Latest news with #BabriMasjid
Time of India
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
2020 anti-CAA riots: Delhi HC reserves bail plea order in Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam case; both accused of 'masterminding violence'
NEW DELHI: The on Tuesday reserved its order on the bail pleas of activists and Umar Khalid in connection with a UAPA case linked to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur reserved its verdict after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence. The bail pleas have been pending since 2022 and were heard by different benches over time. Both Imam and Khalid are accused of being part of a larger conspiracy that led to the communal violence in Northeast Delhi, which resulted in over 50 deaths and left more than 700 injured. The case is being prosecuted under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code. The prosecution, represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, opposed the bail pleas, arguing that the riots were not spontaneous but part of a pre-planned conspiracy with a sinister motive. 'If you do anything against your nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted,' Mehta said, adding that prolonged incarceration alone is not a valid ground for bail. According to the police, the violence was 'clinical and pathological' in nature. The speeches made by the accused allegedly followed a common pattern referencing the CAA-NRC, Babri Masjid, triple talaq, and Kashmir, which the police claim helped incite fear and unrest. Imam's counsel argued that he was 'completely disconnected' from the time, place, and co-accused in the case, including Khalid. His speeches and WhatsApp chats, they said, contained no incitement to violence. The defence also pointed to parity with other accused who have been granted bail and highlighted the prolonged pre-trial detention of the applicants. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The February 2020 riots broke out amid nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Initially, clashes occurred between supporters and opponents of the laws but soon escalated into days of large-scale violence involving arson, stone-pelting and gunfire. Police have accused Khalid, Imam, and others of being the "masterminds" of the violence and say there is no evidence that the prosecution has intentionally delayed the trial. They further argued that the right to a speedy trial is not a "free pass" in cases involving such serious allegations.
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Mani Shankar Aiyar says India's fate doomed if not rescued from Modi's regime
Veteran Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar dubbed Narendra Modi as India's worst-ever Prime Minister, and said that the country's destiny was doomed unless we rescue ourself from him and his rule. Speaking on the second day of the Mysuru Literature Festival here on Sunday, Mr. Aiyar said Mr. Modi, despite being elected by only one-third of Indian voters, had become the 'most authoritarian' leader the country has seen. 'Two-thirds of Indians did not vote for him, and even among Hindus, half did not. They understand that Hinduism is not Hindutva,' he said, accusing the ruling government of pushing an exclusionary agenda. He cited a study claiming that 110 of Mr. Modi's 159 campaign speeches in the last general election contained direct attacks on Muslims. Mr. Ayiar was asked to rate the various Prime Ministers – both past and present – and he said Jawaharlal Nehru towered head and shoulders above the rest. He rated Rajiv Gandhi as the second-best Prime Minister for the ideas he had for the country. Lal Bahadur Shastri had only about 18 months of tenure, said Mr. Aiyar but faulted his handling of the language agitation which broke out in Tamil Nadu. 'It was left to Indira Gandhi to salvage the situation but she went down in my estimation after the imposition of the Emergency,' said Mr. Aiyar. He was equally scathing in his remarks against P.V. Narasimha Rao and recalled that Babri Masjid was brought down during his regime and which, Mr. Aiyar said, helped lay the foundation for the rise of the BJP. The Congress leader warned that the BJP's push for 'one nation, one language, one culture, one election' was fundamentally flawed and went against the spirit of India and its diverse culture. 'To build India on the basis of uniformity is to destroy our unity,' according to Mr. Aiyar who said that India's strength lay in its ability to thrive on diversity. 'We are geniuses in how to live in diversity and celebrate it. No other country has succeeded like we have,' he added. Mr. Aiyar was critical of the BJP polarising the society or driving a wedge on the basis of cultural and religious differences, and said that India can only be built – as envisaged by Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru - by acknowledging its diversity and thus securing its unity. In reply to a question, he said that in a Parliamentary election, people don't vote for the candidate but for the party, and an individual does not count and larger issues determine the outcome. The literature festival, which was organised by the Mysuru Literary Forum Charitable Trust and Mysuru Book Clubs Charitable Trust, had sessions on social relevance of writing in times of Ted Talks, reels, vlogs, and AI-generated thriller contents, and polyamory in India. There were parallel sessions in Kannada on subjects germane to the present times, art, culture, cinema, etc.
New Indian Express
20-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
People of Tamil Nadu will defeat Sangh Parivar politics, says VCK chief Thirumavalavan
MADURAI: People of Tamil Nadu will defeat the politics of religion which is practised by Sangh Parivar in northern states, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan said. Speaking after taking part in a human chain protest organised by the Madurai Federation for Religious Harmony on Thursday to oppose the Murugan Maanadu, Thirumavalvan said through the protest, people of TN are conveying to the world that they are against religious politics. 'In northern states Sangh Parivar used religious politics to divide people. They are testing the same in Tamil Nadu. Since 1992, after the Babri Masjid issue, Sangh Parivar has been trying to rake up a controversy in Thiruparankundram and spread hatred against Muslims,' he said. 'BJP leaders like H Raja have made statements that they will convert Tamil Nadu into Ayodhya. But people of Tamil Nadu will never allow it, ' Thiruma said. He added 'Now they are making another attempt to woo Mukulathur community by organising the Murugan Maanadu. They will not succeed. We are not against the programme but are worried it will be used by Sangh outfits to unleash violence and destroy brotherhood among people.'
New Indian Express
09-06-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Nexus between bureaucrats and politicians root cause of unrest in society: Former IGP Gopal Hosur
At the heart of any sustainable solution is good governance — one that is inclusive, transparent, just and not vindictive. Governance must rise above political expediency and resist exploiting social divisions for short-term gains. Instead, it should invest in long-term social cohesion, said former IGP Gopal B Hosur. In an interaction with TNIE, he talked about coastal Karnataka, his experience working there, reasons for communal clashes and solutions too. He highlighted that governments have a tendency to withdraw cases, especially related to communal violence, saying it should not be done and the courts should decide these cases. You were posted in coastal Karnataka. What was your experience? Coastal Karnataka is unlike any other region in its geography, culture and especially its communal dynamics. When I was posted as Inspector General of Police for the Western Range nearly 15–16 years ago, I had never worked in the area before, but was aware of the tensions there. The region was tense with communal clashes, attacks and stabbings. Despite its tensions, coastal Karnataka amazed me. It's one of the most vibrant and organised regions — Hindus, Muslims and Christians alike. Every festival or event is run better than most government functions — be it a temple fair, mosque celebration or church gathering. The people are highly enterprising and tech-savvy. However, there are deep divides, especially after the Babri Masjid incident, but the region also has immense potential — socially, economically and culturally. Do you think the interference of politics in bureaucracy is the main cause of communal disharmony? Has it increased over the years? If politics enters the administration system, it will lead to 'communal politics' which propagates violence. All parties are equally culpable. I place more blame on the bureaucracy than on the political establishment. Why don't even a few bureaucrats come together and say, 'We will uphold the rule of law'?
The Hindu
25-05-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Watch: Multi-party delegation
The multi-party delegation being dispatched across the globe after Operation Sindoor has revived memories of a similar phase in Indian diplomatic history when a sustained cross-party campaign was carried out to project a 'one India' approach to important issues like Kashmir and the communal situation. The context for the previous effort, which took place in the early 1990s, was the demolition of the Babri Masjid, a spike in violence in Kashmir, and anti-insurgency operations in Punjab.
