madhya Pradesh has been continuously objecting to it. The day it goes to court, this project will stop. Later, Gehlot will walk away by saying 'the matter is in court'. Their only objective, if any, regarding ERCP is how to get political mileage out of it?"

--IANS
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Srinagar, Oct 10 (IANS) Two terrorists killed in an encounter with the security forces at Tangpawa area in Jammu and Kashmir's Anantnag district have been identified, officials said on Monday.

"On Sunday evening, acting on specific information generated by police regarding the presence of terrorists in Tangpawa area, a joint cordon and search operation was launched by Police, Army (19RR) and CRPF (164Bn)," a police officer said.

During the search operation, as the joint search party approached towards the suspected spot, the hiding terrorists fired indiscriminately upon the joint search party which was retaliated effectively leading to an encounter.

"In the ensuing encounter, two local terrorists linked with proscribed terror outfit LeT were killed and their bodies were retrieved from the site of encounter. They have been identified as Aasif Ahmad Reshi and Wakeel Ahmad Bhat," the police said.

As per police records, both the slain terrorists were involved in several terror crime cases.

Incriminating materials including arms and ammunition were recovered from the site of encounter.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) Shiv Sena leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray has moved the Delhi High Court seeking a stay on the order of the Election Commission to freeze the party's bow and arrow symbol.

Amid the tussle between the two factions of Shiv Sena led by Thackeray and Eknath Shinde, the Election Commission on Saturday froze the party's bow and arrow symbol.

Thackeray approached the high court seeking to allot his candidates the symbol chosen by them for the upcoming bypolls rather than restricting it to three choices that the ECI has given.

In an interim order on Saturday, the poll panel said: "The Commission hereby makes the following Interim Order, to cover the purpose of the current by-elections and to continue till the final determination of the dispute into the matter."

It said that neither of the two groups led by Shinde and other led by Thackeray be permitted to use the name of the party "Shiv Sena" and neither of the two groups shall also be permitted to use the symbol, reserved for "Shiv Sena".

"Both the groups shall be known by such names as they may choose for their respective groups, including, if they so desire, linkage with their parent party 'Shiv Sena'; and both the groups shall also be allotted such different symbols as they may choose from the list of free symbols notified by the Election Commission for the purpose of the current by-elections," the poll panel said.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday sought response from the Centre on a plea by a Muslim doctor to declare all forms of unilateral and extra-judicial talaq including "Talaq-e-Kinaya and Talaq-e-Bain" as unconstitutional.

Petitioner Dr Syeda Ambreen of Karnataka's Kalaburgi was represented by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay.

A bench comprising Justices S. Abdul Nazeer and J.B. Pardiwala issued notice to the Centre, including the National Human Rights Commission and the National Commission for Women.

The plea argued that these practices were arbitrary, irrational, and contrary to fundamental rights to equality.

The plea said: "Petitioner's parents were compelled to give dowry and later she was tortured for not getting big dowry. Petitioner's husband and his family members tortured her physically-mentally. When petitioner's father refused to give dowry then her husband gave her unilateral extra-judicial Talaq i.e., Talaq-E-Kinaya/Talaq-E-Bain through a Kazi and lawyer, which is totally against Articles 14, 15, 21 and 25."

Talaq-e-Kinaya is divorce through vague words that do not directly mean divorce. Talaq-e-Bain is irrevocable divorce, and unlike the practice of triple talaq, requires the husband to utter 'divorce' just once.

The petitioner has completed MS in Obstetrics and Gynaecology from Karnataka. She claimed she was given 'kinaya' in January, 2022 without any process of mediation or conciliation.

The apex court tagged her plea with other similar petitions scheduled to come up for hearing on Tuesday.

The plea also sought a direction to the Centre to frame guidelines for "gender neutral and religion neutral uniform grounds of divorce and uniform procedure of divorce for all citizens".

The plea contended that the petitioner suffered mental, verbal, physical and financial abuse and harassment from her doctor husband and his family for dowry. "It is accordingly submitted that a ban on unilateral extra-judicial Talaq has long been the need of the hour in the interest of public order and health. It is further submitted that this court has already expressed the view that triple talaq is not an integral part of religion and Article 25 merely protects religious faith, but not practices which may run counter to public order, morality or health," added the plea.

--IANS
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Etawah (UP), Oct 10 (IANS) Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state BJP President Bhupendra Chaudhary reached Sefai on Monday evening and offered floral tributes to the mortal remains of Mulayam Singh Yadav. They also spoke to family members including SP President Akhilesh Yadav and his uncle Shivpal Yadav.

The mortal remains of Mulayam Singh Yadav reached his native village, Sefai, on Monday evening where it has been kept for people to offer their respects to the departed soul.

A huge gathering was seen in Sefai where people from adjoining villages turned up to pay their tributes to their leader. The cremation of Mulayam Singh Yadav will be held in the village at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) Responding to Pakistani Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto's comments on alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir, during a joint press conference with German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, India has said that all "serious and conscientious members of global community have a role and responsibility to call out international terrorism, especially of a cross cultural nature".

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi on Saturday said in a statement said that Jammu and Kashmir witnesses a similar and sustained terrorist campaign for decades.

"This continues. Foreign nationals have been victims there as also in other parts of India. The UN Security Council and FATF are still pursuing Pakistan-based terrorists involved in 26/11 attacks," Bagchi said in the statement.

He further said that when "states don't recognise such dangers because of self-interest or indifference, they undermine the cause of peace, not promote it and do grave injustice to victims of terrorism".

Bagchi's statement came in response to media queries on comments about the Kashmir issue at the recent press conference by the German and Pakistani foreign ministers.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, Oct 9 (IANS) The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) slammed the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leaders over the allegation that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao practiced occult, and that his decisions were driven by the advice of a 'tantrik'.

State minister for finance and health Harish Rao said on Sunday that the statements of the BJP leaders showed their "political bankruptcy and frustration". He told reporters that since the BJP had nothing to tell the people of Munugode in the by-election its leaders were talking nonsense.

He said that the BJP has nothing to talk about its performance and hence it is making baseless allegations.

State BJP chief Sanjay Kumar had alleged on Saturday that every month, KCR conducts occult rituals at his farm house using a black cat. He said that even the renaming of TRS as Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) was on the advice of this tantrik who told KCR that if he does not change the party's name, it would lose the Assembly elections.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also said on Saturday that the reason KCR refused to have a woman in his Cabinet during his first term starting in 2014, and for more than a year in his second starting 2018, was because a tantrik told him that having a woman in the Cabinet would bring bad luck.

BJP general secretary in-charge of the party affairs in Telangana, Tarun Chug also claimed that some big tantrik told KCR to change the party's name otherwise he will have no political future.

Harish Rao reminded the BJP leaders that it was their government which started the 'Bhoot Vidya' certificate course in Banaras Hindu University. He advised Sanjay to study the course.

"Did we come to power because of mantra and tantra. We have no tantr. We have Lok Tantr (democracy). TRS came to power after fighting for and achieving the Telangana state. See your history which is stained with blood. You came to power by dividing people in the name of religions and caste," the TRS leader said.

The TRS leader said there was not a single good work done by the BJP to show in Munugode to seek votes. "Since they can't tell people to vote for them for increasing the price of cooking gas from Rs 400 to Rs 1,100, they are making such allegations," he said.

Harish Rao alleged that the BJP was trying to misuse power and spend money to buy leaders from other parties and also voters. He said the BJP was also trying to distribute cars and motor cycles among the voters to lure them.

He claimed that the TRS has information that 200 Brezza cars and 2,000 motorcycles were booked through various agencies. "We have formed teams to trace those who get these cars and motorcycles and lodge complaints with police and the Election Commission," he said.

Harish Rao said BJP candidate Komatireddy Rajagopal Reddy has admitted that his company got a Rs 18,000 crore contract from the BJP government. He said Rajagopal Reddy joined the BJP after receiving the contract and was spending crores to win the by-election.

"This by-election is a test for self-respect of the people of Munugode. It is a contest between the people's self-respect and Rajagopal Reddy's wealth," he said.

The TRS leader exuded confidence that the TRS will win the by-election despite all the conspiracies by the BJP. He said the people of Munugode will cast votes for the TRS on the basis of its performance during the last eight years.

--IANS
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Kanpur, Oct 9 (IANS) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said that people of the society should learn compassion, dedication and sense of duty from Maharishi Valmiki.

Addressing members of Valmiki Samaj on Valmiki Jayanti, Bhagwat said that Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar has established a law to give rights to the society in the constitution, but everything will not be done just by establishing a law.

Bhagwat said, "Baba Saheb Ambedkar had said while giving the constitution in Parliament that till now those who were considered backward will not remain backward. They will sit equally with everyone; we made this system. But one also must change the mind."

The RSS chief said, "Baba saheb had said that he has provided political and economic freedom by making arrangements. But it will be realised only when social freedom will come and hence, Dr Ambedkar worked to bring that spirit from Nagpur from 1925 through the Sangh."

He further said, "I consider myself blessed to come here on the auspicious occasion of Valmiki Jayanti. I have attended the inauguration of the first Valmiki temple in Nagpur. Why should Valmiki society not be described in the entire Hindu society? If Valmiki had not written Ramayana, we would not have known about Lord Rama."

Mohan Bhagwat said, "The concept of Varna and caste system should be forgotten. Today, if anyone asks about this, then all the people who think in the interest of the society should be told that the varna and caste system is a thing of the past and it should be forgotten."

"It is necessary in our mind to have the determination to take the country and ourselves forward. The Valmiki Samaj is the pride of our country. If Valmiki had not been there, Ram would not have been familiar with the world. We must learn to upgrade our society in every situation," he said.

Bhagwat earlier paid tribute to him by garlanding the statue of Valmiki installed at Nana Rao Park. He had reached Kanpur on Saturday to attend North India's first 'Swar Sangam Ghosh' camp.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Oct 9 (IANS) After the date of withdrawal of nominations for the Congress presidential poll, the party now has two contestants -- Shashi Tharoor and Mallikarjun Kharge -- for the October 17 polls, in which 67 booths have been set up in all the states, the party's central election authority (CEA) has said.

Madhusudan Mistry, Chairman of the CEA, said, "In AICC also there will be a booth, especially for all senior leaders, working committee members and all those whose identity card is from a different state but are staying in Delhi. If they write to us that they want to vote in Delhi then we will make arrangements here as well, they can also vote here in AICC."

A camp booth will be set up for Rahul Gandhi and others who are participating in the Bharat Jodo Yatra.

"So the process of campaigning for these candidates starts from Saturday onwards, officially, although they have already started the campaign earlier, because, I mean, they seem to have decided not to withdraw from the contest. Technically, according to the constitution, we have to provide them with a seven day withdrawal period."

The election will take place on October 17 in every state capital. Time is between 10.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.

The vote will be by the secret ballot. All the ballet boxes will be brought to the AICC headquarters and then, on October 19 the counting of votes will start and the result will be declared as soon as the counting gets over.

--IANS
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