A recent case of murder has come to light from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh where a Muslim guy named Parvez entered a girl’s house in Vandana Vihar of the Khoda police station and was beaten to death there. The girl is a class 10 student and was allegedly his girlfriend. He was attacked by her family and neighbours after being caught which led to his demise. The incident reportedly occurred on 29th June, on the evening of Eid al-Adha.
On Thursday at around 7 o’clock, he reached the girl’s residence to meet her. However, her parents arrived there in the meantime and saw them together. They started assaulting him afterwards. Her cousin and another local resident also came to the scene.
He was severely hurt both on his head and in other places. He was reportedly hit with an iron rod over the head. The police also rushed to the spot after learning about the occurrence. Parvez was taken to hospital for treatment where the medical staff pronounced him dead.
A senior police official said, “On 29 June, the PRV of the Thana Khoda region got a report that Parvez, a 23-year-old resident of Mustafabad, Loni Dehat in Uttar Pradesh had been beaten up by some individuals in the Vandana Vihar Thana Khoda neighbourhood on the suspicion of committing theft.”
@Uppolice दिनाँक 29.06.23 को थाना खोडा क्षेत्र की पीआरवी से एक सूचना प्राप्त हुई कि एक 23 वर्षीय परवेज नामक युवक जोकि मुस्तफाबाद लोनी का रहने वाला है को वंदना विहार थाना खोडा क्षेत्रान्तर्गत कुछ व्यक्तियों द्वारा चोरी के शक में पीटा गया है । (1/3) pic.twitter.com/xwEV7s2h0d
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GHAZIABAD (@ghaziabadpolice) June 30, 2023
Deputy Commissioner of Police Trans Hindon Zone further stated, “When the police verified all the details, we found that the accused is a 42-year-old man named Sanjay who lives in Vandana Vihar and his daughter was already acquainted with the deceased. He along with his family members thrashed the youth.”
“Doctor pronounced the young man brought dead after he was transported to the hospital for treatment. Three perpetrators have been arrested following the filing of charges after we received a complaint from his family. In addition, legal action is being pursued,” he added.
युवक को जब इलाज हेतु अस्पताल ले जाया गया तो डॉ0 द्वारा उनको मृत घोषित कर दिया गया । युवक के परिजनों से तहरीर प्राप्त कर अभियोग पंजीकृत कर तीन अभियुक्तों की गिरफ्तारी की गई है । अन्य वैधानिक कार्यवाही की जा रही है । बाइट-डीसीपी ट्रांस हिंडन जोन(3/3)
— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GHAZIABAD (@ghaziabadpolice) June 30, 2023
The girl’s family admitted to striking Parvez during the initial interrogation on the grounds of stealing. However, it was discovered through the police inquiry that the issue is a love affair. Their daughter and Parvez knew each other for a year. They beat him up after seeing the two of them together. The locals unveiled that Parvez used to visit the girl’s home to meet her. The police, in this case, have apprehended her father, cousin, and neighbour while launching a case based on the complaint of his family.
On June 14, 2023, in the Hasanpur village in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district, a dispute broke out between two neighbouring families over the felling of a tree. A 32-year-old man named Satyendra Kumar Jatav had gotten injured in the incident. Several leftist media outlets and politicians used the incident to spread caste hatred by spreading fake news pitting Dalits against upper castes.
Projecting it as a caste-based Dalit versus Thakur brawl, various mainstream media houses reported that the Dalit victim, Satyendra Kumar Jatav, was thrashed and his private part was ‘slashed’ by members of ‘upper caste’ after he objected to the felling of a Babool tree on his farm. It was also reported how the victim’s family was ‘forced’ to vacate their home and leave the village after the incident.
How media reported the news (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Notably, Satyendra Kumar’s injury was deemed “ordinary” (superficial wounds) in his medical reports. Moreover, while speaking to OpIndia, Satyendra Kumar’s family blamed politicians and the media for misrepresenting the matter.
What did the FIR state
On June 16, 2023, the Etah police registered an FIR against two accused- Vikram Singh and Satyendra alias Bhuray Thakur based on the complaint filed by Satyendra Jatav.
According to the complainant, on June 14, the two accused were cutting a Babool tree on his land. When he objected to the same, Vikram Singh and Satyendra alias Bhuray Thakur thrashed him. The complainant also alleged that one of the accused, Vikram, who had a knife with him, attacked him. He claimed that in the attack, “more than half of the diameter of his private part was cut”.
The victim, Satyendra Kumar, also claimed that his four-month-pregnant wife was also “hit with an axe and badly beaten up”.
Based on the complaint, the police registered a case against Satyendra Singh and Vikram Singh under sections 452, 323, 504 and 506 of the IPC under the SC/ST Act and started investigating the matter. FIR copy is available with OpIndia.
What did the Etah police say
The Etah police called it a matter of dispute over the felling of a tree. The police also said that the allegation that his private part was ‘slashed’ with a knife was wrong and misleading. The police also negated reports that claimed that the victim family was ‘forced’ to flee the village after the incident.
पेड़ काटने को लेकर हुए विवाद में दो पक्षों में गाली गलौज व मारपीट हुई, मेडिकल रिपोर्ट से निजी अंग काटे जाने की पुष्टि नहीं हुई है, प्रारंभिक छानबीन से भय के कारण घर छोड़ने की पुष्टि नहीं हुई है, प्रकरण में अभियोग पंजीकृत है, थानास्तर से आवश्यक वैधानिक कार्यवाही की जा रही है।
DSP Vikrant Dwivedi said, “The allegation that his private part was slashed with a knife is wrong. There was a rupture in the foreskin caused during the scuffle. Medical examination has established that there was no detachment of the penis. The entire matter is being investigated.”
Notably, OpIndia also has a copy of the victim’s medical report. In this report, the injury on the private part has been described as ordinary or superficial.
Leftist media and casteist leaders spread confusion
The Bhim Army and several media outlets tried to paint this issue in a casteist light. To play out the Dalits were under attack narrative, various angles, raging from the ‘slashing’ of the private part of the victim to the exodus of the ‘oppressed’ Dalit family were peddled by the media.
Amidst several claims that were circulated by the media, OpIndia visited the Hasanpur hamlet in Uttar Pradesh’s Etah district in order to meet the families involved in the brawl and people in their neighbourhood to uncover the truth.
Etah town is located about 6 miles from Hasanpur. We came across a canal on the way to the settlement. This canal borders Prithvipur, a town and a Nagar parishad in Niwari district in Madhya Pradesh. The Hasanpur village has a mixed population of Thakurs and Dalits (Katheria).
OpIndia met some Dalit youths and teenagers outside the village plucking mangoes and grazing cows. They told us that the villagers here live together in harmony and there is no such thing as casteism.
No discrimination on the basis of caste: Village priest spoke to OpIndia
We reached Hasanpur, the village of the Dalit victim Satyendra Jatav, after driving through Prithvipur. On the side of the road, close to where the village boundary began, an idol of Lord Shiva was erected. When we first arrived in the village, we came across a government school. A temple was located in front of this school. OpIndia spoke to Ram Shankar, the temple’s priest, who told us how there has never been any sort of discrimination, especially based on caste, amongst the villagers. Everyone visits the temple and worships together, he said.
Lord Mahadev idol, Ram Shankar the temple’s priest (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Victim’s family found to be at their home
Several media houses had reported how the victim’s Dalit family was ‘forced’ to leave the village after the incident. Times of India went a step ahead and reported how out of fear, three Dalit families had left the village after placing a ‘house on sale’ board on their doors. When the OpIndia team went to the victim’s home, we discovered that his entire family was pretty much living there. Satyendra Jatav, the victim, his wife, and their children were, in fact, all at home, when he reached. When we questioned him about media rumours that he was forced to leave the village after the incident, he stated that he had only travelled for medical treatment.
A brawl between two families was given a castiest angle by leftist media and politicians
Satyendra Jatav, the victim, stated in his conversation with OpIndia that the rumours being circulated about him trouble him. He voiced his displeasure at how the media and politicians have twisted a dispute between two families by giving it a casteist angle. “I have good relationships with many Thakurs, Brahmins, and Yadavs, among other villagers,” he said, adding how many Thakurs refer to him as their son, and he calls them uncle.
Satyendra Jatav (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
Notably, Satyendra in his police complaint had called the accused Vikram Singh and Satyendra alias Bhuray Thakur as anti-social elements. Speaking to OpIndia, he reiterated how many Yadavs, Thakurs, and Pandits in the village are also fed up with the harassment meted out at them by Vikram Singh and Satyendra alias Bhuray Thakur.
Pooja Jatav, the wife of Satyendra Jatav, told OpIndia that certain politicians and the media have overblown the matter. She too asserted that it was a caste-based dispute but a petty brawl. “I am afraid of politicians,” Pooja lamented.
The husband and wife then showed us the tree that sparked the altercation and demanded harsh punishment for the perpetrators.
Satyendra and his wife expressed satisfaction over the police action in the matter. Sayendra also told that his uncle’s son is also a constable in UP Police. During our visit to the village, we also saw policemen patrolling the area.
Accused are absconding
Vikram Singh and Satendra Singh are absconding. The duo are members of the same family. The police claimed that they are conducting raids and a manhunt has been launched to nab the culprits, at the earliest. When the OpIndia team arrived at the accused’s home, we saw one elderly guy and a few women present there. A lock was hanging from the door.
The house of the accused (Source: OpIndia Hindi)
VHP seeks action against rumour mongers
Taking cognizance of OpIndia’s video, Vishwa Hindu Parishad has demanded action against those spreading rumours in the Etah case. VHP’s national spokesperson Vinod Bansal has termed the propaganda done in Etah as a conspiracy to break the unity of Hindu society. He urged the UP Police to look into the situation and punish those responsible strictly.
सुरक्षित यूपी के संगठित हिंदू समाज में दरार डाल कर वैमनस्य फैलाने वाले कथित मीडिया के उन शांपों को भी अब @Uppolice को कुचलना होगा जो मनगढ़ंत कहानियां बनाकर शासन व समाज को बदनाम करने के षड्यंत्र रच रहे हैं। ग्राउंड रिपोर्ट हेतु धन्यवाद @STVRahul जी। https://t.co/ZYka1CUtUP
— विनोद बंसल Vinod Bansal (@vinod_bansal) June 27, 2023
Vinod Bansal tweeted, “The UP police will now have to crush those snakes of the so-called media who are sowing discord in the organised Hindu society of safe UP and who are planning to defame the government and the society by fabricating stories.”
The Government of India announced the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS) in 2015 under which the trusts of 2 major Hindu temples of Gujarat have invested the gold they get in donations from devotees and received a large amount of money for service and temple work. Somnath Jyotirlinga Temple Trust and Shaktipeeth Ambaji Temple Trust have invested 200 kg of gold under this GMS scheme.
According to reports, two major temples in Gujarat – Ambaji Temple and Somnath Temple – have deposited as much as 200 kg of gold in public sector banks under GMS in a short span of time. According to the current prices, this amounts to a gold deposit worth Rs 120.6 crore.
At this time, the price of gold in the Ahmedabad market is Rs 60,300 per 10 grams. Looking at the current trends, a senior executive of the public sector bank said that the government is encouraging temples to deposit the gold collected as donations under the Gold Monetisation Scheme in banks. This gives an interest rate of 2.25% per annum for medium-term deposits and 2.50% per annum for long-term deposits.
This is very beneficial for temples as they can redeem gold at the current market price. In addition, their deposits get matured and they get interest on these deposits. The largest chunk of the deposits made under GMS from Gujarat came from the Ambaji Temple Trust.
Ambaji Temple Trust deposited 168 kg of gold and Somnath Temple Trust deposited 6 kg of gold
The largest chunk of the gold deposits made under GMS from Gujarat came from the Ambaji Temple Trust. Banaskantha district collector and trustee Varun Kumar Barnwal said, “Ambaji temple has deposited 168 kg of gold in three phases. This includes 96 kg and 23 kg in two phases.”
Somnath temple has also deposited six kg of gold under GMS. P K Laheri, a trustee of Shri Somnath Trust, said, “About 150 kg of gold has been melted and used for plating and decorating the Shikhar of Somnath temple. The temple trust has recently deposited around 6 kg of gold under GMS.”
Whatever amount the two temple trusts have earned by investing gold is used by them for maintenance of the temple premises, social work, and service work.
Services done by The Somnath Temple Trust
The Somnath Trust has been doing environmental services, gau seva, food donation, and help charities associated with education and healthcare. Apart from this, modern living arrangements, rest houses, and free meal services are also run for the devotees. This amount will be used for all these service works.
Apart from this, whenever there has been a disaster, calamity or any hour of need comes to Gujarat, the Somnath Temple Trust comes forward and extends a helping hand.
Services done by Ambaji Temple Trust
Like the Somnath Temple Trust, the Ambaji Temple Trust has also been working in many areas of social service where this amount will be used. Since 1991, a college is being run by The Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust. This institute is called Shri Ambaji Arts College. Along with this, a modern library has also been built there.
A 200-bed modern hospital is also run by the Shri Arasuri Ambaji Mata Devasthan Trust. Apart from treatment, there is also a pathology lab, X-ray clinic, maternity home, female and male patient wards, and operation theatre.
Apart from this, many other services are also done by Ambaji Trust. For example, rest houses are run for pilgrims, free meals are provided, and frequently open-handed assistance is provided whenever there is any natural calamity in the state.
What is Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS)?
The gold monetization scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 15, 2015. This scheme has been designed to help people receive interest on their unused gold lying idle in the bank locker. The Gold Monetisation Scheme is basically a new deposit tool to ensure the aggregation of gold held by various households and institutions in India. It is expected that the scheme will turn gold into a productive asset in India. This new Gold Scheme is a replacement of the old Gold Deposit Scheme (GDS) and Gold Metal Loan Scheme (GML) and has replaced the previous Gold Deposit Scheme, 1999.
Investors can deposit gold for the short, medium and long term under the Gold Monetisation Scheme (GMS). The scheme allows the investor to deposit gold in short-term bank deposits (SRBDs) and medium and long-term government deposits (MLTGDs).
Short Term Bank Deposit (STBD)
Allows tenure from one to three years Allows interim tenure such as one year three months, two years four months, etc. The lock-in period and penalty will be decided by the designated banks Banks are free to decide the interest rate on these deposits
Medium and Long Term Government Deposits (MLTGD)
The bank appointed on behalf of the central government will accept deposits under this scheme
The maturity period is five to seven years for the medium term and 12 to 15 years for the long term
Interest rates 2.25% p.a. for the medium term and 2.50% p.a. for the long term
The interest on the deposit will be paid on March 31 every year
The lock-in periods on these deposit schemes are three years and five years respectively
Who can invest under GMS?
Individuals Hindu Undivided Family (HUF) Companies Charitable Organizations Ownership and Partnership Firms Any trust including mutual funds or exchange-traded funds Central Government State Government Other central or state government-owned institutions
More benefits under GMS than putting gold in the locker
If an individual or organization puts the gold in the bank locker, then it does not get any interest. At the same time, no dividend is paid on it. Apart from this, the investor also has to pay a charge for that locker.
On the contrary, if the same person or organization invests the same gold under this Gold Monetization Scheme (GMS), then he is eligible for the interest fixed on that gold and does not have to pay locker charges too.
Manipur CM N Biren Singh has announced that he will not resign from the post when the state is facing massive violence for almost two months. Amid reports that he will resign today and protest against the decision to resign by his supporters, Biren Singh tweeted that he is not resigning.
The Manipur CM tweeted, “At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister.”
At this crucial juncture, I wish to clarify that I will not be resigning from the post of Chief Minister.
This comes after the CM had already printed and signed his resignation letter.
Amid opposition demands for his resignation, it was widely reported today that he is likely to tender his resignation today. The reports claimed that Biren Singh will reach the governor at 1 PM today and tender his resignation.
Following the reports, thousands of his supporters, mostly women, gathered in support of him and urged him to not resign. They even blocked the road preventing him from going to the Raj Bhawan. They were carrying banners and placards in support of the CM, asking to remain in the post.
#WATCH | Several women gathered near Manipur CM N Biren Singh's residence in Imphal to support the CM. pic.twitter.com/9WqcmCflRB
The women said that the CM has done a lot for them, and he should not resign. Responding to the demands of his supporters, Biren Singh took an u-turn and decided not to resign.
In a dramatic development, when an MLA of the party brought the resignation letter and read it out in front of the protesting women, one of them grabbed it and tore it down.
An image of the letter, torn into pieces and crumbled, has appeared on media and social media. The letter on the official letterhead of the CM, dated 30 June, reads, “I hereby submit my resignation as Chief Minister of Manipur. I thank you for your cooperation and guidance during the past few months.”
A meeting between Chief Minister Biren Singh and Govorner Anusuiya Uikey was scheduled to take place between 2:00-3:00 PM, when the CM was to submit his resignation. Reportedly, the decision to resign was his own, and he was not asked by the central leadership to quit. It is being reported that Singh was hurt by the protest held by women in Imphal holding dead bodies on June 29.
Manipur has been burning amid conflict between the two ethnic groups, Meiteis and Kukis. Tensions flared up on May 3 following a ‘Tribal solidarity march’ which was organised against the Meitei community seeking ST status.
Meiteis account for the majority of the Manipur population whereas Nagas and Kukis account for about 40% of the population. About 130 people have been killed in the clash and several have been displaced after their houses were torched and razed.
On June 29, armed rioters opened fire towards Haraothel village amid ongoing security operations. The troops deployed in the area immediately mobilised to prevent the escalation of the situation. While en route to the site, the forces drew effective fire from armed rioters.
The Spear Corps tweeted, “Own troops responded in a calibrated manner to prevent any collateral damage. Swift action by troops resulted in cessation of firing. Additional columns moved to the area. Unconfirmed reports indicate some casualties. Build up of large crowds in the area also reported.”
Meanwhile, some groups have also reportedly blocked the forces from discharging their duties.
PM Modi 3 days ago chaired a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. On June 25, Singh briefed Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the situation in the state, and an all-party meeting was also chaired last week.
Rahul Gandhi in Manipur
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi today visited relief camps in Manipur. He said he is “ready to do whatever it takes to reinstate peace in the state.”
The BJP has termed his visit as “irresponsible” saying that the local administration had asked Gandhi to visit Churanchandpur in a chopper in view of the prevailing tension in the state, but he refused and went on to visit the area by road.
“Rahul Go Back” slogans were reportedly raised in Imphal. The BJP has hit out at the Congress for politicising the tense situation in the state.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship ‘Make In India’ initiative aimed at giving an impetus to manufacturing in India and transforming India into a global manufacturing hub has drawn global attention for its remarkable success. On Friday, Russian President Vladimir Putin lauded the “impressive” impact of PM Modi’s Make In India initiative on the Indian economy.
While addressing the audience at an event organized by Russia’s Agency for Strategic Initiatives (ASI) President Putin stressed the need of offering support tools for Russian companies to market their products much more efficiently by articulating their mission, the value of the good, and a sense of positive emotion—pride among Russians regarding the Russia-made products. For this, Putin cited the example of his “great friend” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and how his concept of Make In India launched several years ago has had an impressive effect on the Indian economy.
“Our friends in India and our great friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, launched the ‘Make in India’ initiative several years ago. It has had a truly impressive effect on the Indian economy. It would do no harm to emulate what is working well, even if it was not us but our friends who created it,” the Russian president asserted.
❗️President Putin Hails “Great Friend” Modi and Make in India
This, however, is not the first time that Putin has lauded the Make In India initiative. In October last year, President Putin hailed PM Modi as a patriot and pointed out the economic and ethical significance of PM Modi’s ambitious Make In India initiative.
“A lot has been done under the leadership of PM Modi. He is a patriot of his country. His idea of ‘Make in India‘ matters both economic wise and in ethics. Future belongs to India, it can also be proud of the fact that it’s the largest democracy in the world,” Putin said back then.
Make In India
As part of India’s renewed focus on manufacturing, the ‘Make in India’ initiative was launched in September 2014. The Initiative’s goal is to promote India as the most preferred global manufacturing destination. Since the launch of this historic initiative, the Narendra Modi government has implemented a number of reform initiatives to create a conducive environment for manufacturing, design, innovation, and startups.
As the program completed eight years in September 2022, the government released numbers indicating the accomplishments of Make In India. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows totaled $45.15 billion in the first year of the ‘Make in India’ scheme. The fiscal year 2021-22 saw the highest-ever FDI inflows of $83.6 billion.
New guidelines for mentioning cases for urgent listing before benches have been issued by the Supreme Court of India. The new rules adopted by CJI DY Chandrachud disallow advocates to mention cases on the same day after submitting them in court. A weekly schedule has been fixed for registering and hearing for mentioning cases for urgent listing before the benches.
According to new rules, fresh cases that are verified by the registry on a Saturday, Monday, or Tuesday will be scheduled for a hearing before the benches on the following Monday, and the attorneys do not need to bring them before the Chief Justice of India. Similarly, matters verified from Wednesday to Friday will be listed the next Friday.
The bar and other parties were informed of the mechanism that CJI D.Y. Chandrachud will use to mention cases for their urgent listing commencing on 3 July through a circular that the registrars of judicial administration published on June 28. The supreme court will reopen on July 3 following the summer break.
The circular read, “Miscellaneous fresh matters which are verified on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday shall be automatically listed on the following Monday. Miscellaneous matters which are verified on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday shall be automatically listed on the following Friday.”
The circular further stated that counsels intending to have their cases heard the next day must now submit their mentioning pro forma by 3 p.m. on the day previous to the scheduled hearing in order to be listed for consideration. The pro forma and a letter of urgency must be provided to the mentioning officer by 10:30 a.m. for those who want to be listed that day, according to the statement.
Afterwards, the CJI will make a decision on the matter during lunchtime or “as the exigency may warrant.” The lawyers must first appear before the mentioning officer with the pro forma and urgency letter for after-notice and regular hearing items that are requested to be mentioned promptly. It informed, “No mentionings other than those in the mentioning lists uploaded a day prior shall be permitted for such matters.”
In accordance with protocol, advocates and litigants are permitted to mention their cases for out-of-turn listing and hearing before the CJI’s court by advancing the basis of urgency. The highest court has announced a new roster for the allocation of new cases to 15 benches beginning on July 3. PILs will be heard in the first three courts presided over by the CJI and the two senior-most justices.
Earlier, advocates could submit mentioning proformas by 10.25 for all fresh cases or for cases not allowed to a bench, and the CJI used to hear the mentionings 10.30 am onwards and allot dates. In some days, as many as 300 items were mentioned by the lawyers.
According to a Wall Street Journal report, female candidates who applied for jobs at the private office of Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates made shocking claims and told that they were questioned about their sexual history, drug use and other portions of their private lives during the interview process.
They disclosed that they were asked inappropriately about their sexual preferences, extramarital affairs, whether they had nude photos on their phones and other similarly uncomfortable queries. Some recalled being asked if she had ever “danced for dollars,” and one remembered being quizzed about her history of sexually transmitted disease.
There is no information that male applicants for employment were asked similarly awkward inquiries when they tried out for positions and the media house alleged that only females were made to go through this.
Concentric Advisors, a security consulting company charged with interviewing job candidates for Gates Ventures, is accused of asking these questions to several women while performing background checks.
A Gates Ventures representative stated to the newspaper that she was unaware of any such inquiries being made by Concentric Advisors during background checks, but added that the “line of questioning would be unacceptable and a violation of Gates Ventures’ agreement with the contractor.”
“We have never received information from any vendor or interviewee in our 15+ year history that inappropriate questions were asked during the screening process. We can confirm, that after a comprehensive review of our records, no employment offer has ever been rescinded based on information of this nature,” her statement read.
She emphasised that pre-employment screening legislation and other state and federal laws and regulations must be followed by contractors. A Concentric Advisors spokesperson also refuted the charges that the business asked interviewees these kinds of questions during screenings. However, the spokesperson proclaimed that the company’s security checks determine “a candidate’s truthfulness and vulnerability to blackmail, which often starts with voluntary statements by the candidate and follow-up questions by company interviewers.”
Candidates who reported that these questions were posed by interviewers thought that the latter was looking for information that could be used to blackmail those who would be closely collaborating with Bill Gates. They claimed that they were required to pass the employer’s exam in order to be hired and did not volunteer the sensitive information they were asked about.
According to a consent form seen by the outlet, the behavioural evaluation, which is meant to “assess suitability for employment,” inquires about past use of drugs, alcohol, prescription medications, and mental health issues.
Candidates who signed the agreement authorised the release of the findings, including “highly sensitive information,” to Bill Gates’ private office, per the article. The “re-disclosure of sexually transmitted diseases,” however, is not allowed.
Bill Gates’ Tryst with Controversy
The newspaper revealed last month that notorious billionaire Jeffrey Epstein had threatened to reveal Bill Gates’ alleged affair with Russian bridge player Mila Antonova in 2017. The email seemed to suggest that if a connection between the two men was not kept up, the former, who committed suicide while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges, may reveal the purported link.
Another Wall Street Journal report alleged that Bill Gates was also under investigation by Microsoft for an ongoing relationship with a staff member that was brought to light in 2019 by the latter whom he started dating in 2000.
Bill Gates resigned from the Microsoft board, but he insisted that this was not because of the probe. His representative responded, “In fact, he had expressed an interest in spending more time on his philanthropy starting several years earlier,” in a statement in May 2021.
In a statement released on Thursday, the spokesperson for Bill Gates asserted that “any implication of a connection between Bill Gates’ personal history” and the background investigation procedure in question “is outrageous.”
A day after an ex-Muslim Iraqi refugee Salwan Momika residing in Sweden lit several pages of the Quran on fire in front of a mosque in Stockholm, hundreds of Moqtada Sadr’s followers broke into the Swedish embassy in Baghdad. Moqtada Sadr is a firebrand Iraqi Shiite cleric. After about 15 minutes of heated protests, the gathering of Muslims started to disperse as tight security was put in place. The Quran was burnt in Sweden on June 28. The violent attack on the Swedish embassy in Baghdad took place on June 29.
The protesting Muslims’ pamphlets had the phrase, “Our constitution is the Quran.” “Yes, yes to the Quran,” was another statement spray-painted on the embassy compound’s gate.
The protesters initially gathered outside the embassy in reaction to al-Sadr’s call for the Swedish ambassador to be expelled, which echoed fury in other Muslim nations over the Quran’s blazing in Stockholm on Wednesday.
After the influential cleric said this would be “the best way to provoke” people who support Quran burnings, Al-Sadr’s followers also set fire to rainbow flags that stand for LGBT people.
The foreign ministry of Stockholm stated that it was “well informed about the situation” in a statement. Sweden cleared that all its diplomatic personnel in Iraq are secure.
On June 28, a few pages of the Quran were lit on fire in front of Stockholm’s largest mosque by Salwan Momika, 37, who escaped from Iraq to Sweden some years ago. In accordance with the right to free expression, the police had given him special permission for the protest after a court struck down a police order prohibiting such protests. According to the foreign ministry of Iraq, such actions would simply “inflame” the sentiments of Muslims all over the world.
#Sweden: Salwan Momika, who burned the Qu'ran in Sweden, came to Sweden as a refugee from Iraq. Salwan, says that the most dangerous book for humanity is Qu'ran and must be banned. He puts Pig meat in the book, kicked it and burnt it.
Salwan Momika said late on Thursday that he will repeat the protest in spite of the opposition. He said, “Within 10 days I will burn the Iraqi flag and the Quran in front of Iraq’s embassy in Stockholm.”
The Swedish Quran burning episode, which occurred at the same time as the Muslim festival of Eid al-Adha and the conclusion of the yearly pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia, was followed by outrage throughout the Middle East and beyond.
On Friday (June 30), the Karnataka High Court dismissed a petition filed by Twitter, challenging the directive of the Union government to take down 39 URLs between February 2021 and 2022. It also imposed a cost of ₹50 lakhs on the social media platform.
The matter was heard by Justice Krishna S Dixit of the Karnataka High Court. Twitter argued that the government cannot issue ‘general orders’ to block social media accounts and that such orders must be backed with reasons for communication to the affected users.
The social media giant suggested that if blocking orders are not accompanied by reasons, then, the Indian government could ‘manufacture’ them at a later stage. It also claimed that the nature of the flagged content must be in line with Section 69 of the Information Technology Act.
The petition filed by Twitter Inc, challenging the blocking orders issued to it by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act has been dismissed by the High Court of Karnataka. pic.twitter.com/yULAx2LTzf
It also alleged that account-level blocking by the Indian government is supposedly a ‘disproportionate measure’, which somehow violates the rights of users as ensured by the Indian Constitution.
The Union government argued that Twitter has no locus standi on the platform and that it cannot speak on behalf of the account holders. It pointed out that the social media giant is a foreign company and that the directives of the government were not arbitrary.
It stated that Twitter thus cannot seek refuge in fundamental rights, as guaranteed to Indian citizens under Article 14 and Article 19 of the Indian constitution.
The Union government had directed Twitter to block 175 tweets and 1474 accounts in total between February 2021 and 2022 in both national and public interest and prevent incidents of mob violence and lynching. The social media giant had challenged the blocking of 39 URLs in total.
All platforms hv to be in compliance with Indian law n @Twitter under @jack repeatedly refused to do so. In response to @GoI_MeitY 's notice for non-compliance they approached Karnataka High Court n judgement ??
✅Karnataka High Court has dismissed the petition filed by…
— Rajeev Chandrasekhar ?? (@Rajeev_GoI) June 30, 2023
The government has expressed its commitment to providing safe and accountable internet to Indian citizens. It stated that it has limited scope when it came to blocking information.
Justice Krishna S Dixit reserved the judgment in the order on April 21, 2023, after hearing both parties. On Friday (June 30), the Karnataka High Court noted that Twitter is a billionaire company and not a farmer/ ordinary person, who is unfamiliar with the law.
It upheld that the Centre has the power to direct Twitter to block both tweets and individual accounts. The court also stated that the social media giant did not provide reasons for not complying with the blocking orders of the Union government in a timely fashion.
Justice Dixit imposed a cost of ₹50 lakhs on Twitter, which is to be paid to the Karnataka State Legal Services Authority within 45 days. While dismissing the petition, he added that an additional cost of ₹5000 per day will be levied for delay in making the payment.
On Friday, the Maharashtra Police booked an FIR against 10 identified Muslim persons and other unidentified persons for brutally attacking a Hindu activist named Pradyumn Chaudhari alias Sonu with iron rods and sharp weapons in the Mahur region of the Nanded district. The accused persons also threatened the activist after he tried to stop the sacrifice of bulls on the occasion of Bakrid on June 29.
The accused persons have been identified as Salim Qureshi, Babu Thekedar, Asif Hasan, Salim Autowala, Anis, Shoaib Sheikh, Ejaz, Sohail Sheikh, Moin and Sanjay. These 10 and other unidentified persons have been booked under section 307, 395 of the Indian Penal Code and under section 5A, 5B of the Maharashtra Animal Preservation Act, 1976 and also under section 11(1)(d) of the Animal Cruelty Act, 1960
As per the FIR copy obtained by OpIndia, the incident is said to have happened yesterday ie June 29 at around 6:30 pm. The victim was informed by an unidentified person over a phone call that Muslims in the Tipu Sultan Chowk area of Nanded were planning to sacrifice a pair of bulls on the occasion of Bakrid. Sonu then reached the spot with his friend and began inquiring about the matter. Meanwhile, he also called up the Mahur Police Station for help.
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia
On inquiring, Sonu learned that the bulls were purchased by one Salim Qureshi and that he was going to slaughter them on Bakrid. Later Salim Qureshi reached the spot and also called other community members for help.
As per the FIR, one of the accused persons identified as Salim Autowala could be heard saying, “It’s too much now. He’s (Sonu) way more interfering in our matter. Let’s just finish him.” After this, the accused persons attacked the victim with an iron rod and sharp weapons. Many Muslims had gathered at the spot and ran away after they saw the Mahur police approaching.
FIR copy obtained by OpIndia
Meanwhile, someone also snatched away the gold chain Sonu was wearing while he was being attacked. The Police took cognizance of the incident and tried to pacify the matter. The Hindu activist was also immediately taken to the hospital and is being treated under professional medical care.
Atish Shankar Rathod, a friend of Sonu who filed the complaint in the case stated that Sonu had been on target of the accused Muslim persons. Sonu had posted some Facebook posts recently which had irked the Muslims. Also accused Shoaib and Sonu had engaged in a short brawl a few days ago and so the former was already pissed off at the latter.
Gaurakshak was murdered in Kinwat, Nanded on June 19
Earlier, a similar case was reported from Kinwat taluka in Maharashtra’s Nanded district where around 8 gaurakshaks were brutally attacked by Muslims with sharp weapons and sticks on the night of June 19 killing one and injuring five. The accused had been booked under sections 302, 307, 143, 147, 148, 159, and 427 of the IPC and sections 4 and 7 of the Arms Act.
The victims were attacked while they stopped a car on suspicion of beef transport. Around 15-20 Muslims got down the car and then attacked the Hindu activists. Later the police arrested Sheikh Isaak Sheikh Chand (38), Sheikh Amer Sheikh Alim (30), Sheikh Mujahid Sheikh Isak (22) and Sheikh Mujemir Sheikh Fayaz (23) in the case.
Cow protection has been painted as a ‘communal’ issue where gaurakshaks are depicted as rogue groups that attack ‘innocent’ Muslims transporting cows to slaughterhouses.
The government has imposed a ban on cow slaughter as per the Animal Welfare Act. In spite of this, numerous cows, bullocks, cattle, and other animals are smuggled across Telangana state at night in both large and small vehicles from the state of Maharashtra.
In the given case, the police has booked around 10 persons for launching an attack on a Hindu activist who initiate to protect the bulls scheduled to be slaughtered on the occasion of Bakrid. Further investigations in the case are underway.
