Not a setback to BJP, says Bommai after seer's call to stop raking up issue of Uri, Nanje Gowda
Hubballi (KTK) (PTI): Ruling out any "setback" to the ruling BJP over the raging controversy on the history of Tipu Sultan's killing and the claimed role of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda in it, following a prominent seer's call to put an end to it, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said there would be victory on the day the truth came out after proper research.
A section of people in the old Mysuru belt and some ruling BJP leaders have claimed that erstwhile Mysuru ruler Tipu Sultan did not die fighting the British, but was killed by two alleged Vokkaliga chieftains Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda. The claim has been contested by prominent historians.
"There is no question of any setback. When research happens and the day truth comes out, will get victory," Bommai said in response to a question on whether the controversy would adversely impact the party.
In a veiled attack against opposition parties, especially the Congress, Bommai responding to another question said, "I'm not speaking about Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda alone. Several historical truths have been suppressed and history has been distorted across the country after independence, including Karnataka. It is known to everyone as to who played an important role in it then. If the truth is told now, they are unable to digest it."
While, Congress and JD(S) leaders have maintained that Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda did not even exist, and that they might just be fictional characters, the BJP, which is trying to make inroads into the Vokkaliga dominated 'Old Mysuru' region ahead of the upcoming Assembly election in the state, seems to be using the duo as their latest mascots.
BJP is using them to target Tipu Sultan, and to accuse the Congress and JD(S) of indulging in appeasement politics by celebrating the Muslim ruler.
Nirmalanandanatha Mahaswamiji, the chief pontiff of influential the Sri Adichunchanagiri Mahasamsthana Math, on Monday cited the lack of historical evidence to the existence of the two Gowdas and called for putting an end to the issue.
The seer of the Math, which is highly regarded by Vokkaligas, has called for gathering of information, edicts and historical records about the duo, if any, before arriving at any decision.
On Monday, he had also summoned Horticulture Minister Munirathna, a film producer-turned-politician, whose studio planned to make a movie by registering the title, 'Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda', and directed him not to go ahead with the project. Munirathna too has agreed to abide by the Seer's directive.
The names of Uri Gowda and Nanje Gowda came to the fore after the release of a play Tippuvina Nija Kanasugalu' (The True Dreams of Tipu) last year by Rangayana director Addanda Cariappa, though there has been a debate on the issue in the past.
Some BJP leaders claim that there is historical evidence regarding the duo, as their names appear in plays and ballads, and that they fought Tipu to safeguard the family of Mysuru Maharajas and to protect the state.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
SC dismisses pleas seeking review of 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage
New Delhi, Jan 9: The Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed a batch of pleas seeking to review its October 2023 verdict declining legal sanction to same-sex marriage.
A five-judge bench of Justices B R Gavai, Surya Kant, B V Nagarathna, P S Narasimha and Dipankar Datta took up about 13 petitions related to the matter in chambers and dismissed them.
"We do not find any error apparent on the face of the record. We further find that the view expressed in both the judgements is in accordance with law and as such, no interference is warranted. Accordingly, the review petitions are dismissed," the bench said.
It said the judges have carefully gone through the judgements delivered by Justice (since retired) S Ravindra Bhat speaking for himself and for Justice (since retired) Hima Kohli as well as the concurring opinion expressed by Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha, constituting the majority view.
The bench also rejected a prayer made in the review petitions for hearing in an open court.
According to practice, the review pleas are considered in chambers by the judges.
The new bench was constituted after Justice Sanjiv Khanna, the present CJI, recused from hearing the review petitions on July 10, 2024.
Notably, Justice P S Narasimha is the only member of the original Constitution bench comprising five judges which delivered the verdict, as former CJI D Y Chandrachud and Justices S K Kaul, Ravindra Bhat and Hima Kohli have retired.
A five-judge Constitution bench led by then CJI Chandrachud on October 17, 2024, refused to accord legal backing to same-sex marriages and held there was "no unqualified right" to marriage with the exception of those recognised by law.
The apex court, however, made a strong pitch for the rights of LGBTQIA++ persons so that they didn't face discrimination in accessing goods and services available to others, safe houses known as "garima greh" in all districts for shelter to members of the community facing harassment and violence, and dedicated hotlines in case of trouble.
In its judgement, the bench held transpersons in heterosexual relationships had the freedom and entitlement to marry under the existing statutory provisions.
It said an entitlement to legal recognition of the right to union, akin to marriage or civil union, or conferring legal status to the relationship could be only done through an "enacted law".
The five-judge Constitution bench delivered four separate verdicts on a batch of 21 petitions seeking legal sanction for same-sex marriages.
All five judges were unanimous in refusing the legal recognition to same-sex marriage under the Special Marriage Act and observed it was within Parliament's ambit to change the law for validating such a union.
While former CJI Chandrachud wrote a separate 247-page verdict, Justice Kaul penned a 17-page judgement where he broadly agreed with the former's views.
Justice Bhat, who authored an 89-page judgement for himself and Justice Kohli, disagreed with certain conclusions arrived at by the former CJI, including on applicability of adoption rules for such couples.
Justice Narasimha in his 13-page verdict was in complete agreement with the reasoning and conclusion of Justice Bhat.
The judges were unanimous in holding that queerness was a natural phenomenon and not an "urban or elite" notion.
In his judgement, the former CJI recorded Solicitor General Tushar Mehta's assurance of forming a committee chaired by the cabinet secretary to define and elucidate the scope of entitlements of such couples in a union.
The LGBTQIA++ rights activists, who won a major legal battle in 2018 in the Supreme Court, which decriminalised consensual gay sex, moved the apex court seeking validation of same-sex marriages and consequential reliefs such as rights to adoption, enrolment as parents in schools, opening of bank accounts and availing succession and insurance benefits.
Some of the petitioners sought the apex court to use its plenary power besides the "prestige and moral authority" to push the society to acknowledge such a union and ensure LGBTQIA++ persons led a "dignified" life like heterosexuals.
