The police in West Bengal ‘found’ the absconding TMC leader Sheikh Shahjahan and arrested him on 29th February, after weeks of protests by the local women and unsuccessful attempts by the ED team. The West Bengal Police arrested Sheikh Shahjahan from the Minakhan area in North 24 Parganas. His arrest came after weeks of protests by the local women who have been voicing their outrage against the institutionalised sexual exploitation, rape, property encroachment, and corruption they have suffered at the hands of the influential TMC leader and his goons.
Now, satellite images of land grabbing allegedly done by his men have emerged in the media where it is seen how large land mass has been converted from agriculture fields to fishponds and other establishments over the years, reportedly by Sheikh Shahjahan and his goons.
According to a report by India Today, satellite data reveals that starting from 2013, vast expanses of agricultural land in Sandeshkhali, West Bengal, were transformed into ponds. The report also claims that according to the villagers, the arrested local TMC strongman, Sheikh Shahjahan, and his associates forcibly occupied and repurposed the land for their use.
Land parcels where villagers used to grow rice, the staple food grain, in this delta region of North 24 Parganas district are seen in these images. Boyermari, Hatgachi, Nalkara, Sarberia, and Rajbari areas of Sandeshkhali Block 1 are majorly affected. Similarly, Trimoni Bazaar, Jhupkhali, Majherpara, and Bermujur areas in Sandeshkhali Block 2 have also seen large-scale land grabbing.
Hundreds of acres of land were converted to ponds for fishfarming. The farmers and original landowners were forced to give away their belongings for five to six thousand rupees per year as leases. When the locals opposed this, the land was forcibly acquired by these goons and turned into ponds of saline waters.
Rupadasi Sardar, a tribal woman in his 60s said, “Uttam Sardar (a close aide of Sheikh Shahjahan) took my 3.3 bigha of land on lease but never paid the offered sum. We could not refuse because others had also agreed to give in their lands.”
People in Sandeshkhali who once cultivated their food grains, rice and other staple food in these lands are now forced to purchase grains from shops at exorbitant prices in the market. Additionally, they do not own their land anymore.
While the exact total area of converted land remains uncertain, conservative estimates suggest it exceeds 1000 acres. This estimation is based on observations of a relatively small area from space, which spans approximately 100 acres.
Further support for this estimate comes from a Google Earth flythrough tour. Additionally, Google Street View data uploaded in 2023 depicts numerous bheris (fish ponds) stretching across the landscape in many areas, although not all of these mapped areas are necessarily linked to Sheikh’s operations.
According to villagers, Sheikh’s fish farming activities are overseen by his brother Jiauddin, along with aides Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar. They allege that the appropriation of land under the guise of lease agreements began in 2013-14 and intensified significantly after Sheikh was elected deputy chief of the gram panchayat in 2018. Officials state that 147 cases of land grabbing have been resolved following protests. Reports indicate that only 200 bighas of land have been returned as a result.
Allegation of land grabbing arise in Minakha block, adjacent to Sandeshkhali.
Local people alleges TMC leaders have grabbed around 300 bigha land forcefully and converted it into Brackwish water.
No action taken against the alleged TMC leaders despite several complaints filed… pic.twitter.com/Zuv6T1w6s2
Allegedly, Sheikh took possession of a playground owned by Shri Aurobindo Mission and rebranded it as the “Sheikh Shahjahan Fan Club” ground, with the new name prominently displayed on its main gate and walls. Local authorities have recently declared the ground liberated amid protests, arson, and violence that erupted in the area following allegations of rape against Sheikh’s associates. According to Google Earth imagery, the ground spans approximately 2.86 acres of land in Singhpara. Last year, the TMC leader organised the ‘Sheikh Shahjahan Fan Club Football Tournament’ on this ground.
Both Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar have been arrested now after protests by the Sandeshkhali women.
Now, that the people in the area are voicing their resentment against his atrocities, the land-grabbing crimes by this TMC leader are openly talked about. As the protests turned violent, people even ransacked properties like poultry farms and brick kilns set up by his accomplices on such grabbed lands. His key aides are also attacked and cases are registered against them. Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on 29th February.
The rules of Islam as a religion are stringent and the religious authorities press its followers to ‘respect’ those. Further, anybody who does not ‘respect’ and follow the said rules are said to be living a sinful life and is punished by the Islamic authorities accordingly, which most of the time constitutes death.
Women especially in the religion of Islam are mandatorily made to follow the restrictions imposed by the Islamic law. They are made to wear a burqa, kept away from education, asked not to use beauty products, made to cater to the orders of their respective husbands who are themselves allowed to have four wives at a time, etc. And any woman who does not follow these basic restrictions is supposed to be living a sinful life.
If we remember, recently, Mahsa Amini, an Iranian woman was brutally assaulted by the police for wearing an ‘improper hijab’. She was detained by the Tehran Police in September 2022 under the guise of giving her a ‘morality re-education class’ and was kept in a detention center. At the center, the woman was beaten by the police for not following the rules of Islam. The incident resulted in the death of the woman after which massive protests erupted across the world demanding justice for the deceased.
Similarly, restrictions are also imposed upon men (including non-Muslims) living in Islamic countries or those who tend to follow Islam as their religion.
In fact, the plight of non-Muslims at the hands of Islam and its adherents is a tale nightmares are made of. In Islam, there are only two ways a non-Muslim’s fate could play out – he either converts to Islam or is to be killed by the adherents of Islam.
One such case is said to have happened in the year 2011, which is at present being widely talked about on social media viz murder of an Italian writer, journalist, and activist, Vittorio Arrigoni in Palestine who had entered Palestine to free the country from Isreal. The activist was murdered by the Islamists in Palestine who looked at the Italian activist as an infidel.
İtalyan yazar, pasifist ve aktivist Vittorio Arrigoni, Filistinlilere destek vermek için Gazze'ye taşındı, ardından kendisini kafir olarak gören Müslümanlar tarafından kaçırılıp öldürüldü! https://t.co/V7Uz5eVnsr
The term infidel is used to refer to somebody who does not believe in what the state considers to be the true religion. In this case, the murderers claimed that the murdered activist attempted to ‘spread corruption’ in the country. He smoked, wore clothes considered ‘unfavorable’ by the state, and furthered a lifestyle varied from what the state considered ideal.
Italian activist was murdered on April 15, 2011. Image- Al Jazeera
The brutal story dates back to the year 2008 when the isolation between Palestine and Israel was deepening and it was unclear how the Hamas terrorist organization would enforce its authority. Italian human rights campaigner Vittorio Arrigoni landed in the coastal zone at that time. As it became evident that Arrigoni was a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause against Israel, the Hamas leadership welcomed him and capitalized on his presence in the strip to demonstrate their legitimacy.
In a public event, the then-Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh bestowed honorary Palestinian citizenship on Arrigoni as a gesture of gratefulness. A special friendship evolved between Gazans and Arrigoni, or ‘Vik’ as they affectionately referred to him. Arrigoni’s support at this ‘tough’ time was widely felt in Gaza, and it is crucial to understand the significance of the dramatic events that occurred a few years later.
Arrigoni gradually rose to prominence as a popular personality in Gaza. Huda Elian of the Palestinian Democratic Union (PDU) hailed him in grandiose terms: “Vittorio has been a hero here in Gaza, a hero defying the Israeli occupation.”
Arrigoni failed to evoke the same positive responses from all Gazans. His liberal lifestyle irritated many Muslims. Arrigoni, a non-Muslim, did not observe Islamic conventions regarding clothes, smoking, drinking, and social connections. To religious conservatives, Arrigoni lived an immoral lifestyle. In essence, whether Vittorio supported the cause of Palestine or not, he remained an infidel – a Kafir.
The arrest of a Jordanian cleric leading to the murder of the Italian activist
A few months before Arrigoni’s kidnapping, Islamist Sheikh Hisham al-Saidani, the leader of the Salafi-Jihadi organization Tawhid wal-Jihad, was detained by Hamas. Saidani, a Palestinian who had previously been active in Jordan, later led the group Tawhid wal-Jihad from his house in Gaza’s Nuseirat refugee camp. Tawhid wal-Jihad was one of Gaza’s lesser Salafi-Jihadi factions, but it had a special place in the Salafi-Jihadi community because it was the only group to have successfully killed an Israeli soldier thus far.
The Jihadi group was particularly well respected since Saidani had been openly sponsored by Jordanian extremist cleric Abu Muhammad al-Maqdisi, who frequently issued harsh fatwas against Hamas. In addition to openly backing him, Maqdisi named Saidani to the Sharia committee of his website, ‘Minbar minal-Tawhid wal-Jihad’. The Sharia committee was a group of people who answered queries from the internet community, such as how to issue fatwas. Saidani was additionally highly critical of the Hamas government.
From the outside, it appeared that Saidani’s voice and Tawhid wal-Jihad’s violent operations did little harm to the Hamas authority. However, the situation was interpreted differently within the government. The group’s attack on an Israeli military jeep, which killed the driver, came just days after Hamas reached a tenuous truce agreement with Israel following the 2008-2009 war.
Combined with the group’s countless rockets fired at Israel and Saidani’s ever harsher fatwas on the internet, it had long since started implementing what Hamas could not at the time, even if it wanted to. Tawhid wal-Jihad’s acts were frequently followed by a statement claiming responsibility and condemning the Hamas administration for being lenient towards Israel and ‘deviating from the genuine path of Islam’. By doing so, Saidani was attacking Hamas’ two defining qualities – Islam and Jihad – and so was considered to be a serious threat.
‘Student’ traveling to Gaza to free the Jordanian cleric
Saidani was arrested in early March 2011, sparking outrage among the local Salafi-Jihadi community, who demanded his release. Hirdani Abdel Rahman al-Breizat, a young Jordanian in his twenties, was a disciple of Saidani and a former pupil of his from Amman. Later that month, Breizat resolved to travel to Gaza, determined to find a method to liberate his former teacher.
Upon his arrival, Breizat met with members of Tawhid wal-Jihad, whom he knew through the internet, to discuss how they could secure Saidani’s release. Two of these people also had concurrent memberships in Hamas’ military wing, the Qassam Brigades, and one served as a firefighter for the Gaza Civil Defence.
Some of them appeared to have known Arrigoni personally, as they frequented the same gym in Gaza City’s Tal al-Hawa area. It is worth noting that this small group’s social networks simultaneously included the inner core of Hamas’ military, the Civil Defence troops, the international community, and the local Salafi-Jihadi milieu.
Following their discussions, the group determined that the best leverage for freeing Saidani would be to utilize a by-then-well-known approach in Gaza: kidnapping a foreigner. According to the men’s later admissions in court, the original objective was to capture Arrigoni to teach him a lesson rather than murder him, and then release him once Hamas agreed to their demands. However, the operation did not go exactly as planned.
On April 13, 2011, the group commenced its operations. They waited for Arrigoni outside his house and pushed him into a waiting car, which drove them to an unoccupied house in the Mareh Amer region. The day after, a short clip was broadcast on YouTube seeking Saidani’s release. The video included disparaging statements about the Hamas administration’s ‘un-Islamic’ rule and a threat to kill Arrigoni if the government did not satisfy the group’s 30-hour deadline. It was a clear provocation to Hamas and a challenge to its authority.
In various ways, Arrigoni’s kidnapping harmed Hamas’ public image. It dented Hamas’ attempt to prove its legitimacy, even for optics. However, numerous newspapers throughout the world reported that on 14th-15th April 2011, the pre-Hamas chaotic security situation in Gaza persisted.
On 14th April, the government’s security agents located the residence in the Mareh Amer area where Arrigoni was detained. When they entered the residence, Breizat, and his associates had fled, and Arrigoni’s body was discovered tied to a chair and strangled.
The following weekend, Gaza City’s streets were crowded with regular citizens protesting the murderous act. Several Hamas leaders and government officials took part in these demonstrations, while it is demonstrably true that Hamas is equally brutal in dealing with Kafirs.
Image- Al Jazeera
The case was classified as a ‘military matter’
The gang hid from Hamas in the Nusseirat refugee camp for many days before being discovered on the 19th of April that year. In an attempt to encourage the kidnappers to surrender, the authorities dispatched the imprisoned Saidani to the scene to mediate the surrender.
Apart from summoning Saidani to speak with the kidnappers, the Association of Islamic Scholars in Gaza issued a fatwa declaring Arrigoni’s kidnapping a crime against Islam, citing Quranic verses and examples from Prophet Muhammad’s life.
The case was classified as a military matter since three of the four defendants were members of the defense forces, either civil or military. According to Hamas, the military categorization of the case also related to the larger threat to ‘homeland security’ that their acts had posed.
The four defendants were charged with murder and kidnapping, except one, who was accused simply as an accessory. The prosecutor wanted the death penalty for murder and two years in prison for accessory to murder. In the early stages of the investigation, a fifth person was identified as a suspect. However, when the case went to court, this man was merely summoned as a witness.
He was reportedly a close relative of a key Hamas official and deputy speaker of the Palestinian parliament. During the military court hearings, all of the defendants were claimed to have been tormented while in captivity. The Majdal Military Court ultimately sentenced two of the defendants to life imprisonment, one to ten years imprisonment, and one to one year imprisonment for housing fugitives.
Italian activist supporting Palestine against Israel, Image- Al Jazeera
Conclusion
This incident reflects the duality of the terrorist organization Hamas which opted to be flexible when it came to delivering justice to the deceased Italian activist. Hamas chose mediation over the strictest punishment for the accused, 2-3 of whom were part of the defense forces, either civil or military. Though it condemned the murderous act, the incident very well shows how the Islamists, even beyond Hamas have been treating foreigners or the non-Muslims in the state ruled by ‘terrorists’.
It also shows that for Islamists, even if an individual supports their territorial demands driven by Jihad, an infidel or a kafir will remain one for those who follow Islam. Arrigoni supported the Palestine cause, which by all historical standards is not legitimate. He also supported the war that Palestine had foisted on Israel. However, at the end of it, for the Palestinian people, he remained an infidel who was dispensable and deserved to be put to death. This premise was confirmed by Itali being called an infidel state after the activist’s murder.
Recently, on 7th October 2023, the Hamas terrorist organization launched a deadly attack on Israel. Many of the Israeli women including some of the foreign women were stripped naked by the terrorist on the streets, raped, and then brutally killed. Hamas also fired over 5,000 rockets into Israel, causing massive casualties and damage. They also raised the slogans of Allah-hu-Akhbar, videos of which had massively gone viral over the internet.
Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip launched massive rocket barrages at southern and central Israel prompting it to declare a ‘state of war’. As per some reports, the terrorists held several Israelis hostage and killed several civilians in indiscriminate firing.
In the Alwar district of Rajasthan, a case of two Hindu girls being pressured to convert to Islam has come to the fore. The accused girls have been identified as Kajal alias Babita Jatav and Sakina Meo who were residing in a rented house. These girls reportedly pressured both Hindu sisters to become friends with a Muslim youth named Wasim. He said she would get paid for this.
On 27th February, frustrated with Kajal and Sakina’s constant pressure and harassment, the sisters filed a complaint at the Kotwali police station in Alwar. Following this, the police lodged the case and arrested the three accused. The police are interrogating the accused trio. Police say they are also investigating whether a conversion gang is involved in this incident.
The victim sisters further alleged that both of their friends Sakina and Kajal pressured them to befriend Wasim, a Muslim youth, and go with him to college and elsewhere. The victim duo added that the accused girls also pressured them to convert to Islam and marry Muslim boys. On top of that, the girls threatened to kill the Hindu sisters if they refused to comply.
Meanwhile, Wasim used to follow the Hindu girls. Wasim and other Muslim youths used to call them and pressurise them for “friendship”. In their complaint, the sisters stated that the accused girls used to say that if they befriended boys from the Muslim community, they would provide them with money. The sisters added that accused Kajal and Sakina used to share details about their movement with other Muslim youth who then would follow and stalk them.
Alwar Case: Hindu girls allege pressures for conversion, Police Act after media spotlight, says SP Anand Sharma pic.twitter.com/kySMipGCT0
Anand Sharma, District Superintendent of Police, stated that on the 27th of February, two girls arrived at the police station and told the police that they were college students and were residing in a rented room in Alwar. They stated that their two roommates exerted pressure on them to become friends with a boy named Wasim, go out with him, marry him, and convert to Islam.
SP Sharma added that taking note of the gravity of the incident, the investigation has been turned over to CO City Narayan Singh. He took both victim sisters’ statements and counselled them. He stated that efforts are currently underway to determine whether any other gangs are involved in the case. If found, action will be taken against them as well.
Hours after Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested for assault on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials, party MLA Udayan Guha on Thursday (29th February) attempted to downplay the sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali.
Guha, who serves as a Cabinet Minister for the Department of North Bengal Development in the Mamata Banerjee government claimed, “I am not sure if Sheikh Shahjahan has been framed as part of a conspiracy but charges against him are a mistake.”
“He has been falsely implicated. This has been happening ever since ED officials were attacked. “In the past, we have never heard these allegations against Sheikh Shahjahan,” the TMC leader gave Sheikh Shahjahan a clean chit.
While trivialising the gravity of sexual violence, Udayan Guha smirked, “I did not know that he liked to eat pie (referring to the sexual exploitation of women) at 12 o’clock in the night. I knew that desire for such mischiefs happen early or late in the night.”
Coincidentally, the TMC Minister has been accused of committing sexual harassment in his Vidhan Sabha constituency of Dinhata.
In a video that went viral on social media on 21st February this year, a woman was heard saying, “At around 12 am, Udyan Guha and his cronies called to the party office to make ‘pitha’. But I refused and questioned their absurdity of making pitha at midnight. Do they not respect us because we are women? Their fiancéce knows no bounds. I have been subjected to occasional harassment. I pleaded with folded hands, will they not let me live in peace? But they did not listen. Yesterday at around 4 o’clock the Panchayat and booth chairman came and instructed to me to attend tomorrow. But I refused saying that I have some dignity. I begged with folded hands. Their response was more violence.”
Mamata Banerjee’s TMC regime has turned every village in Bengal into a den of horror, akin to #Sandeshkhali.
Today, a gut-wrenching video from Dinhata surfaced, exposing the TMC’s heinous sexual exploitation of vulnerable women, led by the likes of Udyan Guha.
On 8th February this year, hundreds of women in Sandeshkhali took to the streets to protest against land grabbing, non-payment of wages and sexual violence committed by Trinamool Congress goon Sheikh Shahjahan and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.
The women attacked Shahjahan’s illicitly obtained properties and set fire to a poultry farm owned by Shiba Prasad Hazra. They also surrounded the Sandeshkali police station and demanded the immediate arrest of the trio. The agitation in the village lasted for 3 days.
During that time, the TMC goons retaliated and the police acted as mute spectators. In several cases, the cops themselves resorted to harassment of the women. It had come to light that the residents were the subject of sexual violence by the TMC for a long time.
In a bid to pacify the angry villagers of Sandeshkhali, the TMC leadership suspended Uttam Sardar from the party for six years. The suspended TMC leader and Zilla Parishad member was subsequently arrested in the Sandeshkhali police station area on 10th February 2024.
On 17th February, the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali.
After large-scale protests and intervention of the Calcutta High Court, the primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan was arrested on Thursday (29th February).
Sheikh Shahjahan’s close aide, Aamir Ali Gazi, has been arrested by West Bengal Police from Jharkhand, police said on Thursday.
Trinamool Congress on Thursday suspended Sheikh Shahjahan from the party for six years.
TMC leader Derek O’Brien held a press conference here today and said that by the time West Bengal Police was given freedom, it took two days to arrest the culprit.
It is notable here that the TMC leaders, including O’Brien and Abhishek Banerjee, have been claiming that the Bengal Police has been unable to arrest Sheikh Shahjahan because there is a ‘stay’ on his arrest from the Calcutta HC. This was a bold lie, and the Calcutta High Court itself had clarified it, asking the state police to arrest the absconding TMC leader soon.
On Monday, 26th February, the Calcutta HC had come down heavily on the police and Bengal government. “It is surprising to note that incidents in the area were reported to state police four years ago and that it has taken four years for the cases to mature into 42 chargesheets”, the High Court said.
The court further asserted, “A wrong impression has been created as if an interim order of stay of arrest has been given. There is nothing on record to say that such a stay is in place. Therefore he should be arrested.”
The Division Bench of Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam, taking a su moto case, directed the High Court registry to issue a public notice in newspapers informing that Shahjahan Sheikh is wanted by the police as he is on the run and has not been seen in public since January 5.
During the press conference, Derek O’Brien missed mentioning that the TMC government moved to arrest Shahjahan only after repeated reprimands from the High Court and widespread media coverage highlighting the Mamata government’s incompetence in the case.
Derek further added that BJP people are not drinking water in their headquarters in Delhi because “they want to keep this issue alive till Mr Modi arrives here but that could not be possible”.”If you had said that we have legal obstructions to arrest the culprit then why didn’t ED arrest him? People in Northern India don’t know so we have to clarify who has arrested the culprit. The Central agencies or the West Bengal police. The police don’t have the power to arrest in ED PMLA case, only the ED can do so. The culprit has been arrested in cases registered to West Bengal Police,” TMC MP said.
“The court gave freedom to the police, it took two days. Our challenge to Mr Modi is that I want to give two numbers 2219 and 2250. 2219 refers to the number of days Nirav Modi has been absconding and Mehul Choksi has been absconding for 2250 days. You have not brought these people to book in these days,” he added.
Meanwhile, West Bengal’s Basirhat Court remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) Sheikh Shahjahan to 10-day police custody on Thursday.
Lawyer Raja Bhowmick, who represented Shahjahan in court, said, “14-day police custody (of Sheikh Shahjahan) was demanded, but the court allowed 10-day custody.””On March 10, he will be produced in court again,” he said.
Shahjahan was arrested by West Bengal police on Thursday morning in connection with the assault on ED officers during a raid in January earlier this year.West Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose called Shahjahan’s arrest an ‘eye-opener’, adding that it is only the ‘beginning’.”Today in Bengal, we see the beginning of an end.
The arrest of the prime accused in the Sandeshkhali incidents is an eye-opener for everyone. This is only the beginning. We have to put an end to violence in Bengal,” Ananda Bose said.
Sandeshkhali in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district had been witnessing widespread protests against TMC strongman Shahjahan Sheikh this month as a section of women were seeking justice against alleged atrocities committed by the TMC leader.A large number of women in Sandeshkhali had accused Shajahan Sheikh and his close aides of “land-grab and sexual assault” under coercion.
Advocate Alakh Alok Srivastava, who filed a PIL in the Supreme Court and sought an independent probe in the Sandeshkhali incident, said on Thursday that it was surprising that after court allowed the CBI and ED to arrest Sheikh Shahjahan, within a few hours he was arrested by the West Bengal police.
“We all know that Sheikh Shahjahan has been arrested today but his body language showed that it is a clear case of him being sheltered and that is why we are now going to request Calcutta High Court to order an independent investigation into the case. The victims of Sandeshkhali will only get justice if the entire case is investigated by independent agencies. Yesterday, CBI made the serious request before the Calcutta High Court and said that they have of serious apprehension that if West Bengal police arrest Sheikh Shahjhana then the entire case will be diluted and there can be a collision between the state police and the accused. After which, the court allowed CBI and ED to arrest him,” he said.
“It is very surprising that after a few hours of this, the accused was arrested by the police. In the last 55 days, he was not arrested,” he added.
Further, he said that the Supreme Court has advised him to go to Calcutta High Court with his PIL.
On the arrest of Sheikh Shahjahan, BJP leader Priyanka Tibrewal said, “This is all scripted, orchestrated, and it was done on terms and conditions placed by Shahjahan because, you see, this is not an arrest. This is the way that they have asked him to surrender, basically. The way he was walking just look at his body language, you can very well understand. In the last 55 days, the police were unable to catch this guy and then in two days, as I had said earlier when I filed my petition that in 48 hours he would be arrested. And that is exactly what has happened.”
After the arrest of absconding TMC strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, who was on the run for 55 days, West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said that the TMC has never taken any step to shield any offender.West Bengal Minister Chandrima Bhattacharya said, “We have always said that we never take any step to shield any offender. He has been arrested because he is an accused. Sheikh Shahjahan has also been suspended from the party for 6 years.”
Taking a dig at the TMC government and West Bengal Police over the arrest of absconding strongman and Sandeshkhali accused Sheikh Shahjahan, and, his 10-day remand, BJP Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi on Thursday said he has been put under the ‘mehman-nawazi’ (hospitality) of the state police in a bid to avoid arrest by the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) and the CBI.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader and Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan accepted the mistake on Thursday after the Tamil Nadu government was left red-faced after an advertisement for a new Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) that featured a rocket with the flag of China.
Radhakrishnan said that a small mistake was made in the newspaper advertisement by them.
“A small mistake has been made in the newspaper advertisement given by us regarding the setting up of a rocket launch pad in the Kulasekarapatnam area. The image of the Chinese flag in the advertisement welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a mistake by those who designed the advertisement, which went unnoticed by us,” said the DMK leader.
Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai on Wednesday criticised the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party for using the ‘China flag’ in rocket advertisement promoting the proposed second launch pad of ISRO in the state.
Annamalai alleged that DMK has been ‘desperate’ to paste stickers since the announcement of the second launch pad coming up in the state was made.
“This advertisement by DMK Minister Anita Radhakrishnan to leading Tamil dailies today is a manifestation of DMK’s commitment to China and their total disregard for our country’s sovereignty. DMK, a party fighting high on corruption, has been desperate to paste stickers ever since the announcement of ISRO’s second launch pad in Kulasekarapatinam was released,” Annamalai said in a post on X.
Earlier, the BJP Tamil Nadu chief further accused the DMK of being the reason Tamil Nadu lost Satish Dhawan Space Centre to Andhra Pradesh.
“The amount of desperation only proves their attempt to bury their past misdeeds, but we must remind them that DMK was why the Satish Dhawan Space Centre is today in Andhra Pradesh and not Tamil Nadu,” Annamalai said.
“When the first launch pad of ISRO was conceptualised, TN was the first choice of ISRO. TN CM Annadurai, who could not attend the meeting because of severe shoulder pain, deputed Mathiyazhagan, one of his ministers, for the meeting,” the post further mentioned.
“ISRO officials were kept waiting for a long time, and Mathiyazhagan was finally brought to the meeting in an “inebriated state” and was incoherent throughout the meeting. And this was the treatment our country’s space programme received 60 years ago. DMK hasn’t changed much and has only become worse!,” he added.
The controversy erupted following a newspaper advertisement by the DMK government promoting the laying of the foundation stone for ISRO’s second launch pad complex in Kulsekarapatinam, which showcased a ‘China flag’ among rockets from other countries in the background.
Meanwhile, #Thankyoukanimozhi was trending on the micro-blogging site, X, on Wednesday, lauding DMK MP from Thoothukudi, Kanimozhi, for her efforts towards bringing ISRO’s second launch pad to Kulasekarapatinam.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, earlier in the day, also criticised the DMK government over the newspaper advertisement while he was addressing a gathering in Tamil Nadu’s Tirunelveli.
“DMK is a party that does not work but stands ahead to take false credit. These people paste their stickers on our schemes. Now they have crossed the limits, they have pasted China’s sticker to take credit for the ISRO launch pad in Tamil Nadu,” PM Modi said while addressing a gathering in Tirunelveli in Tamil Nadu.
The Prime Minister alleged that the DMK is ‘not ready’ to accept India’s progress in the space sector.
“They are not ready to accept India’s progress in the space sector and with the taxes that you pay, they give advertisements and do not even include a picture of India’s space in it. They did not want to present India’s space success in front of the world, they insulted our scientists, our space sector, and your tax money. Now it’s high time that the DMK is punished for their deeds,” PM Modi said.
The Prime Minister was on a two-day visit to Tamil Nadu, during which he launched multiple development projects in the state.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) CEC (Central Election Committee) Meeting regarding the Lok Sabha elections at the party headquarters in Delhi comprised discussions on the seats of Lok Sabha across about 17 states and set seals on more than 155 seats, the list of which will be released in a day or two.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP’s National President JP Nadda, Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Organisation General Secretary BL Santosh, Chief Ministers, State Presidents, In-charges, Co-Incharges, and Election In-charges of various states were present in this meeting.
The Chief Ministers of Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Assam, Uttarakhand, and Goa were also present at the meeting.
Former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh Shivraj Singh Chouhan, BJP leader Prahlad Patel, and BJP’s State President VD Sharma were also present in the meeting, where discussions were held regarding the names of candidates for all 29 seats in Madhya Pradesh.
Sources indicated that the announcement of the names of 4-5 candidates from Telangana could be made soon.
Three current MPs G Kishan Reddy, Bandi Sanjay Kumar, and Arvind Dharmapuri may also get tickets again.
Discussions were held with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath regarding the names of candidates in the meeting.
Discussions were also held on the names of candidates with BJP leaders from Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Kerala, Gujarat, Jharkhand, and Uttarakhand.
BJP sources said that the names of candidates from Assam were discussed in the meeting, in which all Lok Sabha seats were filled with leaders from Assam.
BJP will contest on eleven seats there, and Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal could contest from Dibrugarh, while State Minister Rameshwar Teli could be sent to the Rajya Sabha.
Discussions were also conducted on candidates for the seats in Jammu, while deliberations for Kashmir will take place in the next meeting.
Additionally, discussions were held on two to three seats in Delhi, but another round of meetings will happen. Candidates have been finalised for one seat in Goa, while one seat is yet to be decided.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has set a slogan of ‘Crossing 400’ in this year’s Lok Sabha elections. The BJP aims to win more than 370 seats on its own. (ANI)
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) recently advised all the states and the Union Territories (UTs) against the practice of “segregating prisoners and assigning tasks based on their caste”, urging them to remove such “discriminatory” provisions from their manuals or legislation and to halt the allocation of work in prisons based on caste.
The direction was circulated through an advisory on February 26. The advisory was sent to the Principal Secretary (Home) and Director General/Inspector General of Prisons in all states and UTs.
“It has been the constant endeavor of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to reach out to the Prison authorities of all States and Union Territories and provide them assistance in the form of financial aid for technology-driven projects as well as sharing contemporary best practices and guidelines on varied aspects of efficient prison administration from time to time,” mentions the advisory.
The advisory further pointed out that “it has come to the notice of this Ministry that the jail manuals of some states provide for segregation of prisoners on the basis of their caste and religion and they are being assigned duties in the prisons accordingly.”
The advisory clearly stressed that the Constitution of India prohibits any kind of discrimination on the grounds of religion, race, caste, or place of birth.
Noting that the Model Prison Manual, 2016, prepared by the Ministry of Home Affairs and circulated to all states and UTs in May 2016, explicitly prohibits caste and religion-based discrimination against prisoners in the management of the kitchen or cooking of food on a caste or religious basis.
The Ministry further noted, “the manual also provides that any special treatment to a group of prisoners belonging to a particular caste or religion is strictly prohibited”.
The MHA made it clear that “no classification of prisoners shall be allowed on grounds of socio-economic status, caste or class.”
Subsequently, the MHA urged that “states and UTs are requested to take note of the above and ensure that their state prison manual/ prison act should not contain such discriminatory provisions.”
“In case any such provision exists, immediate steps must be taken to amend and remove the discriminatory provision from the manual or Act.”
It is reiterated in the advisory that there should be “no caste-based assignment of duties or work in the prisons.”
The advisory further highlighted that the medical care of prisoners is one of the significant concerns of prison management, pointing out that the MHA has been advising the states and the UTs from time to time to ensure that due importance is given to the physical and mental well-being of prisoners.
“To maintain uniformity in the process of medical check-ups of prisoners, the Model Prison Manual 2016 provides for the procedure to be followed by the states and UTs. There is a dedicated chapter on ‘Medical Care’ in the Model Prison Manual, 2016, which may be carefully perused for guidance by the states and UTs.
In particular, the advisory reads, that states and UTs are requested to ensure periodic health check-ups of prisoners should be conducted on a regular basis, an annual health check-up of prisoners should be conducted, periodic health check-ups of aged prisoners and inmates with disabilities should be conducted, and health check-ups or screenings of prisoners for infectious diseases, including STDs, HIV/AIDS and hepatitis, should be done on a periodic basis.
Besides, the advisory suggested that special health checkups of women prisoners and transgender prisoners should be conducted, and periodic checkups or screenings of inmates for their mental well-being should be conducted.
The advisory asked to make these health checks updated on the e-Prisons portal on a regular basis.
The MHA further stated that it has implemented the e-prisons project with the objective of creating end-to-end IT solutions for the automation of prison operations, including digitization and availability of prisoner records at an electronic platform accessible to designated authorities, enabling them to have direct access to information related to the prisoners.
In this regard, the MHA requested all state and UT prison authorities to update the database of the prisoners on the e-prisons platform on a regular basis and also ensure that the information is entered in all columns and no field is left blank.
“For this, the relevant information can be obtained from the prisoners’ records and also from inmates and entered into the system. The e-prisons portal is designed to significantly contribute towards the objective of efficient prison management and therefore state and UT prison authorities are requested to pay serious attention to the regular updation of entries in the e-prisons portal,” added the advisory.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
When Annamalai on 17th March 2023 told the Tamil Nadu BJP at a state party meeting that he would quit should the party leadership partner with AIADMK, his message was that he was not in it for the compromise.
With this, Tamil Nadu BJP’s firebrand President, K Annamalai infused a new confidence in the BJP to go it alone. Of course, he had to prove himself and prove he did.
On 27th February, Prime Minister Narendra Modi not only endorsed Annamalai in his speech during his visit to Tamil Nadu to mark the closing ceremony of the ‘En Mann Ek Makkal’ padayatra in Tiruppur but also gave the former IPS officer a pat on the back.
Compilation of our journey in the last six months covering 234 assembly constituencies in TN during our En Mann En Makkal PadaYatra.
The display of love & affection for our Hon PM Thiru @narendramodi avl throughout the journey was unparalleled.
This public gesture from PM Modi towards K Annamalai has put a stamp on the latter’s plans for the BJP in the southernmost Indian state.
PM Modi pats Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai on the back (source: En Mann En Makkal/X)
K Annamalai – an MBA, an IPS officer, and a politician
Annamalai Kuppusamy was born on 4th June 1984 in the Thottampatti village near Chinnadharapuram in Karur district into the Gounder community. He belongs to the OBC community and hails from an agricultural background; just the face that the BJP needed for a long time.
Annamalai hails from a family of farmers (source: En Mann En Makkal/X)
An engineering graduate and a post-graduate in management, Annamalai went on to complete his MBA in Finance from IIM Lucknow.
At one point he had aspired to be an entrepreneur but gave up that dream to pursue the bigger cause of connecting with the people.
Adding another feather to his cap, Annamalai cleared UPSC to become an IPS officer. He was appointed to the Karnataka cadre and began his service as superintendent of police in Chikkamagaluru and Udupi.
K Annamalai during his tenure as
He was serving as deputy commissioner of police of Bengaluru (south) when he quit the service in September 2019.
His tenure as an IPS officer in Karnataka earned him the moniker “Singham Anna” or “the Singham of Karnataka” owing to his fearless and honest style of work.
He became known amongst the people for his no-nonsense and tough cop attitude, videos of which continue to make rounds on social media platforms. Annamalai was vocal about his fight against corruption and mentioned related incidents in his book “Stepping Beyond Khaki: Revelations of a Real-life Singham”.
Moved by the death of his colleague Madhukar Shetty, a 1999 batch IPS officer from Karnataka, Annamalai in 2018 took a trip to Kailash Mansarovar which he termed as an “eye opener as it helped me to see my priorities in life better”. In 2019, he quit the force.
On 25th August 2020, Annamalai Kuppusamy joined the BJP at party headquarters in the national capital. 3 days later, he was appointed the Karnataka BJP Vice President.
He reportedly grew closer to senior BJP leader and former Karnataka Minister CT Ravi during his tenure in Chikkamagaluru. As per reports, Annamalai was close to RSS bigwigs in Bengaluru south, when he was the DCP.
Karnataka’s ‘Singham’
Annamalai was first posted as the Assistant Superintendent of Police in Karkala sub-division of Udupi district in 2013 and later promoted to SP there in 2015.
He became known for cracking down on criminal activities in the coastal district. He was eventually named ‘Singham’ after news of him pulling up errant bike riders spread in the district.
Annamalai frequently interacted with students. In Manipal, an academic hub which receives students from across the country, he implemented rules to restrict nightlife like shutting down bars and restaurants at 11.30 pm sharp. When found loitering around after midnight, the students were identified and told to explain themselves.
Moreover, Annamalai is credited with smoothly handling a tense situation between Hindus and Muslims over Baba Budangiri in 2017 when some tombs of the holy place were reportedly targeted. Annamalai is also known for cracking down on gambling dens in the district.
Studied Islam to fight terror
In his conversation with a website, Annamalai briefly spoke about his study of Islam when he was serving in Udupi.
Bhatkal in Uttara Kannada is a hotbed of Islamist radicalisation and is reportedly the birthplace of Indian Mujahideen.
Annamalai studied the Islamic texts to “understand what led to the misinterpretation of religious texts and caused widespread radicalisation”.
He said that he studied the Quran and Hadith with the help of the religious scholars and tried to understand the philosophy.
“It helped me understand the psyche behind terror organisations like the Indian Mujahideen, SIMI and ISIS that had spread its tentacles around the Bhatkal-Kundapura region,” he said.
Resolved to promote BJP’s nationalism to make a dent in Tamil Nadu’s Dravidian politics
His academic and career trajectory will tell you that Annamalai is planning every step that he takes, even the timing of when to and when not to announce those steps.
In 2020, during an interactive session on Facebook, he said, “I am planning to enter Tamil Nadu politics soon, maybe in another two-three months. And I am planning to contest the 2021 assembly elections which will be held in April-May. I want to bring some positive changes to the system.”
Not only did he become the youngest Tamil Nadu BJP President upon his appointment in August 2020 but he is also perhaps the only politician who has made it this big in Tamil Nadu without a film background.
Moreover, his OBC and farmer background, connection with the people, leadership thinking and clear vision for the party filled the strategic void for the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
What makes Annamalai different from the rest including those within the BJP itself is his very specific vision for his state even if it meant challenging certain voices within his own party at times.
Annamalai is an outspoken follower of PM Modi. He used that image to his advantage when he voiced his dissent against allying with AIADMK for the 2024 elections.
Such a direct challenge only earned him more recognition and support from the BJP leadership. In March 2023, Annamalai reportedly said that he wanted to be aggressive like J Jayalalithaa and Kalaignar Karunanidhi.
“In the history of Tamil Nadu, no one has been criticised like me but let them continue doing that. I will not change myself; even if there are directions from Delhi, I will be myself,” he said rather boldly.
In 2021, about a year after joining the BJP, the Tamil Nadu BJP Chief led the hunger strike starting 5th August against the BJP-led Karnataka government’s decision to proceed with the Mekedatu dam project on the Cauvery, which was proposed by the previous Congress government.
“The protest is not against anybody, not against any person, not against any state and not against any community. It is against the decision of the state government. That’s the whole thing. At the same time, we are also conscious of the fact that Kanadiggas live in Tamilnadu, and Tamilians live in Karnataka. So both states have a history of extending our peacefulness,” he said.
Annamalai made it known in 2023 that he is not one to succumb to threats. Speaking on Gayathri Raguramm’s resignation from the party last year, he said he has no regrets about those leaving the organisation and wished such people well.
This came after in 2022, Annamalai said that disciplinary action against the party members who are at fault will continue. This was following the BJP state unit barring Suriya Siva, the general secretary of OBC Morcha from attending party-related events after a purported audio clip of him issuing death threats and hurling sexist slurs went viral.
A proponent of Sanatan Dharma and a challenge for Dravidian politics
Annamalai’s speeches and statements have touched the very foundations of ideologies in Tamil Nadu. He has reshaped perspectives of the last man standing by explaining just how Hinduism is central to the identity of Tamil Nadu and vice versa.
He is doing this parallelly as he also challenges the missionary-driven divisive politics of the DMK.
Image from the padyatra (source: En Mann En Makkal/X)
In October 2022, in response to a controversy around the religious identity of King Rajaraja I, he said that Hinduism had existed for millennia.
He time and again called out several DMK leaders for their anti-Hindu remarks and statements insulting Hindu deities, particularly when DMK minister and CM’s son Udayanidhi Stalin called for the “eradication of Sanatan Dharma”.
Late last year, the Tamil Nadu BJP President irked Dravidian leaders saying that when BJP comes to power in the state, all statues of Periyar will be removed from near educational institutions and the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) will be abolished.
The break-up with AIADMK
In 2021, the BJP managed to secure a vote share of a mere 2.6 per cent having contested the assembly elections in alliance with the AIADMK. Although it did win 4 out of the 20 seats on which it contested.
Annamalai who fought from Aravakurichi seat lost to DMK’s Elango R. He secured a vote share of 38.71 per cent with 68,553 votes, falling short of 24, 816 votes.
Thereafter, Annamalai’s intentions for the saffron party were sealed. In 2022 he announced that the party would go it alone in the local body elections.
This announcement came while the parties were still in alliance. This move was also aimed at expanding as well as reinvigorating the party base at the grassroots. Notably, the party made significant inroads in these elections.
Speaking to ANI, the former IPS officer was of the view that it was time for booth-level workers of the BJP to get their fair share of opportunity in the state.
He said, “It is difficult to maintain coalition dharma right up to the booth level. After the local body polls in nine districts, we need more seats in order to accommodate our cadre and local leaders and give them opportunities. The AIADMK has honoured our request to provide more seats for the upcoming polls, but we need to accommodate our booth-level leaders. So, we have decided to contest alone the civic elections in the state.”
Albeit far behind the DMK and AIADMK respectively, the BJP secured a third number in these polls, which is a positive sign for a party that had failed to gain any foothold in the state.
Moreover, Annamalai maintained an aggressive pitch against the AIADMK. He did not shy away from levelling charges of corruption against the BJP ally.
Annamalai also took account of the AIADMK when countering DMK’s Udayanidhi Stalin over the latter “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remark. He alleged that Dravidian leader CN Annadurai had insulted Hinduism and apologised for the same to Forward Bloc leader late U Muthuramalinga.
Shortly after, the AIADMK called it quits paving the way for the BJP to set sail.
DMK Files – How Annamalai challenged the ruling Dravidian party head-on
Under Annamalai’s leadership, the Tamil Nadu BJP launched a series of operations to expose rampant corruption by the Stalin-led DMK government.
Audio clips were released of Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Mr PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, Udhayanidhi Stalin and Niru Sabareesan exposing their illicit earnings of Rs 30,000 crores in a year.
The BJP also targeted the DMK government for passing off the Coimbatore blast as a mere cylinder explosion.
According to the BJP leader’s calculations and estimates, the DMK leaders’ assets were “worth Rs 1.34 lakh crore”. Annamalai further intimated that the AIADMK too will not be spared in his corruption discovery.
This was followed by DMK Files 2, wherein he targeted Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and accused the CM of looting crores of money, allegedly to the tune of Rs 1,30,000 crores from the people.
In DMK Files 3, Annamalai claimed that the ruling party in the state, DMK and its alliance partner, Congress purportedly collaborated to strategically decide the timing of CBI raids about the probe in 2G scam.
‘En Mann En Makkal’ padyatra
Annamalai is known for his fierce campaigning. Under his leadership, the BJP has been in the headlines in Tamil Nadu year on year.
But nothing proved his mettle as well as the ‘En Mann En Makkal‘ padyatra – a brainchild of the Tamil Nadu BJP President. It saw women, children, elderly and people across castes and communities in Tamil Nadu come out on the streets in support for the firebrand leader.
100th day of En Mann En Makkal padyatra (source: En Mann En Makkal/X)
The march was launched from Rameshwaram on 28th July 2023 and concluded on 27th February 2024 in Palladam covering 234 assembly constituencies in the state.
Huge crowds accompanying the BJP leader and every town and city welcoming him with much fanfare was a testimony to the BJP’s presence being felt in the state.
On the concluding day of the yatra, Prime Minister Modi said that Annamalai had earned the confidence of the people of Tamil Nadu. A video from the event went viral where the Prime Minister was seen patting the back of Annamalai with a wide smile in what was a huge sign of endorsement and appreciation for the latter.
Projections for the BJP in Tamil Nadu so far
If projections for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are anything to go by, then the BJP under Annamalai’s leadership is set to do damage primarily to the AIADMK.
According to ChanakyaaTV, the BJP-led alliance could secure a vote share of 22 per cent whereas Times Now – ETG Research Survey has predicted a 14 per cent vote share for the saffron party in Tamil Nadu.
The India Today – C Voter survey has projected a vote share of 15 per cent for BJP-led NDA in the state.
Moreover, pollster Prashant Kishor had recently stated that the vote share of the BJP could go into double digits in the southern state – between 7 to 15 per cent.
In 2014, the BJP’s vote share was 5.5 per cent; it did not have an alliance with the AIADMK. In 2019, the BJP secured a vote share of 3.66 per cent.
The vote share projections in comparison to the BJP’s past performance show significant progress for the party.
Slow and steady wins the race
Notably, Annamalai had said that for the BJP to grow in Tamil Nadu, it needs to fight alone even if that takes time. Recently, before PM Modi’s visit, the Tamil Nadu BJP Chief said that more and more leaders of Tamil Nadu will be joining the BJP. “BJP is a growing party, BJP is an alternative party,” he told ANI.
DRDO conducted two successful flight tests of Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missile on 28th & 29th Feb 2024 from a ground-based portable launcher off the coast of Odisha from Integrated Test Range, Chandipur. These missiles are designed to intercept and destroy hostile aircraft, drones and helicopters at very short ranges.
The tests were carried out against high speed unmanned aerial targets under different interception scenarios. During all the test flights, the targets were intercepted and destroyed by the missiles, meeting the mission objectives, a statement by defence ministry said. The flight test was witnessed by officials of the Indian Army, senior Scientists from various DRDO laboratories and Industry Partners.
VSHORADS is a Man Portable Air Defence System (MANPAD) designed and developed indigenously by Research Centre Imarat (RCI) in collaboration with other DRDO laboratories and Indian Industry Partners. The missiles have a range of upto 6 km.
VSHORADAS missile incorporates many novel technologies including miniaturized Reaction Control System (RCS) and integrated avionics which have been successfully proven during the tests. The missile is propelled by a dual thrust solid motor and meant for neutralizing low altitude aerial threats at short ranges. The design of the missile including launcher has been highly optimized to ensure easy portability.
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh, congratulated DRDO, Indian Army and Industry involved in the successful development trials and stated this new missile equipped with modern technologies will give further technological boost to the Armed Forces.
Secretary DD R&D and Chairman DRDO congratulated the entire team involved in the design and development of the missile.
