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Propagandist and serial fake news spreader, Meer Faisal, shares video spreading communal hate against Hindus, Kota police said video 3 years old

OpIndia Staff
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Propagandist and serial fake news spreader, Meer Faisal, shares video spreading communal hate against Hindus, Kota police said video 3 years old

On June 23, a YouTube page that goes by the name ‘Kota Waalaa’ shared a video in which a large group of students can be seen and heard chanting Jai Shri Ram in response to another group of students offering Namaz on the institute premises. The YouTube channel claimed the video was from Kota’s Samarth Centre of Allen coaching institute. The video was picked by many on social media, including the infamous fake news paddler Meer Faisal.

Sharing the video, Faisal wrote, “Muslim students were offering Friday prayer in an area designated for them at Allen Institute, and after seeing this, Hindu students started opposing them by chanting “Jai Shri Ram.” This video was posted on Instagram two days ago by allen_se_hu.” OpIndia checked the Instagram handle and could not find the video. It might have been deleted by now after it attracted controversy on social media.

In replying to Faisal’s tweet, Kota Police said that the video is three years old as it is from 2020, and no such incident happened recently. When the video came to Kota Police’s notice in 2020, they took appropriate action. The police added that they keep an eye on such incidents.

Since Kota Police clarified it was not a recent incident and appropriate action was taken, some people have deleted the tweet, but the likes of Faisal have different agenda altogether. Faisal noticed Kota Police’s reply and quoted it as an “update”. However, instead of deleting the original propaganda tweet, he decided to let it stay on his profile.

For the comparison of the reach of the original tweet, Kota Police’s reply and his “update”, it has to be noted that by the time we published this report, the original tweet had over 900,000 impressions. It was retweeted by over 2,500 times, gathered 3,800+ likes, and was bookmarked over 200 times.

Source: Twitter

However, Kota Police’s reply gathered only 96,000+ views, around a hundred retweets and less than 200 likes. Faisal’s update’s reach was even lesser. The propaganda tweet is still spreading like wildfire on social media platforms, while the clarification has less than 10 per cent reach.

Source: Twitter

Meer Faisal has, however, claimed that the video is recent and that the Kota police is misleading people. He has claimed that the video is from the 23rd of June 2023.

It is also pertinent to note here how hollow the propaganda itself was. Allen Institute is an educational institute and no kind of religious activity ideally should be allowed in such a place where people of all faiths study. If there is such religious activity and one argues that the Muslim students were merely practising their faith, the same can be said about the Hindu students chanting Jai Shree Ram as well. To allege that any of this is bigotry against Muslims is simply the need of Islamists like Faisal to ensure their religious supremacy is asserted everywhere without question. There are several cases Namaz was offered in public places such as roads etc even though there were several mosques in the vicinity. This is done merely to assert religious supremacy over non-believers and not necessarily only to practice their faith, which can be practised in designated religious places as well. This narrative that Faisal was peddling was with the aim to further Muslim victimhood so as to claim that Hindus, who are victims of Islamist bigotry and violence, are the actual aggressors.

Meer Faisal’s history of fake news

This is not the first time Meer Faisal has indulged in spreading fake news. OpIndia has extensively covered his lies over the years. In March 2023, he published a long thread claiming Hindus indulged in violence.There were a total of 24 tweets in the thread, with a total of 30 videos, from which the 21st tweet has been deleted now. This was because the Rajasthan Police, which is usually favoured by the Islamic-Left ecosystem, fact-checked it. He was supposed to have deleted the tweet after he learned that the Rajasthan Police were arresting those people who are spreading fake news in the case. OpIndia busted all the lies in the remaining tweets of the thread which can be checked here.

In June 2022, OpIndia did a profile of Faisal after he tweeted that “All non-Muslims are the same, that is Kaafir” which can be checked here.

On April 4, 2022, Delhi Police booked Faisal and the news portal Article 14 for disseminating false information using the social media platform Twitter. The false information was shared regarding The Hindu Mahapanchayat event organised by the Save India Foundation at the Burari ground in Delhi on April 3. He had claimed that five Muslim journalists, including him, were ‘assaulted’ at an event by a “Hindu” mob. News portal Article 14 had also tweeted, “5 journalists, 4 of them Muslim,1 on assignment for @Article14live, have been taken by police to the Mukherji Nagar police station in Delhi after a mob at #Hindu#dharamsansad (for which the police had declined permission) discovered their religion, attacked them & deleted videos”.

On June 3 he claimed that it was a “Hindu mob” that pelted stones when poor Muslims were merely shutting shops to protest against “blasphemous” statements by Nupur Sharma. To put things into perspective, a report has revealed that after Friday prayers, the Muslim mob began forcing Hindus in the Beconganj district to close their shops. When they objected, the enraged mob began throwing stones at Hindus. The Islamists insisted on knowing the names of the people, and those who were Hindus were attacked.

On April 10, 2022, he claimed that Hindus target Muslims during Hindu festivals and such festivals had become a ‘nightmare’ for Muslims. He said, “Hindu festival have become a nightmare for the Muslims of India. Hindus can’t even celebrate their festivals without targeting Muslims. Laanat hai!”

In December 2021, Faisal took to Twitter to post a host of videos about a Bajrang Dal rally in Mewat to fearmongers about Hindu outfits trying to create a “communal divide” between Hindus and Muslims of the area.

Meer Faisal stated in his Twitter thread that on the 12th of December, Bajrang Dal member Jeet Vashisht took to Facebook to post videos of a saffron rally in Nuh, the Muslim-majority area in Mewat. He said that Jai Shree Ram slogans were raised in front of Muslim households and that the rally was carried out with over 500 cars filled with “Hindutva supporters” who had entered the area to saffronise Mewat.

On the contrary, the police also confirmed that the rally was completely peaceful and no untoward incident was reported. Interestingly, the rally had happened with due permission of the Police which Faisal ignored.

Fake screenshot of Dainik Bhaskar circulated by AAP worker claims Brahmins support Manusmiriti laws, Hindi daily debunks false claims

OpIndia Staff
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Fake screenshot of Dainik Bhaskar circulated by AAP worker claims Brahmins support Manusmiriti laws, Hindi daily debunks false claims

On June 24, a handle named ‘Mandal Army Delhi’ shared a screenshot claiming to be of the popular Hindi daily Dainik Bhaskar. The screenshot claimed that the ‘Akhil Bharatiya Brahman Mahasabha’ in Rajasthan has opposed the appointments made for the post of temple priests and managers by the state government.

The screenshot morphed Dainik Bhaskar’s logo and font and went ahead to claim that the Brahman Mahasabha has asserted that no non-Brahmins will be allowed to be appointed as priests in temples because the Brahmins have a monopoly on priesthood. It also added that the Brahman Mahasabha has stated that when BJP comes to power in Rajasthan, Manismriti will be implemented.

Screenshot shared by Mandal Army

The screenshot went on to claim that the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha has stated that all other castes, like Baniya, Jaat, Teli, Thakur, and all women are beneath the Brahmin males.

“Temples are the source of our income for hundreds of years. We will not allow any other caste to take it from us. The Rajasthan High Court has a statue of Manu. We want Rajasthan to become the first Indian state to implement Manusmriti laws. Under Manusmriti laws, no Brahmin will ever be punished and Brahmins can easily occupy the property of others. It can only be possible under the BJP“, the screenshot quoted the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha as saying.

Fake screenshot shared by Mandal Army Delhi handle

Dainik Bhaskar calls out the forgery

After the screenshot went viral on social media, Dainik Bhaskar called out the forgery. In a report, Bhaskar slammed the fake screenshot being circulated in their name and stated that they never published any such report.

Bhaskar stated that the screenshot has been falsely attributed to them and they have never published any such news.

Bhaskar’s rebuttal of fake news

Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha actually welcomed the news of non-Brahmins being appointed as priests

Bhaskar further quoted the Akhil Bharatiya Brahmin Mahasabha. Rajasthan head Sunil Mudgal stated to Bhaskar when initially the advertisement for the positions was published back in 2013, the Mahasabha had opposed it. But now they have no objection to the appointments and they are happy that the new appointments are caste and gender inclusive. The appointments have been finalized after a long wait and for that, the Mahasabha has congratulated the successful candidates.

Udaipur Pujari Parishad had spoken against caste-based reservations for the appointment of temple priests

It is notable here that of the 47 posts of priests going to be filled by the Devasthan Board in Rajasthan, 7 posts were reserved for ST, 5 posts for SC candidates, and 9 posts for OBC candidates. 24 posts have been open for general candidates. The Pujari Parishad in Udaipur objected to the government going against social and religious norms when it comes to Hindu temples.

It is notable here that only one post has been filled in Udaipur. The Vipra Foundation has met Governor Kalraj Mishra in this regard and has asked him to nullify the appointments stating that the state government has been going against Hindu social norms by forcefully appointing non-Brahmins in the posts of priests, as traditionally, temples have Brahmin priests. The report was published in Dainik Bhaskar on 20th June.

AAP worker behind the handle?

Mandal Army Delhi handle is run by AAP worker Omkar Yadav. Omkar Yadav’s Twitter handle @OmkarAap has been tagged by the Mandal Army Delhi as their manager in several tweets and pictures of him meeting AAP leaders in Delhi.

Tweet by Mandal Army Delhi handle tagging Omkar Yadav
Tweet by Mandal Army Delhi handle tagging Omkar Yadav
Omkar Yadav meeting AAP minister Atishi Marlena, this photo was tweeted by Mandal Army Delhi

Priest appointments in Rajasthan

The Rajasthan government under Vasundhara Raje Scindia in 2013 had notified the selection process for the appointment of priests and managers of Temples under the Devsthan department in Rajasthan. Sukhadia University was tasked with carrying out the selection process. However, no funds were sanctioned for the process for a long time.

The University conducted examinations for the posts of priests in 2014. But for the lack of funds, the publication of results was halted. The results remained unpublished till 2022. Under the Gehlot government, finally, the results were published in November 2022. 7 months after the results were published, the Gehlot government published the list for appointments on 16 June 2023. 22 candidates have found an appointment in Jaipur. A total of 47 candidates have been selected.

AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair insinuates that YouTuber took money to criticise Congress, YouTuber calls out ‘baseless allegation’

OpIndia Staff
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AltNews co-founder Mohammad Zubair insinuates that YouTuber took money to criticise Congress, YouTuber calls out ‘baseless allegation’

On June 26, influencer and YouTuber Akshat Shrivastava fact-checked Alt News’ co-founder and “fact-checker” Mohammed Zubair on a misleading tweet. Shrivastava called out Zubair for doing “half-baked research” and hurling “baseless accusations”. His reaction came after Zubair insinuated that Shrivastava criticised free bus service in Karnataka two days after meeting Union Minister Piyush Goyal during an initiative by the Government of India to utilise influencers’ reach to inform the public about Government programs.

Zubair made a claim that the Union Government was using taxpayers’ money to pay YouTubers to promote their initiatives. However, there is no evidence that any of the influencers or YouTubers invited by the Ministry were indeed paid. Despite the lack of proof of payment, Zubair insinuated that the videos were published by them as a result of payment to create a controversy around their authenticity.

In the tweet, Shrivastava wrote, “Doing half-baked research. And hurling baseless accusations has become a fashion. I had already released a video on May 16 on my YouTube channel, where I talked about the Freebie culture in the context of the Karnataka elections. The video is still there- you can go & check.

This had nothing to do with the event invite from Piyush Goyal ji. This event was held on June 24. Almost 40 days after, I did a video criticising the freebie model. Meanwhile, I have made enough Tweets/Videos where I have analysed the Indian economic policies–ranging from freebies, taxes, inflation etc.

Also, check my Tweets (like literally today’s tweets: I have spoken about two different parties; you simply picked one to peddle your narrative). Unlike you, I give a balanced commentary without siding with any political party.“

OpIndia confirmed that there is a video on Akshat’s channel from May 16, 2023, that talks about freebie culture in India. In the video, he talked about freebies offered by the Karnataka government and named Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, and Union Governments to participate in the freebie culture.

Zubair targeted YouTubers for joining hands with Union Government

In a series of tweets, Zubair targeted YouTubers for joining hands with the Union Government to promote Government Schemes. In a tweet, quoting The Hindu report, he said, “50 YouTubers were invited by Piyush Goyal to popularise several incentives of Indian Govt. According to top Sources, Opindia CEO & @ANI chief’s name was mentioned in the list of 50 YouTube influencers who were invited”.

In a follow-up tweet, he specifically targeted Akshay and wrote, “So Influencer who was recently invited by Piyush Goyal has a problem with Free bus travel and other freebies because ‘we as taxpayers will pay the price’. But have no problem if tax money is being handed over to influencers? Nice, no?”

Essentially, a Union Minister called a group of YouTubers to apprise them of Government Schemes that help the people and explore how they could collaborate for better dissemination of information. This practice is not uncommon and happens across governments and political spectrums. Over the years, even the Congress government or the political party itself while in opposition has met several journalists, YouTubers and other professionals to explore how their message can be disseminated better.

Zubair insinuated that just because there was such a meeting, it would automatically amount to those individuals being paid by the government using taxpayers’ money and therefore, their opinions would be a product of that payment. That insinuation is only meant to discredit opinions that disagree with Congress schemes in any manner and insinuate that those individuals hold those opinions only because they accepted money for it. Interestingly, if Zubair’s understanding was true, then it would also mean that any opinion that is given by him against BJP and in favour of Congress is also a paid one, however, sans proof, one can’t make that insinuation or allegation.

Being humane is not weakness: Indian Army releases a video that shows Meitei women in Manipur helping armed insurgents flee

OpIndia Staff
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Being humane is not weakness: Indian Army releases a video that shows Meitei women in Manipur helping armed insurgents flee

On Monday (June 26), the Indian Army informed that women activists in Manipur are interfering with the operation of the security forces and helping armed Meitei insurgents to flee.

The official Twitter handle of the ‘Spear Corps’ (a formation of Indian Army) shared a video, wherein a mob of such activists were seen surrounding Indian army personnel. The incident took place in Itham in Manipur on Saturday (June 24).

The said video also exposed how roads were being dug up to delay the movement of the Indian security forces to an Assam Rifles base. The women activists were also seen accompanying the armed rebels in vehicles and even ambulances under the pretext of peaceful protests in the State.

The video also featured an incident from Yaingangpokpi in Imphal during which the armed rioters open-fired at the Indian Army personnel. “As riots broke out in Khamanlok, a mob blocked the movement of forces even before the arson began,” the Spear Corps said in reference to a June 13 incident.

It further added, “Blocking movement of Security Forces is not only unlawful but also detrimental to their efforts towards restoring law and order… Indian Army appeals to all sections of society to cooperate with Security Forces working day and night to bring peace and stability in Manipur.”

The Indian Army said in its tweet, “Women activists in #Manipur are deliberately blocking routes and interfering in Operations of Security Forces. Such unwarranted interference is detrimental to the timely response by Security Forces during critical situations to save lives and property.”

Indian Army forced to free 12 surrendered terrorists

It has sought cooperation from the general public in diffusing the law and order situation in Manipur. The development comes days after the Indian Army was forced to release 12 terrorists belonging to the banned Meitei outfit ‘Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL)’ following a stand-off by a strong mob of 1200-1500 activists.

One of the freed people included ‘Lieutenant Colonel’ Moirangthem Tamba aka Uttam, who is responsible for the 2015 Chandel ambush that led to the death of 18 soldiers of the Dogra regiment of the Indian army.

While speaking about the development, Kohima-based defence PRO Lt Col Amit Shukla said that the 12 were apprehended from Itham village on June 23 morning. The Indian security forces also recovered arms, ammunition and battle equipment.

Soon, a mob of women surrounded them and demanded the release of the terrorists. “In view of sensitivity regarding use of kinetic force against a mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the (commanding) officer on ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 cadres to a local leader,” PRO Lt Col Amit Shukla informed.

‘Film Industry has ganged up to punish us’: The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen says as the movie finds no OTT buyers

OpIndia Staff
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‘Film Industry has ganged up to punish us’: The Kerala Story director Sudipto Sen says as the movie finds no OTT buyers

According to a recent report by Bollywood Hungama, the makers of the film, ‘The Kerala Story’ are now struggling to find a suitable OTT buyer. The report adds that till now, the makers haven’t received any favourable response from major OTT players. Interestingly, the director Sudipto Sen opened up about the future possibilities for the film. 

Responding to the reports of the film being ready for streaming, the director said, “No no. That’s fake news. We still haven’t got a suitable offer from any OTT platform for The Kerala Story.” He added, “We are still waiting for a good workable deal from any of the main OTT platforms. But so far, we have not got any offer worth considering. It seems the film industry has ganged up to punish us.”

Elaborating on what could the reason for punishment be, Sudipto said, “Our box office success has irked many sections of the film industry. We have a feeling that a section of the entertainment industry has united to punish us for our success.”

The Bollywood Hungama report added that when they contacted one of the leading OTT platforms to ask why a film as successful as ‘The Kerala Story’ has yet to get a digital outlet, they added that the response was not surprising. 

The officials related to the platform said, “We don’t want to get into anything politically controversial.”

Is The Kerala Story not being given OTT platform because of ideological bias?

Speaking to Bollywood Hungama, an ‘industry insider’ stated that ‘The Kerala Story’ did fare well at the box office; however, the topic of the film and its subject matter is something that could invoke a tremendous amount of ire from a certain section of the audience. Given this fact, no major OTT player is ready to acquire the film.

On further reasoning, the insider alleged that the film is a “propaganda film” whereas the OTT platforms focus on intelligent, thought-provoking, and entertaining subjects. Reportedly, the insider said, “You must understand that The Kerala Story comes across as a propaganda film, while OTT channels have been focusing on more intelligent, thought-provoking, and entertaining subjects. In such a case, a film like The Kerala Story does not fit into the genres.”

It is important to note that Adah Sharma-starrer ‘The Kerala Story’ is one of the biggest and clean hits of 2023. The film broke several records at the box office but there were attempts to corner the film and ban it for the subject matter. The film brought a spotlight on subjects like forced/lured religious conversions, ISIS brides, and love jihad. 

The film was even banned in West Bengal initially and the makers had to plead before the Honourable courts to get its ban lifted, which was eventually lifted. However, there were reports of the court’s order not being followed in its entirety. 

Similar to the ban in West Bengal, many theatres in Tamil Nadu refused to play it, obviously for reasons other than the stated one, that is, ‘audiences are not coming up to watch the film and has rejected it’. 

And now, this claim by the makers that The Kerala Story hasn’t received any offer from any OTT buyer, tends to indicate what several outsiders have alleged against Bollywood insiders, that is, the industry has ganged up against them.

We will definitely kill Salman Khan: Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar

OpIndia Staff
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We will definitely kill Salman Khan: Fugitive gangster Goldy Brar

Recently, Canada-based fugitive gangster Goldy Brar gave an exclusive interview to India Today channel in which he issued a direct threat to Bollywood actor Salman Khan. The fugitive gangster claimed that Salman Khan is on their “kill list”. 

Brar said, “We will kill him, we will definitely kill him. Bhai saheb (Lawrence) had stated that he wouldn’t apologise. Baba will show mercy only when he feels merciful.” 

Apparently, Brar was referring to an earlier interview in which the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi had stated that killing Salman Khan was his life goal.

Brar added, “Like we have said earlier, it’s not just about Salman Khan. We will continue our attempts against all our enemies as long as we’re alive. Salman Khan is our target, there’s no doubt about that. We’ll keep trying, and when we succeed, you’ll know.” 

This comes months after the actor reported that his close associate received threatening e-mails and claimed that his life was under threat. Subsequently, in March, the Mumbai Police filed a case against gangsters Lawrence Bishnoi and Goldy Brar regarding the threatening emails sent to the Bollywood actor.

Reportedly, the threatening e-mail was sent to Prashant Gunjalkar, a close associate of Salman Khan. The email claimed that gangster Goldy Brar wanted to speak to Salman Khan. Additionally, Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview where he issued a threat against Salman was also referred to in the email.  

The threatening email sent to Salman’s associate read, “Goldy Brar wants to speak to your boss (Salman Khan). He must have seen the interview (of Bishnoi), and if he hasn’t, then make him watch it. If he wants the matter to be closed, then let him speak (to Goldy Brar). If he wants to speak face-to-face, then let us know. This time we informed you on time. The next time you will only be shocked.”

Afterward, the actor’s team filed a police complaint against the sender, identified as Rohit Garg, and notorious gangsters Goldie Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi.

Goldy Brar reveals why he killed Sidhu Moosewala

There have been several reports claiming that Goldy Brar is the alleged mastermind behind the murder of Punjabi singer-turned-Congress politician Sidhu Moose Wala that took place in May, last year.

While exclusively speaking with India Today, Goldy Brar again reiterated that the gang did what was needed to be done and have nothing to hide about it.

Brar said, “Sidhu Moose Wala was an egoistic person. He misused his political and money power. It was necessary to teach him a lesson, and he was taught one.”

He added, “He had personally harmed us, made some mistakes that were unforgivable, so we had to punish him. When a rich man has close ties with top police officers and when the government doesn’t do justice, how can we expect justice from the courts? So, we sought justice ourselves.” 

It is important to note that last month, Goldy Brar was named in Canada’s top 25 most-wanted fugitives list.

Regarding this, the Canadian High Commission in Delhi said, “Brar is the subject of a Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigation into the allegations originating from India. The offences committed in India are very serious in nature and merit the interest of the police in Canada.”

It added, “Brar is believed to be in Canada and represents a risk to public safety. He is currently under investigation but is not charged with any criminal offences in Canada.”

Goldy Brar, alias Satinderjeet Singh is said to be in his late 20s. He left India on a student visa for Canada in 2017. It is said that he executed Moose Wala’s murder from abroad. While the assailants who killed Sidhu Moosewala and their supporters were arrested in India, Goldy Brar remains a fugitive and a red corner notice was issued against him.

Earlier, in December last year, Punjab CM Mann claimed that the gangster had been detained in the US. However, on the 5th of December, Brar purportedly surfaced online in an interview and claimed that he was not held and nor was he in the US. Now, he has again resurfaced with this exclusive interview where he claims Bollywood actor Salman Khan is on their kill list.

Devraj Patel, known for “dil se bura lagta hai” meme, passes away in a road accident

ANI
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Devraj Patel, known for “dil se bura lagta hai” meme, passes away in a road accident

Comedian, actor and YouTuber Devraj Patel, on Monday, passed away in a tragic road accident in Raipur, Chhattisgarh.

The incident took place in the Labhandih area under Telibandha police station limits. Devraj, hailing from Mahasamund district, along with his friend met with an accident after their two-wheeler was hit by a truck on the outskirts of Raipur, said Civil Lines CSP Manoj Dhruv. Devraj died in the mishap while his friend escaped with minor injuries, added the officer.

According to the officer, the young YouTuber was returning from Nava Raipur when the mishap took place. Police have detained the accused truck driver and also seized the vehicle.

He was best known for his “Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai” dialogue in viral videos. He has over 4 lakh subscribers on YouTube and more than 57,000 followers on Instagram.

CM Bhupesh Baghel expressed grief over the demise of the YouTuber.

Taking to Twitter, CM Baghel shared an old video of Devraj and wrote in Hindi, “Devraj Patel, who made his place among crores of people with ‘Dil Se Bura Lagta Hai’, who made us all laugh, left us today. The loss of amazing talent at this young age is very sad. May God give strength to his family and loved ones to bear this loss. Om Shanti.”

A few hours before his demise, Devraj posted a video on his Instagram account which he captioned, “Lekin may cute hu na dosto.”

Devraj also appeared in a guest appearance role in YouTuber Bhuvan Bam’s web show ‘Dhindora’. Further probe is underway, said the officer.

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

‘If Congress commits suicide how will it run its Mohabbat ki dukan:’ Ajay Maken fires fresh salvo against AAP chief over Delhi Ordinance

OpIndia Staff
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‘If Congress commits suicide how will it run its Mohabbat ki dukan:’ Ajay Maken fires fresh salvo against AAP chief over Delhi Ordinance

Ajay Maken, the leader of the Congress, has emerged as the voices and faces of the distrust his party continues to nurse against Arvind Kejriwal as he rallies support from opposition leaders against the Centre’s ordinance that took control of “services” away from the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the Capital. Speaking to NDTV on Monday, the senior Congress leader said that partnering with Arvind Kejriwal’s party would be as good as committing suicide.

The senior Congress leader continued to poke fun at Arvind Kejriwal, saying that if Congress teamed up with the Aam Aadmi Party, it would be like committing suicide, and if someone commits suicide, how can they run the “Mohabbat Ki Dukan?” he questioned.

Maken further alleged that the Delhi CM Kejriwal is seeking Congress’ help for the ordinance yet unabashedly ridiculing its leaders, including Ashok Gehlot and Sachin Pilot in Rajasthan.

Maken was taking a jibe at AAP leader and Delhi Minister Saurabh Bharadwaj, who had earlier referred to Rahul Gandhi’s “Mohabbat Ki Dukhan” (shop of love) remark and urged him to comply with his promises. Saurabh Bharadwaj, the leader of AAP, made his statement after Congress showed hesitation in allying with AAP to challenge the Centre over the Delhi ordinance.

“Rahul says he is running ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukhan’ in the market of hatred. He claims that the BJP is spreading hatred. So, if Rahul Gandhi is running a ‘Mohabbat Ki Dukan,’ anyone who comes to him should be able to buy that love. The shopkeeper cannot decide whom to sell love to and whom not to. So, any customer who comes can buy ‘Mohabbat.’ If he said that his party spreads love, he has to demonstrate that as well,” said Bharadwaj.”

Congress and AAP continue to trade barbs over Delhi ordinance

Congress and AAP have remained at loggerheads over the Delhi ordinance issue. The war of words between the two, however, intensified after prominent opposition leaders met in Bihar on June 23 to hold talks for a united front against PM Narendra Modi and BJP in the 2024 election.

Media reports suggest that during the opposition meeting in Patna on Friday, AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal had raised the issue of the Centre’s ordinance over control of administrative services in Delhi. While most other opposition parties have backed AAP in this matter, the Congress party has refused to do so. 

Subsequently, the AAP leaders did not stay for the joint statement and instead returned to Delhi after lunch.

After the Patna meet, AAP issued a statement from Delhi saying that any alliance with the Congress party would be difficult if the Congress refused to back AAP on the Delhi Ordinance issue. 

“Until the Congress publicly denounces the Black Ordinance and declares that all 31 of its RS MPs will oppose the ordinance in the Rajya Sabha, it will be difficult for AAP to participate in future meetings of like-minded parties where the Congress is a participant”, the AAP statement added.

Adding salt to the injuries, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) made it clear that it is in no mood to accept Congress scion Rahul Gandhi as the leading face of the so-called “mahagathbandhan” (grand alliance) of the opposition parties. AAP’s national spokesperson Priyanka Kakkar in a tweet advised the Congress party to not place a bet on Rahul Gandhi for the third time. She added that Congress should refrain from pressuring the opposition parties to accept him as their leader. 

Soon after the scathing attack by AAP, former AICC general secretary Ajay Maken criticized the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, accusing the Delhi CM of seeking help from the Congress party while simultaneously ridiculing its leaders.

In a video message posted on his social media handle Twitter, he said, “His ministers place prerequisites on our alliance, while their chief spokesperson publicly disparages our party and leaders on the day of the Opposition party meeting. To brazenly criticise and then demand support, is this how alliances are sought, Mr Kejriwal?” 

The leader further claimed, “Kejriwal’s political manoeuvres in recent weeks have left many baffled. However, let me elucidate the truth. His desperate attempts to evade imprisonment on corruption charges, wherein two of his colleagues are already jailed, are reasons for these actions.” 

Kejriwal’s proclamations of Opposition unity are not for cohesion but a “calculated move to sabotage it and curry favour with the BJP. Past actions of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Parliament, the Delhi Legislative Assembly, or elsewhere only reinforce their surreptitious alliance with the BJP”, he said.

He also alleged that AAP was using corruption money to fight elections in several states to ‘help the BJP’ and harm Congress.

“Kejriwal’s betrayals are infamous – just ask Prashant Bhushan, Yogendra Yadav, and the founders of the Anna movement…,'” Maken said in a scathing attack on the Delhi CM.

“However, be assured Kejriwal, your deeds have not gone unnoticed. Your massive corruption and utilisation of these ill-gotten funds to sabotage the Congress in Goa, Gujarat, Punjab, Himachal, Uttarakhand, and Assam, just to help the BJP, won’t be forgotten,” the Congress leader said.

He further alleged that “Under the guise of being an ‘aam aadmi’ (common man), Kejriwal “manipulated” Delhi’s citizens, using ₹171 crore of public money to build a “palace” for himself,”

“Your actions have unmasked the grim truth, Mr Kejriwal. You’re no longer a champion of the ‘Aam Aadmi’ or a crusader against corruption. Instead, you stand knee-deep in corruption, living a lavish lifestyle like a king in your ‘Sheesh Mahal’,” the former Union minister said.

Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Ordinance 2023

On May 19, 2023, the Government of National Capital Territory (Amendment) Ordinance, 2023 was enacted. It modifies the Delhi National Capital Territory Act of 1991. The Act establishes the framework for the Legislative Assembly and the administration of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. 

“PM Modi decided on surgical strikes in 10 minutes”: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shares while addressing National Security Conclave

OpIndia Staff
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“PM Modi decided on surgical strikes in 10 minutes”: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shares while addressing National Security Conclave

On the 26th of June, 2023, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed the National Security Conclave organised at Jammu University. The conclave discussed internal and external dimensions of the country’s defence mechanism, however, a strong focus was on Jammu and Kashmir.

The Defence Minister outlined four key principles that have been guiding the government’s approach to national security. As per the Union Minister, these include addressing security and sovereignty threats, protecting national interests, creating conducive conditions for progress and the well-being of citizens, and building alliances with friendly nations to tackle global challenges like terrorism.

Pakistan has no locus standi in PoK

Singh categorically asserted that despite illegally capturing PoK, Pakistan does not have a locus standi in POK as it has illegally occupied the area. He reminded everyone that the Indian Parliament had unanimously passed at least three resolutions, which state that PoK is a part of India. 

For the umpteenth time, Singh reiterated what every Indian and government believes, he said PoK is, was, and will remain a part of India.  

He said, “A large part of Jammu and Kashmir is under the occupation of Pakistan. People on the other side are seeing that people are living their lives peacefully in J-K. People living in POK going through a lot of suffering and they will raise demand to go with India.”

Raksha Mantri on Article 370 and dispute with China

Raksha Mantri stressed that BJP abrogated Article 370 and did justice to the people of Jammu and Kashmir who were unfairly treated for decades.

Singh stated that because of Articles 370 and 35A, the common people of Jammu and Kashmir were kept away from the mainstream of the country for a long time, it was a hindrance in taking action against any anti-national force.

On the ongoing conflict with China, Singh assured that his government is committed to protecting the sovereignty and unity of the nation. 

He highlighted that despite “perception differences” with China, there are some agreements and protocols following which the armies of both countries patrol at borders. He, however, held Chinese forces accountable for violating these “agreed protocols” which led to a violent dispute in East Ladakh in 2020.

Holding China responsible for the Ladakh dispute, Singh said, “The reason for the dispute that arose in East Ladakh in the year 2020 was that the Chinese forces ignored the Agreed Protocols. Chinese Army PLA tried to make some changes on LAC in a unilateral manner which was thwarted by Indian troops.”

PM Modi follows zero tolerance against terrorism

The Raksha Mantri further claimed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, our government started effective action against terrorism and for the first time not only the country but also the world came to know what is the meaning of zero tolerance against terrorism.
He said, “Pulwama and Uri were both unfortunate incidents. Prime Minister took just 10 minutes to take a decision (on carrying out surgical strikes) which shows his strong willpower.”

Pakistan got rattled by the joint statement issued by India and US against terrorism

Rajnath Singh highlighted the recent joint statement that was issued after the prime minister’s meeting with US President Joe Biden. He argued that the joint statement is an indication of how India has changed the mindset of the world on the issue of terrorism.

Singh said, “Pakistan felt slighted by the joint statement from PM Modi and US President Joe Biden. They released the same old statement that India is removing the world’s attention from Kashmir. I agree with them – we have been successful in removing the world’s glare from Kashmir. I want to tell the government of Pakistan that it won’t gain anything by constantly citing Kashmir. Apna ghar sambhaliye (get your house in order).”

An excerpt from the India-US joint statement said, “They (Biden and Modi) strongly condemned cross-border terrorism, the use of terrorist proxies and called on Pakistan to take immediate action to ensure that no territory under its control is used for launching terrorist attacks.”

Raksha Mantri highlighted that AFSPA has been removed from large parts of North East as the government has successfully controlled the problem of insurgency in North East India. He aspired that a time will come when we will remove the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) from Jammu and Kashmir. 

Further while addressing a presser, Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh also responded to Former US President Barack Hussein Obama.  
Singh said, “Obama ji should not forget that India is the only country which considers all the people living in the world as family members. He should also think about himself as to how many Muslim countries he has attacked.”

Navi Mumbai: Posters with ‘PFI Zindabad’ slogans found pasted on houses, Police launch investigation

OpIndia Staff
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Navi Mumbai: Posters with ‘PFI Zindabad’ slogans found pasted on houses, Police launch investigation

Recently, posters in support of the proscribed terror outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) were found glued to some houses in the Navi Mumbai area of Maharashtra. Reportedly, these posters had ‘786’ and ‘PFI Zindabad’ inscribed in green ink on them in English. The Police initiated a probe as soon as they got information about the same. Subsequently, they confiscated these controversial posters. The incident is said to have occurred on Saturday night, June 24. 

A day later, on Sunday, June 25, the Police stated that they have started an investigation into the matter and had registered a case against unknown individuals for pasting these posters in support of a banned terror outfit. 

Police officials informed that apart from pasting posters, there are also allegations that firecrackers were also found stuck to some houses.

According to media reports, the case pertains to the Panvel area of Navi Mumbai. In the morning hours of June 24, one man found something written on his house wall. On closer look, he found a poster stuck there. Slogans – ‘786’ and ‘PFI Zindabad’ were written in green ink on this poster and it was written in English. Within no time, there were reports of firecrackers and Agarbatti (incense sticks) stuck outside two other houses within the vicinity. 

When the locals communicated this to the police, the police immediately reached the spot and confiscated the firecrackers and posters. 

An FIR has been filed against unknown persons under IPC section 153A. The police are currently examining additional evidence, including CCTV footage from the location. The identity of the accused is yet to be determined. These posters are going viral on social media platforms.

Banned terror outfit Popular Front of India

In September 2022, the Government of India banned the Popular Front of India (PFI) and all the individuals associated with it for 5 years. There were credible reports that they were allegedly involved in rioting that happened in various parts of the country, particularly at Hindu festival Hanuman Jayanti and others. The Delhi Police in its charge sheet had also claimed to have found PFI’s link in the Delhi riots in 2020.  

Further, this organisation and its office bearers are accused of hatching a conspiracy to make India an Islamic country by the year 2047, including taking funding and other support from abroad. Additionally, it was also alleged that many members of PFI were said to be influenced by the ideology of ISIS.

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