Page 6 - Varanasi

SC refuses to stay Hindu prayers in southern cellar of Gyanvapi mosque

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the Hindu prayers in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi even as it ordered a "status quo" on the religious observances by both the Hindu and Muslim sides inside the mosque premises. The court was hearing a fresh plea of the Gyanvapi mosque management committee against an Allahabad High Court decision upholding a lower court's order allowing Hindu prayers in the southern cellar of the mosque. The top court noted that both the Muslim and Hindu sides have been conducting their respective religious observances "unhindered" inside the mosque premises and, therefore, a status quo would serve the ends of justice for now. A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud also sought the response of priest Shailendra Kumar Pathak Vyas by April 30 on the plea of the mosque committee. "Bearing in mind the fact that the namaz is offered by the Muslim community unhindered after the orders dated January 17, 2024 and January 31, 2024,

SC to hear on Apr 1 Gyanvapi committee's plea on allowing prayers in cellar

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear on April 1 a Gyanvapi mosque management committee's plea against an Allahabad High Court decision upholding a lower court's order allowing Hindu prayers in the southern cellar of the mosque. A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra will hear the plea of Anjuman Intezamia Masajid Committee, which manages the affairs of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, challenging the HC's February 26 decision. The high court had dismissed the committee's plea in which it had challenged the district court's January 31 order allowing Hindus to offer prayers in the cellar. While dismissing the plea of the mosque committee on February 26, the high court had observed that the Uttar Pradesh government's 1993 decision of stopping worship rituals inside the "Vyas Tehkhana" -- located at the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi -- was "illegal". It had said that the worship rituals were stopped by "illegal action of the state withou

Direct contest between 'INDIA' and NDA in Varanasi: Cong UP chief Ajay Rai

Uttar Pradesh Congress president Ajay Rai, who has once again been named as the party candidate from Varanasi against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said on Sunday there will be a direct contest between the INDIA bloc and the NDA, and the issue of "local versus outsider" will also figure prominently in the Lok Sabha polls on the seat. "This time the Lok Sabha elections will be held directly between the INDIA block and the NDA. Due to this, the equations have changed and the electoral environment has also changed completely. The people are facing unemployment, inflation and corruption, and are fed up with the BJP's false claims of development. They have made up their mind to change (the winner) this time," Rai said while talking to PTI. In the past several elections, along with the BJP and the main opposition party, a third strong candidate also used to be fielded, which would divide the votes, Rai said. But this time, there is a direct contest between the INDIA bloc and the NDA, he

Indian holiday seekers showing dynamic shift in travel preferences: Airbnb

South Goa emerged as India's most popular getaway for Indian guests with a 330% increase in searches

PM Modi holds roadshow in Varanasi, visits Kashi Vishwanath Temple

Arriving here days after being made BJP nominee for Varanasi Lok Sabha seat for the third time, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was accorded a rousing reception at the Varanasi airport on Saturday. BJP workers and locals lined up on the roads outside the airport from where Modi began a 28-km long roadshow during which he also stopped at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple to offer prayers. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, senior party leaders and office bearers were present at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in Babatpur to welcome the prime minister. BJP regional chief Dilip Patel said that Varanasi district and metropolitan unit made elaborate arrangements for Modi's visit. The locals, including women and children, showered flowers on the prime minister during the roadshow amid playing of drums, he said. Modi is also scheduled to visit Atulanand School located in Gilat Bazaar and Kabir Chaura, among other places on the route of the roadshow, Patel said. Patel said the prime minister will ma

Caste in the business of death

Radhika Iyengar's book provides a poignant account of the overlooked 'death-care workers' in Benares, an ancient community relegated to the margins of society

Flight ops from Dehradun to Ayodhya, Varanasi, Amritsar start today

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the flight operations from Dehradun to these three major citiesThe three services were launched from Dehradun's Jolly Grant Airport on Wednesday.CM Dhami inaugurated the event by lighting a lamp and cutting a cake.Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said, "We endeavour to make moving the people within the entire state of Uttarakhand convenient, simple and easy. For this, we are continuously making efforts and the people of the country are travelling to different places in the state.""Flagged off air services from Jolly Grant Airport, Dehradun to Shri Ayodhya Dham, Amritsar, Pantnagar and Varanasi and gave boarding passes to the passengers and wished them a happy journey. As a result of the efforts of the double engine government, the air connectivity of Devbhoomi Uttarakhand is continuously getting strengthened. With the start of these air services, while people will get convenience in transportation, tourism in the state will ...

128 MLD domestic, industrial wastewater flowing into Ganga in Varanasi: NGT

The National Green Tribunal has observed that around 128 MLD wastewater is discharged into the Ganga in Varanasi. The green panel was hearing a matter regarding the discharge of domestic and industrial wastewater into the Ganga in Varanasi, thus hurting religious sentiments. A bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava and Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal noted a report by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, according to which around 28 million litres per day (MLD) of untreated sewage is flowing into the Ganga. "In the report, it also has been disclosed that within the Varanasi Municipal Corporation and the expanded area, 522 MLD sewage is generated and there are seven Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs), the designed capacity of which comes to a total of about 422 MLD," the bench, also comprising Expert Members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, said. "Hence, even if we presume that the STPs are functioning to their designed capacity, there is a gap of .

Lok Sabha polls 2024: BJP announces 1st list, PM to contest from Varanasi

The ruling BJP on Saturday announced Prime Minister Narendra Modi will fight again from Varanasi in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as it named 34 Union ministers in the first list of 195 candidates. The list also included two former ministers as well as Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from Kota in Rajasthan. Union ministers whose names have been announced by the BJP in the first list of candidates include Amit Shah, Rajnath Singh, Bhupender Yadav, Mansukh Mandaviya, Sarbananda Sonowal, Kiren Rijiju, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Arjun Ram Meghwal, G Kishan Reddy, Arjun Munda and Smriti Irani. Announcing the list, BJP National General Secretary Vinod Tawde said the party is confident that it would form the government for the third term under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi with a much bigger mandate. He also said the party has been working on further expanding its footprint across states and also to strengthen the ruling National Democratic Alliance. The list includes 28 women

NGT asks UP to disclose demarcation of Ganga's floodplain zones in Varanasi

The National Green Tribunal has directed the Uttar Pradesh government to submit a report disclosing the steps taken for demarcation of floodplain zones of the Varuna and the Assi, the Ganga's tributaries in Varanasi district. The green panel was hearing a plea claiming that the civic body in the district did not demarcate the rivers' floodplain zones, resulting in continuous encroachment. The plea also alleged illegal discharge of sewage in the rivers. A bench of National Green Tribunal Chairperson Justice Prakash Shrivastava noted a report by the Varanasi Municipal Corporation, according to which 15 nullahs (drains) were discharging partially-untreated sewage in the Varuna, adversely impacting its water quality. The bench, also comprising Judicial Member Justice Sudhir Agarwal and Expert Members A Senthil Vel and Afroz Ahmad, noted an Uttar Pradesh Pollution Control Board report that said inspection of the 15 drains found three to be tapped, 10 partially tapped and two untapped. I

UP religious tourism gets Rs 85K cr boost: Ayodhya, Varanasi top gainers

These projects - planned across leading religious tourism hotspots, including Ayodhya and Varanasi - pertain to hotels, resorts, guest houses, infrastructure development etc

Gyanvapi mosque: Hindu puja to continue in Vyas Tehkhana, rules Allahabad HC

The Allahabad high court on Monday dismissed the Gyanvapi Mosque committee's appeal challenging the Varanasi district court's decision to offer prayers in a cellar in the Gyanvapi mosque complex.

Modi is 'Ambassador' of small farmers and small entrepreneurs: PM

"When I nudge people to buy Khadi and wear Khadi, then I connect the women, Dalits and backwards communities associated with Khadi to the markets," Modi noted

PM Modi has presented Varanasi on global map in new form: UP CM Adityanath

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday said by giving development projects worth thousands of crores of rupees to Kashi in the last 10 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has presented the holy town on the global map in a new form. Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone of 35 projects worth more than Rs 13,000 crore in Varanasi on Friday. In his address on the occasion, Adityanath praised the prime minister. According to an official statement, he said, "Today, once again the prime minister has arrived with schemes worth thousands of crores. Banas Dairy has been built at a cost of Rs 650 crore. It seems it is like a modern pilgrimage for farmers involved in animal husbandry." Adityanath added that "this dairy has become a new centre for honouring and preserving the faith of India, along with increasing income". He said by giving the blessings of the "Gau Mata (cow)" to the fertile land of Uttar Pradesh, the work for the prosperity of the state's cattle herde

Those not in 'hosh' are calling youth 'nasheri, says PM Modi in Varanasi

In an apparent attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for his "drunk men" on Varanasi roads remarks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said those who are not in "hosh" (senses) themselves are calling the youth "nasheri" (intoxicated). Addressing a public meeting after inaugurating and laying the foundation of development projects worth Rs 13,000 crore in his parliamentary constituency of Varanasi, Modi said Uttar Pradesh had been left behind in development for decades due to the politics of "parivarvaad", corruption and appeasement. "Member of Congress' 'shahi-parivar' is calling the youth of Varanasi 'nasheri' (intoxicated)," Modi said, without naming Gandhi. "Those who are not in 'hosh' themselves are calling the youth 'nasheri'," he added. Gandhi had recently said that in Varanasi he observed some youths inebriated, lying on the streets, and dancing at night. The future of the youth of Uttar Pradesh is intoxicated, he had added. In his address, Modi said the speed of ...

INDIA bloc members incite people in name of caste: PM Narendra Modi

He also said the opposition leaders cannot "tolerate" Dalits and tribal people occupying high posts. He cited the presidential election which was contested by Droupadi Murmu

From 'Vikas ki Ganga' to 'damru' of development: PM's top quotes in Kashi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Modi said that Kashi saw ''damru' of development playing in all directions during the past 10 years

Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra: March enters Varanasi on 2nd day of UP campaign

The Rahul Gandhi-led 'Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra' of the Congress on Saturday entered Varanasi on the second day of its Uttar Pradesh leg. Gandhi, along with the party's state president Ajay Rai and other congress leaders, stood atop an open jeep and toured the busy Gudauli area of the temple town. Gandhi also visited the Kashi Vishwanath temple. Apna Dal (Kamerawadi) leader Pallavi Patel and the Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA from Sirathu also joined the yatra in Varanasi. The yatra on Friday entered the state from Bihar at Chanduali where it halted for the night. SP president Akhilesh Yadav has said that he will join the yatra in Rae Bareli. The yatra will traverse through Uttar Pradesh before entering Rajasthan. The east to west Manipur-Mumbai yatra will traverse 6,700 km through 15 states and aims to highlight the message of 'nyay' (justice) while meeting common people on the way.

Allahabad HC reserves order on plea against puja in Gyanvapi mosque cellar

The Allahabad High Court on Thursday reserved its order on a plea challenging the Varanasi district court's decision to allow Hindu prayers in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal heard the appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, which looks after the affairs of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple in Varanasi, and reserved its order, committee's lawyer S F A Naqvi said. "The hearing of the matter is complete and the court has reserved its order," Naqvi added. The Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee moved the high court on February 2 within hours of the Supreme Court refusing to hear its plea against the Varanasi district court order and asking it to approach the high court. The Varanasi district court had ruled on January 31 that a priest can perform prayers before the idols in the southern cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque.

HC adjourns hearing on plea against order allowing puja in Gyanvapi mosque

The Allahabad High Court on Monday adjourned till February 15 the hearing on a plea challenging the Varanasi district court order allowing Hindu prayers in a cellar of the Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agrawal passed the order on the appeal filed by the Anjuman Intezamia Masjid committee, which looks after the affairs of the mosque adjacent to the Kashi Vishwanath temple. After hearing the counsels for the Muslim side -- Punit Gupta and SFA Naqvi -- at length, Justice Agrawal fixed February 15 as the date for further hearing in the matter on Naqvi's request. Appearing on behalf of the mosque committee, SFA Naqvi submitted before the court that what right the plaintiff (Vyas) has in the disputed property is not decided yet and therefore without ascertaining the right of the plaintiff, the order to permit puja in the cellar is illegal. The Muslim side also filed certified copies of court orders which were not filed earlier, which were taken on record. The Hindu s