In Violation Of Secular Constitution, BJP-Ruled Uttarakhand State Orders Government Workers To Carry Out Hindu Religious Rites
In a blatant violation of India’s constitution and its secular fabric, and keeping religion separate from the State, Uttarakhand state has ordered thousands of its contractual workers to perform Hindu religious rites and prayers.
The order from Rekha Arya, minister of the Uttarakhand Women Empowerment and Child Development, says all functionaries of Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) must perform a water ritual in Shiva temples as part of the Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao” campaign.
The order imposed Hindu religious work on government officials from various religious minority or personal belief groups including Muslims, Christians, Tribals, and Atheists.
It prompted a response by The All India Federation of Anganwadi Workers and Helpers (AIFAWH), who demanded that the order be overturned as “no government or minister has any authority to ask them to perform a religious ritual as part of official work.” AIFAWH also encouraged the workers to oppose and boycott the minister’s orders.
The backlash from Arya’s order also brought to light that the government workers are owed wages and funds for supplementary nutrition, which have been pending for nearly five months.
AIFAWH referenced a report of the Parliamentary Committee on Women Empowerment, which found that 80 per cent of the wages allotted for the “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao”’ campaign was spent on the publicity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whose Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) rules Uttarakhand.
It also said ICDS budget has been drastically reduced, and workers have been asked to find sponsors to continue running the Anganwadi centres.
Hindu Nationalist Hate-monger Madhu Kishwar Among Five Charged In Uttar Pradesh For Spreading Misinformation
Hindu nationalist activist Madhu Kishwar along with four others were booked in Uttar Pradesh under two sections of the Indian Penal code for publishing or circulating a rumor with intent to incite a class or community (Section 505 (2)), and for violating the Information Technology Act (Section 66 D).
The accused posted a video on social media, which showed a Muslim person being mowed down by a vehicle carrying Hindu devotees. It claimed that the devotees have been booked for intentionally running over the Muslim person.
The Saharanpur Police clarified the video was dated to 2017, and called the video misleading and false. They also assured that proper legal action was taken in 2017 after the incident occurred.
Kishwar is an outspoken supporter of Prime Minister Modi and frequently posts anti-Muslim rhetoric on social media.
Members Of Hindu Extremist Bajrang Dal Group That Is Linked To Modi’s BJP Crash College Farewell Party at Pub in Mangalore
Members of the Hindu militant group Bajrang Dal crashed a private college farewell party in a pub in Mangaluru, hurling abuses and forcing the event to stop. The students were all in the final year of their degree and were required to be ages 21 or above in order to receive entry.
Police Commissioner N Shashi Kumar told the media that multiple members of the Bajrang Dal arrived outside of a pub and reported to the bouncer that there were minor boys and girls inside.
The bouncer relayed the message to the manager inside, who asked those students to leave and they did without incident.
Commissioner Kumar said that the authorities will first take a look at the CCTV footage and take actions accordingly. He added that a probe would be launched into the incident as “no one has the right to ask for ID or license except the concerned authority.”
