A new tussle started between the Delhi Lieutenant Governor, VK Saxena and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal over the inauguration of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprasth University in East Delhi.

Delhi education minister, Atishi had announced the inauguration of the university by the Delhi CM which prompted the Delhi LG to issue a statement saying, “Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal himself was aware of the fact that the L-G was scheduled to inaugurate the campus. In fact, they were also aware that they were supposed to be present in the function as Guest of Honour and distinguished guest, as desired by the L-G and had also consented to it.”

“Moreover, even on the day when Atishi made this claim in a press conference, i.e. 06.06.2023, earlier during the day, the VC of GGSIPU had announced on stage at the Convocation of GGSIPU, where Atishi was present as a Guest of Honour, that the East Campus of the University was scheduled to be inaugurated by the Lt. Governor on 08.06.2023,” it added.  

Reacting to this Delhi education minister, Atishi said that the L-G should not forget that education, higher education and technical education are all transferred subjects.

Even Delhi minister Saurabh Bhardwaj reacted to this, saying that the L-G should focus on inauguration of buildings which come under Police, Land and Public order.

“The construction of this campus started when he (VK Saxena) was not the L-G. Manish Sisodia started this work and our elected government took it further. It is strange now for the L-G to say that he was asked by officials to inaugurate the university campus,” Bhardwaj said.

“At this rate, the L-G could say tomorrow that he would inaugurate Saurabh Bhardwaj’s office. That’s why L-G has kept all officers under his control and wants to keep it going. The CM is the one vested with the moral authority to inaugurate the campus. Such thoughts should not even come to the L-G’s mind,” he added.

Tensions have been rising between the Delhi L-G and Delhi CM for the past few years over various matters. Notably, in May this year a Supreme Court judgement had ruled that the Delhi government had powers over civil services in the Delhi after which the Centre had brought in an ordinance regarding civil services giving more power to the L-G, creating more friction between the two posts.

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Breaking Barriers to Peace, Multi-Faith Organizations Unite Against Religiously Motivated Violence

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In a joint statement shared today in honour of the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Violence Based on Religion or Beliefs, leading global multi-religious organizations, Religions for Peace and United Religions Initiative (URI), announced they are “deepening their collaboration on the prevention of religiously motivated violence across the globe. This multi-religious partnership will galvanize other multi-faith groups and peacebuilding allies into common action for our shared goal of positive and lasting peace. We urge others to join us in this effort” said their statement

The need to advance multi-religious collaboration and action against religiously motivated violence

Since signing a Memorandum of Understanding in 2021, both Religions for Peace and United Religions Initiative have been leveraging their resources and networks to advance multi-religious collaboration and action.

Today, we announce a new initiative under this partnership, aimed at bringing together the world’s religious, faith, and Indigenous leaders and communities in strengthening efforts and capacities to stop the spread of religiously motivated violence. Together, we serve to cultivate a culture of positive and lasting peace, justice, and healing worldwide” reads the joint statement.

To this day, religious and faith communities continue to face harassment and persecution by governments and private groups in various parts of the globe. Religious, spiritual, and Indigenous leaders and actors play a pivotal role in preventing this violence and establishing positive behaviours and actions to counter it.

It is with this understanding, says the declaration, that United Religions Initiative and Religions for Peace commit to build on the strengths and experiences of their respective networks, in a joint effort to call attention to and address religiously motivated violence.

With a focus on evidence-based approaches to stopping the spread of violence, this partnership will strengthen the capacities of religious and faith leaders at the grassroots, national, regional, and global levels.

Together, United Religions Initiative and Religions for Peace will provide additional tools and approaches to religious and faith leaders and scale up documentation of lessons learned and best practices from the joint mobilization of their work.

The important role of media and international organizations

In addition, this collaboration will focus on designing and implementing robust media campaigns and activities aimed at stopping the spread of religiously motivated violence.

Advocacy actions will be targeted towards governments and international organizations whose mandate is to prevent violence based on religion or belief.

A special emphasis will be placed on mobilizing the engagement of the Women and Youth Interfaith Networks, as catalysts of change and drivers of common action and awareness-raising. 

More on the organizations

Religions for Peace is the largest representative multi-religious coalition, advancing common action among the world’s faith communities through Interreligious Councils – and their Women of Faith and Interfaith Youth Networks – in over 95 countries and 6 regions.  

United Religions Initiative (URI) is the world’s largest interfaith grassroots network of more than 1,100 community-led organizations (Cooperation Circles) working in 110 countries to cultivate peace, justice, and healing worldwide.  

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