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Amid Kamal Nath suspense, rumours float about Manish Tewari joining BJP ahead of Lok Sabha election, his office rubbishes speculations

OpIndia Staff
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Amid Kamal Nath suspense, rumours float about Manish Tewari joining BJP ahead of Lok Sabha election, his office rubbishes speculations

On 18th February, veteran Congress leader and Lok Sabha MP Manish Tewari’s office dismissed the rumours suggesting his potential move to the Bharatiya Janata Party as “baseless” and “unfounded.” The statement followed earlier reports from sources claiming that the parliamentarian was in contact with BJP and intended to run on the saffron party’s symbol from Punjab’s Ludhiana constituency in the Lok Sabha poll. This comes after rumours of Kamal Nath joining BJP.

His office declared, “The speculation that he will join the BJP is baseless and unfounded. Manish Tewari is in his constituency and looking after development work there. Last night, he stayed at a Congress worker’s home.” According to earlier reports, the member of parliament had communication with the BJP. They further stated that he was eager to run on the party’s election symbol in the national election from the Ludhiana seat.

Amid the speculations of him joining BJP, Manish Tewari re-shared a video of his statement in Lok Sabha on 9th February on X, slamming the Modi govt on the white paper on the economy. He had said said while sharing the video earlier, “The White paper on the economy is a black brush designed to malign by insinuation & innuendo.” And now by re-sharing the video, most probably Manish Tewari is hinting that he is not switching over to BJP.

Meanwhile, there is a strong buzz over senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath and his son Nakul Nath along with several Congressmen are likely to switch to BJP soon. Nakul Nath’s potential departure from Congress was seen as more plausible after he deleted the party name from his X (formerly Twitter) bio. Sources within the Congress disclosed, “Kamal Nath is likely to switch to the BJP and the Congress leadership has made no attempts to reach out to him. Things have come to a knot with Kamal Nath actively lobbying for a Rajya Sabha ticket.”

Jitu Patwari, the leader of the Madhya Pradesh Congress responded to the story and called the speculation “baseless.” He added that he could not imagine “Indira Gandhi’s third son” joining the saffron party even in his dreams. Notably, Jitu Patwari took up Kamal Nath’s position as leader of the grand old party’s state unit after the latter was ousted from the post following the abysmal performance of Congress in the assembly poll held in December last year. Congress stalwart Digvijaya Singh also refuted media claims on Nakul Nath, labelling the rumours as “breaking news hunting.”

However, the rumours intensified on 17th February following Kamal Nath’s arrival in Delhi. The seasoned lawmaker told reporters in the nation’s capital that he would notify the media initially if anything of the sort transpired. “It is not about denying, you are saying this, you people are getting excited. I am not getting excited, this side or that side, but if there would be any such thing, I would inform you first,” he alleged.

Rakesh Katare, the Congress District President from Vidisha and Dinesh Ahirwar, a former MLA, were among many state leaders who changed sides and went to BJP in Madhya Pradesh, earlier this week. Senior Congress leaders are angry that the party declined the invitation to the landmark “Pran Pratishtha” event of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, according to BJP state president Vishnu Datt Sharma.

He asserted, “So today I am telling you the environment, we have kept our doors open because there are people in Congress who feel that Congress boycotts Lord Ram, India has Ram in its heart. When Congress insults him, then there are people who are pained by this, who are upset, and they should get a chance. If those whose names you are taking have pain in their hearts, then they are also welcome.”

According to reports, Nakul Nath is angry with the party for not announcing his candidacy for the Chhindwara Lok Sabha constituency. Kamal Nath has always maintained his position in Chhindwara. The Congress leader held the seat for nine terms in a row. It is the sole seat in Madhya Pradesh that the Congress won in the 2019 general election. Nakul Nath secured a victory there, despite the BJP winning the other 28 seats in the state.

Nakul Nath voiced, “This time too, I will be your candidate for Lok Sabha elections. Rumours are going around whether Kamal Nath or Nakul Nath would contest the election, I would like to make it clear that Kamal Nath won’t contest the election, I will,” while talking to a gathering earlier this week.

Uttar Pradesh: Imrana, who ordered time bombs from Javed Shaikh, arrested; wanted to instigate riots after CAA implementation

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Imrana, who ordered time bombs from Javed Shaikh, arrested; wanted to instigate riots after CAA implementation

Imrana, who had placed an order of Rs 50,000 for Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) from Javed Shaikh, was arrested from her residence at around 4 PM on 17th February by a joint police team of Special Task Force (STF) and city police station. 45-year-old Imrana is the wife of a man named Azad. She is a resident of the village of Bantikhera in the Shamli district, and works as an occultist. She is also known as “Imrana Baba.”

Imrana has been living in Prempuri with her family members for a long time, and has an extensive network due to her alleged work. On 16th February, STF Meerut arrested Javed Shaikh of Mimlana Road and recovered four time bombs from him. He had disclosed that Imrana directed him to make the bombs in exchange for Rs 50,000, and paid Rs 10,000 in advance. The police have been searching for Imrana ever since.

She was planning to create unrest in India to protest the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). In addition to radicalising individuals, Imrana was reportedly instrumental in the production and distribution of bombs. She recently placed orders to make time bombs that would be detonated to cause fear throughout the nation. 

Imrana was handed over to the Kotwali police where she was questioned by the STF team for two hours. The Delhi Intelligence Bureau (IB) team will also interrogate her. Imrana’s daughter Rukhsar alleged that they had turned Imrana over to the police. Meanwhile, there is a growing whiff of a terrorist conspiracy.

According to reports, the fresh order of bombs was intended to be utilised after the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) before the Lok Sabha elections. Furthermore, she had ordered over 200 explosives in 2013 during the violence in Muzaffarnagar, and distributed them during the riots. Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Abhishek Singh mentioned that Imrana will undergo a comprehensive interrogation to further know about the outfits and people who are behind her along with their nefarious objectives.

STF Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Brijesh Singh highlighted that Imrana has been in contact with Zarif Ahmed, the father of Javed Shaikh since 2009. He is employed as a Hakim, a Muslim doctor who treats patients using conventional remedies. He had provided Imrana with medication for her sickness and has been connected to her ever since. Imrana asked for two explosives from Javed Shaikh even in 2009, one of which was detonated while the other was dropped into the Kaali River.

Imrana got in touch with Javed Shaikh, and told him to prepare 55 bombs some of which were used during 2013 riots. The others were stored at her house for multiple days, and later discarded into the Kali River. Imrana kept four bombs inside her place in case there was another similar incident.

West Bengal Govt removes Barasat Range DIG Sumit Kumar after Sandeshkhali violence, calls it routine shuffle

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal Govt removes Barasat Range DIG Sumit Kumar after Sandeshkhali violence, calls it routine shuffle

On 18th February, the West Bengal government removed Sumit Kumar from the post of Deputy Inspector General (Barasat Range) and made him DIG (Security). DIG (Malda Range) Bhaskar Mukherjee replaced Kumar. Notably, Kumar’s transfer came after recent incidents of violence in Sandeshkhali in district North 24 Parganas. Notably, the shuffle has been described as “routine” by the senior officials in the state government.

Furthermore, ADG & IGP, Traffic & Road Safety, Supratim Sarkar has been given the post of new ADG & IGP, South Bengal. On the other hand, ADG & IGP (Western Zone) Tripurari Atharv has been made the new ADG of state STF. Ashok Kumar Prasad ADG Bengal STF has been made ADG & IGP (Western Zone).

Santosh Pandey, who is Joint CP Headquarters of Kolkata Police, has been made additional CP III of the force. V Solomon Nesakumar, who is Joint CP of Kolkata Police, has been named the Additional CP-IV of the city police. Meeraj Khalid, who is Kolkata Police Joint CP (Establishment), has been made Joint CP (Headquarters). Syed Waqar Raza has been named as Joint CP (Crime). Abhishek Gupta has been named as DC of the North Division. Harikrishna Pai has been named as the DC of the port Division.

BJP expressed concerns over Sandeshkhali violence

While the officials in the police department have been shuffled in West Bengal, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya expressed concerns over the deteriorating law and order in West Bengal. On 17th February, speaking to ANI, Vijayvargiya said, “Law and order is destroyed in West Bengal…There is no respect for women there. Even the police don’t file reports when women are tortured…All those people who used to go out with candles, I don’t understand where their candles are today.”

On 16th February, a BJP delegation recently went to the Sandeshkhali area to investigate the incidents of violence and sexual harassment. However, they were stopped by the police. The delegation included BJP leaders Annapurna Devi, Pratima Bhowmik, Sunita Duggal, Kavita Patidar, Sangeeta Yadav, Agnimitra Paul and Brij Lal. After they were stopped from visiting the affected area, they met Governor CV Ananda Bose. Following the meeting, one of the delegation members mentioned they would file a petition in the Supreme Court seeking permission to visit Sandeshkhali and interact with the women who have been protesting against the atrocities.

After meeting the Governor, Annapurna Devi spoke to the media and said, “Today, we had to return after being blocked midway into our journey to Sandeshkhali. We will file a petition in the Supreme Court, urging that we be allowed to go to Sandeshkhali. We will go there. The way women, children and newlywed brides have been tortured in Sandeshkhali by TMC goons and the police will be highlighted. They will get justice.”

Sandeshkhali protests

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 leader Sheikh Shahjahan, and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The women attacked Shahjahan’s illegally 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.

On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.

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.

The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government also arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convener of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.

On Friday (17th February), the police finally arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

Triple murder in Bihar: Furious with ‘Pakadua Shaadi,’ man shot dead his daughter-in-law, her brother and father in Begusarai after a scuffle

OpIndia Staff
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Triple murder in Bihar: Furious with ‘Pakadua Shaadi,’ man shot dead his daughter-in-law, her brother and father in Begusarai after a scuffle

A shocking triple murder in the Begusarai District of Bihar on 17th February evening which involved the alleged murder of a 25-year-old woman, her father and her brother at the hands of the woman’s father-in-law has horrified the entire state. The accused absconded from the crime scene after shooting down the three persons in the village of Bishnupur Ahuk which is under the jurisdiction of the Sahebpur Kamal police station.

Neelu Kumari, her father Umesh Yadav and brother Rajesh Yadav, all of whom lived in the Begusarai district’s Sreenagar region, were identified as the victims by a senior police official. The village head, Subodh Kumar Yadav, revealed to the media that Neelu Kumari’s in-laws were not taking her to their home even after two years of marriage because it was a case of ‘Pakadua Shaadi’ or forced marriage in which men are kidnapped and married off to women against their will.

“The incident took place on Saturday evening when Umesh Yadav, along with his son and daughter, went to Neelu Kumari’s in-laws’ house. According to villagers, when her father-in-law saw them, he got furious and a scuffle broke out,” stated Station House Officer (SHO) Sahebpur Kamal police station, Deepak Kumar while addressing journalists.

He added, “It was during the scuffle that Neelu Kumari’s father-in-law suddenly whipped out his gun and shot them dead from point-blank range leading all the three people dead on the spot.” A manhunt has been initiated to find the accused who fled after committing the heinous crime. Senior police officers have arrived at the location and an investigation is still ongoing.

Groom kidnapping, colloquially known as Pakadua Shaadi or Jabaria Shaadi is a phenomenon in the western parts of Bihar and eastern Uttar Pradesh states, more prominent in Munger and Dumka (now in Jharkhand) wherein eligible bachelors are abducted by the bride’s family and forcibly married, to get men with better occupation and/or richer men. The practice started becoming noticeable towards the late 20th century, as dowry costs became prohibitive and organised gangs came forward to carry out the abductions.

Show me video footage to prove rape took place: TMC spokesperson Jui Biswas asks for video footage of rapes in Sandeshkhali as proof

OpIndia Staff
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Show me video footage to prove rape took place: TMC spokesperson Jui Biswas asks for video footage of rapes in Sandeshkhali as proof

On Friday (16th February) Trinamool Congress Party (TMC) spokesperson Jui Biswas asked for the video footage from West Bengal as proof of the rapes against women in Sandeshkhali. She made this bizarre statement during a debate on the government news channel DD News. Biswas was participating in the program ‘5 Ki Panchayat’ on DD News with four other panelists.

When asked by the anchor Reema Parashar why the TMC government in the state is not filing any FIR regarding the rape cases as alleged by the local women of the Sandeshkhali area, Jui Biswas said, “Specifically speaking about the incident that took place here, a case was registered about the attack on the team of Enforcement Directorate and 17 persons are arrested in this case. Besides, our Bashirhat DIG of police formed a team of 10 women police personnel. This team visited the villages to confirm the veracity of the allegations. There was no statement by any woman about sexual harassment complaints. If there appears any such case, we will certainly take action. We have a woman Chief Minister who stands strong with women always in any hour of emergency and any hour of need. Fifty per cent of women in Bengal have voted for her. Her approach towards women has been that of development. We have a higher percentage of women MPs here. Our state is committed to women-centric development.”

The anchor then asked her, “Your party is in power in the state. The woman CM is from the same party. The police are accused of being hand-in-glove with the ruling party. The politician who is the main accused in the Sandeshkhali case is from your party and you say that the investigation will also be done by your party only. How exactly fair it seems?”

To this, Jui Biswas said, “Similar cases have happened in other states. Did anybody ask such a question at that time? In Hathras, it was even proved that the rape crime did take place. Show me a single piece of evidence or a single video footage to prove that rape took place. This all is a show staged by the BJP.”

Sandeshkhali protests

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 leader Sheikh Shahjahan, and his two aides Shiba Prasad Hazra and Uttam Sardar.

The women attacked Shahjahan’s illegally 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.

On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.

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.

The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government also arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convener of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.

On Friday (17th February), the police finally arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

Ensure baggage delivery within 10-30 minutes at airports: Bureau of Civil Aviation Security directs airlines, warns action for delays

ANI
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Ensure baggage delivery within 10-30 minutes at airports: Bureau of Civil Aviation Security directs airlines, warns action for delays

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) has taken a decisive step to streamline baggage handling procedures across major airlines operating in India.

On February 16, 2024, BCAS issued letters to seven prominent airlines, namely Air India, IndiGo, Akasa, SpiceJet, Vistara, Air India Express Connect, and Air India Express, urging them to implement necessary measures to ensure the timely delivery of baggage.

BCAS conducted an extensive survey across the nation’s six major airports, scrutinising the operations of seven airlines and analysing over 3600 flight movements along with their baggage delivery processes. As per regulations, “airlines are required to ensure the delivery of passengers’ baggage within a timeframe of 10 to 30 minutes following the aircraft’s engine shutdown.”

The directive comes in response to concerns regarding the punctuality of baggage delivery and the receipt of complaints through social media and other windows that passengers are reported to have been victimized by late baggage delivery after landing at the airport, as outlined in the Service Quality Requirements of Operation, Management, and Delivery Agreement (OMDA).

The Aviation Ministry, led by Jyotiraditya Scindia, BCAS, initiated a rigorous monitoring exercise in January 2024. This exercise focuses on tracking the time taken for baggage to arrive at designated belts in six major airports across the country.

While there has been a noticeable improvement in performance since the inception of the review, none of the airlines have consistently met the prescribed standards. The OMDA stipulates that the first baggage should reach the conveyor belt within 10 minutes of the engine shutdown, further emphasizing the need for prompt handling and delivery.

Currently, the monitoring efforts are concentrated on six major airports. However, BCAS has directed the airlines to extend their compliance measures to all airports within their operational purview. This broader scope aims to ensure uniformity and adherence to mandated service levels across the aviation sector.

“BCAS has set a deadline of 10 days for airlines to implement the required measures, with a target date of February 26, 2024. Failure to comply with these directives may result in further regulatory action,” an MoCA official said.

The move by BCAS underscores the importance of enhancing passenger experience and operational efficiency within the aviation industry. By prioritising timely baggage delivery, airlines can enhance customer satisfaction and uphold the highest standards of service excellence.

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

Rajasthan: Muslim students and parents create a ruckus for not allowing hijab in Jodhpur school, say ‘govt will change but teachers will have to bear the brunt’

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: Muslim students and parents create a ruckus for not allowing hijab in Jodhpur school, say ‘govt will change but teachers will have to bear the brunt’

A Karnataka-like hijab row erupted in Rajasthan on Saturday (17th February) as female students at a government school in Jodhpur arrived in hijab instead of the prescribed dress code. The controversy erupted at Government Higher Secondary School No. 2 in Pipar City, located in the rural parts of the Jodhpur district in Rajasthan. Following instructions to refrain from wearing the hijab, students, accompanied by their parents, adamantly declared their intention to continue wearing it to school.

A video of parents arguing with the principal of the school over this issue has also gone viral. School authorities have reiterated the importance of adhering to the designated school uniform. Additional staff from Pipar police station was also called on the spot. Other parents also reached the school. All students were asked to adhere to the prescribed dress code.

The controversy erupted as more than 10 Muslim female students reached the school wearing headscarves. One of the teachers in the school intervened and told them that this is not prescribed in the school uniform. The girls were not allowed to be on the school premises citing dress code violation.

After this, the situation became tense as the female students brought their parents to the school who argued with the principal and said that they would continue sending their girls to the school wearing headscarves irrespective of the school’s rules.

The parents also accused the teacher of misbehaving with the girls. One of the parents claimed that the teacher called the girl wearing a hijab ‘Chambal Ki Daku’. However, the school principal maintained that they were barred from school citing dress code violation. Principal Ram Kishor Sankhala said, “We have only asked children to come to school wearing the government-prescribed school dress code. On this, some people from other communities came to the school and created a ruckus. The atmosphere of the school became tense. The situation was calmed down after the arrival of additional police personnel.”

He added, “Councillor Muzaffar Khalifa and the husband of the municipality vice-president staged a demonstration demanding information about the guidelines regarding the dress code. He also threatened that the government is there today, and tomorrow it will not be there, but the teachers are always going to be here, who will have to bear the brunt of it. After this, a complaint was made to the police. The police calmed the matter.”

On the other hand, Muslim parents reached the school and argued with the school administration seeking an explanation from them. These parents claimed that the students were only covering their heads and wearing face masks. Chief Block Education Officer Sumer Singh reached the school. He told people that children have to come to the school wearing the prescribed dress code.

Notably, Rajasthan’s Education Minister Madan Dilawar said a few days ago, “Uniforms have been prescribed by the state government in all government schools of the state. Even in private schools, students come to the schools wearing a dress code prescribed by that school. In such a situation, students will have to go to school in the prescribed dress. Apart from this, no other dress will be allowed. Students cannot come to the school wearing the desired dress. Religious conversion will not be allowed in any government or private school in Rajasthan, it will be strictly stopped.”

Rahul Gandhi did not perform puja inside Garbhgrih, Mahant Rajendra Tiwari not associated with temple: Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Nyas

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi did not perform puja inside Garbhgrih, Mahant Rajendra Tiwari not associated with temple: Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Nyas

On Friday (17th February), the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Temple Trust clarified that Rahul Gandhi did not perform Puja in the Vishwanath Mandir’s Garbhgrih.

In a press note, the trust categorically stated that the position of “Mahant” at the temple is defunct and the allegations levelled by the Congress party, claiming that the temple administration did not allow cameras inside Garbhgrih as Rahul Gandhi performed Puja, were false.

Furthermore, the trust clarified that Mahant Rajendra Tiwari, who claimed to be associated with Vishwanath Mandir, is not associated with the temple. Gandhi was in Varanasi as part of his “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra”.

In the press note, the temple trust stated that recent reports on social media and electronic media regarding Rahul Gandhi’s purported visit to the Garbhgrih of the temple, facilitated by Mahant Rajendra Tiwari, were misleading.

The press note emphasised several aspects of these reports, including that only appointed priests conduct rituals and prayers within the Garbhgrih as per the directives of Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir Nyas.

Furthermore, there is no designated “Mahant” position at the Shri Kashi Vishwanath Mandir, nor is any Mahant appointed. The temple administration also refuted the claims that Tiwari conducted any Puja inside the temple premises and urged all print and electronic media to refrain from publishing such reports or videos without the official statement from the Nyas.

The press note came after Congress accused the temple administration of not allowing the party’s personnel camera person inside the Garbhgrih. In a post on X, Congress wrote that around 10:30 AM, Rahul Gandhi visited Baba Vishwanath Temple in Varanasi, where he offered prayers and performed an Abhishek.

The party claimed they had permission to take a personal camera person inside the premises, but the consent was revoked at the last moment. They further contended that the district administration assured them that photos clicked by the temple’s photographer would be shared with the party, but that did not happen.

The party said, “Only seven pictures were eventually sent, none of which are of the visit, even though the temple’s cameraperson took them.”

Targeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they said, “By doing so, once again, the Varanasi district administration has proven to be nothing more than a “camera-friendly” apparatus seated in Delhi. This is not politics or flattery, but remember, neither the determination of Bhagwan Shiva’s devotees nor the power of justice can be stopped by such actions. May Baba Vishwanath bless everyone and grant wisdom to the wicked.”

Speaking on the matter, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary said, “Those who are looters have to show everything… These (Congress) people are corrupt. They only want to show their pictures.”

Who is Rajendra Tiwari

Rajendra Tiwari is the former Mahant of Kashi Vishwanath Temple. Speaking to ETV Bharat, he claimed to have performed Puja for Rahul Gandhi on 17th February. He claimed that religion was an essential topic for Gandhi and urged Tiwari to visit Delhi for discussion. Responding to Nyas’s press note, Tiwari claimed that the government and administration do not decide who is the Mahant. He further claimed that the Temple administration was taken over by the government, not the Mahant family.

Tiwari has been making headlines for his controversial statements. In 2022, when a Shivling was found in Gyanvapi’s disputed structure, he claimed there was no Shivling in an interview with CJP. However, in a debate, he asserted that ruins of a Shivling were present in the disputed structure. Tiwari’s family was embroiled in a court case with the UP government over ownership rights of the temple. In 1983, the then-Congress government in the state headed by Sripati Mishra took charge of the temple under the Uttar Pradesh Kashi Vishwanath Temple Act, 1983. Since then, a government-appointed chief executive officer and a board of trustees have managed the temple. Since the redevelopment project in Kashi Vishwanath Temple premises started by the Modi government, Tiwari and his followers have claimed that old temples were “razed” in the name of redevelopment.

Pakistan: Cricket ‘expert’ Mohsin Ali tries to hit wife during YouTube live, defends his actions

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Cricket ‘expert’ Mohsin Ali tries to hit wife during YouTube live, defends his actions

A shocking event transpired during a YouTube live stream of Pakistani cricket ‘expert’ Mohsin Ali, in which he tried to hit his spouse when she interrupted the feed. The video opened with a conversation about cricket, hosted by another journalist named Rizwan Haider. However, the atmosphere changed immediately when a woman’s voice was heard and Mohsin Ali turned to face her. After that, he raised his left hand in a threatening gesture, expressing his anger at her unwanted presence.

The incident soon sparked concerns about domestic abuse, as viewers expressed their displeasure over his actions. Mohsin Ali shocked everyone by defending himself when people on the live broadcast accused him of violent behaviour.

One of the audience members, named Anshul Raj Singh, wrote, “First of all humanity come first. Apologise Mohsin because you committed domestic violence at 1:40 seconds in this live. Respect your partner.” Similar comments started to appear in the live chat and the cricket analyst offered a bizarre argument in support of his conduct.

Rizwan Haider tried to give an explanation but Mohsin Ali interrupted him and stated, “Let me address the issue. My brother Anshul, the thing is that when you are doing live and there is distortion, even you don’t know what kind of violence you would be capable of. 31 years of married life. My marriage is older than your age. Talk about domestic violence with those who were born into it. Thanks to Allah, we respect our mother, sister and wife and my 31-year-long marriage demonstrated evidence of the same. This is not domestic violence. Learn some manners.”

Meanwhile, netizens also voiced their disgust over the incident as the video gained major traction on social media. Someone remarked that the incident was nothing out of the ordinary for Mohsin Ali because this is how he normally acts.

Another one commented that it was a regular occurrence in Pakistan.

A user added that Mohsin Ali was a “frustrated husband.”

Another netizen tagged the Islamabad Police’s official handle and asked for Mohsin Ali’s arrest.

Numerous other social media users made similar observations. Notably, Mohsin Ali enjoys substantial social media followers with over 107K subscribers on his personal YouTube channel and more than 577K on Rizwan Haidar’s channel where he regularly makes appearances to share his cricketing expertise.

‘They would sexually exploit beautiful women, beat their husbands if their wives did not comply’: 10 victims recount the reign of terror of TMC in Sandeshkhali

OpIndia Staff
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‘They would sexually exploit beautiful women, beat their husbands if their wives did not comply’: 10 victims recount the reign of terror of TMC in Sandeshkhali

Amid the unrest in Sandeshkhali village in North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal, several women who were victimised by Trinamool Congress (TMC) goons narrated their ordeal to AajTak journalist Shweta Singh.

During her ground report from Sandeshkhali on Thursday (16th February), a woman told Singh, “They (TMC) forcibly took me from the house and kept me at the party office against my will. I was freed only in the morning. They would tell us that there is a meeting at midnight and we have to be present there.”

“They would come at any time of the day and force us to accompany them. Even if we are cooking at home, we are expected to leave all the household chores and attend party meetings. They have taken over our lands and do not pay us the lease…Where will we go? The cops are not listening to us and filing counter FIRs against women protestors,” another woman was heard saying.

“When we go to ask for our money, they verbally abuse us and take us from our homes by force. If we oppose them, they come to our homes and threaten the men in the house. They threaten to kidnap us if we do not attend party meetings,” another woman narrated.

“They would take us to the party office in the name of the meeting and then proceed to torture us. They would sexually exploit the ‘beautiful women’ and make the others cook food for them or do chores. This would happen day after day. They would assault the men in the family for non-compliance of their wives,” one of the victims shared her ordeal with journalist Shweta Singh.

Another woman recounted the attacks committed on women in Sandeshkhali village for not giving in to the demands of the TMC goons. “They would give alcohol and guns to 14-15 year old children…If we did not participate in politics, they threaten to murder our parents and family members,” she told AajTak News.

“Even if we do not want to vote, they take it by force…Votes are conducted on ballot papers. They take the seal, cast the vote themselves and do not let us to exercise our choice,” another woman exposed the election rigging continuing unabated in the village.

Several victims were seen unwilling to show their faces on camera, fearing retaliation from local TMC goons. “Everyone here (in this village) is a TMC supporter. Despite this, the likes of Shibu Hazra and Uttam Sardar have usurped our lands (including fisheries). We are in a constant state of terror and hence we cannot show our faces on camera,” a woman narrated.

“They used to coerce us into coming to the party office and tell us that we are not allowed to go home. They used to call us ‘sexy’ and wanted us to bring 200-400 more women to party meetings. They told us that we needed to entertain them, or else they would not spare us,” another woman informed.

One victim told Shweta Singh, “The police never helped us. They stood by the likes of Shibu Hazra. We had no say in this matter. They would come anytime and take was with them. They would thrash our husbands if we did not accompany them. If we did not voluntarily go the party office, then, they wo”uld send someone on bikes to take us away against our will. We had to entertain them. There was no other way out…Mamata Didi has never come here. In fact, none came here to check on us. Mamata Didi is saying that nothing has happened in Sandeshkhali? Are we lying?

She emphasised.”If Shibu Hazra And Shahjahan Sheikh are out in the open, then anything can happen to us including murder. We think that the duo can kill us when we are home. We live without husbands and children. We will not be able to stop them. We want peace. As long as they are arrested, we will not have peace of mind. If they are not arrested, then, we will not be able to stay in our homes. There will be more terror in the area, if they are not arrested,” she added. The woman pointed out added that the ordeal has been continuing since 2011.

Forced by circumstances, a local woman was seen taking the TMC dispensation head-on in Sandeshkhali. She was seen carrying her Aadhar card and reiterating the fact that she is a native of Sandeskhali. “No more hiding face. We will now speak out openly,” the brave woman declared.

The Background of the Controversy

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.

On 10th February, the local police imposed Section 144 in various areas in Sandeshkhali and also banned the use of the Internet in 16 panchayats scattered over the two blocks of Sandeshkhali-I and Sandeshkhali-II.

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.

The Mamata Banerjee-led-TMC government arrested a former CPI(M) MLA named Nirpada Sardar in connection to the case on 11th February. BJP leader Vikas Singh, who happens to be the Convenor of the Basirhat Lok Sabha constituency, was also arrested in connection to the women’s protest against TMC goons.

On Friday (17th February), the police arrested TMC leader Shibu Prasad Hazra over land grabbing and sexual exploitation of women in Sandeshkhali. The primary accused Sheikh Shahjahan, is still on the run from the law enforcement authorities.

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