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Monday, December 15, 2025
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Karnataka HC dismisses petition that would allow Hindus to exclusively manage Hindu temples and trusts

By
The Commune
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In a setback to Hindus having control over there temples, the Karnataka High Court has dismissed pleas that sought the strict implementation of Section 7 of the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, which maintains that only Hindus can be employed in the management of Hindu Temples, Live Law has reported.

“What heavens are going to fall if respondent 4 being the Deputy Commissioner, for overlooking the arrangements will enter the temple. Hindu religion was never so narrow. Hindu religion as professed never consisted of people who are so narrow minded,” the bench comprising of Chief Justice Abhay Oka and Justice S Vishwajith Shetty observed orally as per the report.

The bench cited ‘Constitutional philosophy’, which appears to be a variant of the more popular term ‘Constitutional morality’, to question the maintainability of such petitions.

“After the Constitution has come into force, we will never entertain such petitions in the court. There is something known as the Constitution, there is something known as Constitutional philosophy. We will not entertain a petition which will take us 100 years back.” the Justices observed while dismissing the petitions without providing any relief.

Section 7 of the said Act says, “The Commissioner and every Deputy Commissioner or Assistant Commissioner and every other Officer or servant, appointed to carry out the purposes of this Act by whomsoever appointed, shall be a person professing Hindu Religion, and shall cease to hold office as such when he ceases to profess that religion.”

The bench stated, “On plain reading of section 7, there is no general prohibition on appointing an officer or servant to work in the offices of commissioner, deputy commissioner or assistant commissioner. The restriction imposed by section 7 is that Commissioner, Dy Commissioner, Asst Commissioner and every officer or servant appointed to carry out purposes of the said act of 1997, shall be a person professing Hindu religion. The test for applicability is that the officer or servant is appointed to carry out the purpose of the Act.”

The bench noted before concluding, “Judicial notice will have to be taken of the fact that government officers, police officers, irrespective of their religious faith and beliefs effectively assist all religions in celebrating their respective religious festivals. In fact that is part of the Constitutional philosophy and concept of Secularism.”

It is to be noted that the affairs of the Mosque and Church are managed by the members belonging to respective religions and not any person outside of the particular religion. 

Many have been taken aback by the Karnataka High Court’s ruling and have raised questions about applying secular logic to religious places.  Netizens asked if whether the Karnataka High Court would allow a Hindu to administer the affairs of a Church or a Mosque. Some went on to ask if the Justices meant that Islam and Christianity comprises of narrow minded people.  

https://twitter.com/IndianRajeshNCo/status/1338501472745521152

 

TN Govt launches Amma Mini Clinics, 2000 such clinics to be set up across state

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami launched “Amma Mini Clinics” on Monday (December 14) in Chennai. 2000 such mini clinics will be set up across the state to strengthen the public health infrastructure. Chennai alone will have 200 Amma Mini Clinics and more are slated to be set up in densely populated areas.

Each mini clinic will have have a doctor, a nurse and an assistant to help with public consultation along with facilities for checking body temperature, blood pressure, blood oxygen,  haemoglobin, blood sugar, urine samples, etc. The clinics in urban areas will function from 8 AM to 12 PM in the first shift, and from 4 PM to 8 PM in the second shift while the clinics in rural areas will function during the same hours in the 1st shift but from 4 PM to 7 PM in the second shift. 

630 Amma Mini Clinics were inaugrated by the Chief Minister on Monday. Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and State Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and other officials were present during the event. CM Palaniswami called it a ‘historic achievement,’ of this government.

“Today, with the aim of making medical services easily accessible to the common people, I inaugurated the “Chief Minister’s Mother Mini Clinic” at MPM Street, Thandayarpet, Vyasarpadi, Metropolitan Corporation of Chennai and visited the treatments provided to the public.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has lauded the Tamil Nadu government’s move for launching the scheme in the middle of a pandemic that will provide for better and accessible medical facilities for the public.

POCSO accused co-founder of ‘fact-checking’ website AltNews peddles fake news, clarifies later

By
The Commune
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Mohammad Zubair, co-founder of self-proclaimed ‘fact-checking’ website ‘AltNews’, who was earlier booked under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for targetting a minor girl, peddled fake news that a woman detained under the new anti-conversion law in Uttar Pradesh suffered miscarriage.

Zubair had shared a report of The Telegraph headlined “First woman detained under India’s controversial Love Jihad laws forced into miscarriage.” He had shared a snippet of from the report that read “A distraught Muskan Jahan called her mother-in-law, from a govt shelter where she is being held in the city of Moradabad in UP, saying she had bled profusely and then lost her baby”.

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The incident is about a woman Bala Devi hailing from Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor district who had complained to the police that a man named Rashid had enticed her daughter Pinky (22) to go with him to a maulvi with a motive of converting her to Islam. The police had filed an FIR against Rashid and his brother Saleem under Section (3) and 5(1) of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Ordinance, 2020, according to a report by Swarajya.

Rashid and Saleem were later arrested by the police and were remanded in judicial custody for 14 days. Pinky was shifted to a government woman shelter home.

However, The Telegraph report by one Joe Wallen, based on the inputs of an Indian reporter named Mohammed Sartaj Alam said that Pinky got married to the Muslim man and changed her name to Muskan Jahan after converting to Islam. The claim about miscarried was based on the unverified statements given by Rashid’s mother.

“Mrs Jahan believes her three-month-pregnant daughter-in-law was given an injection to abort the baby by staff because she converted from Hinduism to Islam and married a Muslim man,” The Telepgraph report says.

The Moradabad district administration had called reports of miscarriage as fake news. A report by The Hindu quoting district probation officer Rajesh Chandra Gupta noted that Pinky was in full normal health and that her pregnancy was intact.

After getting called out for the fake news peddled, Mohammad Zubair put out a tweet clarifying it as an ‘update’.

Apart report was widely shared by a section of the Indian media and opposition leaders too.

HC tells DMK chief to observe self-restraint while criticizing others, #ShutUpStalin trends on Twitter

By
The Commune
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eps dmk

On Monday, the Madras High Court while quashing the three defamation cases moved against DMK chief MK Stalin by the AIADMK government, said that politicians should maintain self-restraint while criticising others.

Justice N Sathish Kumar while hearing the plea moved by M.K. Stalin who had challenged the government’s slapping of defamation cases on him, also said that the quashing of criminal cases does not give politicians the license to blatantly accuse others without material evidence.

The DMK chief had moved the Madras High Court challenging the complaint made by the AIADMK government for his derogatory remarks against Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami connecting him in the Kodanad estate robbery and murder case.

Public Prosecutor A Natarajan submitted to the court that the DMK chief was making baseless allegations against the CM despite the court passing restraining orders.

Making note of the submissions, the court said that people like the petitioners who are lawmakers, should exercise self-restraint while making statements in public.

Following the order of the Madras High Court, the hashtag #ShutUpStalin started trending on Twitter.

https://twitter.com/dk_rajavinith/status/1338527429791399944

https://twitter.com/Raavanan333/status/1338514319525343232

The DMK leader have been resorting to making distasteful remarks in public against the Chief Minister Palaniswami in the run up to the elections. Recently, in a rally organized by the DMK against the farm laws, MK Stalin made a sexist comment where he questioned the ‘potency’ of CM Palaniswami. Apart from Stalin, DMK MP and one of the prime accused in the 2G spectrum scam A. Raja had used unparliamentary words and called Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami in singular terms in the last few press meets. He had said that Mr. Palaniswami became CM by crawling and licking Sasikala’s feet and had said that he does not have any ‘qualities’ to be CM. In one of the press meet, Raja said that CM Palaniswami by commenting on 2G case only spat but also threw feces upon himself adding that CM Palaniswami was ‘washing the butts’ of the BJP.

Since then, the DMK and the AIADMK has been exchanging barbs against each other.

#Breaking: This may be Rajini’s party name and symbol

By
The Commune
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If reports are to go by, Superstar Rajinikanth’s party may be named as Makkal Sevai Katchi (MSK).

Superstar Rajinikanth, who has decided enter the electoral battle, is said to be busy in preparing the memorandum and Constitution of his party as part of the process of getting the party registered with the Election Commission in Delhi.

With regards to the electoral symbol of the party, Rajinikanth had apparently requested the Election Commission for ‘Baba Mudra’ but since the party is yet to be recognized, Rajini has gone with the symbol of ‘auto rickshaw’ (Rajini played the role of an auto rickshaw driver in the movie Baasha).

Farmer organizations from different states submit memorandum in support of 3 farm laws to Agriculture Minister

By
The Commune
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Ten organizations from different states like Bihar, Haryana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh associated with All India Kisan Coordination Committee, submitted a memorandum to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and extended their support to the three farm laws.

The members said that the farm laws passed by the government recently would ensure freedom of choice to farmers in sale and purchase of agri-produce and allow barrier-free trade and commerce outside premises of Agriculture Produce Marketing Committees.

The memorandum said that some elements in the farmers’ agitation were trying to create misunderstanding among the farmers about the farm laws.

“The three laws that have been passed under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to liberate India’s agriculture system, we have come forward to support them. We know that some elements in the farmers’ agitation in some parts of the country, specially in Delhi, are trying to create misunderstanding in farmers. The dawn of freedom that is visible after our untiring efforts and long struggle, some elements are trying to create misunderstanding among farmers to turn it into dark night. To fulfil our responsibility towards crores of farmers of the country, we have come from different parts of the country to meet you,” the memorandum said.

The All India Kisan Coordination Committee comprises of more than 7000 NGOs and have assured that their members will all come out in support of the farm laws. They urged the Minister to not give in to the demands of those protesting and requested the government to continue to educate the people through outreach methods.

NITI Aayog releases ‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’

By
The Commune
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NITI Aayog on December 14 released a white paper: Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India with the following vision:

  • To make India’s public health surveillance system more responsive and predictive to enhance preparedness for action at all levels.
  • Citizen-friendly public health surveillance system will ensure individual privacy and confidentiality, enabled with a client feedback mechanism.
  • Improved data-sharing mechanism between Centre and states for better disease detection, prevention, and control.
  • India aims to provide regional and global leadership in managing events that constitute a public health emergency of international concern.

The white paper was released by NITI Aayog Vice Chairman Dr Rajiv Kumar; Member (Health) DrVinod K Paul; CEO Amitabh Kant; and Additional Secretary DrRakesh Sarwal.

‘Vision 2035: Public Health Surveillance in India’is a continuation of the work on health systems strengthening. It contributes by suggesting mainstreaming of surveillance by making individual electronic health records the basis for surveillance. Public health surveillance (PHS) is an important function that cuts across primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of care. Surveillance is ‘Information for Action’.

The Covid-19 pandemic has provided us with an opportunity to revisit (re) emerging diseases due to increased interaction between human-animal-environment. Early identification of this interference is essential to break the chain of transmissions and create a resilient surveillance system. This vision document is a step in that direction, it articulates the vision and highlights the building blocks. It envisions a citizen-friendly public health system, which will involve stakeholders at all levels, be it individual, community, health care facilities or laboratories, all while protecting the individual’s privacy and confidentiality.’

The white paper lays out India’s vision 2035 for public health surveillance through the integration of the three-tiered public health system into Ayushman Bharat. It also spells out the need for expanded referral networks and enhanced laboratory capacity. The building blocks for this vision are an interdependent federated system of governance between the Centre and states, a new data-sharing mechanism that involves the use of new analytics, health informatics, and data science including innovative ways of disseminating ‘information for action’.

The paper released today is envisaged to serve as a vision document to propel public health surveillance in India and establish India as a global leader in the area.

Second Project 17A ship ‘HIMGIRI’ launched

By
The Commune
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‘Himgiri’, the first of the three Project 17A ships being built at M/s Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Limited (GRSE), Kolkata was launched today, 14 Dec 20. She made her first contact with the waters of Hoogly River at 1335 Hrs at the launch ceremony, General Bipin Rawat, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) was the Chief Guest. In keeping with Naval traditions, Madhulika Rawat, spouse of CDS launched the ship to the chanting of invocations from the Atharva Veda. The ship has taken its name and crest of the second Frigate of the Leander Class of ships, which incidentally was launched 50 years ago in 1970.

Under the Project 17A program, a total of seven ships, four at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) and three ships at GRSE are being built with enhanced stealth features, advanced indigenous weapon and sensor fit along with several other improvements. The launch of ‘Himgiri’ has showcased GRSE’s commitment towards the building of three state-of-the-art warships of P17A for Indian Navy. Over the years, GRSE has emerged as a leading shipyard having built over 100 ships. The yard has scaled up its infrastructure and skill sets to meet new challenges in building of P17A ships. P17A ships are the first gas turbine propulsion and largest combat platforms ever built at GRSE.

Since its inception, Project 17A has upheld India’s vision for Atmanirbhar Bharat. P17A ships have been indigenously designed by Directorate of Naval Design (Surface Ship Design Group) – DND(SSG), and are being built at indigenous yards namely MDL and GRSE. Naval shipbuilding provides a great opportunity to energize our economy post COVID-19. Project 17A ships are sourcing 80% of the material/ equipment required for the project from indigenous vendors and with employment generation for over 2000 Indian firms and MSMEs within the country. Modular construction of the ship through outsourcing, and integrated construction methodology are being used to enhance GRSE’s productivity for delivery of ship targeted in August 2023.

PM interacts with industries, startups and academia from Space sector

By
The Commune
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Narendra Modi bureaucrats bureaucracy IAS officers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 14 interacted with key industries, startups and academia from the Space sector via video conferencing to encourage their participation in space activities.

The Union Cabinet led by the Prime Minister took the historic decision in June 2020 to open up the Space sector and enable the participation of Indian private sector in the entire gamut of space activities. With the creation of Indian National Space Promotion and Authorization Centre (IN-SPACe), the reforms will provide a level playing field for private companies and start-ups. Subsequently, several ventures have submitted proposals with IN-SPACe under the Department of Space. The proposals pertain to a vast range of activities including satellite constellation, small satellite launch vehicles, ground station, geospatial services, propulsion systems and application products.

Unlocking India’s potential in Space sector

Prime Minister thanked the participants for providing feedback about their experience so far. He said that the decision to unlock India’s potential in the Space sector has heralded a new age of public-private partnership in this sector. He assured the participants of complete and wholehearted support of the government in this endeavour. He noted that the professionalism and transparency in policies as well as the decision-making process of the government will prove beneficial for the companies joining the Space sector.

Taking note of the plans of companies to make rockets and satellites, the Prime Minister remarked that this marks a big change that will further strengthen India’s foray into the Space sector. He said that private investment in the sector will lead to the creation of hi-tech jobs, which will provide a host of opportunities to the talent pool in IITs/NITs and other technical institutions. He said that it is his firm belief that just like Indian talent has been able to attain worldwide fame in the IT sector, it will be able to do so in the Space sector as well.

Going beyond Ease of Doing Business

Prime Minister underlined that the reforms in the Space sector are not limited to ensuring ease of doing business, but necessary mechanisms have also been put in place to ensure help for the participants at each stage, including making available testing facilities and launchpads. He said that through these reforms, the endeavour is not only to ensure that India becomes a competitive space market, but also to ensure the benefits of the space programme reach out to the poorest. He asked the participants to think boldly and work for the benefit of the society and the country.

Prime Minister underlined the significance of the Space sector in communication and navigation. He assured the participants that they will be co-passengers with ISRO in this age of space research and expressed hope that the country would soon become the manufacturing hub of space assets.

Active participants in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan

Dr K. Sivan, Secretary, Department of Space (DOS) and Chairman, ISRO, briefed the Prime Minister on various proposals received from industry for obtaining permission from IN-SPACe and support from the Department of Space. He informed that more than 25 industries have already approached DOS for undertaking their space activities.

During the interaction, the participants provided feedback on the reforms to the Prime Minister. Sunil Bharti Mittal from Bharti Enterprises, Jayant Patil from Larsen & Toubro Ltd, Srinath Ravichandran from Agnikul Cosmos Pvt Ltd, Pawan Kumar Chandana from Skyroot Aerospace Ltd, Colonel H S Shankar from Alpha Design Technologies Pvt. Ltd., Rakesh Verma from MapmyIndia, Awais Ahmed from PIXXEL India and Smt Srimathy Kesan from Space Kidz India expressed their views during the session. They thanked the Prime Minister for the move of opening up the sector for private participation, adding that this will help India move towards becoming a superpower in space technology. They expressed resolve to work as active participants in the AatmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. They appreciated the help and guidance being provided by ISRO for their projects and said that the collaboration of private agencies with ISRO will not only result in more rocket launches per year but will also shape new technological advancements in the development of rocket engines. They also suggested opening up ISRO facilities for children to draw them further into this sector.

Pastor who opposed scene mocking evangelists in Mookuthi Amman had asked Christians to vote for DMK in 2016

By
The Commune
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Bishop R. Sam Esudoss, head of the All India Christian Rights Movement who recently made news for opposing and managing to get the Christian missionary scene removed from the Tamil film Mookuthi Amman had given out a clarion call asking Christians in Tamil Nadu to vote for the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the 2016 Assembly Elections.

In a video message dated 13th May 2016, Sam says “Dear Christians, I am telling this for you to think about it. We have to fulfill our religious duty freely in this country. In the coming elections, if all Christians are to unite and bring about a big change in this country then we should definitely vote. Our votes are our weapons. We have to use it. But use it wisely. Don’t stay without voting. I plead that you all definitely vote. The All India Christian Rights Movement, as a religious minority party has decided to support the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). We have promised them certain things. We have also received certain promises from them. The friends in the DMK have promised to protect Christian interests. In view of this, I wish to covey that we have decided to support the DMK.”

He also says that there are certain ‘alien forces’ that are ‘obstructing their work’ and goes on to pray for making India an evangelical Christian state and make all Indians Christians.

In the video, he also says that the Christians in the AIADMK are not true Christians as they did not oppose the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Bill 2002. “When the anti-conversion bill was introduced, the AIADMK had members, MLAs, and MPs who were Christians. But they did not have the spine to oppose the then Chief Minsiter Jayalalithaa. You know why? Because they are just members of the party. They are not true Christians. They won’t take the side of Christians. That is why only a staunch believer in Christianity should go to the Assembly and Parliament.”, Sam Esudoss says.

Bishop Sam Esudoss is a person known to be close to the DMK. He is also close to another rabid Christian evangelist pastor named Ezra Sargunam who shares close ties with the DMK and is known for his hate speech against Hindus.

Sam Esudoss with MK Stalin

Ezra Sargunam with Karunanidhi

Sam Esudoss had complained to remove the scene depicting the ‘jeba koottam’ (prayer meeting) shenanigans of Christian missionaries in which Mano Bala playing a pastor indulges in ‘healing’ through CDs.

The film crew had deleted that scene from the movie the night before its release. Insiders aware of the issue note that Christian organizations had taken objections to the said scene and had approached an ‘actor cum dynast politician’ to remove the scene from the movie. The ‘actor cum dynast politician’ is later said to have contacted the directors of the film RJ Balaji and NJ Saravanan, actress Nayanthara and producer of the film Ishari K. Ganesh and threatened them to remove the scene from the movie.

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