Remove 'secular' from Constitution, demands Sanatan Sanstha
Mumbai, Aug 27 : Under the scanner of various investigating agencies, the right-wing Sanatan Sanstha on Monday demanded that the word 'secular' be removed from the Indian Constitution.
Sanstha spokesperson Chetan Rajhans said the words 'socialist' and 'secular' were added in the Constitution by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.
"So, if there is a provision to add words, these can also be removed by the same provisions," he told a media conference in Mumbai.
Facing a barrage of questions, Rajhans said that the issue is "nothing new" and that the organisation has been demanding this for long through constitutional means.
Although Sanstha as well as another outfit, Hindu Janjagruti Samiti, are currently facing the heat of various investigating agencies, Rajhans said none of the two was involved in any terror activity. "These are purely religious organizations," he added.
"We are being defamed in a pre-planned manner. We do not support or approve of violence in any form. Our mission for the past 27 years is to propagate 'dharma and spirituality," Rajhans said.
He also brushed aside any involvement of Sanatan Sanstha in the killings rationalist Narendra Dabholkar, Communist leader Govind Pansare (both in Maharashtra), and author M.M. Kalburgi and journalist Gauri Lankesh (both in Karnataka).
"As per our information, nine persons have been arrested by the Maharashtra Anti Terrorist Squad and the Central Bureau of Investigation. None of them is the Sanatan Sanstha's sadhak (seeker). In fact, we have heard of the five names among the accused for the first time. So nobody should link them with us," Rajhans said.
Besides, he pointed out, neither the ATS-CBI chargesheets nor the remand applications have named Sanatan Sanstha. "It is only parties like the Congress, communists, some intellectuals and thinkers and progressive organisations who are targeting the small organisation," he said.
"Demanding a ban on us or arresting our leader, just because the accused are arrested, is ridiculous," Rajhans said.
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Singer MG Sreekumar fined Rs 25,000 for dumping waste in Kochi backwaters
KOCHI, Apr 3 (PTI): A local body near here has slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 against noted playback singer M G Sreekumar for allegedly dumping waste into the Kochi backwaters.
The Mulavukad Grama Panchayat issued a notice directing the singer to pay the fine within 15 days, the authorities said on Thursday.
The notice was issued after a tourist captured a video on their mobile phone showing a garbage bag being thrown into the Kochi backwaters from the singer's house located in Mulavukad panchayat area, panchayat sources said.
According to the sources, a few days ago, this video was posted on social media, tagging Local Self Government Minister M B Rajesh.
In response, the minister stated that complaints regarding public littering, supported by evidence, could be submitted to the government’s WhatsApp number (94467 00800) for action.
After receiving the complaint, the local body’s control room directed the panchayat authorities to inspect the site the same day and confirm the incident, panchayat sources added.
Subsequently, a notice directing to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 was issued under the relevant sections of the Panchayat Raj Act, the sources said.
"After considering the response from the singer, the panchayat will initiate further action if required," said a top panchayat functionary.
However, the singer has not responded to the issue so far.
