Chamundi Hills open to all faiths, says Deputy CM D.K. Shivakumar
Bengaluru: Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar on Tuesday defended the decision to invite writer Banu Mushtaq for the inauguration of Mysuru Dasara, countering BJP’s objections.
Speaking to reporters at Vidhana Soudha, Shivakumar said Chamundi Hills is a shrine open to people of all faiths. “People from every community visit Chamundi Hills and pray to the Goddess. We too visit mosques, dargahs, Jain basadis, churches, and gurdwaras. Has anyone ever stopped us from entering a gurdwara? Have we objected to people of other faiths entering Hindu temples? Anyone is free to go to any place of worship,” he said.
Questioning BJP’s stance, he remarked: “So many Hindus have converted to Islam or Christianity, and many from other faiths have embraced Hinduism. Don’t Muslims also follow Hindu traditions in certain practices? Why is there no board in Ayodhya saying only Hindus should come to Lord Rama? Why this selective objection now?”
Shivakumar further asked why, if BJP truly objected to minority representation, they did not abolish Haj Committees or the Minority Affairs department when they were in power. “All of this is politics,” he said, stressing that India is a secular nation where the Constitution guarantees rights and freedom to every citizen.
He added that even children of interfaith couples have the freedom to follow the religion of their choice, protected under the Constitution.
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Several fall ill after consuming 'kuttu' flour on Mahashivratri in Noida; FIR against shop owner
Noida (PTI): An FIR has been lodged against a shop owner after several people allegedly fell ill after consuming 'kuttu' (buckwheat) flour on the occasion of Mahashivratri in Noida, police said on Tuesday.
The incident came to light after multiple residents of Supertech Ecovillage-3, Royal Court Society and Himalaya Pride Society reported health complications on Sunday after consuming the flour, traditionally eaten during fasts.
According to the police, information was received on Monday from a private hospital within the Bisrakh police station jurisdiction regarding several residents from the three housing societies falling ill.
The police informed the Food Safety Department, following which a complaint was filed and an FIR registered under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.
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A joint team of the Food Department and Bisrakh police conducted inspections at shops located in Supertech Ecovillage-3, Royal Court Society and Himalaya Pride Society and collected samples of buckwheat flour from the outlets.
During the inspection, irregularities were found at Prashant General Store in Royal Court Society, which was subsequently sealed, officials said.
Preliminary inquiry revealed that the affected residents had purchased the buckwheat flour supplied by HD Spices in the Chipiyana village, with its warehouse located in Chipiyana Buzurg.
Acting on the information, the Food Department team inspected the warehouse and sealed it after detecting irregularities. Samples have also been collected from other shops and further action is being taken, officials said.
The police have detained four persons, including the warehouse owner, they added.
