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New Delhi, June 2 (IANS) Calling it a violation of fundamental rights, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has sought withdrawal of a West Bengal government’s order making recitation of all stanzas of Vande Mataram compulsory during morning assemblies in government schools and government-recognised madrasas across the state.

The Board demanded that the notification be withdrawn immediately or, at the very least, that Muslim students be exempted from its application.

The West Bengal government’s decision is not only contrary to the spirit of the Constitution but also inconsistent with India’s secular and democratic traditions, said the Board.

In a press statement, the Board’s spokesperson S.Q.R. Ilyas said that compelling any student to recite a song or text that is contrary to his or her religious beliefs constitutes a clear violation of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed under the Constitution of India, particularly Articles 19, 25, and 28(3).

He stated that such a directive is inconsistent with the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Bijoe Emmanuel versus State of Kerala, wherein the Court categorically held that no citizen can be compelled to participate in a national or religious ceremony in violation of sincerely held religious or conscientious beliefs.

Ilyas said that the Muslim Personal Law Board considers it necessary to clarify that certain stanzas of Vande Mataram contain concepts that Muslims regard as inconsistent with the Islamic doctrine of monotheism (Tawhid).

Forcing Muslim students to recite the song amounts to a direct infringement upon their religious identity and constitutional freedoms, he said.

Ilyas emphasised that a secular state must not impose the religious or cultural traditions of one community upon another.

He noted that since Independence, the Government of India has never made the recitation of Vande Mataram compulsory in educational institutions. For this reason, the matter has historically been treated as one of individual conscience, religious liberty, and personal choice.

Referring to Article 28(3) of the Constitution, Ilyas pointed out that no student attending an educational institution maintained by the state or receiving state aid can be compelled to participate in religious instruction, worship, or religious observances without his or her free consent.

The AIMPLB appealed to Muslim students, parents, and teachers in West Bengal to remain aware of their constitutional and legal rights.

The Board urged them to seek appropriate legal remedies if they are subjected to any form of coercion or pressure to recite Vande Mataram, relying upon the Fundamental Rights guaranteed by the Constitution and the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Bijoe Emmanuel case.

–IANS

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New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sushila Karki on Saturday for taking office as the Prime Minister of Nepal’s interim government, stating that India is committed to the peace and prosperity of the Himalayan nation.

Sushila Karki, 73, was sworn in as Nepal’s interim Prime Minister late on Friday evening, thus becoming the first-ever woman PM of the Himalayan nation.

Karki, also Nepal’s first woman Chief Justice, took the oath of office administered by President Ram Chandra Poudel, who held extensive consultations with leaders of the Gen-Z protests, constitutional experts, and the Army chief throughout the day.

In a post on X, PM Modi said, “I extend my best wishes to Right Hon. Mrs. Sushila Karki on assuming office as the Prime Minister of the Interim Government of Nepal. India remains firmly committed to the peace, progress and prosperity of the people of Nepal.”

Earlier in the day, India welcomed the formation of a new interim government in Nepal under the leadership of former Chief Justice Sushila Karki, expressing hope that the political transition would contribute to peace and stability.

In a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), it reiterated its commitment to strengthening ties with Kathmandu during this period of change.

“We welcome the formation of a new Interim Government in Nepal, led by Right Honourable Mrs Sushila Karki. We are hopeful that this would help in fostering peace and stability,” the MEA said.

The ministry added, “As a close neighbour, a fellow democracy and a long-term development partner, India will continue to work closely with Nepal for the well-being and prosperity of our two peoples and countries.”

Following the fall of the K.P. Sharma Oli-led government during the violent Gen-Z protests on Monday, Karki was the pick of activists who have taken to the streets, protesting against Oli’s rule.

Discussions with Gen-Z protestors and other stakeholders were prolonged over the issue of dissolving the House of Representatives, the lower house, before the new Prime Minister is sworn in or after it.

Gen-Z protestors agreed on Karki’s name, paving the way for her appointment as Prime Minister even though several non-political candidates were floated as alternatives.

There is, however, no constitutional provision allowing anyone who is not a member of the House of Representatives to hold the post. Karki has been appointed under the “principle of necessity”.

According to Article 76 of Nepal’s Constitution, only a member of the House of Representatives can become Prime Minister. This criterion disqualifies Karki, as even members of the National Assembly, the upper house of Parliament, are barred from holding the post.

Likewise, Article 132 (2) of the Constitution prevents her from becoming Prime Minister. It states that no person who has once held the office of Chief Justice or Judge of the Supreme Court shall be eligible for appointment to any government office, except as otherwise provided in the Constitution.

–IANS

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Hyderabad, Nov 9 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday exuded confidence that Congress will remain in power for another eight years.

“Mark my word – Congress will be in power until June 2034 in Telangana,” he told journalists at the Meet the Press programme organised by the Hyderabad Press Club.

Listing out the development works undertaken by his government during the last two years, Revanth Reddy said he was confident of the party getting a fresh mandate.

The Chief Minister also predicted that the next Assembly elections will not be held in December 2028. “The next elections will be in June 2029 when simultaneous polls will be held for all state Assemblies and Lok Sabha,” he said.

Revanth Reddy said that Telangana had witnessed a robust growth during the Congress regime in the erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh and claimed that the state has been witnessing rapid growth under the “People’s Government” since 2023 in Telangana.

Coming down heavily on the previous BRS government, the CM said that former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao (KCR) ruined Telangana during his 10-year rule.

He recalled that when KCR formed the government in 2014, Telangana had a surplus budget of Rs 16,000 crore, but he handed over the reins to the Congress government in 2023 with a debt of over Rs 8.11 lakh crore.

He slammed KCR for building huge structures like Command Control, Secretariat, and Pragathi Bhavan but generating not even a single job. “KCR spent Rs 1 lakh crore on the Kaleshwaram project, but not a single acre was irrigated. On Irrigation alone, the BRS government spent Rs 1.85 lakh crore without any use,” he said.

He alleged that the previous government also destroyed Universities by not appointing Vice Chancellors and by closing down 5000 schools. It failed to construct a new building for the Osmania Hospital and the Telangana Institute of Medical Sciences (TIMS).

The Chief Minister also remarked that becoming Chief Minister is not in the destiny of BRS Working President K. T. Rama Rao (KCR). He said KCR acted like Dhritarashtra for his son. “KTR changed the directions in the name of Vastu, but what is the use when KTR’s destiny is not good?” he remarked.

Revanth Reddy also accused KTR of being unjust to his own sister, K. Kavitha. He said the same KTR was making tall claims about the well-being of the BRS candidate in the Jubilee Hills bypoll, Maganti Sunitha and her family members.

The Chief Minister also trained guns on Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy for what he called diverting the Telangana project to Gujarat. “Kishan Reddy is playing Gujarat ‘Ghulam’ (slave) role and obstructing the growth of Telangana,” he said.

CM Revanth Reddy reiterated that BRS and BJP have a ‘fevicol bond’. He asked why the BJP government at the Centre failed to launch a CBI probe into the Kaleshwaram scam despite the state government handing over the case to the central agency.

He also pointed out that the Governor has not given permission for KTR’s arrest in the Formula E race case, though the state government sought the permission three months ago.

He claimed that it was because of the efforts of the Congress governments that Hyderabad became an IT and knowledge city and a hub for global capability centres.

He mentioned that Hyderabad accounts for 40 per cent of the bulk drugs supply, and it attracted investment of $1 billion by Eli Lilly and also the investments by American Airlines and McDonald’s.

The CM also highlighted the Congress’s efforts behind Hyderabad becoming a growth corridor. He mentioned that 65 per cent of Telangana’s income comes from Hyderabad city. Rangareddy district has the highest per capita income in the country, the Chief Minister said, adding that this was due to the proactive decisions taken by the Congress.

He said the credit for distributing 25 lakh acres of assigned land and 10 lakh acres of Podu lands and implementing the slogan of “Dhunne wadi ke bhoomi” (land for the tiller) all goes to the Congress governments.

He claimed that former Union Minister, the late S. Jaipal Reddy, played a key role in developing the Metro Rail project in Hyderabad.

He said the present Congress government spent Rs 7,100 crore on the scheme for free bus travel for women and saved the RTC from losses. It increased Rajiv Aarogya Sri’s limit to Rs 10 lakhs. It is also constructing a new building for Osmania Hospital at a cost of Rs 3,000 crore. The government is providing ration cards, supplying cooking gas at Rs 500, and 200 units of free power. It also waived off Rs 21,000 crores of farm loans and provided Rs 9,000 crore in Rythu Bharosa benefits in nine days. The People’s Government also conducted a BC caste census and made the Union government announce a caste census along with the population census in the country, he said.

CM Revanth Reddy said that Telangana became the first state in the country to implement the Scheduled Caste sub-classification. It established a Young India Skills University and a Police School, and also built Young India Residential Schools. Plans have also been prepared to bring 20 TMC of Godavari water to Hyderabad, he added.

–IANS

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