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Assam police ask parents to shield their children from the perils of ‘Sharenting’: All you need to know about the phenomenon

OpIndia Staff
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Assam police ask parents to shield their children from the perils of ‘Sharenting’: All you need to know about the phenomenon

On Saturday, July 15, the Assam police took to Twitter to warn parents against a phenomenon called ‘Sharenting’ which is becoming increasingly common in today’s day and age of social media. Cautioning parents of the potential risks associated with this practice, the Assam police tweeted, “Likes fade, but the digital scars remain. Shield your child from the perils of Sharenting. Be mindful of what you share about your child on Social Media. #DontBeASharent.”

Along with the tweet, it posted AI-generated pictures of four kids, each carrying a separate message and urged parents to protect their children from sharenting.

The first picture showed a child holding a trophy and was accompanied by the text “Children are not social media trophies.”

Another picture featured a young girl holding a smartphone with the chilling caption, “Snapshot of innocence, stolen by the internet.”

One more image depicted a girl child standing with the same mobile phone, with the caption reminding viewers, “Do not trade their privacy for social media attention.”

Last but not least, a picture of a little boy clutching a smartphone was included, along with the statement “Your children’s story, their choice to tell.”

Basically through this post, the Assam police wanted to warn parents that sharing too much personal information about their kids online could expose them to predators and fraudsters.

Social media platforms have become an integral part of our lives, and their prevalence has exposed children to various risks, including sharenting. It is essential for parents to be aware of these risks and exercise caution when sharing information about their children on social media. Understanding the potential consequences and taking steps to protect a child’s privacy and well-being can help mitigate the risks associated with sharenting.

But before we proceed further let us understand what exactly is ‘Sharenting’ which the Assam Police are cautioning parents about. Sharenting is a term that was coined in 2010. It refers to the overuse or excessive sharing of information about one’s children on social media platforms by their parents or guardians. It involves sharing photos, videos, personal anecdotes, and other details about a child’s life online. While sharing moments and milestones can be a way for parents to connect with others and celebrate their children, sharenting raises certain risks and concerns.

Here are some of the risks associated with sharenting

  1. Privacy concerns: By sharing information about their children online, parents may unintentionally expose them to privacy risks. Personal details, such as full names, birthdates, schools, and locations, can be easily accessed by strangers, potentially leading to identity theft or other malicious activities.
  2. Digital footprint: The information shared online creates a digital footprint for children, which can have long-term consequences. As they grow older, their online history may affect their reputation, educational opportunities, and future employment prospects.
  3. Online exploitation: Shared photos and videos can be misused or exploited by others. They may be downloaded, altered, or even used for inappropriate purposes. Children may feel embarrassed, violated, or humiliated by the content shared without their consent.
  4. Cyberbullying: Children who are exposed to sharenting may become targets of cyberbullying. Their pictures or stories can be misused by others to ridicule, mock, or harass them, causing emotional distress.
  5. Overexposure and parental oversharing: Constant online sharing can potentially affect a child’s sense of identity and self-esteem. They may feel pressured to meet certain expectations or be uncomfortable with their personal moments being shared without their control.
  6. Digital kidnapping: Sharenting can potentially lead to a phenomenon known as “digital kidnapping.” Digital kidnapping occurs when someone takes photos or information about a child shared online and creates a false identity or misrepresents the child as their own. This deceptive act can have various motivations, including obtaining attention, sympathy, or even engaging in fraudulent activities.
  7. Stalking: Stalking is another potential risk associated with sharenting. When parents share information, photos, or videos of their children online, they inadvertently provide a window into their family’s life, including their daily activities, routines, and locations. This information can be exploited by individuals with malicious intent, including stalkers. Stalkers can use the information shared by parents to track and monitor a family’s movements, potentially leading to dangerous situations. They may be able to determine the child’s school, extracurricular activities, or even their regular hangout spots, making it easier for them to approach or follow the child.

To help protect against digital kidnapping, it is important for parents to be cautious about the information they share online about their children.

How social media contributes to the risks associated with sharenting

  1. Easy and widespread sharing: Social media platforms provide a convenient and widespread way to share information and media instantly. Parents can easily upload and share photos, videos, and personal anecdotes about their children with a large audience, often without fully considering the potential consequences.
  2. Lack of control over shared content: Once something is posted on social media, it can quickly spread and be shared by others, potentially reaching a much larger audience than initially intended. This lack of control over shared content increases the risk of children’s personal information being accessed by strangers or used inappropriately.
  3. Persistent online presence: Information shared on social media platforms can have a long-lasting impact. Even if the content is deleted or privacy settings are adjusted later on, it may have already been saved or reshared by others. This persistent online presence can contribute to privacy concerns and affect a child’s digital footprint.
  4. Public versus private sharing: Social media blurs the line between public and private sharing. Parents may inadvertently share personal moments or intimate details about their children without realizing the potential consequences. This oversharing can lead to privacy breaches and discomfort for the children involved.
  5. Targeted advertising and data collection: Social media platforms often collect user data for targeted advertising purposes. When parents share information about their children, this data can be used to create detailed profiles and potentially expose them to privacy risks or manipulative marketing practices.
  6. Online social dynamics: Children may face social pressure or bullying related to sharenting. Their peers might discover embarrassing or sensitive information shared by their parents, which can lead to teasing, bullying, or exclusion.
  7. Online predators and exploitation: The accessibility of personal information on social media can attract the attention of online predators. They may use the information shared by parents to groom or exploit children, posing significant risks to their safety.

What steps should the parents consider to reduce the risks of sharenting

  1. Exercise caution: Before sharing anything about their children, parents should consider the potential risks and ensure they are comfortable with the information being publicly available.
  2. Adjust privacy settings: Utilize privacy settings on social media platforms to limit the audience for shared content, ensuring that only trusted friends and family can access it.
  3. Be mindful of content: Avoid sharing intimate or embarrassing details that could potentially harm the child’s dignity or reputation.
  4. Educate children: Teach children about online privacy, the potential risks associated with sharing personal information, and the importance of managing their own digital footprint.

By being mindful of the risks and adopting responsible online sharing practices, parents can strike a balance between sharing special moments and protecting their children’s privacy and well-being.

London’s iconic Trocadero set to have a three-storey mosque, property owner Asif Aziz claims only part of the building will serve as prayer space

OpIndia Staff
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London’s iconic Trocadero set to have a three-storey mosque, property owner Asif Aziz claims only part of the building will serve as prayer space

One of London’s famous landmarks, the Trocadero building, is all set to have a three-story house of prayer (mosque) and Islamic centre. The building is located between Piccadilly Circus and Soho. 56-year-old Asif Aziz alias’ Mr. West End’, a billionaire property tycoon, got permission to build the ‘mosque’ inside the iconic Trocadero building in May 2023.

Aziz bought the building in 2005 for GBP 220 million. The mosque will be built by his charitable venture names the Aziz Foundation.

As per Daily Mail’s report, the prayer centre will be able to host 390 people, filling the vacant space after the Metro cinema was shut in 2006.

In 2020, a proposal to build a 1,000-capacity mosque on the site received a severe backlash from the city’s residents and far-right groups. Owing to the criticism, the plan was withdrawn. Later, Aziz submitted a proposal to build a smaller prayer house inside the building that Westminster Council approved. Speaking to The Mail, a council spokesperson said, “A planning application by the Aziz Foundation to convert a part of the London Trocadero was approved by the council’s planning committee in May 2023.”

The mosque will be called ‘Piccadilly Prayer Space’ and may open soon. Questions are being raised by the critics as the proposed prayer center site has establishments that serve alcohol. Furthermore, there are nightclubs and Soho’s gay venues and strip joints at the site, which are generally considered against Islam.

Aziz Foundation refuted reports of converting the building to a mosque

In an official statement issued on 17th July (local time), Aziz Foundation has refuted the claims that permission was granted to convert the Trocadero building into a mosque. Deeming it Islamophobia, the foundation said only a part of the building in the vacant basement would serve as a prayer centre.

As a Foundation, we are proud to support the Piccadilly Community Centre, its prayer space, local community initiatives and interfaith work. British Muslims are part of the fabric of our society and contribute in the most essential and remarkable ways. Still, unsurprisingly, we do not find this accurately reported in mainstream media,” the statement read. It added, “The Centre will provide an indispensable place for the Muslims who work, visit and live in the area and for whom prayer forms a cornerstone of their life.”

The foundation said it will “provide an area for prayer; it is also anticipated that this development will nurture much-needed interfaith dialogue and, in turn, bring faith communities and community groups together utilizing available space.”

Accusing media of spreading misinformation and Islamophobia, the foundation added, “Clearly some in the media feel that being critical of the Muslim community or knowingly creating headlines that will provoke anti-Muslim hatred is far more productive than reporting on the many positive initiatives.”

The ‘meanest landlord’

Aziz was named the ‘meanest landlord’ amidst Covid lockdowns after he threatened the tenants of West End, including chains like Caffe Concerto, with wind-up petitions. He asked tenants to vacate the establishment if they cannot pay the rent.

The criticism on social media

Britishers are not pleased with having an Islamic prayer centre at the Trocadero. Britain’s leader Paud Golding said, “As a teenager, I used to visit the Trocadero regularly. The news that it will shortly become a huge mosque has really angered me. Muslim millionaire Asif Aziz plans to build a three-storey Islamic centre at the Trocadero. London has fallen. London is an occupied city.”

Twitter user Farmer_Boycie said, “So The London Trocadero could soon be a Mosque. For years I have heard that the Muslim faith would take over as the country’s most fully focused religion. Khan is doing everything in his power to make this happen. It’s not racist to know when a radical is at work.”

Twitter user Mitsyarty said, “Opened as a restaurant 1896 the Trocadero later became an exhibition and entertainment space In 1984…now this lovely, historic building central to London is to become a Mosque. What are we doing? What are our politicians doing!??! Our cultural history is being eroded daily.”

About Trocadero

The building was raised in 1896 and has served as one of central London’s most famous entertainment complexes. It also has an 11-storey, 490-room hotel named Zedwell. In 1965, the building was closed after serving for seven decades. In 1984, it was reopened as an exhibition space. Later in 1996, a famous baroque façade was added before arcade-style attractions. In the later 1990s, Pepsi and Sega sponsorships helped the center to grow. In 1997, it became the first building to host 3D IMAX cinema. In 1999, Sega backed away from sponsorship.

In 2000, Pepsi also stepped back from the Trocadero. In the year 2005, Aziz bought the company and shared a plan to redevelop it. In 2020, his company submitted a plan to turn the basement into a mosque, but it was withdrawn.

Disney’s hypersexualisation of children, woke politics, and overindulgence in gender identity of kids: Here’s why the House of Mouse has been caught in its own trap

Pragya Bakshi Sharma
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Disney’s hypersexualisation of children, woke politics, and overindulgence in gender identity of kids: Here’s why the House of Mouse has been caught in its own trap

Disney is going downhill financially and also in the quality of its content. For one, it has none to very few takers online for its streaming platform Disney+, the same goes for its amusement parks and related experiences section. Disney’s TV business is reeling under intense competition to the extent that CEO Bob Iger has announced that it “may sell some of its networks.” In a recent interview, Iger said, “They (TV channels) may not be core to Disney.”

“After coming back, I realised the company is facing a lot of challenges, some of them self-inflicted,” Iger added. The company is also mulling a partial pullout from its India digital and TV business or taking up partners to salvage the same. In India, local rivals, mainly Reliance, are overpowering the brand which is finding it difficult to maintain the relevance of its content.

The footfall at Orlando Disneyland and Disney Adventure Park in California declined sharply this summer. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has blamed Disney’s “wokeism” for the same. This happened at a time when Disney is embroiled in a lawsuit and the case surrounding this lawsuit reflects everything that is wrong with The Walt Disney Company.

In 2022, Disney criticised the Florida Education Board’s “Parental Rights in Education Act” which was signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The criticism was against the law restricting teachers from indulging the students in issues pertaining to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity”. The bill read, “Classroom instruction by school personnel or third parties on sexual orientation or gender identity may not occur in kindergarten through grade 3 or in a manner that is not age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate for students in accordance with state standards.”

The then-Disney CEO Bob Chapek is reportedly said to have called Florida Governor DeSantis “to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary, and transgender kids and families.” Disney reportedly vowed that “its goal was to get the law repealed by the legislature or struck down in the courts.”

A window in the 1977 movie The Rescuers shows a woman exposing her breasts as the two mice pass by. (Source: Cosmopolitan)

This statement by the entertainment giant exposes its overindulgence in policy matters in the United States. The reason it should trouble Disney consumers across the world is the content it seems to promote in the name of gender identity in kids. To think that generations have grown up watching Disney content and still are, raises serious concerns about the impact of such content on children’s psychology and the acceptance it gives to borderline perversion and vulgarity.

The more recent developments reveal why Disney is, and deserves to be a decaying brand. Sexual innuendos, sexualisation of children’s content, stereotyping of women, obscene and vulgar content, and glorifying tyrants are only some of the nature of heaps of content being produced by the brand.

The Indian government recently pulled up Netflix and Disney for obscene and vulgar content running on their platforms. Officials from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting on 20th June met with streaming giants Netflix, Disney, and others to convey the message that content on the platforms must adhere to a code of ethics.

This goes for not only streaming platforms but also Disney’s content for kids including movies and series. A recently-released movie titled “Elemental” shows a “non-binary” character with “they/them” pronouns, and lesbians flirting around. Disney too seems to have become breeding grounds for everything that has to do with sexual exploration in the name of gender identity. Such content, when a child should be taught values, healthy humor, arts, and culture, sports, adventures, and creativity, is almost manipulative.

Disney’s re-imagined “Snow White” is due to be released next year but has already been in the soup for being overtly politically correct with its all-gender representation.

Another Disney movie titled “Strange World”, which made losses amounting to about $147 million, features the first openly LGBTQ+ teenaged Disney character, who discusses his crush in the movie. There is nothing wrong with the representation, but a basic question that arises is why use kids’ entertainment as a means to an end? The debate around LGBTQ+ rights is prevalent in both India and the US social life quite prominently. Can we leave the kids out of it and let them discover such matters in their own time?

Yet, brand Disney and the like seem too desperate and this is leading to an imposition on parents and society. Last year, some employees of Disney had reportedly written a letter to their colleagues at Pixar and other partners alleging that the corporate layer of the company censors same-sex affection in their movies. That a bunch of adults want to sexualise any kind and amount of kids’ content is disturbing, to say the least.

A report by the American Psychological Association on “Sexualisation of Girls” states, “Others have noted that Disney’s female characters today (e.g.,The Little Mermaid, Pocahontas) have more cleavage, fewer clothes, and are depicted as “sexier” than those of yesteryear (e.g., Snow White, Cinderella) (Lacroix, 2004). And the currently popular and sexily clad Bratz dolls (discussed in the Products section of this report, pp. 13–15) are the subject of an animated cartoon. This product tie-in could reinforce the appeal of the cartoon Bratz dolls and their potential power to influence girls.”

The report further adds, “Studies do show that, with a few notable exceptions (e.g., Dora the Explorer), cartoons primarily portray girls as domestic, interested in boys, and concerned with their appearance (Thompson & Zerbinos, 1997), suggesting an overemphasis on the self as a romantic object, if not necessarily a sexual one.” Notably, Disney has a long history of stereotyping women characters in its movies and series alike.

Disney’s own stars have alleged that they were sexualized while working with the brand. In an incident she shared on a podcast, Bella Thorne recalled her agent and mother receiving a call from a casting director saying that the director felt that a 10-year-old Thorne was “flirting with him and it made him uncomfortable”. At 14, while working in another Disney production, Thorne said she almost got fired for wearing a two-piece at the beach, which is common beachwear across the West.

Streaming platform Disney+ has drawn severe social media outrage for its Marvel content with parents observing that the platform is “no more safe for kids”. Some parents in the US took to Twitter saying that they are unsubscribing to Disney+ as its content is “no more for children under 18”.

The backlash from parents shows that Disney has long lost its image of a family-friendly enterprise and is rather desperately inclined to be politically correct and irresponsibly inclusive. Not to mention that Marvel characters which once upon a time had a huge kids fanbase are now indulging in explicit sexual acts on Disney+. Last year, the Parents Television and Media Council (PTC) in the US wrote an open letter stating, “It seems wildly ‘off-brand’ for Disney+ to add TV-MA and R-rated programming to this platform, ostensibly to increase subscription revenue. So what comes next, adding live striptease performances in Fantasyland at Disney World?”

In April this year, the body had called on Disney’s board of directors to remove “sexually-themed content targeted at children in Disney entertainment and on Disney-owned platforms”. “A young female character performs a sex act on herself. A teacher and her minor student have an illicit, and illegal, sexual relationship that is romanticized. A female teen finds out her dad is the antichrist. All of these are scenes and/or themes from programs that currently air on Disney-owned platforms. All are targeted towards our youth,” said Melissa Henson, vice president of the Parents Television and Media Council.

Moreover, in 2022, four Disney employees were arrested in the human trafficking, prostitution, and child predators racket. One of the accused, Wilakson Fidele, 24, worked at Disney’s Orlando Park. Whether or not Disney does a background check on its staff, which it should as its services are mainly targeted at children, is another topic of research and discussion altogether. The aforementioned arrests, however, do raise serious concerns.

As if this was not enough, Disney has also reportedly glorified Turkish tyrant and dictator Kemal Ataturk. The founder of Turkey, Ataturk is known to have committed a genocide from 1916 to 1923 of at least 350,000 Pontian Greeks, Armenians, Syrians, and Christians; massacres of Greek cities; and forced exodus of Pontian Greeks. Disney is launching the series Ataturk in a tribute to the dictator on the 100th anniversary of Turkey.

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has protested the same and called for Disney+ to cancel the series.

According to a report, half of US families with children subscribe to Disney content. In India, 42% of its viewers are in the 18-24 age group followed by the 25-34 age group (32.5%). Naturally, the scope of impact of Disney’s objectionable content is massive.

Disney with colourful characters, some inspired by nature and some by imagination, has gotten lost in a world of forced “inclusivity” and is slowly stripping off children of their innocence. While the US is grappling with intense and even destructive ideas of gender to the extent of perverted sexualisation of kids and teens, as Indians we must move on from the utopian Disney world and fall back on our basic morale-based entertainment resources.

Chhattisgarh: SC/ST youths hold nude protest in Raipur demanding action against employees with fake caste certificates

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: SC/ST youths hold nude protest in Raipur demanding action against employees with fake caste certificates

On Tuesday, July 18, in a stark display of dissent, around 20 youngsters from the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe community in Chhattisgarh stripped naked as they protested against SC/ST reserved jobs being usurped by ineligible people using fake caste certificates. The protesters held protests near the Vidhan Sabha on the first day of the monsoon session of the assembly.

According to the initial reports, the protesting individuals held placards and ran naked toward the state assembly building. The placards demanded action against those who allegedly got jobs using fake caste certificates. The protesters also chanted slogans against the state government. However, they were later detained by the police.

Vinay Kaushal, the spokesperson for the SC/ST category fake caste certificate case Sangharsh Samitee, stated that the nude protest that was held on July 18 in front of the Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly demanded immediate action against individuals holding fake caste certificates.

Since the state’s formation, quotas intended for SC and ST have been misused in both government jobs and political positions, according to reports from numerous government ministries, Kaushal said. A high-level caste certificate verification committee was established by the state administration in response to the seriousness of this issue.

In their review of 758 cases spanning the years 2000 to 2020, the committee uncovered 267 instances of forged caste certificates. As a result, the government ordered to remove officials and workers with fraudulent diplomas from crucial positions immediately. As some people retired and others contested the committee’s conclusions in court, Kaushal expressed concern about the insufficient execution of these orders.

Additionally, he claimed that many fake certificate holders managed to secure promotions and continue to work in significant positions despite the government’s directive.

The issue of bogus caste certificates being used in Chhattisgarh to obtain government employment has been in the headlines for a while. In 2021, a PWD executive engineer was demoted for using a fictitious Scheduled Tribe (ST) caste certificate.

Those opposed to candidates using false caste certificates to obtain government positions claim that despite repeated requests and the discovery of numerous such cases, the department has not taken any action. Those in protest alleged that employees with false caste certificates take advantage of all benefits and that the state commission does little to stop them.

The monsoon session of the Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha began today. This session will have four sittings and conclude on July 21.

26 opposition parties name their alliance as ‘INDIA’: Read what it means

OpIndia Staff
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26 opposition parties name their alliance as ‘INDIA’: Read what it means

The 26 Opposition parties gathered in Bengaluru to discuss strategy for the 2024 elections have named their alliance as ‘INDIA’, or Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance.

The RJD and some other opposition leaders attending the meeting tweeted to inform about the name of the alliance. Though any formal announcement is yet to be made.

“Now the BJP will feel the pain while saying India”, tweeted RJD. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Priyanka Chaturvedi tweeted, “So 2024 will be team INDIA Vs team NDA, Chak De INDIA”.

26 opposition parties including the Congress, DMK, Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena, Samajwadi Party, TMC and others are holding their second meeting in Bengaluru currently.

The alliance is yet to declare who will be their PM face and what will be the seat-sharing formula. However, more concrete announcements are expected soon. Congress party has clarified that they are not very keen on leading the alliance or having the PM post.

The BJP, which is holding NDA parties meeting in Delhi today, has called the opposition’s attempt to come together as ‘Bhanumati Ka Kunba’, or an association of mismatched elements.

Delhi court grants interim bail to Brij Bhushan Singh in sexual harassment case

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi court grants interim bail to Brij Bhushan Singh in sexual harassment case

Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to outgoing Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in the case of alleged sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

The court also granted interim bail to Vinod Tomar, another accused in the case. The hearing on regular bail of Brij Bhushan and Vinod Tomar will be held on July 20.

Interim bail has been granted to them till the next date of hearing. The court granted the two accused interim bail on a bail bond of Rs 25,000 each.

Delhi police had filed a charge sheet against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and Vinod Tomar on June 15. This case was registered on a complaint lodged by women wrestlers.

The chargesheet was been filed under sections 354, 354D, 345A & 506 (1) of IPC according to Special Public Prosecutor Atul Srivastava. Two FIRs were registered against Brij Bhushan Singh on the basis of the wrestlers’ complaints.

One was registered under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and a cancellation report has been filed in the case of a minor wrestler. The second FIR was filed on the complaint of several wrestlers.

In Patiala House Court, Delhi Police filed a cancellation report, citing a lack of evidence, on the POCSO matter.

Delhi Police on June 15 filed a report recommending the cancellation of the POCSO case against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) Chief Brij Bhushan Sharana Singh. This comes after the minor, who had accused the WFI chief of sexual harassment changed her statement. There was no collaborative evidence in the case, Delhi Police said.

In both matters, Delhi Police officials had said that in the FIR registered by the wrestlers, after completion of investigation, we are filing a chargesheet for the offences under sections 354, 354A, 354D IPC against accused Brijbhushan Sharan Singh and for offences under sections109/ 354/354A/506 IPC against accused Vinod Tomar before the Rouse Avenue Court, said Suman Nalwa, PRO, Delhi Police.

In the POCSO matter, after completion of the investigation, we have submitted a police report under section 173 Cr PC requesting for a cancellation of the case based upon statements of the complainant i.e., the father of the victim and the victim herself, added Delhi police. 

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

Madhya Pradesh: Three Islamists arrested for spitting on Baba Mahakaal procession in Ujjain

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: Three Islamists arrested for spitting on Baba Mahakaal procession in Ujjain

On 17th July, Ujjain Police arrested three Islamists, including two juveniles, for spitting on the second Baba Mahakaal Procession. As per reports, a group of young men were spotted spitting water on the procession. On the second Monday of Sawan month, the procession of Baba Mahakaal was traveling along the Shipra River when it crossed the Kharakuan Police Station area near the iron tank. It is a Muslim-dominanated area.

When the devotees asked them to stop, they did not pay heed and continued. The devotees made videos of them as proof of the derogatory act. Later, after the procession was complete, Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang Dal activists reached the police station and filed a complaint under Sections 295A, 153A, 296, and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.

BJP leader Masoom Jaiswal also reached the police station and demanded strict action against the miscreants. Speaking to the media, Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Bhuria said the youth from a ‘particular community’ were spitting on the devotees in the procession. They were caught on camera while indulging in the act. An FIR has been registered at Kharakuan Police Station, and three people have been detained in the matter. Two of the detained miscreants were juveniles.

Bajrang Dal activist Ankit Choubey registered the complaint in the matter. He demanded RASUKA be imposed on the accused and called for demolishing their houses using bulldozers.

Bajrang Dal activists said the case was registered only after the intervention of BJP MLA Ramesh Mendola.

Mexico: An Australian man and his dog rescued by a fishing boat after being adrift for 3 months in the Pacific Ocean

OpIndia Staff
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Mexico: An Australian man and his dog rescued by a fishing boat after being adrift for 3 months in the Pacific Ocean

On the 17th of July, a Mexican tuna (fishing) boat rescued an Australian sailor and his dog who had been adrift at sea for the past three months. The Sydney resident, Timothy Lyndsay Shaddock, who is 54 years of age, was accompanied by his dog named ‘Bella’. 

Rescued sailor Shaddock and dog Bella on the tuna boat. (Image Credit – Grupomar Twitter handle)

In a statement released by Grupomar, Shaddock was onboard his incapacitated catamaran (a fast sailing boat) named ‘Aloha Toa’ in the Pacific Ocean. They were lost in the International waters around 1900 kilometers away from the land when the crew of a tuna boat from the Grupomar’s fleet spotted them. 

The company stated that Shaddock and his dog Bella were in a “precarious” state when the crew found them. They were lacking provisions and shelter. Afterward, the crew aboard the tuna boat gave them medical attention, food, and hydration.

However, the Mexican maritime company, Grupomar did not provide any specific details on the timeline like on what day the Australian sailor was rescued or when he had started his sea voyage.

The tuna boat accompanying Shaddock and Bella is steered under the Captaincy of Oscar Meza Oregón. It is expected to arrive later on Tuesday, 18/19 July, at Mexico’s Pacific coast port of Manzanillo. 

Grupomar’s founder and president, Antonio Suárez Gutiérrez said he was proud of his crew. He praised the crew for their humanity in saving the life of someone in trouble.

Speaking with Australia’s Nine News television, Shaddock stated that he and his dog survived on raw fish and rainwater. A storm damaged his vessel and wiped out its electronics. Notably, a thin and bearded Shaddock was seen in a video broadcast by Nine on Sunday night (Australian time). 

He said, “I’ve been through a very difficult ordeal at sea and I’m just needing rest and good food because I’ve been alone at sea a long time.” 

However, he added that overall he is in very good health. 

Grupomar gave some photographs of the rescue to the news agency Associated Press. In these pictures, a smiling, bearded, and thin Shaddock can be seen inside the fishing boat’s cabin. He has a blood pressure cuff around his arm and is holding a box of pain medication. Apart from that, there are other photos showing Bella stretched out on the deck.

Australian sailor Tim Shaddock. (Image Credit – Grupomar/Atun Tuny via AP)
Rescued dog Bella rolling and stretching on the tuna boat. (Image Credit – Grupomar/AP)

According to Sydney’s The Daily Telegraph newspaper, Shaddock and Bella had sailed from the Mexican city of La Paz for French Polynesia in April, but the voyage ended within weeks.

Prominent Rescue incidents in the past

Earlier, in June 2023, a sailor named Aaron Carotta was rescued after he was lost at sea for almost 34 days. He had set off from Panama in February on a mission to circumnavigate the globe.

Aaron Carotta recovering in a medical facility after rescue. (Image Credit – The New York Times)

In September 2018, a teenager was rescued from Guam after drifting for nearly 49 days in the Pacific Ocean. 

In April 2015, a 37-year-old US sailor named Louis Jordan was found alive and well after he went missing at sea for more than two months. He was found sitting on his upturned boat when he was rescued. 

José Salvador Alvarenga after being adrift for 438 days (Image Credit – New York Post)

Similarly, in November 2012, a man named Salvador Alvarenga was rescued after 14 months (438 days). He was lost at sea after he went fishing off the coast of Mexico.

No leader, no seat-sharing agreement, no agenda yet: ‘Opposition Meet’ in Bengaluru is all about grandiose statements and dreams of defeating Modi

ANI
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No leader, no seat-sharing agreement, no agenda yet: ‘Opposition Meet’ in Bengaluru is all about grandiose statements and dreams of defeating Modi

The second and concluding day of the opposition unity meeting in Bengaluru is set to begin here on Tuesday, with 26 like-minded parties closing ranks with a common aim of taking on the Bharatiya Janata Party in the next year’s Lok Sabha polls.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, on the other hand, will be holding a meeting of 38 parties of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in the national capital on Tuesday. The NDA meeting will be chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The meeting of the NDA is being organized to mark the completion of 9 years of the central government under PM Modi.

Meanwhile, the first day of the Opposition party’s meeting started with the dinner meeting hosted by Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

After the dinner Congress leader BK Hariprasad said that the meeting started with a good signal and it would be the end of BJP in 2024.

On being asked about the NDA meeting scheduled to be held in Delhi, he said, “That would be National Disaster Alliance”.
Earlier, Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav hoped that the people of the country would hand the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) a massive defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“…2/3rd of the population is going to defeat BJP. I hope that the people of the country will give BJP a massive defeat…I am receiving inputs from all corners of the country that the BJP will be wiped out…,” SP chief Akhilesh Yadav said ahead of the Opposition meeting.

Meanwhile, the draft agenda of the joint opposition meeting set up a subcommittee for drafting the common minimum program and communications points for the alliance for the 2024 general elections for chalking out the joint program of parties, which includes rallies, conventions and agitation.

They plan to discuss the process for deciding seat sharing on a state-to-state basis and the name for the alliance is also on the table. The opposition parties may also discuss the issue of EVM and suggest reforms to the Election Commission. The opposition leaders also set up a common secretariat for the proposed alliance.

Moreover, several committees are expected to be formed which will hold meetings to deliberate on various issues pertaining to the alliance. Various groups and sub-groups may also be formed.

In this meeting, a convenor may be appointed and groups formed to decide on various issues apart from deciding on a common minimum program.

Sources said Congress is keen that the chairperson should be from the party as it is the largest party in the grouping. However, the party may not be not adamant on the matter and would be willing to go by the combined decision of opposition parties, sources said.

They said no one has any objection to the name of former Congress chief Sonia Gandhi. She is also not a contender for the post of Prime Minister and is attending the two-day opposition meeting.

The sources said that opposition parties are keen not to make the 2024 Lok Sabha polls a battle between “a leader vs Modi” but to keep the focus on issues and make it a “Modi vs people” battle.

They said that some parties had proposed making Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar the convenor of the grouping in the meeting of opposition parties held in Patna last month and if there is a unanimity on the matter, the Congress would go along.

The sources said there is a proposal to make two-three subgroups or a coordination committee.

There is a suggestion that a group should be formed to decide on issues to be raised collectively against the Narendra Modi government. Any such group may also be entrusted with deciding the issues on which to hold agitations against the government and to stay away from issues that could help the BJP by causing “polarization”.

Sources said there is a proposal to form a group to decide on seat allocation in states.

They said that since leaders of 26 opposition parties cannot hold meetings in a short period, there is a proposal to form a group for coordination. “There is also a proposal to formulate a common minimum program,” a source said.

They said all issues will be discussed in the meeting and decision t taken on those on which there is an agreement.
The issues on which there is no agreement will be discussed further, they said.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal lashed out at the BJP-led government and said the opposition parties are all united by a common purpose – to protect democracy in this country, to ensure the Constitutional rights and the independence of our institutions.

“These all are under attack by the present regime of the BJP Govt. They wanted to silence the Opposition’s voice. They are misusing agencies to suppress the voice of the Opposition. The disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from the Parliament is one of the biggest examples of that. The incident happening in Maharashtra is also an example,” he said.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said that opposition leaders will hold discussions on many issues including EVM machines during the second joint opposition meeting in Bengaluru.

“Agenda of today’s meeting is to be one. The discussion will be held on many issues including EVM machines, Lok Sabha seat sharing, what will be the name of the front,” he said.

Moreover, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a swipe at BJP over the NDA meeting scheduled for Tuesday and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “suddenly thought of NDA” after the meeting of opposition parties in Patna last month.
Jairam Ramesh said at a press conference here that efforts are being made to infuse “new life” in BJP-led National Democratic Alliance after the success of the opposition conclave in Patna.

“PM and BJP are baffled. After the Patna meeting, the PM suddenly thought of NDA. Attempts are being made to breathe new life into NDA. Suddenly, it was reported that the NDA meeting has been called for tomorrow. This is a result of the meeting in Patna,” he said.

Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the Opposition parties have united to “defeat” the ruling BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections while terming the Enforcement Directorate raids at the residence of State Minister K Ponmudi as “diversionary tactics” coming ahead of the second unity Opposition meeting.

Speaking to reporters at the Chennai airport before flying to Bengaluru to attend the Opposition meeting, CM Stalin said,” “All Opposition parties have united to defeat the BJP-led Central government. We took the decision in Bihar to convene the second meeting in Karnataka today and tomorrow”.

“Opposition unity which started in Bihar last month will continue during the second meeting in Bengaluru,” CM Stalin added.

On being asked about the ED raids at the residence of State higher Education Minister K Ponmudi, Stalin said, “This was a false case initiated by the then Jayalalithaa Government against him thirteen years ago. The ED raids reflect the BJP’s frustration.”

“The raid is a diversionary tactic in the light of the Opposition meeting,” he added.

Aam Admi Party (AAP) MP Raghav Chaddha said that the coming together of like-minded opposition parties is giving “sleepless nights” to the Bharatiya Janata Party. He also claimed that the saffron party will not return to power at the Centre in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The AAP leader said that “The alliance of like-minded opposition parties is giving sleepless nights to the ruling BJP. The coming together of leaders of non-BJP parties has made them live in fear”, adding, “The agenda of the meeting will be discussed during the meeting in Bengaluru”.

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko said he hopes that the Modi government will lose the next elections as he arrived in Bengaluru to attend the two-day joint opposition meeting.

“This is a very important meeting, it will bring a change in Indian politics…I hope that Modi govt will lose”, Vaiko said.
Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said that something more “substantive” will be done in the opposition meeting being held in Karnataka’s Bengaluru.

“This is only the second meeting. Obviously, I hope that something more substantive will be done in this meeting because the last meeting was just the beginning. We wanted to see how many parties are attending, and what their individual points of view are. This is the second in the series of meetings, we need to have something more substantive,” he said while talking to the reporters.

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah hit out at the Bharatiya Janata Party and said that after Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister, the economic condition of the country was destroyed.

“BJP is the party which destroyed the economy of the country, not Opposition parties. After Narendra Modi became PM, the economic condition of the country was destroyed, prices were raised, farmers poor are in distressed condition and because of communal issues people are living in scary situations,” he said.

Siddaramaiah also hoped that the people of the country would give BJP a massive defeat in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
“BJP and PM Modi will not get a mandate this time, they will lose this time,” he said.

Karnataka CM also asserted that the influence of PM Narendra Modi is waning and that the decline of the BJP has initiated in Karnataka.

“Didn’t we defeat Modi in Karnataka, BJP’s loss in all the places, where Modi campaigned? During the Karnataka assembly elections, PM Narendra Modi visited the state 28 times. The decline of the BJP has begun in Karnataka. We’ll win the majority of seats in Lok Sabha 2024 polls, and BJP and NDA alliance parties will lose.”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, party MP TR Baalu, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, party leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Raghav Chadha, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary Vaiko and others leader arrived in Bengaluru to attend the meeting.

Earlier, hitting out at United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and Opposition party alliance, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) national president JP Nadda on Monday termed it as “Bhanumati ka Kunba”.

“UPA and Opposition parties alliance is Bhanumati ka Kunbha’s, ‘Kahi ki Eet, Kahi Ka Roda, Bhanumati ne Kunba Joda (bringing together elements that don’t go with each other),” JP Nadda said addressing a press conference in the national capital.

He further said it is an alliance based on selfish interests and is only for photo opportunities.

“UPA neither has a leader nor does it has the power to take decisions. It is an alliance based on selfish interests and is only for photo opportunities. It is 10 years of corrupt governance and non-governance of the UPA government,” the BJP chief said. 

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

Bihar: Angry over bhajans being played in a Shiv Mandir on the second Monday of Shravan, four youths brutally lynch the temple priest to death

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Angry over bhajans being played in a Shiv Mandir on the second Monday of Shravan, four youths brutally lynch the temple priest to death

On Monday, July 17, while Hindus across the country were celebrating the second Monday of the auspicious Shravan (Sawan) month, a 70-year-old priest of a Shiv Mandir in Bihar’s Vaishali district was brutally lynched to death by unknown miscreants. He was reportedly beaten to death by four boys who took offence to the bhajans which were being played in the Shiv Mandir to celebrate the holy day. The priest was identified as Shiv Narayan Giri.

According to reports, Shiv Narayan Giri lived on the temple premises in Astpur Satpura village under Bhagwanpur police station in the district. On Monday, a group of devotees reached the temple to offer Jal (water) to the Shivling. They started playing bhajans on the loudspeaker to celebrate the second Monday of Shravan or Savan Maas (month). Mondays are dedicated to Bhagwan Shiv, and thus Mondays falling in the month of Shravan are often seen as the holiest days, especially by Shiv devotees.

Some youths in the neighbourhood took offence and demanded that the Hindu devotees turn off the music. The Hindu devotees agreed to turn down the volume, but the youths insisted that they cease playing it altogether, to which the devotees did not agree. This led to an altercation between the accused and the devotees.

At this point, suddenly four youths started assaulting Vikas Kumar, the nephew of Shiv Narayan Giri. Seeing this, the priest rushed to rescue his nephew but the miscreants in turn started brutally beating up the 70-year-old temple priest.

The miscreants kept assaulting the priest until he collapsed and fell to the ground and died on the spot. Seeing this, the miscreants fled the scene.

When the information reached the police, they rushed to the spot. The body of the deceased protest was sent to the Hajipur Sadar Hospital for post-mortem. The police registered a case and started probing the matter.

Meanwhile, Vikas Kumar, the nephew of the deceased priest told the media, “On the second Monday of the Sawan month, a large number of devotees had assembled at the temple to offer water (Jal) on the Shivling. Among them, some devotees started playing Bhajans in the temple. Some people from the village came and demanded that the music be stopped. I told them that we would lower the volume but they did not agree and insisted that the music should be stopped, When I objected, they beat me,” said Vikas Kumar, the nephew of Shiv Narayan Giri.

“As they were assaulting me, my uncle rushed to rescue me. The miscreants beat him up as well and he collapsed on the road. We placed him on the bed and called a doctor who declared him dead. We knew the accused and identified them,” Kumar said.

An eyewitness Raushan Kumar also said that four people punched the priest in his stomach following which he collapsed. “The body has been taken to Sadar Hospital Hajipur for post-mortem,” Raushan said. 

Update:

Initial media reports of the incident quoted the priest’s nephew saying the priest was killed by a group in an argument for playing bhajans. However, the Vaishali Police has denied it. In a statement, the Vaishali Police stated that the incident was not related to playing bhajans. Some local men used to sit and talk on the temple premises regularly. On the evening of 17th July, they started fighting among themselves for some reason. The temple priest came to intervene and pacify them. However, during the fight, the priest got hurt by the fighting men. He got hit in the chest and head and could not recover. The police have added that the priest was a heart patient and was under treatment in Patna.

One person named Sujit Kumar has been arrested in the case.

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