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Back in 2010, ex-PM Manmohan Singh had told Canada to rein in Khalistanis, then also it was G20. Read how Canada has failed on this count

Shraddha Pandey
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Back in 2010, ex-PM Manmohan Singh had told Canada to rein in Khalistanis, then also it was G20. Read how Canada has failed on this count

As the controversy around Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s bizarre claims pertaining to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar and India’s befitting response has sparked debates, a vicious narrative is being pushed that the menace of Khalistani extremism started to strain India-Canada relations from 2015 onwards while the Narendra Modi-led government held the reins of power at the center and BJP-Akali Dal alliance in Punjab.

Former Ambassador KC Singh during an IndiaToday show hosted by Rajdeep Sardesai on September 19th said that since 2015 the BJP ally Akali Dal is responsible for creating the feeling that Sikhs are being persecuted. Singh further asserted that it was Union government representatives who called the participants of the Farmer’s protest “Khalistanis”. Singh blamed the Indian government, claiming that following Operation Blue Star, the Khalistan menace had settled and it only resurfaced following the 2015 desecration incident. The former diplomat insinuated that it is pointless on the part of the Indian government to blame Canada’s Trudeau government for its step against India.

As reported earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ahead of the G20 summit in New Delhi was making desperate attempts to garner support from the country’s western allies for its baseless anti-India allegations. Trudeau’s attempts to corner the Modi government fell flat as the Indian government did not give any opportunity to the Canadian PM to push his vicious narratives against India during the G20 summit in New Delhi. PM Modi did not hold any bilateral talks with the Canadian PM, rather the two leaders had a pull-aside meeting wherein PM Modi expressed strong concern over Khalistani extremism in Canada.

Interestingly, while the narrative is being pushed claiming the upsurge of Khalistan elements in Canada and the Indian government’s perusal of the issue with Canada is a ‘recent, Modi regime’ phenomenon, history suggests otherwise. Back in 2010, the then Prime Minister Dr. Mammohan Singh had warned his Canadian counterpart Stephan Harper over the rising support among Canadian Sikhs for Khalistani elements active in Punjab.

PM Singh met PM Harper on the sidelines of the G20 summit and expressed India’s objection with regard to Canada allowing the Khalistani ‘movement’ to thrive.

Two years later, the Indian government once again warned Canada’s ruling dispensation led by the Conservative Party of Canada which now sits in the opposition against the issue of Khalistani extremism in Canada. The then Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Preneet Kaur had told PM Harper during his six-day visit to India that the “revival of anti-India rhetoric in Canada” has become a major concern for India.

A CBC News report suggests that Minister Kaur’s comments came after several Khalistani flags and seals at parades and temples were seen in British Columbia back then. While the then-Canadian Prime Minister said that Canada supports a united India, he downplayed the Khalistani terrorism movement by calling it “marginal”.

Canada’s negligence towards the rise of the Khalistan movement there and its lethargic attitude towards India’s warnings and concerns over the anti-India activities on Canadian soil have persisted over the years no matter which party was at the helm of power there.

Pokharan nuclear test, Kanishka bombing and Canada’s surging hostility towards India

On May 18, 1974, India achieved a historic feat as it conducted a successful nuclear bomb test in Rajasthan’s Pokharan. However, Pierre Trudeau, the then Prime Minister of Canada and father of present Canadian PM Justin Trudeau accused India of misusing the Canada-made CANDU reactors for its nuclear bomb.

Since then, Pierre Trudeau turned hostile towards India. This coincided with the rise of Khalistani extremism in Canada with the influx of Khalistani elements into the country seeking refuge. Pierre Trudeau had refused the extradition request of Khalistani terrorist Talwinder Singh Parmar in 1982. In that year, the Indian government under then-PM Indira Gandhi had sought the extradition of Parmar, who was accused of killing police officers. However, the Pierre Trudeau-led government declined the request citing a bizarre reason that India, although a member of the Commonwealth did not recognise the British queen as its Head of State.

Notably, Babbar Khalsa, the Khalistani terrorist group, was led by Talwinder Parmar. In 1985, the group attacked an Air India plane named Kanishka in mid-air off the coast of Ireland while it was flying from Montreal to London. In total, 329 persons were killed in the incident, with 268 of them being Canadian nationals.

The horrendous bombing transpired after the Pierre Trudeau government shielded Talwinder Parmar by rejecting India’s request to extradite the Khalistani terrorist. Ironically, Parmar was never convicted. The Khalistani terrorist was killed by Punjab Police in 1992 in an encounter.

Parmar was allowed to thrive in Canada and carry out his planning and execution of the bombing under the nose of Canadian intelligence and law enforcement officials. Police officials were aware that he was planning an attack. However the RCMP and CSIS ignored the intel.

In 2010, Justice John Major-led commission of inquiry gave a report in which Canadian police and spy agencies were blamed for grave negligence and hampering the investigation. In the report, Justice Major said that the authorities should have known that the Indian aircraft was a terrorist’s target. He called the failure of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) and Canada’s spy agency, Canadian Security and Intelligence Services (CSIS) to prevent the bombing “inexcusable”.

Former EAM SM Krishna had raised the issue, stated that despite intelligence, Canada failed to prevent the Kanishka attack

Canada’s failure in preventing the Kanishka Bombing by the Khalistani terrorists is evident from the response by the then Minister of External Affairs SM Krishna to MP Sobhana Bhartia back in 2010 wherein the minister disclosed that the Canadian intelligence agencies had crucial information pertaining to the possibility of a bomb attack on an Air India flight. Minister Krishna added that the Canadian government agencies “failed to appreciate the nature and seriousness of the threat of Sikh extremism.”

The Canadian Commission of Enquiry’s investigation of the bombing of Air India-182 found that Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) surveillance was “ineffective”. The minister stated citing the Enquiry Commission findings that despite knowing about the risk of sabotage, Transport Canada and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Protective Policing exhibited a lack of flexibility by continuing to rely on anti-hijacking security measures that did not address the threat of bombing. In terms of airport security, there was a lack of coordination and communication within the RCMP as well as between the RCMP, Transport Canada, and airlines.

In April 2010, Liberal Party leader and MP, Ujjal Dosanjh also warned against the rising “Sikh extremism” in the country saying that “it is getting worse”.

“It’s more entrenched, it’s more sophisticated and sometimes it’s double-faced,” Dosanjh said back then. He added that second and third-generation youths are being poisoned. Dosanjh said that the “militancy” emerging among the Khalistan elements is worse than what it was a generation ago at the time of the Air India flight bombing.

Canada continues to shield Khalistanis

Over the years governments changed in Canada, from Conservative Party to the ruling Liberal Party, the governments there have failed to crush the Khalistani elements in the country despite repeated warnings from the Indian governments. With time and resources, sometimes active patronage from the political leaders, the Khalistanis have turned into a significant vote bank for the Liberal Party. PM Trudeau has been hell-bent on defending the Khalistani terrorists, and their anti-India activities including the pointless referendums, attacking and defacing of Hindu temples as well as forming an alliance with political parties like the New Democratic Party (NDP) which has been openly backing Khalistani terrorists and their ‘demands’.

Under Justin Trudeau’s leadership, Indo-Canadian ties have been strained owing the Trudeau’s deliberate incompetence in acting against Khalistani terrorists targetting Hindu temples, carrying out anti-India activities and even openly threatening Indian diplomats. PM Trudeau’s standard response in this regard has been that his government supports “freedom of expression” and the right to protest even if it comes at the cost of ruining relations with India.

The Freedom of Expression excuse is another massive irony because Trudeau’s own government had ruthlessly clamped down on Canadian truckers protesting against stringent Covid mandates.

In his pursuit to please his pro-Khalistan vote-bank, Trudeau has chosen to alienate and antagonize a major global economy and trade partner, all in the name of ‘supporting’ a wanted criminal and terrorist who was repeatedly denied citizenship by the Canadian authorities.

Uttar Pradesh: History sheeter Gausjaman Khan attempts to kill girlfriend by slitting her throat and throws her into canal, arrested along with brother

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: History sheeter Gausjaman Khan attempts to kill girlfriend by slitting her throat and throws her into canal, arrested along with brother

A history-sheeter named Gausjaman Khan attempted to kill a girl by slitting her throat in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh after which the state police arrested him within 5 to 6 hours. He was shot in the leg and apprehended along with his brother Afroz Khan who was also wounded during the police action. According to reports, the incident transpired late on the night of 18 September.

A girl from Sultanpur’s Baldirai police station area was working in Delhi and had a romantic relationship with the accused who committed crimes regularly and was imprisoned. He was released from jail and learned that she had decided to marry someone else.

He was outraged and called her to Delhi under the pretext of an outing. They roamed around for an entire day after which took her to the canal track located at Harora Bazar in the Dhanpatganj area and slashed her throat with a knife before dumping the body in Sharda Canal. The victim, however, managed to swim out of the water. She knotted her stole securely around her neck and arrived at Dhanpatganj Common Service Centre (CSC).

She was referred to the medical college by the doctor after she received first aid. The police opened an investigation after receiving a complaint from the female’s brother and they began looking for the offender who was absconding after the occurrence. His brother, Afroz was reportedly with him during the instance. The probe is based on the account narrated by the hospitalised victim.

The police established the whereabouts of the two culprits during the inquiry who fired bullets at the officers when they were raided and were hurt during the ensuing exchange of gunfire. They were then taken into custody and are receiving treatment. Gausjaman Khan reportedly used to perpetrate crimes in Mumbai as well.

It is important to remember that a girl recently lost her life in Uttar Pradesh because Muslim youths pulled her dupatta while she was riding a bicycle. She was routinely harassed by them. The Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had instructed to take tough measures against such elements after the tragic episode came to light.

1984 Anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court acquits Congressman Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the murder of 3 Sikhs in Sultanpuri

OpIndia Staff
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1984 Anti-Sikh riots: Delhi court acquits Congressman Sajjan Kumar in a case related to the murder of 3 Sikhs in Sultanpuri

In a major decision, the Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi acquitted Congress leader and former member of Parliament Sajjan Kumar and other accused in a case related to the Sultanpuri area incident during the 1984 anti-Sikh riot on 20 September. This case concerned the reported murder of three Sikhs.

Notably, the Congressman has not yet received dismissals in all of the counts, and tomorrow is scheduled for the pronouncement of additional verdicts in the matter.

Last month, the court mandated the filing of charges against imprisoned Congressman Sajjan Kumar in connection with two cases related to the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. The Janakpuri case which included the murders of Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh on 1 November 1984 involved the framing of accusations by the court. A second case which pertained to the burning of Gurcharan Singh on 2 November 1984 was reported to the Vikaspuri police station.

The court imposed the filing of charges against him under sections 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (offence is committed by any member of unlawful assembly in prosecution of the common object of that assembly), 153 (promoting enmity between different groups), 295 (Injuring or defiling place of worship, with intent to insult the religion of any class), 307 (attempt of murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 323 (deals with punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 395 (Punishment for Decoity) and 426 (Punishment for mischief) etc. of the Indian Penal Code.

However, the court ordered to discharge him of the violation of the Indian Penal Code sections 302 and 325, which deal with the punishment for murder and serious bodily harm, respectively.

His acquittal by the Karkardooma District Court in Delhi in April 2013 sparked huge demonstrations. The Central Bureau of Investigation filed an appeal against his prior acquittal in the Delhi High Court in August of the same year. The court granted him a life sentence on 17 December 2018.

The Congress stalwart was accused of killing a man and his son in Saraswati Vihar, West Delhi. Jaswant Singh and Tarun Deep Singh were burned alive on 1 November 1984, in Raj Nagar, by a crowd of 1,000 people. According to the prosecution, people set the two men on fire, damaged, destroyed, looted and severely wounded the family members and relatives of the deceased on the incitement and abetment of Sajjan Kumar.

Sajjan Kumar is one of the many senior Congress politicians including Jagdish Tytler and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Kamal Nath who are accused of taking an active part in the anti-Sikh carnage that was carried out in 1984 after the assassination of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

He was awarded a ticket by Congress to participate in elections in 1991 despite serious allegations against him and he managed to secure a win. Furthermore, he received the greatest number of votes (8,55,543) in the 2004 general elections when running on the congress ticket from the Outer Delhi seat. The Sanjay Gandhi loyalist served as a member of the Committee on Urban Development and the Committee on Members of Parliament Local Area Development Scheme in 2005.

‘Exercise utmost caution in view of politically condoned hate crimes’: India issues advisory to nationals, students in Canada

OpIndia Staff
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‘Exercise utmost caution in view of politically condoned hate crimes’: India issues advisory to nationals, students in Canada

In the wake of deteriorating ties with Justin Trudeau-led Canada, India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued an advisory for Indian Nationals and Indian Students in Canada. In the advisory, the Indian government has urged Indian nationals to exercise caution citing the surge in anti-India activities and politically-endorsed hate crimes.

The advisory states, “In view of growing anti-India activities and politically-condoned hate crimes and criminal violence in Canada, all Indian nationals there and those contemplating travel are urged to exercise utmost caution.”

The MEA’s advisory also includes travel recommendations, urging Indian nationals to consider their plans to travel to Canada. 

Highlighting the threats and attacks on Indian diplomats and patriotic Indians, the Ministry has advised Indian nationals not to travel in violence-prone. 

The statement added, “Recently, threats have particularly targeted Indian diplomats and sections of the Indian community who oppose the anti-India agenda. Indian nationals are therefore advised to avoid travelling to regions and potential venues in Canada that have seen such incidents.” 

(Image source – MEA Spokesperson Arindham Bagchi’s X handle)

However, the advisory has added that it will remain in touch with Canadian authorities to ensure the safety and well being of Indian nationals in Canada. 

It adds, “Our High Commission/Consulates General will continue to be in contact with the Canadian authorities to ensure the safety and well being of the Indian community in Canada.” 

In the wake of deteriorating security environment, the Ministry has urged Indian nationals and students to register with India’s High Commission in Ottawa or other consulates including those in Toronto and Vancouver. The advisory has also included the website link for the MADAD portal. 

It further states that given the deteriorating security environment in Canada, Indian students in particular are advised to exercise extreme caution and remain vigilant. 

It further said, “Indian nationals and students from India in Canada must also register with the High Commission of India in Ottawa or Consulates General of India in Toronto and Vancouver through their respective websites or the MADAD portal madad.gov.in. Registration would enable the High Commission and the Consulates General to better connect with Indian citizens in Canada in the event of any emergency or untoward incident.”

BookMyShow initiates refund as India tour of Khalistani Canadian singer Shubh gets cancelled, cricketers including Virat Kohli unfollow him on Instagram

OpIndia Staff
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BookMyShow initiates refund as India tour of Khalistani Canadian singer Shubh gets cancelled, cricketers including Virat Kohli unfollow him on Instagram

Canadian-Sikh singer Shubhneet Singh’s India tour has been cancelled following mounting anger amongst Indian citizens against the Khalistani supporter. Online event ticketing website BookMyShow took to X, formerly Twitter, to notify its users about the refund of the ticket amount to those who paid for the concert.

It wrote, “Singer Shubhneet Singh’s Still Rollin Tour for India stands canceled. To that end, BookMyShow has initiated a complete refund of the ticket amount for all consumers who had purchased tickets for the show. The refund will be reflected within 7-10 working days in the customer’s source account of the original transaction.”

Screenshot of BookMyShow’s post on X notifying users about the cancellation of Canadian Pro-Khalistani singer Shubh’s concert in India

This comes just hours after netizens were trending the hashtag #UninstallBookMyShow on the social media platform X. His shows were scheduled from the 23rd to 25th of September at Cordelia Cruises in Mumbai.

On 19 September, Indian consumer electronic brand boAt announced its decision to withdraw its sponsorship from the upcoming tour of Canada-based singer known as Shubh.

The company said, “At boAt, while our commitment to the incredible music community runs deep, we are first & foremost a true Indian brand. Therefore, when we became aware of the remarks made by artist Shubh earlier this year, we chose to withdraw our sponsorship from the tour.”

On 19 September, Indian consumer electronic brand boAt withdrew its sponsorship for Shubh’s concert

Moreover, on 16 September, the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM) workers in Mumbai removed posters of the concert calling for the organisers to cancel the event. The BJYM categorically stated that there is no place for any Khalistan supporter in this country.

On 23 March 2023, Shubhneet Singh posted a story on his Instagram account captioned “Pray for Punjab” showing a distorted map of India. He posted a photo of the map without union territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and North-eastern states. The Canadian singer did this at a time when the Punjab Police was on the look out to nab Khalistani terrorist Amritpal Singh. Shubh had openly supported Khalistani elements at the time.

The incident drew widespread condemnation from Indians at home and abroad. BJYM Mumbai President Tajinder Singh Tiwana submitted a memorandum to the police accusing Shubh of distorting the map of India and demanding that a case be filed against him.

Moreover, cricketers Virat Kohli, KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya have also unfollowed the Khalistani supporter on Instagram. The cancellation of the Canadian singer’s event in India, sends a message that Indians are no longer ready to let ‘celebrities’ get away with disrespecting the country.

BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slams Sonia Gandhi’s demands over Women’s Reservation bill, reminds her of Constitutional measures and legalities

OpIndia Staff
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BJP MP Nishikant Dubey slams Sonia Gandhi’s demands over Women’s Reservation bill, reminds her of Constitutional measures and legalities

On Wednesday (20 September), BJP MP Nishikant Dubey lambasted the Congress and its alliance partners for trying to claim credit for the Women’s Reservation Bill and demanding its immediate implementation. Retorting to her demands, Dubey launched a scathing attack against Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for raising “unconstitutional demand”, double-speak, and tainted legacy over the issue. 

The BJP MP citing Articles 82, 243d, and 243t, asserted that the demand Sonia Gandhi made was unconstitutional. He noted that Article 82 has frozen delimitation and related activities. He added that Gandhi’s demand to immediately give effect to the Women’s Reservation Bill would be in violation of Article 82. 

(Image Source – Indian Kanoon)

In that case, it would have been struck down by the Supreme Court, the BJP MP said, adding that it would have amounted to injustice against Women. 

Regarding Sonia Gandhi’s demand for an OBC sub-quota within the women’s reservation, Dubey cited the example of Articles 243d and 243t which gave reservations to women in Panchayati Raj and Municipal elections. He noted that these bills were brought by earlier Congress governments and contrary to her present demand, her party didn’t allocate sub-quota for OBC.

(Image Source – Indian Kanoon)

He also shredded the argument of providing reservations for Women in Rajya Sabha and Legislative Councils of States. He pointed out that post-independence, there has never been reservation given in Rajya Sabha and State Councils, and even to this date, there is no reservation for Schedule Caste (SCs) and Schedule Tribes (STs) in these houses.

On the issue of the timeline regarding the implementation of the Women’s reservation, Dubey explained the constitutional stand citing Article 82. He explained the chronology noting that once the census is completed, which would be followed by a delimitation process, the Women’s Reservation Bill will come into effect, as per the constitutional scheme of things.  

He further explained that the census exercise was hampered and delayed because of the once-in-a-century pandemic and the Modi government has the political will to take every bill, scheme, or project to its logical conclusion. 

Going ahead, Dubey accused the Congress party of using the Women’s Reservation Bill as a political tool. He charged Sonia Gandhi with appropriating the credit for the historic bill stating that during her address she deliberately missed out on mentioning two women MPs who fought for this bill – BJP’s Sushma Swaraj and CPI(M)’s Geeta Mukherjee.

Stating that the bill the Congress party had moved earlier was a “wrong bill”, he said, “I want to add that the bill you (Congress government) brought was wrong. Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Geeta Mukherjee and BJP MP Sushma Swaraj fought for this bill.” 

Attacking the Congress leader, Nishikant Dubey further highlighted how the Congress ally tore its bill and was subsequently manhandled by Congress. 

He reminded the house about the clash that broke out between Congress and its alliance partner Samajwadi Party in the Lok Sabha in 2012. The incident unfolded over a bill for reservation for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and Scheduled Tribes. 

He said, “In this same House, when V Narayanasamy was presenting a bill on promotional quota for SCs/STs, Samajwadi Party’s Yashvir Singh snatched the bill from his hand and tore it down. In this same Parliament, Madam Sonia Gandhi ji was the first to come and hold him by his collar.”

He added, “At that time, I told her you are not our dictator, not a queen, you cannot resort to violence. Mulayam Singh himself said the SP MPs would not have survived had the BJP not been there.” 

“Recall Canadian envoy, expel Indian envoy, freeze trade, ban RSS”: Encouraged by Trudeau, Canadian Muslim and Sikh groups make demands

OpIndia Staff
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“Recall Canadian envoy, expel Indian envoy, freeze trade, ban RSS”: Encouraged by Trudeau, Canadian Muslim and Sikh groups make demands

In serious damage to its diplomatic relations with India, the Canadian government on 19 September expelled a top Indian diplomat. This was owing to the Canadian government’s inquiry into the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar whom Justin Trudeau deems a “Canadian citizen”. Trudeau’s government, without any evidence whatsoever, suspects the role of the “agents of the Indian government” in Nijjar’s murder. Indian govt also expelled a Canadian diplomat as a retaliatory step.

No sooner did Canada announce that it is looking into the “potential link between agents of the Government of India and the killing of Canadian citizen Hardeep Singh Nijjar” than the foreign patrons of the ‘breaking India’ forces began to capitalise on the opportunity.

The National Council of Canadian Muslims (NCCM) has issued a diktat to the Justin Trudeau-led Canadian government against India. In partnership with the World Sikh Organisation of Canada (WSO), the NCCM tabled four demands before the Canadian government, namely, the immediate recalling of Canada’s Ambassador to India, the expulsion of the Indian Ambassador to Canada, formal freeze on trade negotiations between India and Canada, and banning the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

“Today, NCCM CEO Stephen Brown joined Mukhbir Singh, Board of Directors, World Sikh Organization of Canada to call for clear actions by our government in response to the alleged assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar by agents of the Government of India,” read the post shared by the NCCM on its official Instagram account.

In a Facebook post, NCCM wrote, “NCCM is calling for the killers of a fellow Canadian to be brought to justice. Along with the powerful calls for diplomatic consequences, an end to intelligence sharing and a public inquiry mentioned by the World Sikh Organization of Canada (WSO). We are calling for four additional actions:

1) The immediate recalling of Canada’s Ambassador to India

2) An initiation of the process of expulsion of the Indian Ambassador to Canada, High Commissioner Shri Sanjay Kumar Verma

3) A formal freeze on trade negotiations between India and Canada, including but not limited to the Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA).

4) Together with the WSO we today call for the immediate banning of the RSS under the listing provisions in the Criminal Code and the removal of its agents from Canada.

The Muslim and Sikh radical groups essentially called for an end to all diplomatic ties between Canada and India, and an end to intelligence sharing too.”

Notably, the statement by the NCCM was issued shortly after Trudeau’s statement. What’s more shocking is that this so-called advocacy group along with the anti-India WSO issued the statement as part of a larger press conference in the House of Commons, Ottawa. In what capacity was an advocacy group addressing a press conference in the Canadian House of Commons is a pertinent question that raises serious suspicions against the operations of the Trudeau administration.

Screenshot of the media advisory issued by the NCCM on their Instagram account

The National Council of Canadian Muslims is calls itself a “prominent civil liberties and advocacy organization”. It was formerly known as the Canadian Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR.CAN) and is reportedly the Canadian chapter of US-based Council for American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) even though it denies any association on its official website.

Organisations like the NCCM and WSO are two of several such organisations that have been pulling the strings of the Trudeau government which further heeds them and allows them such corrupt power even on administrative levels. The sheer similarity of the language used by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the NCCM and WSO calls for greater scrutiny into their links which enable anti-India voices to incite unrest in India and amongst Indians.

Uttar Pradesh: Murder accused Shahbaz killed in an encounter while trying to flee from custody after the vehicle carrying him overturned

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Murder accused Shahbaz killed in an encounter while trying to flee from custody after the vehicle carrying him overturned

A 40-year-old dacoit Shahbaz, who was involved in a murder, was killed in an encounter by Uttar Pradesh police after he tried to flee from custody. The cops were taking him to court on 19 September when the vehicle overturned and he snatched the revolver of a sub-inspector and started shooting. They retaliated which resulted in his death.

Professor Alok Gupta was murdered on the intervening night of 18 and 19 September during a robbery at his house in Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh. According to reports, the 35-year-old’s residence in the Katra police station area of Shahjahanpur district was broken into when he woke up suddenly and tried to resist the culprits who attacked him with knives and gauged out his eye. He died due to multiple knife wounds. His wife, father, brother, sister-in-law and children came to rescue him but they were also injured by the dacoits with sharp weapons.

The family members managed to capture Shahbaz and Shahroz despite their wounds, but the other hoodlums had escaped. The police arrived at the scene as soon as they received information about the occurrence and the body was sent for a post-mortem. The injured including 3 and 4-year-old children were admitted to the hospital for medical treatment.

Tension grew in the vicinity following the instance and some protestors blocked the road. The authorities opened an investigation after filing a case. A reward of Rs 75 thousand was announced for the absconding perpetrators. Several police teams have been deployed to catch them. The police also learned that Shahbaz was wanted for the death of another drug dealer.

He was apprehended by the police who then began transporting him to court during which an animal appeared on the road. The driver attempted to save it, however, he lost control and the four-wheeler flipped. Taking advantage of the situation, the offender grabbed Sub Inspector Hitesh Tomar’s service revolver from him and raced towards the fields. He opened up fire when the cops ordered him to stop.

The police then carried out defensive action and he was seriously injured by a bullet fired during the encounter. He was taken to hospital where he passed away. Shahroz who is presently in police custody is being interrogated and additional legal processes are underway. Notably, he used to work in a salon whereas the deceased drove an e-rickshaw.

As cabinet clears Women’s Reservation Bill, here’s how the I.N.D.I Alliance and others like Asaduddin Owaisi had stalled it for 27 years

OpIndia Staff
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As cabinet clears Women’s Reservation Bill, here’s how the I.N.D.I Alliance and others like Asaduddin Owaisi had stalled it for 27 years

The Union Cabinet on Monday cleared the Women’s Reservation Bill. The announcement was first made by Union Minister Prahlad Singh Patel on X, formerly Twitter. “Only the Modi government had the moral courage to fulfil the demand for women’s reservation. Which was proved by the approval of the cabinet. Congratulations PM Narendra Modi and congratulations to the PM Modi government,” the Minister was quoted as saying by ANI.

The I.N.D.I Alliance jumped to claim credit for the same with the Congress leading the credit war within the alliance. Congress General Secretary in charge of Communications Jairam Ramesh took to X, formerly Twitter, and said, “The Congress party has been demanding the implementation of women’s reservation for a long time. We welcome the Union Cabinet decision reportedly coming forward and look forward to the details of the Bill.”

“This could have been thoroughly discussed in the all-party meeting before the special session and a consensus could have been reached instead of behind-the-scenes politics,” he further added.

Former Congress President Sonia Gandhi when asked about the Bill as she entered the new Parliament House of India responded saying, “It’s ours, apna hai.”

Moreover, as the government presented the Bill in Parliament, Congress MPs continued to object to the parts of Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal’s address where he mentioned the reason for the repeated lapse of the Bill over 27 years.

Opposition parties, including those who were members of the UPA, like SP, RJD, LJP, and JDU were some of the parties whose leaders in the Parliament vehemently opposed and stalled the passage of the Bill.

The Vajpayee government introduced the Bill in the Parliament at least six times but the same was blocked thanks to the Congress. Lacking a majority, the Vajpayee government was dependent on the Opposition for consensus.

In 2010, the then-Congress government passed the Bill in the Rajya Sabha with the support of the BJP. But the Congress failed to garner consensus amongst its own partners and MPs in order to pass the Bill in the Lok Sabha.

Several House disruptions by the Opposition leaders who today are claiming credit for the Bill delayed it for 27 years. In 1998, RJD MP Surendra Prakash Yadav snatched the Bill from the hands of then Union Law Minister M. Thambi Durai. Accompanied by colleague Ajit Kumar Mehta, he then dashed to the Speaker’s table to pick up more copies in an attempt to destroy them.

Screenshot of an India Today report from 1998

The Opposition MPs, who were in power back then, created a ruckus when the bill was tabled in Rajya Sabha. Subhash Yadav (RJD), Sabir Ali (LJP), Veerpal Singh Yadav, Nand Kishore Yadav, Amir Alam Khan and Kamal Akhtar (all SP), and Ejaz Ali (Unattached), created a commotion in the house when the bill was brought in Rajya Sabha and was therefore, suspended.

Screenshot of a Press Information Bureau report from 2019

In 2010, SP member Abu Asim Azmi and his party colleagues tried to snatch the bill copy from the then-law minister Hansaraj Bhardwaj. “Take back the Women’s Reservation Bill” was among the slogans raised by the SP members from the well of the Rajya Sabha.

Screenshot of an India Today report from 2010

As if that were not enough, former SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav raked up the Muslim quota which received support from Muslim Congress MPs C.K. Jaffer Sharief and Shakeel Ahmad Khan. They supported Mulayam who disrupted the House proceedings saying, “We must stand united against the bill.”

Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal too had doubted the constitutionality of the 73rd and 74th amendments of 1993, which reserved one-third of municipal and panchayat seats for women.

In fact, in 2010, Sonia Gandhi accepted that there was opposition to the Bill from within her own party which resulted in the shelving of the legislation.

In 1997, late RJD leader Sharad Yadav told the Lok Sabha, “Kaun mahila hai, kaun nahin hai, keval baal-kati mahila bahar nahin rehne denge (Who is a woman, who is not, only short-haired women won’t be allowed). This sexist comment by the late RJD MP came at the time the Bill was in the news.

Screenshot of a report by The Indian Express from January 2023

The then SP Chief, late Mulayam Singh Yadav said that the reservation will not benefit rural women from the villages as they are not attractive enough. In 2010, he said that if the Bill is passed, the Parliament will be full of women who will invite catcalls and whistles.

While his son today is preaching that the reservation should be clear in definite percentage for backward, Dalit, minority and tribal women, his father had said in 1999, “I am not in favour of 33 per cent reservation for women. This should be reduced. It should be reduced to a maximum of 10 per cent.”

Lalu Prasad Yadav in 2010 had said that his party would oppose the Women’s Reservation Bill “tooth and nail and are even prepared to be marshalled out.” In 1998, too, Lalu spoke of the “grave threat” posed by women’s reservation to the “forces of social justice”.

JDU leaders like Mohammad Ali Ashraf Fatmi gave religious colour to the Bill saying, “When there is talk of reservation for women in this House, many social things are left behind. We and the people of our party directly believe that whenever this is considered, there should be provision for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes and backward classes within it. At that time, definitely, the 20 per cent minority people living inside India should be thought of first”.

AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi, although not part of the I.N.D.I Alliance, in 2010 termed the Bill as “regressive” and claimed that it was not in the interests of Muslims. He also claimed that the Women’s reservation bill would be a `death knell’ for his community as the House will eventually turn into a ‘Hindu Lok Sabha’.

Almost every Muslim clerical and social group, including Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind or JUH (both factions), Jamaat- e Islami Hind, All India Muslim Majlis-e Mushawarat, All India Muslim Personal Law Board and Jamiat Ahle Hadees Hind, had signed up to oppose the Bill. The JUH also organised countrywide rallies demanding the implementation of the Misra panel report and against the Bill.

Screenshot of an India Today report from 2010

What is the Women’s Reservation Bill?

According to PRS Legislative Research, the Bill seeks to reserve one-third (33%) of all seats for women in the Lok Sabha and the state legislative assemblies. One-third of the total number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes shall be reserved for women of these groups in the Lok Sabha and legislative assemblies.

Reserved seats may be allotted by rotation to different constituencies in the state of the union territory. Reservation of seats for women shall cease to exist 15 years after the commencement of the Act.

Currently, women MPs reportedly make up less than 15% of Lok Sabha’s strength and their representation is below 10% in several state assemblies.

The History of Women’s Reservation Bill

The Women’s Reservation Bill had been pending for nearly 27 years. It was first tabled in the Parliament in 1996 by the HD Deve Gowda government. But the legislation lapsed with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha.

Two years later in 1998, the Atal Bihar Vajpayee-led NDA government pushed the Bill again but it failed to garner support and lapsed again.

The Bill was subsequently reintroduced in 1999, 2002, and 2003 under the Vajpayee government but to no avail. The legislation was reintroduced in the Rajya Sabha on 6 May 2006. The Bill was eventually passed on 9 March 2010 in the Rajya Sabha.

However, the legislative lapsed in 2014 with the dissolution of the Lok Sabha and was opposed by the RJD and the Samajwadi Party as they demanded caste-wise reservation for women.

TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claims women scientists in ISRO and IIT are not getting salaries, gets instantly fact-checked by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

OpIndia Staff
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TMC MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claims women scientists in ISRO and IIT are not getting salaries, gets instantly fact-checked by Union Minister Kiren Rijiju

On 20th September, Trinamool Congress MP Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar claimed that the women scientists at ISRO are not getting their salaries. She made the remarks in her address at the Lok Sabha during the Women’s Reservation Bill discussion.

She claimed that women scientists at IIT Kharagpur and ISRO are not getting their stipends and salaries. Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar said, “The women researchers at IIT Kharagpur and women scientists at ISRO are not getting their stipend and salaries. Even after sending Chandrayaan, they are not being paid their salary.”

Minister of Earth Sciences Kiren Rijiju instantly fact-checked her false claims in the house. He said, “Every word spoken is a part of the parliamentary document. We should not mislead the house. When Kakoli Dastidar made the statement, she made a very serious allegation that was completely misleading. She said ISRO scientists are not getting regular salaries. The ISRO scientists themselves, including some of the scientists who have retired and who are in touch and regularly supporting ISRO, have clearly said that every regular employee, including those who are pensioners, is getting regular on-time salaries and pensions. The women scientists of ISRO have made special mention that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given the best support to the ISRO, and they have made the country proud.”

Misleading reports of ISRO scientists not getting salaries

The misleading reports about ISRO scientists not getting paid have been circulating since Chadrayaan-3 was launched on 14th July 2023. It was propagated that the engineers who built the Chandrayaan-3 launchpad were not paid their salaries for over a year. From The Wire to Dainik Bhaskar, all media houses used almost the same language in their headlines, with little clarity on who were these engineers.

The report originated from the News Agency IANS wire service on 15th July, one day after the launch. Several media houses picked it up as it is, including The Wire, Dainik Bhaskar and several others. In reality, it was the engineers at Heavy Engineering Corporation (HEC) in Ranchi are not paid salaries as the PSU is facing financial troubles.

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