Declare Ayodhya site a national heritage: PIL
New Delhi, June 1: The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the advocate, who has sought a direction to declare the disputed Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid site at Ayodhya a national heritage, to file a representation before the Central government.
A bench of Acting Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice C. Hari Shankar asked petitioner advocate Anu Mehta to make a representation before the Union Ministry of Culture in this regard and said that the government may consider the representation and take a decision within three months.
The Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed by Mehta, who has sought the court's direction for protection and preservation of the ancient and endangered archaeological monument located at Ayodhya.
In the plea, she has sought a direction to declare the Ayodhya site as well as the entire monument at the site as per Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act a national heritage.
The petitioner has also sought the court's direction to preserve the protected Ayodhya site, take necessary action to preserve both monuments -- the ancient temple as well as the mosque independently, and if required, separate the superstructure from the original structure of the entire monument at the site to maintain the sanctity of both the monuments.
"Beneath the superstructure lies an ancient monument which dates back to centuries and holds a vital key to the history of the continent's ancient civilisation. Thus, the ancient monument constitutes national heritage as per the provisions of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act," the plea read.
The PIL said that the monument holds vital information and proofs regarding the past civilisation and points at the social, cultural and religious advancement in the region in that era.
The plea also mentions that there also exists a mosque at the site which too may be acquired and protected by the Archaeological Survey of India and holds a historical importance as it signifies and denotes the sad invasion of India by Babur which too is a vital and historically unfortunate event in India's history.
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Smriti Irani being considered as BJP face for Delhi poll campaign, other names also on table: Report
Delhi: The increased involvement of Smriti Irani in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) activities in Delhi has stirred discussions within the party's local unit regarding her potential candidacy in the upcoming 2025 assembly elections. For the first time in a decade, the BJP is considering projecting a face for its Delhi election campaign, with Irani's name among those in contention.
The recent meeting included discussions about several potential names who could be the face of the BJP for their Delhi poll campaign, including Irani, who previously lost the Lok Sabha election in Amethi to Congress's Kishori Lal, a senior BJP leader told The Indian Express. Other names mentioned include Praveen Khandelwal, Kamaljeet Sehrawat, Manoj Tiwari, and Bansuri Swaraj. “Several possibilities are on the table, including fielding Smriti ji, regarding whom the national leadership is in the process of taking the final decision. Or, the party may bet on an incumbent Lok Sabha MP popular enough to pull the party through the Delhi Assembly elections. If an MP gets elected CM, they may then be replaced by a former Union Minister,” added the BJP functionary.
An insider revealed to the publication that the saffron party is contemplating a unified campaign strategy for the Delhi elections, marking a significant shift since the party last did so in 2015. This topic was addressed among senior leaders during a meeting held at the party's DDU Marg headquarters on the same day that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal resigned as Delhi Chief Minister, handing leadership to Atishi. The source revealed that the Union Ministers present in the meeting asked for suggestions on whom the party could project as the face of its Delhi election campaign based on various criteria.
In addition to selecting a campaign face, BJP leadership is reportedly also considering a larger role for its Delhi MPs, keeping adequate caste and community representation in mind.. “As far as the MPs are concerned, they are being assessed based on their popularity as well as the caste and community they belong to. The party may go in for significant organisational changes in Delhi during Navratri in October after the conclusion of the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections,” a BJP leader told IE.
