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Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

OpIndia Staff
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Don’t underestimate the seriousness of the Indian Parliament security breach: PM Narendra Modi

PM Narendra Modi has said that the seriousness of the security breach of the Indian parliament should not be underestimated. He made these remarks in a recent interview with Dainik Jagran.

PM Narendra Modi said, “The seriousness of the incident that happened in Parliament should not be underestimated at all. The Speaker sir is taking necessary steps with full seriousness. He has implemented all necessary measures. The investigating agencies are investigating the matter strictly. We need to go deep into the matter to understand what are the elements and intentions behind this. Solutions should also be found with one mind. In such cases, everyone should avoid debate or resistance on such topics.”

The Delhi Police has so far arrested six persons for using smoke canisters and raising slogans after intruding into the Lok Sabha hall and Parliament premises on 13th December. Sagar Sharma and D Manoranjan had jumped into the Lok Sabha hall while Neelam Singh and Amol Shinde raised slogans after releasing smoke from canisters in the Parliament premises. All four accused were assisted by conspirators Lalit Jha and Mahesh Kumawat.

The four accused were detained in Parliament itself. The main accused Lalit Jha surrendered before the Delhi Police the next day. The sixth accused, Mahesh Kumawat, was taken into custody on 16th December. All the six accused have been booked under the UAPA. Eight employees of Parliament have also been suspended for security lapses.

Police has since recovered burnt mobile phones of all the accused from Rajasthan, where the key accused Lalit Jha tried to destroy them. Further investigations into the case are underway as police tries to unravel the entire conspiracy.

UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

OpIndia Staff
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UK: Islamists protest against Indian-origin MP Virendra Sharma for not standing with Palestine, the MP had earlier invited Rahul Gandhi to British House of Commons

On 16th December (local time), a pro-Palestinian mob chanted slogans against UK MP Virendra Sharma for not voting in favour of the Scottish National Party’s proposed amendment (h) in King’s Speech Motion for an Address calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. The slogan, “Virendra Sharma Shame On You”, was raised outside the Southall Town Hall in England. The slogans were raised against other MPs as well.

There has been a campaign against MP Sharma because he voted against the amendment calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.

Notably, two amendments were tabled in King’s Speech Motion for an Address. One was proposed by the Labour Party (amendment r in the name of the Leader of the Opposition Keir Starmer), while the other was proposed by SNP (amendment h in the name of Stephen Flynn, a SNP leader).

In the amendment (r), there was a call for adding text to the speech for condemning the Hamas terrorist attack and murder of civilians. It also called for the release of hostages and reaffirmed Israel’s right to defend its citizens from terrorism. Further, it called for a reaffirmation of the UK’s commitment to the rules-based international order, international humanitarian law and the jurisdiction of the ICC to address the conduct of all parties in Gaza and Hamas’s attacks in Israel. In the amendment, the call was basically made to support Israel’s right to defend itself while assisting the civilians living in Gaza. When the amendment went for a vote, Sharma voted in favour. The amendment was, however, defeated with 183 Ayes and 290 Noes.

SNP leaders called the other amendment for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. When the amendment went for voting, Sharma abstained. The motion was defeated by 293 Noes against 125 Ayes.

In a post on X, Sharma wrote, “I voted in Parliament for an end to the violence in Israel and Palestine and reaffirmed my commitment to ensuring humanitarian aid on scale reaches the people of Gaza. Despite online disinformation, you can see how I voted here, voting for amendment r.” He added the link to the amendment where he had voted in favour.

Virendra Sharma invited Rahul Gandhi to the British Parliament

In March 2023, Sharma organised an event for Rahul Gandhi in the British House of Commons. Gandhi was invited to talk about the Bharat Jodo Yatra. He said he was proud to have invented a broad range of leaders to discuss and share their views. He introduced Gandhi as, “Rahul Gandhi is no different, a political leader with a vision for the future, and as a key leader of Congress and an MP, he is part of the discussion about the future UK-India relationship. The public, the media, politicians, and academics should all be part of this conversation, and so I look forward to them all contributing to this discussion. The debate is not limited to a political future but must embrace the cultural, social and business ties that bind both countries, as the people are the living bridge,” before the discussion.

Sharma praised UP CM Yogi Adiyanath

In October 2023, biographer of UP Chief Minister, and author Shantanu Gupta was invited and awarded with Global Gandhi Awards 2023 in the House of Commons in Britain. The honour was awarded in the British Parliament in the International Conclave hosted by Business man Vijay Goel and social leader Nachiketa Joshi.

Shantanu also gifted his bestseller graphic novel – “Ajay to Yogi Adityanath” to British parliamentarian Virendra Sharma. MP Virendra Sharma wrote a heartwarming message for UP CM saying, “Hon Yogi Adityanath, I would like to congratulate you on achieving great success in UP. Bringing Peace to the State. Best Wishes, Virendra Sharma. Member of Parliament, UK. 21-Sep-2023….”

Israel-Hamas war and anti-Jew protests

On 7th October 2023, Hamas terrorists launched a massive terror attack on Israel, leading to the death of at least 1,300 Israelis and foreign nationals. Following the attack, Israel launched a counter-attack on Hamas to wipe out the terror outfit from the face of the Earth. Initially, Israel hit Hamas locations in Gaza via air strikes. Later, a ground attack by Israeli forces was started to eliminate Hamas terrorists. Hamas is known for using civilians as human shields. When the Palestinians tried to flee the Gaza Strip after IDF urged them to evacuate to save themselves from Israeli air strikes, Hamas reportedly forcefully stopped the civilians. Furthermore, they established underground bunkers across the Gaza Strip, especially under hospitals and schools, as a countermeasure against Israeli forces, as they knew Israel would hesitate in attacking such establishments. The Israel-Hamas war entered its 71st day on 17th December 2023.

Notably, Harvard student associations released a joint statement in support of Palestine whitewashing the crimes committed by Hamas. They faced serious backlash, and Jewish billionaires who were funding these Universities or recruiting their students announced to cut off ties. Several student organisations pulled back from the statement following the backlash.

Sajjan Jindal of the JSW group booked in a rape case filed by an actress, FIR registered in Mumbai after court order

OpIndia Staff
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Sajjan Jindal of the JSW group booked in a rape case filed by an actress, FIR registered in Mumbai after court order

On Wednesday (13th December), a complaint of rape was filed against Sajjan Jindal, managing director of the JSW Group, by an actress at BKC police station in Mumbai. The complainant said that the crime took place in January 2022 in the penthouse of the head office of the company located in the Bandra-Kurla Complex (BKC).

According to the complainant, the police did not book any case despite the complaint being lodged earlier in 2023. Now, this case is registered after the court ordered to book an FIR.

According to the victim woman’s statement, she initially encountered Jindal in October 2021 in Dubai, where they were both present in the VIP box of a stadium, enjoying an IPL match. Subsequently, they crossed paths in Jaipur during the wedding of MP Praful Patel’s son.

The actress claimed that Jindal’s behaviour turned increasingly intimate and intrusive following their meeting in Mumbai. Despite her repeated rejections of his advances, she alleged that Jindal ultimately forced himself upon her.

She said in her complaint, “We had exchanged numbers and met in Mumbai because he had expressed interest in buying property from my brother who is a real estate consultant in Dubai. He started addressing me as ‘babe’ and ‘baby’, and described all the problems in his marriage when we first met alone, which made me very awkward.” She further mentioned that gestures such as hugs and flirtatious advances on his part contributed to her discomfort.

The complainant stated that in their subsequent text message exchanges, Jindal conveyed romantic feelings towards her, notwithstanding his marital status. She mentioned, “He also tried to kiss me and talked about getting physically intimate, which I shot down, saying that could happen only after we were married.”

According to her complaint, in January 2022, during a meeting at the company’s headquarters, Jindal escorted the actress to the penthouse. Despite her persistent protests and refusals, she claimed, that Jindal imposed himself on her. The complainant mentioned that despite the incident, she attempted to sustain a friendship with him. However, he ceased responding to her and eventually blocked her number. She said, “Before blocking my number in June 2022, he threatened me with dire consequences if I approached the police.”

In February 2023, she submitted a written complaint to the BKC police, but as per the actress, her repeated complaints were ignored. She said, “I approached the police on February 16, 2023. They barely scribbled down a rough statement. They didn’t even give me a copy of that statement. No FIR was filed. Finally, on December 5, 2023, I filed a writ petition against the police in Bombay High Court.” Consequently, she sought legal recourse and approached the Bombay High Court, which mandated the BKC police to officially register the complaint.

According to an official from the BKC police, the accused businessman has been charged under Sections 376 (rape), 354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with the intent to outrage her modesty), and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code, based on the actress’s statements. He stated that ongoing investigations are being conducted into the matter.

DCP Deekshitkumar Gedam said, “Mumbai Police is doing everything legally as per procedure. There wasn’t any delay from our side in filing the FIR. We take matters related to women’s safety very seriously. We are following the legal course of action in the matter.”

Parliament security breach: Police recovers burnt mobile phones of the accused from Rajasthan

OpIndia Staff
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Parliament security breach: Police recovers burnt mobile phones of the accused from Rajasthan

In the Parliament security breach case investigation, police has recovered burnt phone parts of all accused in Rajasthan’s Nagaur on Sunday (December 17). All the phones were with accused Lalit Jha, the alleged mastermind of the conspiracy. Jha was recently arrested from Rajasthan.

Phone parts of all the accused have been recovered, all the phones were found in burnt condition. Lalit Jha had the phones of all the accused, ANI reported citing Delhi Police sources. According to the police, Lalit Jha had destroyed five mobile phones before arriving in Delhi and was misleading the investigators during the questioning.

Before the security breach, the four accused had handed over their phones to Jha to prevent crucial investigation details from reaching the police, anticipating their arrest.

Meanwhile, the Special Cell of Delhi Police is monitoring the social media accounts of the accused persons including Lalit Jha. In one of his Instagram posts, accused Lalit Jha wrote, “What India needs is a bomb”, adding a message in Bengali, claiming that India needs a bomb today to “raise a strong voice against tyranny, injustice and anarchy.”

Lalit Jha’s Instagram posts suggest that he was inspired by Cuban dictator Fidel Castro who was responsible for the killing of thousands of people. In August this year, Jha posted Castro’s quote on “Tanashahi” (dictatorship).

It is interesting to note that one of the accused Sagar Sharma, who entered the Parliament and hurled the smoke canister, also posted similar content on his Facebook profile wherein he was eulogising Argentine Marxist leader Ernesto Che Guevara. Sharma was also following Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, and “infamous” journalist-turned-YouTuber Ravish Kumar on social media.

Other than Sagar Sharma, accused Manoranjan was also deeply influenced by communist ideology as evidenced by the communist literature recovered from his house during police searches. The police revealed that all the conspirators were associated with a social media page ‘Bhagat Singh Fan Club.’

Meanwhile, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Suvendu Adhikari has said that accused Lalit Jha has links with the Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders. The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in the West Bengal Assembly saidthat Jha is associated with TMC’s Youth Wing. “Lalit Jha is rank and file of Trinamool Yuva. He is a known face of Trinamool Congress youth wing,” the BJP MLA told reporters at Bagdogra airport adding that Jha’s pictures with TMC MLAs, councillors, and youth leaders have also surfaced.

This comes after BJP leader Sukanta Majumdar said that Lalit Jha had links with TMC’s Tapas Roy and shared some pictures of Jha with Roy. Taking to X on December 14, Majumdar wrote, “Lalit Jha, the mastermind of the attack on our Temple of Democracy, had been in close association with TMC’s Tapas Roy for a long time… Isn’t this proof enough for an investigation into the connivance of the leader?”

On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with Dainik Jagran called the security breach in Parliament a “serious issue” and urged that instead of debating over it, there is a need to find a solution. PM Modi also stressed that the government is making every effort to take the necessary actions since the gravity of the situation cannot be underestimated. The Prime Minister added that the investigating authorities are looking into the matter and will find out the motive behind the attack. 

This comes after accused Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan jumped into the Lok Sabha well on December 13 from the visitors’ gallery while the proceedings were going on and released yellow-coloured smoke from canisters.

Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former adviser to Pope Francis, sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for fraud

OpIndia Staff
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Cardinal Angelo Becciu, former adviser to Pope Francis, sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail for fraud

Former adviser to Pope Francis, Italian Cardinal Angelo Becciu was found guilty of financial fraud and given a five-and-a-half-year prison sentence by a Vatican criminal court on 16th December. Cardinal Becciu was also handed a fine of €8,000. He is the highest-ranking Vatican official to be charged with such an offence. The 75-year-old was involved in a legal dispute, along with nine other individuals, linked to a real estate transaction in the London area that caused substantial economic damages to the Roman Catholic Church.

Once considered a papal contender, the charges against Angelo Becciu made him the first cardinal ever to be tried for financial crimes. During a two and a half year trial, his nine co-defendants were found not guilty on nearly fifty of the accusations against them whereas he was cleared of several more violations.

Cardinal Becciu claimed he had been directed to quit his high-ranking position within the Catholic Church in 2020 by the Pope following the publication of an Italian news magazine, L’Espresso, which revealed an inquiry into possible fraudulent transactions. “Until 6:02 p.m. on Thursday, I felt like a friend of the Pope, a faithful executor of his will. Then the Pope says he no longer has faith in me,” he informed in an interview at the time.

Giuseppe Pignatone, the president of the court, pronounced the decision and charged him with embezzlement, abuse of office and tampering with witnesses. Cardinal Becciu has refuted the accusations and his attorney declared that he is going to bring an appeal against the sentence. The verdict, according to prosecutor Alessandro Diddi, “showed we were correct.”

The trial centred on the 350 million euro investment made by the Vatican Secretariat of State to convert an old Harrods’ warehouse into deluxe residences. The government of the Vatican City was allegedly defrauded of tens of millions of euros in fees and commissions by Vatican monsignors and brokers, per the prosecution, and then demanded 15 million euros from it in exchange for giving up ownership of the structure.

While he was a senior official in the Vatican’s Secretariat of State, the majority of the accusations focused on his “highly speculative” purchase of an opulent home at 60 Sloane Avenue in Chelsea, a wealthy neighbourhood of London. The property was later sold for a loss of at least €140 million ($152 million).

The Cardinal risked up to seven years in prison after being indicted with two charges of embezzlement stemming from the London transaction. Ultimately, he was adjudged culpable of theft stemming from the Vatican’s initial 200 million euro investment in 2014 into a fund that obtained a 45% stake in the London building. The tribunal found that making such a speculative transaction using church assets was forbidden under canon law.

Cardinal Becciu, who was the Vatican’s Substitute for General Affairs at the time and essentially the Pope’s chief of staff, approved the entire arrangement.

Prosecutors accused Cardinal Becciu of larceny after the first London probe yielded additional charges after he paid a Sardinian woman named Cecilia Marogna €575,000 ($627,000) for her intelligence services, and transferred €125,000 ($136,000) of Vatican money to a foundation in Sardinia. The money was reportedly misused by her to finance trips and the purchase of upscale items.The woman received a three years and nine months sentence.

Regarding the first charge, the Cardinal contended that the money was requested by the local bishop and was retained by the church to fund charitable endeavours. In response to the latter, he alleged that he believed the funds would be used to hire a security firm to broker the release of a nun who had been kidnapped in 2017 by al-Qaeda-affiliated terrorists in Mali.

Maharashtra: ‘Priya Singh was intoxicated, hit Ashwajit’ – Senior bureaucrat’s family alleges the Instagram influencer is lying

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: ‘Priya Singh was intoxicated, hit Ashwajit’ – Senior bureaucrat’s family alleges the Instagram influencer is lying

On 16th December, Ashwajit Gaikwad’s family issued an official statement refuting allegations of his alleged girlfriend. Gaikwad has been accused of mowing down 26-year-old Priya Singh in Thane, Maharashtra with his SUV. As per the statement, when the incident happened, Singh was allegedly intoxicated, and Ashwajit was at a family get-together with his wife, kids, and friends.

The family stated that the incident occurred between 1:30 AM and 2 AM. On the other hand, Singh claimed the incident occurred around 4 AM. The statement reads that Singh was continuously messaging Ashwajit, wanting to meet him. She reached the Courtyard Hotel, where the family was having a party, and barged into it. “Yes, she did barge where Ashwajit was with his friends and family,” the family added.

The family further added that Priya Singh was intoxicated. She allegedly hit and abused Ashwajit and his friends as he was not “responding to her calls and texts at midnight”. The statement read, “Might be there was a past between the two, but Ashwajit maintains he and she were just friends. Now Ashwajit also claims that he has paid her money on several occasions; even if he was in a relationship with her then, they must have broken up recently.”

Explaining what happened at night, the statement read, “When she (Priya Singh) started hitting him and his friends, Ashwajit and his family fled from the spot in his car with his family, totally embarrassed! She then clung to his driver’s car, and the driver, too, wanted to leave as his boss had already left. But then, as soon as the driver sped, she fell off, and in the process, she hurt herself badly as it was a moving car which she clung on to.”

When the driver noticed that Singh fell, he immediately rushed her to the nearest hospital and completed all the formalities. The statement added, “When they thought they had informed the patient’s sister and handed her all her valuables, next comes that this madam, with all her injuries, has changed the hospital. God knows who got in touch with whom, and a local rival reached the spot and thought it was the best chance to get back to Gaikwad in all family rivalry.”

Furthermore, the family alleged that Ashwajit was nowhere in the frame when Singh fell from the car and injured herself, as shown by the CCTV footage accessed by the police. The family further pointed out that the incident described by Singh in her Instagram post and FIR were contradictory. They said, “In one, she blames Ashwajit, and in the other, it is said the driver dashed her.”

The statement noted, “Yes, whatever happened in the past is between the boy and the girl. If things don’t go right, or if the relationship goes kaput, why is the boy always to be blamed? Just because he is a son and nephew of a famous person, so what? Just because he is monetarily strong, does the girl have the right to do anything? …She claims Ashwajit bit her. Has that been mentioned in any report from the hospital?” They further questioned if Singh was tested for alcohol.

On the other hand, speaking to PTI, Singh claimed that she did not know that Ashwajit was married. She said, “When I came to know (that he was married), he told me that they (his wife and him) were not together anymore; they had separated. He said that he wanted to marry me. I was staying with him for a long time.” She added, “When I went to meet him that night, he was with his wife. I was in shock when I went to talk to him; he got aggressive. We fought.”

Influencer Priya Singh accused Bureaucrat’s son of mowing her down

On 15th December, social media influencer Priya Singh published a post on her Instagram account accusing Ashwajit Gaikwad, son of Anil Gaikwad, the Managing Director of the Maharashtra State Road Development Corporation, of allegedly mowing her down outside a hotel in Thane. In her post, she alleged that on 11th December, Ashwajit called her to meet at a hotel where he was at a function along with his friends. She alleged he behaved strangely, and when she tried to talk to him privately, he and his friends began hurling verbal abuses at the victim. When Priya asked her boyfriend to defend her, he allegedly slapped and tried to strangulate her.

As the situation started getting worse, she headed to retrieve her bag and phone from the SUV, but the perpetrators allegedly attempted to cause her serious harm by first driving the SUV into her back near a divider, then returning and driving it over her right leg before speeding away. She was admitted to the hospital by his driver, Sagar, who allegedly threatened her not to complain about it. The accused were booked under sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 279 (rash driving on a public way) and 338 (causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) by Kasarvadavali police. 

Kerala: Firdous Ali arrested in Ernakulam for raping an elderly woman

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: Firdous Ali arrested in Ernakulam for raping an elderly woman

On Saturday (16th December), Firdous Ali, a native of Assam, was arrested by the Kadavanthara Police for the brutal rape and assault of an elderly woman near the Ernakulam North Railway Station in Kerala. The victim woman is in her 50s. She remains hospitalised following the heinous crime that occurred on 13th December.

According to the Kadavanthara Police, Firdous Ali, a resident of Assam, lured the victim, who was seeking a job at the North railway station, with promises of monetary assistance. The incident unfolded near the Ponnurunni railway track around 5:30 PM.

According to reports, accused Firdous Ali, who had recently been released on bail in a case registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, took the woman to a deserted area near the railway track. There he raped and assaulted her. Subsequently, he abandoned her by the railway track.

The victim woman was rescued by the local residents. She was found bleeding heavily with injuries to her genitals and bite marks on her body. She was promptly rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Ernakulam, where she is currently undergoing treatment. Despite the severity of the assault, her condition is reported to be stable.

Accused Firdous Ali was taken into custody on Saturday. During interrogation, he confessed to the crime. The police, led by Ernakulam Central Assistant Commissioner C Jayakumar, managed to track down the accused after his mobile phone, initially switched off, was later turned on. The Kadavanthara Police have invoked Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code against Firdous Ali in connection with the rape case.

‘Bhagwant Mann is the jail minister…Drug tablets are being sold inside the jails’: Navjot Singh Siddhu lashes out at Punjab CM over failure to check drug trafficking

OpIndia Staff
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‘Bhagwant Mann is the jail minister…Drug tablets are being sold inside the jails’: Navjot Singh Siddhu lashes out at Punjab CM over failure to check drug trafficking

Amid the Punjab and Haryana High Court pulling up the Punjab government on the steps taken to check drug trafficking, Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu alleged that under the watch of Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, drug tablets are being sold in jails.

Sidhu also claimed that he is ready to leave politics if he is proved otherwise. “Law and order, drug mafia, jail. The High Court asked for a policy within a week. CM Bhagwant Mann is the jail minister. What did he do?… Drug tablets are being sold inside the jails… If I am proven a liar, I will leave politics,” Sidhu said, speaking to reporters on Saturday.

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has recently sought a status report from the Punjab and Haryana governments on the steps taken after the BSF gave a list of 75 individuals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking to the Punjab Police.

The High Court took cognizance of a news article published in an English newspaper that mentioned that the Border Security Force (BSF) gave a list of 75 individuals suspected of involvement in drug trafficking to the Punjab Police.

Moreover, the High Court has made the Punjab and Haryana governments and the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) parties in this case and has issued a notice and ordered them to file their replies.

According to the data released by BSF, BSF has seized around 755 kg of narcotics so far in the year 2023. 95 drones coming from Pakistan have been shot down. 36 Pakistani nationals have been arrested, of whom 15 rifles and 38 pistols have been recovered. In addition to this, nine Pakistanis who were trying to cross the border have been killed.

“The State of Punjab is directed to file a status report with respect to the steps being taken in pursuance of the report given to it by the BSF. The State of Haryana will also file a status report regarding the steps being taken in the state in the matter,” the court order read.

“NCB is also directed to file a status report giving details of the persons suffering from drug addiction in the States of Punjab and Haryana and what kind of steps can be taken, to make persons who till date are not in drug addiction, aware of the drug menace, and how they should be prevented from taking drugs, as the narcotic items recovered in the State of Punjab, as reported in the news paper, are huge,” it added.

Earlier on Monday, the Border Security Force (BSF) Special DG of Western Command said that it has given a list of suspected drug traders in the border areas of Punjab to the Punjab Police.

The BSF has also recommended their detention under the Prevention of Illicit Traffic in Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1988.

Navjot Singh Siddhu released from jail

Earlier in April this year, Navjot Singh Sidhu was released from Patiala jail after serving a 10-month sentence for a road rage incident that resulted in a man’s death about 35 years ago.

Although he was awarded a one-year jail sentence in May 2022 in a 1988 road rage case, he was released two months early due to his good behaviour in prison.

On December 27, 1988, Patiala resident Gurnam Singh and Navjot Singh Sidhu got into a fight over a parking space. The former MP and his friend, Rupinder Singh Sandhu, dragged the latter out of his car and hit him. He later died in a hospital. The Congress leader was accused by an eyewitness of killing the latter with a strike to the head.

The duo had parked their Gypsy in the middle of the road near the Sheranwala Gate crossing in Patiala. When the elderly man reached the spot in a car, he asked them to make room for his vehicle which lead to a violent altercation between them.

(With inputs from ANI)

Odisha: Shri Mandir Parikrama Project in Puri complete, inauguration to be held in January 2024

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: Shri Mandir Parikrama Project in Puri complete, inauguration to be held in January 2024

The Shri Mandir Parikrama Project in Puri has been completed. The newly built temple corridor will be inaugurated a week before the consecration ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration ceremony of Jagannath Temple Corridor is scheduled to be held from 15th January to 17th January 2024. Char Dham temples and over 1000 other Hindu shrines in the country will be invited for this program.

Invitations have also been sent to major Hindu temples across the world, and the King of Nepal. The project has cost Rs 943 crores. The Odisha government has compiled an exclusive guest list comprising prominent VIPs, corporate leaders, and celebrities for the upcoming grand event in Puri.

Shri Mandir Parikrama Project. Image source: Ommcomm

The Odisha government is set to unveil the Jagannath Temple Corridor in Puri through an elaborate ceremony. This corridor is named the Shri Mandir Parikrama Project because it serves the major purpose of seamless circumambulation of the temple by the devotees. It has been prepared at a cost of ₹ 943 crore. It has a green buffer zone of 7 meters and a pedestrian way of 10 meters.

Ranjan Kumar Das, chief administrator of the temple said, “We are inviting 857 temples in Odisha, and 180 major Indian temples including Vaishno Devi, Kamakhya Temple and Shirdi Sai temples will also be invited for the three-day inauguration event beginning from January 15. Four Holy Dhams as per Hindu religion and four other Dhams will be invited. We are sending the invitation to the King of Nepal, who enjoys special rights in Jagannath Temple. Invitations are being sent to major Hindu temples in other countries too.”

What is in the Shri Mandir Parikrama Project

The Shri Mandir Parikrama Project is designed to transform the rectangular corridor surrounding the 12th-century Jagannath Temple into a contemporary pilgrim centre, equipped with state-of-the-art amenities. These include a queue management system for 6,000 devotees, baggage screening facilities, a cloakroom capable of accommodating belongings for nearly 4,000 families, provisions for drinking water, restroom facilities, areas for hand/foot washing, information-cum-donation kiosks, shelter pavilions for shade and rest, multi-level car parking, a dedicated lane for shuttles and emergency vehicles, an integrated command and control centre, and a souvenir shop, among other features.

Details of the inauguration program

Ranjan Kumar Das informed that Lokarpan Yajna will be performed from 15th January to 17th January 2024. He said, “Recitation of Vedas will be done at the four gates of the temple. Rigveda for eastern gate, Yajurveda for southern, Samaveda for western and Atharvaveda for northern gate have been finalised.”

Uniform painting is underway for the prominent structures along the three-kilometre-long Grand Road, which links the Jagannath Temple and Mausima Temple. Additionally, all temples and subsidiary shrines will be adorned with vibrant lighting.

Officials have reported the completion of all civil works for the Shri Mandir Parikrama Project, with the remaining landscaping tasks expected to conclude by the end of this calendar year.

Project Timeline

In November 2019, the process of land acquisition for the Shri Mandir Parikrama Project commenced, involving more than 600 residents residing in the vicinity of the temple relinquishing 15.64 acres deemed crucial for the establishment of a security zone. The foundation stone for the project, aimed at transforming the area within a 75-meter corridor along the boundary wall of the Jagannath Temple into a modern pilgrim centre equipped with contemporary amenities, was laid by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in November 2021.

PM Modi to inaugurate Surat Diamond Bourse, which overtook the US Pentagon to become world’s largest office complex

ANI
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PM Modi to inaugurate Surat Diamond Bourse, which overtook the US Pentagon to become world’s largest office complex

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Surat in Gujarat and Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh on Sunday. On Sunday, at around 10:45 AM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the new integrated terminal building at Surat Airport. Following this, at around 11:15 AM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate the Surat Diamond Bourse, a press release from the Prime Minister’s Office said.

Thereafter, PM Modi will travel to Varanasi, and at around 3:30 PM, he will participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. At around 5:15 PM, he will inaugurate Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 at Namo Ghat.

PM Modi will inaugurate the new integrated terminal building at Surat Airport. The terminal building is equipped to handle 1200 domestic passengers and 600 international passengers during peak hours and has provisions for further increasing the peak hour capacity to 3000 passengers, with the annual handling capacity increasing to 55 lakh passengers, the release said.

The terminal building, as it is the gateway to Surat City, has been designed with its local culture and heritage, ensuring that the essence should reflect both in interior and exterior, creating a sense of place for the visitors.

The facade of the upgraded terminal building aims to enrich the passenger experience with the rich and traditional woodwork of the old houses of the ‘Rander’ region of Surat City, the release stated.

The GRIHA IV compliant, new terminal building of the airport is equipped with various sustainability features like a double-insulated roofing system, canopies for energy savings, a low heat gain double-glazing unit, rainwater harvesting, water treatment plant, sewage treatment plant, the use of recycled water for landscaping and solar power plant, among others.

PM Modi will also inaugurate the Surat Diamond Bourse. It will be the world’s largest and most modern centre for international diamond and jewellery businesses. It will be a global centre for trading both rough and polished diamonds as well as jewellery.

Bourse will comprise a state-of-the art ‘Customs Clearance House’ for Import-Export; a jewellery mall for retail jewellery businesses; and a facility for international banking and safe vaults, the release said.

In Varanasi, the Prime Minister will participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra at the Cutting Memorial School grounds in Varanasi. There, the Prime Minister will interact with the beneficiaries of various government schemes, such as PM Awas, PM SWANidhi, PM Ujjwala among others.

In line with his vision of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat, the Prime Minister will inaugurate Kashi Tamil Sangamam 2023 at Namo Ghat. On the occasion, PM Modi will also flag off the Kanyakumari-Varanasi Tamil Sangamam train, the release said.

On Monday, at around 10:45 AM, the Prime Minister will visit Swarved Mahamandir, which will be followed by its inauguration in a public function at around 11:30 AM.

At around 1 PM, PM Modi will participate in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Thereafter, in a public function, at around 2:15 PM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone of multiple development projects worth over Rs 19,150 crores.

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

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