Why Muslims are wrong to accuse Javed Akhtar of defending housing ‘apartheid'
Why Muslims are wrong to accuse Javed Akhtar of defending housing 'apartheid'
Liberal Muslim activists have penned an open letter, accusing the Bollywood screenwriter and lyricist of legitimising discrimination against the minority community. Here's why they are wrong
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Hindustan Times
2 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
A critical test for institutions
The Supreme Court stopped short of instituting an internal probe into the conduct of Justice Shekhar Kumar Yadav, a sitting judge of the Allahabad High Court, following a March letter from the Rajya Sabha secretariat raising issues of jurisdiction, this newspaper reported Monday. The letter reiterated the process as referred to by Rajya Sabha chairperson and Vice-President Jagdeep Dhankhar previously in February in Parliament — that only Parliament and the President have the jurisdiction to proceed against the judge, who is in the dock for alleged hate speech against Muslims delivered in December 2024. Even as the Supreme Court took note of that speech, a group of 55 opposition MPs filed a notice in the Rajya Sabha seeking Justice Yadav's impeachment for 'grave violation of judicial ethics'. As per the law, the removal of a high court or Supreme Court judge for 'proved misbehaviour or incapacity' must go through Parliament. The chairperson will now have to decide on the admissibility of the motion and if an inquiry needs to be held. The Rajya Sabha chairperson, who has been vocal about judicial integrity and institutional probity, should ensure that the complaint against the judge is now processed in a transparent manner and concluded before the judicial officer retires in April next year. A timely closure in the matter is necessary to ensure that there is no reputational damage to the judiciary, Parliament, or the concerned judge, in case he is found innocent of the alleged hate speech. Interestingly, while Justice Yadav, reportedly, regretted his conduct and assured the Supreme Court collegium that he will render a public apology in a closed-door meeting with it in December, he has not issued one and instead defended his speech, delivered in a meeting of Vishwa Hindu Parishad activists in Prayagraj, as reflecting India's cultural ethos. A judge is bound by oath to protect constitutional values, not articulate majoritarian sentiments or populist views, even if they are part of some perceived cultural ethos. Any deviation is a violation of the oath and compromises the integrity of the judiciary. The Justice Yadav case presents a critical test. It is not merely about the conduct of one judge but will have wider implications for the principle of separation of powers and commitment of public institutions to constitutional ideals. How this matter is now handled by the Rajya Sabha will set an important precedent for the future of India's democratic institutions.
India Today
2 hours ago
- India Today
Murugan conference row: DMK calls it Sanghi event, BJP defends it as devotion
A political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu ahead of the Murugan Devotees Conference scheduled for June 22, with the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) dismissing the event as a politically motivated gathering, and the BJP defending it as a celebration of Home Minister Amit Shah, speaking at a party meeting in Madurai on Sunday, called on devotees to attend the conference in large numbers to display unity. He criticised the DMK for allegedly undermining religious sentiments, linking it to the recent controversy over Thiruparankundram Hill, one of the six sacred abodes (Padai Veedu) of the deity Murugan. advertisement'Our Madurai has ancient history which goes back 3000 years. I have come here. DMK has dared to call Thiruparankundram Hill associated with God Murugan as Sikandar Hill. For years devotees of God Murugan have prayed here. I urge the people of Tamil Nadu to attend the Murugan Devotees Conference in large numbers and show them the devotees' strength,' Shah said. The controversy surrounding the Thiruparankundram Hill initially erupted when police barred members of the Muslim community from transporting goats and hens to the Sikandar Badusha Dargah, located atop the hill on January 22. The police stated that while prayers were permitted, animal sacrifices were not allowed. The hill also houses the revered Murugan Temple, situated close to the Dargah, adding a layer of religious sensitivity to the Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments PK Sekar Babu dismissed the conference as a political event. 'This is a pure Sanghi and political conference. We conducted the conference where devotees of God Murugan from 27 countries participated. We did not plan to bring a crowd, seek money, arrange 2000 buses but even then 7 to 8 lakh people attended. But they planned this conference with intention to use it to divide people in the name of religion,' he to Sekar Babu's comments, senior BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan accused the DMK of fearing the BJP's religious outreach. 'People like Sekar Babu are seeing our devotion-filled Murugan Conference with fear. Be it a political conference or religious conference, our only intention is to do good for the people and make devotion prosper. Why did you conduct Murugan Conference when you do not believe in him? This is only creating doubts in people's minds,' she MP A Raja also criticised the BJP's plans, alleging that the conference was being organised for political reasons. 'They are doing Murugan Manadu (conference) on June 22 purely for political gains and to create differences between Hindus and Muslims. They want to turn Hindus against Muslims and Christians. This conference is not to unite Hindus or for Lord Murugan. The people of Madurai will reject this. Amit Shah tried creating differences between communities in Tamil Nadu. The people of Tamil Nadu will never accept these kind of statements,' he said. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
Time of India
8 hours ago
- Time of India
Why Muslims are wrong to accuse Javed Akhtar of defending housing ‘apartheid'
Why Muslims are wrong to accuse Javed Akhtar of defending housing 'apartheid' Liberal Muslim activists have penned an open letter, accusing the Bollywood screenwriter and lyricist of legitimising discrimination against the minority community. Here's why they are wrong
