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Rising Khalistani influence in Punjab’s LS Elections and its implications for National Security and regional stability: Where do we draw the line?

Anurag
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Rising Khalistani influence in Punjab’s LS Elections and its implications for National Security and regional stability: Where do we draw the line?

In the ongoing Lok Sabha Elections 2024, Punjab is marked by an unprecedented presence of pro-Khalistani leaders. It has raised significant concerns about the implications not only on a regional level but also on national security. Traditional players like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD), and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have fielded their candidates for the polling that is scheduled for 1st June 2024, the last phase of polling in the General Elections 2024. Apart from these players, candidates with a history of supporting the Khalistani movement are also contesting the elections including notable names such as Simranjit Singh Mann, Sandeep Singh, Sarabjit Singh Khalsa, and Amritpal Singh.

All these “leaders” have affiliations and past actions that have stirred apprehensions among voters and political analysts. Simranjit Singh Mann is currently an MP from Sangrur. He contested by-polls and won to become first pro-Khalistani leader in decades to reach Lok Sabha.

Simranjit Singh Mann

Simranjit Singh Mann is known for his pro-Khalistani stand and after winning by-polls he openly favoured Khalistani sentiments and said there was nothing wrong in seeking a separate nation. Furthermore, he openly admitted in an interview that he took money in exchange for giving fake certificates to people from Punjab stating they need political asylum for their pro-Khalistani stand. He admitted to taking up to Rs 50,000/- per certificate and is said to have given thousands of those in past years.

Amritpal Singh

Amritpal Singh is a pro-Khalistani preacher who is currently lodged in jail in Dibrugarh, Assam. He was arrested by the central agencies and Punjab Police after an operation in Punjab. Amritpal Singh took over the Waris Punjab De organisation after the death of another pro-Khalistani leader Deep Sidhu in 2022. From the beginning, he was being seen as Bhindranwale 2.0. Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale was a Khalistani terrorist who led the Khalistani movement in Punjab during the 80s. He was killed in Operation Blue Star in 1984. Insurgency in Punjab came to an end in the late 1990s after a massive crackdown on pro-Khalistani elements. For a couple of decades, pro-Khalistani elements kept quiet in the state but with the rise of Amritpal Singh and others, it is evident that they are pushing to bring back the dark era of terrorism in the state.

Sandeep Singh

Sandeep Singh, a close aide of Amritpal Singh, is currently lodged in jail for the murder of Shiv Sena Takhali’s leader Sudhir Suri. Suri was murdered in broad daylight in Amritsar on 4th November 2022. His murder was celebrated by pro-Khalistanis on social media. Reportedly, Sandeep Singh’s family has issued a statement that if Amritpal Singh could contest elections from jail, why not Sandeep Singh.

Sarabjit Singh Khalsa

45-year-old Sarabjit Singh Khalsa is the son of Beant Singh, the murderer of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Sarabjit tried his luck during the 2014 and 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Fatehgarh Sahib and Bathinda but could not win. His grandfather Suchcha Singh and mother Bimal Kaur were MPs.

The presence of pro-Khalistani elements in General Elections is problematic for several reasons. First of all, it raises the question of national security as the extremist ideology does not mix well with mainstream politics. They do not see the demand of Khalistan as merely a political stance but something that they vow to achieve. The assertion of separatism challenges the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India. In a way, allowing them to contest elections can be seen as legitimizing their demands that would encourage separatist sentiments and destabilise the communal harmony in the region.

Furthermore, if they manage to win, their presence in the Parliament would suggest that the fine line between criminal activities and political aspirations is further blurred. There could be broader implications of their potential election on the law and order situation in Punjab as it has a tumultuous history with insurgency. Punjab has always been on the edge when it comes to the Khalistan movement and an increasing number of pro-Khalistani leaders could create further problems for law enforcement agencies on the state and national levels.

‘Save madrasas and mazars’: Mastermind behind Bhagwa Love Trap conspiracy theory asks Muslims to vote for Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), video viral

OpIndia Staff
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‘Save madrasas and mazars’: Mastermind behind Bhagwa Love Trap conspiracy theory asks Muslims to vote for Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar) and Shiv Sena (UBT), video viral

Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections 2024, some Islamist leaders from the Pune district of Maharashtra have asked all Muslims to vote for the candidates representing Congress, NCP (Sharad Pawar), and Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) from the Pune, Shirur, Baramati and Mawal constituencies respectively. The declaration by the Islamist leaders was made at the ‘Taqreer By Hazrat Maulana Sajjad Nomani’ event organized by Kul Jamati Tanzeem Pune in the Kondwa region on 2nd May.

The video of the same went viral over the internet in which one of the organizers of the event could be seen announcing its unwavering support to the Congress and NCP Sharad Pawar faction.

“Kul Jamati Tanzeem has decided to extend support to Ravindra Dhangekar from Pune representing Congress, Supriya Sule and Amol Kolhe from Baramati and Shirur representing NCP Sharad Pawar faction, and Sanjay Waghere from Maval representing Shiv Sena (UBT). We support these four candidates and appeal to you all community members to please get them elected to power. Also, ask your family members and friends to vote for them,” the organizer could be heard saying in the video.

The declaration was made at an event which was hosted in honor of Maulana Sajjad Nomani who spoke on the topic ‘Maujuda Halat Aur Hamari Zimmedari’ (the current situation and our responsibility. During his speech, Nomani stated that every Muslim who is a voter today should exercise his right in favor of the community.

“If you don’t exercise your right in the correct direction, your nation is such that it will forget the Rohingyas. The leader of this country has a plan to put an end to the Waqf system in this country. It is you who will save our Madarsas and Masjids and Mazars. This one plan of Modi is going to cause danger to the entire Muslim community,” Nomani could be seen instigating the Muslims against the government. (Time stamp : 1:05)

The voting for the Baramati constituency happened on 7th May 2024 while the voting for the Shirur, Pune, and Maval constituencies will happen on 13th May 2024.

Nomani furthered the theory of ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’

Meanwhile, it is important to note that Maulana Sajjad Nomani is the same Islamist individual who furthered the theory of Bhagwa Love Trap claiming that Hindu men were trapping Muslim women deliberately in love affairs and then assaulting them. He had alleged that the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) had created a team of young men to trap Muslim women.

“8 lakh Muslim women have turned infidel and left Islam after meeting their Hindu partners. RSS has created a team of Hindu youths who are trained in Islamic teachings and Urdu. They are then instructed to lure Muslim women into a love trap,” he could be heard saying in one of the videos.

Sajjad Nomani also claimed that such Hindu men are then rewarded with Rs 2.5 lakhs, a house, and a job, which supposedly serves as an ‘incentive’ for the Hindu community at a time of high unemployment. In one of his videos, a member of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board announced that sending girls to schools and colleges alone is forbidden (Haram) in Islam.

Sajjad Nomani also declared that those parents who send their daughters to educational institutes alone will be condemned to Hell (Jahannum). He added that Muslim girls should not be left unaccompanied, even if they wear a hijab.

He said that it does not matter even if the daughter is wearing a hijab and going to college, she is not to be left unaccompanied. While encouraging a new form of vigilantism, the cleric said, “If you are a father, a Muslim, or a good person, it is Haram to be careless about your daughter.”

A detailed report regarding Nomani’s provocative claims can be read here.

General elections are being held in India from 19 April to 1 June 2024 in seven phases, to elect 543 members of the Lok Sabha. The votes will be counted and the results declared on 4 June 2024. 

New York: Pro-Palestine protesters burn US flag, vandalise World War 1 memorial after Police prevent rioters from targeting Met Gala in NYC

OpIndia Staff
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New York: Pro-Palestine protesters burn US flag, vandalise World War 1 memorial after Police prevent rioters from targeting Met Gala in NYC

On Monday (6th May), a mob of more than 1,000 Pro-Palestine protesters attempted to disrupt and target the Met Gala, the star-studded fashion event held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. However, the rioters went on a rampage after the Police prevented them from reaching the venue and arrested several rioting protesters. The Pro-Palestine vandals went on to burn the flag of the United States and vandalised several iconic places, including the World War I memorial in Central Park.

(Pro-Palestine vandal burns the US flag, Image Source – New York Post)

As per a New York Post report, at least one anti-US rioter torched Old Glory at the site of the 107th Infantry Memorial. The vandals defaced the monument’s base with Pro-Palestine graffiti and wrote “Gaza” in large black letters. They also pasted stickers of the Palestinian flag that read “Stop the Genocide. End the apartheid. Free Palestine” on the bronze statues of soldiers. Some protesters even climbed atop the statues of the infantrymen and draped Palestinian flags over them.

(Vandals defaced World War 1 memorial and other iconic buildings after Police prevented them from targeting Met Gala event in New York City, Image Source – New York Post)

The images and videos of a protester burning the US flag and others defacing WWI memorials have prompted strong reactions from US netizens. They have demanded strong action to curb anti-Semitism and vandalism by Pro-Palestinian protesters. This comes amidst a string of violent protests that have reached and intensified on college campuses in the US with Pro-Palestinian protesters taking over an academic building in Columbia University. The Police later arrested the protesters.

The demonstration dubbed a “Day of Rage” protest was organised by the Palestinian activist group, ‘Within Our Lifetime’. The mob blocked the traffic movement and marched towards the Met Gala venue. However, they were stopped by the New York Police Department (NYPD) near the East 79th Street Transverse in Central Park. Notably, the Met Gala has long been the target of protesters, but heavy Police deployment ensured that Pro-Palestinian protesters didn’t crash the event and attack the celebrities part of it. 

During the “Day of Rage” protest, the vandals also targeted another Central Park monument on Monday night. They defaced the Civil War Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman bronze statue in Grand Army Plaza by spray painting “Free Gaza” graffiti in red letters on the base of the memorial. They also attached a Palestinian flag to the statue. 

(Pro-Palestine rioters defaced and vandalised several iconic buildings on “Day of Rage” protest on Monday night, Image Source – New York Post)

Later when the NYPD removed the Palestinian flag, the vandals raised slogans calling for the physical harm of the Police personnel. One protester was heard asking another demonstrator to put a bigger flag on the statue. When an officer climbed a ladder to remove the flag, a protester was heard saying, “I hope you fall,” which was followed by the mob chanting “Free, Free Palestine!”

According to Police sources, about two dozen anti-Israel protesters were arrested earlier in the evening near Madison Avenue and East 83rd Street as a massive swarm of demonstrators marched toward the Met.

The mob raised slogans, “Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest,” while waving Palestinian flags and hiding their faces with coverings.

Recently, the pro-Palestinian protesters had targeted Indian-origin US Congressman Shri Thanedar’s community center in Detroit and defaced it with Pro-Palestine graffiti, prompting him to lodge a complaint in this matter. The vandals had painted an “X” across his photograph and the words “racist”, “ceasefire” and “Free Palestine” were also spray-painted on the walls of his community center. He was targeted for expressing pro-Israel opinions after the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7th October last year.

Pro-Israel supporters hold a protest against violent Pro-Palestine demonstrations, voice concerns about increasing anti-Semitism

In counter to the recent protests by Pro-Palestine individuals, several pro-Israel supporters gathered at Hunter College on Monday evening to face off with people they accused of “supporting terrorism.” 

A 17-year-old Jewish Upper East Sider Elena Bakhchi said, “All these people are ignorant, uneducated and blindly following each other. It feels like we’re back in World War two.” 

As per reports, nearly 1,000 pro-Israel demonstrators gathered at Riverside Park in support of Jewish students at colleges like Columbia University. Incidentally, the rally coincided with Yom HaShoah, the Holocaust remembrance day. 

Jewish Columbia students condemned the surge in antisemitism currently being witnessed on college campuses across the United States.

Addressing the rally, the Israeli ambassador to the UN, Gilad Erdan, compared the anti-Israel protesters to “modern-day Nazis”. 

Erdan said, “Words are being weaponized to spread bigotry, to incite violence, to inflame the targeting of Jews. Columbia, Harvard, and UCLA are new hotbeds of Nazi-like ideology, branding Israel as the root of all evil and the Jewish people is a global scourge.” He added that the hypocrisy of protests shows they are not liberal activism but are antisemitic. 

He asked, “Did we see encampments to protest Russia’s war crimes in Ukraine? Did rioters barricade buildings to protest Assad’s brutality in Syria? Did we see Chinese students attacked because China is torturing Uyghurs? Were quads vandalized while Iran murdered women and protesters?”, and answered, “Of course not.”

The Israeli ambassador to the UN called on “Jews across the United States and around the world” to divest from universities that allow antisemitism to spread. He added that they should demand students who use violence be expelled, and blacklist every academic institution that shows tolerance for terror. 

Erdan submitted, “This Yom HaShoah, ‘Never Again’ has taken on historic importance. Never again means taking action, and the time for action is now.”

US: Pro-Palestine ‘protestor’ suffers meltdown after being suspended by university, cries over not being able to graduate on time

OpIndia Staff
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US: Pro-Palestine ‘protestor’ suffers meltdown after being suspended by university, cries over not being able to graduate on time

A student turned Pro-Palestine protestor named Breanna Brocker received a rude shock when Arizona State University (ASU) in the United States suspended her on charges of trespassing.

Brocker broke down in tears after learning that she would miss her graduation for not being able to write her final exam. “I mean, I’m a little disappointed. I’m being restricted from a lot of things right now that I didn’t expect to be for standing up for something that I believe in,” she was heard telling ABC15 journalist Ben Brown

The ASU senior continued, “And, you know, I have family coming in who I have to let them not come to my graduation ceremonies. I mean, I’m a 2020 high school grad, so I wasn’t able to walk then. And so, you know, here it is. I’m not able to walk now.”

Breanna Brocker was heard saying, “So much harm has been done to all of those people already. I am safe, I am fine. I may not [walk at graduation] and that might harm future job prospects and stuff like that, but I’m not in physical danger.”

Brocker, who was suspended last week, however, claimed that her graduation would be taken care of and that she would be able to get a degree. She vowed to continue protesting for the cause of Palestine.

“I was doing what I believed was right and I still believe it to be right. I would stand up for the cause again, even if it means something negative for me,” the ASU student added.

Reportedly, more than 70 ASU were arrested recently for trespassing during a Pro-Palestine protest. On Friday (3rd May), a US district judge denied a motion to lift the suspension of 20 ASU students including Breanna Brocker.

Supreme Court denies interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in liquor policy scam case

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court denies interim bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal in liquor policy scam case

On Tuesday (7th May), the Supreme Court of India denied interim bail to incumbent Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in connection to the liquor policy scam case.

The matter was heard by a 2-bench Judge of Justices Sanjiv Khanna and Dipankar Datta. The apex court had initially raised apprehensions about Kejriwal resuming official duties if granted interim bail, adding that it may have a cascading effect on democracy.

The Delhi Chief Minister was arrested on 21st March this year after having skipped 9 summons from the Enforcement Directorate (ED). He is being held at the Tihar jail at the moment.

Notably, the Aam Aadmi Party has announced that the Chief Minister will continue to lead the government from prison and wouldn’t resign from office.

Kejriwal has not been granted any relief by the Delhi High Court or the Supreme Court since his arrest in March this year.

Delhi Excise Policy Scam

In November 2021, the AAP-led Delhi Government introduced the Delhi Excise Policy replacing the old excise policy claiming it would benefit Delhi. However, in July 2022, Delhi Chief Secretary Naresh Kumar submitted a report to LG VK Saxena pointing out that there were alleged procedural lapses in the formulation of the Delhi excise policy 2021-22. In the same month, the policy was scrapped.

In his report, Kumar pointed out that Sisodia’s decisions taken in regards to the policy were arbitrary and unilateral leading to financial losses to the exchequer estimated at over Rs 580 crore.

Central Bureau of Investigation initiated a probe into the matter. Later, ED also initiated a separate case. Manish Sisodia and others were arrested in the matter. In March 2024, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal was arrested by ED after he failed to appear in eight consecutive summons by the investigating agencies.

Kejriwal tried escaping the ED summons via court but the court rejected his plea and said he had to appear before the ED. Since then, his custody has been extended multiple times. Currently, AAP is using Kejriwal’s stint in Tihar as a political campaign hoping they would get some votes because a “sitting chief minister” has been jailed.

Hindu husband’s throat slit, nine-month-pregnant wife stabbed to death: Shafique sentenced to life imprisonment for killing sister who converted to Hinduism, her husband

OpIndia Staff
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Hindu husband’s throat slit, nine-month-pregnant wife stabbed to death: Shafique sentenced to life imprisonment for killing sister who converted to Hinduism, her husband

A bloodcurdling incident from 2016 has come to the fore from Maharashtra’s Thane after the sessions court handed down a life sentence to a man named Shafique Mansuri for killing his pregnant sister, who had converted to Hinduism to marry a Hindu man, in an “honour killing” case. The woman’s husband, Vijay Shankar, was murdered by the accused.

Mansuri, employed at a Jari factory in Mumbai, was also fined a total of Rs. 1,10,000 by Additional Sessions Judge DS Deshmukh.

Convicted under Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for murder, Mansuri’s victims were identified as Vijayshankar Yadav, 30, and his wife Priya Yadav, 22. Priya, who had converted from Muslim to Hinduism to marry Vijay Shankar, resided in Mumbai’s Shil-Phata locality and was expecting at the time of their deaths.

The couple had eloped from their Uttar Pradesh village to settle in Thane, facing opposition from Priya’s family. Despite the police confirming their marital status and allowing them to continue living together, Priya’s family remained staunchly against the union.

Suspicions arose in the Uttar Pradesh village regarding Mansuri’s involvement in facilitating the couple’s marriage. These accusations reportedly troubled Mansuri deeply. When Priya mentioned plans to visit their village, fearing reprisal from villagers, Mansuri allegedly devised a plan.

Moving in with the couple, Mansuri purportedly intoxicated Vijay Shankar heavily on the day of the murders. He then fatally stabbed both victims before fleeing, securing the door from outside.

On September 15, 2016, neighbours noticed a foul odour emanating from the locked room, prompting police intervention. Upon forced entry, the decomposed bodies of the couple, with multiple stab wounds, were discovered. Notably, Priya’s unborn baby girl’s legs protruded from her abdomen due to stab wounds inflicted by Mansuri.

Prosecutor Sandhya Mhatre highlighted the prosecution’s reliance on circumstantial evidence, including testimony from a neighbour who observed Mansuri’s residency with the couple after Priya mentioned her brother’s visit. Additionally, the murder weapon, a knife, was identified by a shopkeeper who sold it to Mansuri, with the shop’s markings present on the weapon. Bloodstains on Mansuri’s attire and keys were found to match the victims’ blood, further substantiating the case against him.

Firing outside Salman Khan’s residence: Lawrence Bishnoi gang member arrested for paying shooters

OpIndia Staff
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Firing outside Salman Khan’s residence: Lawrence Bishnoi gang member arrested for paying shooters

A member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang from Rajasthan has been apprehended by the Mumbai crime branch for purportedly offering financial assistance to the shooters involved in the gunfire incident outside Bollywood superstar Salman Khan’s residence. Identified as Mohammed Rafique Chowdhary (37), he marks the fifth arrest related to the incident.

On April 14, two assailants on motorcycles fired shots outside Khan’s residence at Galaxy Apartment in Mumbai’s Bandra area before fleeing. Chowdhary’s involvement surfaced during the interrogation of previously detained individuals. Reportedly associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, he maintained direct communication with the alleged shooters, Sagar Pal and Vicky Gupta.

Chowdhary is accused of facilitating Pal and Gupta by providing financial aid for purchasing a motorcycle and renting a dwelling. Additionally, he conducted reconnaissance around Khan’s residence on multiple occasions. Preceding the shooting, Chowdhary stayed with Pal and Gupta in Panvel, Navi Mumbai, offering logistical support throughout the conspiracy.

Upon receiving specific intelligence regarding Chowdhary’s location, a team from the crime branch was dispatched to Rajasthan, where he was apprehended in Nagaur district. The Mumbai police have thus far detained five individuals in connection with the gunfire incident. Anuj Thapan, one of the detainees accused of supplying firearms to the shooters, reportedly committed suicide in police custody on May 1.

Lawrence Bishnoi, currently incarcerated at Sabarmati Central Prison in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, along with his younger brother Anmol Bishnoi, believed to be residing in the United States or Canada, have been implicated in the shooting case.

‘Ram Mandir is useless, its map is not right’: SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Yogi responds saying Congress and SP are anti-Hindu

OpIndia Staff
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‘Ram Mandir is useless, its map is not right’: SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav on Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Yogi responds saying Congress and SP are anti-Hindu

Senior Samajwadi Party leader and party’s National Secretary General Ram Gopal Yadav stroked a fresh controversy after he made a controversial remark on Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir. Responding to a reporter’s query, the SP leader said that Ram Mandir is “useless”. Reacting to his remarks, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath hit back at the SP leader and charged SP and Congress as ‘anti-Hindu’ and ‘anti-Ram’. He asserted that the I.N.D.I. alliance leaders were the ones who denied the existence of Lord Ram. 

Notably, the third phase of voting is currently underway across the country and the Samajwadi Party leader interacted with reporters in the Mainpuri Lok Sabha constituency. He made the controversial remark while responding to a query about ‘why did the I.N.D.I. alliance leaders not visit the Ram Mandir’. 

He replied, “That Mandir is useless. Mandirs are not built like this. From North to South, see how the old mandirs are built. The map of Ram Mandir is not made properly. It has not been built properly as per Vaastu.”   

Launching a scathing attack on the senior SP leader, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath charged I.N.D.I. alliance partners of being anti-Hindu and anti-Ram. He highlighted the firing incidents on Kar sevaks and asserted that these are the people who play with the faith of the Indians for vote bank politics. 

UP CM Yogi said, “Be it Samajwadi Party or Congress, the character of both of them is anti-Hindu and anti-Ram. These are the same people who opened fire on Ram devotees and who deny the existence of Lord Ram. So to expect from them that they can respect the faith of India and respect the national heroes of India is meaningless. The statement of Ram Gopal Yadav shows the reality of the INDI alliance, Samajwadi Party and Congress. And this shows that these people are playing with the faith of India for vote bank…”

Voters will decide the fate of candidates on 93 Lok Sabha seats across 12 states and union territories in the third phase of the general election on Tuesday (7th May). 

The regions conducting polling in this phase include Assam (4), Bihar (5), Chhattisgarh (7), Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (2), Goa (2), Gujarat (25), Karnataka (14), Maharashtra (11), Madhya Pradesh (8), Uttar Pradesh (10), and West Bengal (4).

In Uttar Pradesh, voting is underway for 10 Lok Sabha seats: Sambhal, Hathras, Mainpuri, Agra (SC), Fatehpur Sikri, Firozabad, Etah, Budaun, Aonla, and Bareilly.

EVMs are not hacked, narrative around EVMs is: Read why Indian EVMs are totally safe, and how opposition peddles falsehood of hacking to explain electoral losses

Gaurav Goel
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EVMs are not hacked, narrative around EVMs is: Read why Indian EVMs are totally safe, and how opposition peddles falsehood of hacking to explain electoral losses

In one of the famous parables, “The Sky is Falling”, a chicken mistakes the thud of a falling acorn to be the ominous sound of falling sky. The clever fox immediately sees it as an opportunity and helps whip up public hysteria and happily devours a few scared animals that had sought shelter in his den. You are not alone if you see an uncanny resemblance between the story and the fear mongering created primarily by usual leftist suspects and luddites regarding EVMs. Charlatans, alarmists and scaremongers often have one thing in common; they thrive on the public’s inability to sift through information and propaganda.

Therefore it is extremely crucial to put complete information in the public domain to help voters make up their minds on the authenticity of allegations leveled against EVMs whenever opposition parties lose an election.

History of EVMs in India

The idea of using EVMs for elections in India is not new and is almost 50 years old. EVMs were conceived in India during Janata Party rule between 1977-79. They were piloted during Indira Gandhi’s tenure at an election in Parur assembly constituency in Kerala on 19th May 1982 under an initiative taken by the Election Commission of India. Indira Gandhi’s government was against it and it led to a case in the Supreme Court. The court gave a resounding judgement in favour of ECI and even asked the government to bring in a legislative act to enable widespread use of EVMs.

A few years later, Rajiv Gandhi government amended Representation of the People Act 1951 adding Section 61A in December 1988 empowering the ECI to use EVMs for general elections. The amendment came into force on 15th March, 1989. Congress supporters often applaud PM Rajiv Gandhi for bringing computers to India. I wonder then why they don’t celebrate the introduction of EVMs by his government. The first parliamentary election that was conducted using EVMs was in 2004 which the incumbent BJP government lost unexpectedly. If the EVMs were rigged, then the Vajpayee government surely did a very poor job of rigging them.

In case you are tempted to believe that the older EVMs were safe and the newer ones hackable, I would like to stop your train of thought right there. EVMs used in India have gone through three generations of design changes: M1 EVMs (from 2001 to 2006), M2 EVMs (2006 to 2013) and M3 EVMs (from 2013 onwards). M3 EVMs were conceived by state owned BEL (Bharat Electronics Limited) during the tenure of PM Manmohan Singh in 2013. If there is a flaw in the design of M3 EVMs then that brings the role of UPA 2 government into question. Of course I don’t need to mention that Congress and other opposition parties like AAP, TMC , LDF have won multiple elections using the same EVMs, making the allegations against EVMs a little like Schroedinger’s cat – hackable and non hackable at the same time. Unsurprisingly, the opposition never questions EVMs after any resounding electoral victory.

How the simplicity behind EVM design makes it safe from hackers

Our country is prone to hacking like how the anti corruption movement in 2011 was hijacked by Arvind Kerjriwal. We have seen sophisticated attempts from Money Heist to Jamtara in pop culture. So it is natural that some people have healthy skepticism regarding anything electronic/ digital. The genius of EVMs lies in its simplicity. The “micro-processor” chips used in laptops and phones allow you to download any new program/app and use the gadget for any purpose – from trolling people on social media to listening to music to doing anything productive. These are powerful chips made using the most advanced semiconductor manufacturing processes. They run at incredibly fast speed and come with an ecosystem to store large programs and data files.

On the other hand, “embedded” devices like refrigerators, A/Cs, water purifiers, washing machines contain “micro-controller” chips that run a fixed program. Most of these chips don’t need to use the most cutting edge semiconductor manufacturing technology either. Microprocessor chips are produced by the likes of Intel, AMD and Qualcomm while micro-controller chips are made by an entirely different set of companies like NXP, Microchip etc. What sets these two sets of chips apart is the type of memory used. Some memories like RAM (Random Access Memory) are volatile in nature (they lose their content when switched off), while others like Flash (think of your pen drive) don’t lose content when powered off.

Microprocessors use a variety of volatile and non volatile memories since they need to allow users to download new programs. On the other hand, micro-controllers such as those used in our EVMs rely on ROM (read only memory) that can be programmed just once. These are also called OTP (One Time Programmable) memories. They are programmed by blowing up tiny micro fuses inside these ROM chips by passing a high current. It is an irreversible physical process. Long story short, once you program these chips for a particular program, it cannot be undone. Not to mention that these chips typically contain small memory and hence can only execute basic functionalities like counting votes.

The way EVMs are programmed make them totally immune to hacking

Since India doesn’t have meaningful semiconductor manufacturing right now, these micro-controller chips are imported from foreign companies, mainly from the US and Japan. Can rogue agents hack these chips before they are deployed? Well firstly, BEL doesn’t use any customised “chip”, it uses standard off the shelf micro-controller chips sourced from multiple vendors. Secondly, the source code (or the program) that is “fused/burnt” inside OTP memory of these chips is written by BEL engineers. This program is the same for all the EVMs used across India and EVMs themselves are randomised and used across different booths and constituencies. This “ROM” code is given as a binary file to device makers to burn it in the OTP memory. BEL then verifies the integrity of the burnt source code by using a special error checking code called “checksum/CRC” that catches both manufacturing defects as well as malicious attempts.

EVM machines have no access to the outside world.They don’t contain electronic circuits for connecting to WI-FI, bluetooth or even radio frequency devices. So how would you hack the EVMs? The only wired access that the Ballot Unit of EVMs has is with the Control Unit manned by the officer on duty. It can only inhibit the EVM from recording the vote till the voter is ready (remember the green and red lights seen on EVM panel?). In case you are tempted to think that a rogue/ corrupt presiding officer can suppress votes from getting recorded, you need to be reminded of the VVPAT unit of EVMs. Once a voter casts a vote, VVPAT prints a tiny slip of paper using the thermal paper confirming his choice.

As mentioned earlier, EVMs use the same program in all booths and constituencies. So even if I manage to slip in malicious source code inside EVM how would it always favour party “X”. The candidates are listed based on alphabetic order on the EVM panel. Party “X”’s candidates can be at number 4 in one constituency as against say number 8 in another one. It is not possible to make the malicious source code consistently benefit one party. Secondly, even if this was somehow made possible, election commission officers conduct a mock poll on the day of polling in front of representatives of all parties in every booth. Only when all party representatives are satisfied and sign the paper, the presiding officer resets the machine and seals the “reset” button. At the end of the poll, in front of all party representatives , machines are again sealed before being transported. These human measures complement the technical checks that are part of EVMs.

EVMs are safe, rest is just propaganda

Given the vast set of checks and balances built into the system, you can safely conclude that elections using EVMs cannot be rigged in India. Is our system perfect? No. It is not. The most glaring loophole is that EVMs can only accommodate 16 candidates per panel and only 4 EVM machines can be put in series to accommodate a maximum of 64 candidates. In case there are more than 64 candidates, ECI is forced to use ballot votes. Has that been exploited by political parties? Yes. In 2019, there were 185 candidates in fray in Nizamabad constituency forcing ECI to use ballot papers. If there is such a simple way to enforce use of ballot papers why don’t the opposition parties put up dummy candidates? The reason is that they know EVMs are not hacked, voters are exercising newer options. Merely using ballot papers will not guarantee their return to power. It is just propaganda to create doubts in the minds of external / global agencies on the authenticity of elections.

Many migrant workers are not able to participate in the voting process due to travel involved. ECI had proposed a new EVM called RVM (Remote Voting Machine) to enable this process. However Congress and 15 other parties have opposed this proposal despite a convincing demonstration of RVM by ECI.

Did the Fox in the parable of “The Sky of Falling” want its victims to know that the sky is not falling ? Of course not. EVMs are not getting hacked. Only the political discourse around EVM hacking is truly hacked. Go out and vote fearlessly, the sky is not falling.

Saharanpur: Shaqib poses as Sagar to befriend a Hindu girl, assaults and attempts to rape her with his associates after being exposed

OpIndia Staff
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Saharanpur: Shaqib poses as Sagar to befriend a Hindu girl, assaults and attempts to rape her with his associates after being exposed

A new case of Love Jihad has surfaced from the Saharanpur district of Uttar Pradesh, where a Hindu girl was trapped in a ‘love affair’ by accused Mohammed Shaqib, who posed as a Hindu individual. Shaib identified himself as Sagar and befriended a 17-year-old Hindu girl, developing their friendship further into a relationship.

As per the videos that are making rounds on social media, the accused then assaulted the girl along with four of his associates and also threatened to kill her. The police are said to have taken cognizance of the incident and filed a police complaint.

The video of the minor victim girl is making rounds on social media in which she is heard saying that she had stopped talking to the accused after she came to know about his original identity.

“At the beginning, he introduced himself to me as Sagar. We soon began talking over the phone and began coming close emotionally. Later I discovered that he belonged to another religion after which I stopped talking to him,” the girl said.

She added that the accused then threatened her to talk to her. On refusal, he barged into her home one day and abused her. He along with four of his associates assaulted the girl and also attempted to rape her. However, as per the girl, she escaped from the spot and shouted for help.

“Shaqib and his friends then fled from the spot on seeing people approaching to help me. Meanwhile, I escaped to my neighbour’s place for help. But the boys discovered that I was there. Later, they found me and continued to assault me,” she added.

The victim further stated that the accused also used to threaten her and say that he would kill her if she stopped talking to him. He also reportedly had some derogatory pictures of the girl, which he would use to blackmail her.

The mother of the victim also meanwhile talked to the media and confirmed the incident, saying that the accused barged into her house and harassed her daughter when she was not at home. “I returned home from work to see my daughter sitting at my neighbour’s house. On asking, she told me about the incident. Our house was messed up, and my daughter was also in pain. We came to the police for help but the authorities initially did not cooperate. However, now a police complaint has been filed in the case,” the mother said.

As per the video reports, the accused also used to threaten the girl, saying that he would kill her and her parents if all his sexual desires remained unfulfilled. The police complaint in this case has been filed. Further investigations are underway.

OpIndia tried to call the police to obtain further details, but the calls remained unanswered. The report will be updated once further information is obtained.

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