Sambhal mentioned in scriptures predating Islam, Vishnu temple destroyed in 1526, claims Adityanath
Lucknow(PTI): Amid the Sambhal mosque controversy, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Adityanath said on Wednesday that forcibly seizing someone's faith and trampling over their beliefs is "unacceptable", especially "when we know the truth about Sambhal" which predates Islam, with the Vishnu temple there being destroyed in 1526.
"Sambhal has been mentioned in scriptures that are 5,000 years old. They contain references to Lord Vishnu's future incarnation. Islam, on the other hand, emerged only 1,400 years ago. I am talking about something that predates Islam by at least 2,000 years," Adityanath said asserting that Sambhal represented "historical truth".
"The evidence for these things has existed for centuries. Remember, in 1526, a temple of Lord Vishnu in Sambhal was demolished. Two years later, in 1528, the Ram temple in Ayodhya was destroyed," he said.
Speaking at an event in Lucknow organised by RSS-linked weeklies Organiser and Panchjanya, the chief minister said both temple demolitions "were carried out by the same person".
Tension has been simmering since last November in Sambhal following a court-ordered survey at a mosque believed by some to be the site of a demolished temple.
Addressing a gathering at the event titled, 'Manthan: Kumbh and Beyond', Adityanath said, "I am a Yogi. I respect every sect, community and form of worship. If you visit Gorakhnath Peeth, you will see that there is no discrimination against anyone.
People of all castes, regions and sects sit together and eat from the same plate and all sadhus, regardless of their religious affiliations, have meals together and receive equal respect, he said.
"This is why I say that the spirit of India's Vedic tradition, as expressed in the Upanishads, is deeply ingrained in us. Every method of worship, whether associated with Sanatan Dharma or any other faith in the world, has some inherent goodness, which is why so many people follow them. But forcibly seizing someone's faith and trampling over their beliefs is unacceptable, especially when we know the truth about Sambhal."
He added, "Sambhal has always been a pilgrimage site. It had 68 sacred places, and so far, we have been able to reclaim 18 of them. There were 19 ancient wells, which we have been revived. After 56 years, for the first time, there was the ritual offering of water at Lord Shiva's temple in Sambhal."
Pointing at opposition parties, Adityanath said, "What were these so-called leaders doing all this time? They have only been busy dividing people in the name of religion and caste."
The chief minister said they should first read the scriptures before attempting to challenge him in a debate.
Adityanath said India was going to lead the world in the 21st century and the path to global welfare will begin here.
"In Ayodhya, after 500 years, Lord Ram was finally enshrined at his birthplace in January 2024. The Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj in 2025 also is an example to all those who doubted (the state's management of the event)," Adityanath said.
He added, "The world is following India's lead. Wherever Prime Minister (Narendra) Modi goes, the world welcomes him with great respect, feeling honoured to host him."
He said India has moved in a new direction and is on its way to becoming a developed nation.
"The best recent example of this comes from the President of Indonesia. His statement is of great significance. Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world, celebrates 'Ramleela' as its national festival. Its currency features Lord Ganesha, and its national airline is named after Garuda. This should be a lesson for many. The President of Indonesia himself said that if his DNA were tested, it would be found to be Indian.
"Those who thrive on India's resources should first get their DNA tested before making statements, and they should stop glorifying foreign invaders. Otherwise, when historical truths like those of Sambhal come to light, they will have nowhere to hide," he said.
The chief minister said his government will use every opportunity it gets to serve people.
"...the world may think whatever it wants about me, but I indeed wear the 'bhagwa' (saffron-coloured clothes associated with Hinduism). This is my identity, and it is also the identity of our Sanatan tradition. I take immense pride in it and mark my words - one day, the entire world will wear it," Adityanath added.
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.
Deaf and mute woman breaks 16-year silence, exposes serial sexual abuse, blackmail in Mumbai
Mumbai (PTI): A deaf and mute woman's complaint about a sexual assault that took place 16 years ago in Mumbai has unmasked a serial predator, revealing a disturbing pattern of abuse and blackmail he perpetrated on several women from the community.
The accused was arrested on December 13 after the survivor broke her silence recently following the suicide attempt by one of the women he allegedly sexually harassed.
Disturbed by the suicide attempt, she confided in her friends during a video call about the assault that occurred in 2009.
According to the police, the survivor, a resident of the western suburbs, communicated in sign language during a video call with her friends and colleagues, who were part of a WhatsApp group, that the accused had drugged and raped her when she was a minor.
She also took her husband into confidence, and with support from Thane Deaf Association president Vaibhav Ghaisis, activist Mohammed Farhan Khan, sign language interpreter Madhu Keni, and a retired officer from the Ali Yavar Jung National Institute of Speech and Hearing Disabilities Divyangjan, the survivor approached the police.
The survivor, her husband and a few of her friends went to the Kurar police station, where her statement was recorded in camera, with Keni as interpreter, and the accused, Mahesh Pawar, was arrested a few hours later from Virar, a suburb in Palghar district.
ALSO READ: Drug peddler's property worth Rs 1 crore attached in Srinagar
Recalling the trauma she endured 16 years ago, the survivor said that a female friend had invited her to explore the city in July 2009 and took her to Pawar's home in Vakola, Santacruz, an official said.
The accused allegedly offered her samosas and some beverage to celebrate the female friend's birthday. The survivor said she was forced to have the drink, which Pawar had allegedly spiked, and after a while, her friend left her alone with him.
The accused allegedly overpowered and raped her, and later blackmailed her with the recorded video of the assault.
The trauma of assault stayed with her over the years, and the attempted suicide of another woman from the community, allegedly assaulted by Pawar, propelled her to come forward.
A probe has revealed that the accused had similarly drugged and assaulted speech and hearing impaired women and threatened them into silence by blackmailing them with obscene videos, a senior police officer said.
The accused allegedly shot obscene videos of several women, using which he blackmailed them and extorted money, gold and mobile phones, he said.
He allegedly forced women into participating in nude video calls with him and recorded these to threaten them, the official said.
"As per initial investigation so far, we have evidence of his abuse of seven women, but the number can increase to more than 24," the official told PTI.
While Pawar has been remanded in judicial custody, no other woman has come forward with a complaint against him as yet, he said.
Talking to PTI, Keni said all women who have survived abuse and harassment by Pawar want to lodge a complaint against him.
She claimed that the accused had extorted money from one of the women he abused, but did not return the sum even when she needed it for a medical emergency.
