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Rajasthan Police flip flops in Bhilwara gang rape case: First dismisses victim’s complaint as a lie, later arrests two saying rape did occur

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan Police flip flops in Bhilwara gang rape case: First dismisses victim’s complaint as a lie, later arrests two saying rape did occur

On 10th September, Rajasthan police did a flip-flop in the Bhilwara gang rape case. Initially, the police claimed that the woman had consensual sex with two men, and she had gone with them on her own. However, Bhilwara Police issued a statement clarifying that though the woman went with the accused on her own, she escaped after being gang raped.

Rajasthan Police also issued a similar statement from its official handle and deleted an old tweet where they claimed that the woman was not gang raped.

The flip-flop by Rajasthan Police

On 10th September, at 11:05 AM, Rajasthan Police issued a statement from its official handle claiming that the woman who was found naked on Aamli Road was neither kidnapped nor gang raped. They said that during the investigation, the police found the woman ‘lied’ as she was scared of her husband. Furthermore, in a follow-up post, the police said her medical was done at the hospital, and they found call recordings with the accused on her phone.

Source: BefittingFacts/X

At 2:59 PM, Bhilwara Police issued a statement saying the accused had been arrested. Police categorically said gang rape was confirmed, but the kidnapping complaint was found to be fake. The accused were known to the woman. She escaped after they raped her.

At 3:45 PM, Rajasthan Police’s office X handle issued another statement on the matter, removing the part that she was not gang-raped and adding that the accused were arrested. In their later tweet, the police confirmed that the forceful sexual acts against the woman were confirmed after an investigation, contradicting their earlier dismissal.

The post where they claimed the woman was not gang raped was deleted.

Source: X

Bhilwara incident

On 9th September, a woman was found naked on a road in Bhilwara, Rajasthan. She had claimed that accused men gang-raped her. She had said that the accused individuals had fled, taking away her clothes after gang-raping her. When later seen on the street crying for help, the woman received no assistance as bystanders assumed she was mentally disturbed. A passerby eventually took notice of her distress and contacted the police. Upon receiving this alert, law enforcement officers arrived at the scene and rescued the woman.

The incident occurred within the jurisdiction of the Gangapur police station in the Bhilwara district. After being rescued by the police, the woman said that on the night of 9th September 2023, after having her meal, she had set out for a walk. However, she was forcibly abducted by three young men who forced her into a jeep during her stroll. Subsequently, the culprits subjected her to a harrowing gang rape. After committing this heinous act, the accused left the woman unclothed.

Police probe finds the woman had gone with the men willingly

However, later, the police claimed that the matter was found to be false and the woman was with the men out of her own will. According to police, they found a voice recording on the victim’s phone at the spot, which allegedly ‘exposed’ the case.

The police have said that the 25-year-old woman is from Odisha, and she was married to a 50-year-old disabled man through a broker 6 years ago. As per phone records, she talked to one Chhotu Sargara, a resident of Amli Gangapur, from 7 to 7.51 PM. Chhotu Sargara told her that he was Girdhari’s friend, and Girdhari wanted to meet her. Girdhari is a former acquaintance of the woman. Discussions on money were held during this call.

The woman agreed to meet them accordingly and came out of the house after having dinner on the pretext of a walk. Chhotu and Girdhari were waiting at a distance, and they brought her towards on the Amli road on a two-wheeler. The two men were allegedly drunk.

According to the police, all three went to the ruins of a building near the Amli road and had sex with her one by one. However, when the two men insisted on keeping her for the whole night, she disagreed and wanted to go home. There were also disputes regarding money. This led to an argument between them, and the accused took her clothes and refused to give them to her. As a result, she got scared and ran naked towards the road. A passerby spotted her, covered her with a shawl, and called the police.

Police said that the woman gave wrong facts in the beginning due to the fear of her husband, as she feared that he would leave her if he knew the fact. Both the men, Chhotu Sargara and Girdhari, who had fled from the spot have been detained by the police.

Kidnapping allegations were found to be false, but rape did occur, confirms police

Even if kidnapping charges are dropped after the recent revelations, they could be booked under other charges for trying to forcefully keep her against her will, forcing sex, and taking away her clothes. However, within hours of the initial statement, Rajasthan Police changed the statement and said that though the woman went with the men willingly and there was no ‘kidnapping’, the sexual acts were confirmed after the medical examination.

Bhilwara police confirms that rape did occur

The woman has complained that she was forced to have sex against her will and was threatened and harassed by the accused men. This puts a question on the police’s earlier statement that had outright dismissed the rape allegation and had tried to paint the victim woman as a liar.

‘I wanted to hurt him’: Shoaib Akhtar heard saying how he bowled to cause life-threatening injury to Sachin Tendulkar, had done it to Dhoni too

OpIndia Staff
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‘I wanted to hurt him’: Shoaib Akhtar heard saying how he bowled to cause life-threatening injury to Sachin Tendulkar, had done it to Dhoni too

On Sunday (September 10), a video of Shoaib Akhtar went viral on social media wherein he was heard boasting about his deliberate attempt to cause life-threatening injury to former Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar.

“I want to reveal this today that I really wanted to injure Sachin in that match…I was determined to hurt Sachin at any cost in that match…And I kept at it although Inzamam-ul-Haq asked to bowl in front of the wickets,” the former Pakistani pacer confessed to his ‘unsportsmanlike behaviour.’

Without any visible signs of remorse, he continued, “So I deliberately hit on his helmet and even thought that he (Sachin) would be dead…I saw the replay and found that the ball hit on his forehead…I then tried to injure him again.”

Shoaib Akhtar was talking about the infamous 3rd Test match played between India and Pakistan at the National Stadium in 2006. He made the contentious claims during an interview with Sportskeeda in June 2022. A clip of the interview has now gone viral on social media.

Shoaib Akhtar confesses to deliberately bowling a beamer to MS Dhoni

This was not the first time that the former Pakistani pacer had confessed to deliberately hurting Indian players during a cricket match.

While talking to Sports Tak in October 2021, Shoaib Akhtar conceded that he intentionally bowled a ‘deadly beamer’ to Mahendra Singh Dhoni during the Faisalabad Test match between India and Pakistan in 2006.

The Pakistani pacer said, “I had made the same mistake with Dhoni in Faisalabad. I had thrown a beamer at him intentionally. Dhoni is such a nice guy and I respect him. I felt very bad about it. Yes, he is a good player who hit me for a few runs. Why did I decide to attack him (with a beamer)? If the ball would have hit Dhoni, he would have been grievously hurt (do-teen-paanch) in 2005 itself.”

It must be mentioned that bowling a beamer is illegal during a cricket match. In the said delivery, the ball does not bounce and is tossed high by the bowler. Such a delivery has the chance of causing fatal head and facial injuries to a batsman.

While most of such beamers are delivered mistakenly, Shoaik Akhtar did it intentionally despite being fully aware of the possible consequences. A no-ball is awarded and the bowler gets a warning from the umpire.

On repeating the same offence during the match, he can be barred from bowling in the rest of the match.

Pakistan: Christian couple arrested for ‘blasphemy’ in Lahore, less than a month after Jaranwala hate crimes shocked the world

ANI
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Pakistan: Christian couple arrested for ‘blasphemy’ in Lahore, less than a month after Jaranwala hate crimes shocked the world

People criticized the security agencies after they took a Christian couple in custody over an alleged blasphemy case that was registered against them for allegedly desecrating a copy of the Holy Quran in Lahore on Saturday. 

According to Dawn, Taimur, a resident of Harbanspura, filed a complaint with the police, saying he was standing at a food shop on a street near the Rangers headquarters when he saw some pages being thrown from the roof of a nearby house. 
He picked up the pages, which were found to be from the Holy Quran. 

The North Cantonment police registered a blasphemy case against the woman, identified as Kiran and her husband Shaukat Masih for their alleged involvement in desecrating the holy scripture. The case was filed under Section 295-b of the Pakistan Penal Code. 

SP Awais Shafique told the media that both suspects had been arrested and were now awaiting legal proceedings, the Dawn reported.

Faraz Parvaiz, who himself was accused of blasphemy by FIA tweeted, “Christians are under attack in Pakistan. The notorious group #TLP Extremist’s is carrying out rallies in #Lahore which is an alarming situation for #Chrsitians in #Pakistan. #Barelvi #TLP Extremist’s in #Lahore file #blasphemy case, under Section 295B, against a #Christian couple for allegedly tearing pages of the Quran”. 

There has been a sudden rise in cases of false blasphemy accusations against the members of the minority community in Pakistan. In many cases, the people take law into their hands and carry out violent attacks on the houses and places of worship. 

According to the DND news agency, over the past three months, an alarming pattern has emerged in Sargodha in Punjab province, with at least five complaints linked to accusations of blasphemy filed against Christians. 

The religious-political party, Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), has orchestrated an aggressive campaign surrounding these alleged blasphemy cases, stoking suspicion against Christians and inciting protests demanding the apprehension of the accused individuals. 

It was reported that August 16, 2023, marked a tragic day for the Christian community in Jaranwala. 

A brutal and destructive attack unfolded, resulting in the desecration of 24 churches, some reduced to rubble, and the widespread looting and burning of hundreds of homes across 11 areas in the Faisalabad district. 

This eruption of violence was triggered by unfounded rumours and allegations of blasphemy targeting a Christian resident in Jaranwala’s Christian Town.

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

Panini’s ‘Ashtadhyayi’, Rig Veda, Konark Wheel, and more: The significant artefacts displayed at Bharat Mandapam during G20 Summit

OpIndia Staff
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Panini’s ‘Ashtadhyayi’, Rig Veda, Konark Wheel, and more: The significant artefacts displayed at Bharat Mandapam during G20 Summit

On 9 and 10 September, Bharat hosted the G20 leaders summit in the Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi. At the summit venue, the Ministry of Culture showcased a unique international project, ‘Culture Corridor- G20 Digital Museum’ which was unveiled on the 9th of September, the first day of the leaders summit.

An official statement said, “This project is based on India’s G20 theme ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ and the Culture Working Group’s (CWG) hallmark campaign ‘Culture Unites All.” 

As per the official statement, the culture corridor represented and celebrated the shared heritage of G20 members and invitee countries. The corridor incorporated iconic and notable cultural objects and the heritage of the G20 members and nine invitee countries.

During the course of the event, several Iconic art objects both in physical and digital forms were displayed in this curated temporary ‘art corridor’ which was established especially for the grand occasion.

Nataraja statue at the Bharat Mandapam. Image Source: Edunovations

At the outset, the venue, Bharat Mandapam, showcased a grand statue of Natraj, Shhank (Conch Shell), Surya Dwar, and Pragati Chakra (Wheel of Prosperity) among others. 

Following the theme “Culture Unite All”, the Mandapam celebrated the rich cultural heritage of Indian states, for example – Silver filigree artefacts represented Telangana, there was colourful jewellery from Nagaland and Eri – the Millenium Silk from Assam at the crafts bazaar to celebrate the rich and diverse heritage of India.

Similarly, there were many artefacts that celebrated the cherished democratic values throughout Bhartiya civilisation and throughout the world. These included artefacts like Rig Veda Manuscripts, a copy of the Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the citizen National Assembly from France; a copy of charters of freedom from the USA, and a Poster of the first democratic general election Republic of Korea.

As per the theme, ‘Culture Unites All’, the special museum included iconic artefacts of other G20 or invitee nations as well. These include ‘Batik Sarong Textiles from Indonesia, a Model of Brazil’s National Parliament, Poncho from Argentina, miniature replica models of the Volkswagen Old Beetle from Germany, a bronze statue of Apollo Belvedere from Italy, and Nendoroid Hastune Miku from Japan among others.

Canada – Sea Monster transformation mask (Image Source – Asianet Newsable)
Germany – VW Beetle miniature models (Image Source – Asianet Newsable)

To celebrate India’s high civilisational legacy, the Bharat Mandapam showcased Panini’s grammar treatise ‘Ashtadhyayi’, the Rig Veda inscription, and digital images of Bhimbhetka cave paintings in Madhya Pradesh which dates back to approximately 30,000 years.

Panini’s Ashtadhyayi

The Ashtadhyayi manuscript is an iconic grammar treatise that was composed in the 5th-6th century BCE by the celebrated grammarian Panini. 

The text has eight chapters and 4,000 sutras, and it talks about the science of Vedic phonetics and grammar. The grammar in Ashtadhyayi has been compared to the Turing machine which is said to be an idealised mathematical model that reduces the logical structure of any computing device to its essentials.

(Image Source – ANI)

As per the official statement, by allowing elements of earlier rules to recur subsequently, Panini anticipated the idea of computer programs by over 2,500 years. 

Historian A.L. Basham underlined the text’s significance in the following words– “Panini’s grammar is one of the greatest intellectual achievements of any ancient civilisation, and the most detailed and scientific grammar composed before the 19th century in any part of the world.”
The summit also brought the country’s architectural heritage to the spotlight by the replica of the majestic Konark Wheel and the ancient Nalanda University in Bihar.

Evidently, on Saturday night (9th September) President Droupadi Murmu and Prime Minister Narendra Modi welcomed the guests for the ceremonial dinner hosted for various heads of state and other world leaders and their spouses at the Bharat Mandapam venue. The background at the site where the President greeted the guests had a replica of the ancient Nalanda University, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Bihar.

Whereas, the Konark wheel replica served as the backdrop for the place where Prime Minister Narendra Modi warmly received the arriving leaders and marked the beginning of the G20 Summit.

25 dog bite cases reported in a single day in Ghaziabad, administration issues advisory

OpIndia Staff
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25 dog bite cases reported in a single day in Ghaziabad, administration issues advisory

On 9th September, over 25 cases of dog bites were reported in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Two of the victims were reportedly in serious condition. On the same day, the administration issued an advisory on what to be done and not done in dog bite cases.

As per reports, a 38-year-old woman named Gita who is a resident of Bhim Nagar Colony in Vijay Nagar, went out for a walk at night. A pack of dogs circled and attacked her. The neighbours heard her screams and rushed to save her. Her husband Sanjay admitted her to MMG hospital where she was administered anti-rabies vaccination.

On Thursday, a student named Rohan was bitten by a pet dog in the presence of the dog’s owner. Allegedly the owner didn’t do anything to protect the boy from his dog’s attack. A complaint has been filed against the owner and police have launched an investigation.

The health department issued an advisory on 9th September in which District Surveillance Officer Dr RK Gupta listed dos and don’ts in case of a dog bite. Copies of the advisory were sent to government departments and MLCs, Village Chief, RWA and NGOs.

India has a serious problem of stray dogs attacking people. Several cases of dog bites have been reported in September month itself. On September 9, CCTV footage surfaced from Amroha where stray dogs were seen attacking a toddler. The small boy can be seen fleeing away from the dog as the canine hurries up to capture and attack the boy.

On September 5, a 5-year-old girl was dragged from her home by the dogs and was brutally attacked. The minor was rescued only after the mother of the girl screamed for help gathering the neighbours. The girl was then shifted to a hospital for treatment but no anti-rabies vaccine was available. The girl was then provided with the vaccine by one of the neighbours who had got the vaccine for himself after he was attacked by a dog.

Further, it was reported on the same day that a 14-year-old boy from Ghaziabad had lost his life one and a half months after he was bitten by a dog. The boy didn’t inform about the dog bite at home and failed to take the anti-rabies vaccine, as a result of which his health deteriorated and he died. The boy was also taken to around 3-4 hospitals for treatment but he could not be saved.

A 70-year-old retired doctor was bitten to death by a pack of dogs while out on a morning walk on the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) campus in April of this year. Last year, strays killed a five-year-old girl in Agra, while dogs killed a 12-year-old boy in Bareilly in May.

In the last couple of decades, India has become the world leader in Rabies deaths. OpIndia’s detailed report on Rabies can be checked here.

‘I have read many Hindu books, there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does’: Rahul Gandhi again attacks BJP from foreign soil

OpIndia Staff
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‘I have read many Hindu books, there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does’: Rahul Gandhi again attacks BJP from foreign soil

On 8 September, Congress scion Rahul Gandhi, as part of his almost week-long Europe tour, addressed students and academicians at the Sciences PO university in Paris. During the event, he shared the stage with Hinduphobic author Christophe Jaffrelot, who has written against India, Indian courts, BJP, PM Modi, and was part of the ‘Dismantling Hindutva’ event. Through his interaction, the Congress leader targeted the ruling party in India, that is the BJP, from foreign soil yet again.

The Wayanad MP claimed that the BJP wants to remain in power at any cost and it could do anything for that. Going further, Gandhi claimed that there was nothing Hindu that the BJP does. 

During the interaction, a student said that in many of his interactions, he had found that many of his friends and relatives have been affected by ‘Hindu nationalist’ rhetoric. Afterwards, he posed a question to Rahul Gandhi asking him what the stand of the coalition government would be vis-a-vis Hinduism in the ‘Post-BJP’ era.  

In reply, Rahul Gandhi said, “I have read the ‘Gita’, I have read a number of the Upanishads, I’ve read many Hindu books; there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does, absolutely nothing.”

Going further, the Congress leader claimed that no Hindu book, seemingly for political subtleties revered religious books just become ordinary Hindu books, talk about ‘terrorising’ or oppressing the weak. He also argued that the BJP has nothing to do with Hindus and their acts have no Hinduness.   

Rahul Gandhi said, “I have not read anywhere, in no Hindu book, from no learned Hindu person have I ever heard that you should terrorise, harm people who are weaker than you. So, this idea, this word, Hindu nationalists, this is a wrong word. They’re not Hindu nationalists. They have nothing to do with Hinduism. They are out to get power at any cost, and they will do anything to get power. They want dominance of a few people and that is what they are about. There is nothing Hindu about them.”

His remarks come at a time when the Congress party and its alliance partners in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc are facing the heat for a spree of hate speeches against Sanatan Dharma (Hinduism) and have called out for its eradication. Pertinent to note that Gandhi, who claims to be a Janeudhari Brahmin didn’t talk about constant attacks against Hinduism and rugged it under the carpet while asserting that minorities are under attack in India.

Further, using the unfound trope of 40% vs. 60% pro and against the government, the former Congress President claimed that 60 percent of India voted for the opposition parties while just 40 percent voted for the ruling party. Using that argument, the Congress leader claimed that it is wrong to assume that the majority community is voting for the BJP. 

He said, “So this idea that the majority community is voting for the BJP, this is a wrong idea. The majority community actually votes more for us than they vote for them.” 

It is important to note that these binary mathematical calculations claiming that a clear divide between – for and against don’t hold water in a multi-party democratic system.  

During the interaction, Rahul Gandhi also talked about the ongoing India-Bharat rename row. He highlighted that the Constitution begins with “India that is Bharat, a Union of States”, and permits the usage of both names, India and Bharat. 

However, the Congress leader argued that by changing nomenclature the ruling party has been trying to erase or change history which according to him should be embraced as it is.  

He said, “The Constitution uses both names. I don’t see any problem. Both names are acceptable. But I think we irritated govt by naming our alliance INDIA. There is something deeper going on. People who want to change their name or anything are basically trying to deny history. They don’t want the history of our country to be known to our future generations.” 

PM Modi conveys strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of Khalistani elements in Canada during ‘pull-aside’ meeting with PM Trudeau

OpIndia Staff
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PM Modi conveys strong concerns about continuing anti-India activities of Khalistani elements in Canada during ‘pull-aside’ meeting with PM Trudeau

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Canadian counterpart Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on the sidelines of the 18th Group of 20 Summit (G20 Summit) which was taking place in Delhi, India. The discussion happened on 10 September and both the leaders talked about the connections between their two countries in multiple sectors. During this pull-aside meeting, PM conveyed strong concerns of India over the continuous anti-India activities by Khalistanis in Canada.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated PM Modi for the historic success of the summit. Notably, the latter pointed out the use of Canadian soil for anti-India and Hinduphobic activities by pro-Khalistan elements. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, “Prime Minister highlighted that India-Canada relations are anchored in shared democratic values, respect for rule of law and strong people-to-people ties. He conveyed our strong concerns about the continuing anti-India activities of extremist elements in Canada.”

PM Modi firmly conveyed that Khalistan fundamentalists are threatening the Indian community in Canada and their places of worship, encouraging secessionism, provoking violence against Indian diplomats and damaging diplomatic facilities.

The release further read, “The nexus of such forces with organized crime, drug syndicates and human trafficking should be a concern for Canada as well. It is essential for the two countries to cooperate in dealing with such threats. Prime Minister also mentioned that a relationship based on mutual respect and trust is essential for the progress of the India-Canada relationship.”

Interestingly, Narendra Modi held bilateral meetings with world leaders including US President Joe Biden, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron, among others, however, it was a ‘pull-aside meeting on the sidelines’ with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

A pull-aside meeting is not a formal bilateral meeting and is ranked below a bilateral meeting. A pull-aside meeting can take place whenever two leaders meet.

Meanwhile, the Canadian Prime Minister addressed a press conference in the national capital where he replied to questions on Khalistan extremism. “Over the years, with PM Modi, we have had many conversations on both of those issues.” He claimed to defend freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and freedom of peaceful protest and stated that these rights were of utmost importance to his country. He stated, “At the same time we are always there to prevent violence and to push back against hatred.”

He further alleged, “I think on the issue of the community, it is important to remember that the actions of the few do not represent the entire community or Canada. The flip side of it, we also highlighted the importance of respecting the rule of law and we did talk about foreign interference,” on the matters of Khalistan and foreign interference.

He termed India “an extraordinarily important economy in the world and an important partner to Canada.” The relationship between India and Canada is strained due to the presence of separatist organisations in the maple country that support Khalistan. The vandalisation of Hindu temples, attacks on the Indian high commission, threats to Indian diplomats working in the high commission and the discretion of Indian tricolour at the hands of Sikh fanatics is a regular occurrence.

The government of Canada has shied away from taking stern action against the Khalistani extremists in its country and catered to vote bank politics despite repeated objections from India which has resulted in the souring of diplomatic relationships between the two countries.

Watch the interaction below:

Canadian Media says Trudeau invisible India

While PM Modi didn’t have a formal bilateral talk with PM Trudeau, Canadian media is filled with reports that the Canadian PM has been invisible at the G20 Summit. Reportedly, Justin Trudeau was mostly snubbed by other G20 leaders, not just India, and he didn’t participate much at various events of the summit. Toronto Sun reported that Modi denied Trudeau’s requests for an official bilateral meeting, and the US President didn’t meet him even though Joe Biden held bilateral talks with heads of Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, Mauritius and Bangladesh.

The Toronto Sun further added that “a pull-aside meeting is a very informal kind of meeting that can happen in hallways, even in kitchens”. The publication noted that Canada’s relations have deteriorated with both China and India, which is a major concern, and said that the PM is to be blamed for this. “Like he has done with Canadian voters, Trudeau has alienated himself from many world leaders. They likely are looking forward to a change in Ottawa as much as the convention goers in Quebec City were this weekend,” the report stated.

According to journalist Aditya Raj Kaul, Canadian journalists were wondering if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is even present at the G20 Summit in New Delhi, due to his absence from major announcements and photo ops. He said that no global leader or media has mentioned him, and was given a cold shoulder.

While the G20 leaders and other invited leaders had several bilateral meetings with each other during the G20 Summit, Justin Trudeau had only one bilateral, with World Bank President Ajay Banga. Interestingly, the Canadian press accompanying him could not cover this meeting because they were not informed about it on time. The Canadian PM also skipped the G20 leaders dinner.

Man gives triple talaq to wife over phone from Saudi Arabia for not receiving cash and gold chain in dowry

OpIndia Staff
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Man gives triple talaq to wife over phone from Saudi Arabia for not receiving cash and gold chain in dowry

Rihanna Bano, daughter of Naushad Ali in Barabanki district of UP was harassed by her in-laws after the demand of Rs 1.5 lakh cash and gold chain as dowry was not met by her family members. She accused that her husband, Mohammad Zafar, son of Mohammad Shami who is presently working in Saudi Arabia, gave her triple talaq over the phone for not getting the demanded dowry.

The matter pertained to the Asandra police station in Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh. Police have registered a case against three accused including the spouse and started an investigation.

The victim who is a resident of Supamau village informed that her marriage took place on 13 June 2019 with Mohammad Zafar of Begum Purwa 10 number Safed Colony, Babu Purwa police station, Kanpur district. After her husband left for Saudi Arabia, Manjhiya Sameer and her mother-in-law Ayesha Bano started assaulting her.

Her husband then pronounced triple talaq over the phone from the gulf country. The police didn’t take any action on her complaint and she went to court for assistance. Amar Chaurasia, the in charge of the Asandra police station ordered the arrest of the perpetrators on the orders of the court. All of them have been charged with dowry harassment and other offences.

Ban on Triple Talaq in India

The triple talaq is a form of divorce that was practised in Islam, whereby a Muslim man could legally divorce his wife by pronouncing talaq (the Arabic word for divorce) three times. The pronouncement could be oral or written, or, in recent times, delivered by electronic means such as telephone, text, email or social media. He did not need to cite any cause for the divorce and the spouse need not have been present at the time of pronouncement. 

The Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2019 passed on 30 July 2019 after a very long discussion finally got the verdict (the Indian Supreme Court judgement of August 2017) to all women. It made the practice illegal in India on 1 August 2019 and replaced the triple talaq ordinance promulgated in February 2019.

It stipulated that instant triple talaq (talaq-e-biddat) in any form (spoken, written, or by electronic means such as email or text) is illegal and void with up to three years in jail for the husband. Under the new law, an aggrieved woman is entitled to demand maintenance for her dependent children.

The bill followed a 2017 Supreme Court ruling that the practice of instant triple talaq is unconstitutional and a divorce pronounced by uttering talaq three times in one sitting is void and illegal.

Congress and I.N.D.I.A. bloc promoted SRK’s Jawan and used it to attack the Modi govt, the actor thanks PM Modi for a successful G20 Summit and fostering unity

OpIndia Staff
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Congress and I.N.D.I.A. bloc promoted SRK’s Jawan and used it to attack the Modi govt, the actor thanks PM Modi for a successful G20 Summit and fostering unity

Since the release of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer ‘Jawan’ on 7 September, leaders of the Congress, its alliance partners in the I.N.D.I.A. bloc, and their ecosystem have been actively promoting the film and giving it political spin. On 9 September, the National Spokesperson of the Congress Party Supriya Shrinate wrote a lengthy post heaping praises for the film. 

The Congress leader Shrinate called the movie “bold” and “brave” claiming that the movie rightfully teaches voters what they should and shouldn’t do before casting their crucial vote in elections. Through the movie review, Shrinate insinuated that the film validated issues that the opposition parties and their leaders have been raising among the voters.

Following her tweet, the Congress General Secretary-in-charge of communication, Jairam Ramesh took it further. In a PR bid, the Congress leader threw an open challenge to the Union government and dared them to screen the film ‘Jawan’ in the New Parliament building. 

Taking to X, he said, “Gadar-2 was shown in the new Parliament building a few days back. Will the Modi Sarkar have the courage to screen Jawan as well?”

Apart from the functionaries of the Congress party and its ecosystem, leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc too had a field day doing PR work for SRK’s film. The ecosystem specifically shared one dialogue where SRK’s character said, “Jo aapse vote maang raha hai aap unsee sawal pucho. Pucho unse ki agle 5 saal tak mere liye kya karoge.” (Translation – Pose questions to the leader who is seeking votes from you. Ask him what he plans to do for you in the next five years.)

TMC leader and rabid fake news peddler Saket Gokhale claimed that the cinematic records of SRK’s film ‘Jawan’ would rightly indicate the ‘Mood of the nation’, hinting that if it does well at the box office it would be a warning sign for the ruling party at Centre.

Shah Rukh Khan lauds PM Modi for fostering unity on national and International stage

The leaders and ecosystem of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc shared posts taking cues from a ‘fictionised’ film to corner the ruling party, BJP and PM Modi who has two decades of active experience in governance. However, the opposition’s PR bid and measures to corner the Union government through ‘Jawan’ seem to have been foiled by the film’s main lead, Shah Rukh Khan himself. 

Taking to X, Shah Rukh Khan lauded PM Modi for successfully hosting the G20 Presidency in India and forging unity between nations. The Bollywood suyperstar also praised PM Modi’s leadership claiming that under him, the citizens will prosper not in isolation but in Oneness.

He said, “Congratulations to Honorable PM Modi ji for the success of India’s G20 Presidency and for fostering unity between nations for a better future for the people of the world. It has brought a sense of honour and pride into the hearts of every Indian. Sir, under your leadership, we will prosper not in isolation but in Oneness. One Earth, One Family, One Future.”

Earlier, when the opposition leaders were averse to the idea of New Parliament building, Shah Rukh Khan participated in PM Modi’s initiated campaign ‘My Parliament My Pride’ and gave his voice to the video showcasing the New Parliament. 

G20 Summit: Italian PM tells Chinese premier that Italy plans to leave the Belt and Road Initiative, after signing India-Middle East-Europe Corridor MoU

OpIndia Staff
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G20 Summit: Italian PM tells Chinese premier that Italy plans to leave the Belt and Road Initiative, after signing India-Middle East-Europe Corridor MoU

In a major development during the ongoing G20 Summit in New Delhi, Italy informed China about its intention to leave the Belt and Road Initiative. According to reports, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni privately told Chinese Premier Li Quiang about Italy’s plan to pull out of the initiative during a bilateral meeting on Saturday on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Delhi. This comes just a day after Italy along with 7 other countries signed the MoU India – Middle East – Europe Economic Corridor, which has been viewed as an answer to the BRI of China.

According to a report by Italian media house Corriere Della Sera, Giorgia Meloni had a meeting with Li Quiang in a room at the G20 Summit venue. After the meeting was over, officials told the media that the ‘question of the Silk Road was been brought at the highest levels of discussion.’ The officials indicated that the Italian PM had informed her Chinese counterpart that Italy intends to exit the strategic project.

However, the Italian PM clarified that the decision was not influenced by the USA, adding that the relations between Beijing and Rome can continue to be positive and even grow without the BRI project. She talked about revitalising strategic partnership agreements with China with other ties, in an effort to ensure that withdrawing from the Belt and Road Initiative does not mean abandoning ties with China.

While Li Qiang asked Meloni to have a rethink over the issue, he appreciated Italy’s intention to leave the project but maintain trade and political relations with China, Corriere Della Sera wrote. The publication added that the Italian PM was relieved that the conversation was fruitful and that she was able to explain her government’s position to the Chinese premier.

Italy is the only G7 nation to have entered the Belt and Road Initiative of China, a global trade and infrastructure plan modelled on the old Silk Road that linked imperial China and the West. For some time, Italy has been considering leaving the initiative, as the country is not happy with its outcome. Ahead of the G20 Summit, Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani had said last week that trade between Italy and China has not improved as expected since Rome joined Beijing’s Belt and Road Initiative four years ago.

He had said, “We want to continue to work closely with China, but we must also analyse exports; the Belt and Road Initiative has not produced the results we were hoping for.” During G7 Summit last year Italian PM Mario Draghi had remarked that China’s expansionist ‘Road and Belt initiative’ will be assessed carefully.

While not discussed officially, Italy being part of the BRI has been a matter of concern among other G7 nations. Italy will be the G7 president next year, and it is expected that it will leave the Chinese initiative within this year.

Yesterday at the G20 Summit in Delhi, India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, France, Germany, Italy, and the European Union Commission have jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEE EC). This corridor is set to be a rival to the BRI of China.  This initiative aims to foster economic development by bolstering connectivity and economic integration across Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

The IMEE EC will comprise two distinct shipping corridors: the East Corridor linking India to West Asia/Middle East and the Northern Corridor connecting West Asia/Middle East to Europe. The two shipping corridors will be linked by a railway track in the Middle East, covering UAE, Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Israel.

Piraeus Port of Italy is set to be the gateway to Europe under this corridor. Therefore, Italy is set to be a huge beneficiary of the project.

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