New Delhi, March 26: Samajwadi Party (SP) MP, Zia ur Rehman Barq, has strongly denied the allegations that he delivered an inflammatory speech which led to violence at Shahi Jama Masjid in Sambhal during a court-ordered survey of the mosque last year in November.

Speaking on the notice issued to him, Barq clarified his position, asserting that the charges against him were completely baseless.

“You all already know very well, but I will still clarify. The incident that took place in Sambhal included my name under the charge of delivering an inflammatory speech, which is completely wrong. It is under this allegation that I have been issued a notice,” Barq said.

“Regarding the notice that has been given to me, I have said this before as well, I am a citizen of this country, I am a Member of Parliament, I trust the law and order of the nation, I respect the Constitution, and I have full faith in the judiciary.

“I will cooperate fully in the investigation. I have been called on April 8, and I will appear then. I will cooperate fully with the probe and provide all the help that is required to the authorities,” he added.

Referring to the initial complaint where his name was allegedly mentioned incorrectly, Barq said, “When the case was first filed and my name was wrongfully included, we met with the Speaker of the House, under the leadership of Akhilesh Yadav, to address the injustice we faced.

“We asserted that we should get justice. Now that I have been issued a notice, we will consult, and if necessary, we will take further action. But I will fully cooperate with the investigation, as per the directions of the High Court.”

On March 25, the Uttar Pradesh Special Investigation Team served Barq a notice at his Delhi residence for his alleged involvement in the violence that broke out at Sambhal’s Shahi Jama Masjid during a court-ordered survey of the mosque on November 24, 2024.

Patna, March 26: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) on Wednesday launched a nationwide protest against the controversial Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2024, from Gardanibagh Dharna Sthal in Patna.

RJD chief Lalu Prasad and former Deputy CM Tejashwi Yadav joined the protest.

Muslim organisations and community leaders have also appealed to all political parties in Bihar to oppose the bill.

With Lalu and his party members actively participating, the movement has gained significant momentum.

AIMPLB spokesperson Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas accused the central government of pushing the bill with “communal intentions.”

“This bill is an attempt to seize Waqf properties. It is designed to mislead and capture the assets of the minority community. AIMPLB is not playing politics; we are standing for the rights of the community,” he said.

The spokesperson urged political leaders advocating secularism to take a firm stance against the bill.

The protest coincided with a chaotic day in the Bihar Legislative Assembly, where opposition parties raised slogans and demanded a resolution opposing the Waqf Amendment Bill.

CPI-ML MLA Mehboob Alam strongly criticised the central government, alleging it is trying to “snatch the rights” of Waqf properties.

“We want the Bihar government to pass a resolution unanimously against the bill during this Budget session and convey it to the Centre. If they fail to do so, we will continue our protest and not let the House proceedings run smoothly,” Alam stated.

All eyes are now on Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who has maintained a secular image despite his alliances. The minority community is expecting him to join the movement or at least issue a statement opposing the bill.

Political analysts believe CM Nitish’s stance on this issue could significantly impact the 2025 Bihar Assembly elections, where minority votes could prove crucial.

Lalu, a vocal opponent of the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, reiterated his support for the minority community.

He was joined by maulanas and ulemas from across the country who gathered at the protest site to voice their opposition.

The opposition has also accused the ruling party of “diverting” attention from critical state issues by bringing the “controversial” bill to the forefront.

As the Budget session of the Bihar Assembly is underway, protests inside and outside the House are expected to intensify.

The minority community and opposition leaders have vowed to sustain the movement until the central government reconsiders the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.

Kolkata, March 26: The statement of a renowed psychologist whom the R.G. Kar rape and murder victim tragedy contacted for counselling a couple of months before the ghastly tragedy in August last year can now turn crucial in the course of investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The said counsellor voluntarily came forward to contact the family and the victim’s close associates. He has narrated some details of what the victim woman doctor confided when she went for a counselling session a couple of months before her body was recovered from the seminar hall within the hospital premises on the morning of August 9 last year.

The counsellor had told these stakeholders that the victim came for counselling with complaints of psychological fatigue resulting from sleep deprivation because of “sustained and prolonged duty hours” allotted to her.

As claimed by the counsellor, the victim also confided to her that the “sustained and prolonged duty hours” were deliberately allotted to her since she started protesting against mismanagement and irregularities on the part of a section of her seniors.

The concerned counsellor has also promised the victim’s parents that, given any opportunity, he would narrate his findings during the counselling sessions with the victim at any court where the matter is pending.

Sources aware of the development said the statements of the counsellor, if recorded, will be an important tool for the investigating officials of CBI in carrying forward the next lines of investigation in the matter, which is basically about the angle of evidence tampering and alteration during the initial phase of investigation.

However, Calcutta High Court’s single-judge bench of Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, where a fresh hearing in the matter has started this week, had already directed the CBI to clarify to the court whether the tragedy was a case of “rape or “gang-rape”.

The next hearing in the matter at Justice Ghosh’s bench is scheduled for March 28. The CBI had also been directed by Justice Ghosh to submit the case diary in the matter to his court on that day.

The Calcutta High Court’s “rape or gang-rape” observation has encouraged different bodies of the medical fraternity in the state to start a fresh stir on this issue in the coming days.