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Political Notes |
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Judicial custody of Shankaracharya extended
The judicial custody of the Shankaracharya of Kanchipuram, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, in a case of murder of a temple accountant has been extended till December 10. At the same time, police have filed more cases against the Shankaracharya. In a related development, the Supreme Court has rejected a public interest litigation case for holding a CBI inquiry into the Shankaracharya case.
Taking account of the exalted position held by the Shankaracharya, the Prime Minister wrote to the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu saying that the investigation of the case should be conducted with extreme care and consideration. He asked Ms Jayalalithaa to ensure the physical well being of the Shankaracharya.
In a letter to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Manmohan Singh said “an investigation involving a person of his eminence needs to be conduced with extreme care and consideration.”
Noting that Jayendra Saraswathi was arrested in connection with the probe into the murder of a former employee of the Kanchi mutt, the Prime Minister said : “I believe that the Government of Tamil Nadu has had to take this extreme step of arresting Swamiji keeping in view the gravity of the allegations against his holiness in the murder case.”
He added : “Whereas it is extremely important that due processes of law must not be interfered with and the law must be allowed to take its own course, it is also relevant to note that Swamiji keeps indifferent health.
“His holiness also enjoys a high religious status and position in society. The sentiments of many individuals are closely associated with his holiness’ well being.”
Ms. Jayalalithaa said in her reply to the Prime Minister that while in custody it has been ensured that the Shankaracharya is treated with care and caution considering his age and health conditions. A team of doctors has been monitoring his health.
BJP president L.K. Advani met the Shankaracharya in jail. VHP leader met President Abdul Kalam and submitted a memorandum demanding a CBI probe into the case.
Gujarat riots : Disclosures of police inaction
A leading newspaper, The Indian Express, has published details of cellphone records showing that top officers of the state police failed to act to prevent rioting and violence during the Gujarat riots following the Godhra train carnage. The records indicate that the officers were in touch with several of the accused at the time of the incidents. Some of these officers had claimed earlier that information about specific incidents had reached them late and as a result they could not prevent them.
Bihar politics
The Lok Janshakti Party has changed its stand on forging a tie up with the Janata Dal United, a constituent of the National Democratic Alliance for the coming Assembly elections in Bihar. Now party president Rambilas Paswan has said that the party might think of such an alliance if the JDU severed its links with the BJP. Earlier, he had said that there is no question of an alliance with the JDU.
In a related development, an influential section of the JDU led by Nitish Kumar, Sharad Yadav and Digvijay Singh has demanded that the party cut off its ties with the BJP. Speaking at a meeting in Patna they said Hindutva is not good either for the country or even for the BJP and that secularism is the driving force of the country. Observers say that the state-level leaders’ statements are indicative of the increasing desire to forge an electoral tie up with Rambilas Paswan’s Lok Janshakti Party. Meanwhile, the BJP says that it intends to make former Union Minister Shatrughan Sinha incharge of the party’s election campaign in Bihar.
Indian Institute of Advanced Studies Governing Council replaced
The Human Resource Development Ministry has sacked the entire 24-member governing council of the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, Shimla. The governing council had been packed earlier with supporters of the previous ruling coalition with the BJP-led NDA. Eminent historian J.S. Grewal has been appointed the new chairman of the institute in place of G.C. Pandey who was considered close to the former HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi.
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