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It is for States to take action against cow vigilantes, Centre tells SC

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It is for States to take action against cow vigilantes, Centre tells SC

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Centre scored a victory of sorts by getting Home Ministry deleted from list of Respondents

Taking action against vigilantism and violence by cow protection groups or “’gau rakshaks” is a State subject and the Centre has no role to play, but it condemns all forms of vigilantism, the Union government told the Supreme Court on Friday.

Neither the Centre nor have States such as Gujarat, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra filed any written response to the court’s repeated orders to them do so.

The government’s response was to a bunch of petitions led by Shehzeen Poonawalla seeking criminal action against cow vigilante groups whose recent rampages and lynchings saw rise in communal tensions in the country. The petition came up for hearing before the Supreme Court bench of Justices Dipak Misra, AM Khanwilkar and Mohan M Shantanagoudar on Friday (July 21).

Notice was issued to all state governments as well as the central government to respond. On Friday, Solicitor General (SG) Ranjit Kumar scored a victory of sorts by having the name of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) deleted from the petition as a party.

The SG appearing for the Union of India said that the central government cannot support the vigilantism on cow protection or any other kind of vigilantism. He also stated that it was purely a state subject to maintain law and order and hence the centre should not figure on the respondents’ list. As a result, the name of Respondent No. 2, the MHA, was deleted.

Senior advocate Santosh Hegde appeared for petitioner Tehseen S Poonawalla and stated that only Karnataka and Jharkhand had filed their replies.

The BJP-ruled Gujarat and Jharkhand informed the court that action has been taken against those involved in violence related to cow vigilantism.

The court directed other states to file their replies, asking what action had been taken by them against cow vigilantism. The apex court also told the Centre and states not to protect any kind of vigilantism, according to the news agency PTI. It also sought the assistance of the Centre and states for removing violent content related to cow vigilantism uploaded on social media.

The central government, asserting that it does not support any kind of vigilantism in any state, told the bench headed by Justice Dipak Misra, “No vigilante group has any place in the country as per the procedure of law.”

“Law and order is a state subject and Central government does not have any role into it. However, Union of India is of the view that no vigilante group has any space in the country as per procedures of law. It does not support any kind of vigilantism by private persons,” Solicitor General Ranjit Kumar said.

The bench recorded their submission and asked the Centre and other states to file their report regarding to the violent incidents in four weeks time and posted the matter for further hearing on September 6.

On April 7, the Supreme Court had formally issued a notice to the Centre and some of the states on a petition that sought a ban on cow protection vigilantes allegedly indulging in violence and committing atrocities against Dalits and minorities. Activist Tehseen S Poonawalla, in his plea, said violence committed by these ‘Gau Raksha’ groups have reached such proportions that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had declared them as people who were “destroying the society”.

Attacks have continued even after Modi’s warning. Opposition parties and critics say that the BJP-led government at the Centre has done little to rein in the vigilante groups. Critics also accuse the Sangh Parivar of tacitly backing the vigilante groups.

Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat had earlier defended the cow-protection groups, saying these “law-abiding good people” perform an important role and they shouldn’t be confused with self-styled, motivated vigilantes.

Bhagwat said the government should distinguish between anti-social elements and “law-abiding citizens” who were upholding the law — seen as a reference to the fact that cow slaughter is banned in most states in India.

On Friday, RSS all-India Prachar Pramukh Manmohan Vaidya, Vaidya, replying to questions on incidents of lynching and violence linked to cow protection, said, “Sangh does not support any kind of violence. We have said it earlier and made it clear earlier too.”

Responding to the ideological bent colouring these attacks, he said, “Gau raksha is a different issue. The movement of gau raksha has been going on for hundreds of years. These incidents have been happening for years together. It is not that it has happened for the first time.”

The RSS leader said that the media is trying to connect it to a kind of ideology that it propounds, and that the opposition is trying to politicise the issue on that basis.

On Thursday in Rajya Sabha, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley stressed on the government’s commitment to crack down on cow vigilantes. He also warned against a “selective morality” where hurting the sentiments of one side is deemed fair but not those of the other.

“All sides have condemned violence, the prime minister Narendra Modi has severely condemned it, in fact he has spoken about it thrice. There can be no justification of this violence. Our respect for cows cannot be the reason. Violence can never be a partisan issue. Right to equality and right to religious belief come with the obligation of mutual respect and tolerance…but Mr [Ghulam Nabi] Azad, ask yourself, have we twisted the definition of secularism?”, Jaitley was quoted as saying.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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Champat Rai, Anil Mishra get clean chit in Ram Temple donation theft case 

The SIT probing alleged donation theft at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has cleared former Trust general secretary Champat Rai and former member Anil Mishra.

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7 hours ago

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August 18, 2026

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The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing alleged irregularities in donation management at the Ayodhya Ram Temple has cleared former Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust general secretary Champat Rai and former Trust member Anil Mishra.

The Uttar Pradesh Home Department on Monday handed over the SIT’s final report to the Trust, which will now take further action based on the findings.

Rai and Mishra had resigned from their positions on June 27 after allegations of donation theft emerged. The two former Trust members were subsequently questioned by the SIT about the temple’s donation management process.

Champat Rai denied involvement in donation theft

According to sources, Champat Rai told investigators during questioning that he had no role in the alleged theft. He reportedly said that the suspects were arrested following his complaint.

Rai also told the police that ensuring there were no irregularities in donation collection was part of his responsibility and that he acted after learning about the alleged wrongdoing.

SIT was formed before Supreme Court intervention

The three-member SIT was constituted by the Uttar Pradesh government on June 13 at the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust.

Lucknow Divisional Commissioner Vijay Vishwas Pant headed the panel. Range Inspector General Kiran S and Special Secretary (Finance) Neel Ratan Kumar were the other members.

The SIT submitted its preliminary report to the state government on June 23 and made several stringent recommendations.

Following the preliminary report, Trust member Krishnamohan filed a written complaint at the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi police station. An FIR was subsequently registered on June 25.

Eight people named in FIR

The FIR named Avinash Shukla, Anukalp Mishra, Lavkush Mishra, Manish Kumar Yadav, Karunesh Pandey, Ramashankar Mishra, Subhash Srivastava and Ram Shankar Yadav, alias Tinnu, along with other unidentified individuals.

According to the provided report, all eight named accused were arrested and booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 13(1)(a) of the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The SIT’s preliminary findings also formed the basis for subsequent FIRs and arrest-related action in the case.

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Himanta Sarma accuses Sonia, Rahul of provoking unrest over Vande Mataram row

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma criticised Sonia and Rahul Gandhi over the Vande Mataram controversy and accused Congress of provoking unrest.

Published

21 hours ago

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August 17, 2026

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Himanta sharma

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Monday criticised Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the controversy surrounding the rendition of Vande Mataram at the party headquarters in New Delhi on Independence Day.

Sarma questioned how the Congress would govern if it returned to power, alleging that the conduct of its senior leaders during the national song had raised concerns.

“During Vande Mataram, the way Sonia Gandhi behaved and the song was stopped midway clearly indicates that if Congress mistakenly comes to power, the country will face a worse situation,” Mr Sarma said.

The Assam Chief Minister also accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of encouraging protests in the name of Gen Z.

“Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi have almost taken a decision to oppose the country in the name of Gen Z. They are provoking people to protest and trying hard to create a bad environment in the country,” he said.

Sarma further alleged that such actions could contribute to instability in the country.

“I am not bothered about these things, but these people are working against the country and provoking the people of the country to protest and bring anarchy,” he said.

What triggered the Vande Mataram controversy

The political row erupted after footage from the Congress Independence Day programme on August 15 surfaced on social media. The video showed senior Congress leaders, including Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge, during the rendition of Vande Mataram.

BJP leaders have interpreted gestures seen in the footage as an attempt to interrupt the national song. The Congress, however, has rejected that interpretation.

The issue has since become a political flashpoint, with BJP leaders accusing the Congress of disrespecting Vande Mataram.

A complaint seeking action against Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi over the alleged disruption is also being examined by the Delhi Police.

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BJP unveils 64-member national team with 3 former CMs, 18 MPs and 10 women

The BJP’s new 64-member national team includes three former chief ministers, 18 sitting MPs and 10 women, with representation from 23 states and Union Territories.

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22 hours ago

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August 17, 2026

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The BJP’s new 64-member team of national office bearers brings together former chief ministers, sitting MPs, women leaders and representatives from different social and regional groups as the party prepares for the 2029 Lok Sabha election.

The team, headed by BJP national president Nitin Nabin, includes three former chief ministers, 18 sitting MPs and 10 women leaders. More than 40 per cent of the members belong to deprived communities, according to the details of the appointments.

Northeast gets special focus

The new organisational team includes leaders from 23 states and Union Territories, giving the party’s national leadership a broad geographical representation.

The Northeast has received particular attention, with three leaders from Tripura, Assam and Nagaland included in the team. The BJP’s North-East Coordination Cell will also continue to function under the leadership of Sambit Patra.

The team includes four tribal representatives, with one each from West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and the Northeast. Two of these representatives are women.

Three members from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Madhya Pradesh represent the Scheduled Castes in the new team.

Representation across communities

The BJP’s national office bearers also include 10 experienced women leaders from different parts of the country.

The team has representation from different religious communities, including one Sikh, two Christians, one Muslim, one Jain and one Parsi member, alongside Hindu leaders.

Former chief ministers and MPs add experience

The organisational team brings considerable administrative and political experience, with former Rajasthan Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister Tirath Singh Rawat and former Tripura Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb among the members.

Four leaders with previous experience in the Union government and one sitting Union minister are also part of the team.

The new national office bearers include 18 sitting Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members, bringing legislative experience and their connection with constituencies to the organisation.

Professionals and younger leaders add to the team

The team also brings together people from varied professional and academic backgrounds. It includes two professors, four practising doctors, as well as PhD holders, engineers, chartered accountants and lawyers.

The appointments to various Morchas are expected to bring organisational experience, fresh energy and domain expertise to the BJP’s national team.

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