Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and former Maharashtra minister Jitendra Awadh and his supporters blocked the screening of a Marathi film ‘Har Har Mahadev’ at a multiplex in the Thane district of Maharashtra.
Awhad’s supporters also beat up a viewer who tried to stop them.
The NCP leader alleged that the movie showcases the wrong history about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
“The movie has claimed to show historic events that never happened in reality. Why should such a movie be shown?” said Jitendra Awadh.
The incident came a day after former MP Sambhajiraje Chhatrapati warned that he would not tolerate any wrong depiction of Shivaji’s history.
He had also opposed the upcoming Marathi movie “Vedant Marathe Veer Daudale Saat” in which Akshay Kumar will be playing the role of Chhatrapati Shivaji.
A fast-track court in Varanasi on Tuesday adjourned the matter for November 14 on the plea seeking worship of the ‘Shivling’ that the Hindu side claimed to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
The matter was adjourned for November 14 as the concerned judge would not sit in the Fast Track court today.
The Court was supposed to deliver its verdict on the three main demands by the plaintiff which include the permission for the immediate beginning of prayer of Swayambhu Jyotirlinga Bhagwan Vishweshwar, the handing over of the entire Gyanvapi complex to the Hindus, and banning the entry of Muslims inside the premises of the Gyanvapi complex.
It is to be noted that the Muslim side is allowed to offer prayers at present.
During the previous hearing that took place in October, the Varanasi court had refused to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’.
The Hindu side had demanded carbon dating of the structure they claimed to be a Shivling found inside the Gyanvapi Mosque’s wazukhana.
However, the Muslim side said that the structure found was a ‘fountain’. The Hindu side had then submitted an application in the Varanasi District Court on September 22 that sought a carbon dating of the object they claimed to be ‘Shivling’.
The Hindu side said that they would approach the Supreme Court against the Varanasi court’s verdict refusing to allow a ‘scientific investigation’ of the purported ‘Shivling’, claiming to be found on the Gyanvapi mosque premises.
On September 29 hearing, the Hindu side had demanded a scientific investigation of the ‘Shivling’ by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and the carbon dating of ‘Argha’ and the area around it.
The Varanasi court said, “It would not be proper to order the survey of Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and by giving such order the age, nature, and structure of the said Shivling is known, even this does not imply the possibility of a just solution”.
Advocate Vishnu Jain, representing the side in the Gyanvapi case, “Court has rejected our demand of seeking carbon dating. We’ll move to Supreme Court against this order and challenge it there. I cannot announce the date as of now, but we’ll soon challenge this order in Supreme Court.”
Another lawyer of the Hindu side Madan Mohan Yadav said, “Though the court has rejected the demand of seeking carbon dating, the option of going to the High Court is available and the Hindu side will place their point before the High Court as well.”
Referring to the order of May 17 of the Supreme Court, the Varanasi Court had said that “If the alleged Shivling is damaged by taking samples, then it will be in violation of the order of the Supreme Court”.
“If the Shivling is damaged, the religious sentiments of the general public can also get hurt”, the Varanasi Court had said.
Carbon dating is a scientific process that ascertains the age of an archaeological object or archaeological finds. After hearing both sides’ arguments, the court had reserved the order in the Gyanvapi Mosque-Shringar Gauri case.
On May 20, the Supreme Court had ordered the transfer of the case related to worship at Gyanvapi mosque from the civil judge to the District Judge, Varanasi.
Akhlaq Ahmed, representing the Muslim side had said that the plea by the Hindu side is not maintainable as it is against the order of the Supreme Court that stated protecting the structure (which the Muslim side claims to be a fountain and the Hindu side claims to be a Shivling).
“We responded to the application on carbon dating. Stone does not have the capacity to absorb carbon. The Supreme Court in its May 17 order, according to which, the object that the commission found, had to be protected. The order of the SC will prevail, so the object cannot be opened. According to the Hindu side, the process will be scientific, even if it is so, there will be tampering with the object. Chemicals will be used for the test. We will take action based on the order by the court on October 14,” Ahmed had told media.
Another lawyer representing the Muslim side, Tohid Khan had said, “The court will deliver its verdict on whether the application seeking carbon dating is acceptable or should be rejected. The structure is a fountain and not Shivling. The fountain can still be made operational.”
The Gauhati High Court on Monday dismissed the petition to quash the criminal defamation case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia by Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.
The case has been filed against the senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia by Himanta Biswa Sarma in the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court (CJM) of Kamarup district.
According Advocate General of Assam Devajit Lon Saikia, the Gauhati High Court on Monday dismissed the petition filed by Sisodia seeking to quash the case filed by Assam Chief Minister against him. The CJM court, Kamrup asked Manish Sisodia to appear before the court on November 19.
Chief Minister Sarma filed a criminal defamation case against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia as Sisodia alleged that the Assam government had given contracts to Himanta Biswa Sarma’s wife’s firms and son’s business partner to supply PPE kits above market rates when COVID-19 pandemic was raging in the country in 2020.
Assam CM’s wife Riniki Bhuyan Sarma in June this year filed a Rs 100 crore civil defamation suit against Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia in Civil Judge Court, Kamrup (Metro),
Guwahati. AAP leader Sisodia, in a press conference on June 4, alleged that the Assam government had given contracts to the Chief Minister’s wife’s firms and son’s business partner to supply PPE kits above market rates when the COVID-19 pandemic was raging in the country in 2020.
Reacting to the allegations of irregularities in the supply of PPE kits, Sarma had stated that the PPE kits were “gifted to the government” and his wife’s company “raised no bill” for it.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sanjeev Mishra was shot dead by unidentified persons in Kathihar district allegedly over an old dispute on Monday, the police said.
Officials said that the incident occurred in the Balrampur police station area on Monday morning. Mishra was standing outside his house, when two bike-borne miscreants came, shot him in the head, and fled from the spot.
Locals and family members hearing the gunshots reached the spot and found Mishra lying in a pool of blood. They rushed him to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead, the police said.
Soon after the news about his death spread, locals of the area gathered in the area and started protesting. They even blocked the road demanding immediate action in the incident.
This forced the police to reach the area and bring the situation under control, and the body was sent for post-mortem examination.
The police suspect that the unidentified accused managed to cross the Bengal border as the area is close to it. Prima facie, it appears to be a case of an old dispute, and things will be clear only after the statements of the family.
Further investigation of the matter is on, said, officials.
This was not the first attack on Mishra. He was shot by unidentified people in the past too, and survived the attack, they added.
The Maharashtra state government has rejected an inquiry report filed by former state DGP Sanjay Pandey against IPS officer Deven Bharti in connection with allegations made by convicted criminal Vijay Palande that Deven Bharti had links with underworld criminals.
Former DGP Sanjay Pandey was asked to conduct an inquiry into the allegations against IPS officer Deven Bharti. This was the second inquiry conducted by Pandey after a letter from the PA of the-then home minister Anil Deshmukh, was issued and its report was submitted recently, officials with Maharashtra Home Department said.
Palande had in the year 2018 made allegations against Deven Bharti that he had links with D-gang, and on the basis of the allegations, a probe was conducted and a report was sent to the then Director General of police and then additional chief secretary (home).
This first inquiry report was submitted in the year 2020 and the probe did not find Bharti guilty of underworld links, officials said.
But later, the PA of Anil Deshmukh (the then Home minister of Maharashtra) wrote a letter to DG (home guards) Sanjay Pandey and asked him to inquire into the allegations of Vijay Palande against Deven Bharti.
Maharashtra Home Department confirmed to ANI that the second report submitted by Pandey has been rejected on grounds that “there is no merit in the allegations made by Palande and also that the law was not followed in the inquiry.”
They said that submissions given by Deven Bharti have been accepted as an inquiry had already been conducted by Maharashtra Police, and the report was submitted to the then DGP which has not found any substance in Vijay Palande’s allegations.
The second inquiry conducted by Sanjay Pandey was not ordered by the Maharashtra home department, but it was conducted after a letter from the PA of the then home minister Anil Deshmukh and the Maharashtra home department had no role in it, officials said.
Pandey is currently in judicial custody in a money laundering case by ED against him, while Palande is serving a life sentence for murder and other criminal charges.
Deven Bharti, an IPS officer, is posted as the additional director general of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation, said officials.
The Supreme Court in a majority judgment on Monday upheld the validity of the Constitution’s 103rd Amendment Act 2019, which provides for 10 percent EWS reservation amongst the general category in admissions and jobs.
A five-judge Constitution bench in a 3:2 majority verdict has held that the provisions of the Amendment does not violate essential features of the Constitution.
Chief Justice of India UU Lalit and S Ravindra Bhat dissented from the majority verdict and struck down the 103rd Amendment Act.
“I have concurred with the view taken by Justice Bhat. The decision stands at 3:2,” said CJI Lalit while pronouncing his verdict in the last.
Majority bench – Justices Dinesh Maheshwari, Bela Trivedi and JB Pardiwala upheld the EWS Amendment saying EWS quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
Justice Maheshwari, while reading out the judgement said, “The EWS amendment does not violate the equality code or the essential features of the Constitution.”
He said reservation is an instrument of affirmative action so as to ensure an all-inclusive march towards the goals of an egalitarian society.
Justice Bela M Trivedi said her judgment is in concurrence with Justice Maheshwari and that the EWS quota in the general category is valid and constitutional.
She said, “The amendment as a separate class is a reasonable classification. Legislature understands the needs of people and it is aware of the economic exclusion of people from the reservation.”
Justice JB Pardiwala in his separate but concurring judgement with Justices Maheshwari and Trivedi upheld the Act and said that reservation should not continue for an indefinite time.
He said. “The ones who have moved ahead should be removed from backward classes so that ones in need can be helped. The ways to determine backward classes need a re-look so that ways are relevant in today’s time. Reservation should not continue for an indefinite time so that it becomes a vested interest.”
Justice Bhat in his dissent verdict struck down the 103rd Amendment saying that while reservation on an economic basis is permissible, excluding SC/STs and Other Backward Classes from EWS cannot be permitted and amounts to discrimination against them.
The Constitution bench verdict came on a batch of petitions, filed by NGOs Janhit Abhiyan and Youth for Equality, among others, challenging the Amendment on the ground that economic classification cannot be the sole basis for reservation.
During the hearing, lawyers appearing for petitioners submitted that the 103rd Amendment granted reservation to upper castes and this was a violation of the basic structure of the Indian Constitution.
It was contended by the lawyers of the petitioners that the quota on the economic ground alone is impermissible. The petitions were filed in the top court in 2019, challenging the validity of the Constitution’s 103rd Amendment Act 2019.
Imran Khan committing 'treason' against Pakistan: Interior Minister Sanaullah 8
Pakistan’s Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah has accused Imran Khan of ”committing the crime of treason against the state,” and exhorted institutions like the judiciary to stand up against the former premier’s ”wretched agenda.”
Speaking during Geo News’ program ”Naya Pakistan” on Sunday, Sanaullah said, ”Khan only has one demand: he wants to be adopted by the institutions to make him sit on the prime minister’s chair.” ”Institutions, government, Parliament, and the judiciary should stand against his wretched agenda,” he said, adding that Khan will never be successful in his agenda against the country and the nation.
Sanaullah accused the 70-year-old Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party chief of ”committing the crime of treason against the state,” the report said.
The minister said the cricketer-turned-politician should avoid talking about something if it isn’t true, but he does so because it ”strengthens his political agenda”, it said.
Sanaullah reiterated that Khan wants to make the Pakistan Army chief’s appointment controversial while maintaining that Khan ”doesn’t even care about his self-respect,” it said.
Responding to a question about the delay in lodging the FIR, the minister said there would be obstacles if you wanted to lodge a case against the state.
“The police have the right to refuse if a fraudster wants to register a case for his [certain] purposes,” he added.
Khan, who underwent surgery for bullet injuries, was discharged from the hospital on Sunday and moved to his private residence in the city, hospital officials said.
Khan suffered bullet injuries in the right leg on Thursday when two gunmen fired a volley of bullets at him and others mounting on a container-mounted truck in the Wazirabad area of Punjab province, where he was leading a protest march against the Shehbaz Sharif government.
He underwent surgery for bullet injuries at the Shaukat Khanum Hospital owned by his charitable organisation.
Addressing a press conference from the hospital on Sunday, Khan said the long march would resume on Tuesday from the point in Wazirabad where 11 people including himself were shot at.
Khan, who was ousted as prime minister in April this year after a no-confidence motion was passed in the National Assembly, is seeking fresh general elections in Pakistan.
However, the federal government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is opposed to holding elections now.
The term of the current National Assembly will end in August 2023.
The Supreme Court, by a majority view of 3:2, on Monday upheld the validity of the 103rd Constitution amendment providing 10 per cent reservation to people belonging to economically weaker sections (EWS) in admissions and government jobs.
The top court said the law on the EWS quota does not violate the basic structure of the Constitution.
At the outset, Chief Justice U U Lalit said there are four different judgements on pleas challenging the EWS quota.
Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, who read the judgement for himself, said the 103rd constitutional amendment cannot said to breach the basic structure of the Constitution.
Justice Bela M Trivedi said the 103rd constitutional amendment cannot be struck down on grounds of being discriminatory. Justice J B Pardiwala concurred with their views and upheld the validity of the amendment.
Justice S Ravindra Bhat, in a minority view, dissented and struck down the constitution amendment on EWS quota. CJI Lalit concurred with the view of Justice Bhat.
NSA Ajit Doval, late CDS Gen Rawat to be awarded Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman 12
National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval, late Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat among five distinguished people have been selected for the “Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman” this year. Others to be conferred the award are Chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification Prasoon Joshi, late Girish Chandra Tiwari ‘Girda’ and late Viren Dangwal. “For the “Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman” award-2022, this year the Government of Uttarakhand has awarded NSA Ajit Kumar Doval, Prasoon Joshi, Late General Bipin Rawat (posthumously), Late Girish Chandra Tiwari ‘Girda’ (posthumous) and Late Viren Dangwal (Posthumous),” informed Chief Minister’s Office (CMO).
Expressing gratitude on behalf of all the people of the state towards these great sons of Devbhoomi, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami hailed all the recipients of the award. “On behalf of all the people of the state, I express my gratitude towards these great sons of ‘Devbhoomi’, who hoisted the Uttarakhand’s fame flag all over the world through their inspirational works in various spheres of social life,” he tweeted in Hindi. The Uttarakhand Gaurav Samman is one of the two highest civilian awards of the state along with the Uttarakhand Ratna. It is awarded to a person for their extraordinary contribution to any field of human endeavour. It was constituted in the year 2021 by the Uttarakhand Government. The award was constituted in 2021 by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami. It was constituted on November 9, 2021, on the occasion of the state’s 21st anniversary.
The winning Shiv Sena candidate of Uddhav Thackeray faction for Andheri East bypolls, Rutuja Latke has promised that she will try to fulfill the promise made by her late husband Ramesh Latke.
Rutuja has retained the seat of her husband after leading the Andheri East bypolls by 66,530 votes. “This victory is of my husband and the development works he did in Andheri. I will go to the election centre now and later to Matoshree to seek blessings,” Shiv Sena’s Rutuja Latke said while addressing the media in Mumbai on Sunday.
She said, “I thank everyone for supporting me. The turnout in the by-elections was low. This is the result of sympathy and hard work of my husband. My husband made a promise. I will try to complete it.” Rutuja Latke later alleged BJP had no sympathy and said that if they had any, they would not have filled the form.
“If BJP had any sympathy, they would not have filled the form earlier. Votes met by NOTA belong to BJP…A survey was conducted before the elction and they knew that they were losing hence they withdrew the nomination of their candidate,” Latke said.
She also mentioned that there will be no kind of celebrations for the registered victory in Andheri East bypolls. With the counting of votes in 19 rounds, Latke has won the seat with 66,247 votes with 12,776 votes for NOTA in Assembly bypolls of 2022 in Maharashtra.
Latke is a former Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) employe who quit the BMC following the death of her husband. Her candidature remained unopposed in the election.
The counting of votes in Odisha and Telangana constituency are currently underway. So far, TRS candidate Koosukuntla Prabhakar Reddy is leading in Telangana with a margin of 3952 votes with BJP’s Komatireddy Raj Gopal Reddy trailing.
In Odisha, BJP’s Suryabanshi Suraj is leading with a margin of 7,661 votes in Raits Dhamnagar constituency with Biju Janata Dal’s Abanti Das trailing behind.
