Haryana gurdwara row: SC says maintain status quo
New Delhi:The Supreme Court Thursday directed SGPC and Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee to maintain status quo in respect of all the 52 gurdwaras in Haryana as of 2.30 p.m. Thursday. The apex court bench headed by Chief Justice R.M. Lodha directed SGPC and HSGMC to open separate bank accounts to deposit the offerings by devotees in these 52 gurdwaras.The court also directed the police chief of the state to take all steps to maintain law and order and prevent any untoward incident. Of the 52 gurdwaras in respect of which the status quo has to be maintained, eight are of historical importance, 17 are those which have an earning of Rs.20 lakh per annum and each of the remaining gurdwaras are earning less than Rs.20 lakh per annum. The court’s direction came on a petition by Harbhajan Singh – a member of SGPC from Kurukshetra – seeking the invalidation of the Haryana Sikh Gurdwara (Management) Act 2014, contending that it was ultra vires of the constitution and the state assembly had no power to enact it.(IANS)
Meerut rape: UP Woman Commission team meets victim
Meerut: A team of the UP State Women Commission on Thursday met the 20-year-old girl who was allegedly raped and forcibly converted to another religion at Sarawa village in Kharkhauda area here. Chairperson of the commission Zarina Usmani said she inquired about the incident from the victim, her family members and also local residents. She said she will submit her investigation report to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav. Usmani said the victim and her family members are satisfied with police action in the case so far. The chairperson said though the family has not demanded anything, she would ask the administration to provide financial assistance to them. To a question, Usmani said the ultrasound test of the girl has made it clear that no organ was taken out from the her body, so investigation will be done to find out why was she operated upon. Usmani said two persons who had prepared the affidavit of the alleged conversion have been arrested and now only one person named in the complaint remains to be arrested. Meanwhile, security was tightened in the area following some tension last night. SSP Onkar Singh said some people are trying to vitiate the atmosphere and they will be identified and arrested soon. (PTI)
DMK suspends Stalin loyalist
Chennai: A day after a senior leader submitted his resignation from DMK demanding that M K Stalin be declared the chief ministerial candidate for the 2016 Assembly polls, the M Karunanidhi-led party on Thursday accused him of indiscipline and suspended him from all posts. DMK Organising Secretary P V Kalyanasundaram was suspended as he was working against party’s interest and thus bringing disrepute, party General Secretary K Anbazhagan said. “P V Kalyanasundaram is suspended from all posts including the primary membership of DMK,” he said. In his statement, Anbazhagan said legal wing secretary R S Bharathi had been appointed in Kalyanasundaram’s place. Kalyanasundaram, a staunch loyalist of party treasurer and Karunanidhi’s younger son Stalin, had Wednesday tendered his resignation from DMK demanding Stalin be declared its CM candidate in Tamil Nadu. He had also alleged that Karunanidhi’s daughter Kanimozhi and former Union ministers A Raja and Dayanidhi Maran remain “aloof” from the party. He urged the leadership to remove from party posts, functionaries “facing land-grabbing and disproportionate assets cases”, which effectively includes many senior leaders and former ministers. He also urged that office bearers be appointed to newly restructured district units. Stalin’s supporters have been pressing for his elevation for long, but Karunanidhi has deferred a decision amid sibling rivalry involving his Madurai-based elder son M K Alagiri, who had been expelled from DMK recently, and Stalin over the succession issue. DMK was routed in the Lok Sabha elections, an outcome blamed on Stalin by Alagiri. (PTI)
91 DSPs transferred in Punjab
Chandigarh: In a major police reshuffle at the middle level rank police officers, the Punjab government on Thursday transferred 91 Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSPs) in the state. The transferred DSPs have been asked to join their new places of postings with immediate effect, an official spokesman said. Majority of transferred DSPs are of the Punjab Police Service (PPS) cadre, the spokesman said. Bal Krishan Singla, DSP Ludhiana will take over as Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP-South) Amritsar. Amandeep Singh Brar, DSP seventh battalion Punjab Armed Police (PAP) at Jalandhar has been posted as ACP-West Amritsar. Harkamal Kaur, DSP third Indian Reserve Battalion(IRB), Ludhiana will be the ACP-Headquarters at Amritsar. (PTI)