News Analysis India

Tag: Aurangzeb

  • Mosque committee chairman booked for allegedly threatening lawyer in UP: Police

    By PTI

    AGRA: The Agra police have booked the chairman of Shahi Jama Masjid’s management committee here over a purported audio clip in which he allegedly threatens a lawyer who claimed that expensive idols taken from a temple were buried under the mosque premises.

    Mathura-based lawyer Mahendra Pratap Singh had recently sent notices to the Archaeological Survey of India and the Centre claiming that the idols of Keshav Dev temple in his district were buried under the staircase of Sahiba Begum Masjid in Agra’s Shahi Jama Masjid complex by Mughal emperor Aurangzeb when he allegedly destroyed the temple in 1670, and sought their recovery.

    Agra Senior Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Singh said, “A case has been registered against the chairman of the Intezamia Committee at Sahi Jama Masjid Jahid alias Pappu at Mantola police station for giving a provoking statement and making it viral on the internet.”

    He said Jahid has been booked under Sections 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups), 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act.

    “Police are gathering evidence and strict action will be taken in this regard. We will not allow anybody to make provocative statements and post them on social media,” he added.

    According to the FIR, Jahid had on Friday made a speech at the Shai Jama Masjid premises during which he allegedly threatened lawyer Singh and the petitioner in the Shri Krishna Janmbhoomi case in Mathura.

    He had also allegedly made the audio clip viral on social media.

    However, on Saturday, Jahid released a video statement saying he did not make a comment against the government or the country, but it was against individual people who are trying to “provoke” Muslims for their vested interests.

    He claimed that Muslims are being provoked unnecessarily and that the community is united against such acts.

  • India never posed threat to any country; has followed Sikh Gurus’ ideals: PM Narendra Modi

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: India has never posed a threat to any country or society and it thinks for the welfare of the entire world even today amid global conflicts, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday, asserting that the country is following the ideals of Sikh gurus.

    Addressing an event from the Red Fort to celebrate the 400th birth anniversary of Sikh Guru Tegh Bahadur, Modi said the Gurudwara Sis Ganj Sahib near the Red Fort stands a symbol of the immortal sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur.

    “This holy Gurudwara reminds us how great was the sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji to protect our great culture. At that time there was a storm of religious fanaticism in the country. India, which considered religion as a matter of philosophy, science and self-reflection, was facing people who had committed violence and atrocities in the name of religion,” he said.

    At that time, there was a great hope for India to save its identity in the form of Guru Tegh Bahadur, he noted. “In front of Aurangzeb’s tyrannical thinking, Guru Tegh Bahadur ji, becoming ‘Hind di Chadar’, stood like a rock,” Modi said.

    Red Fort is witness that Aurangzeb and tyrants like him might have beheaded many people but our faith could not be separated from us, the prime minister said. “The sacrifice of Guru Tegh Bahadur has inspired many generations of India to live and die to protect the dignity of their culture, for its honour and respect. Big powers have disappeared, big storms have calmed down, but India still stands immortal and is moving ahead,” Modi asserted.

    “India has never posed a threat to any country or society. Even today we think for the welfare of the whole world. When we talk about a self-reliant India, we keep the progress of the whole world in front of that goal,” he said.

    The prime minister also released a commemorative coin and postage stamp to mark the occasion. The programme was focussed on highlighting the teachings of the ninth Sikh guru who sacrificed his life to protect religion and human values, ideals and principles in world history.

    Guru Tegh Bahadur’s death anniversary is commemorated as ‘Shaheedi Divas’ every year on November 24. Gurdwara Sis Ganj Sahib, built at the spot where he was beheaded, and Gurdwara Rakab Ganj, the site of his cremation, in Delhi are associated with his sacrifice.

    His legacy serves as a great unifying force for the nation. The fort was chosen as the venue for the event as it was from here that Aurangzeb had given orders for the execution of Guru Tegh Bahadur in 1675, according to Ministry of Culture officials.

    The event also saw performances by 400 Sikh musicians and a langar was also held.

  • Row after Assam MLA claims Aurangzeb donated land for Kamakhya temple

    By PTI

    NAGAON: An All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF) MLA of Assam has created a controversy by claiming that Mughal emperor Aurangzeb donated land for the famed Kamakhya Temple in Guwahati.

    The origin of the Kamakhya Temple is believed to be pre-Aryan or tribal in traits and rituals by many, according to the website of the shrine.

    “Aurangzeb’s land grant to Maa Kamakhya Temple is clearly written in a book ‘Pavitra Asam’ by noted litterateur Dr Maheswar Neog which was published by the Asam Sahitya Sabha,” Aminul Islam, the MLA of Dhing in Nagaon district, said.

    Aurangzeb, the last of the great Mughal emperors, ruled India from 1658 to 1707.

    The AIUDF MLA also claimed that Aurangzeb had donated land to hundreds of temples in India, including 178 hectares of land to Jangamwadi Temple in Varanasi.

    Reacting to this, the chief minister said his government will not tolerate such baseless statements.

    Meanwhile, a self-proclaimed Hindutva leader Satyaranjan Bora was detained and later released by police on Wednesday as he attempted to march to Islam’s residence at Dhing to protest against his statement.

    Bora has filed a complaint against Islam at Dispur police station in Guwahati.

    “Maa Kamakhya Devalaya is considered most sacred and oldest of the 51 Shakti Peethas on earth. It is the centrepiece of widely practised, powerful Tantrik Shaktism cult in India,” the website of the temple said.

  • Stone-pelting by mob in Maharashtra over social media post against emperor Aurangzeb; 4 cops injured

    By PTI

    AURANGABAD: A mob of over 150 people allegedly pelted stones on vehicles and hoardings on a road in Maharashtra’s Osmanabad city to express their anger over an objectionable post against Mughal emperor Aurangzeb on Facebook, police said on Wednesday.

    The incident took place around 10.30 pm on Tuesday in Vijay Chowk area and four policemen were injured while trying to stop the violent mob, they said.

    “The mob vandalised a hoarding, a police vehicle and an auto-rickshaw in Vijay Chowk area.

    Four policemen, including an officer, were injured while they were trying to stop the mob,” Osmanabad city police station’s inspector Suresh Budhwant told PTI.

    A case was registered against 43 people, who were named, and 150 to 170 unidentified protesters under various IPC Sections, including 307 (attempt to murder), 333 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) public service, 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, another official said.