Govt may gain control over Pataudi family's Rs 15,000 crore property in Bhopal: Report
Bhopal: The central government can take over the historical properties of the Pataudi family estimated to be worth Rs 15,000 crore in Madhya Pradesh under provisions of the Enemy Property Act, 1968, as per a ruling by the Madhya Pradesh High Court.
The HC lifted the stay imposed on these properties in 2015, potentially paving the way for their acquisition under the Enemy Property Act, 1968, as reported by NDTV.
Some of the properties included in the ruling are Flag Staff House, the Noor-Us-Sabah Palace, Dar-Us-Salam, Bungalow of Habibi, Ahmedabad Palace, Kohefiza Property, among others. The Enemy Property Act allows the government to seize control of properties belonging to persons who migrated to Pakistan after the Partition.
Bhopal's last Nawab, Hamidullah Khan, had three daughters. One of them migrated to Pakistan, while his second daughter, Sajida Sultan, stayed in India and married Nawab Iftikhar Ali Khan Pataudi, and became the legal heir.
Saif Ali Khan is Sajida's grandson ,and he inherited a share of the properties. However, the government is citing the migrant daughter as grounds to take control of the properties, NDTV mentioned.
Justice Vivek Agarwal, in his ruling, stated that the amended Enemy Property Act, 2017, provides a statutory mechanism for addressing disputes. "If a representation is filed within 30 days from today, the appellate authority shall not advert to the aspect of limitation and shall deal with the appeal on its own merits," the report said, quoting the court.
Meanwhile, 1.5 lakh residents are anxious about the potential takeover after the government has been pushing forward its plans to conduct surveys and determine ownership.
"The stay has been lifted, but merging these properties under the Enemy Property Act is complicated. The Pataudi family still has a chance to appeal," one of the residents of these properties told the publication.
"The government is claiming these properties, but many have been sold or leased over the years. This issue is far from straightforward,” another resident said.
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Anti-Dalit mindset: Rahul Gandhi slams BJP after leader 'purifies' Rajasthan temple
Ahmedabad (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday accused the BJP of having an "anti-Dalit mindset" after its leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Rajasthan's Alwar to "purify" it following Congress' Tikaram Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
He also asserted that the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by 'Manusmriti' "which considers Bahujans as second class citizens".
The Congress on Tuesday had accused the BJP of being "anti-Dalit" and demanded an apology from its top leadership after a party leader sprinkled Ganga water at a Ram temple in Alwar to "purify" it following Jully's participation in the consecration ceremony there.
Referring to the incident, Gandhi said in a post in Hindi on X, "Another example of BJP's anti-Dalit and Manuvadi thinking! BJP has been continuously insulting Dalits and attacking the Constitution."
"That is why it is important not just to respect the Constitution but also to protect it. Modi Ji, the country will be run by the Constitution and its ideals, not by Manusmriti which considers Bahujans as second class citizens," Gandhi, who is here to attend the AICC aession said.
Congress leaders, including Jully and former chief minister Ashok Gehlot, have termed Gyandev Ahuja's act an insult to Dalits, but the BJP leader denied the charge.
Maintaining that there was no caste angle to his act, Ahuja, however, defended his action, saying Congress leaders have "no moral authority" to attend such ceremonies as the party's leadership had questioned the existence of Lord Ram and "boycotted" the consecration ceremony in Ayodhya last year.
The consecration ceremony at the Ram temple in a residential society of Alwar was held on Sunday on the occasion of Ram Navami and Jully was in attendance.
On Monday, Ahuja said the consecration ceremony was a "good programme", but there were some "discrepancies".
"I went there today and sprinkled Ganga water to purify the temple premises," he told reporters in Alwar.
"The Congress' former president Sonia Gandhi had got affidavits submitted in court, calling Lord Ram mythical. Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi boycotted the historic Ram temple consecration ceremony in Ayodhya. So the party leaders have no moral authority to attend such programmes," he said.
When contacted, Ahuja told PTI that he took the step because of Congress leaders' view and approach towards Lord Ram and not because Jully is a "Dalit".
Jully, on the other hand, claimed that Ahuja's act was indicative of the BJP's mentality towards Dalits. He claimed it was not only an attack on his faith but also an effort to promote the crime of untouchability.
