Passenger on Delhi-Mumbai flight clicked photos of cabin crew, DCW issues notices to police, DGCA
New Delhi, Aug 18: A passenger on board a Delhi-Mumbai flight earlier this month was allegedly found to be clicking pictures of the cabin crew, private airline SpiceJet said on Friday, adding that he was subsequently asked to delete the photos.
The passenger deleted the pictures and gave a written apology for the incident that happened on August 2, the airline said in a statement.
"A passenger seated in the first row of SpiceJet flight SG157 operating from Delhi to Mumbai on August 2 was found clicking pictures of the cabin crew, while she was seated on the jump seat at the time of take-off," a SpiceJet spokesperson said.
"The passenger was confronted by the crew members. He deleted the pictures from his phone and apologised for his action. The passenger also gave a written apology," the spokesperson added.
The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW), taking suo moto cognisance of a purported video of the incident on Instagram, has issued notices to the Delhi Police and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over the matter.
"It is alleged in the viral video that a passenger was trying to click obscene pictures of a woman flight attendant and his woman co-passenger. It has been stated that when his mobile phone was checked, objectionable pictures of the women onboard the plane were found in his mobile," the panel said.
The DCW said it has issued notices to the DCP, IGI Airport and Director General, DGCA in the matter. The commission has asked the Delhi Police and the DGCA to provide action taken reports by August 23.
DCW Chairperson Swati Maliwal called for an FIR to be registered in the matter. "Complaints of sexual harassment on flights are on the rise. This is unacceptable. In this particular case, an FIR should be registered, the matter should be thoroughly investigated and the guilty must be punished," Maliwal said.
"DGCA must have a zero tolerance policy against sexual harassment on flights and take stringent action to prevent such incidents in the future," she said.
दिल्ली से मुंबई की फ्लाइट में यात्री ने छुपकर Flight Attendant और अन्य महिला की videos और आपत्तिजनक फ़ोटो ली। इसको लेके एक वीडियो इंस्टाग्राम पर वायरल हो रहा है। ये बेहद संगीन मामला है, संज्ञान लेते हुए पुलिस और DGCA को नोटिस जारी कर रहे हैं! pic.twitter.com/y4aiE9fdqi
— Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) August 18, 2023
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
HC says Bhojshala complex is Goddess Saraswati temple, scraps ASI order on namaz on premises
Indore (PTI): In a big win for the Hindu side, the Madhya Pradesh High Court on Friday declared that the disputed Bhojshala complex in Dhar district is a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, and the Centre and ASI can decide on its administration and management.
The HC's Indore bench, which was hearing the case, also said the Muslim community, which called the 11th century monument Kamal Maula Mosque, may approach the state government for allotment of separate land in the district for construction of a mosque.
In its much-awaited verdict in the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex dispute, the court observed that there were indications of a Sanskrit teaching centre and a temple of Goddess Saraswati existing in Bhojshala.
The religious character of the disputed complex of Bhojshala-Kamal Maula Mosque indicates it is a temple of Goddess Saraswati, noted the HC.
ALSO READ: Bihar CM walks to secretariat from official residence after PM's appeal to spend wisely
"If the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society applies for land allotment for building a mosque in Dhar district, the state government can consider it," maintained the division bench.
The HC scrapped the 2003 Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) order which allowed Muslims to offer Friday prayers on Bhojshala premises.
Nearly 1,200 police personnel were deployed in and around the complex ahead of the HC ruling.
Dhar Collector Rajeev Ranjan Meena warned of strict action against anyone spreading objectionable content on social media, as the administration erected barricades at the site where Friday prayers coincided with the court verdict.
The long-running dispute pertains to the religious nature of the ASI-protected monument in Dhar district.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala to be a temple dedicated to Vagdevi (Goddess Saraswati), while the Muslim side calls the monument Kamal Maula Mosque. A petitioner from the Jain community claims the disputed complex is a medieval Jain temple and gurukul.
After the controversy over the Bhojshala complex erupted, the ASI issued an order on April 7, 2003, permitting Hindus to worship at the complex every Tuesday and Muslims to offer namaz there every Friday. The Hindu side challenged the order in the HC, seeking exclusive rights to worship at the complex.
A division bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Alok Awasthi of the HC's Indore bench began regular hearings on five petitions and one writ appeal related to the case on April 6 this year.
After hearing all the parties against the backdrop of differing religious beliefs, historical claims, complex legal provisions, and thousands of documents related to the disputed monument, the bench had reserved its decision on May 12.
During the hearing, petitioners from the Hindu, Muslim, and Jain communities presented detailed arguments and sought exclusive worship rights for their communities at the monument.
The ASI, after conducting a scientific survey of the monument, indicated in its over 2,000-page report that a massive structure dating back to the reign of the Parmar kings of Dhar predated the mosque, and that the current disputed structure was built using repurposed temple components.
The Hindu side claimed that coins, sculptures, and inscriptions found by the ASI during its scientific survey prove the complex was originally a temple.
However, the Muslim side argued in court that the ASI's survey report was "biased" and prepared to support the claims of the Hindu petitioners.
Refuting this, the ASI told the court the scientific survey process was carried out with the help of experts, including three from the Muslim community.
The HC had ordered the ASI to conduct a scientific survey of the Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex on March 11, 2024. The ASI began the survey on March 22 that year and, after a detailed 98-day survey, submitted its report to the High Court on July 15.
