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Tamil Nadu Police books BJP leader Amit Malviya for calling Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment on Sanatan Dharma a call for genocide, says comment ‘distorted’

OpIndia Staff
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Tamil Nadu Police books BJP leader Amit Malviya for calling Udhayanidhi Stalin’s comment on Sanatan Dharma a call for genocide, says comment ‘distorted’

On September 6, Tiruchirappalli police said in a statement that they have filed an FIR against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) IT Cell head Amit Malviya following a complaint suggesting he ‘distorted’ DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatan Dharma. Speaking to PTI news agency, police said a case of deliberately misrepresenting Stalin’s remarks to cause disharmony and enmity among different sections of society has been registered against Malviya.

As per reports, the complainant said that Udhayanidhi Stalin gave a speech at an event held by Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Forum where he said that Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated like mosquitoes, malaria, dengue and corona. The complainant claimed Malviya distorted the statement and posted on social media that Stalin called for the genocide of Hindus.

In a post, Amit Malviya said, “Udhayanidhi Stalin, son of Tamilnadu CM MK Stalin, and a minister in the DMK Govt, has linked Sanatana Dharma to malaria and dengue… He is of the opinion that it must be eradicated and not merely opposed. In short, he is calling for genocide of 80% population of Bharat, who follow Sanatan Dharma. DMK is a prominent member of the Opposition block and a long standing ally of the Congress. Is this what was agreed in the Mumbai meet?”

Notably, Udhayanidhi and Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge were booked by Uttar Pradesh police on the complaint of a lawyer, Ram Singh Lodhi, for “outraging religious sentiments”. Both were booked under Sections 295A and 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Rampur Police said, “A case has been registered against Udhayanidhi for his statement calling for the eradication of Sanatana Dharma and against Kharge for supporting the statement.”

In his complaint, Lodhi said, “Udhayanidhi compared Sanatana Dharma with diseases like dengue and malaria, and said it should be eradicated… This remark hurt the religious feelings of Sanatanis like me and should be seen as an act of creating hatred among people.”

Udhayanidhi wants to ‘eradicate’ Sanatan Dharma

On 2nd September, the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development of Tamil Nadu, Udhayanidhi Stalin, went on a tirade against Sanatan Dharma on social media.

The development came hours after he courted controversy for comparing the Hindu civilisational, religious philosophy with ‘malaria’ and ‘dengue.’ While talking to X (formerly Twitter), Udhayanidhi Stalin wrote, “Sanatan Dharma is a principle that divides people in the name of caste and religion.”

“Uprooting Sanatan Dharma is upholding humanity and human equality…I spoke on behalf of the oppressed & marginalised who suffer from the Sanatan Dharma. I spoke on behalf of the oppressed & marginalised, who suffer due to the Sanatan Dharma,” he said.

“Let me reiterate the crucial aspect of my speech: I believe, like the spread of diseases like COVID-19, Dengue, and Malaria by mosquitoes, that Sanatan Dharma is responsible for many social evils,” he further emphasised.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, his statement on Sanatan Dharma and 3 steps to tackle it: Annamalai, following the money trail and painstaking groundwork

Ganesh R
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Udhayanidhi Stalin, his statement on Sanatan Dharma and 3 steps to tackle it: Annamalai, following the money trail and painstaking groundwork

The recent hate speech by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin’s son and minister as well as anointed heir to the throne, Udhayanidhi Stalin against Hindus has produced a variety of interesting responses from Hindus – both inside and outside the right wing or BJP ecosystem.

Before we get to that, let us understand a few things clearly. Because it puts things in perspective and helps us in responding.

  1. This is nothing new. Anti-Hindu statements are as hold as the hills when it comes to DMK and its affiliate parties.
  2. Open admiration for and worship of Islam & Christianity is also nothing new. Whether this is due to electoral, financial or other considerations you can guess yourself. 
  3. One hint – they rarely express admiration for Buddhism, an indigenous faith, that has none of the “defects” they claim are part of Hinduism. Ambedkar, first among those genuinely trying to uplift the downtrodden, embraced it for that reason. Is it because it is not proselytising and doesn’t have billions of dollars to back it up? Is it because its followers don’t believe in violence as a remedy No 1?
  4. In other words, their rationalism has been a farce for a long, long time. Lack of faith in Hindu gods is just one among a long list of things they don’t believe in – integrity, decency, respect for others, obedience to law and civilised conduct. Ask the late Jayalalitha. 
  5. It is exactly because their rationalism is a farce, it has been a grand failure. Remember, they had nearly six decades of continuous rule – almost twice as long as Marxists had in Bengal. Yet today TN is far more religious than it has ever been! There are holy ashes on the foreheads of lots and lots of people and temples are still well patronised. The challenge from evangelist dollars is altogether a different topic and I am ignoring it for this purpose.
  6. As if that’s not enough, within DMK itself, today you see ministers sporting Kumkum or Ashes on foreheads, something for which they were expelled not too long ago! Is this newfound tolerance or practical realisation that their Hindu hate stock in trade has ceased to be a vote puller, I leave it to you to guess.
  7. Yet another factor is that there are other ‘competitors’ that have picked up the same anti-Brahmin/Hindu theme and DMK cannot be seen as abandoning it. They are far more abusive and even violent. It is to the credit of ADMK that they have not fallen in this trap.
  8. I think this anti-Brahmin/Hindu hate is being worked up mainly to cover up the fact that the entire “movement” has degenerated into a business venture that empowers and enriches one family.  
  9. Remember, Sri Lankan issue, which was milked for years by the first family has now been demonetised. No more farcical “fast unto death” from 9am to 12noon when the biriyani is ready to be served. What is left? Go back to anti-Hindu hate. 

Let us now turn to the issue of handling this latest challenge.

I am amused to see Twitteratti and others trying to “educate” the DMK on Sanatana Dharma or point out the fact that Tamil Nadu has been Hindu for aeons. They know this. It is a waste of time.

It is also pointless to get into wordplay with them about Sanatana, Hinduism, Hindutva and so on. They are far better in that game and will beat you in straight sets. After all, to quote a Subramanya Bharati phrase, they are nothing but “warriors of the tongue”. The “genocide” charge, while perfectly valid, was washed off in no time by their ecosystem, by making silly comparisons to “Congress mukt”. This is exactly how they operate.

It is also pointless to mount lawsuits, even if our woke lordships will simply not smile at the threat of violence or genocide on Hindus as Justice Thomas did. It will not be settled in our lifetimes anyway. Unless you change your name to Ranaa Ayuub.

Asking for an apology is also pointless, especially after the entire ecosystem has backed him up. It will help them to move on. To another set of hate speech and abuse.

Then what can be done? Simply ignore? Rollover and play dead? 

NO!

My suggestion is simple – let people like Annamalai handle it. Any number of North Indians of any caste, let alone upper caste, wading into it will only play into their hands. His response so far has been brilliant and focused.

Secondly, go after the money trail. 

After all, as I pointed out, not just “rationalism” but the entire “self-respect” movement that Periyar spawned, is reduced to a sick joke and farce. Just look at the abject sycophancy, falling at feet and the North Korean variety of praise that is a daily staple at DMK. The fancy titles they award themselves and the crass worship of one family will repulse and disgust anyone who even has 0.001% self-respect inside him.

It is now plain and simple a business venture. And business runs on money. Even a child on the streets of Chennai knows this family has money beyond the dreams of anyone. Even minor cadet branches of the family live in palatial bungalows with mysterious sources of wealth.

Modi Sarkar I am sure has enough intelligence to go after the money trail and make sure the people of Tamil Nadu see the evidence and the fact that they have been fooled all these years. It is much easier in the post-9/11 world to get intelligence on overseas deposits and investments. BEPS norms make it easier.

I am not talking of dramatic arrests and NATO (no action talk only). I am talking of painstaking evidence gathering, effective prosecution and going after benamis that will shake the foundation. 

You may very well see Udhayanidhi sporting ash on his forehead if this is done the right way.

Thirdly, do the political work on the ground, quietly and effectively. Again, I would say just leave it to Annamalai and focus on cloning more Annamalai’s. Take the message directly to the people. They are ripe for genuine alternatives.

Can BJP convince TN voters that egalitarianism, rationalism, linguistic chauvinism, and anti-Hindu hate are just facades to cover up unbridled corruption and dynastic entitlement? Can it convince TN voters that a bunch of super-rich dynasts that never had to work for their princely life talking about “privileges by birth” is the biggest farce and reduces the entire argument to a joke?

It is interesting to notice one thing – AIADMK has not openly challenged the remark. But it is not to say they agree – they know there is other ways to take this on. Instead, they are going after “corruption” and “misrule”. 

The empire that seems to be in top form and power, is rotting from within. This is usually the case. BJP and every nationalist Indian or Tamilian just need to understand this and work towards the goal. All else is just noise.

Punjab and Haryana High Court slams Punjab police in illegal mining case, accuses them of shielding culprits and selectively targetting poor

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab and Haryana High Court slams Punjab police in illegal mining case, accuses them of shielding culprits and selectively targetting poor

On Wednesday, 6th September 2023, the Punjab and Haryana High Court slammed Punjab Police when it stated that police officers appeared to have colluded with individuals involved in illicit mining activities in the Ropar region. The court further noted that the authorities were selectively targeting only economically disadvantaged individuals in their legal actions.

The Bench also criticised the police for the “sorry state of affairs” as they seemed to be making efforts to protect the actual culprits “at whose instance the illegal mining were being carried out.” Justice NS Shekhawat of the High Court further ordered the Ropar Senior Superintendent of Police to submit a comprehensive report explaining why those involved in illegal mining activities had not been named as accused in the case. Additionally, the SHO in question was instructed to appear before the court in person.

These instructions were issued in response to a petition filed by Aajamdeen against the state of Punjab, seeking pre-arrest bail in connection with an FIR filed on 27th July 2023 under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Regulation of Development) Act at the Nangal police station in Ropar district.

During the hearing before the Bench, Aajamdeen’s lawyer argued that the petitioner had no connection with the alleged incident and was identified as the driver of a vehicle allegedly used in the commission of the crime. The counsel further contended that the petitioner was not present at the scene and had been wrongly implicated in the case. Additionally, he cited a court order from a different case in which interim anticipatory bail had been granted to another individual.

The Bench issued a notice of motion to the state and instructed the petitioner to cooperate with the investigation. It clarified that he would be granted interim bail if arrested. Examining the case record, the Bench emphasised that only individuals of poor economic backgrounds, such as the JCB driver and a tipper operator, had been named as accused.

The court said, “It is a sorry state of affairs that the police are trying their best to shield the real culprits, at whose instance the illegal mining operations were being carried out. On advance notice, an ASI present in the court has informed that to date the police have not been able to ascertain as to at whose instance the illegal mining operations were being carried out.” The next hearing of this matter is scheduled for the second week of September 2023.

Akshay Kumar joins the India-Bharat debate, changes his film’s title to ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’

OpIndia Staff
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Akshay Kumar joins the India-Bharat debate, changes his film’s title to ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue’

Amid the buzz that the government is reviving the second name of the country, Bharat, in a bid to rekindle civilisational legacy, another Bollywood actor has come out in support of this move. 

Evidently, Akshay Kumar has changed the name of his upcoming film and the title of the movie will now be ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue.’ The title change was announced by the filmmakers along with the first look poster of the upcoming film. 

It is important to note that earlier the Akshay Kumar-starrer movie was titled ‘Mission Ranigan: The Great Indian Rescue.’ But the strong buzz seems to have prompted the makers to change the title and replace ‘Indian’ with ‘Bharat’. 

(Image Source – Akshay Kumar X handle)

Taking to X, Akshay Kumar wrote, “Heroes don’t wait for medals to do what’s right! Watch the story of Bharat’s true hero with Mission Raniganj in cinemas on 6th October. Teaser out tomorrow!” He posted posters of the movie to be released on 6 October, which said that the title of the movie is ‘Mission Raniganj: The Great Bharat Rescue.’

Earlier, while speaking on the supposed name change issue Jackie Shroff dismissed the needless opposition by the leaders of the I.N.D.I.A. bloc. The Bollywood actor claimed that there was nothing wrong with calling the country Bharat.

Sharing her opinion in a Twitter post on the name change row, Kangana Ranaut said, “It’s (India) not our name we are Bhartiya, not Indians. 

Apart from Bollywood stars, the move has found support from legendary cricketer Virender Sehwag, who also urged BCCI to inscribe the name Bharat on the jersey of our cricket team for the upcoming Cricket World Cup.

Mission Raniganj

The movie is said to be inspired by a real-life incident that unfolded at “Raniganj Coalfield”. The lead character (to be played by Akshay Kumar) will reportedly take inspiration from the heroic act of the Late Jaswant Singh Gill who led a rescue mission beneath the 350-foot-deep coal mine in November 1989. 

In a heroic act, Gill played a significant role and rescued all the surviving miners trapped inside a flooded coal mine in Raniganj which was a successful rescue mission in Bharat against all odds. 

The film will hit cinema theatres on the 6th of October 2023. The star cast of the movie includes Akshay Kumar, Parineeti Chopra, Kumud Mishra, Ravi Kishan, Varun Badola, and Dibyendu Bhattacharya among others.

From Commonwealth Games to G20 Summit: Delhi transforms from a symbol of corruption and infrastructural woes to a modern-day national capital

अनुपम कुमार सिंह
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From Commonwealth Games to G20 Summit: Delhi transforms from a symbol of corruption and infrastructural woes to a modern-day national capital

India is hosting the G20 conference this year in which top leaders, diplomats and businessmen of 20 major economies of the world are scheduled to stay in Delhi during the period. The face of the entire national capital has been modified. It took several months to prepare for the momentous occasion.

Since India assumed the presidency of the G20 in December 2022, significant events related to the highly reputed conference have been organised in parts of the country from Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir to Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala and from Guwahati in Assam to Kutch in Gujarat. Multiple cities hosted important international events.

Any country that is given the honour to host a global event is provided with the golden opportunity to exhibit its capabilities, promote its culture and impart knowledge about its public welfare programmes to the rest of the world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi made it crystal clear from the very beginning that India’s G20 presidency would be employed to advance the idea of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future.’ India counted green development and women-led progress among the priorities of its G20 presidency.

Now, let us travel back in time to 2020 when there was a different government in the country. Dr Manmohan Singh was the Prime Minister and the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance, known as UPA (which has now abandoned the name and formed a new alliance called I.N.D.I.A.) was in power at that time.

Former Congress president and Rae Bareli MP Sonia Gandhi was at the helm of affairs. India had the chance to demonstrate its power to the world even then. With six years in office, the Congress government had ample time to accomplish a lot of things. Commonwealth Games were held in India in 2010 in which 4352 players from 71 countries participated.

However, what did the previous government do with the chance? Not only was it lost, but the country’s image was also tarnished due to scams that people believed India was incapable of hosting even the most basic international event, let alone promotion of the culture.

Although India had already hosted the Asian Games in 1951 and 1982, the 2010 Commonwealth Games were the biggest sporting event to take place in Delhi up until that point. The fraud in the Commonwealth Games cost the nation the most money in the chain of severe corruption scandals witnessed during the UPA period.

The event didn’t deliver any good news for India in terms of safety or sanitation, labourers’ allowances and conditions, delayed work, claims of racism, allegations of a rise in prostitution, or in any other area.

Whenever India showcases its strength to the world through G20 and makes the world aware of its culture, the time has come to assess how the country missed the opportunity in 2010 whereas the chance received in 2023 was used in the best possible way and that too without any controversy.

However, as opposed to the Commonwealth Games, which was a sporting event, the G20 is a diplomatic gathering, but there is a connection between the two because both are global events. The former could have been utilised to enhance India’s position on the international stage if the government of the day had displayed the right intentions.

A major reason for this was that during the UPA era, the administration had nothing to show in the name of achievements and on the other hand the Modi government is active in the implementation of the schemes.

2010 Commonwealth Games: Corruption, negativity and blot at nation’s image

Crores of rupees were spent for the Commonwealth Games, but the conditions in Delhi did not improve at all. It was promised that the national capital would be transformed into a city of international stature, but nothing of the sort occurred. Furthermore, the accommodation for the players and foreign nationals wasn’t completely prepared.

Imagine the impression that those who came to India from outside would have had of the country. The stadiums were not functioning properly, including one ‘Shivaji Stadium’ which was not even ready to host any game.

Even the ticket sales did not begin on schedule. Many roads were dug out and several had potholes in various places. Demolition was carried out in the name of the Commonwealth Games, but no repair and beautification work was undertaken. The planning for the event had a fixed deadline of March 2010, but it had to be extended to June, then to July, and eventually to August.

The crucial point is that it was established in 2003 that Delhi would host the Commonwealth Games in 2010. An estimate of Rs 19,500 crore was proposed for organising the Commonwealth Games, and as the budget grew, it became three times more, however, the result was underwhelming.

The proposed budget for the Commonwealth Games was Rs 19,500 crore, but the outcome was underwhelming even though the budget went up three times. The expense of restoring the stadiums was in the millions. The budget for the event was hiked numerous times and money was wasted, despite the fact that India was experiencing grave problems at the time, including poverty and malnutrition.

Today, while work is in full coordination for the G20, Mani Shankar Aiyar, who was a prominent Congress leader at that time had wished for the failure of the Commonwealth Games. Mani Shankar Aiyar served as the UPA’s Sports Minister at one point in spite of his opinion.

He stated that he would be very sad if the event became successful because then there would be more sporting events in the future. He opined, “I am delighted in a way because rains are causing difficulties for the Commonwealth Games. Basically, I will be very unhappy, if the Games are successful because then they will start bringing Asian Games, Olympic Games and all these.”

The state of education, infrastructure and health facilities was in such a poor condition that even Wipro founder Azim Premji criticized the expenditure. However, now, India not only provided 200 crore doses of indigenous vaccine during the Corona period but also sent them to more than 100 countries.

Let us have a look at how the underprivileged were treated during the Commonwealth Games. Two lakh people were ejected forcibly from 19 regions of Delhi under the pretext of work. This was discovered as a result of a study conducted by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) named the Housing and Land Rights Network (HLRN).

The majority of these individuals were not even relocated, whereas in the present, Prime Minister Narendra Modi refers to workers as “Shramjivi” and honours them during special occasions like project inspections and inaugurations as well as interacts with them.

Now, understand what happened during the Commonwealth Games. The working conditions were extremely poor. The employees were forced to work the entire day for less than 100 rupees and when many of them were hurt in accidents, they weren’t even allowed time off for treatment.

The Commonwealth Games saw widespread instances of child labour, notwithstanding the fact that it is forbidden in India. There were dozens of cases of both child labour and forced labour. The event registered a considerable upsurge in prostitution as well. The members of the escort service earned a lot of money. Just consider how a programme that could have helped India’s tourism industry was reduced to.

Women from other states were being brought as sex workers. One NGO even charged that more than 40,000 women were transported from the northeastern states alone. A ‘toilet paper scandal,’ which was a fraud in toilets also surfaced during the time. One toilet paper was bought by the organisers for $80. Similarly, liquid soap was purchased for $61 and first aid kits were purchased for $125. A tissue paper was purchased for 1500, in terms of rupees.

The Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) discussed these frauds in-depth as well. About half of the volunteers quit their positions right before the Commonwealth Games. They weren’t offered any money and a certificate was used to tempt them.

Half of the 22,000 refused to work after training because of the poor system. These games were not even attended by spectators. There were complaints that the players were treated like animals in the opening ceremony. Australian athletes alleged that they were mistreated.

Racist incidents that targeted African sportsmen came to light. The highest honours are now bestowed upon Prime Minister Narendra Modi by nations like Papua New Guinea. African nations received Corona vaccines from India.

The situation in the newly constructed sports village was likewise dismal. Thousands of used condoms clogged the drainage system there. A number of countries also threatened to boycott the Commonwealth.

Suresh Kalmadi was given the task of planning the event and afterwards, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) designated him as the primary accused in its charge sheet. It was revealed how he handed over several contacts to businesses in contravention of the law. He was released on bail after serving an 11-month sentence in Tihar Jail.

Now, think about the effect all of this would have had on the country’s image. There was time to use the occasion to improve our reputation, but instead, India’s standing fell so much that the nation had to deal with disgrace.

G20: India made good use of the opportunity and promoted its culture

The G20 is being successfully organised in India and no scam-related news has come to the fore. India is heavily promoting tourism under the umbrella as well. The Delhi Metro offers special passes so that visitors from other countries can visit significant locations in the city.

There was a separate meeting of the culture ministers of these nations and they ranged from tourism working groups to finance working groups. India has used the grand platform to regularly update the world about its accomplishments in the digital industry.

India’s most hi-tech convention centre was built in Delhi on 123 acres, free from any controversy. Not only was it named ‘Bharat Mandapam’ inspired by Lord Basaveshwara of Karnataka, but it also housed an idol of Nataraja, the presiding deity of the Chidambaram temple in Tamil Nadu.

There were no accusations of any corruption in the construction of the complex built at a cost of Rs 2700 crore. Prime Minister honoured the labourers and they did not face any issues here.

Numerous G20-related events were held in more than 50 Indian cities and boosted tourism. The important fact is that Delhi and the centre had the same party government during the Commonwealth Games. However, currently, there is Arvind Kejriwal’s government in Delhi, which remains in the headlines due to its conflicts with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) and the centre administration.

Despite this, there was no negligence in the development of infrastructure. The Lieutenant Governor has assured that these development works are set to continue in this manner. The Dhaulakuan-Airport route in Delhi was illuminated in addition to the roadways near Pragati Maidan. Numerous metro stations were renovated.

Up to Rs 100 crore in funding has been given, according to the New Delhi Municipal Council’s (NDMC) announcement from December 2022, to upgrade Delhi’s infrastructure. There are now new parks. The key aspect is that it is evident where the funds are being allocated. Additionally, it is visible how the Indian government is advancing our culture.

Today, when more than a billion transactions were made through the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) in the month of August 2023, the success of “Digital India” reflects the new story of India. Overall, more than Rs 15 lakh crore was transferred through UPI this month. The German minister used it to buy vegetables on the roadside and praised the system.

Where the opportunity was missed during the Commonwealth Games, this time it was capitalised on. A new Parliament building is built as part of the Rs 13,00 crore Central Vista Project. Moreover, money was not a topic of contention here either.

It is not that only one party can make such events successful. It is possible if the objective is right and the leadership is strong. Take Odisha as a case in point. It benefited immensely from the impressive organisation of the Hockey World Cup and its image uplifted to a level where the state raised an investment of Rs 10.3 lakh crore through ‘Make in Odisha Conclave.’ The event took place in January 2023 and a grand stadium was built in Rourkela in just 15 months.

Notably, during the Commonwealth Games in which the country’s image was tarnished, today the secretary of the same Commonwealth, Patricia Scotland has lauded India during the G20 Summit.

According to her, doing so would render it easier to address global concerns. Furthermore, she applauded the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (ISRO) “Aditya L1” and “Chandrayaan 3” missions. She also supported India’s digital transformation. India, based on her, is achieving extraordinary success.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan captures several villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attacks army posts killing 6 Pakistani soldiers

OpIndia Staff
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Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan captures several villages in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, attacks army posts killing 6 Pakistani soldiers

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) on Wednesday (6 September) launched a “large-scale” military offensive against the Pakistani army in the Chitral district of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. The major assault on the Pakistani army, which TTP has reportedly named ‘Operation Malakand’, has attacked several army posts in which several Pakistani soldiers have been killed or injured. Additionally, the TTP terrorists have also claimed that they have captured several villages in the area.

The attack began in the early hours of the day, a TTP commander told The Khorasan Diary over the telephone. He said, “An operation in the Chitral district has been launched by the TTP and various villages have been captured. It started at 4 AM (Pakistan time) this morning. We will share pictures. Currently, we are having poor internet issues.” 

Speaking with The Khorasan Dairy a senior Pakistani security official rejected the claims made by the TTP and said that no areas have been captured by the terror outfit.

Notably, the Khorasan Diary claims to be a non-partisan platform, one that provides real-time information and analysis. 

In a statement to local media, TTP spokesman Muhammad Khurasani asked the local citizens to remain calm as their “war” was against the Pakistani army which he referred to as “usurping” and “oppressive” security agencies. It is worth noting that today Pakistan is marking its Defence Day. 

Khurasani said, “We want to say to the people of Chitral that you should remain calm. No harm will come to you. Our war is against usurping and oppressive security agencies.” 

Meanwhile, various unconfirmed videos have surfaced online on X (formerly Twitter) in which it is being claimed that the Pakistani SSG commands have been called in the Chitral area to fight 500 TTP terrorists who have captured a few villages.

Several social media handles including prominent journalists having expertise in Pakistani affairs have claimed that clashes took place between Pakistani forces and TTP along the Durand Line. This resulted in the closure of the Torkham border crossing. 

While the Pakistani army has denied that it has sustained any casualty, TTP terrorists have claimed that they have killed 6 Pakistani soldiers. 

Interestingly, the Pakistani media has maintained a strategic silence and for obvious reasons, it has not covered TTP’s major offensive against the Pakistani army.  

It is important to note that the TTP which is also known as Pakistan Taliban had declared an all-out war against the Pakistani military in November 2022. It vowed to defeat the Pakistani army and establish Sharia laws in Pakistan, just like the Afghan Taliban did in Kabul. 

In the recent past, the Pakistani army and establishment-sponsored terror industry have come back to haunt it. It has been hit by a wave of terrorist activities carried out by the terror outfits that they have been nurturing for decades.

As per several UN reports, TTP is said to be working closely with Al-Qaida and it is being blamed for several deadly attacks across Pakistan.

Earlier, on the 2nd of September, a Pakistan Army Major and a soldier were killed in a gunbattle with TTP. The Pakistani army suffered these casualties during an intelligence-based operation in the northwest tribal district bordering Afghanistan. 

Additionally, two days earlier, nine Pakistani soldiers were reportedly killed in a suicide attack by the TTP in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province.

AAP and Congress Punjab units refuse to share seats as I.N.D.I. alliance’s “as far as possible” resolution faces its first roadblocks

OpIndia Staff
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AAP and Congress Punjab units refuse to share seats as I.N.D.I. alliance’s “as far as possible” resolution faces its first roadblocks

Just days after the opposition alliance, I.N.D.I.A. passed a resolution to fight the 2024 Parliament elections together “as far as possible”, leaders of alliance partners AAP and Congress have refused to form an alliance in the state. 

Refuting the possibility of an alliance with Congress, AAP leader and Punjab Minister Anmol Gagan Mann categorically stated that there would be no alliance with the Congress party in the state. She added that AAP would contest elections on all 13 Lok Sabha seats in the state under its own symbol.

Mann said, “The decision at the national level will be made by the high command, but the Aam Aadmi Party will contest on its own symbol in all 13 seats in Punjab. We cannot have any agreement with the Congress.”

Interestingly, several Congress leaders in the state also vehemently oppose the idea of forging an alliance with the Aam Aadmi Party. 

Evidently, on Tuesday (5 September) state leadership of the Congress party asserted that they are against any kind of alliance with the AAP in Punjab for the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. They asked the state Congress President Amarinder Singh Raja Warring and the leader of the Opposition, Partap Singh Bajwa, to convey to the party high command that they are against the alliance.

Remarkably, Bajwa had expressed his strong dissatisfaction with the idea of forming an alliance with AAP. Speaking against an alliance with AAP, Bajwa said, “Our party workers do not want to be even remotely associated with people who are anti-Punjab.” 

Similarly, on the issue of state leadership advising not to form an alliance with AAP, Raja Warring stated that the issue would be taken up with the party’s national leadership. However, he added that the party is preparing to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats in Punjab. 

He said, “There are people who are for it and against it. This is the party’s internal issue; we will have discussions with our leadership. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi have asked us to prepare to contest all 13 Lok Sabha seats to fight against the government.” 

Speaking on the development, Former Punjab Congress Chief Navjot Singh Sidhu claimed that the decision of the party’s high command is supreme.

Earlier, on the 1st of September, the opposition alliance passed a resolution that they would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls together “as far as possible“. The alliance claimed that seat-sharing arrangements in states would be concluded at the earliest in a “collaborative spirit of give-and-take.” 

However, in less than a week, both the alliance members in the state have said no to the I.N.D.I. alliance in Punjab, yet again exposing the ‘as far as possible’ caveat in the resolution.  

PM Modi departs for Indonesia to take part in ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit in Jakarta

ANI
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PM Modi departs for Indonesia to take part in ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit in Jakarta

Prime Minister Narendra Modi emplaned for Indonesia on Wednesday to take part in the ASEAN-India Summit and East Asia Summit.

Earlier, in his departure statement, the Prime Minister said that he is looking forward to exchanging views with other leaders on practical cooperation measures to collectively address the global challenges.

He also termed the engagement with the ASEAN group as an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East Policy’.

The Prime Minister is visiting Jakarta at the invitation of the Indonesian President, Joko Widodo.

“My first engagement will be the 20th ASEAN-India Summit. I look forward to discussing with ASEAN leaders the future contours of our partnership, which has now entered its fourth decade. Engagement with ASEAN is an important pillar of India’s ‘Act East’ policy. The Comprehensive Strategic Partnership entered into last year has injected new dynamism in our ties,” the Prime Minister said.

“Thereafter, I will be attending the 18th East Asia Summit. This forum provides a useful opportunity to deliberate on issues of importance to the region including food and energy security, environment, health, and digital transformation. I look forward to exchanging views with other EAS Leaders on practical cooperation measures to collectively address these global challenges,” he added.

PM Modi will return to New Delhi on Thursday evening ahead of the G20 Summit, which will be held on September 9 and 10.  

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

Udhaynidhi Stalin claims not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to open new parliament was caste discrimination, forgets his own party voted against her

Shraddha Pandey
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Udhaynidhi Stalin claims not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to open new parliament was caste discrimination, forgets his own party voted against her

Even as the controversy around his “Sanatan Dharma should be eradicated” comment is yet to cool down, Udhayanidhi Stalin continues to brazen it out. On Wednesday, September 6, during a media interaction, the DMK scion was asked if he could give an example of caste discrimination in Sanatan Dharma, to this, Udhayanidhi Stalin said claimed that President Droupadi Murmu not being invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament complex is a recent example of caste discrimination under Santan Dharma.

“President Droupadi Murmu was not invited for the inauguration of the new Parliament building, that is the best current example,” Udhayanidhi Stalin said.

Moreover, over the question of apologising for his slanderous remarks against Sanatan Dharma, the Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development refused to respond.

Udhaynidhi Stalin’s explicitly Hinduphobic remarks have elicited significant outrage from both political and non-political quarters. On September 2nd, the DMK leader and CM MK Stalin’s son likened Sanatan Dharma to contagious diseases such as dengue and malaria and urged for its eradication. He argued that the overwhelming majority of Indian citizen’s belief system, Sanatan Dharma, must be eradicated.

The blatantly Hinduphobic remarks have so far elicited strong responses from politicians and Hindu leaders, as well as the general public. It has also cast doubt on the intentions and strategies of the I.N.D.I.A bloc, of which the DMK is an essential ally.

Udhayanidhi Stalin claimed that not inviting President Droupadi Murmu to inaugurate the new parliament was caste discrimination, he conveniently forgot that the same BJP-led government had nominated and voted Murmu as the president of India. The BJP-NDA coalition did not discriminate against her based on her caste but rather recognised her illustrious career and service to the nation. Moreover, Udhayanidhi Stalin’s own DMK party, along with several other opposition parties, had voted against her in the presidential elections. They had voted for Yashwant Sinha, an upper-caste Brahmin.

While Udhayanidhi Stalin cited President Droupadi Murmu not being invited to inaugurate the new parliament building as the “best” example of caste discrimination under Sanatan Dharma, it is worth recalling that a PIL was filed in May this year asking the Supreme Court to rule that President Droupadi Murmu, and not Prime Minister Narendra Modi, should preside at the inauguration of the new Parliament building. The plea, however, was not only denied by the Supreme Court bench but stated that the petitioner lacked locus standi to bring such a plea and mentioned that he should be grateful that the court is not fining him.

Stalin’s assertion that President Murmu was not invited to inaugurate the new parliament building does not hold water as the ruling dispensation had back then clarified why it was appropriate for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to preside over the inauguration ceremony.

Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri stated in a series of tweets back then that, while the President is the Head of State, the Prime Minister is the Head of Government and leads the Parliament on behalf of the Government, whose policies are enacted through laws. The President is not a Member of either House, whereas the Prime Minister is. Apparently, President Murmu’s absence from the new Parliament’s inaugural ceremony had nothing to even remotely do with caste, discrimination, or Sanatan Dharma.

In fact, the question arises as to whether the DMK’s boycott, along with 15 other political parties including the TMC and Congress, of former President Ram Nath Kovind’s address to the joint sitting of Parliament at the start of the Budget session in 2021 in solidarity with farmers protesting against the three farm laws, can be characterised as “caste discrimination.” When a self-proclaimed crusader for social justice does something, it is acceptable, but when the BJP does something, even if it is in the right spirit, Stalin brings up caste (discrimination) and Sanatan Dharma. It is also worth mentioning that Udhayanidhi Stalin’s party, which now regards President Murmu’s absence at parliament inauguration as discrimination, did not even support her during the presidential elections.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, who identifies as a Christian, stirred up not only religious but also regional divisions, a typical Dravidian political approach. It is inevitable that the Nehru-Gandhi Congress has supported Udhayanidhi’s Hindu-hating viewpoints with Congress leader Priyank Kharge backing him, but this has put the I.N.D.I.alliance in a tough spot.

China: Lawmakers mulling over introducing a law to ban clothes that ‘hurt feelings’

OpIndia Staff
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China: Lawmakers mulling over introducing a law to ban clothes that ‘hurt feelings’

A proposed draft law in China has alarmed Chinese citizens and has caused great apprehensions. There is a growing concern that Chinese lawmakers are mulling bringing a law that would impose penalties and jail time for people who offend the government’s sensibilities by wearing the “wrong clothing”, Western media outlets reported.

Evidently, the Standing Committee of the nation’s legislature recently released a draft of revisions to the law that could prohibit a wide range of behaviour. These ‘unacceptable’ behaviours reportedly include dress or speech that could be “detrimental to the spirit of the Chinese people and hurt the feelings of the Chinese people.”

Interestingly, the lawmakers have not clearly spelt out exactly for what ‘offences’ people could be sent to a detention centre for up to 15 days or fined up to 5,000 yuan ($680). However, they have clearly listed the law among their priorities for this year. 

Last year, the police officials in Suzhou which is a city near Shanghai, arrested a woman for wearing a kimono in public.

Notably, China has strained relations with Japan that stretch as far back as World War II. This recently worsened after Tokyo decided to release treated wastewater from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant into the ocean.

In the wake of this rivalry with Japan, Chinese authorities have also taken strict action against people who wear shirts with rainbows at concerts or distribute flags on a university campus that have the pro-LGBTQ symbol on them. 

Reportedly, the flag episode against which Chinese authorities acted harshly occurred at the prestigious Tsinghua University, where two students were officially reprimanded.

According to Bloomberg News, many Chinese citizens expressed concerns on their social media platforms about the proposed changes to the law and have claimed that Chinese lawmakers may have gone “too far”. 

One user who goes by the handle Nalan lang yueyueyue on Chinese social media site, Weibo asked how authorities would know when the nation’s feelings would be hurt. 

The user asked, “Shouldn’t the spirit of the Chinese nation be strong and resilient?” and added, “Why can it be easily damaged by a costume?” 

A man who identifies himself as a lawyer on Weibo, Du Zhaoyong said that the law would “definitely bring huge uncertainty and open wide the door of convenience to arbitrary and unauthorised punishment.” 

Unsurprisingly, the great Chinese firewall acted against the post and it later disappeared from Weibo.

However, no initial response could be received from the National People’s Congress. 

The proposed law is a glaring example of how Chinese President Xi Jinping has clamped down on civil liberties during his reign and this includes further expansion of internet censorship. 

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