Congress launches agitation over Sabarimala issue
Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 5: The Congress on Friday launched a protest demanding the filing of a review petition against the Supreme Court verdict permitting women of all ages to enter the Sabarimala temple.
The party's protest comes close on the heels of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launching agitations, criticising the LDF government for not filing a review petition against the verdict.
Inaugurating the Congress' protest at Pathanamthitta, which saw participation from a large number of women, Opposition leader in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala alleged that the RSS-BJP and the state government were 'cheating' Hindus.
Sabarimala should not be made into a "war zone", said Chennithala as the Congress hardened its stand against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala.
He also said that the LDF government had initiated "hasty" steps to implement the apex court's order.
"There are many other court orders which are yet to be implemented," he said.
Chennithala, who had asked the Centre to bring in a law to overturn the apex court verdict, alleged that the BJP and its ideological mentor the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were hand-in-glove with the LDF government on the issue.
Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the party would not take any special initiative to take people to the Lord Ayyappa temple.
Those who wish to go there can go, he said in an article in 'Deshabhimani', the party mouthpiece.
Kodiyeri also termed as "nonsense" the BJP's charge that CPI(M) was trying to "suppress" the faith of the believers.
The verdict has put an end to women being treated as second class citizens, he said, adding that instead of being shocked, a willingness to initiate practical steps to implement the verdict was required.
"This is what the Pinarayi Vijayan government is doing", he said.
As the hill shrine will be opened for the monthly poojas on October 16 for the first time after the SC verdict, Kerala Police is gearing up to post more of its women personnel at the temple in anticipation of the influx of women devotees in the light of the verdict.
DGP Loknath Behera has written to his counterparts in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Puducherry, seeking women police personnel from their states for deployment at the temple.
Opposition BJP's feeder organisations-- Yuva Morcha and Mahila Morcha had organised agitations in the last two days against the government decision not to file a review petition.
On October 28, a five-judge constitution bench, headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra, lifted the ban on the entry of women of menstrual age into the shrine.
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Ashoka University Professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad arrested over remarks on Operation Sindoor
sparks free speech debate
Sonipat/New Delhi: Ali Khan Mahmudabad, Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Political Science at Ashoka University, has been arrested following remarks made on social media regarding media briefings related to Operation Sindoor. The arrest has ignited a fresh debate on academic freedom and political sensitivities in India.
The arrest was initiated based on a complaint filed by Yogesh Jatheri, General Secretary of the BJP Yuva Morcha in Haryana. According to sources, Mahmudabad was taken from his Delhi residence without a transit remand, prompting criticism from several academics and activists. Delhi University professor Apoorvanand stated, "Haryana police has illegally arrested Dr. Ali Khan. Taken to Haryana from Delhi without transit remand. FIR at 8 PM. Police reached his home the next morning at 7 AM!"
Mahmudabad's remarks, referring to the press briefings by Wing Commander Vyomika Singh and Colonel Sofia Qureshi as "optics," sparked controversy. He had stated, “Optics must translate to reality on the ground, otherwise it’s just hypocrisy,” as reported by PTI.
In response, the Haryana State Commission for Women issued a notice to Mahmudabad, citing suo motu cognisance of public statements made around May 7. However, the professor did not appear before the Commission in Panchkula as required.
Reacting to the developments, Mahmudabad defended his remarks in a public statement on social media platform X. He said, “I am surprised that the Women's Commission, while overreaching its jurisdiction, has misread and misunderstood my posts to such an extent that they have inverted their meaning.”
He added that his work has always upheld constitutional values. “My academic record, public writings, and policy work, including collaborations with senior bureaucrats, military officers, and politicians, attest to the fact that I have made it a priority to protect the unity and integrity of India,” he said.
Mahmudabad further asserted that his social media posts were aimed at promoting peace and harmony while appreciating the Indian armed forces for their resolve. “I exercised my fundamental right to freedom of thought and speech in order to promote peace and harmony, and to applaud the Indian armed forces for their resolute action,” he said.
Ashoka University issued a statement distancing itself from Mahmudabad’s personal views. “Comments made by a faculty member on his personal social media pages do not represent the opinion of the university. These statements have been made by him independently in his individual capacity,” the university said.
Reaffirming support for the armed forces, the university added, “Ashoka University and all members of the Ashoka community are proud of India's armed forces and support them unequivocally in their actions towards maintaining national security.”
