Pregnant COVID-19 warrior in Karnataka wins accolade, CM expresses gratitude
Bengaluru: A nine-month pregnant nurse on COVID-19 frontline in Karnataka has emerged as a shining example for selfless dedication to work, with Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa expressing his gratitude and requesting her to go on maternity leave.
Roopa, working on a contract basis at Jayachamarajendra Taluk Hospital in Yediyurappa's home district of Shivamogga, insisted on continuing to discharge her duty despite health officials' advising against it citing her advanced pregnancy and surfacing of fresh COVID-19 cases in the district.
"Roopa, I am amazed to learn about your efforts. It is nice to learn that a woman from my district is putting in so much of efforts.
At least now please take rest and return to work after delivery... I humbly request you to take rest from today," the Chief Minister told her over the phone.
Recently, the nurse was deputed to Gajanur in the same district to tackle cases of coronavirus. She has been commuting from Thirthahalli to Gajanur by bus for the past few days.
Meanwhile, Shivamogga, which was under green zone till now, saw a spurt in cases on Sunday with eight people testing positive and one of them was from Thirthahalli.
It was then the district and Taluk health officials realised that Roopa would risk her life if she continued to work and asked her to take a break, sources in the CM office said.
However, Roopa was adamant that she would continue to serve the patients during the pandemic.
Finally, the matter was brought to the notice of Yediyurappa, who called Roopa and requested to take care of her health, following which the woman agreed to go on leave.
According to the Shivamogga District Health Officer Rajesh Suragihalli, Roopa was told that she was in the vulnerable category as per the protocol.
"We had told the Emergency Medical Officer to keep her off from the COVID-19 duty as she is in the vulnerable category because she is pregnant but the EMO replied that she insisted to continue with her work," Dr Suragihalli told PTI.
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Bhojshala complex registered as 'mosque' in old revenue records: Muslim side to MP HC
Indore (PTI): The disputed Bhojshala Temple-Kamal Maula Mosque complex has historically been registered as a 'mosque' in revenue records and available sources don't clearly mention any Saraswati temple established by then-king Raja Bhoj, the Muslim side has told the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The Hindu community considers Bhojshala a temple dedicated to Goddess Saraswati, while the Muslim side calls the 11th-century monument Kamal Maula Mosque. The disputed complex located in Dhar district is protected by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).
During the hearing before the HC's Indore bench of Justices Vijay Kumar Shukla and Justice Alok Awasthi on Wednesday, Qazi Moinuddin questioned two PILs filed as intervenors in the Bhojshala case by an organisation named Hindu Front for Justice, one Kuldeep Tiwari and another individual.
Moinuddin claims to be a descendant of Sufi saint Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti and the 'Sajjadanashin' (spiritual head, guru, or successor of a Sufi shrine, khanqah, or religious site).
The PILs state that Bhojshala is actually a Saraswati temple and only Hindus should be granted the right to worship at the disputed complex.
Moinuddin's lawyer, Noor Ahmed Sheikh, claimed in the court that his client's ancestors, who are descendants of Maulana Kamaluddin Chishti, have historically held titles to the complex, and the site was also recorded as a "mosque" in government revenue records.
He contended that those associated with the management of the Kamal Maula Mosque, located within the complex, have been in "continuous and peaceful occupation" of the site for a long time.
Citing Muslim law, Sheikh argued that in the case of religious property, particularly a mosque or its related properties, officials such as the Sajjadanashin and Mutawalli (person entrusted with management, maintenance, and administration of a Waqf), and their descendants, not only have the right to intervene, but also have the right to manage and use such a structure.
Citing provisions of the Ancient Monuments Preservation Act 1904, the Muslim side's lawyer said the term "in-charge of the property" is used in this law, which makes it clear that the person or party who has been in charge of a property for a long time has rights over it.
During the hearing, Touseef Warsi, the lawyer representing the Maulana Kamaluddin Welfare Society of Dhar, claimed that Hindu parties in both PILs had made "misleading representations" regarding historical facts before the high court.
He further claimed that available historical sources do not clearly mention the existence of a Saraswati temple established by Raja Bhoj, the legendary king of the Parmar dynasty who ruled Dhar from 1010 to 1055.
The ASI, a central government agency, has adopted three different positions in the lawsuits filed regarding the Bhojshala dispute, changing its answers from time to time, and this situation raises serious questions about judicial scrutiny of the complex, Warsi submitted.
He raised objections regarding the ASI's process of scientific survey of the Bhojshala complex, carried out on the HC order in 2024, and the method of videography and requested the court to examine these objections.
The hearing in the Bhojshala case will continue on Thursday.
The HC has been regularly hearing four petitions and one writ appeal since April 6, contesting the religious nature of the monument.
