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SC tags Owaisi’s plea on Places of Worship Act with pending matters

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New Delhi, Jan 2: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the tagging of a plea filed by AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi seeking implementation of the Places of Worship Act, 1991 with a pending batch of matters.

The 1991 Act prohibits the filing of a lawsuit to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947.

At the very outset, a Bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar ordered that Owaisi’s plea be tagged with the pending clutch of petitions, where it had imposed restrictions on registering new suits, delivering effective or final judgments, or ordering surveys in ongoing cases concerning mosques and shrines.

In an interim order passed on December 12, 2024, the CJI Khanna-led Special Bench had ordered that no fresh suits would be registered under the Places of Worship Act in the country, and in the pending cases, no final or effective orders would be passed till further orders.

The Special Bench, also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and K.V. Viswanathan, had asked the Union government to file within four weeks its reply to the batch of petitions challenging the validity of the Places of Worship Act, 1991.

As per the computerised case status, the matter is tentatively listed for hearing on February 17.

On the other hand, several intervention/impleadment applications were filed before the Supreme Court seeking the dismissal of the petitions against the Places of Worship Act.

In its application, the Managing Committee of Varanasi’s Gyanvapi Mosque said the “consequences of declaring the 1991 Act unconstitutional are bound to be drastic and will obliterate the rule of law and communal harmony.”

It said that an Article 32 petition challenging a legislative enactment must indicate the unconstitutionality of the provisions based on constitutional principles and the rhetorical arguments seeking a sort of retribution against the perceived acts of previous rulers cannot be made the basis for a constitutional challenge.

“As many as 20 suits are pending before different Varanasi courts seeking to nullify the protection accorded by the 1991 Act and to convert the character of the Gyanvapi Mosque and prevent access of Muslims to the mosque,” it said.

In a similar application, the Committee of Management of Mathura’s Shahi Masjid Eidgah said that the law was enacted by Parliament in the interest of the country’s progress, which has stood the test of time for more than 33 years.

The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) had said that local courts were undermining the spirit of the 1991 Act by entertaining petitions and issuing orders concerning mosques.

“The manner in which local courts declared appeals admissible and issued orders on mosques and dargahs had made this Act ineffective. The Supreme Court has now stopped any effective or final decisions and prohibited survey orders until the next hearing,” added the AIMPLB.

Entertainment

‘Toxic’ team releases Yash’s poster, hints at big update on South superstar’s birthday

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Bengaluru, Jan 6: The team of one of the most anticipated movies in South Indian cinema, superstar Yash starrer ‘Toxic’ has hinted at a big update on the movie on the occasion of the actor’s birthday on January 8.

KVN productions, the company rolling out the movie and the superstar have shared the poster on social media.

The poster says, “His untamed presence is your existential crisis.”

Further, the poster mentions the date of his birthday and also gives the time, 10.25 am, below it.

Sources confirmed that on the occasion of Yash’s birthday, the film team is going to give a big update on the movie.

It is not confirmed whether it’s going to be a trailer or another teaser.

However, the fans have gone crazy over the update and are looking forward to his birthday.

‘Toxic’ is directed by Geetu Mohandas, a young director from the Malayalam film industry.

Yash shared the poster on his social media handle X with the post, “Unleashing him”.

The poster presents Yash in a dark backdrop standing beside a vintage car and blowing smoke from a cigar.

Earlier, Yash had requested his fans not to get upset as he would not be able to celebrate his birthday with them in Bengaluru.

Yash had stated, “My dearest well-wishers. As the new year dawns, it’s a time for reflection, resolutions, and charting a new course. The love you all have showered on me over the years has been nothing short of phenomenal. But, there have been some unfortunate incidents too.”

“It’s time for us to change our language of love, especially when it comes to the celebration of my birthday. The expression of your love should not be in grand gestures and gatherings. The greatest gift for me is knowing you are safe, setting positive examples, achieving your goals, and spreading joy,” Yash appealed.

“I will be busy shooting and will not be in town on my birthday. However, the warmth of your wishes will always reach me and be my constant companion, fueling my spirit and inspiring me. Stay safe, and I wish you all a very happy 2025,” Yash underlined.

The comments from the star are significant as last year three persons were killed and three others suffered serious injuries while they were erecting a huge cut-out of Yash to wish him on his birthday.

The incident took place in the wee hours of January 8, 2024 in Soranagi village near Lakshmeshwar town in Gadag district, Karnataka.

Yash paid a visit to the families of the deceased fans and offered his condolences.

Yash had further declared that he would stand with the bereaved families like their son and would do whatever was required for them.

“This is not the appropriate time to make announcements. They will be taken care of. This should not set a precedent,” he had stated.

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health

ICMR detects 2 cases of HMPV in Karnataka with no travel history: Centre

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New Delhi, Jan 6: The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has detected two cases of the Human Metapneumovirus (HMPV) in Karnataka with no travel history, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare said on Monday.

The HMPV infections were detected via routine surveillance in a 3-month-old girl and an 8-month-old boy in Bengaluru.

The infection was identified after the children were admitted to Bengaluru’s Baptist Hospital. Both children had a history of bronchopneumonia — a form of pneumonia, a lung infection. Bronchopneumonia affects both the alveoli in the lungs and the bronchi.

“Both cases were identified through routine surveillance for multiple respiratory viral pathogens, as part of ICMR’s ongoing efforts to monitor respiratory illnesses across the country,” the health ministry statement said.

The ministry noted that while the baby girl “has been discharged”, the baby boy “is now recovering”.

“It is important to note that neither of the affected patients have any history of international travel,” the Ministry said.

HMPV is already in circulation globally, including in India, and cases of respiratory illnesses associated with HMPV have been reported in various countries, particularly China.

“Union Health Ministry is monitoring the situation through all available surveillance channels,” it said noting that, “there has been no unusual surge in Influenza-Like Illness (ILI) or Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) cases in the country”.

The Ministry stated that “ICMR will continue to track trends in HMPV circulation throughout the year”. Meanwhile, it also reiterated that “India is well-equipped to handle any potential increase in respiratory illnesses and public health interventions can be deployed promptly if needed”.

HMPV was first discovered in 2001 and is part of the Pneumoviridae family along with the Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). The symptoms commonly associated with HMPV include cough, fever, nasal congestion, and shortness of breath.

Earlier, Dr Atul Goel, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), shared that the disease can lead to “flu-like symptoms,” in the elderly and very young children.

“There is no need for alarm, about the present situation,” he added.

Goel also suggested regular precautions against respiratory infections.

“If somebody has a cough and cold, you should avoid coming in contact with a lot of people so that the infection does not spread,” he said.

“Use a distinct handkerchief or towel for coughing and sneezing and take normal medicines that are required for cold or fever whenever it is there, otherwise there is nothing to be alarmed about the present situation,” Goel noted.

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International News

EAM Jaishankar meets US NSA Jake Sullivan; discusses bilateral ties

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New Delhi, Jan 6: External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar on Monday met US National Security Advisor (NSA) Jake Sullivan in New Delhi to discuss a wide range of strategic, regional, and bilateral issues.

The meeting took place as Sullivan, the outgoing US NSA, embarked on a two-day visit to India, concluding one of the last high-profile engagements of the Biden administration before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th President of the United States on January 20.

Sullivan’s visit is aimed at reviewing the India-US Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technologies (iCET), a significant partnership framework to expand strategic ties between the two nations.

His itinerary includes meetings with NSA Ajit Doval and a visit to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi, where he will interact with young Indian entrepreneurs and deliver a speech on the bilateral innovation alliance under iCET.

In his discussions with Doval, Sullivan is expected to delve into the implementation of iCET initiatives. These include cooperation in areas such as space, defence, strategic technology, and shared security priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.

Both NSAs have previously stressed the transformative potential of iCET in strengthening the India-US partnership. During a roundtable in June 2024, NSA Doval had underscored the importance of staying at the forefront of emerging technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and biotechnology, to protect shared value systems.

“iCET has achieved more than what we could imagine,” Doval remarked, highlighting progress in the defence innovation roadmap and the burgeoning semiconductor industry.

Sullivan had echoed similar sentiments, identifying innovation, production, and deployment as the three pillars of the technology partnership and emphasising the importance of government support for private sector initiatives.

The visit follows EAM Jaishankar’s recent six-day trip to the US, during which he met several senior officials of the Biden administration, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Jake Sullivan. The meetings reviewed the progress of the India-US partnership over the past four years.

“Good to meet US NSA Jake Sullivan in Washington DC this morning. A wide-ranging discussion on the progress of the India-US strategic partnership. Also exchanged views on current regional and global developments,” Jaishankar posted on X after their meeting.

The iCET, unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Joe Biden in May 2022, has been lauded as a defining element of the India-US strategic relationship, driving advancements in critical sectors such as defence, semiconductors, and Artificial Intelligence.

As Sullivan wraps up his visit, the discussions are expected to set the stage for continued collaboration under the Trump administration, with both nations poised to deepen their strategic and technological ties.

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