UP Cong holds statewide protest seeking probe into FIR against Swami Avimukteshwaranand
Lucknow (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh Congress on Wednesday staged a statewide protest demanding a fair and transparent inquiry into the FIR lodged against Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati and those who filed the complaint against him.
In a statement issued here, the party said memorandums addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi were submitted through district magistrates in all districts of the state.
Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Manish Hindvi told PTI that the memorandums were handed over through the district administration in all 75 districts.
In the memorandum, the party alleged that Saraswati and his disciples were "unnecessarily harassed and humiliated" by police on the occasion of Amavasya and were prevented from taking a ritual bath (at the Magh Mela). It further alleged that some disciples were manhandled and taken to a police station.
The memorandum also claimed that an FIR was later registered against Saraswati, his disciple Swami Mukundanand Brahmachari and several unidentified persons in a sexual harassment case. It termed the case a "conspiracy" aimed at tarnishing the seer's reputation.
Citing Articles 25 and 26 of the Constitution, the memorandum stated that these provisions guarantee religious freedom and the right of religious denominations to manage their own affairs.
It described the position of shankaracharya held by Saraswati as "one of the highest spiritual posts in Sanatan tradition" and alleged that the entire episode appeared to have been "orchestrated in a planned manner".
"We request that the background of the persons who got the FIR registered be investigated in a transparent manner by a retired high court judge and strict action be taken against them," the memorandum said.
It also sought a "fair and transparent probe" into the allegations levelled against Saraswati so that the truth could be established.
Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai had told reporters in Varanasi after meeting Saraswati that the party stood firmly with him.
The Congress said it would continue to press for an impartial inquiry into the entire episode.
On February 21, an FIR was lodged in Prayagraj against Saraswati and his disciple Mukundanand Brahmachari on charges of sexually abusing two persons, including a minor, over the past year at a gurukul and religious congregations, including the recently concluded Magh Mela.
Days after he was booked, Saraswati had said on Monday that he would not oppose his arrest and asserted that the "fabricated story" would be exposed sooner or later.
At a press conference on Wednesday, Saraswati alleged that criminals rule in Uttar Pradesh, level allegations and influence investigations, as he denied having any contact with the two persons for whose alleged sexual abuse he has been booked.
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Mamata alleges 'conspiracy' to remove 1.2 crore voters from post-SIR electoral rolls in Bengal
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Kolkata (PTI): West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday vowed to continue her fight against the alleged omission of voters' names in the ongoing SIR, saying she apprehended a "conspiracy" to delete over 1.2 crore names from the final electoral rolls of the state citing logical discrepancies.
Noting that 58 lakh names of voters were omitted after the first phase of the Special Summary Revision (SIR) exercise, Banerjee alleged, "Under the pretext of logical discrepancies, names of at least 20 lakh additional genuine voters were surreptitiously removed after February 14, the hearing deadline".
Speaking at a government function in Bhabanipur in South Kolkata, her own assembly constituency, from where she inaugurated and laid foundation stones for multiple infrastructure projects in the state worth Rs 850 crore, Banerjee declared she would continue to stand with voters whose names are likely to be deleted "unfairly".
"There is a conspiracy to remove 80 lakh names from the electoral rolls which is scheduled to be published on February 28. Subsequently, there is an attempt to remove another 40 lakh voters from the electoral rolls through the supplementary lists," she said, without directly naming the Election Commission.
"We do not know what kind of voters' list will be published on 28 February. Even after the deadline of 14 February had passed, attempts to delete names continued," she added.
The CM said she approached the Supreme Court to stop the unfair deletions and, despite the apex court orders, the "diabolical game plan" hadn't stopped.
"I do not look at the political affiliation or religion of voters. I only want to ensure that people's rights are not taken away and that democratic values remain intact. I oppose the deletion of any legitimate voter. Despite the Supreme Court's order issued four to five days ago, nothing has happened so far. I say jio aur jiney do (live and let live)," Banerjee said.
The TMC supremo maintained that she was distraught with how people may feel if their names do not appear on the February 28 list.
"I pray for them in front of the Manastambha. Please do not allow the rights of the people to be taken away. If the rights of all legitimate voters are restored, I will return here to express my gratitude in front of this Manastambha," the chief minister said, standing beforethe Jain stambha (pillar) she earlier inaugurated at the community temple in the area.
She also inaugurated the Sant Kutia Gurdwara Gate for the Sikhs in Kolkata and laid the foundation stone for a Minority Centre that will be built in New Town at a cost of Rs 28.77 crore, for which, she said, land has already been allotted.
"All minority communities -- Jains, Sikhs, Muslims, Christians, and Buddhists -- will be able to organise programmes there. Many Punjabi brothers and sisters had requested the construction of the Sant Kutiya Gurdwara Gate, and I have honoured that promise," she said.
The projects also included a 100-bed mother and child hub at the Muslim pilgrimage site Furfura Sharif in Hooghly district, a rural hospital at Gosaba in the Sunderbans, a new fire brigade station in Tollygunge, Kolkata, 100 AC and 20 non-AC CNG buses to be run by the state transport department.
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