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Shiv Sena continues to block infra projects, Uddhav Thackeray opposes Bullet Train project claiming it will separate Mumbai from rest of Maharashtra

OpIndia Staff
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Shiv Sena continues to block infra projects, Uddhav Thackeray opposes Bullet Train project claiming it will separate Mumbai from rest of Maharashtra

Shiv Sena led Maharashtra govt continues to oppose major infrastructure projects in the state. After blocking major parts of the Mumbai metro project by not allowing to build the metro car shed, the party is trying hard to block the India’s first bullet train project. On Saturday, Maharashtra CM and Shiv Sena Pramukh Uddhav Thackeray was seen toeing many divisive lines while attacking the Bullet Train project between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. While speaking at a political rally in Mumbai, Thackeray alleged that the Bullet Train project is being brought to separate Mumbai from the rest of Maharashtra. Since the commencement of the project, Marathi regionalists including Shiv Sena, and Raj Thackeray’s MNS have opposed the project, with Uddhav Thackeray adding new fire to it.

The Maharashtra CM was talking at Shiv Sena’s political rally held in Mumbai’s Bandra-Kurla Complex on Saturday. As part of Shiv Sena’s reach out campaign, with the BMC polls are around the corner, Thackeray pulled out many punches at his rival BJP’s Devendra Fadnavis. While responding to Fadnavis’ earlier claims of liberating Mumbai from Shiv Sena rule in the upcoming elections, Uddhav Thackeray lashed out at him involving the ambitious Bullet Train Project.

Thackeray said, “The Marathi Manoos has claimed Mumbai after spilling his blood. It has not been sought as a gift. Whosoever tries to challenge Mumbai, The Maratha, Marathi and the Hindu sitting here will break them into pieces.” He further said that the place where Shiv Sena often organises its rallies will be occupied by the Bullet Train. It is notable that the bullet train project includes an underground station at BKC. The CM further alleged, “They are building the nation’s first Bullet Train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad. Who demanded it and who needs it? If the train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad starts tomorrow, then how many of us will be going there and how many will come here?” he asked.

Uddhav Thackeray further claimed that the Bullet Train Project is a ploy to break Mumbai. “What do they mean when they say they will make Mumbai independent? Is our country and Maharashtra under occupation?” Thackeray asked.

Opposition to the Bullet Train Project

Since the announcement of the Bullet Train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad, regional parties in Maharashtra have been criticising it saying that it will bridge the gap between Gujarat and Mumbai, while it has nothing for Maharashtra to offer. The criticism stems from the historical separation of Maharshtra and Gujarat on linguistic lines from the erstwhile Bombay state precidency. While both the states claimed their stake over Mumbai, it inadvertently went with Maharashtra as its new capital after a concerted movement called the ‘Sanyukta Maharashtra movement’ took place.

With the Bullet train between Mumbai and Ahmedabad announced, Marathi regionalists fear that the project is a means to connect Mumbai with Gujarat through the high-speed rail route. The statements from Uddhav Thackeray have risen from a similar sentiment. As of now, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail corridor is being laid between the cities. Out of the total 508 km length of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High-Speed Rail Project, 348 km lies in Gujarat, 4 km in Dadra and Nagar Haveli and the balance 156 km is in Maharashtra. Construction work has started in Gujarat and Dadra & Nagar Haveli different phases from December 2020.

But the project has not started in Maharashtra due to non-cooperation of the state government. The Maharashtra government has refused to co-operate in land acquisition, and also refused to hand over government land for the project, which has resulted in the slow execution of the project in the state. In March this year, the tender for the BKC underground station was cancelled be because the Uddhav Thackeray government refused to handover the required land. The station will not occupy any land because it will be underground, and the project prepared by The National High Speed Rail Corporation Ltd (NHSRCL) included integrating the state govt’s proposed International Finance and Service Centre (IFSC) with the terminal, but still the state govt refused to give the land. Similarly in February, the tender for the construction of tunnels between Bandra-Kurla Complex and Shilphata was also cancelled for the same reason.

The ambitious high-speed railway network between two of the most developed cities in Western India will pass through the 508 kilometre long network through Mumbai, Thane, and Palghar in Maharashtra and Valsad, Navsari, Surat, Bharuch, Vadodara, Anand, Kheda, and Ahmedabad in Gujarat. In the Railway Budget 2014-15, The Government of India announced to undertake the planning of high-speed rail connectivity on the Diamond Quadrilateral network connecting major metros and growth centres of the country, after the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Bullet train project sees the light of the day.

United States of America: Congressional hearing on UFOs on May 17 – Here is what to expect

OpIndia Staff
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United States of America: Congressional hearing on UFOs on May 17 – Here is what to expect

On May 17, the United States Congress will hold its first-ever public hearing on Unidentified Flying Objects in over 50 years. In June last year, a report was published that detailed multiple reports of “unidentified aerial phenomena” or UAPs. Following the report, The House Intelligence Committee’s subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Counterintelligence and Counterproliferation hearing is going to start this Tuesday.

The report was published by the director of national intelligence after the Senate Intelligence Committee had requested the same. It said between 2004 and 2021, there were 144 UAP encounters recorded by the United States government. The report added that there was limited data available about the incidents, which means they could not be explained. It said there was a possibility of multiple types of UAPs that would require different explanations on a case-to-case basis.

The reasons of UAPs included airborne clutter, natural atmospheric phenomena, government or industry developmental programs, foreign adversary systems or other reasons. It did not rule out the possibility of technology of extraterrestrial origin. The report mentioned 18 incidents where ‘unusual’ movement patterns of flight were reported demonstrating advanced technology. It said those could be potentially deployed by China, Russia or another nation or a non-government entity.

Representative André Carson said in a statement, “The American people expect and deserve their leaders in government and intelligence to seriously evaluate and respond to any potential national security risks—especially those we do not fully understand. Since coming to Congress, I’ve been focused on the issue of unidentified aerial phenomena as both a national security threat and an interest of great importance to the American public. The hearing will give the American people an opportunity to learn what there is to know about these incidents.”

He added, “There have been nearly 150 sightings. Eighty of the sightings [were] detected with some of the best technology the world has ever seen. We can’t rule out something that is otherworldly, but that’s a very small percentage.” He said, “Someone has to do it.”

Democrat congressman and chairman of the House intelligence committee Adam Schiff said, “This will give the public an opportunity to hear directly from subject matter experts, and leaders in the intelligence community, on one of the greatest mysteries of our time. The hearing would break the cycle of excessive secrecy and speculation with truth and transparency”.

Hearing on UFO after fifty years

Last open hearing on UFOs was held in early 1970 when Air Force closed a public investigation on UFOs known as Project Blue Book. Gerald R. Ford, who was the House Republican minority leader from Michigan organized a hearing in response to reports of UFO sightings by over 40 people that including 12 policemen in 1966. Ford had said, “I believe the American people are entitled to a more thorough explanation than has been given them by the Air Force to date.” Air Force explained the sightings as “swamp gas”.

Another hearing was held two years later by Congress. Scientists outside Air Force presented papers on UFOs. The Air Force concluded the hearing in 1969 that no UFO ever threatened national security and the objects did not display any technology that was not available in those days. The investigation was closed.

Uttar Pradesh: Jama Masjid in Aligarh made on ‘public property’ reveals RTI, BJP leader demands demolition

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Jama Masjid in Aligarh made on ‘public property’ reveals RTI, BJP leader demands demolition

An RTI application has revealed that the Jama Masjid in the Upperkot region of Aligarh district in Uttar Pradesh is constructed on ‘public property.’ Citing the RTI response, a Bharatiya Janata Party politician has requested that the mosque be bulldozed.

The issue surfaced after RTI activist Keshav Dev Sharma filed an RTI with the Municipal Corporation of Aligarh about Jama Masjid. In response, the Municipal Corporation stated that the 300-year-old Jama Masjid in Upperkot was built on public property.

Previously, in June 2021, the activist requested information from the Municipal Corporation under the Right to Information Act on a variety of matters, including who owns the Jama Masjid and the amount o tax it pays.

As per the Municipal Corporation’s response to the RTI, the Jama Masjid is not owned by anybody and is built on public land. It was emphasised in response that the Jama Masjid is not owned by anybody. It is constructed on public property and does not belong to any individual.

Following this, the activist appealed to the District Magistrate, requesting that the mosque erected on public property be bulldozed. According to BJP leaders, whatever is erected on public property is unlawful and should be demolished. Shakuntala Bharti, a prominent Bharatiya Janata Party politician and former mayor, stated, “What remains illegal is illegal. Be it Jama Masjid or anything, it should be broken. It should be absolutely broken, nothing should be done to it. Whoever filed the RTI, the facts that came out are true. And the municipal corporation is also saying that it is illegal, what is illegal is illegal.”

“We will also write a letter to the government regarding this. We will inform the Chief Minister that the facts which have come out to be true on the basis of RTI and what the Municipal Corporation is saying should be considered very soon and what is illegal should be broken and what is legal should not be broken,” she further added.

Samajwadi Party leaders have accused the BJP of using such incidents to deflect public attention away from genuine concerns. Former SP MLA Jamir Ullah claimed that when the mosque was built in 1728, the municipal corporation and the BJP were not in existence.

Delhi: Good Samaritan crane operator saves over 50 lives in Mundka fire tragedy, says fire tenders arrived after 1.5 hours

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Good Samaritan crane operator saves over 50 lives in Mundka fire tragedy, says fire tenders arrived after 1.5 hours

When a fire broke out in a building in Mundka, a crane operator passing by used his crane to rescue more than 50 lives. Dayanand Tiwari, a crane operator, used his crane to rescue more than 50 lives during a fire in Delhi’s Mundka on May 13. He was on his way from Mundka Udyog Nagar when he noticed the fire. He hurried near the scene with his crane, saving lives before fire tenders arrived.

Tiwari said, “I was coming from Mundka Udyog Nagar when I saw the fire in the building. With the help of our crane, we rescued around 50-55 people, mostly women.”

“Later the fire turned huge and due to which we could not rescue others. Our crane owner and helper were also present during the rescue operation. It was a very frightening sight. Fire tenders reached there after 1.5 hours,” he added.

According to the crane operator, fire tenders arrived at the scene around 1.5 hours after the fire broke. Initially, 15 fire engines came to the scene and began the rescue effort. Later, almost 30 fire tenders were involved in the efforts to extinguish the fire.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has blamed the incident on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. According to Amit Malviya, In-charge of the BJP’s National Information & Technology Department, the 1.5-hour delay in getting fire tenders to the spot is unjustifiable, and CM Arvind Kejriwal should be held accountable for the lives lost.

In a tweet, Malviya said, “The devastating fire in Mundka that claimed 27 lives could have been averted or contained had the fire tenders arrived on time. 1.5 hours delay is completely inexplicable. Arvind Kejriwal’s mishandling is responsible for the mishap and loss of lives. He must be made accountable.”

On May 13, 2022, 27 people died in a horrible occurrence in Delhi’s Mundka as a result of a fire in a building. The fire broke out in Mundka, near Delhi’s border with Bahadurgarh, Haryana, late Friday afternoon. The fire started in a four-story structure that housed numerous different companies’ offices. Later on Saturday, another fire broke in Delhi’s Narela in a plastic factory. Fortunately, no loss of lives reported.

It is worth noting that the Delhi Fire Service is administered by the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. The administrative responsibility of the Delhi Fire Service, which was formerly held by the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, has been transferred to the Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi beginning November 10, 1994. Currently, the department is under the Aam Aadmi Party-led Arvind Kejriwal’s government.

Recurring major fire incidents in Delhi

So far, six significant fires have occurred in the country’s capital. These accidents have claimed the lives of around 200 individuals. Every time there is an inquiry after a fire, it is discovered that carelessness is the leading cause of such events.

Prior to the Mundka tragedy, the most recent significant fire in Delhi occurred on December 8, 2019. Early in the morning, a major fire broke out at a four-story factory on Rani Jhansi Road in the heart of the city. This terrible fire killed 43 workers. Earlier this year, on the intervening night of February 11 and 12, a fire broke out at Hotel Arpit in the Karolbagh region. In this incident, 17 persons died.

In 2018, there was also a significant fire accident in Delhi. The accident occurred in January 2018, when a fire broke out in an illegal firecracker factory in the Bawana district, killing 17 persons.

Nevertheless, the Uphaar Cinema fire remains the worst fire disaster in Delhi. On June 13, 1997, there was a devastating fire at Uphaar Cinema in South Delhi. The movie ‘Border’ was screened at the time, and the theatre was full. This accident claimed the lives of 59 persons. According to witnesses, the fire engines arrived at the scene half an hour later, which resulted in more casualties.

Cricketing world mourns, express their condolences as ex-Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds tragically dies in car crash

OpIndia Staff
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Cricketing world mourns, express their condolences as ex-Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds tragically dies in car crash

The cricket world is in shock after the death of Australian cricketing legend Andrew Symonds, who died in a car accident on Saturday night.

According to the reports, the 46-year-old all-rounder Symonds died in a single-car crash outside of Townsville after his car rolled off the road. The police said that the emergency services attempted to revive the 46-year-old Symonds, who was travelling alone. However, Symonds died of his injuries on the spot.

Symonds represented Australia in 26 Test matches, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia, enjoying tremendous success across the limited formats of the game.

Following the tragic loss, tributes have poured in from all corners of the sporting world for one of the game’s greatest all-rounders.

Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh tweeted that he was shocked to hear about the sudden demise of Andrew Symonds.

Former Indian Cricketer Suresh Raina expressed his sadness over the death of Symonds and said life is really unpredictable, adding that he was shocked to hear about the sudden demise of Andrew Symonds.

“My heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace you legend,” he tweeted.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan also expressed his condolences to Symond’s family and friends.

Former Australian fast bowler and Andrew Symonds teammate Jason Gillespie tweeted, “Horrendous news to wake up to. Utterly devastated. We are all gonna miss you mate.”

“This really hurts,” tweeted former Australian teammate Adam Gilchrist.

“Simmo .. This doesn’t feel real.” said former England captain Michael Vaughan as he paid tributes.

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar said that he was devastated to hear about Andrew Symonds passing away in a car crash in Australia. “We shared a great relationship on & off the field. Thoughts & prayers with the family,” he tweeted.

A few other cricketers from across the world also shared their condolences after the tragic death of Andrew Symonds.

Andrew Symonds made his Australia debut during an ODI against Pakistan in 1998. The all-rounder played more than 200 ODIs, scoring over 5000 runs at an average of 39.75. The middle-order batsman has scored six centuries and 30 half-centuries and has also taken 133 wickets. In addition, he played 26 tests, scoring 1462 runs with two centuries and ten fifties.

Mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, leaves 10 dead, here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, leaves 10 dead, here is what we know so far

On May 14 (local time), an 18-year-old identified as Payton Gendron opened fire at a busy supermarket while live-streaming the attack on the streaming platform Twitch. The suspect entered the supermarket Tops on a busy afternoon with a rifle. He was wearing armour and had written the N-word on his rifle. As per the Police, it was a hate crime, and the majority of the dead were African-Americans.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has called it an act of “violent extremism”. Agent in charge of the Buffalo office of FBI Stephen Belongia said in a statement, “We are investigating this incident as both a hate crime and a case of racially-motivated violent extremism.”

Gendron reportedly drove for several hours to cover around 200 miles from his home near Binghamton to reach the area that has the majority of the black population. Reports suggest the shooting began in the parking area. Eyewitnesses confirmed he fired shots outside and then entered the supermarket. Grady Lewis, one of the eyewitnesses, said, “Then I seen the guy go in, army-style, bent over, just shooting at people.”

Buffalo Police Commissioner Joseph Gramaglia said thirteen people were shot in the incident. Three of the victims who got wounded were employees of the supermarket. Their injuries are not life-threatening.

The supermarket was guarded by a retired police officer. He tried to shoot the suspect but got killed in the shooting. Gendron surrendered his weapon after a stand-off with the security forces. He was detained by the Police and later presented to the court, where he pleaded not guilty. Erie County District Attorney John Flynn said in a statement that the suspect had been charged with first-degree murder. Further charges might get added later.

CBS quoted police sources saying that the suspect used racial slurs during the attack. One of the police officers at the scene was quoted by Buffalo News saying, “It’s like walking onto a horror movie, but everything is real. It is Armageddon-like.”

Speaking to reporters, Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown said it was the worst nightmare any community can face. He said, “We are hurting; we are seething right now. We cannot let this hateful person divide our community or our country.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the suspect a “white supremacist who has engaged in the act of terrorism”. She said the incident was “a military-style execution targeting people who simply wanted to buy groceries in a neighbourhood store.”

Statement by President Biden

In an official statement, United States President Joe Biden referred to the incident as ‘Domestic Terrorism’ and added that he and the first lady were praying for the victims and their families. He said, “Tonight, we grieve for the families of ten people whose lives were senselessly taken and everyone who is suffering the physical and emotional wounds of this horrific shooting. We are grateful for the bravery of members of law enforcement and other first responders who took immediate action to try to protect and save lives. The First Lady and I are praying for the victims and their families, and hearts all across this country are with the people of Buffalo.”

Referring to the incident as ‘Domestic Terrorism’ and pointing toward ‘white nationalist ideology’ he said, “We still need to learn more about the motivation for today’s shooting as law enforcement does its work, but we don’t need anything else to state a clear moral truth: A racially motivated hate crime is abhorrent to the very fabric of this nation. Any act of domestic terrorism, including an act perpetrated in the name of a repugnant white nationalist ideology, is antithetical to everything we stand for in America. Hate must have no safe harbour. We must do everything in our power to end hate-fueled domestic terrorism.”

The suspect pleaded not guilty

Hours after the shooting, the suspect, Payton Gendron, was presented in the court. Unnamed officials were quoted by the Independent saying that he might face life imprisonment. His court-appointed attorney pleaded not guilty in front of the judge at Buffalo City Court.

Manifesto confirmed he had planned every move

Gendron’s manifesto confirmed that he had planned every move. By looking at the way he had planned and added maps and other details, it looked like he had visited the store multiple times. In the manifesto, he had mentioned he would enter the supermarket like a regular customer to check if everything was in place and then go out and wear his armour.

From how he would kill the guard to details of which weapons he would use for the shooting were mentioned in the manifesto.

Twitch confirmed the shooting was live-streamed

The streaming platform Twitch confirmed that the shooting was live-streamed on their platform. In a statement, they added that the video had been removed from the platforms. They said, “We are devastated to hear about the shooting that took place this afternoon in Buffalo, New York. Our hearts go out to the community impacted by this tragedy. Twitch has a zero-tolerance policy against the violence of any kind and works swiftly to respond to all incidents. The user has been indefinitely suspended from our service, and we are taking all appropriate action, including monitoring for any accounts rebroadcasting this content.”

The Hollywood Reporter quoted a Twitch representative saying that the video was removed two minutes after the shooting began at Tops Friendly Market.

Islamic scholar tells Muslims to not pray for deceased Al-Jazeera journalist as she was ‘Christian’, others call her ‘kafir’

OpIndia Staff
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Islamic scholar tells Muslims to not pray for deceased Al-Jazeera journalist as she was ‘Christian’, others call her ‘kafir’

Two days after Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh (51) was shot dead amid gunfire between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank, an Islamic scholar has courted controversy for asking Muslims to not pray for her.

In a tweet on Friday (May 13), the founder of ‘Your Madrasah‘ Kamran wrote, “I see many Muslims are making dua for Shireen Abu Akleh, the journalist who was unjustly killed in Palestine. She was a Christian.”

“Just a reminder there is no difference of opinion among the scholars that one cannot pray for forgiveness & mercy for non Muslims after their death,” he had emphasised.

Screengrab of the tweet by Kamran

The Islamic scholar went on to quote the Quran, Islamic holy book, and claimed that those Muslims who seek repentance for an infidel (Mushrikoon) are doomed for hell-fire.

“It is not (proper) for the Prophet & those who believe to ask Allaah’s forgiveness for the Mushrikoon, even though they be of kin, after it has become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire.”[9:113]” he further added.

Kamran concluded, “Raise awareness & stand for injustice? Yes. Make dua for her? No.”

Screengrab of the tweet by Kamran

Following his tweet, his co-religionists also began discussing the faith of the deceased Al Jazeera journalist.

“How can someone have the audacity to make du’ā for a dead kafir when the Prophet ﷺ didn’t have the right to ask forgiveness for his mother? Who’s more important for you? his mother or a Christian journalist who works for Jazeera? Obviously his mother,” asked one Islamist.

Screengrab of the tweet

Another Twitter user wondered whether Shireen Abu Akleh was indeed a ‘Kafirah’. The term is widely used by Islamists across the globe to profile, discriminate and persecute non-Muslims.

Screengrab of the tweet

Other Islamists indulged in rhetorics to ascertain that the Al Jazeera journalist was a non-Muslim and thus not worthy of prayers.

Screengrab of the tweet

The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh

On May 11 this year, a senior journalist at Al Jazeera, Shireen Abu Akleh, was shot dead amid gunfire between Israeli forces and Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank. . She was reporting from the city of Jenin, which had seen intensified army raids in recent weeks.

The Al Jazeera Media Network condemned the incident and said in a statement that the killing of the journalist was a violation of the international laws and norms.

Calling Abu Akleh’s death a heinous crime, the Qatar-based news organisation said, “We hold the Israeli government and the occupation forces responsible for the killing of the late colleague Shireen”.

The statement also called on the international community to hold the Israeli occupation forces accountable for their ‘intentional targeting and killing’ of Abu Akleh. Earlier, The New York Times had to change its ‘factually correct headline’ following outrage by Palestinians.

Katra bus fire was an act of ‘war’ against ‘Hindutva regime’ and ‘demography change’, Islamic terror outfit takes responsibility

OpIndia Staff
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Katra bus fire was an act of ‘war’ against ‘Hindutva regime’ and ‘demography change’, Islamic terror outfit takes responsibility

The Jammu and Kashmir Police are suspecting the role of the Islamic terror outfit in the Katra bus fire incident that killed four people and injured 24 others on Saturday.

Hours after the blast, a letter issued by one Islamic terror outfit, ‘Jammu and Kashmir Freedom Fighters’ began doing rounds on social media platforms. In the letter, the terror outfit claimed responsibility for the Katra bus fire incident, which it said was an ‘IED blast’ triggered by one of its ‘special squads’.

The letter issued by a terrorist Nadeem Choudary, who claimed to be the spokesperson of the terror outfit, read, “In the guise of religious pilgrimage, this Hindutva regime is trying its best to change the demography of Jammu and Kashmir. But we will sabotage their filthy propaganda at every level. This attack is linked to a series of bombings carried out by our special squad at Jammu, Udhampur and Rajouri areas. We warn the non-locals who are used as cannon fodder by this Hindutva regime not to visit the disputed territory.”

Image Source: Twitter

Meanwhile, a team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has inspected the passenger bus that was gutted near Katra town. The NIA and police have also taken samples for Forensic Science Laboratory. The explosives experts team inspected the site for over an hour and collected samples.

However, the investigation has so far not revealed whether it was the IED blast that caused the death of the passengers.

Four persons were killed and 24 others injured when the moving bus, mostly devotees, caught fire near Nomai near Katra, the base camp of Mata Vaishnodevi mandir.

Former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds dies in a car crash

OpIndia Staff
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Former Australian cricketer Andrew Symonds dies in a car crash

In a tragic incident, former Australia all-rounder Andrew Symonds died in a car crash Sunday near the outskirts of the city of Townsville on Sunday.

According to the reports, the car in which Andrew Symonds was travelling crashed on Hervey Range Road, near Alice River Bridge, when it left the roadway and rolled. The police said that the emergency services attempted to revive the 46-year-old Symonds, who was travelling alone. However, Symonds died of his injuries on the spot.

The former Australian all-rounder is survived by his wife Laura and two young children, Chloe and Billy. Symonds, considered one of the greatest all-rounders to represent the country, played 26 Tests, 198 ODIs and 14 T20Is for Australia and was a two-time World Cup winner.

Symonds’ family has issued a statement confirming his passing, appreciated “peoples’ sympathy and best wishes, and asked their privacy be respected”.

Andrew Symonds made his Australia debut during an ODI against Pakistan in 1998. The all-rounder played more than 200 ODIs, scoring over 5000 runs at an average of 39.75. The middle-order batsman has scored six centuries and 30 half-centuries and has also taken 133 wickets. In addition, he played 26 tests, scoring 1462 runs with two centuries and ten fifties.

His death comes months after famous Australia cricketer and champion leg-spinner Shane Warne died from a heart attack in Thailand in March.

Could the survey at the Gyanvapi compound lead to its exemption from the Places of Worship Act? Read what the law says

Shashank Bharadwaj
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Could the survey at the Gyanvapi compound lead to its exemption from the Places of Worship Act? Read what the law says

The disputed structure of Gyanvapi Masjid in Varanasi, which stands on top of the original Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, is now at the centre of a major controversy. Last week, a Varanasi court had allowed a video survey of the disputed structure and had ordered the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) to investigate the architecture of the Gyanvapi Masjid.

Ever since the court ordered a survey inside the disputed structure, there have been severe protests from the usual entities such as the secular opposition forces and the Muslim groups. The survey team has met with opposition from local Muslims, who prevented them from entering the mosque.

However, the court-appointed advocate commissioner on Saturday resumed the survey and videography of Gyanvapi mosque premises, two days after the civil judge refused to change him and ordered him to submit the survey report by May 17.

While the team were able to survey the outer facade of the structure, they could not enter the structure for survey despite a court order, as the entrance to the mosque was blocked by the protesting Muslims. 

In support of the Muslims, the opposition parties have descended to oppose any bid to survey the controversial Mughal structure. Hyderabad MP and AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi termed the Gyanvapi Masjid verdict a “blatant violation” of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram has also echoed the same sentiments claiming that PV Narasimha Rao’s government passed the Places of Worship Act with the only exception of Ram Janmabhoomi. He also claimed that all the other places of worship should remain in status as they are, and nobody should not change the status of places of worship as it will lead to a huge conflict.

Does the Places of Worship Act, 1991, really forbids any transformation in a location of worship’s religious character from what it was on August 15, 1947? Here is an explanation:

The Places of Worship Act, 1991

The Places of Worship Act, 1991 was passed by the PV Narasimha Rao-led Congress regime to maintain the status-quo of the religious character of places of worship as it was in 1947, except in the case of the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid dispute, which was already in court. It was also to provide for the maintenance of the religious character of such a place of worship as on that day.

The law was meant to pre-empt any fresh claims by any community on any holy place and their efforts to reclaim the buildings or property on which they once stood. The law was brought in to maintain the status quo, which the then government thought would aid in the long-term preservation of peaceful coexistence.

Main characteristics of the Act:

The Act states that a site of worship’s religious character must remain the same as it was on August 15, 1947. The law also states that nobody ever shall translate any religious denomination’s holy site into one of a distinct denomination or section.

The law also asserts that each and every lawsuit, appeal, or other proceedings pertaining to changing the character of the area of worship pending before any court or authority on August 15, 1947, will be terminated as soon as the legislation becomes effective, meaning there cannot be any further legal proceedings.

The act also imposes a positive obligation on the state to maintain the religious character of every place of worship as it existed at the time of independence.

Exemptions to the law

However, there is an exception in the law. Under the Places of Worship Act, 1991, legal proceedings can be initiated if the change of status took place after the cut-off date of August 15, 1947. This saves judicial proceedings, lawsuits, and appeals concerning the possibility of status that occurred after the cut-off date.

Besides, the law exempts any place of worship, which is an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site covered by the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958.

A suit that has been finally settled or disposed of or any dispute that has been settled by the parties or conversion of any place that took place by acquiescence before the Act commenced.

The current state of the disputed structure Gyanvapi Masjid and Shahi Idgah

A batch of petitions was filed in Varanasi court in 1991, seeking approval to worship inside the disputed Gyanvapi premises, where Kashi Vishwanath temple stood once.

In 2019, the appellants requested that the ASI conduct a survey of the Gyanvapi premises. However, in 2021, the Allahabad High Court ordered a stay on the ASI survey. The most recent controversy involves the routine worship of Shringar Gauri and other idols within the Gyanvapi complex.

In Mathura, the Allahabad High Court has restored a plea asking for the abolishment of Mathura’s Shahi Idgah Masjid, which is near a Krishna Mandir. On Friday, a plea was filed in the court of civil judge (senior division) in Mathura seeking the appointment of a commissioner to survey the structure, Shahi Idgah masjid, built on Sri Krishna Janmabhoomi.

On Thursday, the Allahabad high court also directed a Mathura court to dispose of the petitions claiming ownership of the entire land on which the Srikrishna Janmabhoomi stands and seeking to remove the adjoining Shahi Idgah Mosque within the four months.

So far, nine petitions are currently pending in the Mathura district courts with regard to the Shri Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah case. A Mathura court will pronounce its orders on one of the petitions on May 19.

If Hindu structures are found inside the Gyanvapi compound, can they be exempted from the Place of Worship Act?

One of the pertinent exemptions to the Places of Worship Act is if the site falls under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958. This means that if the place of worship of any religion is regarded as an ancient and historical monument or an archaeological site, it could be exempted from the ambit of the Places of Worship Act.

According to the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, an “ancient monument” is “any structure, erection or monument, or any tumulus or place of interment, or any cave, rock-sculpture, inscription or monolith, which is of historical, archaeological or artistic interest and which has been in existence for not less than one hundred years.”

As per the above definition, any monument or place of worship that is more than 100 years old could be deemed as an ancient monument under the law, and thus automatically becomes exempt from the Places of Worship Act. Thus, if the ASI survey finds the existence of a Hindu temple structure inside the Gyanvapi compound, which would naturally be more than 100 years old, it could be declared as an ancient monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958, and therefore, exempt from the Places of Worship Act.

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