Home Blog Page 125

USCIRF, led by Pakistani Islamists, seeks sanctions on RSS and RAW: Here is how their report makes false claims and peddles the Islamo-Leftist agenda

Shraddha Pandey
-
0
USCIRF, led by Pakistani Islamists, seeks sanctions on RSS and RAW: Here is how their report makes false claims and peddles the Islamo-Leftist agenda

It has become ritualistic for the United States to sermonise, concoct sinister narratives, and meddle in the internal affairs of partners and adversaries alike. This practice has continued regardless of which political party holds power in the US. In its latest instalment of anti-India propaganda, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has published its annual report for the year 2026, wherein it recommended that the US government impose sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and the Research and Analysis Wing (RA&W).

In the report, the USCIRF continues to advocate for designating India as a “Country of Particular Concern”, over what it calls “engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations.”

The USCIRF report peddles the same old ‘Hindu nationalists targeting Muslim and Christian minorities’ bogey to argue that somehow religious freedom conditions in India worsened in 2025. To back its claims, the report cherry-picked incidents of violence, arrests, and demolition drives that allegedly affected Muslims and Christians.

Furthermore, the USCIRF cried hoarse over what it claims the Modi government’s usage of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), and National Register of Citizens (NRC) to “target minorities”.

‘Islamophobia’ after Pahalgam Islamic terror attack is a bigger concern for USCIRF than killing of Hindus for being Hindus

Making its anti-Hindu mindset clear at the very onset of the report, the USCIRF not only villainised Hindus by cherrypicking incidents of violence, while completely neglecting Muslim mob violence, but also insinuated that Hindus being shot dead by Muslims for being Hindus, is not as big a problem as subsequent ‘Islamophobia’.

“In April, three gunmen attacked a group of predominantly Hindu tourists in the Muslim-majority territory of Kashmir, killing 26 people. The perpetrators reportedly asked the victims to recite the Kalma, an Islamic verse, and killed those who were unable to do so. The attack sparked a five-day conflict between India and Pakistan and intensified anti-Muslim sentiment in India, including targeted attacks,” the USCIRF report reads.

In April 2025, 26 people, mostly Hindu men, were singled out by Pakistani Islamic terrorists linked to LeT offshoot The Resistance Front (TRF), checked for circumcision and asked to recite Kalma, to confirm their religious identity before shooting them dead. Hindus were targeted and killed for not being Muslims, and yet, the USCIRF is more concerned about a natural reactionary disdain for Islamists, indicating that the Commission is an Islamic terror apologist that shields Jihadis and their unarmed sympathisers.  

The USCIRF also expressed dismay over the Modi government’s crackdown on Bangladeshi and Rohingya infiltrators and went on to suggest that those expelled in ‘inhumane’ fashion were often Bengali-speaking Indian citizens. The report, of course, provided no credible source to back its claim. No wonder the report made no mention of how these illegal infiltrators use illegal means to enter India, obtain fake documents, indulge in criminal activities, and systematically alter the religious demography of strategically picked locations, particularly, tribal areas.

USCIRF claims the Centre’s Waqf Bill was a tool to “target” Muslim houses of worship to “bring them under state control”

In May 2025, the Modi government passed the Waqf Amendment Bill, which aimed to overhaul the management of Waqf properties across India. The USCIRF dubbed the legislation democratically passed by an elected government as an attempt to “target houses of worship to bring them under state control.” The USCIRF mentioned the death of three people during the anti-Waqf ‘protests’ in West Bengal last year.

While framing the incident as ‘targeting of Muslims’, the report did not mention that among the three killed were 70-year-old Hargobind Das and his son Chandan Das (40), who were hacked to death at Dhulian in Shamsherganj by a Muslim mob. In December 2025, 13 Muslim men were convicted for the brutal killing of the Hindu father-son duo. Withholding the names of the Hindu victims of the Muslim mob protesting against the Waqf Bill only shows that the USCIRF has no qualms in using Hindus killed by Muslim mobs as numbers to push an idea of false Muslim victimhood and vilify Hindus.

The USCIRF tried to paint Muslims and Waqf Boards as victims of a Hindu nationalist government, while making no mention of the fact that Waqf Boards in India are the third-largest landowners, despite allegedly perpetually oppressed, suppressed, repressed and whatnot. The Waqf Boards have also been involved in corruption, scams, and illegal land grabbing.

In addition to corruption within Waqf Boards, the unchecked powers handed to them by the Congress government in 1995 have also emboldened Waqf Boards to arbitrarily claim ownership of lands, houses, villages, colleges and nearly anything under the sun. The Waqf Bill intended to end this menace. The bill also discontinued the draconian Section 40 of the Waqf Act 1995, which allowed the Waqf Board to claim properties overnight, including Hindu villages, temples, etc. Yet the USCIRF framed the inclusion of non-Muslims on Waqf Boards as unfair, even as Waqf Boards and properties are not religious institutions.

It is pertinent to recall the case of the Hindu-majority Thiruchenthurai village near Trichy, Tamil Nadu, which has been designated as a waqf property by the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board. The Tamil Nadu Waqf Board also claimed ownership of 7 such Hindu villages in the state. The villagers alleged that the Waqf Board had also claimed that the 1500-year-old Sundareswarar Temple belongs to them.

From Gurudwara in Haryana, Surat Municipal Corporation headquarters in Gujarat, Taj Mahal and Kashi Vishwanath Mandir in Uttar Pradesh, two islands in Gujarat’s Bet Dwarka to Andhra Pradesh Waqf Board’s claim on 1,654.32 acres of Manikonda village, the list is endless and so is the menace of Waqf Board’s land-grabbing game, which neither the Indian ‘religious freedom’ advocates nor the USCIRF dares to talk about, since doing so does not align with their anti-Hindu agenda.

While the USCIRF lamented Arunachal Pradesh’s push for the implementation of the “decades-dormant” anti-conversion law, it did not care to delve into what necessitated the revival of this “dormant” law.

The USCIRF also dubbed the Uttarakhand State Authority for Minority Education (USAME) Act as somehow a step towards curbing the religious freedom of ‘minorities, even as the report itself states that the Act “dissolves the Madrasa Board and brings madrasas and other educational institutions for Sikhs, Buddhists, Jains, Parsis, and Christians under state control.” The question of targeting any particular community would have arisen if only madarsas or Christian educational institutions were targeted.

Anti-conversion laws: USCIRF continues to term laws protecting people from coercive and fraudulent religious conversion as prohibition of voluntary change in faith

The USCIRF report dedicated a portion to condemning the enforcement of religious freedom-related laws in various Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) ruled states.

“Additionally, 12 out of 28 states maintain anti-conversion laws. In 2025, several state governments strengthened or introduced new laws to include harsher penalties and broader definitions of “religious conversion.” In March, Arunachal Pradesh began pushing for the implementation of a decades-dormant anti-conversion law. This was met with widespread protests by hundreds of thousands of Christians,” the report reads.

Arunachal Pradesh is home to various indigenous tribes and religions like Donyi Polo, Hinduism, Mahayana and Theravada Buddhism. In October 2025, thousands of people from 27 districts, 26 major tribes, and 100 sub-tribes took to the streets to demand a strict implementation of a 46-year-old anti-conversion law,  Arunachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act  (APFRA), 1978.

The demand stemmed from rapidly shifting religious demographics in the state and the erosion of native faiths and cultures. OpIndia reported earlier how there has been a significant increase in the Christian population and conversion activities in the state over the years. The Christian population in Arunachal Pradesh went up from 0.79% in the 1971 Census to 30.26% in the 2011 Census. The share of the Hindu population in 1971 was 22%, and in 2011 it was 29.04%. The Buddhist population in the 1971 census comprised around 13%, but in 2011, the share dwindled to 11.77%. Meanwhile, Muslims have gone from 0.18% in 1971 to 1.95% in the 2011 census.

It is obvious that those with the agenda of altering the religious demographics of Arunachal Pradesh would rise in opposition to the implementation of a law that would essentially curb, if not put a stop to, their conversion activities. This does not mean the state government is attacking the religious freedom of Christians, but only attempting to bar the unlawful exploitation of the freedom accorded to them.

In Uttarakhand as well, the need to impose strict anti-conversion laws arose from the deliberate attempts at changing the religious demography of the state through forceful or fraudulent conversion of poor and vulnerable Hindus to Islam or Christianity. In 2024, the Uttarakhand Uniform Civil Code panel report made alarming revelations about how the population of Muslims and Christians in the state have expanded by more than twice as much as that of Hindus and Sikhs. These dynamics pertaining to religious demography are not always organic and illegal conversion activities are significant contributors to it.

Local Hindu organisations have consistently raised alarms that the population of Muslims has witnessed a sudden increase in some hill districts like Dehradun, Haridwar, Nainital, Pauri Garhwal and Tehri Garhwal. In recent years, there were communal tensions in some hilly areas like Purola town of Uttarkashi, Dharchula and the Nandanagar area of ​​Chamoli.

Moving ahead, the USCIRF further mentioned announcements by the BJP governments in Assam, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra to strengthen anti-conversion laws and impose stricter jail terms and fiscal penalties on those involved in forced and/or fraudulent religious conversions.

“In July, Maharashtra state announced plans to introduce in December a tougher law to prevent religious conversions. Similarly, Chhattisgarh state announced in October that a proposed new anti-conversion law would target faith healing meetings,” the report claims.

The USCIRF report does not shed light on what happens in the “faith healing meetings” it wants the American government to believe are simple prayer meetings meant for Christians. These Changai Sabhas often feature missionaries and Pentecostal pastors who claim to possess miraculous healing powers so much so that they boast of curing critical illnesses like cancer, paralysis, and even raising the dead.

While the USCIRF may not want to see the obvious, the issue of Christian pastors using ridiculous tactics that create a façade of magical healing in the minds of gullible people who ultimately fall victim to these theatrics and convert to Christianity is a serious threat to India’s demography and religious balance. Many Christian missionaries and fraudulent pastors rely on a blend of spectacle, emotional manipulation, and exploitation of the desperation and vulnerabilities of common people.

The purpose of these ‘Changai Sabhas’ has been to target vulnerable people poor, sick, desperate and disillusioned people promising them instant relief where medicine or resources fail. The idea is to subtly push conversion to Christianity as the path to ‘salvation’ and relief from all worldly problems. All this is done to harvest souls for Christianity, just as ‘Mother’ Teresa used to do. These pastors and missionaries are often foreign-funded, involved in unlawful activities, and involved in disparaging Hindu religious beliefs.

From the Ghaziabad conversion racket, the Meerut Changai Sabha racket of 2022, the 2024 Bharatpur Christian conversion racket, to countless cases of love jihad and Islamic conversion rackets like those operated by Chhangur Baba, Hindus and other non-Christian and non-Muslim communities are facing two-sided attacks on their religious freedom, but the USCIRF does not consider the Hindu community significant enough have document their plight.

It is not a hidden secret that Christian missionaries and Islamists have, over the years, turned tribal areas in Assam, Chhattisgarh, and the non-BJP-ruled Jharkhand into battlegrounds of religious conversions and demographic dominance. While Christian missionaries use financial inducements, miraculous healings, brainwashing, promises of jobs, education and medical treatments, and other such tactics to lure tribals and Hindus into the fold of Christianity, Islamists, both local and Bangladeshi infiltrators, employ Love Jihad and land-grabbing tactics to expand dominance.

Islamists often lure tribal women for marriage in tribal areas to exploit local land-related laws like the Chota Nagpur Tenancy Act (CNT Act and the Santhal Parganas Tenancy (SPT) Act in Jharkhand.

Interestingly, this pattern of using a foothold to seize control and execute nefarious agendas is not confined to Islamists alone. Many Christian missionaries, out with the mission of luring non-Christians to Christianity using myriad tactics, also do the same. In February 2025, it was reported in Gomti Nagar Extension area of Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, that local Hindus staged a protest against Christian prayer meetings in a residential house in Chhota Bharwara, after it was found to be operated as an unregistered church. This illegal house-turned-church was hosting up to 200 people weekly, and conversion activities were taking place there. The Christian missionaries were found to be purchasing properties in the area at inflated rates to establish influence and create a Christian-dominated locality. It was reported that if the Hindus refused to convert, the Christian missionaries put pressure on the locals to sell their houses.

The local Hindus were being instigated to convert to Christianity. The house in question was a church-like structure with no explicit religious symbols.

In many tribal areas. Christian missionaries have earlier been reported to have encroached on Hindu temple lands in Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Be it Muslim immigrants or Christian missionaries, outsiders infiltrate tribal areas, establish residence, and engage in conversion activities to alter local demography, often beginning with innocuous prayer meetings or gatherings or benign private worship, but eventually resulting in land grabs, encroachments, and even religious conversion attempts.

The USCIRF also mentioned the Modi government’s denial of visa to American evangelist Franklin Graham, inadvertently explaining the reason behind apparent disdain for Hindus and limerence for Christian missionaries and Islamists.

In November 2025, Franklin Graham from the United States, who was scheduled to visit Kohima in Nagaland on 30th November for a Christian event, was denied a visa. As reported earlier, Graham’s organisation, Samaritan’s Purse, has been involved in conversion-oriented activities in the country, using aid, food distribution, and other material assistance as a tool for evangelism. In 2010, during an interview with USA Today, Franklin Graham had mocked Hinduism for its many manifestations of God and said “No elephant with 100 arms can do anything for me. None of their 9,000 gods is going to lead me to salvation. Graham even used the Covid pandemic as a tool for his sinister agenda of Christian conversion in India.

USCIRF calls love jihad a ‘derogatory’ term for religious conversions in interfaith marriages, and links denial of visa to American Christian evangelist, Franklin Graham to restriction of religious freedom

Dishonest to its own stated objective of documenting the status of religious freedom in various countries, the USCIRF does not care to document the deliberate attempts at eradicating the religious freedom of Hindus in India.

This dishonesty is reflected in the tone and deliberate downplaying of real issues as conspiracy theories. Take love jihad for example. Regardless of the Islamo-leftist propaganda that love jihad is a BJP-peddled hoax or conspiracy theory, it is established through countless cases reported every year wherein Muslim men feign love to trap Hindu, Sikh, and in several cases, Christian girls to sexually exploit them, and eventually force them into conversion to Islam and Nikah.

Yet, the USCIRF report calls love jihad a “derogatory term for conversions occurring in the context of interfaith marriages.” The USCIRF expressed no overt discomfort over interfaith marriages requiring religious conversion, almost always of the Hindu partner, let alone differentiating between legal interfaith marriages and fraudulent, predatory, and unlawful abuse and conversions via love jihad.

Unsurprisingly, the USCIRF also dubs the strict enforcement of anti-cow slaughter rules as the BJP’s restriction on religious freedom of ‘minorities’, even if it comes at the expense of the religious sentiments of the Hindu majority.

The USCIRF’s criticism of cow protection laws reflects a deliberate unwillingness to acknowledge religious-cultural context. The cow holds both civilisational and constitutional significance in India, with the Constitution’s Directive Principles calling for its protection. Akin to how Western societies regulate or forbid the consumption of culturally sensitive animals, whether horses, dogs, or whales, India’s cow protection laws are a reflection of long-standing societal ethos. However, the USCIRF’s ideological lens does not permit such nuance. The USCIRF, driven by its own anti-Hindu agenda, mechanically classifies the cow protection laws as expressions of Hindu majoritarian oppression, revealing more about its cultural incomprehension than about India.

USCIRF passes off arrest of Christian missionaries, Islamist rioters and anti-India elements as ‘imprisonment of religious minorities’

In the “Imprisonment of Religious Minorities” section, the USCIRF cited the October 2025 arrest of James Watson (58), an American citizen currently staying in Thane’s Hiranandani Estate; and Manoj Govind Kolha (35), who lives in Bhuishet, Chimbipada, for converting people to Christianity, to argue that religious minorities are imprisoned in India for practising their religion.

Despite mentioning that the accused persons were charged with “hurting religious sentiment” and for violating the state’s anti-black magic law, luring individuals to convert by promising “miracle cures” and prosperity, the USCIRF dubbed it a case of religious persecution as if these people were arrested for simply being Christians and not for the illegal activities they indulged in. Apparently, using fraudulent tactics to lure Hindus into Christianity is not even problematic for the USCIRF, let alone being unlawful.

Predictably, the USCIRF continues to cry for Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and other Islamists involved in the 2020 anti-CAA protests and the anti-Hindu Delhi riots.

Contrary to the false narrative amplified by the USCIRF, Umar Khalid, OpIndia has reported earlier that out of the 14 adjournments in 2023 and 2024, 7 delays and adjournments were sought by Umar Khalid himself. It therefore becomes evident that the withdrawal was certainly not because of the famed “delay” in hearing. While the Islamo-leftist ecosystem continues to cry ‘injustice’, it is the alleged failed forum shopping attempts of the accused’s lawyer that have Khalid rotting in jail for so long.

Former Chief Justice of India, DY Chandrachud, had also said earlier this year that the real problem lies in the mindset of some lawyers and political groups who want their cases heard only by certain judges. Highlighting what OpIndia has reported multiple times, the former CJI said that court records showed that Khalid’s legal team, led by Sibal, had sought at least seven adjournments before finally withdrawing the bail plea in February 2024, citing “a change in circumstances.”

The USCIRF also extended support to Ali Khan Mahmudabad, a professor at Haryana’s Ashoka University, and said, “In May, authorities arrested a Muslim university professor, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (India’s Criminal Code) for his comments on social media about Kashmir and subsequent attacks against Muslims in India.”

Contrary to what the USCIRF claimed, Mahmudabad was arrested for making derogatory remarks against women officers in the armed forces and for promoting communal disharmony. Later, the Supreme Court granted him bail but did not halt the investigation. It ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to continue the probe.

Furthermore, the USCIRF framed the arrest of murder accused Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, as the Modi government’s imprisonment of religious minorities. Jagtar Singh Johal, alias Jaggi, is a British resident from Glasgow, Scotland. In 2017, he was visiting India to attend a wedding. During his stay, the Punjab Police arrested him as a suspect in several cases. He was arrested based on the statement of one Taljit Singh Jimmy. He had confessed to his involvement in several crimes during interrogation. However, his supporters claim that the investigation agencies ‘forced’ a confession out of him using third-degree torture during interrogation. Johal was behind the outfit ‘Never Forget 84’.

Jaggi is reported to be a staunch Khalistani supporter. He is facing several murder and attempted murder cases. According to National Investigation Agency’s charge sheets, he has been named in the murder cases of Hindu Takht leader Amit Sharma, RSS leader Brig. (Retd.) Jagdish Kumar Gagneja, RSS leader Ravinder Gosain, Shiv Sena leader Durga Dass Gupta, Pastor Sultan Masih, and Dera Sacha Sauda followers Satpal Sharma and his son Ramesh Sharma. Jaggi was also accused of paying Rs. 27 lakh to the Khalistan Liberation Force (KLF) chief Harminder Singh Mintoo (deceased) in France in 2013 to assassinate RSS leader Ravinder Gosain. His name also appeared in the attempt to murder Shiv Sena activist Amit Arora and firing at RSS Shakha in Kidwai Nagar in Ludhiana in 2016.

However, merely because the court acquitted Johal in one out of the nine criminal cases he faces, the USCIRF deemed it a case of oppression of religious minorities by the ‘Hindu nationalist’ Modi government.

Sanction RSS, allow in-country assessments, link bilateral ties with religious freedom in India, and pass Transnational Repression Act: USCIRF recommendations to the US government is seeped in entitlement and delusion rooted in outright lies and propaganda

The recommendations part of the USCIRF report on religious freedom in India is not particularly very refreshing. Rather, it is the same old agenda offered with a slightly blunter rhetoric. The Commission urged the US government to “designate India as a ‘country of particular concern,” or CPC, for engaging in and tolerating systematic, ongoing, and egregious religious freedom violations, as defined by the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA).” The Commission had made similar recommendations in its report last year.

Lost in its own sense of entitlement, the USCIRF asked the US government to “press India to allow government entities such as USCIRF and the U.S. Department of State to conduct in-country assessments of religious freedom conditions.”

The Commission, however, failed to explain what locus standi it has to even think they can conduct any assessment of religious freedom in a foreign country, that too, the world’s largest democracy, India. The US needs to come out of the mindset of assumed superiority and self-imposed imperative to sermonise and teach foreign governments how to run their countries and ensure religious freedom. If the US thinks it wants to export its suicidal empathy for Islamists who kill Jews on American soil for sport, to India in the name of religious freedom, India would simply say, No, thanks!

Further exposing its retardation, the USCIRF recommended the American government impose sanctions on individuals and entities linked to the Research and Analysis Wing, and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). The RSS, which is often called the ideological parent body of the ruling BJP, has been involved in humanitarian and social service activities for decades. Despite its ideological core being the establishment of a Hindu Rashtra, the organisation has never advocated for killings or the ouster of non-Hindu Indian citizens.

Ironically, even the traditional supporters of the RSS are miffed with the organisation for its newly-conceived ideological softness and flexibility. Yet, the organisation continues to attract foreign attacks and propaganda campaigns like those from the USCIRF.

“Impose targeted sanctions on individuals and entities, such as India’s Research and Analysis Wing and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), for their responsibility and tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom by freezing those individuals’ or entities’ assets and/or barring their entry into the United States,” the USCIRF stated.

RA&W is India’s premier external intelligence agency, though not explicitly a regime toppler like CIA, it is the CIA-equivalent of India, to even think that the US government should sanction RA&W or related entities and individuals, that too over “violations of religious freedoms” is absurd. Imagine the absurdity if an Indian government entity recommends sanctions on the CIA for its regime change and other covert operations involving human rights violations. Clearly, the USCIRF’s recommendation to sanction RA&W is a quixotic gesture from an anti-India panel which has been pushing an Islamo-leftist ideological agenda as its top priority instead of unbiased assessment and diplomatic pragmatism.

USCIRF’s call to sanction RA&W alongside the RSS, conflating religious freedom with national security, stretches the Commission’s mandate to absurd lengths. The continued rejection of its recommendations by the US administrations suggests that this time as well, the USCIRF-produced garbage will be relegated to the veritable dustbin.

The Commission further suggested to the US government to “link future U.S. security assistance and bilateral trade policies with India to improvements in religious freedom; and “enforce Section 6 of the Arms Export Control Act to halt arms sales to India based on continued acts of intimidation and harassment against U.S. citizens and religious minorities.”

For the US Congress, the USCIRF recommended reintroduction of the Transnational Repression Reporting Act of 2024 “to require the annual reporting of acts of transnational repression by the Indian government targeting religious minorities in the United States.”

If India also starts linking trade and defence ties with the US to improvements in religious freedom, the straining of relations between the two countries would not need a narcissistic, loudmouth and intransigent Trump, given the frequent attacks, both violent and ideological, on Hindus and their temples, and the wider Indian diaspora in the US in recent years.

Congress and the extended anti-BJP cabal rejoice over USCIRF recommending sanctions on RSS

Predictably, the anti-BJP/RSS ideological system has turned its celebratory mode on as once again, a foreign government entity churned out propaganda report to meddle in India’s internal affairs and attack the Modi government. As it has always been, the Congress party and the extended Islamo-leftist cabal is amplifying the USCIRF propaganda as universal truth to score political points against the BJP-RSS.

In this vein, Congress leader Supriya Srinate, shared the USCIRF report’s recommendations on X and wrote, “R𝐒𝐒 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐁𝐄 𝐁𝐀𝐍𝐍𝐄𝐃 This has been recommended by the US govt commission USCIRF to the Trump administration. USCIRF says RSS is responsible for tolerance of severe violations of religious freedom in India. It also recommended designating India as a ‘Country of Particular Concern.’ USCIRF Asks For • Immediate ban on the RSS • Freezing of RSS assets • Ban entry of RSS people into the US Clearly, It wasn’t without a reason that after the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel had banned RSS. It fuels bigotry and fans communal tension and brings global shame to India.”

The Congress leader had no qualms about amplifying a report by a foreign government entity which not only calls for sanctioning the RSS but also India’s intelligence agency RA&W.

The Congress party’s official X handle went a step ahead and dragged Hindu scripture, Manusmriti into the matter, and wrote, “”𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐔𝐒 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐚 𝐛𝐚𝐧 𝐨𝐧 𝐑𝐒𝐒.” This recommendation was made to the Donald Trump administration by the USCIRF, an official US government body. The USCIRF has warned that the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) poses a threat to people’s religious freedom. Its recommendations are clear: Ban the RSS immediately. Seize its assets. Prohibit entry into the US for RSS members. ⦿ Sardar Patel ji banned the RSS in India following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi ji. An organisation that opposes the Constitution and advocates running the country according to the Manusmriti is poison to the unity and brotherhood of this nation.”

Meanwhile, M K Venu, the Founding Editor of Islamo-leftist rag, The Wire, wrote, “US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has sought sanctions on RSS for the first time in its 2026 report. Overall for the 7th time in a row, it has recommended India as a Country of Particular Concern. But first time asked for sanctions from State Dept on RSS.”

Meanwhile, several Islamo-leftist propaganda outlets, Maktoob, Muslim Mirror, Muslim Network, Scroll, and the George Soros-funded Hindus for Human Rights (HfhR) have amplified the USCIRF propaganda as an indisputable truth, with many even backing the Commission’s recommendations to sanction RSS and RA&W.  

Pakistani Islamist leads the USCIRF that wants to sanction RSS and RA&W

Interestingly, be it Reuters ‘source-based’ articles or the USCIRF annual report on religious freedom, most of the foreign-based anti-Hindu and anti-India propaganda has had a Pakistani connection in recent years. The USCIRF, which wants to have the US government impose sanctions on RA&W and RSS based on a Muslim victimhood bogey, has a Pakistani-American ‘activist’ named Asif Mahmood as its current Vice Chair and Commissioner.

Mahmood has consistently been peddling anti-India hatred and lies. In April 2025, Mahmood was found peddling the conspiracy theory about India’s supposed involvement in the killing of Khalistani extremists in the United States, Canada and Pakistan. Asif Mahmood did not provide any evidence to substantiate his outrageous claims. Interestingly, a similar attempt was made by leftist news outlets such as The Guardian and Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News to falsely implicate India in extra-territorial killings. Asif Mahmood claimed that the Uttar Pradesh government banned 25000 Islamic schools, aka madrassas, in the State for electoral gain. “Religious freedom is a basic human right”, without mentioning the fact that the action was taken, the Allahabad High Court declared the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madarsa Education Act of 2004 as “unconstitutional.”

Earlier, Asif Mahmood also misled Indian Muslims about the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), a humanitarian law which aimed to fast-track the citizenship of religious minorities who took refuge in India following persecution in the neighbouring Islamic countries of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.

“Citizenship Amendment Act #CAA2019 being implemented in #India intentionally coincided with the #Ramadan2024 to send a clear message to the #Muslims of India that you are no longer equal citizens. Religious Freedom at its lowest and Religious Discrimination at its highest expose India and #Modi of its shallow Secular Claims,” the Pakistani-origin ‘activist’ had alleged.

Asif Mahmood had also framed PM Modi’s presence at the consecration ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir in 2024, as the “end of secular India”, while in his home country, Pakistan, policymakers and public alike, are yet to fully comprehend the meaning of secularism. ” “Is the #RamTemple inauguration by Prime Minister #Modi and circumstances around it the beginning of the end of Secular #India? ReligousFreedom is at its the lowest point in India today and civilized world needs to pay attention,” he whined.

Unsurprisingly, Mahmood also has a history of pushing Pakistani narratives on Jammu and Kashmir, “Another sad and dark day for #Democracy #Justice and #SelfDeterminationRight for #Kashmiris in a long struggle for them and their children future. #US and rest of the Democratic world should pay attention on encroachment of #India in #Kashmir,” Asif Mahmood posted on X in 2023.

One of the USCIRF Commissioners, Mohamed Elsanousi also has a controversial history. Appointed to the Commission by the Biden administration, Elsanousi was the Islamic Society of North America’s Director of Government Relations and Interfaith Relations. The official website of the Network for Religious and Traditional Peacemakers mentioned that Elsanousi graduated from the International Islamic University in Islamabad, Pakistan, with a bachelor’s degree in Sharia Law. Anyone who strictly believes in Sharia law and advocates the same should be the last person to lecture democratic countries like India on religious freedom.

The next in line is Maureen Ferguson, who has ties to missionary organisations and such groups have a history of dehumanising native cultures and religions under the guise of enlightening them with the name of Jesus Christ and converting to Christianity. These outfits have a very sordid past in India and continue to operate in the country to lure gullible people into the Christian fold.

Source: USCIRF’s website

USCIRF chair Vicky Hartzler has a similar past that of Ferguson. Hartzler has been associated with several Christian missionary groups and propaganda organisations that operate under the guise of minority rights, human rights and other usual shields these frauds often use.

“She has long been an advocate for those persecuted for their faith. Prior to her public service, she volunteered with the Voice of the Martyrs organization providing tangible help to Christians persecuted for their faith,” stated USCIRF’s official website. 

Vicky Hartzler has also been awarded for her services to these Christian organisations. No wonder the USCIRF cries hoarse over the Modi government acting against Christian missionaries luring Hindus into Christianity through illegal means.

Another key office bearer at the USCIRF is Commissioner Meir Soloveichik. As per the USCIRF’s official website, “Meir Y. Soloveichik is Rabbi of Congregation Shearith Israel- the oldest Jewish congregation in the United States, the Director of the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University, and a Senior Scholar at the Tikvah Fund. He graduated summa cum laude from Yeshiva University and received his PhD in religion from Princeton University.”

Among the professional staff listed in the USCIRF 2026 report is Sema Hasan, who has been a part of the team that wrote similar anti-India reports by the USCIRF in recent years. She has long been pushing the Muslim victimhood narrative against India, while in her home country, Pakistan, Hindus are killed, raped, and discriminated against on a daily basis.

The United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, which was created in 1998 by the Clinton administration, has been reporting on ‘religious freedom in India’ for the past two decades but not without mixing its ideological biases. OpIndia has consistently reported on how the USCIRF has been peddling hysteria around CAA, NRC, Muslim rights, and by extension, religious freedom in India using lies and propaganda.

Watching ‘The 50’ reveals an uncomfortable truth: From Faisu’s influencer grooming to Adnaan’s boasting about converting his Hindu wife to Islam before marriage

Anurag
-
0
Watching ‘The 50’ reveals an uncomfortable truth: From Faisu’s influencer grooming to Adnaan’s boasting about converting his Hindu wife to Islam before marriage

I occasionally follow ‘The 50’, which is a reality show where a group of influencers and celebrities perform tasks to earn money, not for themselves but for their fans. It is not exactly the sort of programme one watches for intellectual stimulation. Most of the time it is simply mindless entertainment, which one seeks after a day-long work routine. It is the kind of show you put on when you want to switch your brain off for a while. However, sometimes even the most ordinary entertainment ends up revealing something far more unsettling than intended.

That moment arrived during a conversation involving Faisal Shaikh, better known to millions of followers as Mr Faisu. During a discussion with other contestants about his popularity and journey as an influencer, he recalled the early days of his career and told them how things evolved after short video platforms exploded in popularity.

During that conversation, he made a remark that stayed with me. He explained that the company they had signed with had invested heavily in grooming them. According to him, they attended classes where they were taught how to eat properly, how to sit, how to behave in public and how to present themselves as gentlemen.

At first glance, it sounded like nothing more than professional training for social media personalities. Even celebrities take such lessons, and some rich kids too. These people often operate in a competitive environment where presentation matters almost as much as content. Grooming, in that sense, is a simple part of the process of building oneself as a brand.

However, the more I thought about that remark, the more uncomfortable the idea became. Because grooming is not just about table manners. It is about crafting a persona.

The grooming of influencers and the making of an ideal public image

One small detail in Faisu’s remark is worth paying attention to. When he described the grooming classes, he did not speak in the singular. He repeatedly said “we”. The training was not something that happened to him alone. It was something that happened to an entire group and that group was the well-known social media collective “Team 07”. It is a set of influencers who rose to prominence together through TikTok, Instagram and other platforms.

If his group was “groomed”, there must be more investors who are grooming other influencers or groups of influencers. We have noticed that over time, these influencers become completely different from what they used to be a few years ago. In other words, the grooming classes that taught them how to sit, how to eat and how to behave like gentlemen were part of a structured effort to shape an entire influencer ecosystem.

If we think just about being an influencer, there is nothing inherently wrong with learning how to conduct oneself well. In fact, in an era where many online personalities thrive on shock value and vulgarity, the cultivation of discipline and politeness can even appear refreshing.

However, grooming also produces something else, that is, a carefully crafted public image. A well-groomed influencer who appears polite, respectful and disciplined naturally commands admiration. Add physical fitness, charisma and massive social media reach to that, and the effect becomes even stronger. Such personalities become aspirational figures. People admire them, emulate them and often trust them.

Watching ‘The 50’, one can see exactly how that persona plays out. Other contestants praise Faisu for his behaviour and discipline. He performs tasks well. He carries himself confidently. His personality appears measured and controlled. It is easy to understand why he enjoys an enormous fan following, especially among younger audiences.

Yet the idea of systematic grooming raises an interesting question. When personalities are deliberately shaped to appear admirable and trustworthy, what kind of influence do they ultimately hold over those who follow them? And if the grooming applied to the entire group, as Faisu’s use of “we” suggests, then that influence extends far beyond one individual.

The story of Adnaan Shaikh and Riddhi Jadhav

Another figure connected to “Team 07” and ‘The 50’ show is Adnaan Shaikh. Just like Faisu, he also rose to prominence through social media. In fact, they actually rose to popularity together. He also has a substantial following on social media. Though he did not discuss about his marriage on the show, but his bond with Faisu made me do a little bit search about him.

Interestingly, the story surrounding Adnaan extends beyond social media fame. His wife was previously known as Riddhi Jadhav, a Hindu woman and influencer, who later converted to Islam before marrying him. After the conversion, she adopted the name Ayesha Shaikh.

The couple recently appeared in public while shopping ahead of Eid. Photographs and videos circulated online showed Riddhi, now Ayesha, covered in a full burqa. The image once again revived discussions surrounding the circumstances of her conversion and marriage. Adnaan and conversion of his wife to Islam is being talked about on social media.

Reports had earlier suggested that Riddhi’s family opposed the decision and did not attend the wedding ceremony. The issue had already generated controversy in 2024 when allegations from Adnaan’s sister triggered public debate on social media.

In interviews, Adnaan has addressed the controversy by emphasising that the conversion was Ayesha’s personal decision. He has pointed out that India guarantees freedom of religion and argued that no one can be forced to convert.

At face value, the explanation appears straightforward. But the story contains another detail that Adnaan himself once mentioned. In an earlier interview, he recalled how he first noticed Riddhi years earlier when she was studying at Khalsa College. According to him, she did not initially pay attention to him. He said that during those days he would perform stunts on his bike around her in an attempt to attract her attention.

Years later, the two married. Before the marriage, Riddhi converted to Islam and adopted a new religious identity. Another statement of Adnaan’s also stands out. He has openly said that religion comes first in his life.

When we place all the circumstances and facts together, these details paint a more complex picture than the simplified narrative of personal choice often presented by him in public discussions. Funny thing is, after the controversy, Adnaan told Telly Reporter that her face is not revealed on social media because of his religious beliefs. He claimed it is a personal choice guided by his faith and cultural values.

When admiration becomes influence

The modern influencer economy thrives on emotional connections. Followers feel as though they know the personalities they watch online. They admire their lifestyle, their personality and the way they carry themselves.

Over time, admiration often evolves into trust. And once trust is established, influence becomes inevitable. This is where the discussion begins to intersect with a broader cultural debate that has appeared repeatedly in recent years. Narratives around religious conversions through emotional relationships have surfaced in various contexts, including popular culture.

Films such as The Kerala Story attempted to portray a pattern in which young women were drawn into relationships that gradually evolved into ideological influence and eventually religious conversion. Whether one agrees with the film’s depiction or not, the central idea it explored was simple. Emotional bonds can sometimes become channels of persuasion.

In the film, the Hindu women were coerced into converting and marrying Islamic terrorists by repeatedly pushing narratives against Hinduism. The brainwashing, which used to be subtle, has become overwhelmingly open nowadays and with social media platforms it has become much easier as well.

Friendships and romantic relationships have the ability to shape beliefs and identities in ways that individuals may not fully recognise in the moment. In the age of social media influencers, where personalities are deliberately groomed to appear charismatic, disciplined and admirable, the scale of such influence becomes even greater.

Admiration leads to emotional connection. Emotional connection leads to trust. Trust often leads to deeper influence and that influence can push a person, in most cases a Hindu, to convert to Islam and it is a bitter truth that is undeniable.

The uncomfortable gap within Hindu society

Perhaps the most uncomfortable aspect of this discussion lies not in the actions of individuals but in the condition of the society observing them. Many modern Hindu families have gradually moved away from discussing religion in any meaningful way. Faith is often reduced to festivals, rituals and occasional temple visits.

Children grow up celebrating traditions but rarely receive a clear understanding of the philosophical or cultural foundations behind them. Religion becomes something symbolic rather than something deeply understood.

At the same time, young people are exposed to a world where other communities often possess far clearer and more assertive expressions of religious identity. This difference can create a subtle imbalance. A young person who grows up without a strong understanding of their own belief system may find it easier to adopt another one when emotional relationships come into play.

In such an environment, charismatic personalities and influential figures can wield enormous cultural power. Admiration can easily turn into ideological influence when the individual on the receiving end lacks clarity about their own identity. The issue therefore is not simply about interfaith relationships. India has always been a civilisation where multiple faiths have interacted and coexisted.

The issue is whether individuals enter those relationships with a clear sense of who they are.

The uncomfortable lesson from a reality show

All these thoughts returned to me as I continued watching that seemingly harmless episode of ‘The 50’. It popped up during a discussion with the team at the office and I believe sometimes small details matter.

A casual conversation about influencer grooming suddenly began to feel like a glimpse into a much larger ecosystem. Faisu’s remarks about grooming revealed how carefully influencers’ personalities can be shaped. The emphasis on etiquette, discipline and presentation creates individuals who appear admirable and trustworthy to millions of viewers.

Adnaan’s story, meanwhile, illustrates how a good personality mixed with personal relationships can intersect with identity, belief and religious commitment in ways that spark intense debate.

These are just two influencers. One revealed how he became what he is today and the other revealed how his wife became Ayesha from Riddhi. Interestingly, Riddhi was once accused of wanting to go to a temple in shorts, something that is against Hindu traditions.

Perhaps the real question is not about Faisu or Adnaan as individuals. Perhaps the real question is about the society watching them. Sometimes, a “harmless” show can reveal the uncomfortable truth of things happening around you. Sometimes, it reveals why your modern Hindu friend converted to Islam and now wears a burqa covering her from head to toe.

Hyderabad preacher instigates Muslims to offer namaz on roads; was arrested in 2020 for misappropriating crowdfunding meant for ailing patients

Shriti Sagar
-
0
Hyderabad preacher instigates Muslims to offer namaz on roads; was arrested in 2020 for misappropriating crowdfunding meant for ailing patients

Just days before Eid, a video shared by Hyderabad-based hate preacher Syed Ayub sparked controversy after he openly called on Muslims to offer Namaz on roads. Ayub, who describes himself as the organiser of the NGO Hyderabad Youth Courage (HYC) and has around two million followers on Instagram, posted the video on Sunday night, 15 March.

In the video, Ayub can be heard urging Muslims to pray on the roads, not just in Sambhal but across the country. In his speech, he said: “Not just in Sambhal, but across the entire country, Namaz will be offered on the roads, Inshallah. If Eid gatherings are large, Muslims will come out and offer Namaz on the roads.”

He also challenged authorities who had warned against offering prayers on public roads. In the same video, he said,
“If someone thinks they can stop Muslims from praying on the road, let them try. Muslims are not afraid of threats of cases or jail.”

Ayub also used a derogatory word for UP CM Yogi Adityanath and criticised the Yogi government, accusing it of creating unnecessary restrictions on Muslims. His remarks quickly spread across social media and triggered debate about the ongoing dispute over offering Namaz on public roads in several parts of the state.

What is the issue in Sambhal?

The controversy is taking place at a time when the administration in Sambhal has already issued strict warnings about maintaining law and order during Eid and Friday prayers.

Recently, on Thursday, 12th March, Kuldeep Kumar, who is a police officer in Sambhal, convened a meeting of the Peace Committee in which it was made clear that Namaz would not be allowed on public roads. The video of his remarks from the meeting was shared on social media.

He said in his remarks at the meeting that authorities were fully alert ahead of Eid and that maintaining peace and law and order was their top priority. He said that strict legal action would be taken against those who were found offering Namaz on public roads outside mosques.

He further said, “If anyone is found offering Namaz on public roads, strict action will be taken. If necessary, people can also be sent to jail.”

He also made a broad remark about maintaining peace in the region. He said that if people were emotionally attached to issues happening in different parts of the world, they were free to go to those places, but creating unrest in India would not be allowed.

According to the local administration, allowing religious gatherings on roads often disrupts traffic and public movement, which is why such restrictions are imposed.

Ayub’s Ramadan project for Gaza

Apart from his political and social commentary, Syed Ayub has also been involved in another campaign, which is associated with the war in Gaza. He has been using his NGO, Hyderabad Youth Courage, to promote a Ramadan aid initiative that claims to deliver Iftar meals and drinking water for the people of Gaza.

Ayub has been sharing updates about the campaign on his social media accounts and urging followers to donate to his initiative.

Recently, he was spotted in Uttam Nagar, Delhi, where he went to meet the woman and the Muslim family linked to the death of Hindu youth Tarun Kumar, who was killed by a Muslim mob. The incident had drawn attention after allegations of mob violence surfaced.

Arrest in 2024 over fundraising fraud

Syed Ayub has also faced legal trouble in the past. In 2024, police in Hyderabad registered a case against him after a complaint accused him of cheating and illegal fundraising on social media.

The complaint was filed by lawyer P. Sai Kishore at the Saidabad Police Station of Hyderabad. According to the FIR registered under Section 420 of the IPC, Ayub collected donations online by claiming that he would personally deliver aid to Gaza.

The complaint stated that he shared personal bank account details on social media and posted pictures from Hyderabad Airport and later from Egypt, suggesting that he was travelling to Gaza with aid supplies.

However, the complainant argued that such claims were misleading because, given the geopolitical situation, sending aid to Gaza by road was practically impossible. Ayub was also accused of misleading donors and collecting funds under false promises.

The complaint also demanded action against his NGO and requested that the Hyderabad Youth Courage social media pages be blocked.

Earlier arrest of Syed Ayub in 2020 over crowdfunding misuse

This was not the first time Ayub had been arrested. Back in 2020, the Hyderabad Task Force police arrested him along with Salman Khan, the president of the same NGO.

Police said the two had misused money collected through crowdfunding campaigns meant for people suffering from serious illnesses.

According to the investigation, the NGO used its Facebook page to post videos of financially struggling patients and asked the public to donate money for their treatment.

In one such case, donations were collected for a woman suffering from a chronic illness. Within a few days, large sums of money were transferred into bank accounts linked to the accused.

Police said that ₹15 lakh was transferred to Salman Khan’s bank account and another ₹15 lakh to an account belonging to a relative of Syed Ayub, while additional funds remained in another account.

After receiving complaints from donors, the police registered a cheating case. The Taskforce later arrested Ayub and Salman Khan from Hyderabad and seized their mobile phones during the operation.

The larger debate over offering Namaz on roads

The issue of offering Namaz on public roads is not limited to Sambhal. In many parts of the country, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, restrictions have been imposed on performing Namaz on roads as it may cause traffic jams and public inconvenience.

If a large number of people assemble on roads to perform Namaz, it may cause traffic jams and inconveniences to the residents. Therefore, the police in many districts have been advising people to perform their prayers in mosques, Eidgahs, or other designated areas instead of roads.

The authorities clarified that the restrictions are not imposed to curb religious activities but to ensure that public places are accessible to all.

Similar restrictions in Meerut

A similar case was witnessed in Meerut recently, where the police issued a warning on Sunday, 15th March, before Eid.

Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey warned that strict action would be taken against those who perform Namaz on public roads.

He warned that violators might face a police inquiry that could even affect official documents like passports if serious law-and-order violations were found. Later, he clarified that there is no direct legal rule linking road prayers to passport cancellation, but if an investigation reveals criminal involvement or repeated violations, authorities could take further action under existing laws.

MAGA commentator Natasha Chart revives the debunked Cisco’s ‘caste discrimination’ case to demonise Hindus in US Tech: Here’s the truth

Rukma Rathore
-
0
MAGA commentator Natasha Chart revives the debunked Cisco’s ‘caste discrimination’ case to demonise Hindus in US Tech: Here’s the truth

On 15th March (Sunday), Natasha Chart, a self-described “Western civilisation appreciator,” author and supporter of the (Make America Great Again) movement, referenced a fraudulent “caste discrimination” case initiated by the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) involving two engineers of Indian descent from Cisco Systems Inc. in the Superior Court.

Chart claimed that a Dalit engineer at the company was denied promotions, excluded from important projects and ultimately removed. She then added, “Why? He wasn’t from the right caste. Internal messages showed hiring managers actively discussing caste identity and choosing only from their own,” while reacting to another biased social media post, fear-mongering that Indians are taking over significant firms created by Americans.

Notably, the lawsuit brought against Sundar Iyer and Ramana Kompella in June 2020, alleging discrimination against a “self-identifying Dalit,” disclosed as Chetan Narsude by OpIndia, was voluntarily dismissed by the CRD, a California state government agency, on 10th April 2023. It made incorrect assertions about Hinduism and portrayed persons of Indian heritage as “xenophobic.”

The development transpired even though Iyer offered the “victim,” referred to as “John Doe,” an impressive package that included millions in stock grants. He gave up his equity to recruit him and other workers. Moreover, he also employed at least one additional “self-identifying Dalit” in a leadership role at the corporation.

CDR, the largest state civil rights agency in the United States, was fully cognisant of the enterprise’s diversity and of the specific division in which Sundar Iyer served. It was discovered that the scheduled caste person had been recruited for 8 years at the time of the allegation.

Meanwhile, CDR was unable to locate any evidence of harassment against the two Cisco Systems engineers. The Hindu American Foundation (HAF) outlined that the agency relied on deceptive “reports” published by the infamous Equality Labs, disregarded Iyer’s official status as “agnostic” for more than 20 years and wrongly labelled him as a “Hindu.”

It was also revealed that the Dalit man had known him for almost 20 years, dating back to their time at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IIT) Bombay. Predictably, “activists” utilised the case to pass resolutions adding “caste” to nondiscrimination laws in several locations. “The nightmare endured is beyond imaginable and a cautionary tale for what awaits in California over caste,” HAF Director Suhag A Shukla expressed at the time.

The lie, although debunked, has persisted as the racist cabal, who refuse to allow the truth to deter their propaganda, use it to attack the hard-working Indian community.

How CRD intended to trap Sundar Iyer in a fabricated case

Iyer recounted his troubling ordeal with CDR at an event in August of that year. According to him, he was accused of denying the post of head of engineering to the plaintiff at his startup, Candid Systems, because of his caste. On the other hand, the court documents submitted by Cisco highlighted that the latter never asked for or even desired the role.

Iyer stated that, in addition to hiring him despite knowing his caste, he offered all three of the top leadership posts, including the head of engineering, to another person who belonged to the same community. He mentioned that the applicant was the most qualified candidate for the job. He was offered two roles prior to the lawsuit being brought against him.

However, CRD sued Iyer and his colleague in the name of Dalit discrimination. He had awarded the Dalit individual multiple million dollars in compensation without taking any stake in the startup, but rather than taking into account his position, it also held him responsible for salary discrimination only due to his failure to award him a few more thousand dollars during a single cycle of increment in wages in October 2016.

Iyer pointed out that he presented public information during the trial, which substantiated that he was not a devout religious practitioner. However, the agency maintained that he followed Hindu religious customs and purposefully infringed on his religious freedom instead of protecting his civil rights, which is its duty. 

Iyer contended that he was dragged to court, although the agency was aware that he didn’t wear the sacred thread or observe caste. He had even written many short stories criticising the same over the years, but was designated as a Hindu Brahmin. According to him, the civil rights organisations strategically placed him in a caste based only on his last name.

Iyer conveyed that CRD announced his caste to the world after insisting that it was a private subject. The agency also argued that caste causes violence and conspired with the “activists” who created several aggressive stereotypes of Brahmins. Its primary activist partner, Equality Labs, stated on record that Nazis in Europe and Germany are upper-caste Indians.

CDR and Equality Labs orchestrated a vicious campaign against Indian American Hindus

Iyer pointed out that the first incident of state-sponsored casteism occurred on 30th June 2020, when the case was launched against him. Despite strong evidence to the contrary, the CRD spent years looking into the matter and took action against him merely after a 15-minute interview, which breached his right to due process.

It then lodged a case against Iyer for harassment, a major offence that is based on personal behaviour rather than professional conduct. However, the agency did not find any adverse comments made by him concerning the Dalit man during his term of employment. Likewise, Ramana was also charged with harassment based on caste. His most heinous transgression was asking him to submit weekly status reports on the instructions of a White American manager. They were named and humiliated just for carrying out their tasks.

CRD targeted more than 50 Cisco coworkers, along with Iyer and Ramana. Men and women from different racial and ethnic backgrounds from all over the world made up the multicultural and diverse staff, which was portrayed as “entirely upper caste Indians.” It blamed them for propagating the caste system from India in the United States. However, the agency did not adhere to a proper legal procedure.

It robbed them of their humanity and declared that the environment was anti-Dalit, but chose not to speak with the group’s senior member, a Dalit person. CRD and Equality Labs unleashed a torrent of hate on all Hindu Americans. The duo brutally stereotyped and racially profiled them regularly. They were accused of raping and abusing 25% of all Dalits in America without any proof.

However, the irrational singling out was rejected by the judge, who also disregarded each statement made in the unscientific Equality Labs report, which was illustrated as anecdotal rather than factual.

CDR’s effort to demonise PM Modi and Hindus

CRD made outrageous comments such as, “Working under Indian managers is a living hell,” charged upper-caste Indians with bragging about their biological superiority founded solely on informal details, and accused Indian Americans of spitting on Dalits after knowing about their caste.

It even suggested that the election of Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the cause of the rise in casteism in America. However, they downplayed his Other Backwards Class (OBC) origin.

The HAF filed a case against the CRD in January 2021 for repeatedly breaching the country’s Constitution. The deferral equal employment opportunity commission charged it with various ethical violations in September 2021. The chief prosecutor for CRD, who also helmed the Cisco case, was dismissed by Governor Gavin Newsom in April 2022.

A volunteer-run outfit called Castegate.org unveiled extremely unsettling and recurring unethical behaviour in relation to the issue in October 2022. Iyer and others filed a motion to sanction the CRD prosecutors in January 2023 for launching a case without any supporting evidence. The agency dropped the lawsuit against the pair but continued to sue Cisco.

An alarming white paper accusing the CRD of a pattern of dishonest activity against multiple Californian companies, including Tesla and Ride Games, was published in April 2023 by the California Policy Centre, a think tank in Southern California. A volunteer-run engineering organisation called California for Justice criticised the agency for discriminating against Indian Americans in July 2023 and urged Newsom to take immediate action.

Benjamin Netanyahu releases video to debunk claims of his death and AI video: Read how journalist Aditya Raj Kaul was falsely accused of helping Iran in hitting the Israeli PM

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Benjamin Netanyahu releases video to debunk claims of his death and AI video: Read how journalist Aditya Raj Kaul was falsely accused of helping Iran in hitting the Israeli PM

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday released a light-hearted video from a Tel Aviv coffee shop, directly mocking viral social media rumours that he had been killed in an Iranian missile strike and that his previous public address was an AI-generated deepfake. Notably, several Iranian and Pakistani social media users had spread the rumours of the Israeli PM’s death. Moreover, many of them had falsely claimed that Iran hit Netanyahu with a missile after Indian journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, who is in Israel at present, ‘revealed’ the location of the Israeli PM in a live broadcast.

In the one-minute clip posted on X, Netanyahu stands casually at a counter holding a cup of coffee, smiling and chatting with staff. He opens with asking the person making the video, “What did you ask me?”, and the person says, “They are claiming on the Internet that you are dead?”

The Prime Minister responds by saying, “I’m dying for coffee, you know what I mean? I’m dying for my people and how they behave — fantastic!” He then shows both his hands to the camera, saying, “Want to count my fingers?” explicitly addressing claims that an earlier video showed him with six fingers — a supposed tell-tale sign of AI generation. It was being claimed that the ‘AI-generated’ video was used for his address after he died in the Iranian strike.

After being asked what message he wants to give to people who want to go out and get some fresh air, the Prime Minister says, “To those going out, go out, but stay near a protected area. Your support gives strength to me, the government, the IDF, the Mossad, and our institutions. We’re doing things I can’t share right now, but are taking action, hitting Iran very hard, even today, and Lebanon too.”

Netanyahu added, “You ask me to keep going, and say to all of you, keep going as well. Keep following the instructions of home front command and city administrations. Always stay near protected area. We will make it as easy as possible.”

He thanked the shop for the excellent coffee, joking that its calorie content seems to be dangerous to him.

How the death and AI rumours began

The rumours gained traction two days ago after Netanyahu posted a video of a press briefing on the ongoing US-Israel-Iran conflict. At the 0:35 mark, when he raised his hands, a shadow and slight angle created an optical illusion of an extra finger next to his little finger, which some users immediately labelled a “classic AI finger glitch.”

Social media erupted with claims that the video was artificially generated and that Netanyahu must therefore be dead. However, the footage was authentic; the full unedited video shows him with the normal five fingers on each hand, and the apparent sixth finger was merely a lighting artefact.

The speculation intensified further with claims that Indian journalist Aditya Raj Kaul live-tracked and broadcast Netanyahu’s location during a recent Iranian missile barrage. Using Kaul’s coverage of Netanyahu’s visit to a site hit by Iranian missile, social media users claimed that it was a live broadcast and an Iranian missile had struck the exact spot using the coordinates obtained from the video.

This triggered a fresh wave of “Netanyahu missing/dead” posts and even jokes about Kaul “getting Netanyahu killed,” and claims of him being a double agent. Some asked whether Iran should reward Indian ships for the alleged tip-off, while others falsely claimed Kaul had been arrested by Israeli police.

Notably, Kaul covered Netanyahu’s visit to a site damaged by Iranian strike in Bet Shemesh on 2nd March, and the Israeli PM had made several public appearances after that. But the social media users falsely claimed that the broadcast was recent, and Netanyahu was not seen after that.

Israel’s Prime Minister’s Office dismissed the entire narrative as “fake news,” stating Netanyahu was “fine.”

Sunday’s coffee-shop video was designed to end the speculation once and for all, proving he is alive and well, and directly rebutting both the “six-finger AI” claim and the missile-strike conspiracy. However, some people claimed that even this video is AI-generated, saying that the video does not look normal.

However, the Sataf Cafe in Jerusalem, where the video was taken, posted several photos on Instagram showing Netanyahu visiting he cafe and having coffee.

They wrote, “We were very happy to host the Prime Minister and his Staff today”. The cafe added, “And the main thing is that beautiful and quiet days will come! We send from here a big hug to the men and women of the reserves (and their families), the IDF and the Security and Rescue Forces.”

Protest in Gujarat’s Kheda over housing project for Muslims in Matar taluka: Here’s what local Hindus are saying

ભાર્ગવ રાજ્યગુરુ
-
0
Protest in Gujarat’s Kheda over housing project for Muslims in Matar taluka: Here’s what local Hindus are saying

Tensions have surfaced in parts of Gujarat’s Kheda district after several Hindu residents from villages in Matar taluka staged a protest and reached the Collector’s office demanding government intervention. The protesters urged the administration to declare their areas as “disturbed zones”, expressing concern over a large residential housing project being developed for members of the Muslim community.

Residents submitted a memorandum to the district administration claiming that a major housing project is being developed in villages, including Traj village in Matar taluka. They fear that under the pretext of this project, Bangladeshi infiltrators will be settled in the area and the demography will be changed. Local Hindu organisations are calling this incident ‘land jihad‘. 

However, the organisations have told OpIndia that they have received a positive response from the administration following this incident. The Collector has assured that the district administration team will complete all the necessary investigations in this matter and impose riot control in the area. Hindu organisations said that this issue is not limited to villages only; Muslim builders are setting up such projects in the entire district, and the Hindu population of the entire district is in a state of worry and fear. 

Large housing project being built on converted farmland

Villagers told OpIndia that agricultural land in the village boundary has been converted into non-agricultural land, and construction work for a large housing society consisting of around 200 to 300 houses is progressing rapidly. The project is reportedly being developed by Amjad Khan under the name “Ambar Courtyard”, with the slogan “One dream, our land, our home.”

Residents also said that the houses in the project are intended only for members of the Muslim community and that people belonging to other religions or communities are not being offered properties there. Locals have also questioned how such large pieces of agricultural land were converted for residential use and have demanded an investigation into the process.

“Not limited to one village,” say Hindu organisations

In a conversation with OpIndia, Bajrang Dal coordinator of Kheda-Andan division, Dhavalsinh Jhala, has said that this conspiracy is not limited to isolated villages. But this is being done in almost all the talukas and villages of Kheda. He has also said that large-scale construction of houses is going on in Kheda city, villages and cities of Matar taluka and Mehmedabad under a similar scheme. 

The Hindu organisation suspects that this scheme has been implemented to provide permanent residence to Bangladeshi infiltrators who were evicted from Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad. 

Residents raise concerns over demographic change

In the application, Hindu organisations have put forward three main issues before the administration, in which they have expressed concern about demographic changes. The first issue is the change in the population structure. Locals say that due to the settlement of people from outside, especially from Ahmedabad and surrounding areas, the population structure of the village may be disrupted, and Hindus may become a minority. 

While speaking to OpIndia, Jayrajbhai, a resident of Traj village, said that currently only around 100–150 houses in the village belong to the Muslim community. Despite this, he said, many Hindu residents already feel uneasy about security and social tensions.

He also mentioned an earlier incident in which a Hindu youth was attacked by a group of Muslims after he objected to abusive language being used by Muslims in public. According to residents, even for celebrating Hindu festivals such as Janmashtami and Rath Yatra, police protection has been required in the village for several years.

Villagers argue that if tensions already exist despite the Muslim community being in the minority, bringing a large number of new residents into the area could worsen the situation.

Fear of the settlement of illegal immigrants

The second concern raised by villagers relates to the possibility of illegal immigrants settling in the area. Residents said that people displaced during demolition drives in areas such as Chandola Lake in Ahmedabad might move into these new housing societies.

They expressed fears that some of these people could be illegal migrants from Bangladesh or individuals involved in criminal activities, which they believe could affect local law and order.

Villagers cite past incidents of violence

Residents also referred to past incidents in the region while raising their concerns. They claimed that maintaining peace during religious events has often required heavy police deployment.

In the Garmala village of Matar taluka, another housing project named “Aashiyana Residency” has also reportedly triggered protests. Villagers alleged that a Hindu resident was recently attacked by some Muslim individuals from Ahmedabad, and a police complaint was filed under Section 307 (attempt to murder) in connection with the incident.

Vishwa Hindu Parishad District General Secretary Haresh Patel has said that some anti-social elements gather near the dargah near the ancient temple near Bhalada village, and recently, one night, there was an incident of fire in this ancient temple, while the adjacent dargah is safe. Following this incident, Hindu organisations are opposing any other Muslim settlements. The video of the incident of arson in the temple is available on OpIndia. 

Memorandum sent to several authorities

Residents of villages including Traj, Koshiyal, Pipariya, Machhiyel and Khadiyapura have sent copies of their memorandum not only to the district administration but also to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Chief Minister of Gujarat, the Chief Justice of the Gujarat High Court, the Superintendent of Police and several religious and social organisations.

The villagers have demanded that the housing project be immediately stopped and that disturbed area provisions be imposed across the region.

Locals say the planned settlement of people from Ahmedabad

Some residents claim that Muslims from areas such as Juhapura and Chandlodia in Ahmedabad are being systematically brought to settle in Matar. They say this has created a climate of fear among local Hindus.

Bajrang Dal District Co-Convenor Ronaksinh Parmar, while talking to OpIndia, said that a conspiracy to change the demography is going on in this area as part of a well-planned conspiracy, and in that regard, the villagers have reported the incident by submitting a complaint to the administration. 

Along with this, he mentioned the incident of an attack on a Hindu youth and the setting of a temple on fire. He has demanded that the Disturbed Areas Act be implemented in the entire area to prevent such incidents and to prevent the settlement of Muslims. 

According to Hindu organisations, if local Muslims from the village construct houses, it may be understandable, but they question why people from outside the area are being brought in to settle there.

For now, the organisations say the district administration has assured them that the matter will be investigated and that appropriate action will be taken if required.

(This article is a translation of the original article published on OpIndia Gujarati.)

Pakistan faces economic crisis as Middle East conflict disrupts shipping through Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices surge 20% across country

Divya Bharti
-
0
Pakistan faces economic crisis as Middle East conflict disrupts shipping through Strait of Hormuz, fuel prices surge 20% across country

Pakistan is facing a serious economic crisis as the ongoing Iran-US conflict is affecting oil supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, the route through which Pakistan receives most of its fuel imports. With the reduction of oil tankers passing through the Strait of Hormuz due to the attacks on the ships in the Persian Gulf, near the Karachi port, the fuel prices are now affecting daily lives across the country.

The government has already increased the fuel prices by 20% on 6th March to stop the panic buying of fuel. But the results of the increase in fuel prices are already affecting the citizens of the country.

Oil supply disruptions hit Pakistan hard

Pakistan depends heavily on imported energy. More than 85 % of its crude oil is imported from Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, and most of it is shipped through the Strait of Hormuz.

The current conflict in the region has made that route extremely risky. Since late February, at least 16 ships, including oil tankers, have been attacked in the Persian Gulf. Because of these security risks, Oil tanker movement has slowed down, and several ships are waiting near Karachi, which is a major economic hub of Pakistan.

The disruption has quickly reduced fuel supplies inside the country. To manage the situation, authorities have taken several emergency steps, such as promoting remote work, transitioning some schools to online classes, reducing official travel, and even considering a four-day workweek.

Pakistan has also requested Saudi Arabia to ship oil through its Red Sea ports as an alternative route. On the other hand, the government is counting on local power sources such as solar power to help alleviate the problem caused by the shortage of imported liquefied natural gas (LNG).

Rising fuel prices hit farmers and workers hard

The recent rise in fuel prices has had significant impacts on the lives of both rural and urban populations.

Agriculture forms the most important sector of the Pakistani economy, as the sector contributes more than 23% of the country’s GDP and employs 37% of the national labour force. Farmers plan to gear up for the spring harvest and claim that the rise in diesel fuel prices will add to the cost of operating tractors and other farming equipment, as well as the cost of transporting the crops to the markets.

Aamer Hayat Bhandara, a farmer from the Pakpattan region of Punjab province, stated that most aspects of the cultivation process depend on the fuel required for the farming equipment. City workers are also facing similar problems. The taxi and rickshaw drivers claim that their daily earnings are reducing because the price of fuel is rising, while the demand is unpredictable.

Muhammad Roshan, a rickshaw driver in Rawalpindi, questioned the government’s approach and said Pakistan should have explored alternative oil supplies from countries like Russia.

Inflation and economic growth are under threat

Economists warn that if oil prices remain around $100 per barrel or higher, Pakistan’s economy could face serious consequences. Former finance minister Hafiz Pasha has estimated that Pakistan’s GDP could fall by 1 to 1.5 % if the conflict continues. The biggest pressure on the economy is likely to come from Pakistan’s external sector.

Petroleum imports could increase by 25 to 30 % as global oil prices rise. At the same time, shipping and insurance costs for cargo vessels have climbed sharply due to growing security risks in the region. Together, these factors could add between $12 billion and $14 billion to Pakistan’s external payments over the next year.

Higher oil prices also contribute to increasing inflation. Earlier this year, inflation was around 7%, but it has already crossed 10%. If oil prices go higher in the global market and reach $120 per barrel, as is expected, similar to when there was a conflict between Russia and Ukraine, inflation in Pakistan is expected to reach levels of 30%.

The three sectors that will be most affected by the crisis are transport, industry, and agriculture. Fuel prices will not only lower the demand for transport, but disruptions in LNG supplies will also affect industries such as fertiliser, cement, and textiles.

Pressure on Remittances and Foreign Reserves

Pakistan is also facing a risk of a decrease in remittances. As much as 55 % of remittances received by Pakistan from overseas Pakistanis is contributed by Pakistanis employed in the Middle East countries.

If the economies of countries in the Gulf, which are dependent on oil exports, experience a slowdown because of a decline in exports, overseas workers, including Pakistanis and Bangladeshi workers, are likely to lose jobs or be repatriated to their countries.

Economists believe that this would result in a decline of $2 billion to $4 billion in remittances to Pakistan.

As a result of an increase in import costs, Pakistan’s present deficit of $2 billion is likely to increase to between $6 billion and $7 billion during the next fiscal year. The scenario is likely to repeat itself as it was during the financial crisis of 2021-22, when foreign exchange reserves fell to nearly $4 billion.

Pakistan’s economic stability at present depends heavily on financial assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Economist Kaiser Bengali says even a $1 billion IMF instalment can make the difference between survival and economic collapse.

Daily life is becoming more expensive

The fuel shock is also affecting the daily life of the citizens of Pakistan.

Many workers who used to share rickshaw fares are now walking long distances to save money. Others who use motorcycles to go to work say the money they receive is no longer enough to cover the cost of petrol.

The retail markets are also experiencing the slowdown of the economy ahead of the Eid al-Fitr celebrations, which is usually one of the biggest shopping seasons of the year.

According to Shabbir Ahmed, who owns a clothing store in Karachi, the festivities are yet to be seen in the markets.

Ali Akbar, an employee at a real estate company in Islamabad earning about $400 per month, said his family has already started cutting expenses. He plans to cancel his usual trip home for Eid and is considering shifting his children to a school closer to home because transportation costs have jumped from $36 to $48 per month within a week.

Online classes have also created problems for many families. Nearly half of Pakistan’s 250 million people live below the poverty line, and many households do not have laptops, tablets or reliable internet connections.

An energy crisis could force policy changes

Experts believe that the crisis may compel Pakistan to reconsider its long-term energy policies.

For every $10 hike in global oil prices, Pakistan’s import bill goes up by an additional $1.5 billion annually. As long as oil prices are higher than the previous rate of $80 per barrel by at least $20, Pakistan’s import bill will go up by an additional $3 billion.

Some economists recommend daily adjustment of fuel prices to respond to global market changes. This would also address the issue of hoarding. Another recommendation is to ration petrol or to increase rail transport to cut down on diesel consumption by as much as 20 %.

Pakistan might have to rely more on its own energy resources, which include hydropower, nuclear energy, local coal, local gas, wind, and solar energy. However, there is a lack of transmission infrastructure to support these resources.

Risk of a larger regional crisis

In addition to the economic concerns, there is also the fear of the larger conflict. Pakistan has defence ties with Saudi Arabia. This may force the country to take a stance if the relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran worsen.

On the other hand, there is the fear of the United States wanting to use the Pakistani bases to launch attacks on Iran. In such a case, the country would be at the mercy of Iran.

For now, the biggest problem is economic survival. With fuel prices on the rise, the already struggling economy of the country is facing one of its biggest challenges.

From coercion and fraud to inducement and threats: Maharashtra introduces anti conversion bill with strict punishments, here is what it says

Shriti Sagar
-
0
From coercion and fraud to inducement and threats: Maharashtra introduces anti conversion bill with strict punishments, here is what it says

On Friday, 13th March, the Maharashtra government introduced the Dharma Swatantrya or Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, in the state Legislative Assembly. The proposed law aims to regulate religious conversions and provide strict punishment for conversions carried out through force, fraud, coercion or inducement. The Bill is expected to be discussed during the ongoing Budget Session of the state legislature.

The draft legislation was approved by the state Cabinet last week on 5th March, before being introduced in the Assembly by Minister of State for Rural Development Pankaj Bhoyar. The government has said that the proposed law is meant to address increasing instances of forced religious conversions and to protect citizens’ freedom of religion.

According to the Fadnavis government, conversions in some cases are being carried out in an organised manner by influencing people’s consent or targeting vulnerable individuals. In the “objects and reasons” section of the Bill, the government stated that such conversions are sometimes “forceful, involuntary or caused by influencing the free consent of the citizens”. It further says that these activities are often carried out against “gullible persons” and may lead to “disturbance to public order” while also “affecting social harmony”.

The government has argued that existing laws are not sufficient to address these issues. Because of this, a seven-member committee led by the Director General of Police (DGP) was formed to study legal provisions in other states and recommend a law for Maharashtra.

Definitions under the proposed law

According to the media reports, the Bill provides detailed definitions of what will be considered an “unlawful conversion”. As per the proposed bill, conversion from one religion to another using “allurement, coercion, deceit, force, misrepresentation, threat, undue influence or any other fraudulent step” will be treated as illegal.

It also specifically includes “brainwashing through the medium of education” as one of the methods through which unlawful conversion could occur.

The law also defines “mass conversion” as the forced conversion of two or more people at the same time.

The concept of “allurement” has been described broadly in the Bill. It includes offering gifts, money, material benefits, employment opportunities or free education in institutions run by religious organisations. It also includes promises of marriage, a better lifestyle or claims of divine healing.

The Maharashtra draft law expands the scope of allurement further than many other states. It states that attempts to influence someone by glorifying one religion over another, or by portraying the customs, rituals or practices of another religion negatively, may also fall under the category of inducement.

Similarly, the Bill defines “coercion” as forcing a person, family or group to act against their will through physical force or psychological pressure. It includes threats of bodily harm, threats against property, or even warnings of “divine displeasure” and “social ex-communication” or boycott.

Marriages and children’s rights under the proposed law

The proposed legislation also deals with marriages that involve religious conversion. According to the Bill, if a marriage has been carried out solely for the purpose of unlawful religious conversion, a competent court can declare that marriage null and void.

Either party in the marriage will have the right to approach the court and claim that the conversion was done illegally.

The Bill also introduces a specific provision related to children born out of such marriages. Section 5 states that if a child is born from a marriage that involved unlawful religious conversion, the child will be considered to belong to the religion that the mother followed before the marriage or relationship.

This provision is somewhat different from similar laws in other states. In places like Haryana, the focus has mainly been on the inheritance rights of children born from such marriages. However, the Maharashtra Bill clearly defines which religion the child will legally belong to.

The draft law also states that such children will be entitled to maintenance under Section 144 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). In addition, custody of the child will normally remain with the mother unless a court decides otherwise.

The Bill further states that victims of unlawful conversion may receive assistance from the state government for rehabilitation. They will also be entitled to maintenance and the custody of their children.

Procedure for lawful religious conversion

The proposed law outlines a process to be followed if an individual wishes to change his or her religion legally.

According to the Bill, if an individual wishes to convert to another religion, the individual has to give a prior declaration of intention at least 60 days in advance to the District Magistrate or any other authority appointed by the government.

Similarly, if an institution or a religious body wishes to conduct a conversion ceremony, it has to give a prior notice at least 60 days in advance.

Once the declaration is submitted, the competent authority will display the information about the proposed conversion on its notice board as well as on the notice board of the local authority. The purpose is to invite objections from the public.

The public has 30 days to raise objections to the conversion.

If there are any objections to the conversion, the authority may conduct an inquiry by the police. If the inquiry concludes that the conversion is violating the law, the police may take criminal action.

The law also requires that once the conversion has taken place, the converted individual or the individual who performed the ceremony has to make a declaration within 21 days.

If the individual fails to make the declaration, the law will consider the conversion not to have taken place.

Objections and complaints regarding conversion

The Bill has also specified the kind of individual who has the right to make a complaint if they suspect that an illegal conversion has taken place.

Any individual who has converted their parents, their siblings, or any other relative through blood, marriage, or adoption has the right to make a complaint. Once a complaint has been filed, it has to be registered by the officer in charge of the police station.

The case will then be investigated by a police officer of the rank of at least a Sub-Inspector.

The burden of proof rests on the individual who has performed the conversion. In other words, the individual has to prove that the conversion was done voluntarily.

All offences under the proposed law will be cognisable and non-bailable.

Another notable feature of the Bill is that it allows police officers to take action even without a formal complaint. The draft law grants police the power to take suo motu cognisance if they believe that a conversion has taken place in violation of the Act.

The Bill states: “If the police officer is satisfied that the conversion is made or is being made in contravention of the provisions of the Act, then he/she shall take suo motu cognisance of such contravention.”

The law also widens criminal liability. According to Section 12, individuals who execute, endorse or attest documents connected to an unlawful conversion can also be considered to have aided or abetted the offence and may face punishment.

‘Brainwashing through education’ clause

One of the controversial provisions in the Bill is the inclusion of the phrase “brainwashing through the medium of education”.

The proposed law states that conversions carried out through such means could also be treated as unlawful. This phrase does not appear in many similar laws enacted in other states and has therefore drawn attention.

The Bill also authorises the state government to frame detailed rules for implementing the Act. These rules would cover procedures, forms and administrative requirements related to notices, declarations and other aspects of religious conversion.

Any such rules would have to be placed before both Houses of the state legislature for a period of thirty days. The legislature would have the power to modify or cancel them if necessary.

Punishments and penalties under the law

The proposed legislation prescribes strict penalties for unlawful religious conversions. The key punishments mentioned in the Bill include:

  • Up to 7 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹1 lakh for carrying out unlawful religious conversion.
  • Up to 7 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹5 lakh if the offence is committed against vulnerable individuals such as minors, women, persons of unsound mind, or members of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
  • Mass conversions will also attract up to 7 years in prison and a fine of ₹5 lakh.
  • Repeat offenders, including individuals or organisations involved in such activities, may face up to 10 years of imprisonment and a fine of ₹7 lakh.
  • If an organisation is found guilty, the government may cancel its registration, and the person in charge may face 7 years in jail and a fine of ₹5 lakh.
  • The government may also stop financial aid or grants to organisations involved in unlawful conversions.

Provision to address implementation issues

The Bill also includes a provision that allows the state government to issue orders if any difficulties arise while implementing the law.

According to the draft legislation, the government may issue directions through an order published in the Official Gazette to remove such difficulties, as long as the order does not contradict the provisions of the Act.

However, this power will only remain in effect for two years after the law comes into force. Any such order must also be placed before both Houses of the state legislature.

India Today, Laura Loomer and Rajdeep Sardesai: Was the Conclave confrontation a scripted spectacle?

Jinit Jain
-
0
India Today, Laura Loomer and Rajdeep Sardesai: Was the Conclave confrontation a scripted spectacle?

When the India Today Group hosted the India Today Conclave 2026 this week, one particular name in the speaker lineup instantly set off a firestorm: Laura Loomer.

The American commentator, closely associated with the political orbit of Donald Trump and the broader MAGA ecosystem, is hardly an unknown quantity. Loomer has built her reputation on incendiary rhetoric and provocation. What made her invitation particularly controversial, however, was not merely her politics but her long record of racist remarks targeting Indians and Indian-origin individuals.

Once Loomer herself posted on X that she was heading to India to speak at the conclave, Indians quickly dug into her past posts. Screenshots began circulating widely. In those posts, Loomer had described Indians as “third-world invaders,” mocked India’s sanitation practices, and questioned the intellectual abilities of Indians. In another notorious episode, she launched a tirade against Indian-American technologist Sriram Krishnan after he was appointed Senior Policy Advisor for Artificial Intelligence at the White House, questioning why immigrants should occupy influential positions in the United States.

She had also previously mocked the Indian heritage of Kamala Harris with a crude “curry” jibe that triggered widespread outrage. Beyond anti-India rhetoric, Loomer has also courted controversy for promoting conspiracy theories around the September 11 attacks and spreading misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Even Republican Senator Thom Tillis once dismissed her as a “crazy conspiracy theorist.”

Given this background, the immediate question that dominated social media was obvious: why would a leading Indian media platform invite someone who had repeatedly insulted India and Indians?

The backlash was swift and intense. Social media users circulated screenshots of Loomer’s old posts mocking Indian sanitation practices, calling Indians “third-world invaders,” and ridiculing Indian immigrants as supposedly “high-skilled workers” from a country lacking basic infrastructure. Critics described the invitation as astonishing and self-defeating, arguing that providing a prestigious stage to someone with a documented history of anti-India rhetoric risked legitimising exactly the kind of hate speech Indian media houses frequently claim to oppose.

But then came the twist.

During the conclave session, senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai confronted Loomer over her past remarks. He cited several of her controversial tweets and asked whether she regretted them. “Your remarks are brazenly racist and Islamophobic,” Rajdeep said during his interaction with Loomer. 

Loomer responded by acknowledging that some of her earlier posts had indeed crossed the line.

“I should not have said some of the things I wrote in the other tweets,” she said, adding that she apologised if her remarks had offended Indians. Loomer also dropped a bombshell, stating that it was Twitter that deleted some of her tweets on Indians, and she had no choice but to accept it.

At the same time, she carefully held her ground on other issues. Loomer refused to apologise for her opposition to the H-1B visa programme, insisting that her job as an American activist was to defend American workers. She also tried to soften her stance by claiming she had no hatred toward Indians or Hindus and had spoken out against the persecution of Hindus by radical Islam.

The exchange quickly went viral.

Clips of Sardesai confronting Loomer flooded social media. A section of the online ecosystem cutting across ideological lines, from accounts sympathetic to the Indian National Congress to those who refer to themselves as non-Left, began celebrating the moment as a triumph of journalism. Sardesai was hailed as the journalist who “showed the courage” of “putting a racist in her place,” while Loomer’s partial apology was framed as a narrative victory.

There were others who “thanked” Rajdeep Sardesai for ‘confronting’ Laura Loomer for her disgusting remarks online. 

And just like that, the focus shifted.

The central controversy had originally been about why Loomer was invited at all. Yet within hours, the conversation had moved to how effectively she had been confronted on stage.

Why Rajdeep Sardesai didn’t outrage when India Today invited Laura Loomer for Conclave

One aspect of the episode that raises even more questions is the role played by Rajdeep Sardesai himself.

If Sardesai was genuinely outraged by the vile remarks Loomer had made about India and Indians, one would have expected that outrage to surface well before the cameras began rolling at the conclave.

After all, Sardesai is among the most active journalists on social media. On X, he regularly runs the popular “stories that caught my eye” thread, often amplifying issues he believes deserve public scrutiny. He has rarely hesitated to criticise politicians, institutions, or public figures when he believes something crosses a line.

Which makes his silence in the days leading up to the conclave rather striking.

Once Loomer announced she was travelling to India to speak at the conclave organised by the India Today Group, the backlash was immediate. Screenshots of her past tweets mocking Indians and questioning their place in the United States flooded social media timelines.

Yet Sardesai raised no visible public objection during that phase.

This was precisely the moment when he could have expressed shock or disapproval. As a senior editorial face of the network, he could easily have posted on X, questioning why a media organisation would invite someone with such a track record of insulting Indians.

Instead, Sardesai appeared at the conclave itself and confronted Loomer on stage about those remarks. The exchange unfolded almost like a neatly packaged segment, with questions about the offensive tweets, Loomer acknowledging some of them were inappropriate, and a partial apology delivered before a live audience.

The moment quickly went viral.

But viewed in hindsight, the sequence has the feel of something less spontaneous and more choreographed. The absence of any prior public objection, followed by a perfectly timed on-stage confrontation, raises the possibility that the exchange was always meant to unfold in front of cameras rather than in the messy unpredictability of public debate.

Which brings us back to the larger question.

Because the sequence of events almost reads like a carefully structured script: invite a controversial figure with a record of offensive remarks, allow outrage to build once those remarks resurface, and then stage a dramatic confrontation at the event itself. The confrontation produces viral content, the guest offers a partial apology, and the host network is suddenly repositioned, not as the platform that legitimised the controversial voice, but as the one that held it accountable.

The narrative transforms.

How ‘India Today platforms an anti-India racist commentator’ story was transformed into ‘Look how India Today confronted her’

Instead of “Why did India Today invite someone who repeatedly insulted Indians?” the story becomes “Look how India Today confronted her.”

In effect, the controversy is neutralised through spectacle.

It is therefore difficult not to wonder whether the entire episode, from the invitation to the confrontation and the apology, functioned as a form of narrative damage control, perhaps even narrative laundering.

After all, the outcome appears to have served everyone involved.

Loomer walked away having publicly toned down some of her remarks and projecting a less hostile image toward India. Sardesai enjoyed widespread applause on social media for confronting her. And the India Today Group successfully pivoted the conversation away from the uncomfortable question that had sparked the controversy in the first place.

In the age of viral media spectacles, what looked like a spontaneous clash between a journalist and a controversial commentator may well have been something else entirely, a convenient drama that transformed a reputational crisis into a carefully choreographed moment of accountability.

Why has Bihar’s Saran case turned into a ‘Rajput vs Paswan’ flashpoint? Here’s what has unfolded so far in the gang rape and killing of a minor who was thrown into a well

शिव
-
0
Why has Bihar’s Saran case turned into a ‘Rajput vs Paswan’ flashpoint? Here’s what has unfolded so far in the gang rape and killing of a minor who was thrown into a well

A case of the gang rape and murder of a Class 10 student has come to light in Pattishital village of Saran district, Bihar. In this case, the victim’s mother has accused five youths from the same village, one of whom has already been arrested by the police. It is alleged that the five men gang-raped the girl and then threw her into a well, leading to her death. The incident has also triggered a narrative war on social media because the victim belonged to an upper-caste Rajput family, while the accused belonged to the Mahadalit (Paswan) community.

Police are facing allegations that the swift action expected in such a serious case has not been taken, as not all the accused have been arrested, even three days after the incident. The victim’s family and eyewitnesses have made serious claims, but the police are reportedly reluctant to accept these accounts at this stage. Here is a detailed look at what each side is claiming and the questions being raised about the police response.

What did the victim’s mother say in her complaint?

The victim’s mother filed a complaint at the Derni police station. In the complaint, she said: “My daughter often used to go to our old house to collect belongings. On Wednesday (March 11, 2026), she went there at around 3:00 pm. During that time, five people who were already lying in wait gang-raped her and dragged her to a well and threw her into it, which caused her death.”

Five people have been named as accused in the case: Sachin Kumar Manjhi, Yuvraj Manjhi, Chandan Manjhi, Ajay Manjhi and Vikas Manjhi. The complaint also states that Vikas Manjhi had earlier tried to enter the house and attempted to rape the girl. He allegedly abused the family and threatened them, saying that he would enter the house and kill everyone.

According to the complaint, when the family opposed him earlier, Vikas had warned that the consequences would be very bad. The mother alleges that he eventually carried out the threat on March 11, 2026. She further stated that after committing the crime, the accused abused the family and said that they could buy the police, administration and courts, and that no one would be able to harm them.

The victim’s mother has also accused the police of inaction, claiming that the police came to the spot but left without taking proper action.

What did an eyewitness claim?

According to a report by Dainik Bhaskar, an eyewitness said that the girl was shouting loudly for help during the incident. Hearing her screams, nearby residents and family members rushed toward the spot. Her mother and elder sister were among the first to run there.

However, before they could reach, the accused allegedly covered the girl’s mouth and forcibly dragged her out of the house by her legs. The eyewitness claimed that the accused then took the girl to a well located about 10 meters away and pushed her into it. After committing the crime, they fled toward nearby fields. The eyewitness also said that the main accused had previously harassed and threatened the girl multiple times.

According to the eyewitness, after pushing the girl into the well, the main accused even posted a WhatsApp status lip-syncing to a Bhojpuri song with the line: “Rani hum bana lehab tohara ke dulhaniya… agar koi bola to ghar mein ghuskar sabko maar daalenge” (“I will make you my bride… if anyone speaks, I will enter the house and kill everyone”).

Police have not yet confirmed the gang rape claim

In a statement released on social media, Saran Police did not mention rape or gang rape. The police said that one accused, Yuvraj Manjhi, has been arrested.

According to the police statement, information was received about the suspicious death of a minor girl, after which the police reached the spot and initiated action. The SP and SDPO visited the location, and an FSL team collected evidence from the scene. Police said that raids are being conducted to arrest the other accused.

Saran SSP Vinit Kumar stated that the police were initially informed that the minor girl had died after jumping into a well. He added that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed and that the police are waiting for the post-mortem report.

Meanwhile, Saran (Rural) SP Sanjay Kumar told OpIndia that the police are taking prompt action in the case and that the remaining accused will be arrested soon.

‘Mahadalit vs Savarna’ narrative emerging on social media

After the incident surfaced, social media has also seen a narrative battle framing the case as Rajput vs Paswan. Many people have questioned the police response and said that the lack of swift action is contributing to rising tensions.

Social media influencer Rana Deepu Singh told OpIndia that he visited Pattishital village with his associates and spoke to locals. According to him, villagers said that five accused were seen at the spot. He alleged that the police response has been indifferent and that only one accused has been arrested while the main accused and others are still absconding.

Rana Deepu Singh visited the village along with his associates.

RJD MLA Karishma Rai from Parsa also visited the site, though she has not issued an official statement about the incident. When asked about the caste narrative, she said the matter should not be seen through a caste lens but that strict action must be taken against the culprits.

Speaking to OpIndia, Rai said the incident was extremely horrific and the accused should receive the strictest punishment. She added that brutality remains brutality regardless of the caste of the perpetrator and that the law must act firmly.

Questions raised by the case

The case has raised several serious questions. On one hand, the victim’s family and eyewitnesses claim that it was a brutal gang rape followed by murder. On the other hand, the police are currently treating it as a suspicious death and are waiting for the post-mortem and forensic evidence before confirming the nature of the crime.

Ultimately, the truth will become clear only after the investigation and medical reports are completed. However, in sensitive cases like this, the speed and transparency of police action become crucial. When the victim’s family and local residents are making serious allegations and all named accused have not yet been arrested, it naturally raises concerns about the administration’s response. This is also why caste-based narratives have begun to spread rapidly on social media following the incident.

1...124125126...7,678Page 125 of 7,678