VHP, Bajrang Dal activists stop Ram Navami rally outside mosque, play loud music in UP
Cops say rally was taken out peacefully under their supervision
Lucknow: In an incident that occurred in Koshambi, Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday, local VHP and Bajrang Dal activists caused uproar on Ram Navami by halting their rally in front of a mosque and blaring loud music.
The disturbance unfolded near Muratganj in Kaushambi, as depicted in a widely circulated video on various social media platforms.
One Twitter user shared the video and tagged the local police in the post, prompting the official handle of the Kaushambi Police to assert that the rally proceeded "peacefully" under police supervision, refuting any allegations against the rally.
However, the video clearly shows the rally halted outside a mosque, with loud music blaring from speakers, causing disruption in the vicinity. The deliberate stoppage of the rally outside the mosque raised concerns about religious insensitivity once again across social media platforms, with several users condemning the act while others found it a non-issue.
Commenting on the police department's response, one user criticized, "Are you blind? They stopped the procession in front of the mosque and played DJ at high volume." Another user expressed skepticism, stating, "It doesn't seem peaceful from any angle."
The discrepancy between the police department's assertion of a peaceful rally and the evident disruption depicted in the video highlighted a potential disconnect between official statements and on-the-ground reality or the negligence of the authorities over a serious issue that could have potentially triggered a law and order situation in the region.
Kaushambi- VHP Bajrang Dal workers created ruckus on Ram Navami in Muratganj, they created ruckus in front of the Mosque by playing DJ at high volume during namaz in the Mosque.@kaushambipolice pic.twitter.com/sq2QBUzLYX
— هارون خان (@iamharunkhan) April 17, 2024
प्रकरण में रामनवमी का जुलूस पुलिस बल की मौजूदगी शांतिपूर्वक निकाला गया है, अन्य लगाए जा रहे आरोप असत्य हैं।
— KAUSHAMBI POLICE (@kaushambipolice) April 17, 2024
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HC to decide if gram panchayat members can continue in Manipur post tenure: SC
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Thursday said the high court would decide whether the elected gram panchayat members, whose five-year tenure was over in Manipur, were entitled to continue in their posts in the event of the appointment of an administrative committee or an administrator.
A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said it would like to have the benefit of the view of the high court in the matter and set a three-month time frame to adjudicate the legal question.
"The question that falls for consideration in this case is that whether the elected member of the Gram Panchayat whose five-year tenure is over was entitled to continue as members of the gram panchayat in the event of appointment of administrative committee or administrator, as contemplated under Section 22 of the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act of 1994," the bench noted.
The Manipur government’s counsel said the state could not hold panchayat elections due to the unprecedented violence.
"Since, we would like to have the advantage of the opinion of the high court, we dispose of the special leave petition without expressing any opinion on merits, with the request to the chief justice of Manipur High Court to post the main case before a division bench at the earliest. We further request the division bench, before whom the matter is listed, to provide expeditious hearing with an endeavour to resolve the controversy within three months," the bench said.
The bench noted that provision of Manipur Panchayati Raj Act was amended to substitute the word "cease" with the word "continue" with respect to the tenure of the elected members of the gram panchayat.
The petitioners have challenged a high court order and submitted that since elections in gram panchayat could not be held in Manipur for various reasons, the previously elected members of the panchayat were entitled to continue as per the amended Section 22 (3) of 1994 Act.
Section 22 deals with the power of deputy commissioner to appoint an administrative committee or an administrator for a period of six months, which will then oversee the election.
Section 22 (3) of the law says once the administrative committee or an administrator is appointed by the deputy commissioner, the elected members of earlier gram panchayat shall cease to exist.
The top court said what has been challenged before it was an interlocutory order of the high court and the main petition in which the question of law that had been raised was still pending.
The original petitioners before the high court were elected representatives at the fifth general elections for gram panchayats and the zilla parishads who sought a direction to continue in the office beyond the period of five years as stipulated by law as elections were last held in 2017.
They sought to continue as panchayat members till the time the state election commission notified the election for the sixth general elections for gram panchayats and zilla parishads.
On February 29, last year, the high court in its interim order gave liberty to Manipur government to appoint an administrative committee for each gram panchayat and zilla parishad in accordance with law and the provision of the Act.
