Complaint against JUH for rewarding hijab girl who countered hooligans in college premises

Mandya, Feb 11: Narendra Modi Vichar Manch, a hardline Hindutva forum, has lodged a complaint with Mandya Police against Muslim organisation Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind for announcing Rs 5 lakh cash reward to the student who raised 'Allah hu Akbar' slogan when she was surrounded by a group of saffron-clad hooligans.

Muskaan Khan, the student of PES College of Arts, Science and Commerce in Mandya district was heckled by the hooligans in the college premises for wearing a hijab. The hooligans raised 'Jai Shri Ram' slogans repeatedly. Single-handedly she confronted the crowd, raised the counter slogan of 'Allahu Akbar' even as tens of students chased. The video is now viral on social media.
Appreciating the courage of the student, the Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind has announced Rs 5 lakh cash reward to the student for standing up for her rights.

"It is a concern that students of Karnataka have sown poisonous seeds of religious intolerance creating unrest in the society. Few fundamental organisations and separatist institutions announcing cash reward for the student is a worrying development," complainant C.T. Manjunath, State Secretary of the Manch stated on Wednesday evening.

"I strongly believe that the organisation is behind the hijab crisis in the state. The financial transactions of this organisation have to be scrutinized and legal action must be initiated. This act of announcing cash reward encourages fundamentalism and religious fanaticism," he said.

Speaking to reporters, Muskaan explained that she had been to the college to submit an assignment to the department. "I was stopped at the gate by a group of students. They asked me to enter the college without a burka or else go back home. I resisted," she said.

"The group was doing the same thing to my other friends also. I questioned them why I should go back and entered the college premises. Some of them came near my ears and shouted 'Jai Sri Ram' slogans. They followed me and said that I must take out the burka but I stood my ground," she explained.

"I was not scared. I raised 'Allahu Akbar' slogans without any fear. I am waiting for the court order and will abide by the decision," she said.

Muskaan explained that the college authorities have supported and protected her. "Every religion has the freedom to follow their culture. We will follow our culture," she said.

Meanwhile, a three-judge bench is hearing the matter in Karnataka High Court.

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What Next for NCP? After Ajit Pawar’s Death, Sunetra Pawar Steps Into Spotlight

News Network

January 28,2026

Mumbai: The sudden death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in his hometown of Baramati has plunged the state into political uncertainty, raising a pressing question for both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its rival faction, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar): what next?

For the two factions that emerged after the dramatic split of June–July 2023, the moment marks their gravest challenge yet. Many believe the answer now rests with party founder Sharad Pawar.

Sharad Pawar, who founded the NCP in 1999 after parting ways with the Congress over Sonia Gandhi’s foreign origin, has already indicated his intention to step away from electoral politics once his Rajya Sabha term ends in April 2026.

Speaking at a public event in Baramati ahead of his 85th birthday on December 12, 2025, Pawar said he would not contest any further elections. “I have contested 14 elections. The younger generation needs to be given an opportunity,” he said, adding that he would decide later whether to seek another Rajya Sabha term.

Often described as the Bhishma Pitamah of Indian politics, Pawar also spoke of his gradual withdrawal from active leadership. “For the first 30 years, I handled everything. For the next 25–30 years, Ajit Dada handled responsibilities. Now, arrangements must be made for new leadership,” he said.

Ajit Pawar’s death has dramatically altered that transition, especially as he was working towards reunifying the two NCP factions.

“After the developments of June–July 2023 and the 2024 Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, there were deep changes within the family and the party. In the last six months, serious efforts were made to reunite. Even workers from both sides wanted unity. This is a massive blow,” a Pawar family insider told DH over phone from Baramati.

Electoral outcomes over the past year reflected the split. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, NCP (SP) recorded the best strike rate in Maharashtra, winning eight of the 10 seats it contested. The NCP, by contrast, won just one seat out of four.

However, the trend reversed in the subsequent Vidhan Sabha elections, where the NCP emerged stronger, securing 41 of the 288 seats, while NCP (SP) managed only 10.

Within NCP (SP), Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule serves as Working President, followed by leaders such as Rohit Pawar, state president Shashikant Shinde and former state chief Jayant Patil.

In the NCP, Praful Patel is the Working President and Raigad MP Sunil Tatkare heads the state unit. Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, is a Rajya Sabha MP, while their sons Parth and Jay are not actively involved in day-to-day politics. Parth Pawar briefly entered electoral politics in 2019 but lost the Lok Sabha election from Maval. Jay Pawar’s political debut was under consideration.

With Ajit Pawar gone, speculation has intensified that a member of the family may be asked to assume a larger role. For now, Sunetra Pawar is expected to play a key coordinating role in party affairs, alongside Patel and Tatkare.

The NCP continues to have several heavyweight leaders, including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dattatreya Bharne, Manikrao Kokate and Dhananjay Munde.

Ajit Pawar had already begun steps towards reconciliation between the two factions. While they contested the Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad municipal elections separately, they later decided to fight the zilla parishad elections together under the ‘clock’ symbol—seen as the first formal step towards reunification.

Nagpur meet and party roadmap

Both NCP factions claim adherence to the ideology of ‘Shiv–Shahu–Phule–Ambedkar’. At the Rashtravadi Chintan Shivir held in Nagpur on September 19, 2025, the NCP reaffirmed its commitment to sarva dharma sambhav and discussed strengthening ties with the BJP “for the welfare and development of Maharashtra”.

In recent days, reports had suggested Ajit Pawar might return to the Maha Vikas Aghadi following the party’s poor performance in Pune municipal elections, but these claims were denied.

Big question for Maha Yuti

Ajit Pawar’s death also presents an immediate challenge for the Devendra Fadnavis-led Maha Yuti government. Pawar held crucial portfolios, including Finance, Planning and Excise. With the Budget Session approaching, appointing a new Finance Minister has become urgent.

Beyond numbers and portfolios, Maha Yuti has lost a swift decision-maker known for his administrative grip and political finesse—leaving a vacuum that will not be easy to fill.

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