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We will participate in Asian Games only if all the issues are resolved: protesting wrestlers

OpIndia Staff
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We will participate in Asian Games only if all the issues are resolved: protesting wrestlers

Wrestler Sakshi Malik, who has been part of the demonstration against former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh over charges of sexual harassment, declared today that wrestlers who are engaged in the protest will only compete in the upcoming Asian Games if their issues are resolved.

She stated, “We will participate in Asian Games only when all these issues are resolved. You can’t understand how mentally exhausting this is and what we are going through every day.” She arrived in Sonipat to take part in the Mahapanchayat to determine the future course of action for wrestlers who have been clamouring for the WFI head’s resignation following allegations of sexual harassment. 

According to the wrestler, there is pressure on the wrestlers to make a concession, and that is why the minor grappler who accused the WFI chief and Bharatiya Janata Party MP of sexual harassment changed her statement. She alleged that due to the pressure exerted on him to drop the case, the father of the girl is depressed.

“Some things were said out of anger in that, some of them are true and some things were wrongly said. Brij Bhushan is right at his place but the anger was there and out of anger some false things were said. I have again given my statement and the things which were wrongly stated, I have corrected them,” the complainant had mentioned.

“There’s huge pressure on us to compromise,” She commented on a television channel. She charged that the individuals close to Brij Bhushan are dialling and threatening them.

Her remarks coincide with the month-long Asiad trials that are now set to take place. The Asian Games will be held in Hangzhou, China from September 23 to October 8, 2023. All wrestlers, including those involved in the protest, must participate in the trials to secure a spot on the India squad.

Bajrang Punia remarked earlier this morning that they would present their conversations with the government to the Mahapanchayat delegates. “Whatever talks we had with the government, we will discuss that with the people who are supporting and standing with us.”

Anurag Thakur, the Union Sports Minister, who recently hosted the wrestlers for a second meeting at his residence, on Thursday expressed that the discussions with the protesting wrestlers were fruitful and that decisions had been made over a number of issues.

The former listed out their five demands including, the appointment of a woman as WFI supremo, no one related to Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be included in the organisation, cases filed against wrestlers to be withdrawn, impartial WFI election and Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh should be arrested, after coming out of the meeting.

The wrestlers have been protesting for over a month now. They started their agitation in January but retracted after assurance from Anurag Thakur before returning to Jantar Mantar in April. The centre even constituted a five-member oversight committee under the chairmanship of Olympic medallist boxer M. C. Mary Kom to look into the matter.

Pakistan: Minor Hindu girl Sohana Sharma Kumari abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man, court refuses to let her return to her family

OpIndia Staff
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Pakistan: Minor Hindu girl Sohana Sharma Kumari abducted, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man, court refuses to let her return to her family

Pakistan continues to inflict atrocities on the religious minorities residing there as yet another minor Hindu girl was abducted on June 2, 2023, forcibly converted to Islam and married off to a Muslim man. Adding to her anguish, despite her appeals, a Pakistani court refused to allow her to return to her parents.

A 14-year-old girl named Sohana Sharma Kumari was abducted from her home in the Benazirabad district of Sindh province. She was kidnapped at gunpoint by her tutor and his aides in front of her mother. Sohana’s father Dilip Kumar, filed a police report alleging that she had been abducted. Later, Sohana appeared in a video clearly stating that she had converted to Islam and married a Muslim man under pressure. Her parents, on the other hand, argued that she was a minor.

After much outrage on social media, authorities retrieved the minor Hindu girl from a residence in the district five days after she was abducted.

On Friday, June 9, Sohana was brought to the district court in Larkana, where she told the judge in her statement that she had been abducted and forced to convert to Islam. She also expressed her wish to return to her parents.

The judge, however, adjourned the case until June 12 since she appeared to be under ‘pressure’ when giving her statement and remanded her to a women’s shelter home. It is notable that there have been many similar cases wherein the victim girls have stated that they want to go back to their parents, however, the courts in Pakistan send them to shelter homes.

Sohana’s mother, Jamna Sharma, informed the media at court that her daughter was taking home tuition and that the teacher had told her a few days ago that he required a loan of Rs 100,000.

“When my daughter informed me of this, I told the teacher that he should not be talking about such matters with Sohana, and he left.” Then after a day, he came back with some people and forcefully took her away at gunpoint. “I begged him to take the money and jewellery but leave my daughter. But those people did not listen,” Jamna recalled.

Sohana’s father stated to the media that the accused presented fake documents to claim in the court that she had converted to Islam of her own free will and married a Muslim man.

“I don’t know how government officials can stamp such documents when the girl is 14 years old,” he said.

Sohana Kumari Sharma’s forceful conversion and marriage case rocks Sindh Assembly

Pakistan Peoples Party MPA Lal Chand Ukrani raised the issue of Sohana Sharma Kumari’s abduction and forced conversion to Islam in the Sindh Assembly on Friday.

During his speech, Ukrani deemed the incident cruel and stated that no religion allowed forced marriages or conversions. He said that a 14-year-old Hindu girl was kidnapped in Qazi Ahmad and that her marriage certificate was afterwards furnished.

“We respect every religion, but it is not appropriate to change someone’s religion by force,” he added, adding that the episode sparked widespread outrage across the province.

Meanwhile, Provincial Minister Giyan Chand Essrani described the situation as tragic.

“There is a law that a girl under the age of 18 cannot change her religion and cannot marry,” he stated, adding that he was in frequent contact with the provincial police chief in this respect.

Mangla Sharma, MPA of the MQM-P stated that the victim girl was a class eight student who was compelled to convert to Islam and do nikah with a Muslim man.

“She is my relative, please have mercy on her,” she stressed in a raspy voice and teary eyes.

Kidnappings and forced conversions of Hindu girls to Islam in Sindh have become a matter of grave concern for  Pakistani Hindus.

There has been an upsurge in such cases in Sindh in recent months, with lower courts overwhelmed with applications from afflicted parents demanding justice and the return of their abducted women.

Recently, OpIndia reported that a 9-year-old Hindu girl was kidnapped from her house in May this year by a 55-year-old man in Sindh province who forcibly convert her to Islam and perform Nikah with her.

124 non-Muslim women forcibly converted to Islam in 2022: Report

Notably, a recent Human Rights Observer 2023 fact sheet revealed that in the year 2022, as many as 124 women belonging to minority communities were forcefully converted to Islam in the Islamic country. Out of this, 81 were Hindu, 42 were Christian and one was Sikh.

Further, the fact sheet revealed that 23 percent of girls were below 14 years of age, 36 percent of them were between the age of 14 and 18 years, and only 12 percent of the victims were adults, while the age of 28 percent of the victims was not reported.

Infographic via Centre for Social Justice website

In 2022, 65% of cases of forced religious conversion were reported in Sindh, 33% in Punjab, and 0.8% in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, respectively.

Devas Multimedia CEO Ramachandran Vishwanathan declared a fugitive economic offender by Bengaluru Court

ANI
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Devas Multimedia CEO Ramachandran Vishwanathan declared a fugitive economic offender by Bengaluru Court

Bengaluru Special Court has declared Ramachandran Vishwanathan as a Fugitive Economic Offender for allegedly generating huge proceeds through his company, said an official press release.

The matter pertains to the alleged offences committed under the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018 in the Devas Multimedia Pvt. Ltd. Case. The case was registered by CBI under various sections of IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988 against Viswanathan. Thereafter, an investigation was initiated by the ED under the provision of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, 2002 (PMLA).

The Provisional Attachment orders worth Rs 82 crore were issued and subsequently Prosecution Complaint was filed by ED against Ramachandran Vishwanathan and others before the Special Court, PMLA Bengaluru for the offence of money laundering.

As per the agency, the total proceeds of crime involved in money laundering were quantified as Rs 579 Crore (approximately).

“Ramachandran Viswanathan was the mastermind behind the whole scheme of fraudulent generation of huge proceeds by his company M/s Devas Multimedia Pvt. Ltd., and then further diverting the same for his personal benefits and thus caused pecuniary gain to himself and other accused persons,” the release stated.

Viswanathan is not cooperating with the ongoing proceedings before the competent Special Court under PMLA as well as investigations being conducted by the ED, the agency alleged

The Special Court has also declared Vishwanathan as a Fugitive Economic Offender for the offences under Section 12 of the Fugitive Economic Offenders Act, 2018. The attached properties have also been confiscated by the Bengaluru Court under the same act. 

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

“Ladki cheez hi aisi hai…”, Sarwar Chishti of Ajmer Dargah on the 1992 Ajmer Sharif rape scandal

OpIndia Staff
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“Ladki cheez hi aisi hai…”, Sarwar Chishti of Ajmer Dargah on the 1992 Ajmer Sharif rape scandal

On 9th June 2023, Khadim of Ajmer Sharif Dargah Sayed Sarwar Chishti tried to justify the 1992 Ajmer Sharif rape scandal during a media interaction. He said that girl is such a thing that it corrupts a man. He was reacting to the questions regarding the upcoming film ‘Ajmer 92‘ which is based on the 1992 Ajmer Sharif rape scandal.

Sarwar Chishti said, “Man may not be corrupted by money, may not be morally corrupt even. But ‘Ladki cheez hi aisi hai…’ (a girl is such a thing) that can corrupt anyone. Just like Menaka disrupted Vishwamitra’s ‘Tapasya’. All the ‘Babas’ in jail have been incarcerated in cases involving women. Even the most prominent men fall into this trap.”

Ajmer’s deputy mayor Neeraj Jain reacted to these bizarre remarks and said, “The comments made behind the camera expose Sarwar Chishti’s mindset. His comments betray the attitude towards women. This is what you think about mothers and sisters. He is trying to shield the accused by giving communal colour to the movie.”

It is notable that the trailer of the film Ajmer 92 has created a stir since its release. This hard-hitting picture, produced by Reliance Entertainment in collaboration with U&K Films Entertainment, Sumit Motion Pictures, and Little Crew Pictures, will be released on July 14, 2023.

Based on true events, Ajmer 92 tells the story of the plight of as many as 250 girls who were trapped, sexually exploited, and blackmailed for years by caretakers of Ajmer Dargah, including many influential men in the area in the city of Ajmer in Rajasthan.

Some of the Chishti Khadims (caretakers) of the Ajmer Dargah were among the accused in this case. The accused Chishtis included Anwar Chishti, Farooq Chishti, and Nafees Chishti. A grooming gang led by them raped and silenced the Hindu women in Ajmer.

Talking about the horrific crime, advocate Ajay Pratap said, “A lot of families sacrificed the education of their girls, pulled them out of schools. A lot of them moved from Ajmer. When their daughters’ names surfaced in this case, they were forced to change their names. They made several requests to advocates, journalists, police, and others to not reveal their daughters’ names as in that case they would never get married. From 1992 to 1996, it had become difficult to get girls married. Ajmer’s girls had to leave the town to get married.”

Sarwar Chishti has a past record of controversial remarks

Sarwar Chishti, who tried to justify these acts in the guise of a reaction to the film ‘Ajmer 92’, is known for his bizarre and controversial remarks. In 2022, he called for an economic boycott of Hindus. He made this appeal in response to a rally held by Hindus in Ajmer in support of the former spokesperson of the Bharatiya Janata Party Nupur Sharma.

Sarwar Chishti was also caught on camera inciting a group of Muslims around him, saying that Muslims were the rulers of India for hundreds of years and that by changing the names of railway stations, the current government cannot erase the fact that Muslims ruled the country. He had warned the administration saying that such activities will only force the Muslims to aim to rule India again.

World Hindu Congress 2023 to be held in Bangkok in November by World Hindu Foundation, 7 thematic conferences to be organised

OpIndia Staff
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World Hindu Congress 2023 to be held in Bangkok in November by World Hindu Foundation, 7 thematic conferences to be organised

The World Hindu Foundation has announced that the World Hindu Congress 2023, a quadrennial global platform for Hindus, will take place for the first time in Bangkok, Thailand from November 24 to 26, 2023. A press release issued by the Foundation said that “this prestigious event will bring together Hindus from around the world to articulate their values, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit in all its vibrance and glory with the theme of “Jayasya Aayatnam Dharmah,” meaning “Dharma, the Abode of Victory”. Seven parallel thematic conferences will be organised in the Congress to address the challenges and opportunities facing the global Hindu community.

World Hindu Foundation said that The World Hindu Congress aims to bring together the 1.2 billion-strong Hindu community, representing 16% of the world’s population, spread across approximately 200 countries. “Hindus have been leaders and catalysts in various spheres of human endeavor, including business, economy, education, governance, media, technology, and culture,” it said.

The World Hindu Congress is held every four years, with the Inaugural Congress held in New Delhi in 2014. The second Hindu Congress was held in Chicago in 2018, commemorating the 125th Anniversary of Swami Vivekananda’s historic address at the Parliament of World Religions in Chicago in 1893.

World Hindu Congress 2023 will be held at the Impact Exhibition and Convention Centre in Bangkok, Thailand. The 7 Thematic conferences will cover a wide range of sessions and topics, providing delegates with valuable takeaways to implement in their respective communities, according to the foundation.

Each conference will address specific subjects and topics related to its theme, featuring speakers and thought leaders. The findings of each conference will be presented to the Congress as a whole, allowing delegates to critically examine the work and contribute their input.

The seven conferences will be: World Hindu Economic Forum, Hindu Education Conference, Hindu Media Conference, Hindu Political Conference, as the pillars of society and the, Hindu Women Conference, Hindu Youth Conference and the Hindu Organizational Conference as the drivers of society. 

The Foundation has said that the WHC 2023 will serve as a pivotal platform for encouraging collaboration among Hindu leaders, activists, and thinkers to come together for insightful discussions contributing to Hindu resurgence. It is focused on areas of strategic importance and deliberates upon the opportunities and challenges faced.

Delegates will have the opportunity to network, exchange ideas, and collectively shape the future course of action. WHC 2023 aims to instil a sense of pride and responsibility within participants, empowering them to fearlessly embrace their duties and responsibilities towards Hindu Dharma, the Word Hindu Foundation said.

Susheel Kumar Saraff, Chairman of World Hindu Congress 2023, stated, “The World Hindu Congress is the quintessential and original yajnya (self-sacrifice) for the greater interest of the Hindu society. It is a shared platform where Hindus from all walks of life, spread across nations, societies, and cultures, can come together to organize and combine their energies for global welfare.”

The cultural and historical connections between India, Thailand and South East Asia, along with the shared Dharmic and cultural values, make Bangkok an ideal host for the World Hindu Congress 2023, according to the foundation. Magnificent symbols of this shared heritage can be seen in landmarks such as Wat Phra Si Rattana Satsadaram in Thailand, Angkor Wat and Phnom Kulen in Cambodia, Prambanan and Borobudur in Indonesia, Kedaram in Malaysia), Cham Temple, Mỹ Sơn in Vietnam and Vat Phou in Laos.

During a press conference announcing the WHC 2023 in Bangkok, key speakers touched upon various aspects of the event.

Dr. Sophana Srichampa, Associate Professor Dr, Mahidol University, highlighted the cultural connections between Bharat i.e. India and Thailand: “The rich cultures of India and Thailand are deeply intertwined. We share a heritage expressed through language, arts, architecture, and tradition. WHC 2023 serves as a bridge between these two nations, fostering cultural, economic, and philosophical connections. It will contribute to the growth and development of both Thailand and the global Hindu community.”

Sushil Dhanuka, President of India-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Thailand, explained the significance of the seven parallel conferences: “The seven conferences held during the World Hindu Congress cover a range of topics pertinent to the Hindu community. We discuss subjects such as economic empowerment, education, media, politics, youth engagement, women’s empowerment, and organizational collaboration. These conferences bring together experts and leaders from various fields to share their insights and inspire the delegates.”

Shri Raju B Manwani, Secretary World Hindu Congress Bangkok, shed light on the organization of WHC 2023: “We expect a significant number of delegates from various countries to attend the Congress. The basic criteria for being a delegate include a commitment to Hindu values and an active involvement in promoting Hindu causes. Apart from the conferences, the congress will feature exhibitions, and networking opportunities. We have made comprehensive arrangements to ensure the safety and security of all delegates and honored guests during the WHC 2023. Our priority is to create a conducive and inclusive environment for fruitful discussions and networking.”

The World Hindu Congress 2023 expects a substantial number of delegates from various countries, saying that they are expecting over 3500 participants representing Hindu communities worldwide. Delegates can register for the event at the website of the event. World Hindu Foundation said that it welcomes the participation of all Hindu organizations, associations, and institutions.

For the World Hindu Congress in Bangkok, Thailand to be held from November 24 to 26, registration can be done at discounted rate till 31 July, 2023. Under this, the registration for all delegates will be USD $300, for women it will be USD $200, and for student USD $150.

The foundation said that they can be contacted at the email ID [email protected] for further information and partnership opportunities, while updates about the event can be found on the official website www.worldhinducongress.org and social media accounts of World Hindu Congress.

Nikah nahi ki hai toh bachha bhi haram hoga- Jamia scholar Shoaib Jamai’s words that made Subuhi Khan attack him live on air

OpIndia Staff
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Nikah nahi ki hai toh bachha bhi haram hoga- Jamia scholar Shoaib Jamai’s words that made Subuhi Khan attack him live on air

Earlier in the day, a video clip from a TV debate went viral on Twitter, showing a woman panellist Subuhi Khan and Jamia scholar Dr Shoaib Jamai hurling unpleasantries and physically assaulting each other. The incident happened during a live television debate on News 18, titled ‘Desh Nahi Jhukne Denge with Aman Chopra’.

In our previous report, we mentioned that Jamai had likely made some comment directed at Subuhi Khan’s son that had incensed her.

Now another clip from the same debate show is doing the rounds on social media, in which, Shoiab Jamai can actually be heard making some very derogatory comments against his fellow panellist Subuhi Khan and her son.

Subuhi Khan is a practising Muslim married to a Hindu man named Neel Ratan. She has a son with her Hindu husband whose name is Kabeer.

During the debate show, the panellists were having a discussion over the Islamic concept of Haram and Halal used in the Quran to designate the categories of lawful or allowed and unlawful or forbidden.

Jamai said that there is the concept of Jannat (heaven) and Jahannum (hell) in Islam and anyone who does halal go to Jannat and those who do haram go to Jahannum. In reply, Subuhi said that there is no problem with the concept of Jannat and Jahannum, however, the problem is with the list of things that have been classified as halal and haram by the so-called Islamist scholars.

She pointed out some of the things that Islamists have deemed haram, such as singing, dancing, drawing and painting, in order to express her annoyance at the ludicrous limitations that are being imposed on Muslims in the name of Islam. She remarked that the idea of Haram and Halal confuses her.

Subuhi’s response incensed Jamai, who asserted that the concept of halal and haram is very clear. Here, Shoaib Jamai lost his composure and attacked Subuhi Khan by calling her son an illegitimate child. He claimed that Subuhi Khan’s son is ‘haram’ since she married someone who was not of her faith.

He said that Subuhi did not do Nikah which is why it will be called Jinnah and her son will be considered ‘haram’. “Inhone Nikah nahi kiya toh who Jinnah mein shamil hoga aur inka bachha bhi haram hoga.”

This remark infuriated Subuhi Khan so much that she got up from her chair and angrily advanced towards Jamai and attacked him. She abused Jamai for passing the disdainful remark.

Interestingly, Subuhi Khan shared another video from the same debate on Twitter, in which the host Aman Chopra was also seen taking a jibe at Shoiab Jamai and another Islamist panellist sitting next to him for interrupting and countering Subuhi Khan’s opposition to the tainted list of items that Islamists have labelled as Halal and Haram.

Towards the end of the video clip that Subuhi Jamai shared, Aman Chopra asks the Islamist scholar seated next to Shoaib Jamai whether wearing makeup is also regarded as Haram in Islam. When the panellist replies in the affirmative, Aman Chopra informs him subtly that Shoaib Jamai himself had applied makeup a short while ago.

Amusingly, Shoiab Jamai, who had been shouting and arguing with Subuhi Khan up until this point, sits motionless without uttering a single word in his defence as Aman Chopra reiterates that Jamai had gotten his makeup done along with him before the show began.

4 children, including an 11-month-old infant, found alive in the Amazon Jungle 40 days after Colombian plane crash 

OpIndia Staff
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4 children, including an 11-month-old infant, found alive in the Amazon Jungle 40 days after Colombian plane crash 

On Friday, June 9, the Colombian authorities said that the four children who survived a plane crash last month have been rescued alive from the Amazon rainforest. This brings an intense 40-day-long search operation named “Operation Hope” (Operación Esperanza) to an end.

The rescued siblings were alone and malnourished when the rescue team found them. 

Taking to Twitter, Gustavo Petro, the President of Colombia shared a photo of the rescued siblings and the rescue team as he wrote, “A joy for the whole country! The 4 children who were lost 40 days ago in the Colombian jungle found alive.”

During a media interaction, President Petro lauded the rescued children as an “example of survival” adding that their saga will be remembered.

“They’ve given us an example of total survival that will go down in history,” President Petro said.

It is notable that the rescued siblings namely—Lesly Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 13, Soleiny Jacobombaire Mucutuy, 9, Tien Ranoque Mucutuy, 4, and 11-month-old infant Cristin Ranoque Mucutuy were the only survivors of the tragic plane crash.

The siblings rescued from the forest belonged to the Huitoto Indigenous community. Despite being malnourished, none of the children were in critical condition, including the 11-month-old baby.

It has been suggested that because the survivor siblings were members of the indigenous Huitoto community, the education they got from their grandmother may have been helpful in their survival.

The rescued children have now been taken to San Jose de Guaviare for medical and psychological assessments.

The Cessna single-engine propeller plane carrying six passengers and a pilot declared an emergency due to engine failure in the wee hours of May 1.

Magdalena Mucutuy Valencia, the children’s mother, along with the pilot and an indigenous leader, was killed in the deadly crash. On May 16, two weeks after the crash, the crashed plane was found in a dense area of Colombian rainforest, and the bodily remains were recovered. The children, however, were not found at the spot. The disappearance of the children into the thick rainforest prompted the massive military-led search and rescue operation.

Days later, footprints, eaten fruits, and used napkins were found about 500 metres from the crash site. “Operation Hope” was immediately expanded, as 150 soldiers and 200 volunteers from nearby Indigenous tribes, as well as a squad of ten Belgian shepherd dogs, covering an area of over 323 square kilometres (125 square miles) joined the search operation.

Long-range speakers were mounted on the helicopter, which played an announcement in the Huitoto language from the children’s grandmother, informing them that the search was ongoing and asking them to remain where they were. 

Around 5 p.m. on Friday, the army radio buzzed with “Miracle! Miracle! Miracle! Miracle!” shouts. A team of ten troops and eight Indigenous volunteers discovered new footprints and followed them to where the children were staying in a clearing.

On Saturday (local time), the Colombian military tweeted some pictures of the rescued children wrapped in thermal blankets along with a group of soldiers and volunteers posing with them. 

“#GeneralGiraldo: “The union of efforts made this joy possible for Colombia” Glory to the soldiers of the @FuerzasMilCol, to the indigenous communities and institutions that were part of the #OperaciónEsperanza,” Colombia’s military command tweeted.

UP police arrest Anwar Ali, who had offered namaz inside a Hindu temple in Hapur

OpIndia Staff
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UP police arrest Anwar Ali, who had offered namaz inside a Hindu temple in Hapur

The Muslim man who offered Namaz at the Chandi Mandir in the Hapur district of Uttar Pradesh on Friday, June 9, 2023, has been arrested by the Hapur police from Bulandshahr Road. The accused has been identified as Anwar Ali, a resident of Sarai Basarat in Hapur. The arrest comes after an FIR was registered on the complaint lodged by Shri Sidhpeeth Chandi Devi Temple’s secretary Satnarain Agarwal at the Kotwali Sadar police station.

CO City Ashok Kumar said that the eyewitnesses inside the temple alleged that a man laid a mat on the temple floor and started performing Namaz-like actions at 4.42 a.m on Friday.

CO Kumar also informed that an FIR has been registered under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 298 (deliberate intent to wound the religious feelings of any person) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The members of the temple committee, the devotees present there and the members of Hindu organisations raised objections to the Muslim man’s act and demanded strict action. The temple committee members alleged that when they opposed the accused person’s attempt to offer namaz inside the temple, he verbally abused them and threatened to blow up the Chandi Devi Temple to pieces. The committee further alleged that the 44-year-old accused Anwar Ali also raised ‘Gazwa-e-Hind’ slogans on the temple premises.

Meanwhile, Hapur SP Abhishek Verma said that the accused was identified based on the CCTV footage. Following the arrest, police questioned the accused who reportedly said that temples and mosques are places of worship, so he thought of offering namaz inside a Hindu temple. The Hapur SP added a thorough background check of the accused is being conducted. The police are also probing the motive behind the accused Anwar Ali’s act. He also stated that no trace of any sort of conspiracy has been found so far in the investigation.

After the accused was thrashed out of the temple by the devotees present there on Friday, the temple committee purified the premises with the holy Gangajal to reinstate the sanctity of the temple.

Maharashtra: Complaint filed in Kolhapur against Twitter handle Hindutva Watch for spreading fake news and trying to incite riots

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Complaint filed in Kolhapur against Twitter handle Hindutva Watch for spreading fake news and trying to incite riots

On 7th June 2023, a complaint was filed in the Kolhapur Cyber police station against the Twitter handle Hindutva Watch for spreading fake news and inciting riots. The complaint was filed by local Hindu activist Sambhaji alias Banda Salunkhe who alleged that the said Twitter account deliberately shared two clips in a Twitter post to show that a speech by the complainant caused the incident of communal violence in Kolhapur.

Notably, massive tensions erupted in the city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra on Wednesday, June 7, amid peaceful protest by Hindu organisations against people who posted social media stories praising Aurangzeb and Islamic tyrant Tipu Sultan on the glorious day when the state celebrated the 350th Rajyabhishek Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The Twitter handle Hindutva Watch allegedly made an attempt to insinuate that it was Sambhaji Salunkhe’s speech on 6th June 2023, that incited violence on the next day. OpIndia has secured a copy of the complaint filed by Sambhaji Salunkhe.

In his complaint, Sambhaji Salunkhe said, “I work for the Hindu community’s cause for the last few years in the Kolhapur district. For the last two days, there is an attempt to create communal tensions in the city by using social media. I guide people to be united so that Hindus do not lose their existence in society. On 6th June 2023, a video clip of my speech was shot. It was used in the wrong way for the wrong purpose and put before the entire society by the Hindutva Watch Twitter account.”

He further said in his complaint, “The clips of two separate incidents were shared in the same post. I was not involved in that incident, but this post is shared with the intent of defaming me and creating unrest in society. Considering the current situation in the society, there can be communal tensions and they need to be prevented by the legal process.”

He added, “Currently, there is tension prevailing in the city because some people shared wrong posts regarding religion on social media. There is an attempt to defame me by posting a clipping on the Hindutva Watch Twitter account by sharing the video of my speech and the recent violence in the city. This can potentially attract the wrath of the administration against me. therefore I request the administration to take strict action against this Twitter handle. I will not be responsible if any communal tension or violence is incited by this post.”

In the Twitter post shared by the Hindutva Watch, there are two video clips. In one video clip. Sambhaji Salunkhe is seen addressing a group of people on the occasion of the 350th coronation day celebration of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. This is from 6th June 2023. Another clip shows a tense situation in the city on the next day, June 7. In the first tweet in the same thread, Hindutva Watch shared a video clip and said that a Muslim youth was thrashed by Hindus for sharing a social media post hailing Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. Hindutva Watch essentially tried to insinuate that Sambhaji Salunkhe’s speech was responsible for the communal tension.

In the video clip shared by Hindutva Watch, Sambhaji Salunkhe is seen appealing to the people to be united. He said, “We should be united because there are so many families in which they have only two daughters. We should protect them.” He also appealed to the listeners to call for a peaceful bandh against the social media posts hailing Aurangazeb. It was during this peaceful protest the next day that stones were pelted at innocent Hindus and a law and order situation was created.

Hindutva Watch wrote in the caption, “Hindu extremists thrashed a Muslim youth who uploaded status hailing Aurangzeb and Tipu Sultan. Later, stones were pelted at a mosque during the protest rally by Hindu far-right groups. The situation remains tense as far-right leaders like Banda Sakunkhe try to keep the pot simmering by delivering communal speeches. As of now, Kholapur Police continues to ignore his hateful rhetoric and calls for violence.”

According to another Twitter handle of Sahyadri Rights Forum, the complaint filed by the Hindu activist may potentially book Hindutva Watch under sections 153A, 153B, 295A, and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.

The Twitter handle Hindutva Watch is ill-known to insinuate false things against Hindu activists and Hindu organisations. It is run by one Raqeeb Hameed Naik who lives in the USA and identifies himself as a Kashmiri journalist.

Hindutva Watch Twitter handle has shared many such inciting posts in the past which may potentially cause religious tensions and communal disharmony in the society. Hindu activist Sambhaji Salunkhe has demanded strict action against this handle for defaming him by spreading fake news against him and inciting riots.

Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar appoints Praful Patel and Supriya Sule as new NCP working presidents

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Sharad Pawar appoints Praful Patel and Supriya Sule as new NCP working presidents

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday announced Supriya Sule and Praful Patel as the new working presidents of the party. Supriya Sule is the daughter of Sharad Pawar and a Lok Sabha member from Baramati, while Praful Patel is a senior party leader and a close aide of the NCP supremo.

Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar’s nephew, had made it clear that he did not want to take up the role in the party. He was present when the announcement was made by his uncle Sharad Pawar.

The 82-year-old politician proposed his resignation offer to NCP’s leadership last month after serving as the president for 24 years. He made the proclamation during the launch of the new edition of his book ‘Lok Maze Sangati.’ On May 5, a panel of party members, which was convened to deliberate on the matter, rejected the same and encouraged him to remain as the party leader.

Pawar stated, “I can’t disrespect your sentiments. Due to your love, I am respecting the demand that was made to me to withdraw my resignation and the resolution that was passed by senior NCP leaders. I withdraw my decision to step down as the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).”

Earlier, NCP said that on Friday, Sharad Pawar was given a “death threat” on social media. Supriya Sule met with Mumbai police commissioner Vivek Phansalkar in this regard and demanded action. He received a message on Facebook that warned, “He will meet the same fate as (Narendra) Dabholkar soon.”

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