Mumbai: “The Constitution of India gives every citizen the full right to practice and propagate his religion, but the government has become a tradition of ‘saying one thing and doing another’. The ‘Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill 2026’ is ostensibly named ‘religious freedom’, but its real purpose is to impose strict restrictions on religion and suppress minorities. When the language of the law becomes ambiguous, it becomes a cause of concern rather than protection, and this ambiguity damages the social fabric and mutual tolerance.” These views were expressed by Justice Abhay Thapsay, a former judge of the Bombay High Court, while addressing an important seminar organized by ‘United Against Injustices and Discrimination’ (UAID) and ‘Association for Protection of Civil Rights’ (APCR) at the Mayor’s Hall in Andheri West. More than 250 intellectuals, lawyers and social workers from different schools of thought participated in the seminar.

Addressing the seminar, renowned lawyer Advocate Lara Jessani shed detailed light on the provisions of the bill and said that hate crime is being systematically promoted in the country. The provisions of this law are so vague that under the guise of ‘allurement’, an attempt is being made to criminalize education, marriage, charity, employment and especially the relief activities of minority schools. She said that under the law, conversion of religion in the name of marriage or by luring has been proposed with a sentence of up to 10 years and a fine of Rs 5 lakh. Moreover, any third party or the police can register an FIR at their own will, and the most dangerous aspect is that the onus of proving innocence has been placed on the accused, which is a serious constitutional conspiracy to keep citizens in jails for years without being proven guilty.

Dolphy D’Souza of Police Reforms Watch revealed that the draft of this sensitive bill was prepared in secret within just 72 hours, without any public consultation, hence the majority and the minority should all come together to raise their voice against this ‘divide and rule’ politics.

Dr. Salim Khan, member of the Central Advisory Council of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind, said that faith and trust are a matter of the heart which cannot be changed through laws. He strongly criticized the anti-people and undemocratic policies of the government, citing Maulana Umar Gautam and Maulana Kaleem Siddiqui, and termed it a manifestation of political failure.

Earlier, APCR Maharashtra General Secretary Shakir Sheikh, while directing the program, referred to the country’s situation, bulldozer operations, mob lynching and UCC and said that this draft is also a link in this chain. Renowned intellectual Irfan Engineer clarified that this law is not only anti-Muslim or anti-Christian, but also an ‘anti-Hindu’ law suppressing the backward classes, which has been brought to end secularism. At the end of the seminar, Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Mumbai PR Secretary Syed Sharif Yunus expressed his gratitude to all the guests and participants.

New Delhi, June 17: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday launched a scathing critique of Congress and Rahul Gandhi over its proposed nationwide campaign on NEET paper leaks, just days ahead of re-examinations and said that such ‘irresponsible and insensitive’ conduct smacks of a “toolkit mindset”.

The NEET (UG) retest is slated for June 21, following the cancellation of May 3 exams over paper leaks.

The Congress party has announced nationwide student conventions, starting from Rajasthan’s Kota on Wednesday, to protest the government’s ‘inability’ to conduct fair examinations.

During a press conference at party HQ, BJP national spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi lambasted the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi for timing their stir just ahead of NEET re-exams, questioning their real intentions and ‘machinations’. He also accused them of misusing and exploiting students’ sentiments for furthering their own political ambitions.

“There are many opportunities to do politics, you can do it after June 21, when the examinations are over. I want to ask you, why have you chosen this moment only? The pupils whom you are taking along for the student convention show that you just want to fulfil your political ambition,” he said.

Trivedi further pointed out that the government is being considerate and sensitive to students’ concerns and has made elaborate efforts to conduct the retest in all fairness, but the Opposition is acting with utmost insensitivity and resorting to “cunning tactics”.

“When the students are engrossed in their studies, are in the final stages of preparation for the impending exams, why does Rahul Gandhi want to stoke apprehension and fear in the minds of wards regarding NEET re-exams?” he asked.

Further taking potshots at Rahul, the BJP leader said that you have failed as a student, as a working professional, you failed in your entrepreneurial stint and made yourself a disaster in politics, but why do you want to play with the lives and future of students?

Sudhanshu Trivedi posed four-pointed questions at the Congress party, demanding why the party chose Kota in the first place, given the huge number of students preparing for competitive examinations here.

“Why do you want to distract students, divert their attention from crucial examinations. Do you want to imperil their career and dreams?” he asked.

Trivedi further said that during the Congress government in Rajasthan, 19 paper leaks happened, but when the BJP came to power, it not only ensured zero paper leaks but also cracked down on more than 400 suspects.

He also claimed that Kota’s coaching institutes and PG guest houses owners were being “intimidated” and “forced” to send their students to participate in the Congress’s student convention.

“This shows the toolkit mindset of Congress; it is a planned and plotted campaign by the Congress party to spread anarchy and chaos,” the BJP leader asserted.

He also said that the protest over paper leaks is nothing but Congress’s toolkit strategy to stoke anarchy, as per the party’s established designs in the past and attempts to derail the process.

Notably, Rahul’s student convention in Kota against NEET paper leaks is slated for later this evening, at Shri Ram Rangmanch in Dussehra Ground. The proposed stir has already triggered political confrontation, with the Congress accusing the Modi govt of crushing the aspirations of millions of young students.

New Delhi/Vadodara, June 17: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday expressed condolences over the fatal luxury bus accident on the Vadodara-Jarod Road in Gujarat, as the death toll from the crash rose to seven and 28 people were injured, including two in critical condition.

In a post on the social media platform X, HM Shah described the incident as “extremely tragic” and said his condolences were with the families of those who had lost their loved ones.

He said the local administration was providing medical facilities to the injured and prayed for their speedy recovery.

“The accident that occurred on the Vadodara-Jarod Road in Gujarat is extremely tragic. My condolences are with those who have lost their loved ones in this accident. The local administration is providing medical facilities to the injured. I pray for the speedy recovery of those who have been injured,” HM Shah wrote.

The accident occurred at around 4 a.m. near Kotambi village when a luxury bus travelling from Banswara in Rajasthan to Surat rammed into the rear of a truck parked on the roadside.

According to preliminary information, the truck had been halted while its driver was checking tyre pressure.

The collision crushed the front portion of the bus, trapping several passengers inside. Local residents and passing motorists rushed to the scene before emergency services arrived and launched rescue operations.

Police, fire brigade personnel and teams from the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) carried out a large-scale rescue effort.

Firefighters used a JCB machine to separate the two vehicles and cut through the mangled metal of the bus to extricate trapped passengers.

Most of the passengers travelling on the bus were from Rajasthan. The injured were shifted to Sir Sayajirao General (SSG) Hospital and private hospitals in Vadodara, where treatment is continuing.

Hospital authorities said 28 people sustained injuries, with two reported to be in critical condition.

The accident also led to a traffic jam stretching several kilometres along the highway as rescue and clearance operations continued.

Reacting to the tragedy, Gujarat BJP state president described the crash as “extremely shocking and painful” and paid tribute to those who lost their lives.

“The horrific road accident that occurred on the Vadodara-Jarod Road is extremely shocking and painful. I offer my heartfelt tributes to the brothers and sisters who lost their lives in this tragedy and pray that God gives strength to their family members to bear this loss. I also pray for the speedy recovery of all the passengers who were injured in the accident,” he said.

Police have begun an investigation into the circumstances that led to the collision.