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‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Vande Mataram’ stand on same level: Centre to Delhi HC

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Responding to a plea for equal status to ‘Vande Mataram’ with ‘Jana Gana Mana’, the Centre has told the Delhi High Court that both stand on the same level and every citizen of the country should show equal respect to both.

“..National song occupies a unique and special place in the emotions and psyche of the people of India,” the Ministry of Home Affairs submitted.

The MHA, in its reply, also pointed out that on January 24, 1950, the President of the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the ‘Jana Gana Mana’ as the National Anthem of India.

The ‘Orders relating to the National Anthem of India’ were issued regarding the manner and the circumstances in which the National Anthem has to be played or sung.

In 1971, the action of preventing the singing of the National Anthem or causing disturbances to any assembly engaged in such singing was made a punishable offence by the enactment of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The Centre’s response came on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) moved by BJP leader and lawyer Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay seeking parity of treatment between the National Anthem and National Song and also to frame guidelines for the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ giving it the same honour and status at par with the National Anthem of India.

However, the Centre, clarified that similar penal provisions have not been made by the Government in the case of the National Song ‘Vande Mataram’ and no instructions have been issued laying down the circumstances in which it may be sung or played. The Centre also referred to the Supreme Court order in Upadhyay’s similar earlier plea.

In its judgment dated January 17, 2017, the apex court observed that Article 51A (a) of the Constitution of India does not refer to ‘National Song’. It only refers to National Flag and National Anthem.

“5IA. Fundamental duties – It shall be the duty of every citizen of India-(a) to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the National Flag, and National Anthem. Therefore, we do not intend to enter into any debate as far as the National Song is concerned,” the earlier SC order read.

Crime

Samrat Choudhary takes charge as Bihar Home Minister; warns criminals

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Patna, Nov 22: After becoming Bihar’s Home Minister, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary has taken a tough stance on maintaining law and order in the state.

On Saturday, soon after assuming office, he issued a stern warning to criminals, declaring that no offender would be spared and that the police had been given full freedom to act.

Deputy CM Choudhary said that the police are no longer bound and now have complete authority to take action openly.

He reaffirmed that criminals have no place in Bihar and asserted that the Home Ministry will work under the guidance of Chief Minister Nitish Kumar.

Good governance, he said, existed earlier and would continue even more firmly in the future.

He added that the ‘jungle raj’ that had been eliminated would not be allowed to return.

Responding to a query about his earlier controversial remark — saying that criminals in Bihar would be cremated in Gaya — the State Home Minister said the police were doing their job.

This marks the first time Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has handed over the Home Department to the BJP since 2005.

In the new Cabinet, along with Nitish Kumar, 26 Ministers were sworn-in.

Samrat Choudhary has been appointed both the Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister, while Vijay Kumar Sinha has also been appointed the Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar.

He is holding the charge of Revenue, Land Reforms and Mining departments in the Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government.

Ministers from all NDA constituents have found a place in the Bihar Cabinet.

The BJP has the highest representation in the state Cabinet with 14 Ministers, followed by Janata Dal-United with eight, Lok Janshakti Party-Ram Vilas with two, Hindustani Awam Morcha (HAM) with one, and Rashtriya Lok Morcha (RLM) with one.

Despite having two Deputy CMs and 14 Ministers, the BJP’s share of the allocated departmental budget is lower compared to JD-U.

The BJP controls 29.22 per cent of the total budget, LJP-RV Ministers 0.91 per cent, HAM 0.58 per cent, and RLM 3.56 per cent.

The remaining departments, accounting for around 65 per cent of the total budget, remain with the JD-U.

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Crime

Palghar Crime: 3 Arrested For Attempted Murder And ₹10 Lakh Robbery In Vasai; Police Bust Interstate 6-Member Gang

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Palghar, Maharashtra, Nov 22: The Crime Detection Unit (Unit 2) of the Mira-Bhayander, Vasai-Virar Police has arrested three men involved in an attempted murder and armed robbery at a residence in Vasai, recovering gold jewellery and cash worth ₹10 lakh.

The incident took place on November 18 when three unidentified men forcibly entered the home of 37-year-old Geeta Raut in Reliable Glory Building at Sativali, Vasai West.

The intruders threatened Raut and her son Santosh at knifepoint, demanding information about the location of their gold. When Raut said she did not know, one of the assailants attempted to stab her.

She managed to evade the blow but sustained an injury to her left arm. The attackers then broke open a cupboard and escaped with 12 tolas of gold ornaments and a mobile phone.

Following the registration of the case at Waliv Police Station, officials conducted a detailed investigation at the crime scene and surrounding areas.

Through technical analysis and intelligence from informers, the police identified the suspects and learned that they were residing in Nandagaon, Karnataka.

A team was immediately dispatched, and on November 20, three accused were detained along with 8 tolas of stolen gold, cash, and a mobile phone, collectively valued at ₹10 lakh. During interrogation, it was revealed that they were part of a six-member gang involved in the crime.

The arrested accused have been identified as Ashok alias Babu Raju Shinde, a resident of Shantinagar Dongripada in Vasai East originally from Nandagaon in Karnataka; Abdul Rauf Hashmi, a resident of Richard Compound in Manocha Pada, Vasai East originally from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh; and Ritik Ravi Belangi, also living in Richard Compound and originally from Nandagaon in Karnataka.

Police have also named three absconding accomplices: Nur Hasan Khan from Patil Wadi in Nalasopara East, Suraj Kishor Jadhav from Shantinagar in Nalasopara East, and Kalu Prabhakar Sahu from Kendrapara in Odisha.

The detained suspects have been handed over to Waliv Police for further action under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. Further investigation is underway.

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Crime

Delhi: AGS arrests accused wanted in attempt-to-murder case in Timarpur

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New Delhi, Nov 22: A team of the Anti-Gangster Squad (AGS), led by Inspector Krishan Kumar on Saturday arrested 32-year-old accused Rajeev alias Raj in Timarpur. He was wanted in a sensational attempt-to-murder case registered under FIR No. 529/2025 on October 25, under Sections 109(1)/3(5) of the BNS. The accused had been absconding since the incident.

According to a statement issued by the AGS, on October 24 at around 7 p.m., an altercation took place between Rajeev and Vishal near the Sulabh Shauchalaya in Sanjay Basti, Timarpur. Acting as a responsible citizen, Rahul, the complainant, made a PCR call to report the quarrel. When the accused learned that Rahul had informed the police, both Rajeev and Vishal became enraged and attacked him with a knife, inflicting multiple injuries.

After the attack, both accused fled the scene. A case was subsequently registered under FIR No. 529/2025 at Timarpur Police Station. Both men remained absconding until Rajeev’s arrest.

With Rajeev’s arrest, the sensational attempt-to-murder case has been partially solved. Vishal, however, is still on the run.

In response to rising incidents of street crime, armed assaults, and gang-related activities in the national Capital, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has intensified efforts to trace and apprehend active and absconding criminals. The AGS has been specifically tasked with developing Intelligence networks and conducting surveillance on such offenders across Delhi and neighbouring states.

A dedicated AGS team led by Inspector Krishan Kumar and comprising SI Agam Prasad, SI Braj Lal, ASI Gobind, ASI Surender, ASI Mintu, HC Vinod, HC Dharmraj, and HC Deepak was formed under the close supervision of Bhagwati Prasad, ACP/AGS, and the direction of Harsh Indora, IPS, DCP/Crime Branch, to trace the accused.

The team conducted persistent manual Intelligence gathering along with technical surveillance on Rajeev’s movements. On November 20, the team received credible secret information regarding his location. Acting swiftly, the AGS laid surveillance and successfully apprehended Rajeev from Dwarka Mor, Delhi.

During sustained interrogation, the accused admitted to his involvement in the attempt-to-murder case and revealed several past involvements in criminal activities.

Rajeev, a resident of Sanjay Basti, Timarpur, lives with his mother, younger brother Vishal, sister Babita, wife Simran, and four-year-old son. He is uneducated and works as a caretaker at a Sulabh toilet in Timarpur.

Due to drug addiction and association with criminal elements, he has been involved in unlawful activities since childhood and has been imprisoned multiple times. He is a declared Bad Character (BC) of PS Timarpur and a previous convict in FIR No. 190/2009, registered under Sections 395/397/34 of the IPC at PS Dwarka Sector-23, Delhi.

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