HC allows women's entry in Haji Ali dargah, order stayed for 6 weeks

August 26, 2016

New Delhi, Aug 26: In a significant judgement, the Bombay High Court today lifted the ban imposed on women from entering the sanctum sanctorum of Haji Ali dargah here, saying it contravenes the fundamental rights of a person.

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The court has, however, stayed its order for six weeks following a plea by Haji Ali Dargah Trust, which wants to challenge it in the Supreme Court.

"The ban imposed on women from entering the Haji Ali dargah is contrary to Articles 14, 15, 19 and 25 of the Constitution of India. Women should be permitted to enter the dargah on par with men," a division bench of Justices V M Kanade and Revati Mohite Dere said.

Under the said Articles, a person is guaranteed equality before law and has the fundamental right to practice any religion he or she wants. They prohibit discrimination on grounds of religion, gender and so on, and provide freedom of conscience and free profession, practice and propagation of religion.

The bench allowed a PIL filed by two women, Zakia Soman and Noorjehan Niaz, challenging the ban on women's entry in the sanctum sanctorum of the dargah.

"The state government and the Haji Ali Dargah Trust will have to take proper steps to ensure safety and security of women entering the dargah," the court said.

The high court had in June this year reserved its verdict on the petition.

The PIL states that gender justice is inherent in Quran and the decision contravenes the Hadith, which proves that there is no prohibition on women visiting graves.

The Maharashtra government had earlier told the court that women should be barred from entering the inner sanctorum of Haji Ali dargah only if it is so enshrined in the Quran.

The ban on women's entry cannot be justified if it is on the basis of an expert's interpretation of the Quran, the then Maharashtra Advocate General Shrihari Aney had argued.

The dargah trust had defended its stand saying that it is referred in Quran that allowing women close proximity to the dargah of a male saint is a grievous sin.

Advocate Shoaib Memon, appearing for the trust had earlier said, "Women are not allowed inside mosques in Saudi Arabia. They are given a separate place to pray. We (trust) have not barred women. It is simply regulated for their safety. The trust not only administers the dargah but also manages the affairs of religion."

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Comments

Rashid
 - 
Friday, 26 Aug 2016

Building structure on graves is prohibited in Islam, visiting such places by men or women both discouraged... It is a grave sin , invoke on graves...In islam it is permitted to men & women to visit graves of their relatives with proper dress with intention to pray for people of graves is permitted and even praying in masjid also permitted..

Mohammed
 - 
Friday, 26 Aug 2016

As a muslim to visit a dargah and pray is shirkh and I request all my muslim brothers and sisters to refrain from doing so as committing shirkh is the biggest sin in Islam. As for Rony`s comments as muslm`s did not support in independence it is high time you refresh your social studies subject. We all know how many muslim countries are supporting non-muslim brothers and sisters by giving them job in their countries in turn which helps them in survival and is this not much greater support from the muslims. This is Independence to live and survive. People grow up and be thankful for the number of muslim countries who have not objected to non-muslims working in their country and you have the audacity to talk against muslims without thinking once about the millions of non-muslim expats.

mohammad.n
 - 
Friday, 26 Aug 2016

Why HC and SC needed here? Our prophet muhammad already said that no grave must be built high, if u find one then u must level it to the ground. Thats it case closed already 1400+ years ago . Then why waste time of court and people who comment on such news? Check the whole quran and hadees you will never find something called darga in it.

Mohammed
 - 
Friday, 26 Aug 2016

To my non-muslim friends kindly note that in Masjid al haram (Makkah) both men and women pray together and for Ganesh Kamath Muslim women are allowed inside mosques and have a separate covered place from where they can pray behind the Imam. Kindly refrain from posting things which you do not have knowledge of and stick to only praying part of it and not compare it with women are not allowed to drive etc.

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February 25,2020

Feb 25: Two Customs Preventive officers allegedly involved in gold smuggling cases in Kerala were removed from service, a top official said in Kochi on Monday.

Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Kochi, said that he took action against Radhakrishnan B, Superintendent of Customs, and Rahul, Inspector of Customs, who were allegedly involved in gold smuggling cases in the state.

Radhakrishnan was involved in attempted smuggling of gold weighing 24998.61 grams having a market value of over Rs 8 crore through Thiruvananthapuram international airport on May 13, 2019, Kumar said.

Rahul was involved in attempted smuggling of gold weighing 11,035.54 grams valued at over Rs 4 crore through international airport on August 19, 2019, the Customs Commissioner added.

Radhakrishnan is currently lodged in Central prison, Thiruvananthapuram after the Central Economic Intelligence Bureau under the Union Finance Ministry issued detention order under COFEPOSA (Conservation of Foreign Exchange and Prevention of Smuggling Activities Act, 1974).

Rahul, against whom detention order under COFEPOSA was issued, is absconding.

"Two Customs officers of the Customs Preventive Commissionerate, Kochi, who were involved in gold smuggling cases were removed from service by Sumit Kumar, Commissioner of Customs (Preventive), Cochin," an official release said.

Kumar said that both the cases were booked and investigated by the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and while show cause notice under Customs Act 1962 has been issued against Radhakrishnan, investigation is under progress in the other case.

"Both the officers were removed from service, after due process of law under Rule 19 of the Central Civil Services (Classification, Control and Appeal) Rules, 1965," the release said.

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March 23,2020

Bengaluru, Mar 23: In the wake of the shutdown in several districts of the state to control the COVID-19 spread, Karnataka government on Monday said food would be provided free of cost through Indira Canteen for the poor who depend on daily wages for their livelihood.

The state-sponsored subsidised 'Indira Canteens' as of now serves breakfast at Rs 5 and lunch and dinner at a cost of Rs 10.

"In the interest of the poor, it has been decided to serve free food for poor. Through Indira Canteen, free food will be served for the entire day for the poor," Yediyurappa told reporters.

The Karnataka government has already announced shutdown of all commercial activities, barring essential services, in nine districts where COVID-19 cases have been reported till March 31.

They are: Bengaluru city, Bengaluru Rural, Mangaluru, Mysuru, Kalaburagi, Dharwad, Chikkaballapura, Kodagu and Belagavi.

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February 6,2020

Kalaburagi, Feb 6: The State government will take steps to ensure that Kannada as a language is taught in all private schools, Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa announced today at the 85th Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana in Kalaburagi.

This comes in the wake of the demand by some Kannada activists for making Kannada medium compulsory in all schools in the State. Sammelana president H.S. Venkatesh Murthy, who spoke after the Chief Minister, also made this demand.

The Chief Minister said “We are committed to putting in place a series of steps to see that Kannada is taught in all schools, aided and private, as a language. Kannada should be taught as the first or second language. We will also take steps to strengthen government schools. However, the government alone cannot do much. The community and parents should offer support to make sure that government schools provide quality education to all.”

To inculcate the spirit of scientific inquiry, the State government is setting up mobile planetariums. This will increase the interest of children in space technology and India’s efforts in space exploration.

The government is committed to protecting the interests of the State in Mahadayi and other river water disputes. It will take the border row issue, based on the Mahajan Commission report pending in the Supreme Court, to its logical end.

The government will also address backwardness and related issues. It will make sure that adequate funds are allocated to the development of Kalyana Karnataka. Among other things, it will establish a hostel for students from Kalaburagi region in Bengaluru. Land has been allotted in Nagarabavi for the hostel that can accommodate around 200 students. The government has decided to celebrate Kalyana Karnataka Utsav once every two years. This will showcase the culture of the region.

“We are working towards forging sentimental and emotional unity of the State other than unity based on language or administration. Our dream is to see that Karnataka remains a homogeneous unit with equality and equal opportunity for all,’’ the Chief Minister added.

Kambar bats for technology

Chandrashekar Kambar, Sahitya Akademi president and former president of the Akhila Bharata Kannada Sahitya Sammelana, favoured effective implementation of technology in administration and for universal use of Kannada in computing and e-governance.

Speaking at the Sammelana inauguration, he said “Several years ago, at the insistence of writer Poornachandra Tejaswi, I appealed to the State government to give a push to Kannada computing. We were convinced that no language can survive without the use of modern technology and use of the language in computers. The Department of Kannada and Culture, headed by then director Manu Baligar, released ₹2 crore for the project. The work began in earnest and teams of technologists came up with software and fonts. Some departments started using Kannada software. But this work has stopped or slowed down at some level. I appeal to Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa to continue the work and ensure that computerised Kannada is used at all levels of government and in e-governance.’’

Supports dubbing

Mr. Kambar batted for content dubbing of informative TV channels in Kannada. Channels such as Discovery and History produce good quality content that can be educative and informative. They are very useful for children. These channels are now available in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi and some other Indian languages. But they are not available in Kannada. That is because some people in the film industry are opposing dubbing. Such opposition is not good. Informative channels are our window to the world and allowing dubbing will enhance our knowledge base. There is no merit in not allowing dubbing. I appeal to C.T. Ravi, Minister for Kannada and Culture, to allow dubbing in Kannada, he said.

Mr. Kambar favoured primary education in the mother tongue of the child and urged the State government to introduce universal and compulsory education in Kannada medium in all schools. “This will help preserve our culture. Nothing else can,’’ he said.

He blamed the East India Company administration for inculcating a craze for English education among the people. “The introduction of English education by the British was strongly welcomed by the masses in India as they had been denied the opportunity for education for millenia. The deprived classes and Dalits who had not been exposed to education till then, were excited about the opportunity. However, along with English education, the British were successful in introducing inferiority in our minds. We are yet to escape from this inferiority complex.”

Quoting from Greek mythology, Mr. Kambar said that Hercules had killed his children and relatives in a fit of alcohol-induced rage. “We should not behave like that. We may be very strong, but we should not kill our mother tongue, in our power-induced rage,’’ he said.

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