Govt defends change in NMC logo, says it is part of India's heritage
New Delhi, Dec 11: The Centre on Monday defended the change in the National Medical Commission's logo to feature Dhanwantari -- the physicians of the Gods in Hindu mythology -- instead of a secular emblem, saying it was part of India's heritage and everyone must feel proud of it.
When the TMC's Santanu Sen raised the issue of the change in the logo through a Zero Hour mention in the Rajya Sabha, Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya said Dhanwantari is a symbol of Indian medical science.
"(It was) already a part of the (Commission's) logo and just some colour has been added and nothing more," he said.
"This is India's heritage. I feel we should feel proud (about it)," he added.
The minister said the logo is designed by taking inspiration from the country's heritage.
"This is a symbol of medical science ... someone who had done so much research in medical science. We have used the photo with no other intention."
The Medical Council of India (MCI) logo was adopted in 1934 after the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933, was enacted.
The law defined medicine as "modern scientific medicine and includes surgery and obstetrics" and the logo used was based on the international symbol for medicine -- the staff of Aesclepius, the Greek god of medicine and healing.
The logo also featured a snake wound around the staff.
While there has been no official announcement of a change in the Commission's logo, a black and white logo with the depiction of Dhanwantari at the centre reportedly appeared in December 2022. The colourised version appeared a couple of months later.
Raising the issue through a Zero Hour mention, Sen demanded the restoration of the National Medical Commission's previous logo.
He said the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956 was repealed in 2020 despite objections from different corners of society and the medical fraternity.
"The National Medical Commission came into force from 25th September 2020, repealing the 64-year-old Indian Medical Council Act, 1956," he added.
Earlier it was termed as "western medicine", then it became "medicine" and finally it was termed as "modern medicine", Sen said and added that the logo of modern medicine is the staff of Aesclepius.
"And there was no need and there was no permissible condition, so far as the National Medical Commission is concerned, that this logo can be changed. But, unfortunately, we have seen in the recent past, I don't know (if it is) because of government instruction or by the National Medical Commission itself, they have changed the logo and they have brought a photograph of Dhanwantari in the logo," Sen said.
The "change of logo was absolutely not needed. It symbolises one particular religion," he added.
The National Medical Commission, he said, regulates medical curriculum and sanctions new medical colleges.
"Its function is not to promote any particular religion. Even the Ayush department did not change its logo but the National Medical Commission has," the TMC MP said.
"It is against the basic oath which doctors take after passing MBBS. They take the oath that we will treat each and every patient irrespective of their caste, creed or religion. We are not bound to treat one particular religion," he said.
The change of logo, he said, was against the basic essence of the Indian Constitution which, through Article 25 and 26 after the 42nd Amendment in 1976, states that India is a secular country.
"And we should promote the dovetailing of religion," Sen said and demanded that the National Medical Commission immediately restore the previous logo that did not symbolise any particular religion.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Delhi HC asks J&K MP Engineer Rashid to deposit Rs 4 lakh for going to Parliament in custody
Terror funding case
New Delhi, Mar 29 (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Friday asked Jammu and Kashmir MP Abdul Rashid Sheikh, alias Engineer Rashid, to deposit Rs 4 lakh with the prison authorities as travel expenses for attending Parliament.
A bench of Justices Chandra Dhari Singh and Anup Jairam Bhambhani on March 25 allowed him to attend the ongoing Parliament session "in-custody" till April 4 and rejected the NIA's apprehension that he was a flight risk.
Rashid counsel on Friday said he had already deposited Rs 1.45 lakh with the authorities and would deposit the remaining Rs 2.55 lakh within three days.
The bench said upon depositing the amount, he would be taken to the Parliament to attend the session.
The court observed it did not want the purpose of its order on allowing Rashid to attend the Parliament session to be defeated and therefore it was trying to strike a balance between the interest of both the parties.
Rashid, the court said, should at least deposit 50 per cent of the total amount of Rs 8.74 lakh and posted the matter on May 19.
The NIA, in the meantime, was directed to respond to Rashid's plea for a waiver of the condition to bear travel expenses to attend the Parliament session within four weeks.
Rashid said the March 25 order granting him permission to attend Parliament was uploaded on the court’s website on March 26 afternoon and in the evening his counsel received an e-mail from the jail authorities that he was required to pay around Rs 1.45 lakh each day for travel and other arrangements.
It summed up to Rs 8.74 lakh for the six-day duration, the plea said.
Rashid claimed of not being in afinancial position to bear the “excessively high” cost and he was going to fulfil his constitutional duties and not allowed to be prejudiced with such high costs.
His plea was opposed by the NIA counsel who said it was a gross misuse of the law.
Rashid's counsel said the parliamentarian did not have money to give to the authorities which hampered him from attending the Parliament sessions and he would have to crowd fund the amount.
While allowing him to attend Parliament, the court had asked plain-clothed policemen to escort Rashid from prison to Parliament on days of the Lok Sabha session between March 26 and April 4 aside from bearing the expenses for the to-and-fro travel and other arrangements.
Rashid, who is facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a 2017 terror funding case, had challenged a March 10 trial court order refusing him custody parole or interim bail to attend Lok Sabha proceedings till April 4.
In the high court, he gave up his plea for interim bail or custody parole and sought to attend the Parliament sessions "in-custody".
The NIA had opposed the plea saying by allowing him to attend Parliament, would enable him a platform to air his opinions which he could misuse.
The high court, however, said the control of parliamentary proceedings was within the remit of the Lok Sabha speaker and it had no doubt that the proceedings would be conducted with requisite discipline.
The Baramulla MP, who defeated Omar Abdullah in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, is facing trial in a terror funding case with allegations that he funded separatists and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir.
He has been lodged in Delhi's Tihar Jail since 2019 after the NIA arrested him in the 2017 terror-funding case. He was granted interim bail for one month in September last year to campaign in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election.
The NIA's FIR alleged Rashid's name cropped up during the interrogation of businessman and co-accused Zahoor Watali.
After being chargesheeted in October 2019, a special NIA court framed charges against Rashid and others in March 2022 under Sections 120B (criminal conspiracy), 121 (waging war against the government), and 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code and for offences relating to terrorist acts and terror funding under UAPA.
_vb_11.jpeg)