On Thursday (9th May), veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh courted controversy for sharing a news report, which claimed that the rise of India on the world stage under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a supposedly ‘a mirage.’
In a tweet, he wrote, ” Amazing that such a report would get such a prominent outlet. The devastating impacts of climate change? Wonder what the outgoing External Affairs Minister has to say about it.”
The article published by The Times of India relied on a dubious report, prepared by an NGO ‘Friends For Democracy’ which is run by the son of far-left billionaire George Soros.
Amazing that such a report would get such a prominent outlet. The devastating impacts of climate change?
The controversial report deliberately titled ‘Modi Mirage’ claimed to have surveyed just 3000 people, belonging to the UK, France and the USA, online to conclude that people in Europe view India less favourably under PM Modi as compared to previous regimes led by the Congress party.
The report prepared by Jonathan Soros-run-NGO alleged that 52% of British Indians dislike PM Modi while 65% of British Indians are supposedly concerned about religious violence in India spilling over to the United Kingdom.
Friends for Democracy claimed, “The majority of people in the US, UK and France are concerned about the state of human rights and democracy in India. So much so that they overwhelmingly want to see these issues made conditions of new trade and political negotiations.“
— Ankur Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@iAnkurSingh) May 9, 2024
The NGO further alleged citing a report by V-Dem, “There is a virtual consensus among experts that concerns for India’s democracy and human rights under Modi are well founded.“
For those unaware of V-Dem, it is funded by the likes of George Soros’ Open Society Foundations (OSF) and has been involved in anti-India propaganda for several years. OpIndia has previously reported that Soros has been eyeing a colour revolution in India.
Friends for Democracy further brazened out, “State machinery is being misused to oppress the opposition, as evidenced by a wave of arrests, Enforcement Directorate raids, and investigations opened against opposition leaders, while BJP own leaders enjoy total impunity. Twitter, X, and Apple have all sounded the alarm at illegitimate government abuse of their platforms.“
The report has been maliciously timed to coincide with the ongoing Lok Sabha elections in India in the hopes of influencing the political opinion of the electorates.
Anti-India activists behind ‘Modi Mirage’ report
Besides the NGO run by Jonathan Soros, several other anti-India propagandists had co-authored the report titled ‘Modi Mirage’ to allege that India’s global rise is a myth.
One of them happens to be Irfan Nooruddin, a Professor at Georgetown University in the United States. He has good ties with veteran Congress leader Jairam Ramesh, who helped amplify the dubious report on India’s supposed perception in Europe.
The nature of the relationship is so strong that Nooruddin proudly flaunts engaging with Ramesh on the cover photo of his website.
Another co-author is Irfan Nooruddin of leftist lobby and good friend of @Jairam_Ramesh.
— Ankur Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@iAnkurSingh) May 9, 2024
As pointed out by the popular X handle ‘Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN)’, Nooruddin has been involved in fearmongering about the state of Indian minorities in the US and calling for the interference of foreign nations in the internal affairs of the country.
“Vigilante groups – in a manner reminiscent of the darkest periods of American history – harass, beat, and murder Muslim men rumoured to be smuggling beef, dating a Hindu girl, or insulting a deity. No evidence is required…This offers an opening for the US government to call upon its alleged partner to speak more clearly and act more decisively to defend religious minorities.”
Prof. Irfan Nooruddin has been campaigning along with Jamat-e-Islami fronts to designate India as "Country of Particular Concern" by USCIRF. pic.twitter.com/5y5rv4HSBJ
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) May 8, 2024
In September 2023, he was roped in by the controversial US federal commission ‘The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF)’ to spread canards about India during a panel discussion.
Another academic by the name of Subir Sinha from the SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies) in London has also been at the helm of whitewashing Islamist violence and falsely implicating Hindusidentifying the infamous 2022 anti-Hindu Leicester violence in the United Kingdom.
In the past, Sinha had disseminated lies about the 2002 Gujarat riots, the Hindu epics Ramayana and Mahabharata and the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A by the Modi government. He had also cast aspersions on the Indian democracy.
SOAS (School of Oriental and African Studies), University of London will host an independent enquiry into the 2022 anti-Hindu #Leciester violence. The enquiry panel has 5 members all of whom have a history of #Hinduphobia and #HinduHate. Let's take a look at each one of them. 1/7 pic.twitter.com/fmMVzBZiZO
— Stop Hindu Hate Advocacy Network (SHHAN) (@HinduHate) June 9, 2023
Another co-author of the malicious report ‘Modi Mirage’ happens to be Riumbra Manuvie, who runs the controversial think-tank ‘Foundation The London Story (TLS)’.
In 2023, TLS had featured a ‘journalist’ favoured by ISIS, Meer Faisal, to give a clean chit to Muslim extremists who ran riots in Nuh in Mewat region of Haryana.
At that time, OpIndia had published a detailed story on Ritumbra Manuvie, who wrote multiple anti-India propaganda pieces for The Quint and The Print. She was also one of the organisers of anti-CAA protests outside the Peace Palace in the Hague city of Netherlands.
From Nuh to London: How a seemingly small Netherlands website spreads anti-Hindu propaganda and has links with ISIS quoted ‘journalist’, LeT linked org, leftists and more
Ritumbra Manuvie dubbed the Citizenship Amendment Act as ‘homeland purification’, encouraged the intervention of the European Parliament in India’s internal matters and misled people about Assam’s detention camps.
The propaganda artist was also seen endorsing the likes of Teesta Setalvad, who falsely tried to implicate erstwhile Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the 2022 Gujarat case. She carried out her disinformation campaign about CAA and NRC on the platforms of Oxford Law Faculty and the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), well until November 2020.
India has been fighting a ‘perception war’ on all fronts since the start of 2023. On February 16 this year, George Soros exploited the Adani-Hindenburg controversy and launched a scathing attack on the Indian government.
He claimed, “Modi and business tycoon Adani are close allies. Their fate is intertwined…Adani Enterprises tried to raise funds in the stock market, but it failed. Adani is accused of stock manipulation and his stock collapsed like a house of cards.”
Soros accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of crony capitalism. “Modi is silent on the subject, but he will have to answer questions from foreign investors and in parliament,” he added.
The Hungarian-American billionaire also said that the ‘shakedown’ caused to the Indian markets due to the Hindenburg Research report will result in ‘much needed institutional reforms’ and ‘democratic revival’.
George Soros and his vicious ecosystem of NGOs, activists and journalists had been trying to prove PM Modi as an ‘electoral autocrat’ who needed to be ousted for the ‘greater good’ of this country. And it has been a work in progress for a long time.
The Hungarian-American billionaire has also tried to use international institutions, which are funded by him, including Freedom House and V-Dem (Varieties of Democracy) Institute to tarnish the image of India at a global level.
Sam Pitroda has been in the news, a lot, far more than Rahul Gandhi would like him to be. In between a rather depressing and sweltering election season, ‘Uncle Sam’ has been bringing some entertainment for the public with his truth bombs about the Congress’ manifesto and plans.
First, it was the inheritance tax that everyone in the Congress party was trying to claim they know nothing about. Pitroda announced that USA has it, so India should have it too. Even though Jairam Ramesh tried to distance Congress from Pitroda, he failed. How much can you distance the party from one of your most media-visible leaders who struts around as your Crown Prince’s most trusted advisor in big foreign lands and is seen sitting close to him, guiding him at every step?
As Pitroda was finally made to resign after the recent ‘South Indians look like Africa’ disaster, a clip of another superstar Congress leader is doing rounds in social media.
Big ?
Mani Shankar Aiyar says India shld give respect to Pakistan as it has Atom Bomb!
If we don't give them respect, they'll think of using Atom Bomb against India.
India showing muscular policy shld not forget that Pakistan also has Muscle (atom bomb) at Kahuta (Rawalpindi) pic.twitter.com/YYKFPfn2id
— Ankur Singh (Modi Ka Parivar) (@iAnkurSingh) May 9, 2024
In the clip, the old ‘star pracharak’ and BJP’s lucky charm Mani Shankar Aiyar is seen saying that India must respect Pakistan because ‘unki bhi izzat hai’. Thanks for the news Mr Aiyar, we were not aware that Pakistan has any izzat.
He then proceeds to elaborate on his claim of Pakistan having izzat, saying that they have ‘atom bombs’. He then insists that the Modi government’s policy of not talking to Pakistan is very risky, because ‘some mad leader’ will go mad at the insult and may detonate their own bombs inside Lahore. If an atom bomb goes off in Lahore because some mad leader in Pakistan commits nuclear suicide, the radioactivity will reach Amritsar within minutes.
Curiously, Pakistani leaders claim the very same thing. They insist that every nation in the world, particularly India, must respect them because they have atom bombs. Sadly, nobody cares. One former minister named Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad had even claimed that they have Hindu-specific atom bombs that won’t harm the Muslims in India when detonated. Still, nobody cared.
Mani Shankar Aiyar further explains his logic, by saying that a muscular policy’ won’t work with Pakistan because of the atom bombs and hence the policy has been ‘failing’. Aiyer perhaps forgot that the UPA government policy of giving too much izzat to Pakistan had resulted in 26/11 and India’s inaction thereafter. But then, there is no reason to interrupt Mani Shankar Aiyer because he serves the purpose, of convincing Indians why Modi is necessary.
The video was shared 3 weeks ago by the channel ‘The Ewer (Chill-Pill)’. However, it seems to have escaped the social media buzz, because Sam Pitroda stole the show and hijacked the limelight away from Aiyar.
The full video can be seen here. The ‘atom bomb’ part can be seen from the 1.00.00 hour mark onwards.
Did Sam Pitroda steal the limelight away from MSA?
On 24 April, Sam Pitroda dropped the ‘inheritance tax’ bomb in the middle of a hot election season. Just when the Congress Party was busy trying to convince everyone that their manifesto isn’t a recipe for bankrupting India and they have good things planned, Pitroda literally told everyone that it is a very good policy for the government to take your inheritance away from your children. He even falsely claimed that even the USA does it.
Congress Party spokesperson Jairam Ramesh hurried to clarify, saying that it may be Pitroda’s personal opinion but not the Party stand, but it was already too late. Pitroda’s statements spread faster than lightning because as per Congress, it was Pitroda and Rajiv Gandhi who brought internet and telecom to India after all.
Congress had barely recovered from the inheritance tax disaster when Pitroda came again. This time, he had another bomb. “East Indians look like Chinese, South Indians look like they are from Africa, West Indians look like Arabs and North Indians look like White people”, the telecom revolutionary declared to a billion Indians with 5G internet connection.
Jairam did issue another clarification, but it was too much of a fiasco. Soon, Pitroda was made to resign from his position as the chief of the Overseas Congress.
Politically aware people who have witnessed the ‘neech aadmi’ unhe hatayiye, humko le ayiye’ remarks of Mani Shankar Aiyar in the past and have seen how it boosts the BJP’s campaign, were musing that Pitroda seems to be filling in the absence of MSA in the 2024 elections. However, it seems MSA was never away. He has been here all along, dropping his pearls of wisdom.
Barely days back, Congress had to face the embarrassment of being endorsed by Pakistan’s PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry. Whether they want it or not, their activities and statements are somehow aligned with that of Pakistan. And just like Pakistan, Congress hates Modi too. Mani Shankar Aiyar is a Congressi. A weird affinity for Pakistan is a feature, not bug.
Anyway, as both MSA and Sam Pitorda now have been distanced and sort of disowned by the Congress more or less, let us hope that they will use the telecom revolution Rajiv Gandhi bestowed upon us, and keep appearing with such gem statements once in a while to keep up the entertainment levels in politics.
Rejecting international pressure to halt the war in Gaza, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that if “forced,” Israel will “stand alone” in its war against Hamas.
Netanyahu spoke after President Joe Biden said the United States would not provide offensive weapons for Israel’s long-promised assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah.
“As the Prime Minister of Israel, the one and only Jewish State, I pledge here today, from Jerusalem, on this Holocaust Remembrance Day, if Israel is forced to stand alone, Israel will stand alone. But we know we are not alone, because countless decent people around the world support our just cause. And I say to you we will defeat our genocidal enemies,” Netanyahu said on Thursday.
The Israeli PM said that when Jewish people were defenceless 80 years ago, no nation came for their help.
“Eighty years ago, in the Holocaust, the Jewish people were totally defenceless against those who sought our destruction. No nation came to our aid, ” Israeli PM said in a fiery speech marking the country’s annual Holocaust memorial day.
“Today, we again confront enemies bent on our destruction. I say to the leaders of the world, no amount of pressure, no decision by any international forum will stop Israel from defending itself,” he said.
Netanyahu added, “If we have to stand alone, we will stand alone. If we need to, we will fight with our fingernails. But we have much more than fingernails.”
Yom Hashoah, the day Israel observes as a memorial for the 6 million Jews killed by Nazi Germany and its allies in the Holocaust.
The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.
Israel has since, characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas’ infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimize civilian casualties.
On May 5, Hamas fired a barrage of rockets from the area of the Rafah border crossing and near an area where displaced Palestinians were sheltering in tents.
The barrage targeted the Kerem Shalom border crossing, killing four soldiers. Of all the Gaza border crossings, Kerem Shalom is equipped to handle the most humanitarian aid trucks daily. The crossing has been closed since the attack.
Hamas’s control of the border crossing allowed it to hijack humanitarian aid deliveries from Egypt.
In recent days, residents of certain Rafah neighbourhoods received phone calls, SMS messages, air-dropped flyers, and media broadcasts instructing them to evacuate to expanded humanitarian zones in Khan Yunis and the coastal area of Al-Mawasi.
The flyers included maps showing the affected zones, and aid organisations were updated on the evacuation plans.
Also receiving messages to evacuate were displaced Palestinians camping in a strip of land along the Gaza-Egypt border known as the Philadelphi corridor. This buffer zone was created to prevent weapons smuggling after Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2006. But in 2007, Hamas violently seized control of Gaza from the PA.
At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Around 30 of the remaining 133 hostages are believed dead.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The 7th October Hamas attack on Israel, which witnessed mass rape, murder and kidnap of innocent citizens shook the entire world, however, the horrifying event was celebrated under the pretext of ‘resistance’ by extremists in different parts of the world. Likewise, Malmö, a coastal city in southern Sweden, experienced similar festivities on the fateful day, reported Ynet. With over 340,000 residents in the city and nearly double that number, if one considers its metropolitan suburbs, Malmö is the third-largest city in Sweden and is also regarded as the “most Muslim city” in the Nordic country.
40-year-old Irit Erlinski, a local kindergarten teacher, mother of three, and former Israeli, recounted, “On Saturday, even before I knew what had happened, there was already a convoy of cars beeping, and I said to myself that it was strange hearing wedding sirens so early in the morning.” It took her some time to grasp that they were celebrating the Israeli massacre.
All day long, there was a carnival with convoys of automobiles beeping excitedly, displaying flags of Palestine and Hamas, and even children dressed up as terrorists from Hamas. Erlinski noticed the difference right away in the most delicate location which is also the location of school of her kids. She added, “I went to the administrators, asking them to protect my son from the bullying he was experiencing at school, physically and verbally. I was very adamant. Two days later, people from welfare came to see why I was so nervous.” These violent celebrations and the subsequent anti-Israel protests that have been held in Malmö have involved thousands of Muslims residing in the area.
Interestingly, the seventh edition of the Eurovision Song Contest is taking place in Sweden, with the city of Malmö serving as the host for the third time. A hundred thousand guests, an endless global celebration, flags, cultures, and some sparkles to the otherwise drab and languid metropolis. For the 50th anniversary of “Waterloo” and the nation’s first victory in the competition, there were even rumours of an Abba (Famous Swedish pop supergroup) comeback. The Swedes got ready for a week filled with peculiar performances, kitsch, awful music, and an excess of alcohol to make everything seem hazy. However, the plans were destroyed by the gut-wrenching terror attack on 7th October on Israel.
Now, Abba’s return was immediately forgotten, and the Middle East reality was thrust headfirst into an event whose primary purpose was escape. Nols Noling, the communications officer for the Malmö police remarked, “The song contest has become a reality.” After 7th October, the authorities recognized how difficult it would be to conduct a Eurovision contest in the city with the highest concentration of Muslims in Sweden. The official revealed, “Our intelligence works non-stop, and especially on social networks.”
He added, “We are prepared for any scenario, be it a shooting or a bomb or kidnappings. We have the tools and the personnel to handle it. There will be thousands of police officers from all over the country to help with security. But if the intelligence and the federal police discover that there is a concrete threat – one or more people with means, intention and purpose – then we will set the highest threat level 5 which has never been applied here before and then almost everything will be cancelled.”
A member of the Israeli delegation disclosed, “Usually, going to the Eurovision Song Contest is a trip that people fight over. This time everyone is trying to avoid it. They don’t want to go to Malmö because it is a Muslim and an unpleasant city. Everyone knows that it will be a travel which involves only hotel-concert hall, concerts-hotel trips, without any free time, without a traditional Israeli party, which is the most popular party at the Eurovision every year, and it feels like a bummer; and not just for us.” Eden Golan, the Israeli competitor who dedicated her entire life to be able to participate is forced into an advocacy battleground rather than performing a song and competing.
Incidents of vandalism in Malmo
Some of Malmö’s streets, particularly in the immigrant neighbourhood Rosengård, resemble an Arab city in the Middle East and conservative estimates place the number of Muslims there at 50,000, while there are likely even more. Some also address Malmö as “Ramallalmo.” Due to all of these factors, Malmö has emerged as one of the most intense hubs of opposition to Israel in Sweden and throughout Europe. However, the Eurovision, in which Israel is competing and the conflict in Gaza are suddenly a hot topic in the streets of the city.
The enormous Eurovision sign outside the “Malmö Live” concert hall, where it is scheduled to take place, was vandalised about a month ago with the words “Free Gaza” written on it along with red paint and what appeared to be bloodstains. Pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which also have a set day and place, occurred alongside the violent Saturday gatherings here. They are appealing for Israel to be eliminated from the Eurovision Song Contest and are protesting against Israel and the dispute in general.
The agitation appeared to be led by predominantly second-generation immigrants from the Middle East, and young Swedish leftists involved in the local movement. It presented an exemplary image of how leftists and Islamists feed off each other. One of the protesters wearing a black keffiyeh, a popular pro-Palestine status symbol complained, “We want the municipality to boycott the competition, to cancel it, to move it to another city or country. I think it’s a shame that a cultural event includes a country that is currently committing genocide.”
“Stop the Genocide” is written in white on the display window of a well-known hipster clothes boutique called “Bjork & Secondhand.” Beside the mannequins in the exhibit is a monitor that mimics a scoreboard from a Eurovision contest; however, instead of listing the participating countries, it lists all the “crimes” that Israel is alleged to have committed in Gaza. There are more placards with Palestinian flags inside the store, and there are more digital monitors with similar text behind the cashiers.
Meanwhile, Theresa from the company’s headquarters argued, “We want to stop the genocide and we use the shop window to provide information about the genocide conducted in Gaza. We criticize the Israeli government and its military operations. We don’t understand what the connection is between trying to prevent genocide and the anxiety among Jews in Malmö. There are many people who are against this genocide.”
However, a barista working at the adjacent “Espresso House” unveiled, “I think it’s not cool to do something like this to a country and its representatives who will come and stay here. But I can tell you clearly that since they started the campaign, their stores are full, much more than usual.”
Journalist Sofia Narbrand (50) has been a political editor of the well-known Swedish newspaper “Svenska Dagbladet.” She actively supported the city’s declining Jewish community and has taken part in pro-Jewish protests for more than ten years. She saw through her left-wing comrades’ contradictions a long time ago. She noted, “We are supposedly guilty for everything. Everything related to the West is bad, and Jews are the West. So, the Palestinians are the victims, here (in Malmö) and there (in Gaza). They are allowed to do whatever they like, and they can be forgiven for their attitude toward women, LGBT people, human rights, and their honour culture. It’s crazy self-hatred.”
She pointed out, “I like to be naive. We wanted to help them because we didn’t help the Jews in World War II, but all the trust we had was cracked. There are now discussions here about having separate days and hours for women and men in public pools. All the procedures taking place in the Ministry of Welfare and Immigration are done without a single word in Swedish. Single mothers earn less money than immigrants who decide not to work. There are teachers here who are afraid to report child abuse because they fear the parents’ reaction. That’s insanity. We thought we would pull them to the Swedish-secular culture, but the opposite is happening.”
She further divulged, “I want to go and show support for Israel during the Eurovision Song Contest, but the fear is already in me, and it upsets me, really upsets me, because I am a Swedish citizen just like them, and I am afraid to exercise the most basic right I have, to demonstrate. I go to pro-Israel demonstrations with sneakers and a small bag in case I have to escape. And what about them? They are not afraid to get together in their thousands screaming ‘from the river to the sea.’ They don’t see themselves as Swedes. They don’t care about us. It saddens me. We gave them everything, and we didn’t ask them to be blondes, only to respect the basic laws of the country that welcomed them, rescued them from the wars and gave them everything from day one. It’s not much to ask.”
The tense situation and the antisemitic incidents
The days between the 7th and 11th May, when Malmö is hosting both the competition and the two Eurovision semi-finals, are being held in this volatile atmosphere. This year’s organizers of the Eurovision, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Malmö municipality, and the Swedish police are working nonstop in pursuit of a safe solution. A member of the Israeli delegation observed, “Normally, two months before the competition, we already have the entire itinerary, including security arrangements. But this time, everyone is telling us that due to security matters, no information will be provided to us until the last minute.”
“There was a Zoom conversation with all the participants and the EBU thought that all the mess outside would be under the responsibility of the Swedish police. But after a few minutes of conversation, several countries, including the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Belgium, expressed grave fear for the lives and security of their delegations, and this already stirred things up, because it made it clear to the organizers that the participants were in panic. Besides, there is a huge fear of a cyber-attack that would stop the satellite broadcast or disrupt the vote and all of a sudden, the popular Eurovision slogan, ‘United by Music’ took on shades of ‘United by War’,” mentioned one person from the Israeli delegation.
Anti-Israeli graffiti in Malmö. (Source: Ynet)
Israel has already taken part in two Malmö Eurovision Song Contests. The Israeli entry “It’s Just Sport,” performed by Dafna Dekel, won the first one in 1992. The city’s characteristics were entirely different back then. Kobi Oshrat, the song’s composer, arranger, and conductor recalled, “I remember that when I was leaving for Malmö, I put on tefillin and they gave me a dollar bill to give it to someone poor, and we couldn’t find poor people in Malmö. There was no Muslim issue. The atmosphere was wonderful. Ehud Manor and I wrote a song for Dafna Dekal for her birthday called ‘Seventh of May’ and we sang it at a party for her. There were no security personnel and no instructions. We walked around freely.”
The next occasion was in 2013 when Moran Mazor sang the Israeli song “Rak Bishvilo” (just for him) and Malmö had already changed significantly. Alon Amir, then the delegation’s spokesman stated, “We were accompanied by at least five members of the Shin Bet and another 30 local policemen. We couldn’t move around freely. There were demonstrations held against us, and we always left through back entrances. Most of the delegation members were quite scared, but I attended a competition in Baku the year before, where we were guarded by dozens of Shin Bet and Mossad personnel, and they arrested about 40 terrorists who came to eliminate us, so as far as I was concerned, Malmo was considered a ‘summer camp.’ But it’s not a pleasant place. You feel like you’re in the crosshairs.”
Israel also participated in the 2009 Davis Cup, which was held in Malmö. A new chapter in the city’s relations with Jews and Israel began with this incident. The municipality decided to cancel the public match due to the possibility of disturbances. Although some questioned the competition’s sporting worth, the severity of the riots and their associated violence demonstrated that the decision was appropriate. Numerous antisemitic acts have been documented in Malmö since then, including the discovery of a can labelled “Zyklon B” outside the Jewish cemetery (Zyklon B was the poisonous pesticide used by Nazis to kill Jews in gas chambers), violent protests every time Israel and the Palestinians engaged in a military conflict and a local imam who called for the “slaughter of the Jews halal.”
This hatred even extended to the television series “The Bridge” which was filmed on the renowned Oresund Bridge which connects Malmö and Denmark. The show’s star, Kim Bodnia, left before the third season, citing discomforts she had living in the city as a Jewish person. Muslims were responsible for more than half of the events in the city that targeted Jews. According to Dr Persson, “Sweden is one of the places from which the most fighters left for ISIS but very few from Malmö. They say that Malmo is tough enough.” The approximately 3,000-person Jewish community in the area steadily declined to an estimated 500 or less now.
Peter is among the Jews who departed Malmö a few years back as a result of the drastic shift in the city’s population. He went to Sweden’s capital city of Stockholm, where he has been voting for the right-wing conservative “Sweden Democrats” in recent elections. The party is becoming more and more popular in Sweden. The “Sweden Democrats” struggled in their early years to distance themselves from their fascist and even Nazi origins (one of the party’s founders volunteered for the Waffen-SS). However, Jews like Peter also started to vote for the party when it declared a firm stance against immigration while also endorsing Israel. He claimed, “80% of Jews vote for this party.”
Dr. Persson noted that the ranking of the Israeli song will determine how strong the protests grow. “People will come here with the spirit of October 7 in mind. They don’t come here to have a quiet celebration. Now it is estimated that Israel will come in between third and tenth place, which means that they will make it to the final and that demonstrations will last longer, and they will become more violent if Israel competes for the first place.”
Demography is destiny
The situation in Sweden, especially in Malmö, as a result of the flood of Muslim immigrants serves as a sobering reminder of how demographics determine the destiny of any nation or location. It is important to remember that India has been dealing with this problem for many years. The minority Hindu population was targeted in Punjab during the Khalistan terrorism and the insurgency in Kashmir, all in the name of ‘freedom and resistance.’ The influx of Rohingya and Bangladeshi Muslim population in India has repeatedly shown itself to be a national security threat. How can anyone forget the 2012 Azad Maidan riots where even the Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial was desecrated by protestors? The agitation was initiated by Raza Academy to protest against the alleged atrocities on Rohingya Muslims in Myanmar.
A group of thousands of Muslims united under the Anjuman Ahle Sunnatul Jamat (ASJ) flag went on a rampage in Malda, West Bengal in 2016 over late Kamlesh Tiwari’s “anti-Islam” remarks. More than thirty people, including police officers, were hurt in vandalism that targeted the Kaliachak Police Station, the Block Development Office and public property. Several vehicles were also set on fire.
India witnessed similar protests after Mohammed Zubair of Alt News shared an edited clip of former Bharatiya Janata Party spokesperson Nupur Sharma in 2022. Murderous slogans like “Gustakh-e-Rasool ki Ek hi saza, sar tan se Juda, sar tan se Juda” were heard all over India and Kanhaiya Lal in Rajasthan and Umesh Kohle in Maharashtra lost their lives merely for supporting her.
Hindus can not celebrate any festival in peace as reports of stone pelting and attacks on their religious processions are a common occurrence during these events. A startling example of the same came to the fore when on 31st July, an Islamist mob attacked the Jalabhishek Yatra procession organised by Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal in Nuh, Haryana. The violence claimed six lives. Vehicles were burnt and stones pelted at the VHP’s Jalabhishek Yatra as extremists unleashed violence against the Hindus in the Muslim-dominated region of Nuh, Mewat in Haryana.
This year, Haldwani violence brought to light that when confronted with extremists, even performing official tasks may turn violent. The unrest transpired on the evening of 8th February after the administration took measures to remove encroachments which resulted in the loss of life and property. The rioting resulted in five fatalities and hundreds of injuries including male and female (at least 250) authorities.
The daily headlines are dominated by stories about the sexual abuse, murder and oppression of Hindu women at the hands of Muslim males in the name of love jihad or unrequited love. Neha Hiremath (24) the daughter of Congress Corporator Niranjan Hiremath, was the most recent victim of the dreaded phenomenon. She was repeatedly stabbed by Fayaz at B V Bhoomaraddi College of Engineering and Technology in Hubbali because she didn’t accept his relationship proposal. The two were studying there.
The aforementioned incidents are only the tip of the iceberg of India’s dire future brought on by its rapidly changing demographics. Demanding that Hindus vacate their land on the grounds that it is reportedly Waqf property, infringing on government territory and the illegalsettlement of Muslim intruders in the nation all gravely compromise the security and stability of our country as they all are an integral component of shifting demography. Now, Europe is also enduring the same issues due to its liberal policies, vote bank politics and woke agenda as its common citizens bear the brunt.
On the 9th of May 2024, a video went viral where the Congress candidate from Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam was heard signalling to Muslims again. Kantilal Bhuria, the Congress candidate from Ratlam during an election rally said that if Congress comes to power, those who have two wives would get Rs 2 lakh a month.
VIDEO | "If Congress comes to power, as our manifesto states, every woman will get Rs 1 lakh in her bank account. Women from each house will get Rs 1-1 lakh. Those who have two wives will get Rs 2 lakh…," said Congress candidate from MP's Ratlam, Kantilal Bhuria, while… pic.twitter.com/4OazK9Laa3
“If Congress comes to power, as our manifesto states, every woman will get Rs 1 lakh in her bank account. Women from each house will get Rs 1-1 lakh. Those who have two wives will get Rs 2 lakh…,” said Congress candidate from MP’s Ratlam, Kantilal Bhuria, while addressing a public rally earlier today.
Bhuria has been the Union minister for tribal affairs in the previous Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government.
Speaking at the rally, Madhya Pradesh Congress chief Jitu Patwari supported what Bhuria said. Patwari said, “Bhuria ji has made a terrific announcement just now that a person with two wives will get double (of the ₹ 1 lakh financial aid).” As per the Congress’ manifesto, under the Mahalaxmi scheme, women will get ₹ 8,500 per month till they move out of the below-poverty line (BPL) segment.
Reportedly, the BJP has demanded action from the Election Commission of India against Bhuria.
The Congress scheme to give Rs 1 lakh to every woman if voted to power is one that would spell doom for India. The scheme in the manifesto reads, “Mahalakshmi: Inequality of income and opportunity remains India’s ugliest truth. It is the moral and political responsibility of any government to ensure that every Indian family is assured of a basic income every month. Congress resolves to launch a Mahalakshmi scheme to provide Rs 1 lakh per year to every poor Indian family as an unconditional cash transfer. The poor will be identified among the families in the bottom of the income pyramid. The amount will be directly transferred to the bank account of the oldest woman of the household. Absent a woman, it will be transferred to the account of the oldest member of the family. The scheme will be rolled out in stages and reviewed every year to assess the number of beneficiary families and its impact on alleviating poverty.
Lack of clarity on funding and about sustainable economic growth in Nari Nyay scheme
The promise of Rs 1 lakh per year per family by Congress lacks clarity on funding. Furthermore, it also undermines the dignity of labour and entrepreneurship. The grand old party has planned to hand out cash without any productive activity attached. Their promise risks fostering a culture of dependency rather than women empowerment. We can compare it to putting a band-aid on a wound that requires surgery.
Moreover, injecting such massive among of cash into the economy will cause inflationary pressure. In rural areas, where the cost of living is comparatively lower, the sudden inflow of cash without increasing productivity will eventually result in price hikes that will erode the purchasing power of the poor.
In addition to the future disasters linked to the scheme, Congress has not planned to create new wealth. In short, it will only add to the inflation without addressing the root cause of poverty. Congress has called for eradicating poverty. For decades, the party leaders including first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, former PM Indira Gandhi and former PM Rajiv Gandhi, all talked about eradicating poverty during elections but never succeeded. The lack of vision always pushed Congress on the back foot.
Congress and its Muslim Pitch for 2024
Rahul Gandhi has been talking about wealth distribution in the run-up to the 2024 elections. He has essentially claimed that there would be a survey of wealth in the nation and then, according to population, the wealth of the nation would be redistributed.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit out at the Congress party and its Muslim appeasement politics during an election campaign meeting in Banswara town of Rajasthan. He lambasted the wealth distribution scheme of Congress scion Rahul Gandhi and reminded the voters about the infamous speech of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh from 2006. “During the time of their government, they (Congress) had declared that Muslims have the first claim of this country’s resources. First, they will seize your properties and distribute them to Muslims, those who produce a high number of offspring, and infiltrators,” PM Modi emphasised.
The Congress party in its manifesto has also hinted at decriminalising triple talaq and a backdoor entry of the Communal Violence Bill.
Page 8 of the Congress manifesto reads –
4. We will restore the Maulana Azad Scholarships for study abroad and increase the number of scholarships
7. Congress will ensure that, like every citizen, minorities have the freedom of choice of dress, food, language and personal laws.
There are several other promises made in the manifesto that hint at special treatment to the Muslim community, for example, the Congress manifesto also promises greater representation of Muslims in the Judiciary.
Given the Congress’ pitch to get Muslim votes, the statement of Kantilal Bhuria signals a dangerous trend. It is a reality that polygamy is commonplace in the Muslim community. Bhuria talking about those two wives getting double the money if Congress comes to power only signals how the Congress party seems to believe that their only pitch for the 2024 General Elections is to, by any means necessary, hanker for minority votes.
The Aurangabad Bench of the Bombay High Court on 9th May ordered to register a case in the case of embezzlement of donated money and other valuables from the Tulja Bhawani Temple in Maharashtra’s Tuljapur. The court issued the order based on two inquiry reports in the case, which found that around ₹8.46 crore worth of cash, gold and other valuables were misappropriated by officials by auctioning donation boxes of the temple.
The bench of justices Mangesh S Patil and Shailesh Brahme ordered that an officer of the rank of Superintendent of Police should investigate the matter.
The court also slammed the state govt for arguing against probing the matter by saying that the investigation may not prove the allegations of embezzlement. The court said the state’s govt’s decision to prejudge the issue is not acceptable.
The court said, “since it is a matter of misappropriation and criminal breach of trust resorting to forgery, it being a cognizable offence punishable under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code, the criminal law must be set in motion and there has to be a threadbare investigation into the allegations.” The court added that if the investigating machinery/officer is unable to collect evidence after the investigation, then the allegations may not be substantiated and a charge-sheet may not be filed, but the action cannot be preempted.
The matter relates to alleged embezzlement of valuables received in donation boxes of the Tulja Bhawani Temple from 1991 2009. During this period, the donation boxes were auctioned, and allegedly fraud and misappropriation took place by temple officials.
The temple management had decided to auction the donation boxes in August 1984. In September 1991 the practice was stopped after it was found to be against the interest of the temple. But despite that, the auction process was resumed after a few months, which continued till 2009. Allegedly, there was rampant embezzlement of the donations during this period. While the temple received huge amounts of cash, gold, silver and other valuables are offerings to the deity, only few were accounted for in the auction process.
In 2009, the collector realised that such embezzlement was taking place. The office of the Joint Charity Commissioner also came to the same conclusion. After that, the CID was asked to investigate the matter in 2011 by CM Ashok Chavan. However, there was no progress in the case, and in 2015, Hindu Janjagruti Samiti and Hindu Janjagruti Samiti filed a PIL with the High Court seeking investigation into the matter.
As per an order of the court responding to the plea, an enquiry report was submitted to the Court in a sealed cover on 29.09.2017 and the petition was disposed of. The enquiry report had recommended filing a case in the matter, but it was ignored and no case was filed. As a result, the petitioners filed another plea in 2017, seeking directions to constitute a Special Investigation Team to investigate the matter, and to recover the amount of over ₹8 crore from the persons who had embezzled the gold, silver ornaments and cash.
After the submission of the enquiry report, the Maharashtra DGP ordered a reenquiry in November 2017, and its report was filed in February 2018. This was a much detailed report, which mentioned the names of the trustees and the manner in which embezzlement had taken place. The report suggested registration of crime under different sections of the Indian Penal Code like 109, 406, 409, 420, 467, 468, 471, read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code and under Section 67 of the Maharashtra Public Trust Act, 1950.
The report stated that during the period between 1991 and 2009 there was misappropriation to the tune of around Rs. 8.46 Crores. The report was forwarded to the Home Department of the State Government on 22.03.2018 and the Home Department again directed further reenquiry.
Accordingly, another enquiry was done and the report was submitted in January 2020. This report stated that though there were irregularities and negligence by the then trustees, who were Collectors, Sub Divisional Officers and Tahsildars during that period, they could not be held criminally liable. The report also claimed that the period from 1991 to 2009 was pretty old, and recommended not to conduct any departmental enquiry.
The court noted that while the first 2 reports concluded that concerned officers had indulged in misappropriation, the 3rd report claimed no concrete proofs could be collected against them. The third report claimed that as the Tahsildars were ex officio managing trustees, it would be a matter of negligence, not misappropriation. The state govt sided with the third report in the court, saying that calculations made in earlier reports were notional, there was no concrete material and the prosecution could not stand simply on the basis of such notional calculations.
However, the petitioners pointed out that the Collector in 2009 and then the Joint Charity Commissioner had noticed gross illegality and mismanagement taking serious objection to the auctions being undertaken in respect of donation box. This clearly reveals misappropriation and criminal breach of trust, which should have been sufficient for the State Government to direct registration of crime and its investigation, they argued.
The petitioners also alleged that govt were trying to protect the accused persons because they are govt officials. However, the govt denied the charge, saying that it was not practicable to register the crime and investigate it merely based on the inferences. The Additional Public Prosecutor submitted though there could be some misappropriation and embezzlement, there is no concrete record. It was a matter of auctioning of the donation box undertaken every year. The govt argued that in the absence of any concrete proof, it would be an exercise in futility.
However, the High Court rejected the arguments of the state government, saying that when there are police reports finding misappropriation of temple fund and suggesting investigation, the criminal law must be set in motion and there has to be a threadbare investigation into the allegations.
The court also noted that everyone, even the latest report that suggested against filing cases, is unanimous that the practice of auctioning the donation box should not have been resorted to. Even the Joint Charity Commissioner had ordered in 2010 to stop it giving reasons for it, the court noted.
“In our considered view, the issue needs to be taken to the logical end, even if it requires registration of a crime,” the bench added.
Notably, the scam came to prominence in 2010 after the donation boxes were sealed for a month on the complaint of a priest. It was found that the temple received 443 grams of gold in just one month from March 18 to April 18 after the boxes were opened, while as per record, the temple received on 40 grams of gold in the last 10 years. This revealed that massive misappropriation of donations was going on in auctioning of donation boxes.
Talking about the court order, Hindu Janajagruti Samiti issued a statement saying that the successful legal battle fought by the Hindu Janajagruti Samiti and Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad over the past nine years has culminated in this significant victory. “The decision brings relief and joy to millions of devotees across Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Goa. The Hindu Janajagruti Samiti vows to persist until the corrupt officials responsible for misappropriating government funds face justice,” said the Samiti.
Senior Advocate Sanjeev Deshpande, along with Founder Member of Hindu Vidhidnya Parishad Advocate Suresh Kulkarni and Advocate Umesh Bhadgavankar represented the petitioners in the court.
The Ministry of External Affairs said on Thursday that Canada has not provided any “specific” evidence or relevant information in the Hardeep Singh Nijjar killing case and that no “formal communication” has been provided to India over the arrests of three Indians allegedly involved in the matter.
“No specific or relevant evidence or information has been given to us in this matter. Canada has informed us about the arrest. But we have not got any formal communication…,” MEA Spokesperson said on three Indians arrested in Canada in Nijjar killing.
“Therefore, understand a view that the matter is being prejudged when people say x or y. Obviously, there are political interests at work. We have long maintained that separatists, extremists and those advocating violence have been given political space in Canada,” he said in a press briefing on Thursday.
“Our diplomats have been threatened with impunity and obstructed in their performance of duties. We have also pointed out to the Canadian authorities that figures associated with organised crimes with links in India have been allowed entry and residency. Many extradition requests are pending with them. We are having discussions at the diplomatic levels on all these matters with the Canadian side,” he added.
On being asked if India has given consular access to the three Indians arrested in Nijjar Killing case, MEA spokesperson said that they have not received any request from the Canadian side for the same as those arrested have not asked for the consular access yet.
“In different countries, there are different norms. In certain countries, if a person of a certain country is apprehended, then it is for that national to make a request that please give consular access to my embassy and there after it is granted,” he said.
The three men were taken into custody in Edmonton last week on Friday and are accused of first-degree murder and murderous conspiracy in connection with the June 2023 shooting of Nijjar, which severely damaged Canada’s relations with India.
Notably, ties between India and Canada have been strained after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused agents of the Indian government of killing Nijjar. However, India has dismissed the accusations as “absurd” and “motivated”.
Hardeep Singh Nijjar, who was designated a terrorist by India’s National Investigation Agency in 2020, was shot and killed as he came out of a Gurdwara in Surrey in June last year. The video of his killing that reportedly surfaced in March this year showed Nijjar being shot by armed men in what has been described as a “contract killing.”
Last week, Canadian police released photographs of all three persons arrested in the killing of India-designated terrorist, Nijjar last year amid an ongoing probe into alleged connections of the Indian government.
Along with photographs of the three accused, the Canadian police also released the photographs of the car believed to have been used by the suspects in the time leading up to the homicide, in and around the Surrey area.
The Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) of Surrey, RCMP had said that on the morning of May 3, IHIT investigators, with the assistance of members from the British Columbia and Alberta RCMP and the Edmonton Police Service, arrested the three men for the June 2023 killing of Nijjar.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
Maldivian Foreign Minister Moosa Zameer, who is on his first official visit to India, has distanced his government from the derogatory remarks made by some of its ministers against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said that it was not the stand of the government and that “proper action” has been taken to ensure that it is not repeated.
In an interview with ANI, Maldivian Foreign Minister Zameer reiterated the government’s stance, stating, “I think if you have seen, like you said, we have said that it’s not the stand of the government or it’s not the view of the government. And we believe it shouldn’t have been done. And then we are taking proper action to make sure that this don’t repeat.”
“And I think if you have seen, there has been a misunderstanding, social media mainly, but the governments of the Maldives in India, we understand what has happened and we have passed that stage now,” he added.
The row between India and the Maldives broke out over derogatory posts made by three officials about PM Narendra Modi.
Following derogatory remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Maldives Deputy Youth Ministers Mariyam Shiuna, Mahzoom Majid and Malsha Shareef have been suspended indefinitely, but all three will continue to receive their salaries, the President’s Office has said, Maldives local media Adhadhu reported.
Providing further information about the suspensions, Maldives President’s Office Communications Minister Ibrahim Khaleel told Adhadhu that the three deputy ministers were suspended indefinitely as a measure taken to look into the matter.
The Male is now facing a boycott by Indian tourists, who are one of the largest contributors to the country’s income.
In light of concerns about a potential decline in Indian tourist visits to the Maldives following the controversy, Minister Zameer expressed the Maldivian government’s eagerness to mend ties with India and reiterated their invitation to Indian tourists.
“I think the Minister of Tourism has clearly said that he would like to welcome and I like myself to welcome all Indians who would like to travel to Maldives. But I think in the long term, once we move forward because if you’re seen in the last eight months , in Maldives and India, we are going through election cycles. So I think we will move beyond that phase pretty soon and we would like all Indian tourists to come back,” he said.
“And if you look at the trajectory of what has happened. If you go back about 10 years ago, there continued to be a very important source market and then during COVID Indian travelers actually came into all this in high numbers. And then that trend continued … In the past couple of months and we have had about 16-17 per cent increase and then of course there has been a decrease in Indian markets but I’m confident that it will pick up in the near future,” he added.
Zameer’s visit to India comes amid strained ties with Maldives under President Mohamed Muizzu’s government and as India said that it will replace its military personnel from Maldives before May 10.
In April, the MEA said that the first batch of Indian technical personnel reached the Maldives to replace the defence personnel.India and the Maldives have held two high-level core group meetings, and the third one is expected to take place soon.
The removal of Indian troops from the country was the main election campaign of Muizzu’s party. Currently, there are around 70 Indian troops, along with Dornier 228 maritime patrol aircraft and two HAL Dhruv helicopters, stationed in the Maldives.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 6th May, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court in New Delhi handed down varying prison terms to five accused including a Kashmiri couple in a case concerning a plot by the outlawed Islamic State-Khorasan Province (ISKP) group to propagate the ideology of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and incite terror in India through violent acts.
The convicts include 36-year-old Jahanzaib Sami from Srinagar, having multiple names such as Dawood Ibrahim, Xaib, Abu Muhammed Al-Hind, and Abu Abdulla. The others are Jahanzaib’s wife Hina Bashir, a native of Kashmir; Abdullah Basith, a resident of Hyderabad; and Sadiya Anwar Shaikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri, both from Pune. They are charged under various sections for their alleged association with the banned Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of the ISIS. They were charged with conspiring to generate disaffection against the government, promoting enmity among different religious communities and carrying out subversive activities.
Jahanzaib Sami Wani and his wife Hina Bashir Beigh, from Okhla Vihar, Jamia Nagar were taken into custody by the Delhi Police Special Cell on 8th March 2020, on charges that they had connections with the ISKP, an ISIS front. The two intended to carry out anti-national and subversive activities in India. On 20th March of the same year, NIA re-registered the case and began its inquiry. The agency also apprehended Sadiya Anwar Shaikh and Nabeel Siddick Khatri during the inquiry from Pune on 12th July 2020.
The NIA court sentenced accused Jahanzaib Sami who pleaded guilty to a range of jail terms, from 3 to 20 years, including a fine, for offences under sections 17, 18, 38, and 13 of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) as well as sections 120B and 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in its ruling. He was accused of plotting to create a caliphate in India and of organizing 100 Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) explosions across the nation in a single day.
Additional sessions judge Chander Jit Singh observed, “For any organisation to survive, continue and act to achieve its objectives, availability and movement of funds is one of the most important factors. In absence of funds, despite having the most dedicated cadre, an organisation cannot inch forward. Therefore, to say that funds are the lifeline of an organisation would not be an exaggeration.” According to the NIA, the perpetrator incited the minority community by disseminating hateful slogans, drawing graffiti in public areas and posting it on social media and global media sites.
The court added, “Convict Jahanzaib Sami was also involved in procuring arms, remote of IED, and suicide jackets. Convict was also involved in raising funds through Bitcoin, which is a veiled method of raising funds online, therefore, he can be said to be a person of reasonable intelligence who cannot take shelter under the arguments of not understanding the impact of his (mis)deeds.”
“NIA investigations had revealed that the accused was also raising, receiving and providing funds through cryptocurrency to promote the ideology of ISIS, a banned global terror outfit. Sami was also involved in exploiting the sentiments of gullible youth to fuel the anti-CAA/NRC (Citizenship Amendment Act/National Register of Citizens) protests,” the agency noted. According to sections 38 and 39 of the UAPA, the second accused Hina Bashir Beigh has been sentenced to seven years in prison for each of the two offenses. She had admitted to being an ISIS member and to have assisted her husband in finding others who shared her beliefs to further the terrorist group’s evil plans against India.
Abdullah Basith has been sentenced to the time he has already served after being found guilty under sections 38 and 39 of the UAPA. A self-confessed ISIS member, according to the NIA probe, he supported Jahanzaib Sami in compiling the ISIS magazine “Voice of Hind.” Furthermore, accused Sadiya Anwar Shaikh was determined culpable of violating sections 38(2) and 39(2) of the UAPA as she professed to be an ISIS member and attempted to unite all terrorist organizations under the ISIS banner. She was sentenced to seven years in prison for each of these crimes. “She had also tried to procure a suicide jacket through accused Jahanzaib Sami, the NIA probe in the case has revealed,” the press release read.
According to sections 17, 38, and 39 of the UAPA, Nabeel Siddick Khatri has been pronounced responsible and faces sentences of 15, 8 and 8 years, respectively, for giving Jahanzaib Sami money to buy weapons. He also carried out pre-emptive bombings to advance ISIS ideology in collusion with Jahanzaib Sami. If he does not pay the penalty imposed under section 17 of the UAP Act, he will be sentenced to an additional two years in jail or an amount of Rs. 2.5 lakh.
August 2020 also marked the arrest of Abdur Rahman, also known as Dr Brave, following an additional probe. He is still on trial. An MBBS student from Bengaluru, he travelled to Syria in December 2013 after being radicalized by the other accused individuals. He had taken part in a number of ISIS terrorist operations in Syria and had gained information on how to create both a laser-guided anti-tank missile software for ISIS and a medical application for treating ISIS terrorists. NIA filed a charge sheet in this matter under the number RC-11/2020/NIA/DLI on 20th March 2020 and a supplemental charge sheet on 12th January 2021.
On Thursday, May 9, the Air India Express cabin crew agreed to end its ongoing strike. The cabin crew withdrew the strike after the airline agreed to look into issues raised by them, news agency PTI reported. Following the decision by the cabin crew to end the strike, Air India Express has agreed to take back the termination letters and reinstate the ‘sick’ employees who had been fired.
Over a hundred flights were cancelled since May 7 as a section of the cabin crew reported sick in a protest against alleged mismanagement. On Thursday, the airline issued termination letters to around 25 cabin crew members who were on strike. The remaining cabin crew members who reported sick were given an ultimatum by Air India Express to go back to work by 4 pm on 9th May or else they would be fired. However, now, the stalemate seems to have ended.
Following the cancellation of several flights and the inconvenience to passengers, the government had to get involved. At the request of the Regional Labour Commissioner Ashok Perumalla, a meeting was held on Thursday between Air India Express Union and the airline CEO to reach a solution. Apparently, after the meeting, a middle ground has been reached and the strike will end, much to the relief of the travelers.
Earlier, on the evening of 8th May, several crew members got notifications of termination from the airline. The airline stated that the crew members’ action “pointed to a pre-mediated and concerted abstention from work without any justifiable reason”.
In the email notice of termination it sent to the affected employees, the airline added that the widespread sick leave “violated the Air India Express Limited Employees’ Service Rules as are applicable” in addition to breaching the relevant laws.
According to the statement, the crew members who were scheduled to fly on 7th May informed the Scheduling team at the last moment that they were unwell and accordingly reported sick. “It is noted that at around the same time, an overwhelming number of other cabin crew members have also reported sick and not reported for their duties. This clearly points to a pre-mediated and concerted abstentation from work without any justifiable reason,” the statement added.
