SC directs Centre not to fill the post of DGMS
New Delhi, Aug 27 : The Supreme Court on Monday restrained the Centre from filling the post of Director General Medical Services (Air Force) and sought Centre's response on the plea by Lt. General Manomoy Ganguly who is asserting claim to be appointed as DGMS (Army).
The bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice Ashok Bhushan restrained the Centre from filling the post as the court was told that the post of the DGMS (Air Force) is likely to be filled thereby closing the doors on Lt. General Ganguly.
Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, who appeared for Lt. Gen. Ganguly, told the court that a man junior to Ganguly by one year is being appointed to the vacant slot.
The court was informed that to defeat the claim by Lt. Gen. Ganguly, the DGMS (Air Force) has been posted as DGMS(Army).
The court ordered that the post of DGMS (Air Force) should not be filled as it perused the records relating to the matter before it.
Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said that it was the decision of Defence Minister to move the DGMS (Air Force) as DGMS (Army).
Attorney General said, "It is Defence Minister's order." Sibal retorted: "Maybe. It may be Prime Minister's decision. A Defence Minister is not above law."
Senior counsel P.S. Patwalia also appearing for Ganguly told the court that he was being offered a three-tier post.
"So far I have not been given anything. They are offering him a three-tier post. If third post (DGMS-Air Force is filled by a third person, then nothing will be left", Patwalia told the court.
The top court by its August 1, 2018 while differing with the Armed Forces Tribunal's May 7, 2018, direction to appoint Lt. Gen. Ganguly as DGMS (Army) had remitted the matter to the Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.
The AFT by its May 7, 2018, order had directed the Centre to appoint Lt. Gen. Ganguly as DGMS (Army) "as expeditiously as possible and certainly not later than one month from today, and for that purpose, take all necessary consequential steps."
The next date of hearing is September 10.
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Bond between Assamese Muslims, Hindus very strong: Author Wasbir Hussain
Guwahati (PTI): The bond between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims is very strong and no one can easily break the traditional friendship between the two communities, Wasbir Hussain, author and executive director of Centre for Development and Peace Studies, has said.
Addressing the fourth anniversary celebrations of the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust, an organisation representing the Assamese Syeds, Hussain on Sunday urged Gauhati University to start a chair in the name of Azan Pir, a 17th-century Muslim reformer and Sufi saint, on the subject of 'inter-faith harmony or harmony of communities'.
Assamese Syeds are one of the five Muslim groups officially recognised by the Assam government as indigenous communities of the state.
Hussain said except religion, there is no difference between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims. Their language is the same, culture is the same, food habits are the same and they dress the same way, he said.
"I strongly believe that no one can easily break the traditional bond of friendship between Assamese Hindus and Assamese Muslims," he said.
Hussain, who is also the editor-in-chief of Guwahati-based Northeast Live, spoke about how the indigenous Muslims of Assam follow cultural Islam compared to religious Islam and live peacefully with the larger Hindu population of the state.
He complimented Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for taking initiatives for the protection of the heritage of the Assamese Muslim community and its overall growth.
Gauhati University Vice Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta, the chief guest of the event, said people or communities can have multiple identities that transcend religion.
He cited the example of Assamese Muslims and Syeds who are descendants of Sufi saint Azan Pir, saying they are part of the greater Assamese society.
Mahanta assured that he will push for the Assamese Syed Welfare Trust's proposal to introduce the Azan Pir chair in Gauhati University and that he will work towards republishing the works of renowned Assamese writer Syed Abdul Malik's 'Jikirs Aru Jari'.
Assamese Syed Welfare Trust president Syed Abdul Rashid Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
