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Vishwa Hindu Parishad leader says Places of Worship Act not engraved in stone, need to review it

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The controversy surrounding the Gyanvapi Mosque in Varanasi continues to deepen after the survey report became public. While the Hindu side claims to have found Shivling there, the Muslim side has called it a fountain. They have also cited the Places of Worship Act 1991. It is not only the Gyanvapi in Varanasi, but the Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah Masjid in Mathura case has also been admitted by the court for debate.

While the construction work of the grand Ram temple in Ayodhya is going on in full swing, enabled by the Supreme Court verdict, the cases of Kashi and Mathura have also reached the court’s doorstep. Both sides are engaged in a war of words claiming ownership of the land.

when spoke to Vishwa Hindu Parishad International Working President and Senior Advocate Alok Kumar on the issue. Following are the excerpts of the conversation.

Q. Both the parties have their own claims regarding Gyanvapi survey. The Hindu side is calling it Shivling, while the Muslim side calls it fountain. What is your opinion on these claims?

A. We believe it is a Shivling and not a fountain. It is one of the original Jyotirlinga. It must have been worshipped after ‘pran pratishtha’. I believe that since it is a Shivling, there must be a temple as there cannot be Shivling in a mosque. After a mosque was constructed there, no Shivling could have come from outside, so it is certain that Shivling has been there since ancient times. The Shivling was there even at the time of country’s Independence, so the Places of Worship Act 1991 does not apply to it. Hindus must be given the right to worship in the entire complex.

Q. So, will the VHP be satisfied only by getting the right to worship at the place of Shivling?

A. This case has not been filed by the VHP. But as far as the Places of Worship Act is concerned, this was made in haste. There was no discussion nor was it sent to the Select Committee of Parliament. At that time the BJP strongly opposed this bill. The most important thing is that the legality of this law has also been challenged in the Supreme Court, on which the court has also issued notice. Therefore, this law is not engraved in stone and its provisions should be reconsidered.

Q. Who do you think should reconsider – the court or the government? Are you demanding from the BJP government to repeal the Act or change its provisions by bringing a new law?

A. The court is doing it. It has given notice to the concerned parties and so far as our (VHP) stand is concerned, it will be decided in the next two important meetings. VHP’s Board of Trustees will meet at Kanchi at the end of this month. Next month, on June 11 and 12, a meeting of our Margdarshak Mandal will also be held in Haridwar. The VHP will decide its stand and also its future course of action regarding this.

Q. Ashok Singhal, a veteran VHP leader, used to say that if the Muslims peacefully hand over Ayodhya, Kashi and Mathura to the Hindus, there will be no enmity and an atmosphere of love, unity and harmony will prevail in the country. Then Hindus will not claim any other monuments of this kind. Ayodhya was decided through the Supreme Court. Does VHP still have the same stand on Mathura and Kashi?

A. See, Ram temple in Ayodhya is being built only through the court’s decision. If even today the Muslims will hand over Kashi and Mathura to the Hindus, this will create an atmosphere of goodwill. But if the same language is being spoken by the Muslim side as Owaisi and the Muslim Personal Law Board do, it will not be good for any of us. It is now clear that Kashi and Mathura are a matter of faith for the entire Hindu society. The VHP had earlier said that it will not consider these two issues till the Ram temple is resolved, but things are changing fast. We will discuss this in our upcoming meetings.

Q. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat in 2019 said that due to historical reasons, the Sangh was associated with the Ram Mandir movement only as an exception. The BJP in the Palampur session of 1989, said that it will support only Ram Janmabhoomi movement. However, senior Sangh leader Sunil Ambekar recently said on the Gyanvapi issue that facts cannot be hidden for long. Are BJP, Sangh and the VHP running a movement in tandem this time also?

A. Sangh will take its own decision, BJP its own, but the sentiment of the whole country is the same that historical wrongs should be corrected.

Q. How will the dispute be resolved?

A. Both the matters are sub-judice and only the court can find the solution. This country has learned to respect the courts. People like Owaisi were roaring even at the time when Ramjanmabhoomi verdict came but it did not have any impact. The Supreme Court’s decision was accepted by both Hindus and Muslims, there was neither violence nor riots. So when the court decides on Kashi and Mathura, everyone will accept it, I hope.

Q. You mentioned the statement of Asaduddin Owaisi. You must have also heard the statements of Akhilesh Yadav and Congress leaders?

A. Akhilesh Yadav has been rejected twice by the people of Uttar Pradesh. The Congress leader showed his ‘janeu’ (sacred thread), but doing it half-heartedly will not work. If you want to respect Hindutva, you have to do it all the time. Those who continue to disrespect the Hindus and their sentiments, are fading away. The public is watching all this and will answer it again when the time comes.

Q. Mehbooba Mufti has said that you should give the complete list in one go.

A. She was sarcastic. All political parties have to say something or the other according to their party position. But the finding of Shivling there has answered several quetions.

Q. Will the VHP, like the Ramjanmabhoomi movement, run a mass movement for Kashi and Mathura? Will it hit the streets, put pressure on the government or fight a legal battle?

A. I have already told you that VHP will take a decision after discussing all these issues in the Board of Trustees meeting to be held in Kanchi this month and on June 11 and 12 in Haridwar.

Maharashtra

Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra executive committee meeting: Public awareness on SIR is the need of the hour, should not be neglected: Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi

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Mumbai, July 13: The mid-term meeting of the Executive Council of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra began at 2 pm on the second floor of Hajj House, Paltan Road under the chairmanship of Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi (President of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) and concluded at 5 pm.

The meeting began with the recitation of the Holy Quran and Naat Khawani by Mufti Mirza Kaleem Beg Nadvi (President of Jamiat Ulema Marathwada). More than one thousand members of the Executive Council from all over Maharashtra attended the meeting.

Mufti Muhammad Yusuf Qasmi (General Secretary, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) presented the Secretary’s Report and Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi (President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) delivered a detailed presidential address in which he described the methodology, procedures and history of Jamiat Ulema, describing the organization as a purely religious organization, described the services of its leaders in the independence of the country and laid special emphasis on Hindu-Muslim unity and moral reform in the Muslim society to combat communalism in the current situation of the country.

In this meeting, seven proposals on various topics were presented by the officials of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra.

The proposal related to SIR was presented by Maulana Muhammad Arif Omari, Vice President of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, in which he explained the method of filling the enumeration form and drew special attention to the fact that people should not sit in their homes and wait for the BLO, but should set up camps at different places, gather people there and help the BLO fill the forms by blocking the camp.
Maulana Umari also said that keep the photo of the 2002 list from which the mapping has been done. Advocate Imran Khan attended the meeting as the special guest and in his short speech, praising the SIR proposal of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, said that it has three phases. The first phase was mapping, which has been done. The second phase is filling the enumeration form, which is ongoing.

After this, a third phase will come, which is that those whose names will not be able to appear in the electoral roll should not be disappointed, but rather it is more important to prove yourself eligible by submitting documents in a legal manner. There is no need to be afraid of this, but be mentally prepared to try to face it with courage.

Mufti Muhammad Haroon Nadvi (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) presented a proposal titled “Strengthening Democracy”, in which he explained the usefulness of the democratic system and its need in a multi-religious country like India, and said that in recent days, the brothers of the country have risen up in protest against the demolition of mosques in Rajasthan, which is a good omen for the democratic system of the country.

Qari Muhammad Idrees Ansari (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) mentioned the habit of drug abuse and its common behavior among the young generation and gave suitable solutions to overcome it.
Qari Abdul Rashid Hamidi (Vice President, Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) explained the harms of unnecessary use of social media and said that 16 youths have been arrested in our region of Marathwada for adopting an incautious attitude on social media and youths from several places are behind bars for commenting and liking on social media, whose cases are being investigated by the Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra Legal Department. The aid committee is fighting,
Maulana Ishtiaq Qasmi (Treasurer of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) while proposing a proposal on Hindu-Muslim unity said that Jamiat Ulema Hind has been convinced since the first day of its establishment that the country cannot progress without Hindu-Muslim unity.

Further explaining this proposal, Maulana Haleemullah Sahib Qasmi said that unity does not mean that both parties adopt each other’s religion or customs, but rather that they create a common environment of good behavior, morality and respect for the rights of their neighbors while adhering to their respective religions. For this, Jamiat Ulema Hind has formed a forum under the convenorship of Hazrat Maulana Syed Asjad Madani (Vice President of Jamiat Ulema Hind) which will run its movement in the country. It has been decided to hold a training program in Mumbai on August 27, the details of which will be informed soon.

Qari Muhammad Yunus Chaudhry (Vice Treasurer of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra) proposed a proposal on the need and importance of social reform, Maulana Abdul Qayyum Nazish (Director of Religious Schools) proposed the need for religious education and Mufti Hafeezullah Qasmi (Director of the organization) emphasized the formation of new units of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra and proposed that a quarterly accountability meeting should be held in every district of the state of Maharashtra.
Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra’s executive committee meeting: Public awareness on SIR is the need of the hour, should not be neglected: Maulana Haleemullah Qasmi
Finally, one representative each from the five geographical regions of the state of Maharashtra (Mumbai and its environs, Khandesh, Vidarbha, Western Maharashtra and Marathwada) expressed their impressions about the meeting and the meeting came to an end with the prayer of the president of the meeting.
Before the meeting, there was a luncheon. The Director of the Office of Jamiat Ulema Maharashtra, Hafiz Muhammad Arif Ansari, Maulana Muhammad Asid Qasmi (Member of the Executive Council) and the staff of the state office carried out the arrangements with great care.

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Maharashtra

‘Manhole Rail Guard’ prototype developed to protect Mumbai manholes inspected by ritu Tawde, pilot testing to be done in ‘L’ ward

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Mumbai: A prototype of a rectangular shaped ‘Manhole Rail Guard’ has been developed by an organisation to enhance public safety during manhole related operations and to ensure the safety of personnel engaged in maintenance and repair work. Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde and Additional Municipal Commissioner (Projects) Abhijeet Bangar personally inspected the prototype at the Municipal Corporation headquarters today (July 13, 2026). Several corporators were also present on the occasion. The process of reviewing the details of the prototype has been completed. Suggestions were given to improve its effective use. Their recommendations included making the rail guard collapsible so that its size can be easily adjusted to the dimensions of the manhole, and incorporating reflective paint or flashing lights to enhance visibility in low-light conditions. Prioritizing the safety of citizens and municipal staff, the square-shaped ‘manhole rail guard’ has been designed to be sturdy and easy to handle. Measuring 1 meter high, 1.5 meters long, and 1.5 meters wide, the rail guard is available in two weight variants of 225 kg and 80 kg to meet different operational needs and site requirements. The prototype will be deployed on a pilot basis in the ‘L’ administrative ward of Mumbai. After actual implementation in this ward, the final design of the ‘Manhole Rail Guard’ will be decided based on operational experience, technical requirements, and feedback from municipal staff and citizens. Furthermore, the municipal administration will decide whether to extend the use of this prototype to all other administrative wards of Mumbai after reviewing the insights and feedback gained during this pilot trial.

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Maharashtra

State-of-the-art emergency ward and emergency medical services complex inaugurated at Nair Hospital, Mayor Ritu Tawde and other dignitaries inspected the facility

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The state-of-the-art, newly constructed ‘Accident and Emergency Medical Services Complex’ at Nair Charitable Hospital, managed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation and located in Mumbai Central, was inaugurated today (July 13, 2026) at Mumbai BYL.

The services were inaugurated after an inspection of the new complex and its departments in the presence of Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawde. Ritu Tawde, Leader of Opposition Kishori Pednekar, Samajwadi Party Group Leader and local corporator Amreen Abrhani, Improvement Committee Chairperson Scindia Doshi, Public Health Committee Chairperson Praharish Bhandarge, Women and Child Welfare Committee Chairpersons Permanent Two Days, Corporators Rohidas Lokhande and Ajay Patil, Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Ugade, Director (Medical Education and Major Hospitals) and Dean of Nair Hospital Dr Shailesh Mohte, Chief Medical Superintendent Dr Chandrakant Pawar, other dignitaries and concerned officers were present. Meanwhile, a formal inauguration ceremony was planned for the Accident and Emergency Medical Services Complex at Nair Hospital. However, the ceremony was cancelled as the central government had declared a one-day national mourning in India on July 12, 2026, following the demise of Qatar’s ‘Father Emir’ former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. On this occasion, tributes were paid to Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. However, given the priority and need to start medical services, the dignitaries inspected the new complex, and the services were launched.
Information on the Casualty and Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Complex at Nair Hospital
A state-of-the-art Casualty and Emergency Medical Services Department has been established at Nair Hospital to meet the minimum standard requirements prescribed by the National Medical Commission (NMC).

This is a major and important infrastructure project undertaken as part of the ‘Prime Projects Development’ under the Nair Hospital expansion project. The expansion scheme also includes an upcoming Oncology (Cancer) building, Resident Medical Officer (RMO) quarters, and an L-shaped building. The integration of a 24-hour Casualty Department and modern Emergency Medical Services enables the provision of fast, high-quality medical treatment to patients. After successful completion of construction and receipt of all statutory No Objection Certificates (NOCs), the complex was handed over to the Nair Hospital administration on 25th June 2026. This new complex paves the way for the next phase of the hospital’s development. The old Casualty Department building will now be demolished to make way for the construction of a modern, 20-storey residential complex for Resident Medical Officers (RMOs).

Phase Start of Operation
To ensure optimum patient safety and clinical efficiency, operations in this fully (centrally) air-conditioned department will commence in two separate phases. Phase 1 (Immediately Operational)In this initial phase, key medical services — such as Accident Department, Emergency Medical Services, Triage Ward, Paediatrics, Orthopaedics, Surgery, and a Minor Operation Theatre (Minor OT) — have been started immediately.Phase 2 (Forthcoming)
Modern emergency diagnostic and testing services will be introduced soon.

Facility Layout and Highlights
The department is thoughtfully designed over two floors with the aim of ensuring rapid patient assessment, timely emergency treatment, and seamless administrative operations.
The ground floor is designed to facilitate rapid patient assessment and stabilization, focusing on prompt assessment, treatment, and initial diagnosis.

Administrative and Triage Center A dedicated ‘Scheme Registration Office’ is located here to streamline patient registration and initial screening. Additionally, there is a ‘Casualty Medical Officer (CMO) Room’ to handle medico-legal matters.

Specialist Consultation Rooms – This area includes separate rooms for specialists in General Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, and Orthopaedics, as well as a ‘General Examination Room’.
Emergency Treatment A fully equipped ‘Minor Operation Theatre’ (Minor OT) is available for minor emergency surgical procedures. ‘Golden Hour’ Management – An 8-bed Emergency Medical Services (EMS) ward, equipped with facilities to provide intensive care during the first hour of an emergency, has been established.

Diagnostics and Safety The facility includes an X-ray room for immediate imaging and a ‘patient-free decontamination room’ for the safe decontamination of patients exposed to toxic or hazardous substances.

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