Hubballi case not the only one withdrawn, farmers', students' cases also withdrawn: G. Parameshwara
Bengaluru: "It’s not just the Hubballi case that has been withdrawn. Cases involving protests by farmers, students, and the general public have also been withdrawn," clarified Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
Speaking to reporters near his residence in Sadashivanagar, he said, "We have followed legal procedures in withdrawing the cases. If the court agrees, they will be dropped; otherwise, the cases will proceed."
He added, "We had 56 cases before us, and we have withdrawn 43 of them. These cases are not exclusively related to minorities; they include cases of protests by farmers, students, and the general public at different times. All of these cases have been withdrawn. Had we withdrawn only the Hubballi case or if all 43 cases were solely related to minorities, the BJP's allegations would have some merit. But that’s not the case; we have to look at everything with equality."
He explained that there is a set procedure for withdrawing cases. "Some have filed petitions alleging false cases, or that the applicable sections were not added, or that incidents were misrepresented. To review such petitions, a subcommittee has been formed, typically chaired by the Home Minister. We forward the petitions to the relevant department, which reviews FIRs registered at police stations and examines any flaws in evidence collection. These findings are then brought before the subcommittee."
He mentioned that the subcommittee is currently discussing the cases, including the Hubballi case, where a petition was also submitted. "It was discussed that there was no need to file cases against so many people, and the decision to withdraw the cases was made in a Cabinet meeting."
Responding to BJP's criticism, Parameshwara said, "Even when they were in power, BJP did the same in several cases. In BJP-ruled states, similar actions have been taken. For instance, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had cases against him, which were withdrawn while he was in office."
Regarding Rahul Kharge’s decision to return the Siddharth Trust land, he said, "We obtained the land without violating any laws, but since they’ve accused us, we’ve returned it. BJP sees everything through biased eyes, much like jaundice making everything appear yellow."
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UP Police use tear gas to disperse crowd throwing stones during Sambhal mosque survey
Sambhal (UP) (PTI): Police used tear gas and "minor force" in the face of stone pelting by locals here on Sunday as tension escalated during a second survey of the Mughal-era mosque, claimed to be originally the site of an ancient Hindu temple.
Tension has been seething in Sambhal over the past few days after the Jama Masjid was surveyed last Tuesday on the orders of a local court following a petition that claimed that a Harihar temple stood at the site.
According to the local administration, a second survey by an "Advocate Commissioner" as part of a court-ordered examination into the disputed site began around 7 am and a crowd began gathering at the spot.
"Some miscreants came out of the crowd gathered near the site and pelted stones at the police team. The police used minor force and tear gas to bring the situation under control," Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi said.
He said those who engaged in stone pelting and those who incited them will be identified and action taken against them.
District Magistrate Rajendra Pesia said, "Some miscreants resorted to stone pelting but the situation is peaceful now and the survey is underway."
Videos of youths throwing stones at police, purportedly near the site of the survey in Sambhal have surfaced on the Internet.
Supreme Court lawyer Vishnu Shankar Jain, who is also the petitioner in the case, had said the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) ordered the constitution of an "Advocate Commission" to survey the mosque.
The court has said that a report should be filed after conducting a videography and photography survey through the commission, he had said.
The Central and Uttar Pradesh governments, the mosque committee and the district magistrate of Sambhal have been made parties in the petition concerning the mosque, Jain said last Tuesday.
Vishnu Shankar Jain and his father Hari Shankar Jain have represented the Hindu side in many cases related to places of worship, including the Gyanvapi Mosque-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute.
Gopal Sharma, a local lawyer for the Hindu side, told PTI on Friday that in his petition filed in the court, he mentioned that "Baburnama" and the "Ain-e-Akbari" has confirmed that a Harihar temple was at the site where the Jama Masjid now stands.
He also claimed that the temple was demolished by Mughal Emperor Babur in 1529.
Samajwadi Party (SP) MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq had objected to the developments.
"The Jama Masjid of Sambhal is historical and very old. The Supreme Court had given the order in 1991 that whatever religious places are there in whatever condition since 1947, they will remain at their places," he had said.
The next date for hearing in this case is January 29.
VIDEO | Uttar Pradesh: Stones and slippers pelted in Sambhal when a survey team reached Shahi Jama Masjid to conduct a survey of the mosque.
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) November 24, 2024
(Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvrpG7)#SambhalJamaMasjid pic.twitter.com/K4QGGpzlMK
