Eid prayers held amid tight security in Sambhal, flowers showered on mosque-goers
Sambhal (PTI): People heading to the Shahi Eidgah in Sambhal were welcomed with a shower of flowers on Monday, as members of the Muslim community extended a gesture of unity and brotherhood.
Social worker Saeed Akhtar Israeli and his team led the flower shower, not only on the mosque-goers but also police and administration personnel stationed in the area.
"This initiative was taken to promote unity and communal harmony," Israeli told reporters.
"Just as we distributed gulaal and water guns during Holi to foster brotherhood, today we showered flowers on those celebrating Eid and officials. Our country embodies the Ganga-Jamuni culture where people of all faiths celebrate festivals together. We prayed for peace, prosperity and relief from unemployment and inflation in the country," he added.
The occasion was marked by heavy security, with Superintendent of Police Krishna Kumar Vishnoi confirming that prayers were conducted peacefully at more than 100 mosques and eidgahs by 10:30 am.
"We had deployed 10 companies of the Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) and one company of the Rapid Action Force (RAF). Drones and volunteers were also stationed to ensure smooth proceedings. The people returned home safely after the prayers," he said.
Vishnoi added special arrangements were also in place for the ongoing Navratri celebrations.
Samajwadi Party leader and Sambhal MP Zia Ur Rehman Barq, however, slammed the ban on street prayers and also vowed to strongly oppose the Waqf bill.
Following the prayers at Shahi Eidgah, the MP extended Eid greetings to the nation and called for unity.
"Today, millions across the country have offered Eid prayers. I convey my heartfelt greetings to everyone and pray for the progress of our people, our society and our nation," he said.
Asked about the restriction on street prayers, Barq strongly condemned the move.
"I deeply regret this ban. Our Constitution is secular and grants freedom to all religions to celebrate their festivals. There should be no double standards … When other religious events can be held on roads, why object to a 10-minute prayer?" he asked.
"As a citizen and a member of Parliament, I will stand firmly against any injustice towards my people," he added.
He also addressed the opposition to the Waqf bill, acknowledging that while some wore black armbands in protest, others did not.
"Regardless of the form of protest, the entire community stands against this Bill that seeks to strip 40 crore Muslims of their rights. As Parliament reconvenes tomorrow (Tuesday), I will voice my opposition to this Bill along with my party members," he added.
Communal tension has been simmering in Sambhal since a clash on November 24 resulted in the deaths of four civilians and injuries to several people, including security personnel. The violence had broken out during a protest against a court-ordered survey at the Mughal-era Shahi Jama Masjid.
The court had ordered the survey while hearing a petition that claimed the mosque was built on the site of a demolished Hindu temple.
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US SC rejects 26/11 attack accused Tahawwur Rana’s plea seeking stay on his extradition to India
New York, Apr 7 (PTI): The US Supreme Court has rejected 26/11 Mumbai terror attack accused Tahawwur Rana's appeal seeking a stay on his extradition to India, moving him closer to being handed over to Indian authorities to face justice.
Rana, 64, a Canadian national of Pakistani origin, is currently lodged at a metropolitan detention centre in Los Angeles.
He is known to be associated with Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley, one of the main conspirators of the 26/11 attacks. Headley conducted a recce of Mumbai before the attacks by posing as an employee of Rana’s immigration consultancy.
Rana had submitted an ‘Emergency Application For Stay Pending Litigation of Petition For Writ of Habeas Corpus' on February 27, 2025, with Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States and Circuit Justice for the Ninth Circuit Elena Kagan.
Kagan had denied the application earlier last month.
Rana had then renewed his ‘Emergency Application for Stay Pending Litigation of Petition for Writ of Habeas Corpus previously addressed to Justice Kagan’, and requested that the renewed application be directed to US Chief Justice John Roberts.
An order on the Supreme Court website noted that Rana's renewed application had been “distributed for Conference” on April 4 and the “application” has been “referred to the Court.”
A notice on the Supreme Court website Monday said that “Application denied by the Court.”
Rana was convicted in the US of one count of conspiracy to provide material support to the terrorist plot in Denmark and one count of providing material support to Pakistan-based terrorist organisation Lashker-e-Taiba which was responsible for the attacks in Mumbai.
New York-based Indian-American attorney Ravi Batra had told PTI that Rana had made his application to the Supreme Court to prevent extradition, which Justice Kagan denied on March 6. The application was then submitted before Roberts, “who has shared it with the Court to conference so as to harness the entire Court’s view.”
The Supreme Court justices are Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, Associate Justice Samuel A. Alito, Jr., Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor, Associate Justice Elena Kagan, Associate Justice Neil M. Gorsuch, Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh, Associate Justice Amy Coney Barrett, and Associate Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson.
In his emergency application, Rana had sought a stay of his extradition and surrender to India pending litigation (including exhaustion of all appeals) on the merits of his February 13.
In that petition, Rana argued that his extradition to India violates US law and the UN Convention Against Torture "because there are substantial grounds for believing that, if extradited to India, the petitioner will be in danger of being subjected to torture."
"The likelihood of torture in this case is even higher though as petitioner faces acute risk as a Muslim of Pakistani origin charged in the Mumbai attacks,” the application said.
The application also said that his “severe medical conditions” render extradition to Indian detention facilities a “de facto" death sentence in this case.
The US Supreme Court denied Rana's petition for a writ of certiorari relating to his original habeas petition on January 21. The application notes that on that same day, newly-confirmed Secretary of State Marco Rubio had met with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Washington on February 12 to meet with Trump, Rana’s counsel received a letter from the Department of State, stating that “on February 11, 2025, the Secretary of State decided to authorise” Rana’s "surrender to India,” pursuant to the “Extradition Treaty between the United States and India”.
Rana’s Counsel requested from the State Department the complete administrative record on which Secretary Rubio based his decision to authorize Rana’s surrender to India.
The Counsel also requested immediate information of any commitment the United States has obtained from India with respect to Rana’s treatment. “The government declined to provide any information in response to these requests,” the application said.
It added that given Rana’s underlying health conditions and the State Department’s findings regarding the treatment of prisoners, it is very likely “Rana will not survive long enough to be tried in India".
During a joint press conference with Prime Minister Modi in the White House in February, President Donald Trump announced that his administration has approved the extradition of "very evil" Rana, wanted by Indian law enforcement agencies for his role in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks, "to face justice in India”.
A total of 166 people, including six Americans, were killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks in which 10 Pakistani terrorists laid a more than 60-hour siege, attacking and killing people at iconic and vital locations in Mumbai.
