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Maharashtra: Two men conspiring to revive the Khalistan movement sentenced to five years in jail

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Two men conspiring to revive the Khalistan movement sentenced to five years in jail

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai on Wednesday sentenced two men, Harpal Singh alias Raju (50) and Gurjeet Singh Nijjar (42) for conspiring to revive the Khalistan movement and indulging in illegal acts. The former is a driver from Karnataka and the latter is a labourer from Punjab. They admitted to the allegations against them and were sentenced to five years of incarceration.

The duo were found guilty of many offences, notably terrorism-related charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), according to special judge A M Patil besides relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and Maharashtra Police Act.

Even though the accused accepted their guilt, the prosecution argued that in light of the facts and circumstances of the case, they should face the worst punishment possible. However, defence attorney H Y Kotwala and the duo maintained that they are the sole wage earners in the household.

The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad initially reported the case on December 2, 2018, when Harpal Singh was taken into custody. Later, it was turned over to the NIA. On December 22, 2020, Gurjeet Singh Nijjar was placed under arrest. The amount of time they have already served in prison will be reduced from the final sentence.

Sundar Lal Parashar, a retired assistant commissioner of police (ACP) in Delhi, and Moin Khan are the other two individuals currently awaiting trial in the same case. The NIA asserted that the four conspirators planned to revive Sikh militancy with the purpose of establishing a distinct Khalistan state.

The prosecution stated that in an effort to persuade impressionable Sikh youths to join the Khalistan movement, the accused posted videos and messages in support of terrorists Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale and Jagtar Singh Hawara (who was convicted of killing former Punjab chief minister Beant Singh), as well as videos about Operation Blue Star and the outlawed Babbar Khalsa International. The primary conspirator was Gurjeet Singh Nijjar, who had spent a number of years living in Cyprus.

“After understanding the contents of the charge, voluntarily and willingly, the accused pleaded guilty to the charge. Both the accused are fully aware of the consequences of advancing plead guilt,” the judge noted.

‘Regime change operation?’: Rahul Gandhi paid a secret visit to the White House, a report claims. Here is what the speculations are

OpIndia Staff
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‘Regime change operation?’: Rahul Gandhi paid a secret visit to the White House, a report claims. Here is what the speculations are

Rahul Gandhi has been on a 10-day tour to the USA. During his tour, he had several speaking engagements where he certainly stirred the pot, probably to the detriment of his own party and political career. His speech revolved around the usual themes – Hindus bad, Muslims god, Congress peaceful, ‘Hindu BJP’ communal, Muslim League secular, Rahul Gandhi victim, Modi bad. There was, however, a little-known detail about his tour that almost managed to fly under the radar – that Rahul Gandhi paid a secret visit to the White House.

An article in the Economic Times written by one Seema Sirohi, it was claimed that Rahul Gandhi during his visit made a trip to the White House, which both parties involved – the Biden administration and Rahul Gandhi (Congress) chose to keep under the wraps. Seema Sirohi confirmed that the article was accurate and she was standing by it when she responded to a Twitter user dismissing claims that she was a Modi critic.

The article written by Seema Sirohi was one that praised Rahul Gandhi to the moon and back. Seema wrote about how Rahul Gandhi had matured as far as foreign policy was concerned, had valued the USA as a strategic partner, enthused the diaspora and essentially, made his mark during his USA trip. The only slip-up according to Seema Sirohi was calling IUML “secular”. Her reasons for this assertion were hilarious at best and sinister at worst.

She claimed that Rahul Gandhi should not have claimed that IUML was “secular” because it went against the Shah Bano verdict, a protest which Congress yielded to at that time, denying Muslim women their right. While that may be true, the reason why IUML is not secular is because it is a religious organisation which partook in the partition of India, is an offshoot of Jinnah’s Muslim League and has gone on a rampage against Hindus, created violence several times in the past.

Be that as it may, one essential part of the report was tucked away in one sentence, amidst all the glowing praise being showered on Rahul Gandhi. That he made a secret trip to the White House during his US tour.

Article in the Economic Times

For an opposition leader to visit the White House in ‘secret’, without disclosing it to the government of India and the MEA, is a serious breach of protocol and could potentially undermine India’s interests. Given these revelations, several commentators took to Twitter to voice their speculations.

HinduACT, an advocacy organisation, took to Twitter to say, “A strong critic of @PMOIndia and #Hindutva, veteran journalist @seemasirohi admits in this detailed article, that @RahulGandhi‘s embrace of ANTI-INDIA groups, giving them full-control his Washington DC events, points to a problematic trend. Seema however stops short of highlighting the fact that many of these “anti-India” groups are actually #Pakistan proxies, linked to both #Khalistani separatists and #Kashmiri Islamists”.

Sunanda Vashisht, a journalist, writer and commentator also noted that the article does not note who he met at the White House.

Ram, a USA based entrepreneur also noted that one could expect significant meddling in the 2024 General Elections in India given that Rahul Gandhi went to the White House. He speculated that this ‘secret’ visit reeked of a regime change operation.

Notably, Rahul Gandhi had invited severe backlash many times after he sought foreign intervention in India’s political matters during his controversial visits abroad. Rahul Gandhi had urged the US and Europe to intervene to “restore” democracy in India. Rahul claimed that Europe and the US are not doing enough to restore democracy in India as they are getting trade and money from the country.

In a long speech made at Cambridge earlier in 2023, Rahul Gandhi resorted to blatant lies, misinformation and baseless claims to make a case for himself as the ‘ideal leader’ of India. Completely ignoring India’s electoral and democratic process, the Congress prince was seen desperately pleading with Western powers to intervene in India’s politics for a regime change operation against Modi. The speech is explained here.

In 2021 as well, Rahul Gandhi had demanded foreign interference. Rahul Gandhi made the comments during an online interaction with Ambassador Nicholas Burns of the Harvard Kennedy School. The Gandhi scion was invited by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics to talk about challenges and opportunities in India and reflections on politics and public service. Nicholas Burns is a former American ambassador to Greece, and currently a Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Rahul Gandhi asked for American interference in India towards the end of the program, after host Nicholas Burns had delivered his concluding remarks. After Burns concluded the session, Rahul Gandhi asks if he can make a quick ending comment. He then proceeds to say, “I don’t hear anything from the US establishment about what is happening in India. If you are saying partnership in democracy is, I mean, what’s your view on what is happening here?” Burns was visibly shocked after hearing this open offer from Rahul Gandhi for asking for America to comment on India’s internal matters.

Rahul Gandhi also added, “I fundamentally believe, that America is a profound idea. The idea of freedom, the way it is encapsulated in your constitution is a very powerful idea. But you got to defend that idea. And that’s the real question.” However, Nicholas Burns didn’t respond to this specifically, only saying that when they will hold the next session in two weeks with another guest from India, they will discuss these matters.

There have been several instances where Congress and Rahul Gandhi proved that they are not above compromising India’s interest at the altar of electoral politics. For example, In September 2018, the Gandhi scion visited Kailash Mansarovar and a year later admitted to having secretly met the Chinese ministers during his visit. The word secretly is used here as there were no media reports about his meeting with the Chinese. On a question regarding concerns of automation in job creation, Rahul Gandhi while speaking at a meeting in Odisha said that a couple of Chinese ministers told him during his Kailash visit that China is facing no problem in job creation due to automation. He said “how can China, in a world which is automated, is producing 50,000 new jobs in every 24 hours? Why? Why is it that automation is a problem in Europe, and automation is a problem in India, but automation does not seem to bother the Chinese? When I had gone to Kailash, I met a couple of their ministers, and they said no job creation is not a problem in China at all. We have plenty of jobs.” This pattern was repeated when he met Chinese Ambassadors after the Doklam standoff as well.

With repeated demands for foreign interference by Rahul Gandhi, the fact that he visited the White House in secret during his USA tour has raised concerns and speculations about his intentions, who he met and what the implications for India in the next year would be.

Tilak and Kalava prohibited in the Damoh school where hijab controversy erupted, now NCPCR takes cognisance of distorted Indian map as well

OpIndia Staff
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Tilak and Kalava prohibited in the Damoh school where hijab controversy erupted, now NCPCR takes cognisance of distorted Indian map as well

In the Damoh hijab controversy case, an FIR has been registered by the State against the administrators of the Ganga Jamuna school who has been accused of mandating Islamic prayers and practices on Hindu and Jain students. The FIR has been filed under sections 295 (injuring or defiling a place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) of the India Penal Code and also under the relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act.

As per the information obtained by OpIndia, the FIR was registered by the state administration after Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra issued orders to take action against the controversial school. “Preliminary case has been filed by the police against the school. However, more sections are slated to be added in the case,” Rakesh Kumar, SP Damoh confirmed as could be heard in the video.

Reportedly, this comes a day after the chairperson of the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Priyank Kanoongo exposed that a distorted map of India was being used by the chairperson of the school. In a tweet on June 7, Kanoongo revealed that the chairperson of the school owns several other enterprises where he has used a distorted map of India in the logo representing his business.

“In Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, the investigation is going on in the case of Hindu children made to wear hijab and given Islamic education amidst attempts to convert, this is its logo, in which half of India has disappeared. Not only this, the same map is being used as a logo in all other business organisations of its owner. This type of tampering with the map of our sovereign nation India by the educational institution will not be tolerated at all. @NCPCR_ has taken it very seriously, and necessary instructions are being sent to the Madhya Pradesh government for FIR,” Kanoongo said as he shared the controversial pictures on Twitter.

The NCPCR head also added that during the investigation, the students confirmed that they were forced to follow Islamic religious practices and wear hijab at the school. Further, the students were being taught the wrong geographical map of India at the school. The Commission said that this is a violation of the National Map Policy, 2005. The commission has summoned the District Magistrate, Collector Damoh, and SP Damoh in the matter and has sought action in the case.

Letter sent by commission to DM, Collector and SP Damoh

Earlier, School Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar had confirmed that Damoh Collector Mayank Agarwal was trying to save the District Education Officer (DEO) SK Mishra who is found guilty as per the prima facie information obtained. The Minister also confirmed that the state government would take action against the DEO and remove him from his post for giving clean chit to the school.

“Prima facie information that is coming out is that the District Education Officer (DEO) has given wrong information, that is why the DEO is guilty. He is supposed to visit the school continuously and inspect it, but that didn’t happen. Later, when the incident came to light through the press and social organizations, even then the DEO tried to give a clean chit,” Parmar was quoted as saying.

Further, slamming Damoh Collector Mayank Agarwal over the issue, the Minister stated that timely action should have been taken by the collector because the matter is not only about the school, it is about spreading malice in society.

The controversy in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, erupted when Hindu and Jain girls were seen wearing hijabs on the posters of meritorious students from a private school named Ganga Jamuna School. The school administrator Haji Mohammad Idris then tried to mislead the matter calming that the students were wearing scarves and not hijabs. The DM also dismissed the assertions after a probe, claiming that they were simply rumours and that there was nothing untoward discovered during the initial enquiries.

During the investigation, the SCPCR found that Ayats and lessons from the Quran were imprinted on every wall of the school. Every girl student was made to wear a hijab and they had been taught to greet the teachers with ‘Assalam Walikum..’ and not Good Morning.

The students at the school were also asked to recite three Islamic prayers followed by the National Anthem during the assembly every day. The prayer included ‘Lab pe aati hai dua..’ by Allama Muhammad Iqbal who had advocated the formation of a separate nation for Muslims in the form of Pakistan in 1930.

FIR highlighting the allegations (Republic Bharat)

Some of the girl students came forward on this matter and confirmed on record that they were forced to wear hijab and also offer Namaz on Fridays. The girls also said that they were banned from wearing Kalava on their hands and Bindi on their foreheads. It was also reported earlier, that around 3 teachers (2 Hindus and 1 Jain) were converted to Islam post their appointment as school staff.

In the given scenario, an FIR has been filed under sections 295 and 506 of the India Penal Code and also under the relevant sections of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. More sections in the case are yet to be invoked. Investigations are underway.

Islamist IAMC, Soros linked HrHR, whose founder was with Rahul Gandhi during US tour, others, ask Prez Joe Biden to cancel State Dinner with PM Modi

Anurag
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Islamist IAMC, Soros linked HrHR, whose founder was with Rahul Gandhi during US tour, others, ask Prez Joe Biden to cancel State Dinner with PM Modi

On June 7, Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), which has links to Islamic terror organisations, announced that 17 organisations have written to President Joe Biden to rescind the State Dinner invitation to Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi. In the letter, the Islamist organisations have accused PM Modi of a crackdown on fundamental democratic rights, jailing critics, enforcing anti-minority laws and more.

IAMC undersigned the letter, Jubilee Campaign American Muslim Institution, Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), Dalit Solidarity Forum, World Without Genocide, International Defenders Council, International Society for Peace and Justice, Dalit Solidarity Forum in the USA, Genocide Watch, Asian Children’s Education Fellowship, Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Misión Vida para las Naciones, Church in the Republic of Uruguay, Global Christian Relief, American Sikh Council, Human Rights and Grassroots Development Society and International Commission for Dalit Right.

The organisations claimed that India is facing sharp democratic backsliding. The claim was based on April 20, 2023, Financial Times report titled ‘India’s Democratic Backsliding’. In the report, FT claimed the democratic values of India were on backtrack because a Gujarat court denied disqualified Congress MP Rahul Gandhi‘s plea against a 2-year sentence in a defamation case. FT called it bad news not only for India but for the whole world.

However, FT failed to mention that Rahul Gandhi has a habit of making derogatory comments against PM Modi and his supporters. He also apologised in the Supreme Court for one such statement and was warned not to repeat it. There are other cases against Gandhi for such speeches as well. Gandhi was not disqualified for just PM Modi but for a whole community. In fact, there is no reason to blame PM Modi or anyone else for this decision, which was taken by a court of law and upheld even after Gandhi appealed the decision. To call this decision ‘undemocratic’ is basically saying that India as a democracy is not functioning at the whims of the West and the Liberal ecosystem of the world and is, therefore, not a conducive democracy.

The organisations claimed that the Modi Administration routinely jails political critics and opponents. The claim was supported by an Al-Jazeera report from 2021. The information mostly talked about a 33-year-old man identified as Mohammad Irfan, who was acquitted of all charges under UAPA. Interestingly, Irfan spent nine years in jail and was arrested in 2012. Modi Government came to power in 2014, two years after his arrest. IAMC and others seem to have missed the fact that three others involved in the case were convicted and sent to prison for ten years. Acquittals came mostly due to a lack of evidence. The report further mentioned that there were 5,922 arrested under UAPA between 2016 and 2019, out of which 132 were convicted. However, the report did not mention how many cases among them were under trial. Half-baked and half-cooked stories are the expertise of Al-Jazeera, and such reports are often used by dubious organisations like IAMC.

Furthermore, the organisations accused PM Modi-led Indian Government of enforcing anti-minority laws. The claim was based on another Al-Jazeera report from March 2020 on Citizen Amendment (Act), 2019. The report was based on the conspiracy that CAA and NRC were aimed at stripping Indian Muslims of their citizenship. In reality, CAA does not affect Indian Muslims. It was meant for the minorities that are Hindus, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Jains in the neighbouring countries Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. CAA is aimed to fast-track the process of granting citizenship to these minorities who shifted to India. It has nothing to do with Indian Muslims at all. The propagandist used CAA to target the Modi government by misleading the public, especially Muslims living in the country. Organisations like IAMC are still using it to target India on different platforms.

In the letter, they also cited four other reports linked to CAA and NRC. They included a fact sheet by United States Commission on International Religious Freedom from February 2020. However, the report clearly mentioned that CAA was only meant for minorities in neighbouring Islamic countries. The report does point out Assam NRC controversies, but assuming NRC, whenever it comes, will have the same regulations and guidelines is far-fetched. The government of India has not issued any draft related to NRC to date, and we are talking about a fact sheet from 2020. IAMC and others forgot to check if there was any update on NRC and CAA before using them to discredit the Modi government.

Also, we noticed that the USCIRF report claimed BJP leaders advocated for CAA to protect Hindus excluded from NRC in Assam. The report by Hindustan Times cited by USCIRF nowhere mentioned what was claimed! The US autonomous body cooked up a theory based on non-existing statements in 2020, and IAMC, along with others, used it as a tool against India in 2023. They also used a report from Foreign Policy that talked about fear among Muslims that they have to prove they are Indians if NRC is implemented. None of the reports, NGOs, protesters and so-called experts cared to tell the Muslims in India that NRC’s draft was not out. Even to date, the government of India has not issued it.

The letter tried to draw a parallel between Assam NRC (which was mandated by the Supreme Court) and the proposed NRC by the Government of India (which is not even proposed, per se. There is no draft yet). However, they are completely different. While Assam NRC was for the residents of Assam only, the proposed countrywide NRC will include Assam. The two processes are different and guidelines for the nationwide NRC are yet to be announced. There are some detention centres in Assam for illegal immigrants and some legal battles are underway. Suggesting Assam NRC will have any effect on nationwide NRC is far-fetched and ill-informed.

They also claimed attacks on Muslims in India by citing reports that insinuated allegations against Muslim roti makers that they spit on food were false and fabricated. However, there is documented evidence that proves such incidents happened and keeps happening across the country. The report also talked about a Muslim bangle seller being beaten up. The Muslim man identified as Taslim was beaten up not for being Muslim but for harassing a Hindu minor girl in the guise of selling bangles. Later, during the investigation, it was revealed Taslim had two Aadhar cards. Maybe IAMC and others need to update their facts before calling out Indian Government claiming minorities are under threat in the country.

From citing the banned BBC documentary against PM Modi to citing the dubious report by Reporters Without Borders, the organisations used all tools under their belt to target PM Modi.

A brief history of IAMC

For the uninitiated, Rasheed Ahmed is the executive director of the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC), a radical Islamist group that has alleged links with banned terror organisations such as the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and has a long history of lobbying against India.

The IAMC is a Jamat-e-Islami-backed lobbyist organisation claiming to be a rights advocacy group. In the past, it had reportedly collaborated with and even paid money to various groups in the USA to get India blacklisted by the USCIRF (United States Commission on International Religious Freedom). A detailed report by Disinfo Lab has exposed its links with the terror outfit Jamat-e-Islami.

IAMC founder Shaik Ubaid and member Abdul Malik Mujahid have headed the Islamic Circle of North America (ICNA), the US front for Jamaat-e-Islami, Pakistan. According to DisInfo Lab, ICNA has established links with Pakistan-based terror groups like the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Rasheed Ahmed, who heads the IAMC currently, was the former executive director of the Islamic Medical Association of North America (IMANA). IMANA’s Director of Operations is Zahid Mahmood, an ex-Pak Navy official.

Similar reports covered by OpIndia on HfHR and Hamas-linked Islamist group CAIR can be read here and here.

Organisation which sat with Rahul Gandhi during his USA trip also among organisations like IAMC undersigning the letter

Rahul Gandhi is on a 10-day USA tour, where he spoke at the National Press Club, Stanford University and also, to ‘think tanks’, allegedly discussing relations between India and USA. The Hudson Institute tweeted images of Rahul Gandhi in deep conversation with these “think tanks”. Sunita Vishwanath was seated alongside Rahul Gandhi at this event at Hudson Institute. Sunita Vishwanath is the co-founder of HrHR, which has also signed this letter against Narendra Modi alongside IAMC.

Investigating Info-warfare and Psy-war OSINT Disinfo Lab had conducted an investigation revealing that the ‘Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR)’ had been promoting the misleading narrative of ‘Hindu Vs Hindutva’. The same organisation was also seen endorsing the ‘Dismantling Global Hindutva’ event. 

As per Disinfo Lab, HfHR was formed in the year 2019 by two Islamist advocacy groups named Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC) and the Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI). Interestingly, the three organisations had formed another outfit called the Alliance for Justice and Accountability (AJA).

As per an article in The Hindu, the Alliance for Justice and Accountability had been at the forefront of leading demonstrations against the visit of PM Modi to Houston on September 22, 2019. 

“The AJA comprises of Hindu, Muslim, Dalit, Sikh and Christian groups, among others. They include the Hindus for Human Rights (HfHR), a progressive Hindu group that opposes Hindutva; the Indian American Muslim Council (IAMC); and the Organization for Minorities of India (OFMI),” the article read.

According to Disinfo Lab, the co-founder of Hindus for Human Rights, Sunita Vishwanath, also runs an organisation named ‘Women for Afghan Women’, which is funded by the Soros Open Society Foundation. Earlier, OpIndia reported in detail how George Soros had been fuelling a dangerous anti-India narrative through media and ‘civil society.’

Interestingly, Sunita Vishwanath, who was pictured alongside Rahul Gandhi, had tried to create hysteria and panic among Indian Muslims about the National Register of Citizens (NRC). “We are especially appalled by the most recent nightmare of the Kashmiri people, and the situation of 1.9 million people in India who are rendered stateless due to the imposition of the travesty called the National Register of Citizens”, she had said. It is pertinent to note that even during this USA trip, Rahul Gandhi endorsed dangerous lies and propaganda against CAA and NRC, which led to anti-Hindu riots in 2020 in India. 

HfHR’s founding member Raju also heads EKTA. It is an associate organization of IAMC. The sole purpose was to have Hindus on the panel to project that the Hindus, in general, were against Hindutva. Interestingly, HfHR ran Facebook ads to promote previous USCIRF reports.

Interestingly, Sunita Vishwanath, the co-founder of HfHR, is also closely connected to George Soros and Islamist linked IAMC. The in-depth analysis of the web can be read here.

Allahabad HC rejects argument of ‘honey trap’, denies bail to a Muslim man who posed as a Hindu, raped, tried to convert a girl to Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Allahabad HC rejects argument of ‘honey trap’, denies bail to a Muslim man who posed as a Hindu, raped, tried to convert a girl to Islam

In a recent order, the Allahabad High Court refused to grant bail to a Muslim man named Chand Babu who posed as a Hindu named Vishal to trap a Hindu girl, rape her and forcibly convert her to Islam in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh.

The single bench of Justice Saurabh Shyam Shamshery rejected accused Chand Babu’s argument that it was a case of honeytrap and that the victim lured him into having a relationship with him to later falsely implicate him in a rape case.

Notably, the victim had lodged an FIR against Chand Babu on August 25 last year. She had alleged that the accused introduced himself as Vishal over the phone, and the two started talking to each other frequently. The accused later proposed to her. The accused developed a love and sexual relationship with the victim woman and shot compromising videos of her.

He also clicked several private pictures of the woman and later used them to blackmail her. The victim stated that she used to visit Bareilly to meet the accused where he repeatedly raped her.

The victim further said that on August 24, 2022, the accused took her to a hotel where she learnt that Vishal’s real name was Chand Babu and that he was a Muslim.

The victim then confronted the accused, asking why he had pretended to be a Hindu youngster, and the accused began pressuring her to convert to Islam. She was then raped twice at the same hotel by the accused, and it was only by chance that she escaped and lodged the FIR under Sections 376(2)(n), 420, 506 of the IPC, and 3/5 of the UP Prevention of Unlawful Conversion of Religion Act.

Uttar Pradesh: Two Muslim girls embrace Hinduism, marry their Hindu partners in temples

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Two Muslim girls embrace Hinduism, marry their Hindu partners in temples

In Uttar Pradesh, two incidents have emerged wherein Muslim girls have embraced Hindu Dharma and married their Hindu boyfriends. In both cases, the Muslim girl’s family was opposed to their relationship with Hindu men and was adamant about marrying off their daughters to Muslim men. The first matter pertains to Sitapur and the second to the Bahraich district of Uttar Pradesh. 

Reportedly, Rubia, a Bisesar resident in Rampur Mathura police station precinct in Sitapur has been in a relationship with Pradeep Yadav. Pradeep Yadav is a resident of Meudi Sevaliya of the Thana Gaon police station precinct. Upon learning that Rubia’s family is opposed to her union with Pradeep, several Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) members arrived at her village along with the police and got the duo married according to the Hindu rituals at a temple. Rubia changed her name to Rajni. Acharya Deepak Mishra, the VHP’s Dharmacharya leader, blessed the newly married couple with an idyllic married life. On the other hand, the girl’s family has severed all ties with her.

Vipul Pratap Singh, Department President of Vishwa Hindu Parishad, Awadh Province, stated that the couple loves each other and wanted to tie the knot. However, the girl’s family was pressuring her to have nikah with another man. Both of them were married according to Hindu rituals with the assistance of the police.

Rubina Khan becomes Ruby Awasthi in Bahraich after marrying her Hindu boyfriend

In the Bahraich incident, Rubina Khan, a Shivpur resident in the Kotwali Dehat police station area, was in a relationship with a Hindu man named Shesh Kumar Awasthi, however, as the two belonged to different religious communities their family was opposed to their union. The two then got married in a temple. As the girl’s family learnt about her marriage to a Hindu man, they lodged a complaint accusing Shesh Kumar Awasthi of abducting Rubina. On Monday, June 5, the couple was produced before the court. 

During the hearing, Rubina informed the court that she is an adult. Rubina added that has embraced Hinduism of her own free will and married according to the Hindu rituals. Rubina also furnished her high school mark sheet, following which the court concluded that she was above 18 years. Following this, the court ruled that Rubina Khan, who changed her name to Ruby Awasthi, be handed over to her husband’s family and provided police protection. 

Notably, Rubina had fled her house two weeks back. The police had found Rubina and Shesh in Mumbai. Following their marriage, Shesh Kumar Awasthi’s father has expressed joy over the couple’s marriage. 

Odisha: Engineless reserve rake of goods train runs over group of labourers who took shelter under it due to thunderstorm, 6 dead and 2 injured

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: Engineless reserve rake of goods train runs over group of labourers who took shelter under it due to thunderstorm, 6 dead and 2 injured

While the country is yet to recuperate from the train tragedy in Balasore in Odisha, a freak rail mishap on Wednesday killed 6 persons and injured 2 others in the state. The tragic incident occurred in the evening on 7th June 2023, at Jajpur Road station in Odisha, resulting in the unfortunate loss of six lives when a group of labourers were struck by a set of stationery goods train cars that were without an engine.

DRM Khurda Road along with a team of railway officials hurried to the scene to assess the situation and take necessary actions.

During a sudden rain and thunderstorm in the evening, a group of around 8 to 10 labourers sought shelter beneath the rakes in the railway station in Odisha, unaware of the unexpected movement, and tragically got crushed underneath them. While the labourers were under the train wagons trying to protect themselves from the thunderstorm, the rake suddenly started moving, apparently due to the force of the storm. The trapped persons tried to come out, but six of them were crushed by the moving rake, and two others were injured.

The injured workers have been admitted to SCB Medical College and Hospital. Their condition is stated to be critical.

Following the incident, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik announced compensation for the families of the victims.

The East Coast Railway said in a statement, “A monsoon reserve rake without engine reserved at the sick line near Jajpur-Keonjhar Road rolled on due to heavy thunderstorms. As a result, 6 persons were run over and two are injured. The injured persons were taken to SCB Medical College and Hospital in Cuttack by Railways for their treatment.”

Heavy winds during the thunderstorm are cited as the primary cause of the rollout. Bishwajit Rashu, CPRO East Coast Railway said, “6 labourers died and two were injured after a rake of a train ran over them in Jajpur yard. These labourers took shelter under the stabled rake to get protection from the wind and rain. Due to the strong wind, the rake rolled over the labourers who were taking shelter under it. A high-level inquiry will be done into the incident.”

Khorda Road Divisional Railway Manager Rinkesh Roy said, “Four persons were killed on the spot, while two others succumbed to their injuries at the hospital later. The injured have been sent to SCB Hospital in Cuttack for treatment.”

He added, “It is really unfortunate that six persons lost their lives but they should not have gone under the bogies. In fact, no one should ever go under the train bogies. People should take the highest precautions while around railway tracks.”

Expressing profound grief for the families of the deceased labourers in the accident, Chief Minister of Odisha Naveen Patnaik extended his condolences. He further declared a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each victim’s family. Additionally, he issued directives for prompt medical treatment to be provided to the injured individuals.

According to an East Coast Railway official, a set of engineless rakes were stationed on that particular line for several months now. These rakes, comprising around 30 reserve carriages, are specifically designated for monsoon emergencies and are known as monsoon reserve rakes. They are primarily used for transporting sand and crushed stone to address potential washouts during periods of heavy rainfall.

Bishwajit Rashu added that there are restraining systems to check reserve rakes from rolling forward or backward, with chains and skids. He said that it will be inquired thoroughly to understand what cause the rake to roll. “However, at times, due to human factors or interference, the restraint is removed. It could be a possibility in this case, which is unfortunate,” hinting that it could be cause by negligence of someone who might have removed the restraints for some reason and then failed to put it back. He added that further sensitisation needs to be done to avoid such mishaps.

Youth Congress leader tries to mock PM Modi for talking about transporting biogas in tyre tube in an old speech, displays ignorance about a well-known practice

Anurag
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Youth Congress leader tries to mock PM Modi for talking about transporting biogas in tyre tube in an old speech, displays ignorance about a well-known practice

On June 7, National President of Indian Youth Congress Srinivas BV shared an old video clip of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and tried to mock him over a story the PM had narrated. The Congress leader alleged that PM Modi cooked up a story about a man transporting biogas in a large tyre tube. Srinivas wrote, “Listen to another unheard story of honourable Prime Minister. Tighten your seat belt.”

The video he shared was from PM Modi’s 2018 speech on World Biofuel Day. It is the same speech from which Congress tried to mock PM Modi for talking about the concept of creating biofuel from sewage gas.

PM Modi said, “Once, I was in Gujarat, and a scooter was moving in front of our convoy. The person on the scooter was carrying a huge tractor tube. It was completely filled with air. If a person carries such a huge tractor tube on a scooter, the vehicles coming from behind will be scared of collision and accident. Even I was astonished. Normally a person would carry a deflated tube and fill it with air later. So I asked him to halt.”

He added, “We got down from the car and asked the person on a scooter what he was doing and why he was carrying the inflated tube like that. He could have been injured. He said that he was going to his field. I asked him the purpose. So he said that with the household waste and cattle dung of his animals, he had set up a biogas plant in his house. He fills the tube with that gas and carries it to his field. That gas is used to run his water pump in his field. Just think about the capability of our country’s farmers! Today even our farmers and villagers do innovative experiments.”

Congress leader Srinivas BV attempted to mock PM Modi over his knowledge of biofuel and how it can be transported using tyre tubes. However, if he had done a little research, he would not have shot yet another time on his own foot.

Storing and transporting biogas in tyre tubes is not a new concept. It has been tested, researched and proven a successful concept not only in India but in other countries as well. Many videos on YouTube provide details on how anyone can set up a biogas plant at home and store the gas in tyre tubes. For example, in March 2021, a famous YouTube channel, A1 Adventure, which has 2.44 million subscribers, shared a 21-minute long video of the process of setting up a biogas plant using a water tank and storing the gas produced in tyre tubes. The video has been seen over 68 lakh times.

Furthermore, we also found a video published in August 2021 on the channel Multi Talented. The person who runs the channel has set up a biogas plant at his home and stored the gas in the tyre tubes of a tractor. The video has been seen over 30,000 times.

Another video was by Crazy Ram, published in April 2022, and has over 3.5 lakh views.

In 2015, Citizen TV Kenya published a news report where they interviewed a farmer who was producing biogas at his farm using cow dung and other plant waste and storing them in tyre tubes for future use. The farmer was also developing appliances that could be operated using the biogas stored in tyre tubes.

We also found a video from 2013 where a farmer talked about setting up a biogas plant to run an irrigation system for his farm.

Storing any gas requires air-tight containers, and the metal gas cylinders are costly. Therefore, tyre tubes are an ideal low-cost alternative to store biogas. The tubes already have a valve mechanism to open and close the outflow of gas, therefore ideal for such DIY plants. Being large, tractor tyres are best for this use.

Furthermore, a tyre tube gas plant has also been conceptualised in Bangladesh. In an energypedia article, they discussed rooftop biogas plants and storing the gas in tyre tubes. Using the concept, it was noted that once the plant was ready, it could produce enough gas to cook for 1.5 hours.

We also found an old research paper that talked about building low-cost tubular plastic digesters or bio-gas plants based on concepts developed in the 1980s and before. In that paper, a diagram showed stacked-up tyre tubes for storage purposes.

Source:build-a-biogas-plant

It is evident that the concept is commonly used in low-cost biogas plants. Tyre tubes are not only used to store the produced biogas but can also be used to transport it. It is a well-established fact that electricity can be produced using biogas. Though transporting and storing biogas in tyre tubes has its own risks and should be handled carefully, the concept is usable and gaining popularity with every passing year.

‘The gas from sewage’ controversy

In 2018, another part of the same speech went viral on social media in which PM Modi talked about extracting gas to make tea from a sewage line. When Prime Minister Modi spoke about a tea seller who made use of sewage gas to make tea, he was essentially appreciating the innovative mind of common citizens. Trying to make fun of this, many turned themselves into a joke. Several reports in the media confirmed that sewage waste could be used to produce biogas.

US: 19-year-old gunman shoots dead father-son duo and injures five others at a Virginia high school graduation ceremony

OpIndia Staff
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US: 19-year-old gunman shoots dead father-son duo and injures five others at a Virginia high school graduation ceremony

There seems to be no end to the mass shooting epidemic in America. In the latest occurrence, gunfire erupted on Tuesday evening at a theatre in Richmond, Virginia, causing hundreds of students and guests to flee in panic. The Huguenot High School graduation ceremony was held at the venue on Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU)’s Monroe Park campus.

Two people have been killed and five others wounded in the unfortunate incident that took place outside the Altria Theater in Richmond.

“It was obviously chaos. People scattered,” said the city’s interim police chief Rick Edwards. A 19-year-old suspect who attempted to flee on foot has been apprehended by police. Two counts of second-degree murder will be brought against him, according to the police officer. Police first claimed to have captured two individuals, but he subsequently said they had found one of them to be innocent. The suspect has been identified as Ameri Ty-John Pollard.

Pollard watched the graduation ceremony, and after that, he went to his car to get a handgun and then returned, police said.

It’s believed the accused knew at least one of the victims. He was captured by police without firing any shots, and many firearms were found at the scene.

18-year-old male student Shawn Jackson, who had just graduated from the high school was one of the fatalities. The other was 36-year-old Renzo Smith, father of Shawn, who was present there for the ceremony.

Pollard and Jackson knew each other and had an “ongoing dispute,” Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said at a news conference.

Spokesperson Mary Kate Brogan informed that six patients were taken to Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) Medical Centre late on Tuesday with manifestations ranging from serious to critical.

A 31-year-old who was shot suffered severe injuries and is in critical condition. Four men, ages 14, 32, 55, and 58, received injuries however are doing better now.

Soon after the graduation ceremony ended at about 17:15 (21:15 GMT), the shooter opened fire in Monroe Park, which is located across from the theatre. At least eight bullets were fired as people were exiting the theatre, which is close to the Virginia Commonwealth University campus.

Some people carrying babies and young children sprinted for safety, while others looked for shelter in adjacent buildings. When graduates were reunited after the shocking assault, they sobbed and held one another.

“When you have a crowd like this, innocent people are going to be caught up in the mayhem, and that’s what happened today. Obviously, this should have been a safe space. People should have felt safe at graduation. It’s just incredibly tragic that someone decided to bring a gun to this incident and rain terror on our community,” the police chief stated at a news conference.

In the ensuing turmoil, he disclosed that a 9-year-old girl was hit by a car, and several other individuals were injured in falls or had anxiety attacks. He emphasised that it was still too early in the inquiry to be certain, however, the culprit possessed four handguns, three of which may have been used.

As per Jason Kamras, the superintendent of Richmond Public Schools, the attack happened on a day that was “supposed to be a joyous day when our kids walk the stage and get their diploma.” He pleaded, “I don’t have any more words on this, I’m tired of seeing people get shot, our kids get shot and I beg the entire community to stop.” 

“This should not be happening anywhere,” remarked Richmond mayor Levar Stoney and vowed to ensure that the culprit is brought to justice.

Meerut: Umer claiming to be AIMIM leader harasses a Muslim girl in hijab for roaming with a Hindu boy, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Meerut: Umer claiming to be AIMIM leader harasses a Muslim girl in hijab for roaming with a Hindu boy, arrested

A video of a group of Islamists led by an alleged AIMIM leader harassing a Muslim girl for roaming with a Hindu boy has gone viral on social media. The incident happened in Meerut, and the AIMIM leader has been identified as Umer, who identified himself as the city head of the Assaduddin Owaisi-led party.

Video contains strong language. Viewers’ discretion is advised.

In a tweet, Meerut police said the incident took place around two months ago. A case was filed on the complaint of the woman. Further investigation is underway.

As per reports, the victim was in the market with a Hindu boy. A mob, led by Umer, circled them and started questioning the girl about her relationship with the boy. The girl started crying, but the mob did not listen and demanded ID cards. Umer could be heard saying, “You are a Muslim and roaming around with a Hindu”. Similar incidents have been reported widely in the last couple of months where Islamists harass Muslim girls for being with Hindu men under the guise of the so-called “Bhagwa Love Trap”.

In the video, it was visible that the girl had covered her face. Umer used derogatory language while speaking to the girl. The girl consistently requested the mob not to make the videos, but they continued to do so. After the video went viral, Meerut police swung into action and arrested Umer. A case has been registered against him, and further investigation is underway.

Reportedly, Umer is a Purva Mahavir, Meerut resident and runs a cloth shop. Though he claimed he was linked to AIMIM, the party has distanced itself from the controversy and said he holds no position. They claimed it was a conspiracy to defame the party. Photographs of Umer with AIMIM leaders also went viral on social media. Commenting on the photos, AIMIM leader Anas said Umer joined AIMIM as a worker during Mayor elections and got the photographs clicked.

‘Bhagwa Love Trap’ cases rise across the country

In an attempt to whitewash the genuine cases of Love Jihad and Grooming Jihad, Islamists claim that Hindu men are trapping Muslim women. They called it a conspiracy and named it the ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’. OpIndia has covered over 20 such cases in the last couple of months where Muslim women travelling with Hindu men were traced, followed, stopped and harassed. In some cases, Hindu men were assaulted as well. Detailed coverage of cases linked to Bhagwa Love Trap can be seen here.

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