On Monday (1st January), a 25-year-old man identified as Shubham Valmiki committed suicide in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh after being harassed by his wife for refusing to convert his religion to Islam. The accused woman also charged the victim in a fake rape case and forced him into jail after he refused to accept Islam.
According to the reports, the victim who was lodged in jail in an alleged fake rape case was recently released after which he hanged himself to death. The victim also recorded a video before dying and blamed his wife for his dreadful condition. The man in the video said, “You ruined my life. You just wanted me to convert my religion to Islam. I never asked you to become a Hindu. I accepted you the way you are. You even filed a fake rape case against me. Now I have left with no option but to end my life.”
The police have taken cognizance of the event and began an investigation into the case after the video went viral over social media.
Reports mention that Shubham worked as a DJ operator. His father stated that he fell in love with a Muslim woman a few years ago and then they got married. “The duo got married 3 years ago. It was a court marriage. However, there were tensions ongoing between the two for a year. His wife had left him. She wanted my boy to convert to Islam. On refusal, her family members asked for lakhs of rupees from him. And then the woman left last year,” he added.
The father added, “She lodged a rape report against Shubham in Juhi police station. The police arrested him and sent him to jail. These actions of the accused woman left my son devastated. He was very upset. On Monday, he went to the house. He committed suicide in the room on the first floor. Shubham’s body was hanging to a dupatta at home. We took him to Hallett Hospital, where the doctors declared him dead.”
Before his demise, Shubham created two videos. During the inquiry, the police discovered both videos from the mobile device. Shubham comments in the first video addressed to the woman, “You did a very good job by ruining us. Your family members divorced us after taking a loan of 80 thousand rupees from us. Even in the name of ending the rape case, you took two and a half lakh rupees from us. If you don’t want to stay, then don’t stay, just return my money.”
In the second video, Shubham says, “I sacrificed my skills, job, and life’s earnings for your love. But you only used me. I completely ruined myself in your love. That’s why I am committing suicide. I am going.” In the video, he has blamed his wife and in-laws for his death.
According to DCP South Ravindra Kumar, the youth committed suicide by hanging himself. He has made significant claims against his wife and in-laws before his death. He also created a video before his death, which went viral. All of these aspects are being investigated. Based on the family members’ complaint, a report will be filed in the case.
On 28th December last year, an Islamic cleric by the name of Maulana Ahsanul Haq Chaturvedi, involved in organising ‘Muslim Mahapanchayat’ in Jaipur city of Rajasthan, courted controversy by making distasteful remarks about followers of Hindu text ‘Manusmriti.’
Maulana Ahsanul Haq Chaturvedi, a spokesperson for the radical Islamist party Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC), told the media, “Those (Hindus) who are now targeting Muslims will attack Dalits next. If Muslims do not stand up to them (Hindus), they will target Dalits directly.”
He further claimed, “Muslims are known to shield the marginalised and therefore we protect the Dalits as a shield. So we are organising this Muslim Mahapanchayat so that we can keep protecting Dalits from Manuvadis (a derogatory reference to followers of Hindu scripture Manusmriti).”
If Muslims do not take the initiative and face the bullets for Dalits, then Manuvadis will treat them like Shudras…So we are forced to fight their battle against the Manuvadis,” he brazened out.
The Islamic cleric claimed that Muslims were thus forced to come forward and organise ‘Muslim Mahapanchayat’ in Jaipur. Sajid Saqlaini, another leader of the Ittehad-e-Millat Council who was present at the event, was quizzed about the name of the communal event.
On being quizzed about the exclusivist name of the event, specifying Muslim identity, he failed to provide a convincing response. It must be mentioned that the Ittehad-e-Millat Council (IMC) was founded by radical cleric Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan in 2001.
Dalits under attack from Muslims
While radical Islamic clerics attempt to create an imaginary alliance between Dalits and Muslims in the hopes of preventing Hindu consolidation, the reality on the ground is strikingly different.
OpIndia has documented multiple cases where Muslim mobs attacked Dalits and no Maulana expressed any solidarity with them. Despite this, they present themselves as true ‘allies’ of the Dalit community to take the latter away from the Hindu fold.
On Monday (1st January), radical Islamic preacher Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan reached Gajraula city in Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh to oversee preparations for the ‘All India Muslim Mahapanchayat.’
As per reports, the communal event is scheduled to take place in the first week of February this year at the Ramlila Maidan in New Delhi. When Maulana Tauqeer Raza reached Gajraula, he was welcomed by his fellow co-religionists.
The Islamic hate preacher claimed that Dalits and other ‘marginalised groups’ would participate in the ‘All India Muslim Mahapanchayat.’ He said that efforts would be undertaken to end the atmosphere of hate in the country.
Maulana Tauqeer Raza lamented that all political parties have supposedly distanced themselves from the ‘Muslim society.’ Interestingly, the Islamic preacher who was mouthing platitudes about uniting the Indian society had previously made genocidal speeches against the Hindu community.
The Kerala High Court struck down a petition seeking permission to terminate the pregnancy of a 12-year-old girl who was in an incestual relationship with her minor brother. The court said it was not a case where termination of pregnancy is an option as the fetus had reached the 34th week and was “fully developed”.
The court ordered custody of the minor girl and her parents/guardians while asking authorities to ensure that the brother against whom allegations are levelled was not permitted anywhere near the girl.
“The fetus has already reached 34 weeks of gestation and is now fully developed, preparing for its life outside the womb. Pregnancy at this stage is untenable, if not impossible, and obviously, therefore, the child will have to be allowed to be born…” the court noted.
Justice Devan Ramachandran headed the bench asked the petitioners to take care of the girl, and also directed the parents that the minor brother against whom allegations have been levelled is not allowed anywhere near the girl.
Initially, the Medical Board recommended the termination of the 34-week pregnancy, citing the young age and psychological trauma experienced by the minor girl. However, after discussions with the Court, the Medical Board changed its opinion, stating that the minor girl was deemed healthy enough to carry the pregnancy to full term. Due to insufficient information in the Medical Board reports, the Court ordered a reassessment of both the minor girl and the fetus.
The Review Medical Board indicated that extending the pregnancy by an additional two weeks to achieve full term was unlikely to have any significant psychological impact on the minor girl. Additionally, the Board recommended a caesarean delivery over a vaginal delivery, as it was deemed to have a lesser psychological impact on the minor girl.
The petitioners’ Counsel asserted that if there were no alternatives, the minor girl would endure the two-week extension to reach full term. They also asked that the choice between caesarean and vaginal delivery be left to the petitioners. Furthermore, they sought permission for the minor girl to stay with her parents, ensuring she received their care and support.
However, the Court, while rejecting the plea, affirmed that the petitioners would receive continuous and comprehensive medical assistance. The Court also clarified that after the completion of delivery, the petitioners could seek assistance under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015.
On Tuesday (2nd January), the BJP embarked on its 20-day pilgrimage named ‘Luv-Kush yatra’ from its office in Patna (Bihar) to Shri Ram Janmabhoomi in Ayodhya town of Uttar Pradesh.
The 20-day yatra will coincide with the consecration ceremony of Ram Mandir on 22nd January 2023. It must be mentioned that Luv and Kush were the sons of Lord Ram and Maa Sita.
The yatra was flagged by BJP (Bihar unit) President Samrat Choudhary. It will cover important districts connected to Lord Ram such as Vaishali, Sitamarhi, Valmiki Nagar, Purnia, Kishanganj, Katihar, Nawada, Nalanda, Buxar and Ayodhya.
VIDEO | BJP embarks on a 20-day “Luv-Kush Yatra” from its Patna office to Ayodhya to coincide with the consecration of the idol at the Ram Temple on January 22. pic.twitter.com/z9tHT5yjCm
The BJP has invited the Heads and representatives of several Hindu organisations. The party will also conduct public meetings and havans as they travel to the town of Ayodhya.
While speaking to The Indian Express, BJP (Bihar) Vice-President Saroj Patel said, “The Luv-Kush community is grateful to PM Narendra Modi for the Ayodhya temple construction and for giving due respect to them. The yatra is just a way to express gratitude to the Central government and also pay respect to all important places connected with Lord Ram and Goddess Sita.”
Patel added that two raths are being used for the yatra, each equipped with a havan kund. He emphasised that people will be educated about the history of various religious sites such as Janki Sthan, Punaura Dham and Valmiki Ashram during the pilgrimage.
In political terms, the word ‘Luv-Kush’ is used to describe an alliance between the Koeri (Kushwaha) and Kurmi castes in Bihar. According to the census data, they constitute about 7% of the State’s population and are believed to be the support base of Janata Dal (United) leader Nitish Kumar.
The consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol is to take place in the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22 January, 2024. On this occasion, celebrities from the country and the world including Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be present at Ram Janmabhoomi.
The team of OpIndia visited Ayodhya in the last week of December 2023 and introduced people to the untouched aspects of the holy place. On Saturday (30th December 2023), we were at the Raja Dashrath Samadhi site, 12 kilometers away from Ayodhya city.
To our shock, we learnt that a tomb has been built next to Raja Dashrath’s samadhi and a tomb has also been built near another temple located here.
While giving us this information, the Mahant (temple priest) said that the Dargah at both the Hindu religious places is a conspiracy against Hindu culture.
‘Dargah is a conspiracy of cultural attack’
Sandeep Das, the priest of Raja Dashrath Samadhi Sthal, told OpIndia that while the shrine remained a victim of neglect under governments run by parties like Samajwadi Party (SP), a dargah too was built next to it as part of a well-planned conspiracy.
Sandeep Das, priest of Raja Dashrath Samadhi Sthal, explains the situation in the temple and surrounding areas.
Sandeep said that like the Ram Janmabhoomi, the Raja Dasharatha Samadhi site has also been a victim of attacks by religious invaders in the past but due to the retaliation of Hindus, it could not be captured.
He further said, “When the shrine could not be directly occupied, a tomb was built 100 meters away from it. This tomb came to be known as Belhari Sharif whereas in reality the historical name of this place is Bilvahari.”
According to Sandeep Das, many people who follow the religion of Islam keep coming to the shrine. Loudspeakers were tied in front of the temple and there was frenzied sloganeering.
There is an ancient Hindu mandir, about one and a half kilometers before the Dasharatha Samadhi site. Its name is Sankat Mochan Hanuman Temple which is said to be related to Sugriva Fort of Ayodhya.
OpIndia spoke to the priest here, Swami Ramdas. Ramdas told us that the distance of the Dargah from his temple is less than 1 kilometer. The name of the head of the Dargah is Chand Miyan.
Chand Miyan is said to be a religious Ulema of Barelvi sect who gives religious lectures in all parts of the country.
Reminiscing about the time of SP government, Ramdas said that during Islamic festivals, big mics were tied in front of the temple by the people of Dargah. Inciting slogans were raised loudly on these mikes.
People from as far as Nepal visit the Dargah
Mahant Swami Ramdas of Sankat Mochan Temple claims that there is a huge crowd at the Dargah for 3 days of the year around Bakrid.
Board with direction to the Dargah
He said that during this time, there is a crowd of people not only from the Muslim community of nearby villages and districts but also from citizens from as far as Nepal.
The real name of the Dargah is ‘Hazrat Makhdoom Syed Qayamuddin Bhika Makki Radi Allahutala Anhu’. But since last few days it has started being called by the name Bilhari Baba. Mahant Ramdas claims that a board with the name Bilhari Baba was also installed on the road here.
Hundreds of people gathered when protests erupted
Mahant Ramdas told us that there is relief for the last one year due to the administration of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, but in 2017 there was a dispute in front of the temple.
Sankat Mochan Temple and Mahant Ramdas
It is alleged that this fight started when the gate of Maa Durga was installed near the temple for Navratri celebrations.
People of Muslim community protested at this gate. Mahant said that during Tajiya procession etc., people of Muslim community used to put up a big gate near the temple but no one used to stop them.
It is alleged that when he raised questions on the different rules for Muharram and Navratri, a policeman present at the spot climbed up and scratched the gate of Maa Durga.
In 2017, FIR was lodged against Mahant himself.
Mahant Ramdas further said that many Hindu devotees got angry due to the tearing of the gate of Maa Durga.
On the other side, there was a crowd of people from the Muslim community who were getting the protection of a local SP leader.
So-called Belhari Sharif Dargah
It is alleged that during this time, policemen wearing leather boots even entered the sanctum sanctorum and kitchen of the temple and had a scuffle with Mahant Ramdas.
Due to the tense atmosphere outside, there was a clash between the two parties. The then SHO considered Mahant Ramdas guilty of this clash and lodged an FIR against him.
Even today Mahant Ramdas is fighting this case from his own pocket. Describing his plight further, Mahant Ramdas said that back then he also tried to register an FIR on the Muslim side but was refused.
Temple road covered with Islamist flags
When we asked more about the 2017 incident, Mahant Ramdas told that before that, a crowd of Muslims used to gather in front of the temple during various Islamic festivals.
The area around the temple was covered with green religious flags. A procession was taken out and stopped at the temple gate for hours. Here pudiya-gutka was eaten and spit out.
It is alleged that during this period, provocative statements like ‘India does not belong to anyone’s father’ were made.
According to Ramdas, at that time the police used to be a silent witness to all these activities and used to advise the Hindus to ‘have a little patience’.
‘Government should withdraw the case registered against me’
Mahant Ramdas termed the case registered against him in 2017 as wrong and one-sided action. He has appealed that the present Yogi government should withdraw the FIR registered against him because that action was taken by the then police station in-charge and outpost in-charge to appease the Muslims.
He also expressed hope of action against the policemen who vandalised the gate of Maa Durga and defiled the temple premises with leather boots.
Ramdas also claims that even though crazy activities have been curbed under the current government, they have not stopped completely.
He said that in the year 2022, two processions of Muslims carrying Tajiya had clashed with each other in front of his temple, due to which there was chaos.
Madrasa along with Dargah
OpIndia team visited Dargah Hazrat Maqdoom which is being prepared to be declared as Belhari Sharif Dargah. There are many houses of Muslim community around the Dargah.
Madrasa next to the Dargah
Green Islamic flags were seen fluttering on these houses. The Dargah is in a semi-built big building whose construction work is going on. Green flags have been pasted above and posters written in Urdu have been pasted outside.
In front of this Dargah, a Madrasa was also seen whose name is ‘Faiz-e-Subhani’. This Dargah and Madrasa, owned by Chand Miyan, is run by Hafiz Nurul Hasan.
Seeing the gates of Dargah and Madrasa closed, we started searching for Hafiz Nurul Hasan. We met Nurul Hasan about 100 meters away from the Dargah who was constructing another big building. This new building is less than 1 kilometre away from Raja Dasharatha Samadhi and Sankat Mochan Temple.
Nurul Hasan agreed to talk to us after giving directions to the workers constructing the building. He described himself as originally a resident of Sant Kabir Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh. According to Nurul, along with taking care of the Dargah, he also imparts education to the local children in the Madrasa.
Claim to command Saryu River
Nurul Hasan claimed that the Dargah of Makhdoom Syed is more than 600 years old. He claimed that Syed Qayamuddin Bhika had come straight from Mecca and settled at that place.
Information was also given about Syed Qayamuddin getting ‘Makki’ in his name due to his visit to Mecca. Nurul Hasan mentioned an incident related to Qayamuddin and Saryu River and claimed it to be completely true.
New building being built under the supervision of Hafiz Nurul near Dasharatha Samadhi and Sankat Mochan Temple
He claims that the mythical Saryu river had moved to him on its own accord on the orders of Qayamuddin Makki.
We asked Hafiz Nurul to narrate the incident in detail. Then Nurul said, “Saryu is a river. Earlier he (Qayamuddin Makki) used to go there to perform ablution. Then he would go away. Then one day it came to his mind. He said to the river, O river, should I come to you or do you come to me? So you kept coming forward and the river kept coming from behind. You came here and stopped and a river came out from the side.”
अयोध्या में जहाँ हनुमान मंदिर और दशरथ समाधि, वहाँ पर है एक दरगाह भी।
दरगाह के संचालक ने बताया इसका भी मक्का कनेक्शन। मक्का से तो वैसे अयोध्या में बनने वाली मस्जिद को भी जोड़ दिया इन लोगों ने… अब पढ़िए कैसे सरयू नदी को 'धमकाया' था मक्का वाले कयामुद्दीन ने।
However, many Hindu texts mention the Saryu River, including Ramayana. Lord Rama himself and his ancestors and descendants used to worship this holy river.
Claim of children being born from the tree planted in the Dargah
While talking to OpIndia, Hafiz went on to enumerate the alleged miracles of Nurul Hasan Dargah. He claimed that there is a tree inside the Dargah whose fruits and leaves can be eaten by women who have problems in giving birth to children and becoming mothers.
Hafiz Nurul recounting the alleged miracles of the Dargah
Nurul said that the tree that helps in childbirth was planted by Makhdoom Syed Qayamuddin Makki with his own hands 600 years ago. According to him, people come to Nurul Dargah every day but there is more crowd on Friday night. Once a year after Bakrid, a 3-day Urs is held here.
On 31st December, as the city of Bengaluru in Karnataka celebrated the New Year with laughter, lights, and music, the Kannada news media channel chose to follow and film women outside the pub without their permission. Moreover, the Kannada media channels also posted chastising videos on social media with inappropriate captions with the alleged intention to defame the women.
News media channels like News First Kannada, Public TV, and Zee Kannada posted videos in which the cameraman zoomed in on women‘s outfits, faces, and bodies outside pubs. The women tried to cover their faces with their palms and requested the media persons to not shoot them but the latter didn’t stop. They captured the inappropriate videos of the women as they left the pub and posted those videos online inviting immoral comments.
The videos of preying on women were documented in the police presence outside the pubs on MG Road, Church Street, and Koramangala in Bengaluru.
The channel’s coverage featured one unrelenting footage of a drunken woman being carried into an auto rickshaw. The woman according to the media reports was unable to actively question or control the camera crew’s activities. The thumbnail for the video reads, “Look at the woman in an auto falling on anyone in sight.”
In another video posted by NewsFirst Kannada, one of the women could be seen getting molested while her partner engaged in a brawl with the suspected molester. The Kannada media channel sensationalized the incident as it posted the video with the caption, “Lover beats up man for molesting ‘his’ woman.”
Several other videos with captions like, “The woman is pouncing on everyone,” “Drunken girl’s whims,” “Drunk woman creates ruckus in Koramangala,” and “Woman not even in the condition to walk,” etc were published by the NewsFirst Kannada media channel.
Similar footage was also shown on other Kannada news networks, such as Public TV and Zee Kannada News. However, though these media houses used visuals that were less persuasive of the women’s faces in comparison, the thumbnails used were quite nasty. “Drunk woman passed out on the road,” “Woman full tight male-friends full tired,” and “Drunk woman loses consciousness on the road” were among the captions published on videos posted by Public TV.
Images- The News Minute
All of these videos’ comment sections quickly overflowed with offensive commentary on the women’s clothing, “insinuating and inviting lewd behavior.”
DCP South East CK Baba took cognizance of the event and said that police would probe into the matter if someone came forward and filed a police complaint. Some of the videos posted by News First Kannada were deleted.
A similar incident was reported in November from Chennai
Earlier, a similar incident was reported from the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu. In November 2023, some of the local media channels in the state of Tamil Nadu crossed their limits and targeted young women for personal revenge. Local media channels like Thanthi TV, Polimer News, NewsTamil 24×7 and others had chased young women, harassed them, and shot their derogatory videos after a group of 5 men levelled scandalous allegations against the pub in Chennai for denying entry to them.
Many people were shocked and outraged by Thanthi TV, Polimer News, and News 24×7’s coverage. The shots repeatedly focused on the women’s clothing, with the cameras purposefully taking close shots of their bodies. Despite the women’s clear discomfort, the camerapersons could be seen hounding them, the majority of whom covered their faces with a scarf or dupatta. The camera repeatedly attempted to get close-up shots of the women’s faces.
The headlines flashed by the local media channels including Thanthi TV also targeted women as they screamed, “All-night alcohol party busted by police; half-dressed women ran out during the incident.”
In one video, a woman is seen urging a cameraman to stop filming her and threatening to sue him. To which the cameraman responds angrily, “Go ahead, Get lost.” Thanthi TV edited their post on X as public outrage grew on social media but failed to make it less offensive. “Here’s what the ladies did at night, and how the police arrived at the scene quietly,” the headlines read.
The coverage attempted to portray women wearing whatever they wanted at a pub as an ‘immoral’ activity that had to be stopped by police. The other local media channels also showed women in the wrong picture. However, later the police who arrived at the spot took cognizance of the event and termed the matter to be an event of revenge.
The Transport Association and drivers staged a protest against the new law on hit-and-run cases in Maharashtra’s Nagpur. The new law attracts a 7-10-year prison sentence for drivers falling foul of it. As a result of this protest, people at petrol pumps faced long queues.
Meanwhile, similar protests over the new hit-and-run law were staged across states. Private bus and truck drivers on Monday enforced a ‘chakka jam’ (traffic jam) across the state of Madhya Pradesh in protest against the new law. Drivers enforced a ‘chakka jam’ on Pithampur Highway in Dhar by putting obstacles on the road.
Members of an organisation representing the drivers also staged a protest on the streets of Bhopal at the Board Office intersection.
Gyansingh Yadav, a cab driver who was also among the protesters on Monday, couldn’t hold back his tears.
“The likes of myself, who drive cabs for a living, could still be home at night. But the truck drivers often don’t get to meet their loved ones for 15 days or more. We are not against any government or law but I feel some amendments should be made, especially about the penal provisions against drivers. The new law attracts a 10-year prison term for errant drivers. I feel it should be reduced to 1-2 years,” Yadav told ANI on Monday.
A similar protest also broke out in the Chhattisgarh capital, Raipur, where bus drivers staged a demonstration against the new central law.
With the buses anchored in their sheds, regular commuters and interstate passengers bore the brunt of the protests.
“We are poor people. Penal action should be taken against the owners of our vehicles. This law is unfair on us and we’ll continue to be on strike till our demands are met,” a bus driver said.
The ongoing strike has impacted the movement of about 1,000 buses across Chhattisgarh.
Under the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS), which replaced the Indian Penal Code, drivers who cause a serious road accident by negligent driving and run away without informing the police or any official from the administration can face punishment of up to 10 years or a fine of Rs7 lakh. Earlier, the punishment in such cases was two years in the IPC.
In the Winter Session of Parliament, the Union Government passed the Bharatiya Nyaya (Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023.
Private transport operators claim the law discourages drivers and may lead to unjust punishments. They claim that the drivers could be subject to mob violence when they attempt to transport the injured to hospitals and demand the repeal of the law.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
A shocking case has come to light from a school in Vadodara where an altercation between students of fourth graders led to a tense situation. Reportedly, a commotion broke out when a Muslim student stabbed a Hindu student with a sharp blade.
Following the incident, the victim student accompanied by his friends registered a complaint to the school principal. Later, the parents of the minor student who was accused of stabbing another student came to the school. However, they didn’t approach the principal but rather went straight to the classroom. As per reports, the parents of the minor accused allegedly strangulated one student and thrashed three students who had submitted a complaint to the principal in this matter.
This incident took place in Jeevan Sadhana School which is located in the Nagarwada area of Vadodara. A fourth-standard Muslim student studying in this school had injured a Hindu student with a blade over a minor altercation. After the incident, when some of the students complained to the school principal, the parents of the accused minor student who hit the blade were called to the school. However, instead of coming and explaining the aggressive act of their child, the parents publicly beat up his friends who had taken the side of the aggrieved student.
OpIndia contacted the parents of one of the students who were beaten up regarding this whole incident. During the conversation, he said, “When the Muslim student (we are not mentioning the name as the child is a minor) used the blade, my son and his three other friends complained to the principal, then his guardian was called by the school. Then two members of the Muslim student’s family rushed into the school and instead of meeting the principal, entered the classroom straight away.”
The parent of the victim student told OpIndia, “Going to the class, the parent asked the kid who stabbed the blade, “Bol tera naam kisne principal ko bataya.” (Tell us, who gave your name to the Principal) They slapped one of my son’s friends and strangled another while they dragged my son to the principal’s office during class.”
Meanwhile, the incident sparked outrage. Subsequently, parents of other students started gathering there and local Hindu organisations also reached the school to demand strict action in this case.
OpIndia also spoke to Vadodara city Bajrang Dal co-coordinator Prataparao Mohite to get information on this matter. He said, “As soon as we received information about the incident, we promptly reached the school. However, when we attempted to speak with the administrators, we were prevented from doing so as the gate was closed. Meanwhile, parents of students studying in the school had also gathered. Parents gathered there, and various organisations and the media, all entered the school. We collectively demanded an explanation from the school trustee regarding the incident.”
According to Mohite, when the school administrators were asked about the incident while they were accompanied by the media, the administration behaved rudely with them and threatened to throw them out.
He told OpIndia, “Administrators were saying that we are not allowed to come to school, then where do their laws go when some outsider man comes to school and beats up students? The school administrators attempted to downplay a grave incident, such as a student being stabbed on the premises.”
Seeing the uproar, the school was finally forced to file a police complaint against the accused parent. Consequently, the police filed a case against the 2 parents of a Muslim student who had entered the school and thrashed friends of the victim student. Later, the parents of the accused minor student were sent to jail. Currently, the Vadodara police are investigating the matter based on the CCTV footage and the questioning of the victim student.
In the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the idol of Ram Lalla will be installed within the sanctum sanctorum of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on 22nd January 2024. The entire nation will be in the festive spirit of Diwali on this particular occasion. Since the last week of December 2023, the OpIndia team has been stationed in Ayodhya. In the series of field reports, we desire to inform readers not only about the unsung sacrifices of Hindus but also about the forgotten places that are related to Lord Ram. The Raja Dasharatha Samadhi Sthal is one of these sites.
Raja Dasharatha Samadhi Sthal is the place where the last rites of King Dashrath were performed. King Dashrath died after Lord Rama, Goddess Sita, and Lakshmana entered 14 years of exile in Dandakaranya. The OpIndia team visited Dasharatha Samadhi and its premises on Saturday, 30th December 2023 to learn that the temple received proper developmental attention only after CM Yogi came to power in Uttar Pradesh.
The cremation place of King Dashrath is situated near Pura Bazaar along the Ayodhya-Azamgarh road. This location is roughly 12 kilometers away from Ayodhya. This location is known as Bilvahari Ghat in the Puranic texts. It is roughly 1.5 km north of the major highway and goes through a heavily populated area with a diverse population. The flood plains of the Sarayu river start just after the Temple premises. Adjacent to the temple is the expanse of the Saryu River.
A memorial has been built where King Dasharatha’s last rites were performed
There is a temple inside where Lord Rama and King Dashrath are worshiped daily. Further, a platform-like monument has been built at a height. Sandeep Das, the priest and successor of the temple, said that King Dasharatha was cremated and his ashes were stored where the memorial now stands. Additionally, Sandeep Das informed OpIndia that the Saryu River’s mainstream was then directly adjacent to the shrine. But over time, it shifted somewhat to the north. The Saryu River still runs alongside the temple during the rainy season.
The memorial is surrounded by numerous antique weaponry. According to Sandeep Das, those weapons haven’t corroded in decades. The Pind Daan, symbolically offered by Ram, Lakshman, and Bharat, is situated atop the memorial. There is also a Shivalinga built on it. The priest claimed that in addition to Lord Ram, the entire lineage of Ikshayaku kings were Mahadev worshippers. The feet of the four sons of King Dasharatha are symbolically carved on the monument towards the feet.
Nobody was cremated here before the last rites of Maharaj Dashrath were performed
Das meanwhile also narrated the story behind why King Dashrath’s cremation took place in such an isolated place. Das said that during the death of the king, Lord Ram, Lakshman, and Goddess Sita were in exile while Bharat and Shatrughan were in their maternal home. Bharat and Shatrughan came to Ayodhya after hearing the news of their father’s death. Then Bharata, acting as king, called a meeting of his cabinet. He asked to find a place for his father’s cremation where no one else’s cremation had taken place before in history.
Priest Sandeep Das claims that King Bharat and his ministers took a very long time to locate an area of this sort. The mortal remains of King Dasharatha were safeguarded during this period. After much searching, a location at Bilwahari Ghat was eventually discovered where no cremation had previously taken place. Sandeep Das added that after completing his exile and conquering Lanka, Lord Rama also visited the funeral site of his father and performed the necessary rituals there as per Vedic customs.
The genealogy of Lord Ram is carved in the temple
When the OpIndia team visited the temple, it was found that another temple of Shani Dev is also present in the premises. On the walls of the temple, there are plaques of Chalisa of various gods and goddesses along with Ramcharitmanas and Ramayana. The genealogy of Lord Ram was also seen carved on these plates. This lineage starts from Lord Brahma and ends with Lord Rama.
In the genealogy of Lord Rama, before him respectively Dasharatha, Aja, Raghu, Dirghavahu, Khashtravad, Vishwas, Vishwasah, Livil, Dasharath, Moolak, Ashmak, Saudas, Sudas, Sarvkaam, Rituparna, Ayutayu, Sidhudeep, Ambarish, Nabhag, Shruti, Suhotra, Bhagiratha, Dilip, Anshuman, Asamanjas, Sagar, Bahu, Vrik, Ruruk, Vijay, Chachu, Harita, Rohitashva, Harishchandra, Satyavrat, Tryaruni, Tridhanva, Suman, Hartasya, Hayashva, Prishadashva, Anarashya, Trasadadasyu, Purukutsya, Amit, Nikumbh, Haryaashva, Daddhaashva, Kuvalyaashva, Vrihadashva, Shashwat, Yuvnashwa, Chandra, Vishtarashva, Prithu, Anena, Kukutstha, Puranjaya, Vikukshi, Ikshayaku, Vaivasvat, Vivasvan, Kashyap, Marichi and Lord Brahma’s names have been mentioned.
According to this inscription, the Suryavansh started during the time of King Vaivaswat, who is believed to be the 5th generation of Lord Brahma. According to the same list, Raghukul started from the era of King Raghu, 60th generation. King Raghu is considered to be the most glorious king of the Suryavansh. His name has also been mentioned many times in scriptures. The couplet “Raghukul Riti Sada Chali Aayi, Pran Jaay Par Vachan Na Jaay” was composed based on this name.
CM Yogi Adityanath and PM Modi ensured the development of this place
The temple’s priest, Sandeep Das, informed us that King Dasharatha’s cremation site has been maintained and revered for many generations. He referred to the location as historical and sacred and charged that earlier administrations had neglected it. According to Sandeep Das, no one had ever considered working towards the maintenance of Dashrath Samadhi but the Yogi and Modi governments did. The road leading to and from the temple was in extremely poor condition earlier, in addition to the issue of the temple not having enough water or light.
On the grounds of the temple, a small Dharamshala has now been constructed. This location is used for pilgrims who have nowhere else to stay, as well as for religious ceremonies and auspicious occasions. The road that currently runs beside Dasharatha Samadhi will shortly be made wider. Sandeep says that the present government will further develop the temple and give it elements grandeur. He became emotional and wished well for Modi and Yogi.
We would like to inform you that the OpIndia team has been in Ayodhya since the last week of December 2023. From this point on, we shall tell you in great detail about several lesser-known yet holy locations in Ayodhya, in addition to the unsung sacrifices and forgotten incidents of the Ramjanmabhoomi movement. We have introduced the readers to the families of the unsung martyrs of the Ram Janmabhoomi Mukti Movement in the last two publications. The upcoming update in this series will be published shortly.
The atmosphere in India is filled with the chants of Ram Naam. Celebrations are galore across the country. Every art on Shri Ram ever imagined has been brought to life. The 22nd January Ram Lalla consecration and Ram Mandir inauguration ceremony in Ayodhya is going to be a timeless affair, larger than life.
With just days to go for the much-awaited ceremony, Sony Entertainment has released a new Ramayan series titled “Shrimad Ramayan” on 1st January.
The show will air every Monday to Friday on Sony TV at 9 PM. The serial is based on the historic Hindu story of Ramayana.
The role of Shri Ram is being played by Sujay Reu and the role of Sita Mata is being played by actress Prachi Bansal. Hanuman Ji’s role is being played by Nirbhay Wadhwa and Lakshman by Basant Bhatt.
Bollywood actor Nikitin Dheer is playing Ravan. Dheer has also played a role in the movie Chennai Express.
The serial has been created by Siddharth Kumar Tewary. “Shrimad Ramayan” series is replacing the show Kaun Banega Crorepati 15 which aired its final episodeon 29th December 2023.
The cast had embarked on a pilgrimade to Ayodhya, the birthplace of Shri Ram, before the show was telecast. The team visited Ram Janmabhoomi site, Kanak Bhavan and Hanuman Garhi.
Speaking about the visit, Tewary said, “Our visit to Ayodhya brings a tangible depth to our series, infusing it with the historical resonance of this revered city, thereby enhancing the narrative of ‘Shrimad Ramayan’.”
The entertainment industry, which is largely distant from the Indian and Hindu culture and roots as far as its art is concerned, has brought about significant changes in its content.
There has been a sudden rise of such content in the industry which caters to the Hindu religious sentiments. This shows that the industry has guaged the mood of the nation and is perhaps acknowledging importance the Hindu sentiments too.
