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Shah Rukh Khan greets guests of the Ambani pre-wedding ceremony with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Islamists attack him with hateful comments on Instagram

OpIndia Staff
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Shah Rukh Khan greets guests of the Ambani pre-wedding ceremony with ‘Jai Shri Ram’, Islamists attack him with hateful comments on Instagram

On Saturday (2nd March), Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan attended the pre-wedding ceremony at Jamnagar in Gujarat. He greeted the audience with ‘Jai Shri Ram’ during his anchoring of the dance performances in the show. A video of this incident was posted on social media where the actor received hateful comments from Islamists.

Photo Journalist Manav Manglani posted the video of this event from his Instagram handle. He wrote in the caption of this video, “Shah Rukh Khan at his charming best for Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant wedding festivities in Jamnagar.” In the very beginning of this video, it is seen that Shah Rukh Khan comes to the stage and greets the audience by saying ‘Jai Shri Ram’.

The video is from that segment of the pre-wedding celebrations where actor Shah Rukh Khan was anchoring the dance performances and he greeted the audience with Jai Shri Ram before introducing performers. He said, “…and for very good measure, ‘Jai Shri Ram’. God bless you all. You have seen dance performances. The brothers have danced, the sisters have danced…But the togetherness can’t go forward without the prayers and blessings.”

As this video gained traction on Instagram, it started pouring hate messages in the comments section of the post for the actor who hailed a Hindu deity, Lord Ram. One Nadir Rangrez wrote, “Shah Rukh Khan showed his worth by saying Jai Shri Ram.”

Another user by the name Mr Shahnoor wrote, “This pimp Shah Rukh Khan received money for saying Jai Shri Ram.”

Another Instagram user “@af.sar_786” posted, “He is not King Khan, but he is King Khan for money.”

Another Instagram user Affanzsh wrote, “He will say anything for money. Even losing his religion. He must have got heavy money for this.” Similarly, another handle named @saddam_sid_khan wrote, “Brother, he must have taken at least 50 crores.”

Another user @rehanpop123 wrote, “Bhikhari Bollywood.” (Meaning Beggar Bollywood.)

Besides anchoring, Shah Rukh Khan also performed on the Naatu Naatu song from the film RRR. He was joined by Amir Khan and Salman Khan in this performance. The sangeet formed a part of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant’s three-day pre-wedding festivities. Alongside Salman Khan and Amir Khan, numerous other performers from Bollywood were present on the occasion. Notable attendees included Sidharth Malhotra, Kiara Advani, Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Madhuri Dixit, Varun Dhawan, Anil Kapoor, Sara Ali Khan, Ibrahim Ali Khan, Ananya Panday, and Aditya Roy Kapur. Also in attendance were Rani Mukerji, Deepika Padukone, Ranveer Singh, Ranbir Kapoor, and Alia Bhatt, adding to the glamour of the grand celebration.

Padma Bhushan Devendra Jhajharia to be BJP candidate from Churu, know more about the sportsperson who won 2 individual gold medals at Paralympics

OpIndia Staff
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Padma Bhushan Devendra Jhajharia to be BJP candidate from Churu, know more about the sportsperson who won 2 individual gold medals at Paralympics

Devendra Jhajharia, the first para-athlete from the country to receive the Padma Bhushan award, will contest the Lok Sabha elections from Churu. On Saturday (2nd March), the BJP declared his name in the list of 195 candidates’ list released for the upcoming elections. Jhajharia, who won three Paralympic medals, including two golds, lost part of his left hand after he came in contact with an electric wire while climbing a tree at the age of eight. He is the only Indian in history to win two gold medals at the Olympics or Paralympics.

Devendra Jhajharia is BJP candidate for the Churu Lok Sabha seat in Rajasthan. 42-year-old Jhajharia is a well-known name in the sports world. Jhajharia was born in Churu and will now make his political debut from the place known as the gateway to the Thar Desert. Devendra Jhajharia is also the first para-athlete in the country to receive the Padma Bhushan award.

Jhajharia has won medals for the country in three Olympics. Due to his brilliant performances, he was awarded the Padma Bhushan. Jhajharia is the first player from Rajasthan who has been given this award. He won a silver medal at the Tokyo Paralympics last year. Earlier, Devendra won gold medals for the country in the Athens 2004 and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games.

In a media interaction after getting the Lok Sabha ticket, Devendra Jhajharia said, “All I have to say is that I could have never imagined this. Today this historic decision has been taken – Devendra Jhajharia gets a Lok Sabha ticket. This is a very happy moment for me.”

He added, “I have been playing the sport for so long. But, I have noticed one thing, the work done by the Modi government speaks for itself. I am a sportsman and I have seen it in our field. There are so many good schemes for sports and we are advancing in sports today. Our vision is very clear, we will make India a developed country by 2047. There are almost five to seven crore Divyang people in our country. They will be very happy today to know that the Bharatiya Janata Party has given a ticket to a Divyang person. Youths and sportspersons in the country are feeling this excitement. And most importantly, this is a ticket given to the son of a farmer. I just received a call from my mother. She said that she knew it a while ago when she was returning home from the farm.”

Devendra Jhajharia posted on his X handle, “I have been made a candidate from Churu Lok Sabha seat by the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party for the Lok Sabha elections 2024 under the leadership of Honorable Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, which is an unforgettable moment for me. After a long innings of sports life, I will always be indebted to you for the way the Honourable Prime Minister has trusted a person like me from an ordinary farmer family and given me a ticket. Honourable Prime Minister, I will work with hard work and dedication taking the people of the parliamentary constituency along with me to implement BJP’s slogan of ‘Ab Ki Bar 400 paar’. Once again I express my gratitude to the top leadership of Bharatiya Janata Party.”

Jhajharia was born on 10th June 1981 to an ordinary farming couple Ram Singh and Jivani Devi of Sadulpur in Churu. He never let the disadvantaged surroundings and adverse circumstances become obstacles in his path. Devendra Jhajharia started practising the sport of Javelin throw in the village by making a wooden spear.

In 1995, he commenced his javelin-throwing journey during a school competition. His prowess in both javelin throw and shot put earned him medals at the National Games in Bangalore while still in college. From there, his life’s trajectory was set, and he never faltered. Despite facing stiff competition in the general category, Devendra Jhajharia clinched the gold medal in the javelin throw at the national level in 1999, marking a significant milestone in his career. This marked the beginning of a string of accomplishments for Devendra Jhajharia.

Jhajharia secured the gold medal at the 2002 Busan Asiad. His prowess was further showcased at the 2003 British Open Games, where he clinched gold in Javelin Throw, Shot Put, and Triple Jump. A monumental achievement in Indian sports history came when Devendra Jhajharia triumphed in the javelin throw event at the 2004 Athens Para Olympics.

During these competitions, Jhajharia shattered his world record with a throw of 63.97 meters in Rio Paralympics 2016, surpassing his previous mark of 62.15 meters that he set in Athens. He continued his winning streak by claiming gold at the Malaysia Para Asian Games in 2006, followed by another triumph at the Para World Games in Taiwan in 2007. In 2013, he added to his illustrious career by clinching gold at the Athletics Championship held in Lyon, France.

The childhood tragedy that led to the amputation of his left hand was one of the many obstacles that Jhajharia struggled to climb the ladder of success. His tireless efforts earned him several medals at the Paralympics. The last medal was a silver medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games. He was awarded the Arjuna Award in 2004 and the Khel Ratna in 2017. Meanwhile, he was awarded the Padma Shri in 2012. Jhajharia received the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour, in 2022.

Upon learning that his father was battling cancer, Jhajharia contemplated bidding farewell to his athletic career. However, his father, Ram Singh, encouraged him to persevere in the sporting field. Honouring his father’s wishes, Jhajharia recommitted himself to his training. Despite being unable to be by his father’s side in his final moments, Jhajharia channeled his emotions into his performance, visibly moved after securing medals at national-level competitions in 2020 and 2021, in fond memory of his father.

Despite initially contemplating retirement from the Paralympics, Jhajharia remained dedicated to the sport even after his category was excluded. The F46 javelin throw was notably absent from the 2008 and 2012 Paralympics, a category tailored for athletes with impaired arm or weakened arm muscles. Encouraged by his wife, Manju, a national-level kabaddi player, Jhajharia found renewed motivation to persist in his athletic pursuits. Subsequently, coach Ripu Daman Singh played a pivotal role in honing and enhancing his skills, offering invaluable support along the way.

Devendra Jhajharia on Wednesday (28th February) filed his nomination papers for the post of President of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) for the March 9 elections. Apart from him, no one has applied for this post. In such a situation, Jhajharia is certain to be elected unopposed. Currently, Deepa Malik is its chairman.

Jhajharia’s journey so far has been very interesting and profoundly moving. He is celebrated for his unwavering determination. Regarded as an inspirational figure, he seeks to embark on a new journey by venturing into the realm of politics, aiming to pursue yet another significant goal.

Another YouTuber after Rachit Kaushik targeted by AAP govt in Punjab: Police reaches Jammu residence after video of alleged prostitution near Lovely University goes viral

OpIndia Staff
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Another YouTuber after Rachit Kaushik targeted by AAP govt in Punjab: Police reaches Jammu residence after video of alleged prostitution near Lovely University goes viral

On 3rd March, a team of Punjab police reached the residence of YouTuber Nikhil Singh who goes by the name “Desi Dude With Sign” on social media at around 8 AM. At that time, Nikhil was not at home and his family members were informed that the police reached his house based on an FIR under Section 295A, 153, 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 3 of Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, 1986 has been registered in Satnampura Police Station in district Kapurthala, Punjab. The FIR had a mention of a video that Nikhil published on his YouTube channel exposing an alleged prostitution ring near Lovely Professional University.

OpIndia accessed the FIR registered in the matter. It turned out that an X handle “Warlock_Shabby” had shared a video clip of Nikhil’s video raising concerns over an alleged prostitution ring and anti-social activities running near Lovely Professional University (LPU) in Phagwara, Punjab. A person named Vipan Kumar approached the police against Warlock_Shabby and claimed that the video he shared of the Law Gate area near LPU had “derogatory language” against women. He also claimed that over some time, the X handle had shared derogatory content against Hindu religion and Christian religions that might hurt the religious sentiments of Hindus and Christians. He further claimed such a post might lead to a riot-like situation in the country. The X account Warlock_Shabby no longer exists.

Source: Punjab police

Nikhil raised concerns about anti-social activities near Lovely Professional University

Notably, the FIR did not mention Nikhil’s name or the name of his channel anywhere. The clip of the video mentioned in the FIR was posted by Nikhil on his YouTube channel on 29th February. In the video, Nikhil raised concerns over the alleged prostitution ring rampant near the Law Gate of Lovely Professional University, where Nikhil himself earned his degree. In the video, he also raised the question of why there were four liquor stores nearby the area where hundreds of LPU students were living. He pointed out that LPU’s founder is Aam Aadmi Party’s Rajya Sabha MP and urged the state government to take immediate steps to curb the problem of anti-social activities around the college. OpIndia could not independently verify Nikhil’s claims.

Similarity to the case of Rachit Kaushik’s arrest

The case has a striking similarity with the case of Sab Loktantra’s founder Rachit Kaushik who was arrested by Punjab Police from Uttar Pradesh in February 2023. Kaushik was arrested from Muzaffarnagar. He was there to attend the wedding of his niece. At around 7 PM when he was accompanying his niece from the parlour to the wedding location. OpIndia’s investigation revealed that a case was filed against an X handle “noconversion”.

His family alleged that Kaushik was picked up by Punjab police as he spoke against Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in his videos. A clip of such videos by Kaushik was shared by the ‘conversion’ account on X on 16th January. The clip shared talked about Arvind Kejriwal’s son and his alleged income from renting treadmills to CM’s house. Apart from that clip, there was no other video featuring Kaushik on that account. OpIndia could not find any other video of Kaushik posted by ‘conversion’ mentioning conversions being done by missionaries. Furthermore, we could not confirm whether this post and video led to Kaushik’s arrest.

Interestingly, the FIR that the family of Rachit Kaushik provided has no mention of Rachit at all. It only mentions the Twitter handle ‘no conversion’. The FIR also does not mention the video against Arvind Kejriwal and his son. It, therefore, seems likely that Rachit may have been arrested because of the video that was shared by the ‘noconversion’ Twitter handle. On 16th February, Kaushik was released from custody on bail. The case in the matter is underway.

OpIndia tried to reach out to Nikhil’s family and the concerned police station but could not connect.

Calcutta High Court: Calling an unknown woman ‘darling’ is sexual harassment; ruling in case of man who asked a policewoman, ‘Kya darling, challan karne aayi hai kya?

OpIndia Staff
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Calcutta High Court: Calling an unknown woman ‘darling’ is sexual harassment; ruling in case of man who asked a policewoman, ‘Kya darling, challan karne aayi hai kya?

The Calcutta High Court recently held that calling an unknown woman ‘darling’ is offensive and sexual harassment. The court added that it is a punishable criminal offence under Section 354A(i) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

Notably, on Friday (1st March), a single-judge bench of Justice Jay Sengupta upheld the sentencing of a convict (also the appellant in this case) named Janak Ram. He was arrested in an inebriated condition. At the time of his arrest, he had asked a lady police officer (complainant) “Kya darling, challan karne aayi hai kya?” (Hey darling, have you come to impose a fine?)”.

Upholding the punishment, the court noted, “Addressing an unknown lady, whether a police constable or not, on the street by a man, drunken or not, with the word “darling” is patently offensive and the word used essentially a sexually coloured remark. Using such an expression to an unacquainted lady cannot but be an act intended to insult the modesty of the addressee.” 

The court rejected the argument that there was no proof of the accused man being drunk at the time of the incident. Responding to the argument, Judge Sengupta stressed, “If this was done in a sober state, the gravity of the offence would perhaps be even more.” 

The court highlighted that the prevailing standards in our society are not such that a man on the street can gleefully be permitted to use such an expression in respect of unsuspecting, unacquainted women.

According to the prosecution, the victim police constable was part of a police patrolling team that went to Lall Tikrey to maintain law and order on the eve of Durga Puja. When the Police team reached Webi junction, they received a complaint that a person was creating a nuisance in the area. 

Based on the complaint, the police team reached the place to apprehend the miscreant. As the area was not well-lit, they decided to go under the street light in front of a shop. When they reached the street light, the appellant who was standing in front of the shop asked the sexually coloured question. He asked the complainant, “Kya darling challan karne aai hay kya?” 

Following the incident, Mayabunder Police Station filed a first information report (FIR) under Sections 354A (1) (iv) and 509 (word, gesture, or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

On 24th April 2023, the Judicial Magistrate, First Class at North and Middle Andaman, Mayabunder, convicted the appellant for offences under Sections 354A(1)(iv) and 509 of IPC. It sentenced the convict to simple imprisonment for three months and a fine of ₹500 for each of the two offences. Later, his appeal was dismissed by the Additional Sessions Judge, North & Middle Andaman on 21st November 2023. Subsequently, he filed the present revisional application before the High Court against the conviction and sentence. 

During proceedings, the Court also examined Sections 354A and 509 and held that using expressions like’ darling’ to address an unacquainted lady would be an offence under both provisions. 

The court noted, “At least as of now, the prevailing standards in our society are not such that a man on the street can gleefully be permitted to use such expression in respect of unsuspecting, unacquainted women.” 

The Court also noted that there was sufficient evidence provided by the prosecution to prove that the victim had indeed addressed the woman constable in the manner as alleged.

However, the court took a lenient approach to the aspect of sentencing. The court ruled that since the appellant had stopped after making the contagious remark, and did not aggravate the situation, it reduced the sentencing to just one-month imprisonment. 

Rajasthan: Saddam and Sameer attempt to murder Hindu man in Rajsamand for marrying Muslim woman, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Saddam and Sameer attempt to murder Hindu man in Rajsamand for marrying Muslim woman, arrested

On Tuesday (27th February), the police arrested two accused for carrying out a deadly knife attack on a young Hindu man named Praveen Singh Sisodia in Rajsamand city of Rajasthan.

The accused were identified as Saddam and Sameer Mohammed. As per reports, the duo attacked the victim with a knife on Monday (26th February) and attempted to murder him for marrying a Muslim woman.

While speaking about the matter, Kankroli police station in-charge Hanuwant Singh Sodha informed that Praveen Singh Sisodia married a woman from a ‘different community.’

The victim, who is a resident of Chandradeep Colony in Kankroli, was attacked brutally when he returned to Rajsamand city after several months of his marriage.

The attack on Sisodia was orchestrated by the family members of the Muslim woman. The victim sustained injuries to his leg after being attacked with a knife by Saddam and Sameer Mohammed. Thereafter, the attackers fled the crime scene.

On receiving information about the matter, the police rushed to the spot and admitted the victim to R.K. Govt Hospital in Rajsamand. They formed a special team and began a probe into the matter.

The arrest of the accused

Based on Sisodia’s complaint, a First Information Report (FIR) was registered against Saddam and Sameer Mohammed. The police arrested the duo on Tuesday (27th February) and produced them before a local court, following which they were sent on remand.

A minor was also detained by the police and sent to a children’s care home. The police are now interrogating the accused and trying to recover the weapon used in the crime. Saddam and Sameer Mohammed are residents of Kisan Mohalla in Kankroli.

‘Bhagwa love trap’ conspiracy theory and its aftermath

‘Bhagwa Love trap’ is a baseless theory about Hindu outfits, supposedly training Hindu youth to lure, and entrap Muslim women and turn them into non-Muslims. OpIndia has reported that an Islamic cleric by the name of Sajjad Nomani has been making such outrageous claims since 2021.

The conspiracy theory soon took the form of a social media hashtag, which Islamists used to share videos of random hijab-wearing Muslim women and their male Hindu friends/ acquaintances and partners without their consent.

The posts are often accompanied by emotional messages and seek public help in identifying the couples. Soon after, social media was rife with videos of Islamist mobs ambushing random Hindu-Muslim couples.

This would then be followed by heated arguments, physical assault on Hindu men, and even molestation of Muslim women. The victims have been targeted on roads, restaurants, eateries, and even hotels.

Based on local reports and social media videos, OpIndia has compiled several cases (here, here and here) where Hindu men and Muslim women were attacked by extremists under the pretext of the ‘Bhagwa love trap.’

OpIndia has published an investigative report, highlighting how Islamists are using Whatsapp groups to target Hindu-Muslim couples.

’16 lakh fake or duplicate votes’: BJP urges West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer to address the issue

OpIndia Staff
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’16 lakh fake or duplicate votes’: BJP urges West Bengal Chief Electoral Officer to address the issue

On 28th February, a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation led by Suvendu Adhikari submitted a memorandum to the Chief Electoral Officer of West Bengal alleging there were 16 lakh fake or duplicate votes in the state. The six-member delegation urged the commission to take immediate steps to address the issue. Notably, the BJP has been raising the issue of fake voters for years. They have pointed out that illegal Bangladeshi immigrants got access to voter cards in the state.

Addressing the media after the meeting with the CEO, Adhikari said, “Around 16 lakh fake voters have been found in West Bengal. There is evidence of double entry and deceased individuals are still named on the voters’ list. We have presented our findings to the ECI, alleging that these discrepancies were brought to facilitate the casting of fake votes in favour of the Trinamool Congress (TMC).”

Furthermore, he said that there were assurances in the past that the duplicate voters would be removed but no action was taken. He said, “Despite assurances of weeding out duplicate voters, nothing much was achieved. We regret to put on record that practically no steps were taken. There are around 16 lakh duplicate names in the voter list. Most interestingly, the gap between votes polled by the TMC and the BJP in 2019 was around 17 lakh only.”

Furthermore, they requested to conduct the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections in West Bengal in 42 phases as there are 42 Lok Sabha seats in the state. They asserted it would help in curbing malpractice.

BJP has been raising issue of illegal Bangladeshi immigrants getting voter cards for years

This is not the first time the BJP has raised the issue of fake or duplicate voters in the state of West Bengal. In December 2023, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey pointed out the problem of Bangladeshi illegal immigrants in the country and demanded that the Central government implement the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as soon as possible. Dubey is an MP from Jharkhand’s Godda. He has raised the issue multiple times in the Lok Sabha since he resumed office. Dubey alleged that the demography in many parts of West Bengal, Bihar and Jharkhand was changing because of the increasing number of illegal immigrants from Bangladesh.

He said, “When Mamata Banerjee was MP she had said the demography of Bengal was changing because of Bangladeshis. Since she became chief minister, Malda, Murshidabad and Kaliachak, is full of Bangladeshi infiltrators. The same is the situation in Katihar, Kishanganj, Araria, Purnia, and Bhagalpur (of Bihar). Demography is changing because of Bangladeshis.”

In November 2022, the Central Government alerted the Director General of Police of States and Union Territories about the illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in India. They told the DGPs to take appropriate action against the illegal immigrants who sneaked into the country via West Bengal. As per reports, a well-connected network of agents and locals in West Bengal facilitated the entry of illegal immigrants. They also helped them in obtaining documents including bank passbooks, voter cards, Aadhaar cards and PAN cards. After entering into India, the illegal immigrants migrated to several other states as well including Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. 

In November 2022, West Bengal MLA Khokan Das stirred a controversy by saying that the Bangladesh immigrants who support TMC should get a place on the voter’s list. He said, “Many new people are coming…they are from Bangladesh. Many of these people vote for the BJP based on Hindu sentiments. Please ensure that only those who support our party get a place in the voters’ list.” The alleged statement was given during a public meeting in Bardhaman town and the video could not be independently verified by OpIndia. Later, speaking to the media, he claimed that he told the party workers that, “Illegal Bangladeshi immigrants are entering our area every day. I gave a message to TMC workers that their names should not find a place in the voters’ list.”

Reacting to the controversy, BJP’s Bardhaman organisational district’s spokesperson Soumyaraj Mukhopadhyay said MLA should inform the Centre and State government about the illegal immigrants. He added, “This is why we will implement the Citizenship [Amendment] Act.” TMC on the other hand claimed that the MLA’s statement was misconstrued.

The issue of illegal immigrants has been a political matter for years. In January 2020, BJP leader Dilip Ghosh said the National Register of Citizens would be implemented soon and one crore Bangladesh illegal immigrants would be sent back to their home country. He further alleged that the illegal immigrants were living on subsidised rice that the state government was providing for Rs 2 per KG. “These illegal Bangladeshi Muslims are involved in arsons across the state,” He said.

In October 2018, the Union Home Ministry sent details of 1.5 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to the West Bengal government. BJP leader Sidharth Nath Singh accused the Mamata Banerjee-led state government of hiding the information sent by the central government. He said, “The Union government has forwarded to the state government the details of about 1.5 lakh illegal Bangladeshi immigrants who are currently staying in West Bengal. But the state government is hiding the fact. I do not understand why they are doing so. The state government should understand that it is all about national security since people staying in West Bengal illegally is nothing but a criminal offence.”

In 2016, the Central Government informed the Rajya Sabha that there were around 2 crore illegal Bangladesh immigrants living in the country. Notably, before the 2016 revelation, in 2004, then minister of state for Home Sriprakash Jaiswal told the Rajya Sabha that there were 1.2 crore illegal Bangladesh immigrants living in India out of which around 57 lakh were living in West Bengal. In his reply to Rajya Sabha, then Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said, “Deportation of illegally staying foreign nationals is a continuous process.”

In 2014, during his election rally in May, then-prime Ministerial Candidate Narendra Modi threatened to deport Bangladeshi immigrants if NDA came to power. He accused the state government of welcoming illegal immigrants with the red carpet for vote bank politics.

Hyderabad: Sahnaz Khan kidnaps 9-month-old baby of her employer, had started working as house-help only 2 days ago

OpIndia Staff
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Hyderabad: Sahnaz Khan kidnaps 9-month-old baby of her employer, had started working as house-help only 2 days ago

A shocking case has come to light in Hyderabad where a woman named Sahnaz Khan abducted a nine-month-old baby. The incident occurred in Madannapet neighbourhood in Hyderabad at about 8 pm on the night of 2nd March. The perpetrator started working at the household only two days before she committed the crime.

After the kidnapping came to light, it became a challenge for the authorities to recover the infant safely. However, the child was successfully rescued within a few hours by the police personnel in a swift response operation. Notwithstanding the grave circumstances, an extensive investigation by the police led them to the baby who was discovered in Zaheerabad, Telangana.

The police thoroughly examined the CCTV footage material in the early phases of the inquiry which helped them identify the culprit. Sahnaz was captured carrying the child in the recorded video. The accused had boarded the bus from Mahatma Gandhi Bus Station (MGBS) to Zaheerabad. The Zaheerabad police were promptly notified by the Madannapet police officials of the development and tipped off to apprehend her, ensuring a coordinated effort between the two sides.

The police caught the woman and securely retrieved the child when the bus arrived at the location. The family members breathed a sigh of relief when the cops found the baby and expressed their gratitude to the Madannapet and Zaheerabad police for their prompt action. The child was later reunited with his family, bringing a quick resolution to the distressing problem.

Notably, it was also discovered that the offender was recently employed as a house-help in the residence where the abduction took place. She had started working at the house just a couple of days before the crime. However, the police managed to save the child and arrest Sahehnaz Khan before the situation escalated into a major crisis.

MRP means Minimum Price: Rahul Gandhi bizarrely equates Maximum Retail Price on consumer goods with Minimum Support Price on crops

OpIndia Staff
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MRP means Minimum Price: Rahul Gandhi bizarrely equates Maximum Retail Price on consumer goods with Minimum Support Price on crops

In a bizarre analogy, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi equated the Minimum Support Price (MSP) declared on crops with the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) set on commodities like FMCG products. Rahul Gandhi gave this false equivalence while addressing his supporters in Gwalior, Madhya Pradesh. 

Notably, on 2nd March, the Congress prince resumed his Yatra from Madhya Pradesh after taking a break for a paid, private event at the Jesus College of the University of Cambridge. While extending support to the demand of the protesting farmers to legalise MSP, Rahul Gandhi argued that the MSP for farmers is like the MRP for shopkeepers. He added that shopkeepers can’t sell their commodities like cameras, chips, and water bottles below the designated MRP. 

The specific reference equating MRP with MSP can be heard at 18 minutes and 21 minutes into these two videos uploaded by the official YouTube handle of the Congress party, video links here and here respectively. 

However, MSP and MRP are two different and contrasting limits, and contrary to the claims of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, retailers/shopkeepers are not legally or otherwise barred from selling below the Maximum Retail Price set on several commodities. In fact, as normal market practice, to maximise sales, retailers do offer discounts and sell commodities below the MRP rate.  

Incidentally, the leftist ecosystem had earlier manufactured this false equivalence to intellectualise the demand for MSP. Evidently, on 22nd February, Sumant Banerji, the National Editor of LiveMint, came up with a bizarre justification to argue in favour of MSP legalisation. Taking to X, he also compared the Minimum Support Price to the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) of products sold in general stores.

Meanwhile, several netizens slammed and mocked the Congress leader for making false equivalences of MSP and MRP.  

An X user wrote, “He doesn’t know the difference between MSP and MRP. And dreaming of becoming PM.” 

Lawyer and BJP media panelist, Charu Pragya tweeted, “Rahul Ji is so smart! No wonder Cambridge gaye the! He doesn’t know it’s “Maximum Retail Price” and he doesn’t know the printed price means a product can’t be sold ABOVE that price. Koi batao Rahul Ji ko MSP and MRP are different (and opposite!)”

Author and BJP Spokesperson Tuhin Sinha wrote, “The Gandhi siblings needs an urgent crash course in MSP, MRP, GST et al..”

MRP and MSP differences explained

The Central Government sets the minimum support price (MSP) for crops using a formula that considers production costs and sets the price at one-and-a-half times these expenses. This method considers both explicit costs (A2), which include expenses for items such as seeds, fertiliser, pesticides, fuel, irrigation, hired labour, leased-in land, and the estimated value of unpaid labour performed by family members (Family Labour or simply FL). Notably, the government decides MSP for 22 mandated crops based on recommendations from the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP), state governments, and relevant Central Ministries /Departments.

Now, coming to Maximum Retail Price, the Maximum Retail Price (MRP) is a type of price regulation used to regulate the price at which consumer goods are permitted to be sold. The MRP is the maximum price that can be charged for a specific product, and it is usually stated on the product packaging or label.

Unlike MSP, the MRP is not decided by the government. It is decided by the manufacturers to safeguard consumers from overpaying for products by ensuring that it is not sold at a higher price than the MRP. While the government is bound to procure the crops at MSP, in the case of MRP, the retailers often sell items at prices lower than the MRP by undercutting their margin and offering discount.

Also, the Kirana shop owner would get an MRP on a product only if it is sold. On the other hand, the farmers are demanding MSP as a legal right meaning that the government will be bound to purchase the crops farmers want to sell regardless of its demand. The customers have no legal obligation to buy the products from a Kirana store.

The comparison of two different contrasting ‘Maximum’ and ‘Minimum’ limits is akin to comparing apples and oranges which neither holds water in the logical domain nor in legal or political sphere.  

High drama in Himachal Pradesh: Two Congress ministers leave cabinet meeting midway after ‘heated debate’

OpIndia Staff
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High drama in Himachal Pradesh: Two Congress ministers leave cabinet meeting midway after ‘heated debate’

The Himachal Pradesh cabinet meeting on Saturday, 2nd March, witnessed high drama as Minister of Horticulture, Revenue and Tribal Minister Jagat Singh Negi, and Education Minister Rohit Thakur left in the middle of the meeting over policy decisions following a heated debate. However, Thakur later returned when Deputy Chief Minister Mukesh Agnihotri calmed him down. Furthermore, the Industries Minister along with portfolios of Parliamentary Affairs Harshwardhan Chauhan and Public Works Minister Vikramaditya Singh who is visiting Udaipur, Rajasthan, for “personal work” were not present at the meeting either.

According to people with knowledge of the events, Rohit Thakur left following a contentious argument over differing opinions on decisions pertaining to the education department. However, when the minister spoke to the media thereafter, he claimed that he left the meeting due to “personal reasons” that left him “emotionally disturbed.”

Rohit Thakur mentioned, “We are Pahari people and we get emotional, I dropped my son at his hostel in the morning.” He met with Mukesh Agnihotri in his chamber before returning to the meeting but said that he left for a little while to see someone and returned later.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu presided over the meeting, which Jagat Negi stated began at approximately 12.30 pm rather than the planned 11 am and conflicted with another appointment he had. It was getting late, he remarked, so he left the meeting.

Rumours about unrest in Himachal Congress gained momentum when Mukesh Agnihotri was seen running after Negi. According to the sources, the purpose of the meeting, the second ministerial session in three days, was to address the building dissatisfaction among ministers concerning Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu’s leadership.

The Chief Minister asked Rohit Thakur to update the media on the decisions taken by the government in the cabinet meeting, seemingly to downplay the tensions. Ayush, Youth Services & Sports Ministe,r Yadvinder Goma, and Minister of Technical Education, Vocational and Industrial Training, Rajesh Dharmani, were with him during the news briefing.

Later, Jagat Negi and Yadvinder Goma headed to Chandigarh. According to reports, the six disqualified lawmakers who are camped in Panchkula could speak with the two leaders. Jagat Negi informed, “I am going to Chandigarh but can not disclose the purpose of my visit. I will tell you later.”

The latest cabinet reshuffle resulted in the technical education department being reassigned to newly-appointed minister Rajesh Dharmani, further straining Rohit Thakur’s relationship with the Chief Minister. Afterwards, Rohit Thakur was assigned the additional charge of stationery and printing. Harshwardhan Chauhan had also lost the Ayush department and was given the department of labour and employment.

Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu is a liar: Rebel Congress MLA

Rajinder Rana, a rebel Himachal Pradesh Congress MLA, stated earlier in the day that nine other party legislators were in contact with them (six disqualified lawmakers) because they too were “feeling suffocated” by the Chief Minister’s style of functioning. Accusing that the Chief Minister was attempting to distort the truth, Rana referred to Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu as “liar number one.”

Rajinder Rana noted, “Neither Public Works Department Minister Vikramaditya Singh had told the Chief Minister that he is meeting the Congress rebels at Panchkula nor the CM had sent him. Vikramaditya Singh, who met us on his way to Delhi, did not ask us to patch up. He has his grievances against the government which failed to provide land for installing Virbhadra Singh’s statue and interfered in Vikramaditya’s functioning.”

Despite calling the six rebel MLAs “black serpents,” the Chief Minister claimed to have asked Vikramaditya Singh to meet with the rebels who had cross-voted in the Rajya Sabha election.

Political turmoil in Himachal Pradesh

The Congress is in firefighting mode in the hill state after the Bharatiya Janata Party won the state’s lone Rajya Sabha seat despite being in the minority with just 25 MLAs against 40 of Congress, as nine MLAs, including six from the ruling party, voted for the saffron party. Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania disqualified six Congress MLAs for abstaining from voting on the Cut Motion and the Finance Bill. He stated, “Six MLAs, who contested on Congress symbol, attracted provisions of anti-defection law against themselves. I declare that the six people cease to be members of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly with immediate effect.”

Vikramaditya Singh had also announced his resignation from the Cabinet following the cross-voting. He asserted, “All I would like to say is that under the current circumstances, it is not correct for me to continue as a part of the government. So, I have decided that I am resigning from the Council of Ministers. I am resigning as a minister.” However, he later backed down after meeting with Congress observers Bhupinder Singh Hooda and DK Shivakumar who reported that the resignation had been rescinded.

According to the sources, the observers informed the party’s central leadership that MLAs and ministers are “extremely dissatisfied” with the Chief Minister. Party insiders, however, disclosed that they recommended Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu to stay on as Chief Minister until the upcoming general election.

Pakistan: Shehbaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz Sharif, set to become PM despite his party getting defeated by Imran Khan’s independents in the election

ANI
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Pakistan: Shehbaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz Sharif, set to become PM despite his party getting defeated by Imran Khan’s independents in the election

 Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, who is the prime ministerial candidate for the newly-formed eight-party alliance, is poised to take the PM’s seat for the second time, Pakistan-based Dawn reported.

He will face Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-nominated Omar Ayub Khan in the contest scheduled to be held in the newly constituted National Assembly on Sunday.

The two leaders submitted their nomination papers to the National Assembly Secretariat, which Pakistan’s National Speaker Ayaz Sadiq declared valid after the scrutiny, conducted in the presence of the leaders from both sides.

According to the National Assembly Secretariat, Shehbaz Sharif submitted eight nomination papers while Omar Ayub Khan submitted four nomination papers which included signatures of different proposers and seconders, according to Dawn’s report.

Omar Ayub Khan had objected to Shehbaz Sharif. He said Shehbaz Sharif was ‘gifted’ his NA seat through manipulation in Form-47. He said the PML-N President could not contest the Pakistan PM election as he had lost the constituency as per Form-45.

In a post on X, he said “Shehbaz Sharif has been wrongly administered the oath as Member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and he cannot be a candidate for the prime minister’s post. However, the objection raised by Omar Ayub Khan has been rejected.”

After getting the offices of the speaker and the deputy speaker in nearly one-sided contests on Friday, the newly-formed alliance seems confident to take over the post of Pakistan PM.

Meanwhile, the PTI lawmakers, who had been elected as independents and later joined the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC), are expected to continue their protest in the house over the alleged rigging in the elections conducted on February 8.

Apart from PML-N, Sharif is supported by the PPP, MQM-P, PML-Q, BAP, PML-Z, IPP, and the NP which implies that he has the backing of 205 members. Two MNAs-elect from the MQM-P and PPP have yet to take the oath. To become the leader of the house, Sharif needs 169 votes in the 336-member house.

Meanwhile, the PTI-backed opposition has 102 lawmakers. Out of those, one member has not taken the oath. Meanwhile, the JUI-F and BNP-Mengal are likely to boycott the elections.

At present, 304 lawmakers have taken oath while the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has so far withheld the notification of 23 reserved seats for women and minorities.

On Friday, PML-N’s Sadiq won the Speaker’s election after securing 199 votes against his rival PTI leader Amir Dogar, who won 91 votes in the house.

The elections of the speaker and deputy speaker were held through a secret ballot amid protests by PTI lawmakers who declared it “unconstitutional.”

The eight JUI-F members and BNP-M chief Akhtar Mengal, who had boycotted the elections for the speaker and the deputy speaker, have not made any announcement regarding their participation in the Pakistan Prime Minister’s election, Dawn reported.

However, Maulana travelled to Karachi on Saturday night, indicating he would not be in the assembly for the PM’s poll. The election will be conducted in the NA under Article 91 of the Constitution.

Article 91(3) reads, “After the election of the speaker and the deputy speaker, the National Assembly shall to the exclusion of any other business, proceed to elect without debate one of its Muslim members to be the prime minister.”

Article 91(4) of the Constitution reads, “The prime minister shall be elected by the votes of the majority of the total membership of the National Assembly: provided that, if no member secures such majority in the first poll, a second poll shall be held between the members who secure the two highest numbers of votes in the first poll and the member who secures a majority of votes of the members present and voting shall be declared to have been elected as prime minister.”

The procedure for the polls is mentioned in Chapter IV and Second Schedule of the Rules and Procedure for the Conduct of Business in the National Assembly 2007.

As per the Second Schedule, “Before voting commences, the speaker shall direct that the bells be rung for five minutes to enable members not present in the chamber to be present. Immediately after the bells stop ringing, all the entrances to the lobby shall be locked and the assembly staff posted at each entrance shall not allow any entry or exit through those entrances until the voting has concluded,” Dawn reported.

The speaker will ask the members who are willing to vote in favour of the candidates to go to the allocated lobbies through the entrance where tellers shall be posted to record the votes.

Upon reaching the tellers desk, each member shall, in turn, call out the division number allotted to them as per the rules. The tellers shall then mark off the number on the division list simultaneously calling out the name of the member, Dawn reported.

To ensure that his vote has been properly recorded, the member shall not move until they have heard the tellers call his/her name. After the recording of his/her vote, the member shall not return to the chamber until bells are rung.

When the speaker gets information that all the members willing to cast votes have recorded their votes, he shall announce that the voting has ended. Following this, the secretary shall cause the division list to be collected, count the recorded votes, and present the result of the count to the speaker.

The speaker will then direct that the bells be rung for two minutes to allow the members to come back to their chamber. After the bells stop ringing, the Assembly’s Speaker will announce the result in front of lawmakers.

(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)

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