Seers of various maths urge K'taka govt not to repeal anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws
Bengaluru, Aug 13: Seers of various maths have urged the Karnataka government not to repeal anti-cow slaughter and anti-conversion laws for any reason.
A conference of seers or pontiffs of various maths here unanimously adopted resolutions in this regard.
The seers have also urged the government to ensure implementation of both laws as it is and not to dilute them.
Seers of various maths participated in a "Santa Sammelana" (saints/ seers conference), organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad at Yadugiri Yathiraja Math at Malleshwaram here and held discussions regarding various developments with respect to "Dharma" in the state, VHP said in a release here.
It said the conference deliberated on various issues like cow slaughter, religious conversion, love jihad, Hindu undivided family, environment, harmony among others and adopted two resolutions unanimously.
ALSO READ: Review current parameters for declaring drought and amend it: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to Centre
About 14 seers of various maths are signatories to the resolution, including Yadugiri Yatiraja Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji of Yadugiri Yathiraja Math, Chandreshananda ji of Ramakrishna Mission, Ravishankara Shivacharya Swamiji of Mahalingeshwara math.
The Congress party had indicated ahead of the 2023 Assembly polls in the state and during the campaign, that it intends to withdraw both these legislations brought in by the previous BJP government.
While the Chief Minister Siddaramaiah-led Congress government after coming to power has already decided to repeal the anti-conversion law, it recently clarified that there is no proposal to repeal anti-cow slaughter law.
"For people to live with peace, harmony and brotherhood in Karnataka, the Karnataka Prevention of Slaughter and Preservation of Cattle Act (anti-cow slaughter act), should not be withdrawn by the current government," the first resolution read.
"For people of India to live with peace and harmony, the Karnataka Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Act (anti-conversion act) should not be withdrawn, and urge the government to implement it," another resolution read.
Earlier speaking to reporters here, Yadugiri Yatiraja Narayana Ramanuja Jeeyar Swamiji said, "Religious conversion and cow slaughter should stop. This will give a boost to sanatana dharma or Hindu dharma. Our dharma believes that people of all religions should co-exist in India peacefully. So all of us have gathered here to urge the government."
To a question regarding the present Congress government wanting to withdraw the legislations, he said the resolutions passed in this regard will be submitted to the government.
"We expect the government to respond positively. Party is not important here, the issue is important. The issue is for all. I don't want to speak on politics," the seer further said, adding the expectation is that these laws should also be brought in at the national level.
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.
EC demands extra security as unrest grips Bangladesh afresh
Dhaka (PTI): The Election Commission (EC) has demanded extra security for its chief, other commissioners and officials as fresh unrest visibly gripped Bangladesh after gunmen shot an upcoming parliamentary polls candidate and frontline leader of last year's violent street movement dubbed 'July Uprising'.
"The EC has written to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) urging comprehensive security arrangements for the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC), Election Commissioners (ECs), senior officials of the Election Commission Secretariat," the state-run BSS news agency reported on late Saturday.
The EC simultaneously sought the extra security for its field-level offices ahead of the 13th national election, as two of them came under attack in southeastern Lakshmipur and southwestern Pirojpur by unidentified miscreants after the announcement of the schedule for the upcoming polls on Thursday.
The commission demanded an additional escort vehicle for the CEC, while one such police escort with a vehicle was currently in place for him. It asked for round-the-clock police escorts for the four commissioners and the senior secretary.
The letter said the enhanced security measures were "urgent and necessary," while EC officials said their 10 regional offices, 64 district election offices and 522 sub-district level offices would store important documents and election materials.
The EC on Thursday said the upcoming parliamentary election would be held on February 12 next year, while a day later, Sharif Osman Hadi was shot from a close range in the head, critically wounding him, as he initiated his election campaign from a constituency in the capital.
Critically ill former prime minister Khaleda Zia's Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) simultaneously asked Muhammad Yunus' government to provide security for all candidates in the upcoming election after the attack on Hadi, who leads a radical right-wing cultural group called Inquiab Mancha.
"We demand that the real culprit be identified immediately and brought under the law, and we call upon this government to ensure the security of all candidates without delay," BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir said.
Hadi was also a frontline leader of last year's student-led violent uprising that toppled then-prime minister Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League government on August 5, 2024.
His Inquilab Mancha was also at the forefront of a campaign to disband the Awami League, which the interim government complied with in May this year, disqualifying the party from contesting the polls.
The government on Saturday ordered a nationwide security clampdown called 'Operation Devil Hunt 2' amid escalated fears over the law and order situation and promised to issue firearms licenses for election candidates for their own security.
Home adviser (retd) Lieutenant General Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the government had taken steps to ensure special security for the "frontline fighters" of the July Uprising and promised to issue firearms licenses for the election candidates.
He emphasised that the second phase of the 'Devil Hunt' was aimed at helping ensure public safety and combat the growing threat of illegal arms.
The operation was initially launched in February this year following protests over an attack on the private house of a former minister of the ousted government in the northern suburb of the capital, when it targeted alleged "henchmen" and supporters of the now disbanded Awami League.
