Bengaluru: A controversy has erupted in Karnataka over the state’s ruling BJP government’s decision to build 10 new colleges exclusively for Muslim girls, with Hindu organisations warning of widespread protests.

The government is however moving ahead with its decision and has allotted a Rs 2.50-crore grant, sources said, adding that that Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai is all set to lay down the foundation stone for the colleges this month.

The colleges are going to be built in the Malnad and north Karnataka regions initially, and will expand later, the sources added.

Maulana Shafi Saadi, Chairperson of the Karnataka Wakf Board, said that the proposal for the exclusive colleges was made by the Board and the decision was taken after large number of Muslim girls have opted to stay at home since wearing of hijab is not allowed in college premises.

“The proposal was made to the Union Minister of Women and Child Development Smriti Irani. The delegation was led by Karnataka Minister for Muzrai Shashikala Jolle and Kalaburagi MP Umesh Jadhav,” he said.

“The state government has consented to the proposal. I thank Minister Shashikala Jolle who took lead like a sister to ensure, Muslim girls are educated.”

However, the development has created a furore in the state.

Hindu Jana Jagruthi Samithi leader Mohan Gowda said that if colleges are being built Muslim girls, then Hindu educational institutes should also come up.

Maintaining that the decision is against the principles of secularism and the constitution, Gowda warned that “if the government does not revert it, protests would be launched”.

Sri Rama Sena founder Pramod Muthalik has challenged the ruling state government against building the colleges, saying it won’t be allowed in the state.

“We never thought BJP would indulge in appeasement of Muslims ahead of the Assembly elections. This is a divisive rule and the colleges are opened in the backdrop of the hijab crisis. This would make students develop a divisive mindset,” he explained.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Mumbai: Barely 72 hours after his comments on women sparked a furore, a chastened Yoga guru, Swami Ramdev has expressed regrets and apologised for his remarks.

Ramdev has sent an email to the effect to the Maharashtra State Commission for Women Chairperson Rupali Chakankar, in response to her missive of Friday demanding an explanation for his utterances within 72 hours.

Confirming the developments, the MSCW head informed that Ramdev has sent the response to her, expressing both regrets and tendering an apology, but also claiming that his remarks were allegedly twisted out of context.

“We have received his reply to our notice…However, if there are any more objections or complaints, we shall conduct a full-fledged probe and get the full video recording of the programme held last week,” warned Chakankar, while speaking with IANS.

Addressing a free Yoga training programme for women in Thane, Ramdev Baba blurted out without batting an eyelid before the gathering, largely comprising women: “Women look good in saris, they look great in salwar suits, and in my view, they look good even if they don’t wear anything.”

At that time Ramdev was flanked by Balasahebanchi Shiv Sena Thane MP Shrikant Shinde, the son of Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and singer Amruta Fadnavis – wife of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, and other prominent personalities.

The blatant statements spurred calls to “slap, kick and tonsure” Ramdev from various quarters in Maharashtra and other parts of India.

Agitated top leaders of various parties including Sanjay Raut, Dr. Manisha Kayande, Kishore Tiwari, Mahesh Tapase, women activists like Aparna Malikar, Trupti Desai, and others pounced on Ramdev, seeking an unconditional apology, booking him for degrading womenfolk and other demands, even as the MSCW slapped a notice.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Bengaluru: Jamia Mosque row in Karnataka has come to the forefront with Bajarang Dal submitting a PIL in the High Court demanding to vacate it. The PIL claimed that there are proofs that the mosque was once a Hindu temple.

“There are traces of Hindu gods and temple structure in the Jamia Mosque of historical Srirangapatna town in Mandya district. Hence, the mosque should be vacated immediately and also, Hindu devotees should be allowed to take bath in the kalyani (traditional water body) located in the premises of the mosque,” the petition stated.

Bajrang Dal activists have further demanded resurvey of the mosque on the lines of Gyanwapi masjid. The PIL was submitted on Wednesday by the state President of Bajrang Dal Manjunath. Including Manjunath, 108 devotees of Hanuman have petitioned.

The number 108 is considered as auspicious in Hindu tradition and hence, 108 devotees have become parties, Bajrang Dal sources explain.

The Bajrang Dal activists have also given proof of the Mysore Gazetteer, Hindu architecture in mosque, inscription of Hindu idols, the sacred water body and references of British officers to the court.

Earlier, Hindutva groups had sought nod from authorities to conduct prayers in the mosque. The issue had become a hot topic in the state.

The mosque authorities have already made several appeals to concerned authorities to protect the Jamia mosque from Hindu activists.

Jamia masjid also called as Masjid-i-Ala, is located inside the Srirangapatna fort. It was built in 1786-87, during the rule of Tipu. The mosque has three inscriptions that mention nine names of Prophet Mohammad.

Narendra Modi Vichar Manch had made submissions to authorities for survey of the mosque, and maintain that they strongly believe with evidence that Jamia masjid was built after razing down Hanuman temple.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Moradabad: The Moradabad police have booked 26 people for holding a mass gathering to offer namaz in a house without prior permission from local authorities.

Superintendent of Police (rural), Moradabad, Sandeep Kumar Meena, said, “Scores of people assembled at the house of two local villagers in Dulhepur village in Chhajlet area without any notice and offered prayers. They had been cautioned in the past not to indulge in such a practice at home, following objections from neighbours belonging to another community.”

He said, “An FIR has been registered under IPC 505-2 (statement conducing to public mischief in an assembly engaged in the performance of religious worship) against 16 identified and 10 unidentified persons on the complaint of local Chandra Pal Singh. We are looking for those involved in the case.”

Pictures of people purportedly praying inside the house in ‘large numbers’ at Dulhepur village had gone viral on social media, following which, a few right-wing activists staged a protest and demanded police action.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Bahraich: A 13-year-old boy died in a hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Bahraich district almost nine days after he was allegedly thrashed by his teacher.

The boy allegedly died due to severe internal bleedings, caused by injuries during the incident.

Rajesh Vishwakarma, the victim’s brother, told reporters: “My brother was beaten up by his teacher because of school fees of Rs 250 per month. I had paid it online but the teacher did not know and brutally beat up my brother.”

The victim’s uncle has now lodged a complaint with the Sirsiya police.

The incident has taken on a casteist colour with the boy’s family claiming that the victim was thrashed as he was a Dalit while the teacher belonged to the upper caste.

Shravasti SP Arvind K. Maurya said that a case has been registered and investigations were underway.

Last week, a nine-year-old Dalit boy, who was allegedly thrashed by his school teacher in Rajasthan, for touching a drinking water pot, also died.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Muzaffarnagar: The Akhil Bhartiya Hindu Mahasabha took out a Tiranga Yatra in Muzaffarnagar on Monday with a photograph of Nathuram Godse at the front.

The matter came to light only after a video clip of the yatra went viral on social media, late on Monday night.

Hindu Mahasabha leader Yogendra Varma said, “We had organised a Tiranga Yatra on Independence Day and the rally travelled across the district. All prominent Hindu leaders participated in it. We had put up photographs of several revolutionaries and Godse was one of them.”

He further said that Godse was compelled to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi only because of the policies that he pursued.

#सच्ची_आजादी#IndependenceDay2022
Terrorist organisation
“HINDU MAHASABHA”in #muzaffarnagar #UttarPradesh took out the #TirangaYatra with the Hindu flag and the picture of Gandhi’s assassin Nathuram Godse!#IndependenceDay #HarGharTiranga #AzadiKaAmritMahotsav #Joker_Savarkar pic.twitter.com/gCmVImR6qX

— محمّد آشیف _____ aasif (@mohmmad_aasif1) August 15, 2022

“Godse fought his own case and the government should make public all that he said in court. The government does not want the people to know why Gandhi was assassinated. Some of the policies of Gandhi were anti-Hindu. During partition, 30 lakh Hindus and Muslims were killed and Gandhi was responsible for this,” he stated.

Yogendra Varma further said that if Godse assassinated Gandhi, he faced death sentence for it too.

“Just like some believe Gandhi to be their inspiration, we have similar feelings for Godse,” he added

Meanwhile, district officials, when contacted, either feigned complete ignorance about the rally or refused to comment on it.

Courtesy: The Daily Siasat

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Muzaffarnagar: A 30-year-old Dalit woman was sexually harassed by seven men who forced her to remove her clothes at gunpoint and also made a video of the incident, police said on Sunday, adding all the accused have been arrested.

The incident took place in a village under the Kotwali police station limits of Muzaffarnagar district on Saturday evening, they said.

The video of the incident was later circulated on social media, police said.

According to a police complaint by the victim, she had gone to a field to cut grass where the seven accused sexually harassed her and made a video after forcing her to take off her clothes at gunpoint.

Kotwali police station SHO Anand Dev Mishra said police registered a case under sections 354b and 506 of IPC, section 3 of the SC/ST Act and Section 67 of the IT Act, and arrested seven people in the case on Sunday.

Police identified the accused as Anuj, Kuldeep, Ankit, Ravi, Rizwan, Chota, and Abdul.

Courtesy: The Siasat Daily

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