A sexual assault victim in Kozhikode, Kerala has decided to move court against the gynaecologist who conducted her medical examination. The victim was allegedly sexually assaulted in a semi-conscious state post her thyroid surgery in the ICU at the Kozhikode Medical College by an attendant in March this year.
The victim has reportedly stated that she would pursue legal action after receiving a full copy of the investigation report. This comes after the Kozhikode Assistant Commissioner allegedly dismissed the victim’s claim that the gynaecologist had omitted crucial information during the medical examination following the incident.
Moreover, the officials had informed in writing to the complainant that they wouldn’t be taking action against the doctor. The victim has reportedly claimed that some had tried to hide the truth using their influence and power.
Following the alleged sexual assault, the victim was subjected to a medical examination in the presence of Dr Preetha KV. She later alleged in her complaint to the Commissioner that the doctor overlooked crucial information in her report.
It was based on her complaint that the Medical College Assistant Commissioner K. Sudharshan conducted a probe and submitted a report. The officer also collected the statements of Dr Preetha, Junion Doctor, Nurse and others.
Earlier reports claim that the victim was made to repeatedly record statements and had raised concerns over official laxity in the case. Following this, the victim had warned earlier in September that she would resort to an open protest demonstration if the government and police failed to take necessary action.
The victim had also complained that the hospital staff had initially tried to ignore the issue. Five hospital staff who reportedly threatened the survivor to keep mum were reinstated in service by the college principal. The decision was repealed following public outrage. The victim has also reportedly been pressurised to drop the charges.
She said, “I visited at least 50 offices n the last four months. I had to plead before the minister, the collector, and the commissioner for justice even before fully recovering from the pain post-surgery. The situation is such that each time you have to run helter-skelter if some action needs to be taken against the perpetrator. Is this the; women’s safety’ that we are speaking of all the time? If this is what happens to victims who react, will anyone come forward to complain?”
Moreover, when the victim approached the commissioner’s office citing discrepancies in the report submitted by the gynaecologist in the case, she was allegedly discouraged by the officials from pursuing the case.
The issue was brought to the notice of the DGP and a complaint was lodged but no statement was recorded.
In March, the Kerala police arrested a staff of the Government Medical College, Kozhikode, for the alleged sexual assault of a woman who was in a semi-conscious state post-surgery. The police arrested the Grade II attendant, MK Saseendran (55), who has been charged under various sections of the IPC including 376 (Rape) and 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty).
The accused was also suspended from service by the state health department. A departmental inquiry was ordered into the incident.
The decades-old Cauvery water dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka continues to create hurdles for the residents. Kannada Okkuta, an umbrella group representing Kannada organisations called for a statewide bandh (strike) on 29 September and as many as 44 flights were cancelled at Bengaluru International Airport amidst the chaos.
According to the public relations officer (PRO) of the Kempegowda International Airport (KIA) in Bengaluru, this includes the cancellation of 22 aircraft that were planned to arrive in Bengaluru and 22 planes that were scheduled to depart from the capital. These flights were scheduled to arrive from a number of cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Mangaluru.
The airport authorities confirmed that the flights were cancelled for operational reasons and that the passengers were promptly informed of this. The sources, however, claimed that cancellations were brought on by the Karnataka bandh since so many people had rescinded their reservations. Furthermore, five pro-Kannada protestors who had come onto the grounds of the airport waving a Karnataka flag were detained. They had reportedly purchased tickets in order to enter the airport’s premises.
The airport’s administration previously issued a passenger advisory in light of the bandh and noted that they expect an interruption in transport services to and from the airport. They recommended travellers to schedule their commutes properly and to monitor alerts from airlines and authorities for new information.
BLR Airport posted on social media, “Due to the one-day Karnataka bandh called by various unions and organisations on September 29, 2023, we anticipate a disruption in transport services. Passengers are advised to plan their travel to and from the airport accordingly. Passengers are requested to follow alerts from respective airlines, law enforcement agencies and media releases for further updates.”
Passengers are requested to follow alerts from respective airlines, law enforcement agencies and media releases for further updates.
ಹೆಚ್ಚಿನ ಮಾಹಿತಿಗಾಗಿ ಆಯಾ ವಿಮಾನಯಾನ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳು, ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಮತ್ತು ಮಾಧ್ಯಮಗಳಿಂದ ಬಿಡುಗಡೆಯಾಗುವ ಸೂಚನೆಗಳನ್ನು ಅನುಸರಿಸುವಂತೆ ಪ್ರಯಾಣಿಕರನ್ನು ವಿನಂತಿಸಲಾಗಿದೆ.… pic.twitter.com/q4uaIetxPr
The state is currently experiencing the statewide bandh that over 2,000 pro-Kannada organisations announced in protest against the release of Cauvery water to Tamil Nadu. The pro-Kannada outfits organised demonstrations and sloganeering at various sites as the band commenced at six in the morning. More than 50 individuals who represented multiple groups have been apprehended in various parts of the state.
Normal life is impacted by the dawn-to-dark protest as transportation, lodging and other amenities remained closed throughout the state. Protest marches are scheduled around the state including the capital Bengaluru. All educational institutions in the districts of Bengaluru and Mandya remain closed and restrictions under section 144 have been imposed in the city. A large number of police personnel have been deployed across the state.
Kannada Okkuta is a coalition of farmers’ organisations and groups from Karnataka Rakshana Vedike, Kannada Chalavali (Vatal Paksha) and other entities that have called for a statewide shutdown. According to bandh organisers, there will be an extensive demonstration procession from Town Hall to Freedom Park in the city and participants from all spheres of society are expected to take part.
They conveyed that the bandh would be observed throughout all of Karnataka and that they would make an effort to close all airports, toll booths, train services, and highways. The bandh has received backing from the Karnataka hotel, autorickshaw, and hail rider organisations as well as the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal (Secular).
Over 200 protesters from pro-Kannada organisations have been held by the Bengaluru Police in an assortment of locations including the airport and close to Attibele which is near the border between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Bengaluru IT corridor gridlock
There was severe traffic congestion in Bengaluru with vehicles clogged up for hours on the evening of 27 September. The Outer Ring Road (ORR) section of the city was the worst affected and left lakhs of commuters stranded for more than five hours.
Source: X
Numerous events such as rallies planned by the ‘Karnataka Jala Samrakshana Samiti’ against the Cauvery River water issue, Ganesh Visarjan and a later cancelled performance by comedian Trevor Noah contributed to the city’s tech corridor’s acute gridlock.
The Outer Ring Road Companies Association (ORRCA), a group comprised of all businesses located in the Outer Ring Road and Arterial Areas between Central Silk Board Junction and Krishnarajapura alerted businesses to advise their staff to lengthen their exit time in response to the jam in ORR.
Police officers reported that the impending long weekend and the numerous individuals departing the city could have been responsible for the traffic bottleneck. While September 28 was a holiday due to Eid-e-Milad an-Nabi, a statewide bandh over the sensitive Cauvery matter was announced on 29 September and 2 October is going to be a holiday because of Gandhi Jayanti.
Cauvery Dispute
The long-standing Cauvery water-sharing conflict erupted in controversy once more in 2012 when the Karnataka government disobeyed the order of Manmohan Singh, who was the prime minister at the time, government to give 9,000 cusecs (cubic feet per second) of water to Tamil Nadu. Violent demonstrations were prompted by the rejection, which raised public awareness of the problem.
The most recent development occurred on 21 September after the Supreme Court decided not to get involved and maintained the Cauvery Water Management Authority’s (CWMA) order to the Karnataka government to provide 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for 15 days.
As the upper riparian state, Karnataka refused Tamil Nadu’s request for additional Cauvery river water and highlighted a lack of rainfall in August and warnings that it was facing a drought-like situation. Farmers in the region became alarmed when authorities in Karnataka expressed fears that the reservoirs along the Cauvery river were drying up.
On the other hand, Tamil Nadu’s farmers depend on Cauvery water greatly, particularly for their ‘Kuruvai’ crop. The Cauvery Delta region’s cropland which covers about 30 lakh acres depends on river water for its agricultural operations.
The main entity now in charge of resolving the impasse between the two states is the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA), an apolitical body set up under the supervision of the Union Water Resources Ministry to supervise the implementation of the Supreme Court rulings announced in 2018.
The judgement defined water-sharing requirements only for a normal monsoon year, not a distress year, as the current one is proving to be with rainfall that is more than 30% below normal, according to political parties in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu and the Congress in Karnataka have requested the Prime Minister’s intervention to create a framework for settling conflicts under challenging conditions. Out of the four months of monsoon that started in June, the rainfall in August and September was the least in Karnataka in 123 years.
Now, farmers from Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have protested in the streets, calling for an end to the Cauvery water-sharing dispute. According to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on 27 September, a case challenging the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee’s directive to Karnataka to release water to Tamil Nadu would be heard in the apex court. The panel had instructed Karnataka to supply water to the adjacent state at a rate of 3,000 cubic feet per second (cusecs) from 28 September to 15 October.
On 29th September 2023, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting assured Tamil actor Vishal that the strictest action would be taken against the alleged corruption in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) Mumbai. On 28th September, Vishal alleged that officials in the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Mumbai took a bribe of Rs 6.5 lakh for the censor certification of the Hindi version of his film ‘Mark Antony’.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting wrote in a post on the social media platform X, “The issue of corruption in CBFC brought forth by actor Vishal is extremely unfortunate. The Government has zero tolerance for corruption and the strictest action will be taken against anyone found involved. A senior officer from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting has been deputed to Mumbai to conduct an inquiry today itself. We request everyone to cooperate with the Ministry, by providing information about any other instance of harassment by CBFC at [email protected].”
The issue of corruption in CBFC brought forth by actor @VishalKOfficial is extremely unfortunate.
The Government has zero tolerance for corruption and strictest action will be taken against anyone found involved. A senior officer from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting…
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) September 29, 2023
On Thursday, 28th September, Vishal took to X and dropped a video in which he accused the officials from the CBFC of demanding a bribe of Rs 6.5 lakh in exchange for screening and granting a U/A certificate to his film.
“Corruption being shown on the silver screen is fine. But not in real life. Can’t digest it. Especially in govt offices. And even worse happening in the CBFC Mumbai office. Had to pay 6.5 lacs for my film Mark Antony Hindi version. 2 transactions. 3 Lakhs for screening and 3.5 Lakhs for certificate,” he wrote He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the matter.
#Corruption being shown on silver screen is fine. But not in real life. Cant digest. Especially in govt offices. And even worse happening in #CBFC Mumbai office. Had to pay 6.5 lacs for my film #MarkAntonyHindi version. 2 transactions. 3 Lakhs for screening and 3.5 Lakhs for… pic.twitter.com/3pc2RzKF6l
“Never faced this situation ever in my career. Had no option but to pay the concerned mediator #Menaga coz too much at stake since the movie released today. Bringing this to the notice of Hon Chief Minister of Maharashtra and my Hon PM Narendra Modiji. Doing this is not for me but for future producers. NOT HAPPENING. My hard-earned money gone for corruption ??? No way. Evidence down for all to hear. Hope truth prevails as always. GB,” Vishal added.
Vishal also mentioned that he gave ₹3 lakh to Jeeja Ramdas and ₹3.5 lakh to M Rajan. He also shared their bank account details.
However, director Ashoke Pandit, a former member of CBFC, has said that CBFC does not have officials with these names. While talking to news agency ANI, film director Ashoke Pandit said, “There are two names he takes in his statement, M Rajan and Jija Ramdas. As per my knowledge, these two are not the employees of CBFC. Accusing a CBFC officer at this stage is not right. But if allegations are being made, then we demand a CBI inquiry because the allegations are very serious. It is obvious that any officer who demands money will not take it (directly) into his account. These two people he named should be asked if they have taken the money on someone’s behalf at the CBFC. High power inquiry should be initiated in this case.”
#WATCH | Mumbai: On Actor Vishal's allegations on CBFC Mumbai, Film Director Ashoke Pandit says, "… There are two names he takes in his statement, M Rajan and Jija Ramdas. As per my knowledge, these two are not the employees of CBFC… Accusing a CBFC officer at this stage is… pic.twitter.com/ZvUnSIKsEU
Even if Jeeja Ramdas and M Rajan are not CBFC employees, as said by Pandit, it is possible that they received the money on behalf of officials. Govt officials are known to receive bribe money through other people.
Ashoke Pandit also said that he will be writing a letter on behalf of IFTDA (Indian Film & Television Directors’ Association) to CBFC Chairperson Prasoon Joshi demanding CBI probe into the charges.
Mark Antony is a science fiction action comedy film which was released on September 15. It is directed by Adhik Ravichandran and produced by S Vinod Kumar under Mini Studio. The movie stars Vishal and S J Suryah in dual roles. The movie is doing well at the Tamil box office, and the makers are readying to release its Hindi version.
A year after Haryana Deputy Superintendent of Police Surendra Singh was murdered by the mining mafia in Nuh district of the state, a similar incident is reported to have happened in the Tauru block of Nuh on Thursday, September 28. An attempt was made by the mining mafia in the Tauru block to crush current SDM Sanjeev Kumar.
As per the report published by Tribune India, at around 2 p.m., the Tauru SDM and his team ordered a vehicle loaded with mined material to slow down, but the driver allegedly rushed forward in an attempt to run over anybody standing in his way. The driver took off with the vehicle, but the SDM security team managed to capture a co-conspirator. The event happened close to the Bawal border and a short distance from the spot where DSP Surender Singh was murdered in July of last year by a dumper truck loaded with stones.
“The driver fled towards Pachgaon village, which is notorious for illegal mining and is the native place of the accused in the DSP murder case. The driver’s accomplice, Mustafa, has been handed over to the police,” one of the officials was quoted as saying.
A police case has been filed based on the complaint of the SDM’s security official, Teekam Singh. The SDM also commented on the issue and said that his team tried to chase the truck but the driver hit rushed in maximum speed. “We chased the truck, but the driver tried to hit our vehicle several times. His accomplice opened the truck’s back flap, unloading the entire gravel while trying to attempt to bury our car. The driver fled with the empty vehicle while the accomplice was caught,” said the SDM.
In July last year, Haryana DSP Taoru Surendra Singh Bishnoi was run over by the mining mafia and killed in Panchaon near Nuh in the Mewat region of Haryana. As per reports, DSP Bishnoi had gone for a surprise inspection of a site where illegal mining was taking place. However, the mining mafia ran the dumper over him and killed him. The dumper that was used to kill him was the same one that was used for illegal mining of sand.
Bishnoi was acting on inputs of illegal mining in the area. Upon reaching the site he signalled a truck carrying stones to slow down. However, instead of slowing down and stopping, the driver sped up and ran over him, killing him instantly.
The current incident also comes a month after the state administration launched a ‘bulldozer action’ in Tauru town. The action was imposed after massive violence was reported in Haryana’s Nuh. Teams of the Rapid Action Force, including the Women Police Force, demolished more than 200 illegal homes sheltering immigrants during the four-hour-long operation, which was organized by the Haryana Urban Development Authority.
The operation, which was part of the “Remove Encroachments” campaign, was carried out, according to the particulars, at the order of Ajit Balaji Joshi, Chief Administrator of the Haryana Urban Development Authority. Sanjeev Kumar, a Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), was also present at the site.
The Gujarat police on Friday, September 29, registered an FIR against Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun for issuing threats ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup match between India and Pakistan scheduled to be held on October 14 in the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The FIR against Pannun has been registered under 121(A),153(A)(B), 505 IPC, UAPA and IT Act 66 F by the Ahmedabad Police.
“Threatening pre-recorded messages were published on various social media handles and an attempt was made to spoil the atmosphere. FIR registered against Pannu under 121(A),153(A)(B), 505 IPC, UAPA and IT Act 66 F,” Ajit Rajian, Cyber Crime DCP, Ahmedabad was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.
Gujarat | FIR registered against founder of banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) and designated terrorist, Gurpatwant Singh Pannu after he issued threat ahead of India vs Pakistan ICC World Cup 2023 match
Threatening pre-recorded messages were published on various social…
On September 27, many people in India received a call from a UK phone number +44 7418 343648 wherein a prerecorded audio message by the terrorist was played. In the newly issued threat message, Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun said, “On Shaheed Nijjar’s assassination, we are going to use ballot against your bullet. We are going to use the vote against your violence. This October, it will not be the World Cricket Cup. It will be the beginning of the World Terror Cup. The message is from Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, the SFJ general council.”
It is notable that since the death of Khalistani Terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Surrey, Canada, Khalistani groups have been accusing India, a claim now supported by the Canadian govt. The Khallistanis have put up posters in Canada calling for the assassination of heads of Indian missions in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. Recently, such posters put up in front of the Guru Nanak Sikh Gurdwara temple in Surrey were removed.
On September 23, National Investigation Agency (NIA) confiscated the properties of Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun in Sector 15 C Chandigarh. As per reports, the investigation agency has issued a new dossier on the Khalistani terrorist that will be shared with the investigation agencies in other countries. As per the new dossier, Pannun wants to create Khalistan and divide India into multiple parts. There are 16 cases registered against him in different states.
On Thursday, September 28, Billionaire Elon Musk visited the Texas border with Mexico to get an “unfiltered” view of the situation amidst the surging influx of illegal immigrants via the Eagle Pass. Thousands of migrants have been wading across the Rio Grande near a railway bridge for several days, unfazed by razor wire coils mounted along the river banks by the Texas National Guard.
Musk livestreamed his visit to the US-Mexico border over the social media platform X (formerly, Twitter). During his visit to Eagle Pass, Texas Representative Tony Gonzales accompanied the X owner. It is notable that the city proclaimed a state of emergency last week considering the unprecedented infiltration of thousands of migrants. Congressman Tony Gonzales briefed Musk about the situation on the ground.
Assuming the role of a “citizen journalist,” Elon Musk asked Tony Gonzales if the “all-time high” in the number of illegal immigrants entering Texas through the border, is normal or if the country is seeing a crisis.
Gonzales said that the situation is getting “worse”. Nearly 11,000 immigrants entered the city via the US-Mexico border last week adding that this number is increasing every day.
Musk, who donned a cowboy hat and aviator sunglasses told Gonzales that while he is “extremely pro-immigrant,” he disagrees that people should be allowed to enter the US if they are “breaking the law.”
Gonzales pinned the upsurge in migrants at the southern border on Biden administration policies, calling it a “bad situation all the way around.” Musk reacted in surprise, prompting Gonzales to recount the daily struggles of those living in the heart of the crisis.
The influx of illegal entrants into the country has grown large to an extent, according to Musk, that it is leading to a collapse of social services to the point where even America’s largest city, New York, is buckling under the pressure of just how many illegal immigrants are going there.
“The border crisis is worse every day! New York City is buckling under the load already,” Musk posted on X today.
The border crisis is worse every day! New York City is buckling under the load already. https://t.co/jhQ4rCujJz
“If New York can’t handle it, well pretty much no part of the country can. “So if we don’t do something soon we’re just gonna have, like I said, a collapse in social services as we’re already seeing in New York,” Musk asserted.
Notably, approximately 11,000 migrants entered the United States in just 24 hours from Mexico, as reported on September 25. Around 4,000 people crossed the Rio Grande at Eagle Pass, including some who crawled through razor wire and waded through the Rio Grande.
BREAKING: CBP sources tell FOX News.. There were approximately 11,000 migrant encounters at the SW border in the last 24 hours marking the “single highest day in recent memory.”
In Eagle Pass alone, there were more than 4000 from Fri-Sun/weekend @FoxNews
According to data analysed by the organisation Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC), about 1.23 million migrants have crossed the southern border requesting asylum in the last 11 months. “Thus far more than 1,230,000 new deportation cases have been added to the Court’s docket during FY 2023,” the TRAC report reads.
According to the US media reports, the majority of the migrants entering Texas via the Eagle Pass are from the crisis-hit Venezuela. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency, the Venezuelan refugee crisis is the second largest in the world with only Syria ahead of it. There are over 7.7 million Venezuelan refugees in the world. While a significant number of these refugees have settled in South American countries like Columbia and Peru, a large number of them have entered or are set to enter the US via the US-Mexico border.
Recently, Texas Mayor Rolando Salinas Jr. said that 6,000 migrants seeking asylum have crossed into Eagle Pass. Mayor Salinas opined that one reason behind the surging influx of migrants in Eagle Pass is that “there is less cartel activity on the Mexican side of the border.”
Amidst the migrant influx crisis, the Biden administration this month decided to expand the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) of the more than half a million Venezuelan migrants already in the United States.
Amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada over Justine Trudaue’s baseless allegations regarding the death of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Bangladesh has now extended support to India, slamming Canada, while voicing its own grievances. In an exclusive interview with India Today, Bangladesh’s Foreign Minister, AK Abdul Momen said that Canada should stop sheltering all the murderers.
“Canada must not be a hub of all the murderers. The murderers can go to Canada and take shelter, and they can have a wonderful life while those they killed, their relatives are suffering,” he was quoted as saying.
“We have a very good relationship with India and we have a good relationship with Canada. Both countries are friends. I don’t know the details of this issue between India and Canada but I know the issue we have with Canada,” he added.
The main source of contention in the case of Bangladesh is Canada’s refusal to extradite Noor Chowdhury, the man who admitted to killing Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding father of Bangladesh.
Momen’s sharp remark highlights a growing concern among other countries that Canada’s extradition policy, particularly its opposition to the death sentence, is serving as a shield for criminals.
“Our judiciary is very independent and the government cannot intervene in that. But, [Noor Chowdhury] has the scope for a life sentence. If he comes back to Bangladesh, both Noor Chowdhury and Rashid Chowdhury can ask for a mercy petition from the president of the country. And the President may grant them the mercy petition and change it from execution to a life sentence,” Momen further said highlighting the issue of capital punishment.
The potential abuse of human rights is another issue raised by the Foreign Minister that is more general and universal. The Minister stressed that many people abuse the idea of human rights at various times. This is particularly terrible because it has occasionally been used as justification by some to defend murderers, killers, and terrorists.
As per the reports, the politics surrounding extradition between Canada and countries like Bangladesh and India are representative of a wider story. They highlight the difficulties nations have in striking a balance between international law, human rights, and national security. Although Canada’s position is based on its dedication to human rights, its allies increasingly see it as a possible opening for terrorists and criminals.
Earlier on September 26, Sri Lanka also backed India amid the ongoing tensions between India and Canada. Sri Lankan foreign minister Ali Sabry said that terrorists have found safe haven in the North American country. “Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide. Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country,” he said.
“The ministry of global affairs has very clearly said that Sri Lanka did not go through a genocide, whereas PM Trudeau as a politician stands up and says that genocide had taken place. That itself is contradictory to each other. That doesn’t help,” the Sri Lankan minister added.
Also, outgoing Sri Lankan high commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda had extended support to India over the issue. “I think India’s response has been inequitable and also firm and direct. And I think as far as we are concerned, we support India on that,” he said.
In an unexpected assertion last week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country’s intelligence agencies were looking into a “potential link” between “agents of the Indian government” and Nijjar’s death. Nijjar was referred to as a “Canadian citizen” by Trudeau.
In retaliation to Ottawa’s removal of an Indian official over the case, New Delhi clearly rejected the charges as “absurd” and “motivated,” and expelled a senior Canadian diplomat.
Nijjar, one of India’s most wanted terrorists, with a Rs 10 lakh cash reward on his head, was shot dead on June 18 by two unidentified shooters outside a gurudwara in Surrey. He was the Khalistan Tiger Force’s (KTF) commander.
In a strongly worded statement, India said that Canada’s claims appeared to be “politically motivated” and urged the Trudeau government to crack down hard on terrorists and anti-India elements operating on its soil. As a result of the diplomatic blockade over Nijjar’s murder, India has now suspended visa services for Canadians.
Recently, on Monday, September 25, the Indian Government also announced that it was in the process of cancelling the registration of over a dozen Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) card holders for carrying out pro-Khalistan activities and anti-India propaganda.
Tamil actor Siddharth had to abruptly leave a press conference in Bengaluru on 28 September 2023. This unexpected departure occurred while the Tamil actor was promoting his recent film ‘Chithha,’ titled ‘Chikku’ in Kannada, which had just been released.
The reason for his departure was the interruption of the event by a group of individuals associated with the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene, who demanded that Siddharth vacate the venue. The protestors said that this was not the proper time to promote the film as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka are currently engaged in a tussle over the water of the river Cauvery.
While the actor was in the midst of his interaction with the media, a group of men entered the venue and requested his departure. They also urged the event organisers to promptly conclude the press conference as a show of solidarity with the ongoing Cauvery protest.
VIDEO | Members of Kannada group disrupted Tamil Actor Siddharth's press conference to promote his movie (Kannada dubbed Chikku) in Malleshwarm by raising slogans over the Cauvery issue earlier today.
One of the protestors said, “We are fighting here and the Cauvery water is going to Tamil Nadu. And he is promoting the film, do you guys want this?” While the protestors were addressing him, actor Siddharth continued his interaction with the media in Kannada, choosing to ignore them.
Seeing this, another protestor said to the actor, “We have not come to order. We have come to request. Please stop this.” After some time, the actor rose from his seat, thanking the media representatives before departing from the press conference.
“Members of Karnataka Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene interrupted a press conference being held by actor Siddharth for his film ‘Chikku’ and demanded that he leave the venue. The members said that it was not an appropriate time for him to do this PC as Tamil Nadu is demanding Cauvery River water from Karnataka. Siddharth later left the theatre”, ANI shared on X.
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Members of Karnataka Karnataka Rakshana Vedike Swabhimani Sene interrupted a press conference being held by actor Siddharth for his film 'Chikku' and demanded that he leave the venue. The members said that it was not an appropriate time for him to do this PC… pic.twitter.com/R2QXbxgbbR
Numerous pro-Kannada political parties, agricultural associations, and labor unions have united in a call for a Karnataka Bandh on September 29. This collective action is in protest against the release of Cauvery River water to Tamil Nadu.
The Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) had issued an order mandating Karnataka to release 5,000 cusecs of water to Tamil Nadu for a duration of 15 days. In response, the Karnataka cabinet made the decision to provide extra water to Tamil Nadu, following a Supreme Court ruling that emphasised its inability to intervene in this matter. Subsequently, numerous farmers and pro-Kannada organisations mobilized to express their dissent against this resolution.
The demonstrators argue that the water is being allocated to Tamil Nadu despite the fact that the southwestern monsoon is subsiding, and the reservoirs in the Cauvery basin of Karnataka are currently at historically low storage levels. The Cauvery River plays a vital role as the primary water source for Bengaluru and is essential for irrigation in the Mandya district of Karnataka.
The film ‘Chithha,’ starring Siddharth, has been dubbed into a Kannada version titled ‘Chikku.’ Directed by SU Arun Kumar, the movie boasts a cast led by Siddharth, alongside Nimisha Sajayan, Anjali Nair, and Sahasra Shree in prominent roles.
Tamil actor Vishal alleged that the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) in Mumbai took a bribe of Rs 6.5 lakh for the censor certification of the Hindi version of his film ‘Mark Antony’.
#WATCH | Tamil actor Vishal says, "…This is about the scam that has transpired in CBFC Mumbai in relation to my film (Mark Antony)…I would like to address this to Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde and PM Modi. We applied online for film certification but we were taken aback by… pic.twitter.com/8RU7x54qNK
On Thursday, he took to X and dropped a video in which he accused the officials from the CBFC of demanding a bribe of Rs 6.5 lakh in exchange for screening and granting a U/A certificate to his film.
#Corruption being shown on silver screen is fine. But not in real life. Cant digest. Especially in govt offices. And even worse happening in #CBFC Mumbai office. Had to pay 6.5 lacs for my film #MarkAntonyHindi version. 2 transactions. 3 Lakhs for screening and 3.5 Lakhs for… pic.twitter.com/3pc2RzKF6l
“#Corruption being shown on silver screen is fine. But not in real life. Cant digest. Especially in govt offices. And even worse happening in #CBFC Mumbai office. Had to pay 6.5 lacs for my film #MarkAntonyHindi version. 2 transactions. 3 Lakhs for screening and 3.5 Lakhs for certificate,” he wrote He appealed to Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the matter.
“Never faced this situation ever in my career. Had no option but to pay the concerned mediator #Menaga coz too much at stake since movie released today. Bringing this to the notice of Hon Chief Minister of Maharashtra and my Hon PM Narendra Modiji. Doing this is not for me but for future producers. NOT HAPPENING. My hard earned money gone for corruption ??? No way. Evidence down for all to hear. Hope truth prevails as always. GB,” Vishal added.
The officials from CBFC are yet to respond.
Mark Antony is a science fiction action comedy film which was released on September 15. It is directed by Adhik Ravichandran and produced by S Vinod Kumar under Mini Studio. The movie stars Vishal and S J Suryah in dual roles.
(This news report is published from a syndicated feed. Except for the headline, the content has not been written or edited by OpIndia staff)
On 28th September 2023, former Pakistani cricketer Mushtaq Ahmed said that cities like Hyderabad and Ahmedabad have a very high Muslim population and therefore they will support the Pakistani cricket team in the upcoming matches of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 to be held in India. Mushtaq Ahmed made these remarks when he was talking as a panelist in a discussion on the Pakistani news channel Samaa TV.
Pakistani cricket team arrived in India at Hyderabad on 27th September 2023 to participate in the World Cup. Pakistani woman cricketer Iram Javed and Pakistani cricket analyst Hafiz Imran were among others on the panel with the anchor.
In this discussion, before asking Mushtaq Ahmed for his comments, the anchor said, “Pakistani team is in Hyderabad and it will go to Ahmedabad where we have to play a match against India. There were a lot of issues including the visa. But we will get the support of the fans for sure, which is a good sign for us.”
The anchors and former cricketers should think twice before they speak on tv/social media as it could not only dent the relationship between two countries but also between two communities. pic.twitter.com/Tdv6OaqdP3
On this, Mushtaq Ahmed said, “Both of their cities – Ahmedabad and Hyderabad – have a very high Muslim population. This is why you must have seen the way they were welcomed outside the airport and even outside the hotel. Any of your correspondents or our player Khwaja might have covered that.”
The part of the discussion was not included in the video later uploaded by the YouTube channel of Samaa TV. However, it covered other remarks made by the Pakistani panellists in a similar context. In the introduction of the show, the anchor said, “Pakistani cricket team has reached India and we have seen how they have received a grand welcome in India outside the airport and also outside the hotel in Hyderabad. The fans in India were waiting just to see a glimpse of the Pakistani cricketers they liked so much. They were repeatedly calling Babar Azam and Harris Rauf by their names. These Indians are not only impressed by the game played by our players but also they are fond of their styles. This is evident as we have heard a fan saying Hey Brother Harris Rauf, how are you? You are looking great.”
Pakistani cricket analyst Hafiz Imran said, “It is hard to expect people supporting Pakistan on the ground in the same high numbers as they were present to welcome the Pakistani cricket team in Hyderabad. This support can be just an outside phenomenon as these people like Pakistani cricketers. But when they go inside the stadium, situations are different. You must be recalling the quarter-final between India and Pakistan played in the 1996 cricket World Cup. Stadiums witnessed a pin-drop silence when the Pakistani players were playing well.
Replying to this, Pakistani woman cricketer Iram Javed said, “But, there will certainly be some people there, who will be supporting the Pakistani cricket team.” The anchor then said, “And this is exactly what we have seen yesterday.”
Iram Javed further said, “If a speaker is placed in the drill (practice session) and the crowd noise is played in the background, the team may get acquainted with this.” Iram Javed was repeatedly calling practice sessions as drills. The word drill is often used for the practice of military exercises done by soldiers in army camps.
Mushtaq Ahmed said, “As far as putting a speaker playing crowd noise sound clips on the boundary while practising is concerned, you can just practise stepping in the ground as a batsman after one of our wickets falls.”
When asked if he has given this advice to the Pakistani cricket team, Mushtaq Ahmed said, “No doubt I keep talking to the boys, and they are very clever too. But Hazrat Ali Razi Allah’s one of the quotes says that do not give advice to anyone unless he seeks one from you. So, I have not directly given this advice to the Pakistani cricket team. However, it may reach them through your program.”
The Pakistan cricket team arrived in Hyderabad on Wednesday, September 27, 2023, to participate in the ODI World Cup, following a minor visa-related issue. Here, the Pakistani cricket team will play a practice match against New Zealand today.
