New Delhi, Sep 5: Self-styled “influencer” Swatantra Bharadwaj, who claimed to have physically assaulted a student protestor’s father during the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led Jantar Mantar demonstration, was sent to one day police custody on Saturday after being arrested by the Delhi Police.

A day earlier, Bharadwaj was detained by Delhi Police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district.

On Friday, Delhi Police had assured to arrest the accused under sections of the POCSO Act, the SC/ST Act and attempt to murder, within 72 hours, following an agitation by the CJP outside the Parliament Street Police Station in New Delhi.

The CJP’s agitation was also joined by Azad Samaj Party chief and MP Chandra Shekhar, Purnea MP Pappu Yadav and Indian Youth Congress.

A controversy erupted after Bharadwaj, in a purported viral video, allegedly claimed to have assaulted the father of a minor protester, Nishu Azad, during the demonstration at Jantar Mantar and boasted that he was let off by the Delhi Police as he has “political connections”.

The agitators had sought the registration of an FIR against Swatantra Bharadwaj, under stringent sections and immediate arrest of the accused.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and LJP-RV chief Chirag Paswan, on Friday, claimed that his name has been “misused” by the accused in the purported viral video.

Paswan said that he has lodged an official complaint against the accused, identified as Swatantra Bharadwaj, and will ensure justice to the minor victim and her family.

“Understanding the seriousness of this matter, and because that person has misused my name along with the names of several politicians, I have filed an official complaint against him. At the same time, I have urged the Delhi Police that there should be a fair investigation into this matter,” he told reporters in Patna.

Moreover, the LJP-RV chief stated: “Me and my party takes the responsibility to ensure justice to them because allegations have been put on me that may be due to my support, along with that of other politicians; action was not taken against the accused. So now we will ensure that the truth comes out and also ensure strict punishment for the accused who was openly mocking the legal system.”

New Delhi, Sep 5: AIMIM President, Asaduddin Owaisi, on Saturday reacted to the demolition of a mosque at the Saharanpur Collectorate, questioning whether the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion still applies to Muslims. He further said that “you cannot bulldoze our masjid just because you have an itch.”

Owaisi took to his social media ‘X’ and said, “The mosque in the Saharanpur Collectorate was demolished at 5 a.m. this morning. Does the constitutional guarantee of freedom of religion no longer apply to Muslims? Why is it that our places of worship are constantly bulldozed on flimsy grounds.”

“The mosque committee produced records going back to 1911 to establish its existence. Prayers have been offered there continuously for more than a century. This is the very definition of Waqf by User, which is still protected as Waqf under law,” he said in the post.

AIMIM President further said that the Limitation Act does not ordinarily allow the Government an unlimited period to wake up one fine morning and assert possession over immovable property.

He further said that the mosque came first, the collectorate later.

“There was more than a century of open, continuous and public possession? The State cannot pretend that this possession began yesterday, hence the principle of adverse possession would apply even if we concede to the state’s arguments. The mosque came first, the collectorate later,” he said.

Owaisi said that for some people, perhaps the very sight of a mosque causes pain.

“For some people, perhaps the very sight of a masjid causes pain. That is their problem, not ours. Look away if you must. You cannot bulldoze our masjid just because you have an itch. My religious freedom is not dependent on your mercy,” he added.

Meanwhile, the administration on Saturday demolished the mosque located within the Collectorate complex in Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after the Muslim side’s appeal was rejected by the court.

Samajwadi Party MP, Iqra Hasan, was scheduled to travel to Saharanpur on Saturday morning, but she was placed under house arrest before she could leave. A large police contingent has been deployed outside her residence.

The development has further intensified the political debate in western Uttar Pradesh.

Speaking to media, Congress MP Imran Masood said, “Look, it’s not just about the mosque. It’s not just the mosque that has been affected; the law of the country and the Constitution are being violated. You cannot prove that the land belongs to you. Based on the Khasra records, you have claimed that this is government collectorate land. But even today, the collectorate land is recorded in the names of Waheed Khan and Yakub Khan, within whose zamindari the mosque was built. It is still registered in their names.

“The mosque is registered with the Waqf Board, but you did not make the Waqf Board a party. As far as Waqf by User is concerned, I was a member of the JPC, and Waqf by User establishes that it is a mosque. There are bills for it, prayers have been continuously offered there, and all these activities have been taking place.”

He further said, “That mosque has been there for the last 70 to 80 years. You had passed an order, and then the District Court passed its order within just one month. The appeal was heard and rejected. You neither listened to us nor gave us time. It is our fundamental right to raise this issue before a higher court, but you did not give us any time.”

Panaji, Sep 5: Union Home Minister Amit Shah will undertake a three-day visit to Goa from Saturday, during which he is scheduled to chair a Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) meeting, participate in the Western Zonal Council meeting and address a press conference focussed on narcotics control.

According to the schedule, Shah will arrive in Goa on Saturday and will remain in the state until September 7.

His visit will include a series of official engagements dealing with internal security, anti-narcotics measures, Centre-state coordination and regional administrative issues, along with programmes related to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

On September 6, Shah will chair a meeting in the morning to review various issues concerning Goa across different divisions of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The meeting is expected to cover a range of state-specific matters as well as issues falling within the jurisdiction of the Union Home Ministry.

Later in the afternoon, Shah will address a press conference on narcotics. The interaction will focus on measures being taken to tackle drug trafficking, strengthen the country’s anti-narcotics framework and intensify efforts to combat the illegal movement of drugs.

During his stay in Goa, the Union Home Minister will also inaugurate the Bharatiya Janata Party’s newly constructed state office building, Atal Bhavan. Following the inauguration, he is scheduled to chair a meeting of the sparty’ State Core Committee, where organisational and political matters are expected to be discussed.

On September 7, Shah will participate in the meeting of the Western Zonal Council, an important platform for coordination and discussion among states and Union Territories in the western region.

The Western Zonal Council meeting will bring together representatives from Goa, Gujarat, Maharashtra and the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. The council provides a forum for the participating states and Union Territory to deliberate on matters concerning regional development, administrative coordination and issues requiring inter-state cooperation.

The meeting is also expected to facilitate discussions on matters of common interest among the participating states and the Union Territory, with an emphasis on improving coordination and addressing regional concerns through cooperative mechanisms.

Following the Western Zonal Council meeting, Shah will attend the Goa Police President’s Colours Award Ceremony at the Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Indoor Stadium in Taleigao.

The President’s Colours are considered among the highest honours conferred on uniformed services in recognition of distinguished service, professional excellence and significant contributions to national security and public service.