UP: Police arrests student for namaz in open area of university in Meerut
Meerut (PTI): Police have arrested a student for allegedly offering namaz in an open area of a private university here in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut, officials said on Sunday.
Khalid Pradhan (Khalid Mewati) was arrested following protests by local Hindu groups over a purported video surfaced around Holi celebrations this week that showed a group of students offering namaz on the university campus.
The university administration suspended Pradhan and three security personnel over the incident and called for police and administrative action against Khalid Pradhan, who allegedly uploaded the video.
Circle Officer Sadar Dehat Shiv Pratap Singh on Sunday told PTI, "A video of offering namaz in the IIMT University campus was circulated on social media." Pradhan was arrested and sent to jail, he said.
On Saturday, SHO of Ganga Nagar police station Anoop Singh said the case was lodged based on a complaint by one Kartik Hindu.
A case has been filed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 299 (deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs) and relevant provisions of the Information Technology (Amendment) Act, 2008, he said.
Earlier, IIMT University spokesperson Sunil Sharma said an internal investigation found that namaz was offered in an open area and its video was uploaded to "disrupt communal harmony".
Local Hindu groups demanded the arrest of those involved, citing the large number of students in the gathering and the timing of the video's circulation during Holi.
Holi celebrations this year coincided with the second Friday prayers of the Islamic holy month of Ramzan. Several controversial remarks by leaders had created a tense atmosphere in some places, with the UP administration tightening security measures, but the day went free of any untoward incident.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
