
BJP ally Ram Vilas Paswan opposes Ram temple ordinance, says Supreme Court decision should be final
BJP ally and Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday opposed an ordinance on the Ram temple issue and asserted that the Supreme Court’s decision on the matter should be final.
“Whatever judgement the Supreme Court gives on the Ram temple issue should be accepted by everyone, be it Hindu, Muslim or any other community. Our stand has been consistent. When the PM said that we will wait for the SC judgement, then all ifs and buts should end,” the Lok Janshakti Party president told reporters.
Asked if he would support an ordinance on the issue, Paswan said his stand has been consistent and that he would not support it. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said on Tuesday that the government would not take any decision on the issue till the judicial process is over. Hindutva groups such as the Vishwa Hindu Parishad have been demanding an ordinance to pave way for the temple’s construction in Ayodhya.
The LJP is the second major ally of the BJP to oppose an ordinance. Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar had recently said that the contentious issue should be resolved either through a court judgement or mutual agreement among different groups. The Ram temple title case is in the apex court.
Paswan also supported the Supreme Court judgement allowing women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple. The LJP is against any gender discrimination, he said. The Dalit leader said the BJP may have protested against the implementation of the court’s order but the Union government has not interfered in the matter.
“The SC has given its judgement and now two women have even entered the temple. Is the government stopping them from entering the temple? “There should be no discrimination in the name of gender. Women are going to space, then why can’t they enter a temple,” he said.
Paswan added that political parties have different views on issues. He also asked Congress president Rahul Gandhi to make his stand clear on these issues, saying that the Congress chief seems to be confused.

Gujarat suicide: 'End the dowry system!' leaders speak up after clip goes viral

Maharashtra adds over 50k new cases in 6 days: What ministers said on lockdown

Court restrains media from airing Karnataka minister's alleged sex tape
- The order was issued after hearing an injunction suit filed by Ramesh Jarkiholi’s lawyers on Wednesday. The suit had named 68 media houses, channels and others.

British envoy says farmers' protest is India’s 'internal issue'
- High Commissioner Alex Ellis also said more debates on the farmers' protest should be expected around the world as India takes on a greater role on the global stage

LIVE: China reports 10 new cases of coronavirus in last 24 hours

PM Modi to address Combined Commanders' conference in Kevadia today

‘No teeth’: SC wants stricter OTT rules
- Giving two weeks to the government to come back with its response, the bench then formally recorded in its order that one of the issues that has caught its attention is “uncontrolled and unscreened viewing of films” on Amazon Prime Video and other OTT platforms.

Widen network, say experts as India aims to boost Covid vaccination drive
- The roughly 20,000 centres being used for the vaccine drive at the moment are hospitals, private as well as public, while many primary and secondary health centres at present are kept out of the programme.

New Delhi rejects report as ‘misleading, misplaced’
- The external affairs ministry, which too rejected Freedom House’s report, also took exception to the depiction of Jammu and Kashmir in the map used in the document.

OCIs need nod for Tablighi, journalistic work: Centre
- A home ministry spokesperson said these rules prepared by the Foreigners’ Division were part of a brochure issued on November 15, 2019. The rules were consolidated and notified on Thursday.

K’taka ministers move court against airing of ‘defamatory content’
- After the allegations on Jarkiholi, there were unverified reports of several similar videos and other sex scandals against other cabinet ministers.

India set to achieve Paris pact targets before deadline: PM Modi
- India is a signatory to the Paris Agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

CM in 1st list; DMK-Cong hit stalemate
- On the other hand, the DMK’s stalemate continued with its main and long standing ally, the Congress, on seat sharing.

EC orders removal of PM’s images from vaccine certificates: Officials
- The person said it was imperative that the photographs are removed from certificates distributed in the poll bound states, adding that the system can continue in other states.

PM to head committee, Sonia and Tendulkar among 259 members
- Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla, former President Pratibha Patil, economist Amartya Sen, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, spiritual leader Baba Ramdev, chief ministers of states and senior political leaders are among those included in the panel.