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T20 World Cup: US Police on high alert after ISIS-Khorasan threatens “Lone Wolf” attack during India-Pakistan match

OpIndia Staff
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T20 World Cup: US Police on high alert after ISIS-Khorasan threatens “Lone Wolf” attack during India-Pakistan match

Every International Cricket Council (ICC) tournament awaits India vs. Pakistan match, and the T20 World Cup 2024 is no exception. On 9th June, the arch-rivals will square off at Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. However, security services were placed on high alert prior to the intense match because ISIS-K had threatened to launch a “Lone Wolf” attack during the encounter.

Lone Wolf “is a particular kind of mass murder, committed in a public setting by an individual who plans and commits the act on their own.”

Therefore, during the game, the agencies intend to bolster security surrounding the arena. Security personnel would be keeping a close watch on everything in the area. Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman disclosed that 100 extra security guards will be stationed at the event in addition to the regular crew. New York State Police have been “directed to engage in elevated security measures, including an increased law enforcement presence, advanced surveillance, and thorough screening processes,” according to a statement made by Governor Kathy Hochul on 29th May.

He added, “There is no credible public safety threat at this time. “We continue to monitor the situation closely. My administration has been working for months with federal law enforcement and Nassau County to ensure New Yorkers and visitors are safe.”

At the press conference, Patrick Ryder mentioned that more police would be deployed to the Eisenhower Park cricket stadium. He added, “We will go to every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here.” There was some ambiguity on the magnitude of the threat expressed in a chat group by ISIS-Khorasan, the terrorist group that operates out of South and Central Asia as an affiliate of the Islamic State. “We make sure that we are on top of every situation that could potentially arise. Now to that end, we have taken many many precautions,” conveyed Bruce Blakeman while talking to reporters.

He emphasised, “Each and every day, Nassau County, as well as other communities and cities and counties and towns throughout the United States, receive all kinds of threats. We take every threat seriously. To that end, we have taken many, many precautions. As well as making sure that the stadium and the surrounding Eisenhower Park are safe, the parking areas are safe, and the watch areas are safe, we also are adding 100 additional police officers to our normal staffing for the rest of the county, just as a precaution.”

Police Commissioner Patrick Ryder reassured the people of impenetrable security while acknowledging the potential threat posed by a “Lone Wolf” attack. He expressed, “When you’ve got a game and a crowd as big as this, everything is credible. We will go through every fine detail when it comes to the security and safety of the residents here in Nassau County. I can guarantee you this is the largest security we’ve ever had to do in this county’s history, and I can also guarantee you the safest place to be in Nassau County on June 9 will be inside that stadium.”

According to Patrick Ryder, the terror group is “calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out” in a video that has gone viral. He added that they had been receiving threats from “ISIS-K” since April, “where it was a global and international style threat.” He highlighted, “Then it got a little bit more specific towards the actual game of India versus Pakistan but did not name the place and then yesterday, you all saw the video that went global, and they are calling for that ‘Lone Wolf’ to act out.”

He was alluding to a video that ISIS-K had placed on a British chat site that showed “an image of the cricket stadium at Eisenhower Park in Nassau County with drones flying over it showing the date, “9/6/2024,” when the India-Pakistan match is scheduled to take place.” County officials noted that “they’ve requested the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) to make Eisenhower Park a no-fly zone for drones” in response to the drones being shown as attack vehicles.

The spectators were also guaranteed total security for the prominent game, according to the ICC which announced, “The safety and security of everyone at the event is our number one priority and we have a comprehensive and robust security plan in place. We work closely with authorities in our host countries and continually monitor and evaluate the global landscape to ensure appropriate plans are in place to mitigate any risks identified to our event.”

The threat was initially publicized by the British publication Express, which also reported that Wembley Stadium and other sports venues throughout Europe are targets. It asserted that ISIS supporters are being urged to use strategies like drone attacks to target important events, including the Cricket World Cup.

The 30,000-seat World Cup Cricket venue was constructed especially for the championship and will share US matches with the Dallas stadium. The highly anticipated tournament is scheduled to begin on 1st June this year with a warm-up match between India and Bangladesh.

Madhya Pradesh High Court legtimises Sharia, says that marriage of a Muslim man with ‘idolatress’ not valid even if registered under Special Marriage Act, would be ‘fasid’

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh High Court legtimises Sharia, says that marriage of a Muslim man with ‘idolatress’ not valid even if registered under Special Marriage Act, would be ‘fasid’

On Monday, May 27, Madhya Pradesh High Court observed that a marriage between a Muslim boy with a Hindu girl is not a valid marriage according to Mohammedan Law while turning down a plea for police protection to register an inter-faith marriage under the Special Marriage Act, 1954, Bar and Bench reported.

Justice Gurpal Singh Ahluwalia, who adjudicated the matter, noted that a marriage between a Muslim boy and a Hindu girl would be treated as an irregular (or fasid) marriage under Muslim personal law.

The Court noted, “As per Mohammedan law, the marriage of a Muslim boy with a girl, who is an idolatress or a fire-worshiper, is not a valid marriage. Even if the marriage is registered under the Special Marriage Act, the marriage would be no more a valid marriage and it would be an irregular (fasid) marriage.”

The couple, however, wished to marry under the Special Marriage Act. Their counsel told the Court that neither the woman nor the man wished to convert to another religion for the marriage. The woman would continue following the Hindu religion, while the man would continue following Islam after their marriage, their counsel said.

The counsel also asserted that the inter-religious marriage, though prohibited under personal law, would be valid under the Special Marriage Act. The Special Marriage Act would override the personal law, the Counsel highlighted.

The Court proceeded to dismiss the couple’s petition after noting that they were neither willing to be in a live-in relationship without being married nor was the girl (Hindu person) willing to convert to the boy’s religion (Islam).

Advocate Dinesh Kumar Upadhyay appeared for the petitioners (inter-faith couple). Government advocates KS Baghel represented the State, while advocate Rahul Mishra represented the woman’s father.

TN Bar Council criticises Sanjeev Sanyal after he questioned long vacations and efficiency of judicial system: Here is what Sanyal said about the ‘fatwa’ issued

OpIndia Staff
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TN Bar Council criticises Sanjeev Sanyal after he questioned long vacations and efficiency of judicial system: Here is what Sanyal said about the ‘fatwa’ issued

Sanjeev Sanyal, member of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council, has responded to the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry condemning his comments on the workings of the judiciary. Advocating for reforms in judiciary, Sanyal in a podcast had criticised the courts for long delay in resolving court cases, saying that long vacations taken by the courts was one of the reasons.

Sanyal has pointed out that the courts take long summer vacations and then Dussehra vacations, saying that they work only for a few hours. “All these old systems will have to be changed, and modernise it. The government can contribute to this to some extent. But in the end, the justice system will have to do it on its own,” he had said.

His comments were rejected by the Supreme Court, with Justice Dipankar Datta saying that the judges ‘burn midnight oil even during vacations’. The court said that the govt should file appeals within prescribed deadlines if it was concerned about judicial delays, blaming the govt for the delays.

Yesterday he Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (BCTN) joined the debate, claiming that judges work for long hours and are burdened with cumbersome tasks which require them to stay in courts beyond regular hours. “Contrary to public perception, weekends and vacations are spent writing and correcting the judgments and orders,” said P S Amalraj, president of BCTN.

Amalraj further claimed that 73% of the pending cases are related to government departments, thereby blaming the government for delay in resolving court cases. Sanyal’s vision of the modern judiciary would be pointless if ‘medieval’ executive governments continue to exhibit tardiness, red tapism and bureaucratic inefficiency which push our citizens to turn to the courts for redressal, he added.

Now, Sanjeev Sanyal has come up with responses to these arguments on ?, formerly Twitter. “Looks like the TN Bar Council has issued a fatwa against me for questioning the efficiency and vacations of the judicial system,” responding to the bar council point by point.

He agreed that the bureaucracy is also very inefficient, and that is why there have efforts to reform the system. Similarly, the judiciary also needs reforms, he argued. “Clearly no one in the bar council has bothered to read anything I write about government systems (or economists for that matter). This is no justification for keeping legal processes inefficient,” Sanyal added.

Responding to argument that judges need long vacations and holidays to write judgements and orders, Sanyal said that even if that is true, it does not require the whole judicial system to be shut down. “Vacations and holidays are evidently spent writing judgements. Very well, the judges are welcome to take leave like everyone else. There is no reason for the whole system to shut down for weeks on end,” he said.

Sanjeev Sanyal added that other members of society also work hard – corporate managers, scientists, politicians, journalists and even civil servants – but they don’t take such long vacations. “We are all participants in building India. No one asks for the system to shut down when they go on vacation,” he said, suggesting that judges who need vacations can take them, but the whole courts should not be shut down for a month for that.

He also countered the argument that 73% of pending cases are related to govt departments, saying there is no data to prove it. He asked the bar council to give definite data to back this claim, “so that we, as a country, can do something about it.”

Sanjeev Sanyal added that he is not the only person to arguing for a reform in the legal system, pointing out an article by Bibek Debroy, where the Chairman of Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister said that no major country has their top court going on long holidays, neither should the Supreme Court of India. He also posted an article by renowned economist Vijay Kelkar & Pradeep Mehta making the same arguments. Sanyal further posted a research paper by Economist and EAC member Shamika Ravi, which analysed the performance of the Supreme Court.

The matter of Supreme Court holidays has been a hot debate for a time now, with the judiciary rejecting any suggestion to reform the system. This year, the summer vacation started on 20 May and the court will reopen on 8th July, totally 49 days including weekends and holidays. The court than will have 6-day Dusshera holidays, 5-day Diwali holidays and 10-day Christmas & New Year Holidays. This means, the court will be closed for 70 days, apart from other regular holidays and Sundays.

During these vacations, a few judges are available to hear urgent matters, known as ‘vacation benches’.

Those who argue for continuation of this system say that judges and lawyers need the long vacations to read judgements and other references which are crucial in arguing cases and delivering judgements. It is also claimed that lawyers and judges need the vacations for rejuvenation. But those who favour a reform say that individual judges can take similar vacations for such study at different points of time throughout the year, and the entire courts should not be shut down.

Even former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha had suggested a similar system. He had suggested keeping the Supreme Court, High Courts, and trial courts open round the year. CJI Lodha had suggested that schedules of individual judges should be sought at the beginning of the year, and the calendar should be planned accordingly. However, this proposal was not implemented as CJI Lodha’s term didn’t last long.

Notably, former law minister Kiren Rijiju had criticised the current vacation system of the courts several times, before his portfolio was changed.

EU announces 2.26 crore aid to Christian organisation in the name of Manipur disaster relief, state government says ‘No, we don’t need your money’

OpIndia Staff
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EU announces 2.26 crore aid to Christian organisation in the name of Manipur disaster relief, state government says ‘No, we don’t need your money’

The European Union on 29th May announced to donate €250,000 (over 22.6 million Indian rupees) for the state of Manipur which recently suffered from hailstorms and heavy rain earlier this month. Interestingly, the ‘aid’ will be provided by EU humanitarian partner ADRA (Adventist Development and Relief Agency), which is a ‘humanitarian agency’ operated by the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

In a post the EU specified that the amount will benefit “1500 most vulnerable families” in Manipur.

EU’s post on Manipur

However, the government of the northeastern state has categorically refused to accept the aid and issued an official notification to confirm the same. It also called out the EU for disseminating misinformation.

The press release issued by the chief secretary of Manipur stated, “A news report has been circulating in the media and in different social network platforms about the EU providing 250,000 euros to (Rs. 2.25 crore) assist victims of a severe storm in Manipur. This is totally false and untrue and as far as the State Government is concerned all financial requirements in connection with the recent storm are being met from the available National Disaster Response Fund and the State Disaster Response Fund.”

Furthermore, the press release highlighted that the state government, collaborating with the relevant Deputy Commissioners, security personnel, and public volunteers, is actively carrying out all relief efforts related to the storm and the humanitarian work has not been handed to any Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) or civil society organizations. It added, “A sum of Rs.30 crore has already been sanctioned by the State Government to the Deputy Commissioners of the concerned districts.”

What is ADRA and its Church connection?

Notably, ADRA’s official website characterizes it as the worldwide humanitarian branch of the Seventh-day Adventist Church, a community of 20 million Adventists that has the greatest integrated healthcare and education network globally. It mentions, “We deliver relief and development assistance to individuals in more than 107 countries – regardless of their ethnicity, political affiliation, gender, or religious association. In India, we have been implementing humanitarian and development projects that help the most vulnerable in India for close to thirty years.”

The Christian outfit further informs, “Registered in 1992 as a Society, ADRA India focuses on key developmental aspects like public healthcare, education, livelihood generation, humanitarian and emergency response, and protection of vulnerable groups. By partnering with local communities, organizations, and governments, we are able to deliver culturally relevant programs and build local capability for sustainable change.”

Image via ADRA India

Seventh-day Adventist Church’s controversial history

A 17-year-old Nepali girl accused Reverend May Wald, a 57-year-old pastor living near Hosur in the Krishnagiri district in Tamilnadu of sexual harassment in April of this year, after which he was arrested by women police and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. May Wald served at “The Seventh-day Adventist Church” in the Mathigiri neighbourhood. The victim and her family have been living in the same region. The subsequent action was taken after she complained to the officials of the Krishnagiri District Child Protection Committee which resulted in a formal complaint being lodged at the Hosur All Women Police Station. A comprehensive inquiry that followed verified the accuracy of the accusations made against Reverend May Wald.

Members of the Southeast India Union of Seventh-day Adventists in Vandulur, Chennai, made several accusations against the church administration in February 2024, including widespread misappropriation, offensive remarks, sexual abuse and more. They also demonstrated in front of the church to air their complaints. The Seventh Day Adventist Church near Iraniyamman Temple, which owns twenty-seven schools and properties valued at crores came under investigation amid grave charges of dubious fundraising practices.

A sit-in protest was organized by some members of the community against the administration, asserting that they were using dishonest tactics in connection with building projects including schools and churches. Protesters, who declared they had a right to inquire of the administration on years of embezzlement and deception amounting to crores of rupees, were angry that the church would not answer their questions and had locked the gate to prevent them from entering.

In addition to the financial theft, a woman accused the church of sexual abuse and uttering disparaging comments regarding caste. She unveiled that despite other women departing earlier, she was made to stay until six o’clock in the evening, given extra work to complete, and received 500 rupees from White David, the manager, for no apparent reason. She further disclosed that White David along with another person, Daniel Devadoss harassed her over her eight years of employment as a cleaner by spewing crude comments and inquiring about her personal life. She was fired from her work after things became extremely ugly and they accused her of stealing.

EU Parliament’s meddling in Manipur was strongly rejected by Indian govt

Back in July 2023, Indian MEA had shared a strong rejection of the EU Parliament’s efforts to interfere in the Manipur issue. After the EU Parliament passed a so-called ‘urgency resolution’ on the Manipur violence, the MEA had asked the EU to mind its own business and stop interfering in India’s internal affairs.

The MEA said, “We have seen that the European Parliament held a discussion on developments in Manipur and adopted a so-called Urgency Resolution. Such interference in India’s internal affairs is unacceptable and reflects a colonial mindset.”

The MEA statement further read, “Indian authorities at all levels, including the judiciary, are seized of the situation in Manipur and are taking steps to maintain peace and harmony and law and order. The European Parliament would be advised to utilize its time more productively on its internal issues.”

Kuki-Meitei conflict in Manipur and its ethnoreligious roots

The conflict between Meiteis and Kukis ‘tribals’ which resulted in widespread violence last year is the extension of the hills vs plains conflict that exists in almost all states in the northeast. Meiteis are the majority community in Manipur, comprising around 53% of the population, while tribal communities account for around 40% of the population. The majority of Meiteis are Hindus, with some of them being Muslims and some identifying as animists, while the Kukis are mostly Christians. The Meiteis are limited to only around 10% of the land in the state, as the rest of the state is classified as tribal areas. They live in the small patch of plain area in the state, the Imphal Valley, while the tribals reside in the protected Hill Areas, exclusively reserved for them. Meitei people are not allowed to purchase land in more than 90% of the state since they are categorized as non-tribal.

It is notable that only Meiteis and Nagas have been living in Manipur for thousands of years, and Kukis are relatively new to the region. Kukis migrated from Myanmar in the 18th and 19th centuries for various reasons, including persecution by more powerful groups in Myanmar. However, they were taken into the fold by the Meiteis and then the British given the demands of the situation in those times.

Kukis even argue that the Meiteis have lost their tribal identity. One of their claims is that after the King embraced Hinduism in the 1730s, the Meiteis lost their tribal identity. “If there are Meiteis who remember and identify which sub-tribe they belong to under the Meitei umbrella then they can demand the ST status. But for the entire Meitei community including the Brahmins, who are not indigenous, to demand the status is propaganda. All other castes are flexible, for example, a Kshatriya King can become a Shudra if he loses a battle. But others cannot become Brahmins, everyone knows that. Brahmin Meiteis have all come from Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa. Their ethnic identity may have been lost but their caste identity is still Brahmin. I don’t see how they can be reverted to tribals,” claimed prominent Kuki leader Wilson L Hangsing.

Hindu activists have charged that it is not a tribal vs non-tribal conflict, but it was actually initiated by the Christian tribals to evict the Meiteis from Christian-majority areas. They alleged that Christian tribals pre-planned the incident, and implemented it on the day Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar visited Manipur. Notably, illegal churches have also come up in the region which were taken down by the government of N. Biren Singh. All of this culminated in the unrest that enveloped the state for months amid protests by tribal groups over the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe status.

Blood sample of accused teen’s mother swapped with his at Sassoon Hospital, mother absconding: New details emerge in Pune Porsche crash case

OpIndia Staff
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Blood sample of accused teen’s mother swapped with his at Sassoon Hospital, mother absconding: New details emerge in Pune Porsche crash case

Startling revelations are being made as the Pune crime branch delves deeper into the high-profile Pune Porsche hit-and-run case, in which a 17-year-old minor boy killed two young motorcycle-borne engineers while driving his swanky Porsche car under the influence of alcohol in the wee hours of May 19. Today (May 30), reports have quoted police sources as confirming that the blood sample of Shivani Agarwal, the accused teen’s mother was swapped with the minor’s blood sample at the city’s Sassoon General Hospital.

It may be recalled that on Monday, May 27, the Pune police Crime Branch arrested two doctors from Sassoon Hospital on the charge of manipulating blood samples of the minor accused in the Pune Porsche hit-and-run case. The two doctors were identified as Dr Ajay Taware, head of Sassoon General Hospital’s forensic medicine department, and Dr Shrihari Halnor, the chief medical officer. The hospital peon, Atul Ghatkamble, who works under Dr Ajay Taware, was later arrested. They were remanded in police custody until May 30.

Now, the investigation has revealed that the blood sample of Shivani Agarwal was taken by one of the accused Dr Shrihari Halnor. She was present at the hospital when the test happened and is currently absconding after the arrest of Dr Halnor and Dr Ajay Tawade. The police have launched a manhunt and are actively searching for Shivani Agarwal’s whereabouts.

According to the Pune police, Dr Halnor, who had taken the blood sample from the minor, revealed he had swapped his blood sample with that of his mother on the directions of Dr Tawade.

Interestingly, only yesterday (May 29), the police revealed that the accused teen’s father Vishal Agarwal made as many as 14 calls to Dr Ajay Taware, head of the Sassoon Hospital’s forensic medicine department within two hours before the blood sample collection of the minor. The police said that the calls were probably made to discuss the ‘change of blood sample’.

It was also revealed that the hospital attendant, Atul Ghatkamble, accepted a bribe of Rs 3 lakh intended for the two senior doctors, who replaced the juvenile driver’s blood samples with that of another person who showed no traces of alcohol. The Rs 3 lakh cash was found on Monday by the Crime Branch of the Pune Police.

Now, the investigation has revealed that the ‘other person’ with whom the minor’s blood sample was swapped was no one else but his mother, Shivani Agarwal, who is currently on the run.

BJP releases ad on how Congress changed the Constitution, eliminated reservation for SC/ST/OBCs in ‘minority’ institutions and eaten into OBC sub-quota

OpIndia Staff
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BJP releases ad on how Congress changed the Constitution, eliminated reservation for SC/ST/OBCs in ‘minority’ institutions and eaten into OBC sub-quota

Amidst the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, the grand old party has, on several occasions, unabashedly reiterated the party’s intent to redistribute reservations along religious lines. Now, when the nation is gearing up for the 7th and final phase of the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, the Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) Wednesday (May 29) released a video advertisement with the hashtag #MeraVoteMeraAdhikar, wherein it attempted to expose the Congress’ history of encroaching on the reservation of our Dalit, tribal, backward, and extremely backward classes to appease the ‘minority’ community.

In the 0.48-second video, the saffron party demonstrated how the Congress party, which has been resorting to peddling fake news and creating mass hysteria among the marginalised communities about the SC/ST/OBC reservations, has altered the Constitution, removed reservations for SC/ST/OBCs in ‘minority’ institutions, and eaten into the OBC sub-quota over time.

In the advertisement, some youngsters are seen discussing how Congress has always opposed the backward society, ignored Baba Saheb Ambedkar, and never worked to deliver justice to the tribals. They shed light on how Congress is the only party which did not allow SC/ST/OBC reservations at government-run institutions like Jamia Millia and Aligarh Universities.

They are heard further reminding how the Congress’ 2009 election manifesto specifically mentioned that the Indian National Congress has pioneered reservations for minorities in Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh in government employment and education.

Further, they recall how as soon as the Congress came into power in 2004, they decided to give reservations to Muslims out of the SC/ST quota in Andhra Pradesh. They tried to implement Muslim reservations, however, failed to do so. Congress tried to implement it in the entire country in 2011.

Similarly, in 2015, the erstwhile Congress administration in Andhra Pradesh headed by YS Rajashekar Reddy attempted five times in 2015 to grant the SC/ST reservation to members of the Muslim community. The move was struck down by the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Throwing light on Congress’ dangerous ploy to provide SC/ST/OBC reservations to Muslims in its efforts to appease its core vote bank, the video gives out a message to the citizens of the country to use their franchise to vote judiciously.

Religion-based reservation will not be allowed till BJP in power: JP Nadda

Recently, BJP president JP Nadda reaffirmed the party’s intention to oppose any efforts by other political parties, such as the Congress, to remove reservations from Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, and Other Backward Classes and reallocate them based on religious grounds.

JP Nadda clarified that there will be no reservation based on religion as long as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the party are in power.

“It is clearly written in the Constitution that there will be no religion-based reservation,” he said, accusing the opposition of planning to give reservations based on religion.

Similarly, senior BJP leader Amit Shah also recently spoke about Congress’ intent to reduce OBC reservation and give it to Muslims if they are voted to power.

On Sunday, 28th April, Home Minister Amit Shah called out Rahul Gandhi and Congress party for deceiving people by telling baseless lies. Reacting to Congress’s statement where they claimed Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) would abolish reservation if it came back to power, Home Minister Shah said that the BJP has been in power with the full majority for ten years, if the party had any plan to abolish reservation, it would have done it long back. Notably, Congress used a fake, edited video of HM Shah to make the false claims.

While busting the lies, Shah spoke on how Congress has always tried to manipulate and take away reservations meant for SC/ST/OBCs and give it to the Muslims.

Assuring everyone that BJP would not let anything happen to the reservations, Home Minister Shah said, “Today, I want to tell the people of the country that the Congress party has always attacked the reservations for SC/ST/OBC. When their government came to Karnataka, they cut 4% for minority reservations. Whose reservation got cut? OBCs.”

“Even today, SC/ST/OBC reservations are not allowed at Jamia Millia and Aligarh Universities. The sole reason for this is Congress’s policy towards SC/ST/OBC. They have always opposed the backward society, ignored Baba Saheb Ambedkar, and never worked to deliver justice to the tribals. Narendra Modi is the one who worked to deliver justice to the tribals by appointing Droupadi Murmu as the President. I want to remind the people of the country once again of Modi’s guarantee that as long as the BJP is in politics, there will be no harm to SC/ST/OBC reservations. This is Modi’s guarantee,” said Amit Shah.

Jabalpur: 15-year-old girl arrested for killing her father and 8-year-old brother with 19-year-old boyfriend’s help, had stuffed bodies in the freezer

OpIndia Staff
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Jabalpur: 15-year-old girl arrested for killing her father and 8-year-old brother with 19-year-old boyfriend’s help, had stuffed bodies in the freezer

On 29th May, a 15-year-old girl was arrested for killing her father and 8-year-old brother in Millennium Society, Civil Lines area of Jabalpur in March 2024. The minor girl has been arrested by the police from Haridwar, Uttarakhand. The minor girl’s boyfriend, 19-year-old Mukul Singh, was her accomplice in the twin murders.

Reportedly, they had eloped in September 2023 after the family of the girl refused to accept their relationship. A complaint was filed against Mukul leading to his arrest under the POCSO Act. He was later released on bail. The duo conspired to kill the girl’s father. While they were murdering the father, the young brother woke and they killed him as well to eliminate the “witness”.

Speaking to Times of India, SSP Pramindra Dobal said, “The girl was initially detained in the city after locals found her roaming suspiciously. During interrogation, she confessed to the crime and also disclosed her accomplice’s identity. We then handed her over to Jabalpur police even as we continued with our efforts to locate Mukul.”

During interrogation, the 15-year-old girl arrested for murder confessed that Mukul planned to kill her father, Rajkumar Vishwakarma. There was no plan to kill the younger brother but he woke up during the incident and they killed him too. Police revealed that after killing her father, the girl chopped the dead body. They threw their father’s body in the kitchen and stuffed their brother’s dead body in the freezer before running with Mukul.

Initially, it was believed only Mukul was involved in the murder. However, later investigation revealed that the minor girl was part of the crime. After the murder, Jabalpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Aditya Pratap Singh said, “Teams comprising our local police station and crime branch are on the lookout for the girl and the man. We have analysed CCTV footage and their phone number. We managed to recover a scooty that was used by them to flee from the crime spot. We are working on the possible hideouts and we will soon arrest both the accused. They are both together.”

Mukul and the minor girl were neighbours. Both Rajkumar and Mukul’s father work in the Railways. They were on the run after twin murders and reportedly went to several places including Goa, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and finally reached Haridwar where Mukul left the minor girl alone and fled.

Israeli embassies attacked with firebombs in Mexico and Turkey in response to IDF operation in Rafah, hundreds of protestors clash with police

OpIndia Staff
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Israeli embassies attacked with firebombs in Mexico and Turkey in response to IDF operation in Rafah, hundreds of protestors clash with police

On Tuesday, during an “Urgent Action for Rafah” protest, anti-Israel rioters clashed with police outside the Israeli embassy in Mexico City.

Local media said that masked demonstrators hurled stones at security forces and threw smoke and firebombs over police barricades. Over 200 rioters joined the protest and the visuals emerging from the protest show fire erupting near the embassy premises. The violent protest left 18 Mexico City police officials injured.

Reports say that sixteen officers were rushed to the hospital with burns and other injuries, while two more were treated on the spot.

Multiple fires broke out near the embassy, causing damage to five bus stations, multiple shops, a police vehicle, and park benches.

Meanwhile, the Foreign Ministry of Israel said, “There were no casualties but minor damage was caused in the vicinity of the embassy. Israeli diplomats were not harmed and small damage was done to the vicinity of the embassy.

Anti-Israel protestors near the Israeli embassy in Mexico

The violent protest came in response to an Israeli attack on a displacement camp outside Rafah on Sunday, which reportedly killed 45 people. However, Israeli Defence Forces spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said that the IDF targeted a closed structure that was away from the tent camp. He added that IDF is investigating if a secondary explosion, due to a nearby weapons cache, “exploded and ignited the fire”.

Notably, Mexico recently requested to join South Africa’s International Court of Justice action against Israel. The case seeks to “immediately halt” Israel’s operation against Hamas terrorists in Rafah.

Protests outside the Israeli embassy in Turkey

It is pertinent to mention that the violent protest outside the Israeli embassy came right after a similar protest was held outside the Israeli embassy in Turkey. On Monday (27th May) night, thousands rallied at the Israeli consulate in Istanbul to protest over Israel’s offensive in Rafah. A Molotov cocktail was thrown at the building. Reports say that a group of demonstrators set fire to the Israeli embassy’s vicinity. The protestors raised “down with Israel” slogans.

Several demonstrators congregated near the American consulates in Istanbul and Turkey’s Adana province. Notably, Israel withdrew its diplomats from Turkey in October, over security concerns, although some of the lower-level officials resumed their work.

Later on Tuesday, several college students assembled on campuses in at least nine provinces, protesting against Israel’s operation in Rafah.

On Monday, a massive anti-Israel protest was organised outside the Israeli embassy in Paris. Over 10,000 demonstrators gathered a few hundred metres (yards) from the embassy in the heart of the French capital, chanting “We are all Gaza children,” “Free Gaza,” and other pro-Palestinian slogans. Protests took place on Monday in Madrid and Barcelona.

USA: Pakistani taxi driver Asghar Ali tries to kill Jewish students and a Rabbi in Brooklyn, NY by running car over them, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Pakistani taxi driver Asghar Ali tries to kill Jewish students and a Rabbi in Brooklyn, NY by running car over them, arrested

On 29th May (local time) a Pakistani taxi driver identified as 58-year-old Asghar Ali attempted to run over Jewish students and a rabbi outside a Brooklyn Jewish School. While attempting the attack, he was heard shouting “I am gonna kill all the Jews”. As per reports, the incident was captured on a video by the Flatbush Shomrim Safety Patrol.

The attacker was seen revving his engine while charging towards the Orthodox Jews at around 11:25 AM outside Mesivta Nachlas Yakov School in Canarsie. Reacting to the incident, David G. Greenfield, an American politician said, “Insane: Man tries to run over Jewish students in Brooklyn. Brooklyn is home to the largest population of Orthodox Jews in the world.”

Asghar is a Pakistani immigrant working as a cab driver. Reports said that he has a history of mental illness. New York Police Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force has initiated an investigation in the matter. Asghar was taken into custody for questioning.

Asghar has been booked under various charges including attempted murder, attempted assault, and hate crimes. Initial investigation did not reveal any terror links to the attack but the authorities are investigating if Asghar was in contact with any radical groups online.

At the time of the attack, Asghar was driving a 2011 white Crown Victoria. He turned his vehicle onto East 55th Street in front of the Yeshiva and suddenly turned towards the students who were wearing Orthodox uniforms. He then circled the block and came back to target two more students and a rabbi. All the victims managed to escape into the building. No one got hurt in the attack.

Rabbi Twersky recalled the incident and said, “The driver tried to strike one of the boys who was on his phone at the corner of Glenwood Road and East 55 Street. He then drove up the wrong side of East 56 Street towards a group of 30 to 40 students.” A police car was stationed outside the Yeshiva following the attack. Asghar initially managed to escape but was later apprehended by the members of the Shomrim Safety Patrol near a Dunkin’ Donut outlet.

Bob Moskovitz, executive coordinator of the patrol said, “We were able to retrieve the video footage and the car’s plate number. One of our members spotted the car during his daily patrol.”

Asghar shifted to the USA two decades ago. He has been arrested four times previously. In 1998, he was arrested for false personation. Though he claimed to be a cab driver, police did not find any valid TLC license on him. Moskovitz said, “We are very pleased to have apprehended this individual. This is not someone we want driving around, especially with the current antisemitic climate. The community can now feel a bit more relaxed.”

Asghar was sent to Coney Island Hospital for evaluation after questioning.

Muslim students attack two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans during a play practising session in Karnataka’s Bidar college

OpIndia Staff
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Muslim students attack two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans during a play practising session in Karnataka’s Bidar college

On Wednesday, May 29, a fight ensued between some students at the Guru Nanak Dev Degree College at Mailoor on the outskirts of Bidar city in Karnataka after a few of them belonging to the Muslim community assaulted two Hindu students for raising Jai Shri Ram slogans.

The accused students were identified as Basheer Khan, Gufran, Anses, Sheikh Pasha and Bilal, while the two victims were identified as Natraj and Veerendra. Natraj is a minor as per the FIR lodged by the Bidar police.

SS of the FIR filed in the case (Source: X handle @MeghUpdates)
SS of the FIR filed in the case (Source: X handle @MeghUpdates)

The New Indian Express quoted Bidar Deputy Commissioner Govind Reddy as saying that the ruckus happened during a play practice session that the students were scheduled to organise as part of a youth festival on May 31 on the college campus.

During the practice session of the play, the two Hindu students chanted Jai Shri Ram, which was a part of the play’s script. The Muslim students took offence to this and assaulted the Hindu students. After this, the students of both communities started quarrelling on the campus, which resulted in physical altercations and manhandling between them.

The police arrived on the scene immediately and dispersed the two groups. Speaking about the ensuing fight between the students, Reddy said that the situation was fully under control and there was no need to impose prohibitory orders. Police security had been tightened in and around the college, he added.

A case had been registered at the Gandhi Ganj police station and the Hindu students who suffered injuries in the assault were taken to the hospital for treatment.

The college, meanwhile, cancelled the youth festival scheduled to be held on May 31, 2024.

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