Over 200 booked for hurling stones during hindutva outfit's protest in Uttarkashi
Uttarkashi (PTI): More than 200 people have been booked in connection with a stone pelting incident that occurred during a hindutva outfit’s protest demanding demolition of a mosque built allegedly on government land here.
According to Uttarkashi Kotwali SHO Amarjeet Singh, eight people have been named in the FIRs registered under different sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Prohibitory orders under section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) are in force across the district, Uttarkashi Superintendent of Police Amit Shrivastava said.
On Thursday, 27 people, including seven policemen, got injured in a lathi-charge by police during a protest by the Sanyukt Hindu Sangathan who demanded the demolition of a mosque in Barahat area alleging that it is built on government land.
The protesters sat on a dharna on the Gangotri National Highway and started reciting Hanuman Chalisa but when they tried to remove the barricading, a scuffle broke out between the protestors and the police.
Officials said that during this some people started huling stones, after which the police first fired tear gas shells at the protesters and later lathi-charged in which some protesters and policemen got injured.
Flag marches were also conducted in the town besides deployment of additional police personnel in sensitive areas, SP Shrivastava said.
District Magistrate Meharban Singh Bisht and the SP toured the district and asked officials concerned to maintain order.
The markets remained closed in response to a bandh call given by the outfit.
The SP said some of the rallyists of the Sangathan began hurling stones when they were stopped by the police from taking a route which was different from the one which was permitted for the rally.
Police had to resort to a mild lathicharge to control the protesters, he said.
Thursday's incident had left 27 people, including eight police personnel, injured, Shrivastava said.
The protesters have alleged that the mosque built in the Barahat area is an illegal construction on government land. However, the district administration has clarified that the mosque is old and built on the land of people of the Muslim community.
The Uttarkashi District Magistrate's Office clarified this in a notice, which cites a report of Bhatwadi's Sub-Divisional Magistrate Mukesh Chand Ramola.
Meanwhile, officials of the CPI District Council sent a memorandum to Governor Lt Gen Gurmeet Singh (retd) and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami demanding action against attempts to spoil communal amity in Uttarkashi as well as other districts of the state.
An attempt was made by hindutva organisations in Uttarkashi to create an atmosphere of hatred against a particular community and similar efforts are being made in other districts of Uttarakhand, the memorandum said seeking immediate action against this.
Senior Congress leader Harish Rawat in Dehradun said he is worried about such incidents.
While talking to reporters, Rawat said the matter should be handled in a manner that is legally correct.
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Karnataka to approach SC seeking permission to continue MGNREGA
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Cabinet on Thursday decided to approach the Supreme Court seeking permission to continue implementation of MGNREGA in the state, contending that the Centre had repealed the rural employment guarantee law without consultation and failed to put in place any alternative mechanism under the VB-G RAM G Act.
Briefing reporters after the Cabinet meeting, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state would immediately move the apex court seeking permission to prepare and implement the annual action plan for rural employment works, while also challenging what it described as an infringement on the constitutional rights of states.
The parliament passed VB-G RAM G in December that replaces MGNREGA.
Patil explained that the Cabinet decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare an action plan in this regard. Since the Centre’s stand interferes with the constitutional rights of state governments, the Cabinet has also decided to challenge this issue before the appropriate court
“There are two points here. One is that they have come in the way of our constitutional right of providing the right to work. That has been halted, and, therefore, the State Government has decided to approach the Supreme Court. The second point is that the Government of India has not provided any alternative,” the Minister said.
The Central Government has not yet issued a notification to implement the VB-G RAM G Act, nor has it made any alternative arrangements and hence continuing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA) is unavoidable in the public interest, the Minister said.
“Therefore, in the interest of the public, farmers and agricultural labourers, we must continue MGNREGA. For that purpose, the Cabinet has decided to approach the court seeking permission for the State Government to prepare the action plan for this year,” he added.
The Minister also said the Centre had only permitted continuation of pending and spillover MGNREGA works without releasing grants or announcing a fresh action plan.
“The Centre itself has said that pending, spillover and half-done MGNREGA works can continue. That means MGNREGA is actually still functioning in practice. But there is no new action plan,” he said.
Patil said the state had already passed a resolution on the issue, while Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had written to the Prime Minister and the Rural Development Minister had held discussions with Union Ministers.
Replying to questions, the minister said the state would move court “as immediately as possible.”
He clarified that the state was seeking permission to formulate and implement this year’s action plan under the existing framework.
“What we are asking the Supreme Court is to allow us to have the action plan for this year and implement it,” he said.
The Cabinet also held detailed discussions on the final report submitted by the State Education Policy Commission headed by former UGC chairman Professor Sukhadeo Thorat.
Patil said a Cabinet sub-committee would be constituted to examine the report and recommend measures for implementation.
“No decision has been taken yet. The Cabinet sub-committee will recommend what should be accepted and what should be modified,” he said.
He said the report comprised around eight volumes and covered issues relating to financial implications, human resources, curriculum reforms, deemed universities, unitary universities and newly established universities. The Chief Minister has been authorised to constitute the sub-committee.
The Cabinet also approved the Karnataka Motor Transport and Other Related Workers’ Social Security and Welfare Amendment Bill, 2026, transferring welfare administration of transport-related workers from the Labour Department to the Transport Department.
The Cabinet further approved establishment of three new industrial estates in Kalaburagi, Yadgir and Surpur under the Karnataka State Small Industries Development Corporation and Kalyana Karnataka Region Development Board schemes at an estimated cost of Rs 200 crore.
The Cabinet also approved amendments to Karnataka Civil Services (General Recruitment) Rules, 2026, providing two per cent reservation in state civil services appointments for sportspersons.
