People take part in a protest march against demolition of a Jain temple at Vile Parle area, in Mumbai

Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) on Saturday transferred an assistant municipal commissioner after the demolition of a Jain temple in Vile Parle area of the city sparked a controversy.

Members of the Jain community took out a protest march over the issue earlier in the day.

Navnath Ghadge, who was in charge of the K-east ward, has been transferred with immediate effect, municipal commissioner Bhushan Gagrani told PTI.

A team of K-east ward on April 16 demolished a Jain temple or ‘chaitalaya’ located inside Neminath Cooperative Housing Society, claiming it to be an unauthorised structure.

A protest march was taken to the ward office on Saturday. Paresh Shah of the Maharashtra Gaushala Sangh claimed that more 20,000 people including religious leaders and Maharashtra minister Mangal Prasad Lodha, local BJP MLA Parag Alavani and a few other political leaders participated in the march.

A delegation of protesters submitted a memorandum of demands and had a two-hour-long meeting with Ghadge, he said.

“The entire Jain community is anguished by the BMC’s action,” said Shah, demanding that the civic body suspend the officer. The temple was demolished without giving the trustees time to respond, he claimed.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and city MLA Aaditya Thackeray said the BMC was being fully and directly controlled by the Chief Minister’s Office and Urban Development Minister’s office, suggesting that they were to blame for the incident.

The Urban Development department is headed by deputy CM Eknath Shinde who heads the rival Shiv Sena.

“Who was guardian minister (Lodha) protesting against? What he is doing is drama instead of saving the Derasar (temple) using his powers as guardian minister!

“He has an illegal office in the BMC itself, and has a huge experience of real estate and such cases. Instead of protecting the Derasar, now he is doing the drama of a protest. I hope everyone realises – the BJP belongs to nobody. It is the BJP govt that is running the BMC through the CM’s office,” Thackeray alleged.

MP and Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad, who participated in the protest march, claimed BMC officials demolished the temple without waiting for the court’s ruling.

The idols of Jain Tirthankars and religious texts were also “insulted” during the action, she alleged, blaming the “bulldozer government of the BJP alliance” responsible for the “conspiracy.”

She spoke to commissioner Gagrani who assured that a new temple will be built at the same place, she said.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar accused the BJP government of “targeting the minorities”. “It is wrong to demolish a structure without giving a proper notice. Action should be taken against the officials involved in this, ” he said.

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Thursday criticised the state government for permitting a protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Act while the matter is still under consideration by the Supreme Court.

Justice M Nagaprasanna observed that allowing such a demonstration was inappropriate given the ongoing proceedings before the apex court.

“The state shall bear in mind that the matter is seized by the apex court qua the amendment to the Waqf Act, and a protest of this kind should not be permitted,” the judge stated.

The court directed the government to ensure public roads are not obstructed by such events and emphasised that protests must be held only at designated locations and with official approval.

“If there is no permission, there is no protest,” the court asserted.

These observations came during the hearing of a petition filed by Rajesh A, a resident of Mangaluru.

The plea challenged a communication issued by the city’s Police Commissioner, directing both private bus operators and the Karnataka State Road Transport Corporation not to operate services along a section of National Highway 73 from noon to 9 PM on Friday, due to a protest against the Waqf Act amendment.

According to the petitioner, the advisory caused undue disruption to public transport. Advocates Hemanth R Rao and Leelesh Krishna represented him.

In response, the state government told the court that the initial communication had been revised and normal traffic flow would be maintained.

However, authorities advised that heavy and medium commercial vehicles take alternative routes as a precaution.

The matter will be heard again on April 23.

Belthangady: Another incident involving individuals allegedly dancing indecently, dressed in a denigrating manner, and insulting the Azan (Islamic call to prayer) has come to light under the jurisdiction of the Venoor Police Station. A case has been lodged against 17 accused persons and 20 to 30 others who were allegedly involved in the act.

Based on a complaint filed by Mohammed Rafiq, a resident of Poyyegudde house in Padangady village, a case has been registered at Venoor police station against Savya residents Vasantha, Rajesh, Harish, Peradi residents Dayanand, Ranganath, Mohan, Shamit, Ravi, Ramesh Kulal, Suresh, Ashoka Kulal, Dhanush Haradottu, Harish Banthottu, Ramesh R.K, Suresh Barottu, Pramod, Prakash Peradi and 20 to 30 other individuals.

A case has been registered under Section 353(2) along with Section 3(5) Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023 for disrespecting Islam, Prophet Muhammad and the Islamic prayer Azhan by wearing Muslim attire during a ‘Purusha Kattuna’ event on April 14th.

A video of the incident is reportedly circulating on various social media platforms. In the purported video, a group of individuals can be seen wearing traditional Muslim attire and allegedly insulting the Azan by dancing indecently during a ‘Purusha Kattuna’ (a ritualistic dance performed by men of different castes, typically marking the end of agricultural activities) event held in Peradi near Venoor.

This incident follows a similar episode reported just days ago during a Purushara Puja ceremony, where Islam was allegedly disrespected. A complaint had already been filed with the Venoor police regarding that incident.

Leaders from the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) had also approached the Venoor police and submitted an official complaint, and demanded immediate action against those who are responsible for creating unrest in the society by wearing Muslim attire and hurting religious sentiments.

The Venoor police have now registered a case following widespread outrage over the alleged video denigrating Islam.

New Delhi: The Congress on Friday expressed concern over the American Immigration Lawyers Association’s claim that out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students collected by it so far, 50% are Indians, and asked whether External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar will take up the issue with his US counterpart.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh shared on X a press statement issued on Thursday by the American Immigration Lawyers Association, and said it is “cause for concern to us in India”.

“Out of the 327 visa revocation cases of international students collected by the organisation so far, 50% are Indians. The reasons for revocation are random and unclear. There is growing fear and apprehension,” Ramesh said.

“Will the External Affairs Minister take note and raise the concern with his US counterpart? Ramesh said and tagged Jaishankar.

“The Department of State (DOS) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are aggressively targeting international students, including those without a history of protest, for visa revocation, termination of their status, and removal,” the American Immigration Lawyers Association statement said.

AILA collected 327 reports of visa revocations and Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS) terminations from attorneys, students, and university employees, it said.

“Of these reports – 50 percent of these students were from India, followed by 14 percent from China. Other significant countries represented in this data include South Korea, Nepal, and Bangladesh,” the statement said.

Thane: A surveyor from the government land records office in Maharashtra’s Raigad district has been arrested for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 50,000, an Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) official said on Friday.

Accused Vishal Bhima Rasal (29), posted at Mhasla, had allegedly demanded the money to measure a plot and issue documents concerning the land in Varvatne village, the official said.

ACB’s Deputy Superintendent of Police Sashikant Padave said in a release that they laid a trap after the land owner approached the anti-graft agency.

The accused was arrested on Thursday at a state transport bus stand while accepting the bribe amount, he said. Rasal has been booked under the Prevention of Corruption Act.