SC should put a stop to lawsuits seeking survey of mosques: CPI(M)
New Delhi (PTI): The CPI(M) Politburo on Monday voiced concern over the spate of lawsuits filed across the country seeking survey of ancient mosques to verify the presence of temple ruins lying underneath.
"After Varanasi and Mathura, in Sambhal, a survey was ordered of a 16th century mosque by a lower court. This resulted in violence in which four Muslim youth were killed. Following this, a similar petition has been entertained in the civil court in Ajmer regarding the Ajmer Sharif Dargah," the party said.
In a statement here after a two-day meeting of the CPI(M) Politburo on December 7-8, the Left party said it is unfortunate that the Supreme Court has not intervened to put a stop to such litigations.
"The 2019 five-member bench judgment of the Supreme Court on the Ayodhya dispute had categorically upheld the validity of the law and its enforcement. Given this direction, it is incumbent on the apex court to intervene to put a stop to legal proceedings, which are violative of the Act," the CPI(M) said.
Several litigations filed in various courts related to temple-mosque disputes have come into the limelight, including on Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi, Shahi Idgah Mosque in Mathura, Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal, Ajmer Dargah of Sufi saint Moinuddin Chishti and Budaun’s Jama Masjid Shamsi, where petitioners have claimed that these were built after destroying ancient temples and sought permission to offer Hindu prayers there.
The Supreme Court has constituted a special bench to hear a batch of PILs challenging the validity of certain provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991 law that prohibits filing a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947.
The party also said the Bangladesh administration seems to be ignoring the activities of Islamist fundamentalist forces.
While reiterating its stand that the interim government in Bangladesh should ensure protection of religious minorities, the CPI(M) alleged that the BJP-RSS and Hindutva outfits are seeking to whip up passion by propaganda.
"At the same time, the Politburo decries the efforts of the BJP-RSS and Hindutva outfits in India, which are seeking to whip up passions by incendiary propaganda.Such an approach will not help the interests of the minorities in Bangladesh," they said.
Extending support to the ongoing protest of farmers of Greater Noida, the Politburo said, "The CPI(M) fully supports this struggle, demands that repression must be stopped forthwith and the government must accept and implement the just demands of the struggle."
They also condemned the police action, and said that around 150 leaders and activists of All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) and other orgnisations have been jailed. The arrested farmers are on a hunger strike in jail.
The CPI(M) also demanded immediate disbursal of funds for disaster-hit Wayanad in Kerala.
"Despite the state's urgent plea for Rs. 214.68 crore in immediate relief and Rs. 2,319.1 crore for comprehensive recovery and reconstruction, the Centre has failed to approve the funds even after four months," they said.
"The refusal to classify the landslide as a 'calamity of severe nature' and the unwillingness to waive loans for the affected families also reflect a deeply unjust and inhumane approach, undermining the principles of federal support in times of crisis," the CPI(M) said.
The Poiltburo also discussed a draft of the political resolution which will be taken up at the 24th party congress in April.
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SGPC writes to Mann, seeks ban on 'Emergency' in Punjab a day before release
Amritsar, Jan 16 (PTI): The SGPC on Thursday wrote to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, seeking a ban on the release of Kangana Ranaut's movie 'Emergency' saying it "tarnishes" the image of Sikhs and "misrepresents" history.
Actor and BJP MP Ranaut's 'Emergency' is slated to release in cinemas on January 17.
In the letter to Mann, Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee chief Harjinder Singh Dhami expressed strong objection to Ranaut's film.
Dhami said that if the film is released in Punjab, it will spark "outrage and anger" in the Sikh community and therefore it is the responsibility of the government to ban its release in the state.
The SGPC, an apex gurdwara body, had earlier also protested the film.
"It has come to our attention that the movie 'Emergency' produced by BJP MP Kangana Ranaut is going to be released on 17th January 2025 in cinemas in different cities of Punjab and the tickets have also started to be booked," its letter to Mann read.
Dhami said the SGPC had also protested the release of the movie in a letter to the Punjab Chief Secretary on November 14 last year.
"But it is sad that the Punjab government has not taken any step till now. If this film is released on January 17, 2025, then it is natural to create outrage and anger in the Sikh world," the current letter read.
Dhami said the SGPC will submit a letter also to all the deputy commissioners in Punjab, seeking a ban on the film in the state.
The SGPC denounced the "character assassination" of Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale, the Khalistani militant killed in 1984 in a military operation.
"If this film is released in Punjab, we will be forced to strongly oppose it at the state level," Dhami said.
In August last year, the SGPC sent a legal notice to the producers of the 'Emergency' film, alleging that it "misrepresented" the character and history of Sikhs, and asked them to remove the objectionable scenes depicting "anti-Sikh" sentiments.
In the notice, the producers of the film, including Kangana Ranaut, were asked to remove the trailer released on August 14 from all public and social media platforms and tender a written apology to the Sikh community.
The SGPC objected to film writing separate letters to the Minister of Information and Broadcasting and the Central Board of Film Certification.
