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Gujarat govt won’t have to pay for repair of shrines damaged in 2002 riots: rules SC

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Gujarat govt won’t have to pay for repair of shrines damaged in 2002 riots: rules SC

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Over 500 religious structures – a majority of them being mosques and Islamic shrines – were damaged in the post-Godhra pogrom of 2002. The Apex court accepted Gujarat government’s contention that spending public money for repair and maintenance of a religious structure will be against the country’s secular fabric

The Supreme Court, on Tuesday, set aside Gujarat High Court’s order, which had asked the state government to pay for repair of religious structures, mostly mosques and Islamic shrines, which were damaged during the 2002 post-Godhra riots.

A bench of Chief Justice Deepak Misra and Justice PC Pant, however, said that the state government’s scheme of paying (ex-gratia) compensation of Rs 50,000 for the repair of damaged residential and commercial structures will be applicable for the religious structures too.

Observing that the order of the Gujarat High Court was ‘not tenable in law’, the bench asked the state to release funds according to its ex-gratia scheme and not as per the HC order, which had also sought an assessment of actual cost of restoration according to which the state government had to provide funds.

Appearing for the state government, Additional Solicitor General (ASG), Tushar Mehta had reasoned that a judicial order directing use of public money for construction of places of worship will be “against the secular fabric of the country”.

Mehta informed the top court that state government was willing to pay from its ex-gratia scheme for repair and reconstruction works of various structures, shops and houses which were damaged.

After the Bench passed its order, Mehta told reporters: “Our plea (seeking quashing of the Gujarat HC order) has been allowed…This ex-gratia scheme (of the Gujarat government) has been accepted by the SC.”

In an earlier hearing, the Supreme Court had asked the parties in the case if it would be proper in a secular State to order compensation for rebuilding places of worship. “Money is required for economic growth… individual injury is a different thing where compensation is granted under Article 21 (right to life and liberty) of the Constitution. Can it happen in a diversified country that a state is distributing public money to build religious places?” it said.

Citing Article 27 in the Constitution, Mehta had told the SC that there was a prohibition against compelling people “to pay any taxes, the proceeds of which are specifically appropriated in payment of expenses for the promotion or maintenance of any particular religion or religious denomination”.

Mehta maintained before the court: “What is prohibited, therefore, is use of state fund, which consists of payment of various taxes by citizens, for repair /reconstruction/construction of any place of worship of any religion.”

Gujarat govt won’t have to pay for repair of shrines damaged in 2002 riots: rules SC

Considered one of the worst riots that took place in India in the post-independence era, the 2002 pogrom claimed the lives of over 800 Muslims and around 250 Hindus, as per official figures. Those who have worked in the riot-affected areas, activists and social commentators, have for long claimed that the official death toll of the 2002 riots betrayed facts and that the actual number of killings exceeded 2000 people, mostly Muslims.

The riots have been seen as a reaction by Hindu radicals to the death of 57 Hindu pilgrims who lost their lives when a train they were travelling in was set on fire in Gujarat’s Godhra. The riots have been the biggest scar on the political innings of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was then the Gujarat chief minister. Activists, a section of the media and legal commentators have, since 2002, spoken about the complicity of the then Gujarat government in allowing the Hindu rioters to kill Muslims. The then junior minister for home in Gujarat, and now BJP national president Amit Shah along with several BJP leaders were accused in various cases related to the riots.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Amit Shah accuses Congress of preserving Article 370 for 70 years

Shah was addressing a Lok Sabha election rally in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh where he said the Congress and the Samajwadi Party preserved Article 370 for 70 years, due to which terrorism in the country increased.

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Amit Shah accuses Congress of preserving Article 370 for 70 years

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday attacked Congress on Sunday for preserving Article 370 of the Constitution, due to which terrorism increased in the country. He further added that BJP will never let another division of the country happen. Shah was addressing a Lok Sabha election rally in Jaunpur district of Uttar Pradesh where he said the Congress and the Samajwadi Party preserved Article 370 for 70 years, due to which terrorism in the country increased.

Addressing the people Shah said they had made Modiji the prime minister for the 2nd time and he abrogated Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019.  He compared the situation to earlier times in the valley, when the Army had to be taken along for hoisting the tricolour, at that same Lal Chowk (Jammu and Kashmir) to the situation now when the shobhayatra of Lord Krishna is being taken out. The rally was organised to garner support for B P Saroj, the BJP candidate from the Machhlishahr Lok Sabha constituency in Jaunpur.

Shah further added that the divisive policies of the Congress want to divide the country again but BJP will never let that happen again. The Union Home Minister accused the grand old party of spreading lies that if PM Modi comes to power for a 3rd time at the centre then he will abolish reservation.

Shah Pointed out that the prime minister has been in majority for the last 10 years and he did not use it to abolish reservation. Shah said, he wanted to ask (SP chief) Akhilesh Yadav and (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi that when their government was in power for 10 years, what did Uttar Pradesh get in that period? The UPA government gave Rs 4.9 lakh crore to Uttar Pradesh in 10 years as compared to the NDA government which gave Rs 19.11 lakh crore.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Arvind Kejriwal says BJP started Operation Jhaadu to crush AAP

The Delhi chief minister alleged BJP has started Operation Jhaadu so that they do not grow big and become a challenge to them

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Arvind Kejriwal says BJP started Operation Jhaadu to crush AAP

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday alleged BJP has started Operation Jhaadu to crush the Aam Aadmi Party since its popularity among the people is rising too fast. Kejriwal was addressing Aam Aadmi Party workers at the party office in New Delhi where he claimed the AAP’s bank accounts would be frozen after elections and they will be brought on the roads and left without an office.

The Delhi chief minister alleged BJP has started Operation Jhaadu so that they do not grow big and become a challenge to them.  He further added that through Operation Jhaadu, AAP’s big leaders will be arrested; they are being arrested, and in the coming days, Aam Aadmi Party’s bank accounts will be frozen.

Kejriwal pointed out that ED’s lawyer has already given this statement in court that soon after the election, AAP’s bank accounts will be frozen. He said that if they freeze their accounts now, then AAP will get sympathy. As a result after the election, ED will freeze AAP’s bank accounts. He said AAP’s party office will be cleared out, and the party will be brought to the streets.  Kejriwal said these are the 3 plans made by the BJP.

The Delhi chief minister claimed that no gold or money has been recovered from him, and the BJP, by creating false cases has got AAP leaders arrested. Kejriwal recalled that since the time he came to power in 2015, many allegations had been against him by the BJP. He said after the liquor policy scam has happened people are asking them if the scam happened then where is the money. He pointed out that in other places, when raids happen, notes and gold are recovered, but here nothing was found. Kejriwal asked the people that where is all the money? He said BJP had made fake cases and arrested AAP leaders.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

PM Modi says Congress is the mother of corruption, party was involved in coal and 2G scams

PM Modi said, Congress and JMM know nothing about development and their only job is to speak lies, loudly, again and again, and everywhere, their only objective is to do an the X-ray of poor people’s wealth and steal it.

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PM Modi says Congress is the mother of corruption, party was involved in coal and 2G scams

Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed an election rally in Jharkhand’s Jamshedpur on Sunday (May 19) amid the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024.  While addressing the election rally in Jamshedpur PM Modi said, people’s excitement told him what result will come on June 4 in Jamshedpur.

He recalled the time when he used to work as a BJP party worker for many years and used to ask people at that time they would come at 10 or 11 am to attend an election rally. But today he was witnessing a huge crowd here. The prime minister thanked all of them and said Lok Sabha election decides and strengthens the future of the country.

During a public rally in Jamshedpur, PM Modi said, Congress and JMM know nothing about development and their only job is to speak lies, loudly, again and again, and everywhere, their only objective is to do an the X-ray of poor people’s wealth and steal it. He further accused the Congress and JMM of snatching the reservation of SC and ST and the party leaders of the two parties are continuously abusing Modi every day. He asked if they are not able to think beyond this? He said the whole country has realised their truth.

PM Modi said, Congress and their ally parties, wherever they have governments, he challenged those chief ministers and this is not his political statement. The prime minister said Congress’s Shehzada keeps opposing business industries, businessmen and investments.

 PM Modi asked which businessman will go and invest in those states? What will happen to the youths of those states?  He said all investors who come to him and say that they would not go to these states because of their ideology against them. He said businessmen are verbally abused there and investors are forced to think that since Shehzada has this kind of thoughts, his ally parties would have the same thoughts as well. PM Modi added Congress is the mother of corruption and party was involved in coal and 2G scams as well

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