‘Secularism’ must be removed from Constitution, says Hindutva group, Union minister says ‘no way’

Agencies
August 28, 2018

New Delhi, Aug 28: Sanatan Sanstha, a Hindu group, on Monday demanded that the Indian Constitution be amended to exclude the word ‘secular’ from it, a demand that was opposed by Union minister Ramdas Athawale later in the day.

The right-wing group reasoned that the word ‘secular’ in the Constitution’s preamble puts Hindus at a disadvantage under “the garb” of being secular.

“Ours is a very constitutional demand. Under the garb of being secular, there is injustice being meted out against Hindus,” said Sanatan Sanstha spokesperson Chetan Rajhans, during a press conference at the Marathi Patrakar Sangh on Monday.

He added that the Constitution does not define which aspect of India is secular—the country, the government, or the people. Initially, the Constitution did not have the word ‘secular’, said Rajhans. It was added through the 42nd amendment in 1976 at the time of the Emergency by former PM Indira Gandhi, who he said was under pressure from various left and anti-Hindu groups.

“Hindus are at a disadvantage under the current Constitution. There are commissions for the minorities, there is no such thing for Hindus,” added Rajhans.

However, later in the day, the Sanstha’s demand was opposed by Athawale, Union minister for social justice, who’s also a Dalit leader, reported news agency PTI. Athavale said he was opposed to the concept of a Hindu nation. The word ‘secular’’ has kept the country integrated, he added.

“Notwithstanding anybody’s demand, the word will remain in the Constitution forever,” he told reporters.

Athawale, who’s chief of the Republican Party of India (A), an NDA ally, demanded a proper probe into what he said are “serious allegations” against the Sanstha.

Yet, the Union minister said a ban on the Goa-based Sanstha, as demanded by the Congress and other parties, would be of little use.

“Thoughts of a person cannot be stopped by killing him. No one should endorse violence. But those involved in violence should face stern action,” said Athavale, adding that the Narendra Modi government is a secular government.

“The ‘sab ka sath, sab ka vikas’ motto of the BJP is a secular thought,” he added.

Earlier on Monday, the Sanstha denied any links with the nine men recently arrested in connection with the Nalasopara arms haul case and the killings of rationalist Narendra Dabholkar and journalist-activist Gauri Lankesh.

Rajhans said the Sansthan is a ‘spiritual, charitable trust’ whose name had been dragged into many cases even in the past.

“There has been a demand to ban us, but for what? The investigating agencies have not officially named any organization in the any of the cases. We are being targeted by people for their political aspirations,” added Rajhans.

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News Network
May 8,2024

Mangaluru: The Mangaluru North police have apprehended a minor in connection with alleged voyeurism incident reported in a private medical college in Mangaluru. 

DCP (Law and order) Sidharth Goyal said that the minor was produced before JJ Board as per due procedure. The incident came to light when a mobile phone was found in women's washroom in the college. 

The mobile-phone was discovered as it was ringing even when no one was in the toilet by the security guard of the college. 

Investigations revealed that the mobile phone had been strategically placed in the restroom. As a result, a case has been registered under north police station.

Further scrutiny into the matter uncovered the identity of the accused, a minor male aged 17, who had gained access to the college premises under the guise of being a patient. Following his apprehension, the accused was presented before the Juvenile Justice (JJ) Board in adherence to legal protocols.

The phone has been seized and a case has been booked under IPC section 354 (C), said the DCP.

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May 17,2024

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Hubballi, May 17: Karnataka Police have arrested the killer, Vishwa, also known as Girish, in the sensational Anjali Ambigera murder case, police said on Friday.

Preliminary investigations reveal that Vishwa was a habitual thief who exploited innocent young women. The accused is also a drunkard and was caught while attempting to commit theft. He was also part of a gang which stole bikes.

The accused targeted gullible young women, enacting a drama of love and playing the emotional card to forcefully extort gold, silver, and cash from them. When Anjali did not agree to any of his attempts to rob her and outrightly rejected his offer to go with him to Mysuru city, he brutally killed her.

The police had formed two teams to hunt down the killer. One of the teams was searching in the south Karnataka region, and another team, which launched a hunt in Davanagere, nabbed him. The accused was arrested by the police on Thursday.

The police could not catch him sooner as the killer did not carry a mobile phone and did not use his phone for 15 days, before murdering Anjali. The jurisdictional Bendigeri Police were aware of the killer's history, but even after the complaint by the girl’s family, they showed "utter negligence".

The 24-year-old Vishwa entered Anjali Ambigera's (20) residence at 5.30 A.M. on Wednesday and stabbed the young woman multiple times before she could react. Vishwa dragged Anjali Ambigera all over the house, kicking and stabbing her. Later, he pushed her into the kitchen where he stabbed her repeatedly.

Despite efforts by Anjali’s grandmother and two sisters to stop the attacker, he killed her and managed to flee. The incident occurred in the Veerapura Oni area within the jurisdiction of the Bendigeri Police Station.

Vishwa had been blackmailing Anjali and pressurising her to accompany him to Mysuru without informing her parents. The incident which took place close on the heels of MCA student Neha Hiremath’s brutal murder by the jilted lover has raised concern over the safety of women all across the state.

The BJP had demanded the resignation of Home Minister G. Parameshwara while the Congress leaders have also demanded that the Hubballi-Dharwad Police Commissioner Renuka Sukumar should be transferred for failing to sensitise the police force regarding issues of women’s safety.

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News Network
May 12,2024

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Israeli military tanks have started to go deeper into the Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza as part of a ground offensive months after claiming Hamas had been “dismantled” in the area.

Israeli forces are “carpet-bombing” the eastern areas of Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, killing and wounding several Palestinians, Al-Jazeara reported citing local sources on Sunday.

Israeli military tanks have advanced further into the Jabalia refugee camp, crossing Salah al-Din Street amidst ongoing battles with Hamas fighters, reports added.

Media quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the tanks are surrounding evacuation centers and residential buildings in the densely populated area, leading to mass evacuations and displacement towards the western part of Gaza City.

Also, Israeli drones targeted ambulances near the clinic run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) in Jabalia, according to Mahmoud Basal, the spokesperson for the civil defense directorate in Gaza.

Basal stated that emergency crews in Rafah, al-Zaytounm, al-Sabra, and Jabalia have been inundated with distress calls, confirming that these areas were subjected to overnight bombardment.

Shortage of oxygen for patients

Imad Abu Zayda, an emergency doctor in Jabalia, warned of the critical conditions prevailing there due to the recent Israeli aggression in the area.  

“No light due to the lack of fuel and there’s no medical supplement available as Israel has expanded their operation in the area. We have no oxygen to give to patients,” he said.

He added that the majority of those injured are children and women, and the medical team is grappling with limited resources to provide essential care.

All hospitals in the northern Gaza Strip are now out of service, following a warning from the UN about the risk of running out of fuel in hospitals across the region.

Israel’s closure of the Rafah crossing has also prevented aid trucks from entering the area since May 5.

The Jabalia refugee camp, established in 1948 to accommodate Palestinians who were displaced after the Nakba, or catastrophe, which refers to the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948, has become the most densely populated refugee camp in the Gaza Strip.

With over 750,000 Palestinians forcefully displaced, this camp stands as a testament to the birth of Israel in 1948.

Since the start of the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip on October 7, Israeli forces carried out several attacks on Jabilia camp, leaving it in ruins by intense bombardment.

In early February, Israeli forces withdrew from the camp claiming it had destroyed Hamas as a fighting force in the northern areas.

On Saturday, the Israeli military ordered residents of the Jabalia Refugee Camp to evacuate “immediately”, as it prepares to launch military operations against Hamas.

However, the displaced residents have no place to seek refuge, as the UN reports a severe famine in the region.

Since the start of the offensive, the Tel Aviv regime has killed more than 34,971 Palestinians and injured more than 78,641 others, mostly women and children.

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