Tanzeem leads massive protest in Bhatkal against blasphemous remarks by Yati Narsinghanand
Bhatkal Bandh called on October 15 to register protest against remarks
Bhatkal: The Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem Bhatkal organised a large protest in the city on Monday, condemning the offensive remarks made by Yati Narsinghanand against Prophet Mohammed during an event last month. The protest saw a strong turnout, with speakers demanding strict action against the controversial figure for his repeated inflammatory statements.
Maulana Abdul Aleem, one of the key speakers at the protest, denounced Narsinghanand's comments, calling them deeply offensive. He described Prophet Mohammed as a "messenger of God and an ambassador of peace and harmony," adding that anyone who insults the Prophet is undermining social harmony. He also labelled Narsinghanand as an "anti-social element" who stands against the pluralistic and democratic ideals on which India is built.
Mohammed Kunhi, Manager of Shanti Prakashan, Mangaluru, echoed similar sentiments. He pointed out that Narsinghanand has a history of making blasphemous statements and emphasized the need for strict legal action to send a message that such behaviour will not be tolerated in an inclusive and diverse India.
Inayathullah Shabandri, President of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem, also voiced strong condemnation of Narsinghanand's remarks. He called upon the Karnataka government to take immediate and firm action. Shabandri warned that if the authorities failed to act, the Tanzeem would escalate the protest with a larger "Karwar Chalo" march to press for justice.
Abdur Raqeeb MJ, General Secretary of Tanzeem, highlighted the significance of Prophet Mohammed's teachings, describing him as the "greatest professor of peace" for all of humanity. He stressed that such remarks not only hurt the sentiments of Muslims but also disrupt the social fabric of the country.
Advocate Imran Lanka, convenor of the protest, read out a memorandum addressed to the Chief Justice of India. The document, submitted through the Bhatkal Assistant Commissioner, demanded that Narsinghanand be charged under stringent laws, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), to prevent such incidents from recurring.
The protest underscored the frustration felt by the Muslim community in India over the lack of action against Narsinghanand’s repeated hate speeches.
In a further move to register their protest, the Tanzeem has called for a 24-hour Bandh across Bhatkal, urging local traders to shut their businesses from Tuesday morning to Wednesday morning. The call for a complete shutdown is intended to amplify their demand for action against the blasphemous remarks and to show solidarity within the community.
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Kerala HC sets aside Sabarimala airport land acquisition process
Kochi (PTI): The Kerala High Court has set aside crucial stages of the land acquisition process for the proposed Sabarimala greenfield airport, holding that the state failed to properly assess the minimum land actually required for the project.
On December 30, 2022, the state government issued an order granting sanction for the acquisition of 2,570 acres of land, comprising the Cheruvally Estate and an additional 307 acres located outside it.
Justice C Jayachandran, delivering the judgment on a writ petition filed by Ayana Charitable Trust (formerly Gospel for Asia) and its managing trustee Dr Siny Punnoose, ruled the decision-making process under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013, was legally flawed.
The court, in its December 19 order, directed the state to restart the process by conducting a fresh social impact assessment limited to examining the minimum land requirement, followed by a fresh appraisal by the expert group and reconsideration by the government.
The petitioners had challenged several government actions, including the Social Impact Assessment (SIA) report, the expert committee appraisal, the state government order approving the acquisition, and the subsequent notification under Section 11 of the 2013 Act.
The land in question, mainly the Cheruvally Estate in Pathanamthitta district, is proposed to be acquired for building a new airport intended to serve Sabarimala pilgrims.
The court found that while the state is entitled to acquire land for public purposes, the law clearly mandates that only the "absolute bare minimum" extent of land required for a project can be acquired.
According to the court, this mandatory requirement under Sections 4(4)(d), 7(5)(b), and 8(1)(c) of the 2013 Act was not properly complied with.
Justice Jayachandran observed that the authorities had shown "manifest non-application of mind" in assessing how much land was genuinely necessary.
As a result, the SIA report, the Expert Committee report and the government order were declared invalid to the extent they failed to address this crucial requirement.
Since the Section 11 notification could only be issued after a valid completion of these steps, it too was quashed.
On the petitioners' allegation of fraud on power and colourable exercise of authority, the court did not give a final finding. It held that this issue is closely linked to determining the minimum land required and can only be examined after that exercise is properly completed.
Before concluding, the court suggested that for technically complex projects like airports, the state should include technical experts in the SIA team to ensure informed and lawful decision-making.
The writ petition was accordingly allowed, keeping other issues raised by the petitioners open for future consideration.
