Muslims should hand over Gyanvapi site to Hindus: Union minister Giriraj Singh
New Delhi, Jan 26: BJP leader and Union minister Giriraj Singh on Friday said Muslims should hand over the Gyanvapi mosque site to Hindus, and said no statements should be made that can disrupt communal harmony.
The remarks came a day after the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi mosque complex was made public, with the lawyer representing the Hindu litigants claiming that the mosque was built after demolishing a pre-existing temple.
"The Pran Pratishtha (consecration) at the Ram temple (in Ayodhya) has been done by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and the Sanatanis have welcomed it... But our demand has always been Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura," Singh said.
"I will appeal to my Muslim brothers, when all evidence are out, hand over Kashi to Hindus, so that communal harmony is maintained. We have not broken any mosques after independence, but there is no temple left in Pakistan," he claimed.
"I am saying this for harmony, don't make provocative statements. This is changed India, the Sanatani youth has awakened," the minister said.
"If someone tries to be Babur or Aurangzeb, youths will have to become Maharana Pratap. You should ensure peace is maintained, the ball is in your court," Singh added.
A Varanasi court on Wednesday ruled that the ASI survey report on the Gyanvapi mosque complex adjoining the Kashi Vishwanath temple will be given to both the Hindu and Muslim sides.
Vishnu Shankar Jain, the lawyer of the Hindu petitioners in the Kashi Vishwanath-Gyanvapi case, told reporters in Varanasi that the copies of the 839-page report were made available to the parties concerned by the court late Thursday evening.
The report makes it clear that the mosque, which stands adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, was built on the remains of a grand Hindu temple after it was demolished in the 17th century during the reign of Aurangzeb, he said.
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Karnataka govt directs municipal corps to regulate, prohibit pigeon feeding
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka government has issued directions to municipal corporations across the state to regulate and prohibit feeding pigeons in public places, citing serious public health concerns.
Deputy Secretary to Government V Lakshmikanth has written to the Urban Development Department requesting it to issue directions to the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and all municipal corporations to take immediate steps to implement the measures.
In an official note dated December 16 issued by the Health and Family Welfare Department and released to the media on Wednesday, the department said uncontrolled feeding of pigeons in public places has resulted in large congregations of birds, excessive droppings and serious health concerns, particularly respiratory illnesses linked to prolonged exposure to pigeon droppings and feathers such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis and other lung diseases.
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"The commissioner, the Greater Bengaluru Authority and the Commissioners and chief officers of other municipal corporations shall take necessary action to mitigate the causes of dangerous disease spread by pigeon and enforce specified guidelines in their respective jurisdiction," the note said.
According to the department, these include a prohibition on feeding pigeons or causing pigeons to be fed in areas where it may cause nuisance or pose a health hazard to the public. Pigeon feeding shall be permitted only in designated areas in a controlled manner, subject to certain conditions.
"The designated areas may be selected in consultation with stakeholders. The responsibility for upkeep of the designated areas and compliance to the directions shall be taken up by some charitable organisation or an NGO. The feeding in designated areas shall be permitted only for some limited hours in the day," it said.
The note further stated that authorised officers of local authorities shall issue on-the-spot warnings and may impose fines for violation of the order, or lodge complaints to prosecute offenders under Sections 271 (Negligent act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) and 272 (Malignant act likely to spread infection of disease dangerous to life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It also directed local authorities to conduct public awareness campaigns, including the display of signboards, banners and digital messages, explaining the health hazards associated with pigeon droppings and feathers, the content of the regulatory directions and penalties for violations, and alternative humane methods of bird conservation that do not endanger public health.
