Controversy surrounds NMC logo as IMA Kerala objects to depiction of Hindu deity
Thiruvananthapuram/New Delhi (PTI): The National Medical Commission (NMC) came under attack from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Kerala unit on Thursday over its logo depicting a Hindu deity, even as the central agency stated that Lord Dhanvantari had been its emblem for the past year.
According to Hindu mythology, Lord Dhanvantari is the physician of the Gods.
Dr Sulphi Noohu, IMA Kerala president,said that a secular message and way of thinking would have been more appropriate and acceptable in the NMC's logo. In a Facebook post, the doctor, known for his secular views, stated that the national leadership of the IMA would raise a strong protest against the logo change.
Noohu in his post has included images of the current logo of the NMC and a purported earlier one which carries the National emblem (an adaptation from the Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka).
In response to IMA Kerala's allegations, Dr Yogendra Malik, Member of the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of NMC, said that in the earlier NMC logo, "the depiction of the image of the Hindu deity Dhanvantari was in black and white, and when taking printouts, it was not clear."
"Now it's in colour, and that's the only difference. The National emblem was never the logo of NMC," he clarified.
Dr Malik also said that the logo of the Commission, which came into existence in September 2020 through the NMC Act of 2019, was decided following wide consultation and that too more than a year back.
Meanwhile, in his social media post, Dr Noohu also said that the field of medicine transcends caste and religion and should always remain so.
He said that any attempt to introduce caste or religious thoughts into this field was not acceptable at all.
Noohu further said that the IMA treats all castes and religions equally and remains politically and religiously neutral.
In June this year, the IMA Kerala had strongly objected to a request of a group of female Muslim MBBS students here seeking permission to wear long-sleeve scrub jackets and surgical hoods in operation theatres.
Noohu had said a patient is the most significant person in hospitals and operation theatres and the existing globally accepted protocol should be followed there without fail to ensure their safety.
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Over 350 illegal religious structures removed along Nepal border
Lucknow, May 11 (PTI): The Uttar Pradesh government on Sunday said that more than 350 unauthorised religious sites, including madrasas, mosques, mazars and Eidgahs, have been identified and subjected to sealing or demolition in recent days, an official statement issued here said.
Acting on Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's clear directive that no religious encroachment will be tolerated, the administration in districts such as Pilibhit, Shravasti, Balrampur, Bahraich, Siddharthnagar and Maharajganj has launched a sweeping campaign, it said.
The authorities have systematically identified illegal structures and taken strict action, continuing operations even on Sunday.
The chief minister has made it clear that encroachment in the name of any religion will not be allowed and all violators, especially those running unrecognised religious institutions, will face legal consequences, the statement said.
On May 10 and 11, 104 madrasas, one mosque, five mazars and two Eidgahs built illegally on public and private land were identified in Shravasti. All were issued notices and sealed, it said.
One illegal madrasa on public land was demolished and two unrecognized madrasas on private land were sealed, the statement added.
In Bahraich, officials identified 13 madrasas, eight mosques, two mazars and one Eidgah illegally constructed on government land.
After issuing notices, five were sealed and 11 were demolished, including eight madrasas, two mosques and one mazar, the statement said.
In Siddharthnagar, the authorities identified four mosques and 18 madrasas and one more madrasa for illegal construction. Notices were issued to these structures. Five madrasas were sealed and nine were demolished. In total, action was taken against 23 illegal structures in the district, it said.
In Maharajganj’s Nautanwa tehsil, Parsamalik village, an unrecognized madrasa operating on Maktab land was shut down based on a report submitted by the District Minority Welfare Officer.
The building’s keys were handed over to the local police station in-charge. So far, 29 madrasas and five mazars constructed through encroachment on public and private land have been demolished in the district.
In past two days in Lakhimpur Kheri, two mosques, one Eidgah on public land along with eight madrasas on private land were found to be illegally constructed.
Of the 13 structures identified, one was served a notice, nine were sealed and three have been demolished so far, the statement said.
The district authorities in Pilibhit have identified an illegal mosque built on public land in Bharatpur village, covering an area of 0.0310 hectares.
According to the district magistrate, a notice has been issued to the parties involved, seeking a response within 15 days. Action against the illegal construction will be taken after the notice period ends, it said.
On Sunday, an under-construction madrasa on public land in Virpur Semra village, Tulsipur tehsil, was demolished in Balrampur. So far, 30 madrasas, 10 mazars and one Eidgah have been demolished in the district.
Ten of them were built illegally on public land, while 20 were constructed without authorization on private land, the statement said.
