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‘Appalled at propaganda: Lord Jagannath Temple Secretary debunks allegations of discrimination against President Murmu. Here is what he told OpIndia

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‘Appalled at propaganda: Lord Jagannath Temple Secretary debunks allegations of discrimination against President Murmu. Here is what he told OpIndia

On June 26, Ravinder Nath Pradhan, Secretary, Sree Neelachala Seva Sangha, Jagannath Temple, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, debunked the allegations of discrimination against President Droupadi Murmu. Speaking to OpIndia, Pradhan said he was informed about the misinformation on social media that the President was not allowed in Garbhgrih of the Temple as she belongs to the Scheduled Tribes community. He said, “There is no place for discrimination at Lord’s home. I felt appalled by the level of propaganda being spread online. I was informed about it yesterday. By spreading such lies, these elements are creating hurdles in future temple visits of the President.”

OpIndia had a detailed conversation with Pradhan on the matter. When questioned about President’s visit, he informed us that it was the day of Jagannath Yatra and happened to be President’s birthday too. “Though she could have come at the time of Yatra, President decided to come early to ensure her presence does not cause inconvenience to the devotees. It was her birthday too. Initially, she was supposed to do puja and leave in 5-10 minutes, but she stayed for 45 minutes. It was an honour for everyone here that the President visited the Temple and received blessings from Shri Jagannath.”

We asked him about the misleading claims being spread on social media about the so-called discrimination. Debunking the allegations, he said, “It is a lie that President faced any discrimination at the Temple. Every year, Garhbhgrih is open only for 30 minutes to do Avahan of Bhagwan Jagannath for the Rath Yatra. It is a ritual that the chief guest participates in Avahan. Only Pujaris and chief guest is allowed to enter Garbhgrih for the puja and no one else.”

He added, “When President came, it was early morning. We followed every protocol while maintaining the regulations on the premises. She decided to stand outside the wooden plank and do the puja. We had arranged a chair for her for the puja, but she is a devotee of Bhagwan Jagannath. She firmly refused to use the chair and said either she would sit on the floor or do puja while standing there. Generally, there are six Pandits who perform puja, but only two are allowed to go close to her for the puja. The rest of them stay at a distance, as asked by her security personnel. Even I did not go close to her during puja. If she wanted, we would have obliged and let her enter Garbhgrih. After all, she is the President. But being an informed devotee, she did not ask for anything above the rules. If you are aware, she does not touch onion and garlic. This is the level of devotion she has for Bhagwan Jagannath.”

“She is our pride. She is Odisha’s pride. I do not understand where this discussion of discrimination came from,” Pradhan added. When asked about why other ministers were allowed in Garbhgrih, he said, “If you are talking about Delhi LG, Dharmendra Pradhan and others, they were chief guests on respective Yatras. As I said, in Puri, the King performs a puja and does Avahan of Bhagwan Jagannath for the Yatra. Here, our chief guest fulfils that duty. Whichever minister has photos while being in Garbhgrih, he was the chief guest of Yatra. To be honest, we follow our rules to the word. We do not even allow the family members of the temple administration to enter Garbhgrih. Many are unaware that Shaligram stones are placed under Bhagwan’s idols. It is unauspicious to touch those stones with your feet. How can we even think of doing that? There was a time when Pandits would allow devotees to enter Garbhgrih in Puri in exchange for money, but that was strictly stopped by the administration years ago. In our Temple in Delhi, we have never allowed anyone to go inside except Pandits for puja,” he added.

Pradhan said since he learned about the rumours, he has been praying to Bhagwan Jagannath to give wisdom to those indulging in such activities. He said, “I am afraid such rumours will cause a chain of events leading to the dismissal of any future temple visits of the President. Every temple administration will be honoured if the President visits the Temple. But do you think she would go if such rumours were being spread after her visit? It will be sad if President decides not to go to temples. Being a devotee, she should continue to visit temples.”

Pradhan said how humble the President is, “When she was leaving, there were few members of the temple administration and their family members standing at a distance. They requested a photograph of her. Without any hesitation, she called them. Though a few were missed as security only gave five minutes, it was possible only because she permitted the photograph. The entire time she was very humble to the staff.”

Propaganda against Jagannath Temple

President Murmu visited Jagannath Temple on June 20, 2023. Following her visit, rumours were spread like wildfire on social media that there was discrimination by the Temple administration. There have been claims that President was not allowed inside Garbhgrih while other ministers like Ashwini Vaishnaw and Dharmendra Pradhan were allowed to do puja inside Garbhgrih.

Propaganda Twitter handles The Dalit Voice published a post on June 25 and claimed Ashwini Vaishnaw was allowed inside Garbhgrih, but President Murmu was not.

Source: Twitter

Known for his propaganda posts, Dilip Mandal wrote, “In the Jagannath temple of Delhi, Union Minister Dr Pradhan is seen performing rituals inside and touching the idols. However, it is alarming that at the same Temple, President Draupadi Murmu, the esteemed first citizen of the Indian Republic, was obliged to perform her prayers from the outside. This situation requires clarification, and appropriate action should be taken against the priests involved.”

Source: Twitter

Founder of DNN Hindi and journalist Vaibhav Kumar said, “Ashwini Vaishnav and Dharmendra Pradhan can enter the sanctum sanitarium of the Delhi Jagannath Mandir in Hauz khas but a wooden barrier for President Draupadi Murmu. Caste defines your status in India; everything else doesn’t count.”

Source: Twitter

None of them tried to talk to the temple administration to clarify the matter and indulged in anti-Hindu propaganda. They used photographs of Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan from the 2021 and 2020 Rath Yatra to support their claims.


In both cases, as told by Pradhan, the ministers were chief guests and performed Puja for the Avahan of Bhagwan Jagannath. In Puri, this puja is performed by the King. However, in other Jagannath Temples where Rath Yatra happens, the chief guest performs the puja. Only those who perform puja on the day of Rath Yatra are allowed to enter Garbhgrih for a 30-minute window. The wooden plank is placed again once the puja is done. “If President Murmu had reached the Temple at the time of Avahan, she would have done the Puja inside Garbhgrih,” said Pradhan.

Uttar Pradesh: License of Dr. Javed Khan, who forcefully circumcised a 2-year-old Hindu boy to convert him to Islam in Bareilly, suspended

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: License of Dr. Javed Khan, who forcefully circumcised a 2-year-old Hindu boy to convert him to Islam in Bareilly, suspended

Days after a Muslim doctor in the Bareilly district of Uttar Pradesh performed forceful circumcision of a Hindu boy, the probe committee held responsible Dr Javed Khan and his hospital and suspended his practising license. The committee also has sought an explanation from the hospital and its relevant authorities and has said that it would submit a detailed probe report to the CMO’s office within two days.

On June 24, a Hindu boy underwent a forceful circumcision performed by a doctor named Javed Khan while he was originally scheduled to undergo tongue surgery. Upon discovering this distressing situation, the boy’s family protested outside the hospital and was supported by several members of a Hindu organization. The Hindu members gathered and also voiced their anger by raising slogans outside the hospital.

Later the Hindu boy’s family also stated that the doctor and the hospital administration pressured them to compromise in the situation. Following the revelation of the incident, the police immediately initiated action, stating that an inquiry committee had been established and that legal measures would be taken by the applicable regulations.

The boy who underwent forceful circumcision has been identified as Samrat and is the son of Harimohan Yadav. Yadav alleged that the doctors had deliberately executed the operation to convert his child from Hinduism to Islam. Harimohan Yadav is a resident of the Sanjay Nagar area which comes under the Baradari police station. He was advised to operate his son as the latter could not speak properly.

Accordingly, Harimohan Yadav took his child to a private hospital in Delapir where the doctor admitted the child for the scheduled operation. However, the family later found out that no surgery was performed on the tongue and instead, the doctor had circumcised the boy.

The police formed the probe committee and happened to take strict action against the hospital. It has decided to suspend the license of the doctor and also has sought a detailed explanation from the hospital authorities.

Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana purchases farm land worth Rs 13 crores in Alibaug, describes herself as an ‘agriculturist’ in documents

OpIndia Staff
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Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana purchases farm land worth Rs 13 crores in Alibaug, describes herself as an ‘agriculturist’ in documents

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan’s daughter Suhana Khan has reportedly become the owner of an agricultural property in Thal village, located in Alibaug, Maharashtra. The 23-year-old Suhana Khan, who is yet to make her Bollywood debut, has brought the property for a whopping Rs 12.91 crores. In the registration documents, Suhana is identified as an ‘agriculturist.’

Notably, Suhana Khan will be starting her career in Bollywood with Zoya Akhtar’s The Archies. The comic book adaptation will release next year on the streaming platform, Netflix. Along with Suhana, Netflix film will also mark the debut of Sridevi-Boney Kapoor’s daughter Khushi Kapoor, Amitabh Bachchan’s grandson Agastya Nanda along with Vedang Raina, Mihir Ahuja, Dot and Yuvraj Mendra among others. 

The property includes three houses built on a total land spread over 1.5 acres. Suhana also paid a stamp duty of Rs 77.46 lakh. Interestingly, the Bollywood star kid has declared herself an ‘agriculturist’ in the property documents.

Notably, in Maharashtra, agricultural land can be purchased by an existing farmer only.

Media reports further suggest that the land was acquired from three sisters named Anjali, Rekha, and Priya Khot, who inherited it from their parents. The transaction had taken place on June 1. The property has been registered in the name of Deja-Vu Farm Pvt Ltd, with the directors of the land being Shah Rukh Khan’s mother-in-law Savita Chhibber and sister-in-law Namita Chhibber. 

Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan arrested in drug case

Bollywood superstar Shahrukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested in the alleged drug bust case on the ship on October 2, 2021.

Charges of drug possession, consumption, and trafficking were slapped against Aryan Khan. His friend Arbaaz Merchant and cruise guest Munmun Dhamecha were among the others arrested. Aryan was booked for attempting consumption of drugs under Section 27, attempting an offence under Section 8 (c) (possession), Section 28 (abetment) and Section 29 (conspiracy).

However, he was granted bail by the Bombay High Court and was released after spending 22 days in jail. No drug was found on him, and later NCB gave him a clean chit due to lack of sufficient evidence.

Nigeria: Mob pelts stone shouting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’, children participate in the brutal murder of a man accused of ‘blasphemy’

OpIndia Staff
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Nigeria: Mob pelts stone shouting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’, children participate in the brutal murder of a man accused of ‘blasphemy’

In a disturbing and shocking incident from Nigeria’s Sokoto, a mob has brutally stoned a man to death over allegations of ‘blasphemy’.

As per reports, the deceased person Usman Buda worked as a butcher in an abattoir in Sokoto city. Locals accused him of blasphemous comments against Prophet Mohammad on Sunday, June 25.

Disturbing visuals of the incident have surfaced on social media, where a large mob, including children, are throwing stones at a badly injured Usman Buda as he tries to get up, stumbles and falls. A heap of stones slowly gathers near Usman Buda as he dies. Young children are seen participating in the murder actively, with no adult trying to prevent the children from throwing stones or even trying to prevent them from watching the bloody murder.

Warning: graphic, violent content. Viewer discretion is advised.

“On 25th June 2023 at about 0955hrs, a distress call was received at about 0920hrs that one Usman Buda ‘M’ of Gwandu LGA a Butcher at Sokoto Abbatoir allegedly blasphemed the holy prophet Muhammad (SAW); as a result, he was mobbed and attacked by some Muslims faithful and inflicted Serious injuries on him”, the statement from the police chief of Sokoto read.

The police have stated that an investigation has been launched into the case. They added that when the police arrived, the mob had dissipated and they could not arrest anyone.

As per reports, some people closest to Usman, including his closest neighbors, have described him as a ‘good Muslim’ and have stated that there was no way he could have blasphemed against the prophet. They have added that Usman Buda was a popular butcher in the area and some locals were jealous because his business was good.

Christian student Deborah Samuel was lynched to death in Sokoto last year

In Nigeria’s Sokoto, a young Christian girl named Deborah Samuel was brutally lynched to death by her own classmates in May 2022.

In videos of the brutal mob lynching and burning that have gone viral, Deborah’s killers can be seen shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’, showing off the matchbox with which they burned her battered corpse, and rejoicing in the violent deed.

The victim Deborah Samuel was a student of the Shehu Shagari College of Education, in Sokoto State. Reports stated that a WhatsApp group was being used by Deborah and her fellow students where someone had shared an Islamic post. Deborah had reportedly objected to religious content being shared in the student group. Her response, however, was deemed ‘unIslamic’ and ‘blasphemous’ by her fellow students. The fellow students then attacked her chanting ‘Allah Hu Akbar’ and rejoiced as they lynched her to death and then set her battered corpse on fire.

Sokoto is under Sharia law, blasphemy is punishable by death

The Sokoto area is largely Muslim. Nigeria is divided into northern Muslim parts and southern Christian parts.

The Sokoto state is under Islamic Sharia law, like almost a dozen other Nigerian states. In Sokoto state, the crime of ‘blasphemy’ means the death penalty. The police often overlook such incidents and perpetrators get away with murder.

1 year of Udaipur Murder: Hindus living in fear, shops shut after 6 pm, business down by 50% in market where Kanhaiya Lal was murdered

OpIndia Staff
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1 year of Udaipur Murder: Hindus living in fear, shops shut after 6 pm, business down by 50% in market where Kanhaiya Lal was murdered

June 28 this year will mark one year of the spine-chilling murder that was reported from the Udiapur district of Rajasthan. Kanhaiya Lal, a Hindu tailor was beheaded in Udaipur on June 28, 2022, by two Islamists named Mohammad Riyaz and Ghouse Mohammad for supporting former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma on social media. Nupur Sharma’s remarks on Prophet Muhammad stirred the country with violent protests by Islamists.

Kanhaiya Lal, who had a tailoring shop in the city’s Maldas Street, was attacked by the culprits who posed as customers. The duo fled away from the spot on their bike after they brutally murdered Lal last year in June. A year after the incident, team Dainik Bhasker reached the spot to witness that the shopkeepers at the Maldas street continue to live in fear and some of the businessmen have even left the locality out of fear.

According to the report, there are around 300 shops in the busy Maldas market street area, and Kanhaiya Lal’s tailoring shop named ‘Supreme Tailors’ existed in one of the lanes. Maldas Street is widely known and famous as the textile market and people from nearby areas including Chittorgarh, Dungarpur, Rajsamand, Banswara, Bhilwara, and Pratapgarh used to approach the markets for textile trade. But a year after, Maldas Street has become mute and the existing shopkeepers continue to operate their businesses in fear.

Further, the lane in which the deceased Kanhaiya Lal had his shop has 15-20 other shops out of which only two are currently operating. The local shopkeepers also refused to talk to the media fearing that they would be targeted by the Islamists for speaking on the issue.

However, one of the businessmen said on the condition of anonymity that people staying or doing business in the area are scared by the incident. “Some of them have left the locality while the others continue to stay in fear. People now 24 by 7 lock their residences from outside and nobody is interested to do business here,” he said.

People locking their residences 24 by 7 (Image- Dainik Bhasker)

“I also have a tailoring shop in the area. Earlier I used to operate the business till 9 pm, but now we all on Maldas Street close our shops by evening 6. Our respective families start calling us if someday we get late. Now I also am studying law and will practice it in the future since I see no future in the tailoring business given the shop location at Maldas Street,” the businessman added.

The other businessman also confirmed that many people had shifted their businesses from Maldas street as the customers stopped coming to the area for shopping or trade. “It’s been a year since that incident. People are scared but now there’s no point in thinking about that. Businesses should go on,” said he who continues to operate the business for the maximum time on the street.

Business at Maldas street reduced by 40% to 50%

The team further happened to interview Dinesh Dalal, a tailor shop owner who has a business 150 mt away from Kanhaiya Lal’s shop. Dalal who has been owning a shop in the area for around 27 years said, “The market has completely changed. Customers also are scared to come to the market since the murder. Many of the shops today have shut down. Some people left work due to the recession. Only one or two tailor shops are open,” he said.

“Earlier, people used to come here from Dungarpur, Sagwada, Banswada, etc but now nobody comes here out of fear. The market growth has diminished from 40% to 50%. The Islamists by committing the murder have ruined the image of the entire locality and have spread the environment of fear here. The market used to be full of people earlier, not it’s just mute,” he added.

Islamists pretended to be customers and slit Kanhaiya Lal’s throat

On June 28 last year, Kanhaiya Lal was brutally murdered by Mohammed Riyaz and Mohammed Ghous who posed themselves as customers to enter the tailoring shop. Kanhaiya Lal was killed for extending support to ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma after her alleged ‘blasphemous’ remarks. Before the murder, Kanhaiya Lal was arrested by police for supporting Nupur Sharma and was released on bail.

The Islamists, who had entered the shop pretending to be customers, slit Kanhaiya Lal’s throat and stabbed him around 26 times on his body, especially on the neck. They also recorded the murder on a video and released it on social media platforms. After the incident, the killers released a video claiming responsibility for the act. The duo had also later threatened PM Modi with murder.

Earlier, the business in the area where the incident occurred on June 28 was reduced by 90 percent. There are a total of 15 shops on Maladas Street in Udaipur which generated good business until June 28 last year. After the murder of the Hindu tailor, almost 13 of the total 15 shops preferred to remain shut and they continue to remain shut. People including the customers and the shopkeepers are scared to even enter the street for business.

The curfew-like situation continues to scare the citizens of Udaipur even after one year of the brutal murder.

US journalist Fareed Zakaria, whose father was a Congress minister, rants against Modi and India, cites debunked reports to lecture on ‘democracy’

Anurag
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US journalist Fareed Zakaria, whose father was a Congress minister, rants against Modi and India, cites debunked reports to lecture on ‘democracy’

On June 25 (local time), CNN released an episode of India-born US journalist Fareed Zakaria titled ‘The Decay of Democracy in India‘. In the almost 6:30 minutes video, Zakaria talked extensively about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s official State Visit to the US and urged the US government to interfere in India’s internal affairs directly. Quoting Barkha Dutt initially, Zakaria claimed India would never become America’s ally no matter how warmly the US embraces it; thus, the US “should not succumb to irrational exuberance about the two countries’ relations”.

According to him, the reason was India’s focus on its own national interest insinuating that the ideal ally of the US should prioritize US interests above its own interests. Zakaria gave the example of India’s refusal to condemn Russia’s military action against Ukraine and presented it as if it was wrong of India to think about its own people and not accepting the West’s commands.

Siding with the West is unnecessary for India, and the government has made it clear multiple times.

Minister of External Affairs Dr S Jaishankar has said in reply to media queries and during interviews that India has to look for the interest of its 130 crore population. Stating siding with the West is not necessary for India, Dr. Jaishankar then pointed out that before pressuring India not to buy Russia’s cheap crude oil, Western countries should look at their own purchases from Russia that were much higher.

He advocated for (the US govt) to ally with India’s businesses, press, NGOs, and cultural groups, indirectly hinting that the US government should invest in regime change tactics instead of seeking healthy bilateral relations with India.

Irrational claims on India’s foreign policy

Zakaria then claimed that India has given “little emphasis on foreign policy” and devoted its energies to managing the complexity of its own society that is based on “thousands of castes and communities, dozens of major languages and huge regional diversity”. While India is concentrating on its people first, it is astonishing to see a journalist with “international expertise” miss how India has worked extensively on its foreign policy.

For the first time in 75 years, the world is looking at India as a leader. India has shown its power as a possible supply chain hub, foreign investment hub, and world leader. When the West neglected the developing nations during a pandemic, it was India that came forward to help them with vaccines and more. Because of India’s reformed foreign policy, even Western countries are looking at India’s leadership to solve international issues like the Russia-Ukraine war.

Zakaria then gave a lecture to India on developing foreign policy based on Western ideas of “democracy” even if “it won’t be feasible in every case to apply them”. Basically, Zakaria wants India to follow the rules set by the Western countries without mincing a word, even if it goes against the interest of its people. An emerging world power like India that believes in ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas’, how feasible or right will it be not to think about its own interests just to satisfy a handful of Western countries? It is not, and it will never be.

India needs to stick to its stand strongly without bending the rules to please anyone. If we had done this in the past few years, we might have ended up buying all the vaccines from the West and paying almost double the price of the oil that we are now paying.

Zakaria quoted dubious reports against India

Zakaria then quoted “think tanks” like V Dem, claiming, “India no longer ranks as a democracy at all”. He claimed that the Indian Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not treating the minorities properly. He said the press, the judiciary and other independent agencies of the democratic system are saying so, and “many of these critiques are accurate”. Running the same propaganda repeatedly does not work, and the likes of Zakaria have to understand it.

Since PM Modi came to power, there has been a standard propaganda being run by the opposition parties, NGOs, and so-called civil society that minorities, especially Muslims, are not safe in India. Think tanks and organizations like V Dam, Reporters Without Borders, and Genocide Watch have made irrational claims. Based on their claims, other anti-India organizations have spread misleading reports and half-baked information in media and social media.

For example, OpIndia recently rubbished the ‘Reporters Without Borders’ press freedom Ranking of India, which stood at 161 out of 180 countries. We found that the ranking was based on old misleading reports, dubious data on ad spending by the Indian government and more. Our detailed report can be checked here.

Furthermore, OpIndia has debunked claims of V Dem, a George Soros-funded think tank, that can be checked here. Organizations like Genocide Watch have used disinformation on CAA and NRC to claim India is against Muslim citizens, which is false and planned propaganda against India. CAA was never meant for Indian Muslims, and the government of India has not even released a draft of the national NRC.

Zakaria then moved ahead and admitted that the “elite liberals” in India are disconnected from the roots. Quoting former US ambassador to India, John Kenneth Goldbreath, he said the first Prime Minister of India, Jawaharlal Nehru, once told him that he was the “last Englishman” to rule India. He rightly said that the “founders” created the country based on the values drawn from the British and the West. This is what Prime Minister Narendra Modi aims to end.

Recently, the Government of India has started an initiative to break the shackles of slavery that India still has around it from the British rulers. Installing Subhash Chandra Bose’s statue and renaming Raj Marg to Kartavya Path is just the beginning. India is revisiting History and bringing unsung heroes to the mainstream. This is what is hurting people like Zakaria and the liberal “jamaat” of India.

Zakaria said, “I sometimes wonder whether all these countries are revealing that the values of an open society, pluralism, tolerance, secularism, were an import from the era of the West’s dominance in the world and that the erosion with these ideas is gradually revealing a more authentic, less tolerant nationalism.”

Zakaria urged US government to meddle in India’s internal affairs

He then urged the Biden administration not to “lecture” PM Modi on human rights as it would backfire. Of course, it will backfire. America and the West have no right to lecture anyone, especially India, on human rights. He said, “That would backfire not only with him but also with most Indians who would resent Western bullies.”

However, Zakaria believes it will be “Far better to ally with India’s society itself, expanding ties with its businesses, press, NGOs, cultural groups and others.” This is where the problem starts. The elites, liberals and even the opposition in India think that it is okay to ask foreign nations to meddle with India’s internal affairs. They find it okay to use businesses, the press, NGOs, cultural groups and more to spread their agenda in India.

Take the example of George Soros. He has pledged a billion dollars to remove PM Modi from power. He is funding NGOs, media, and cultural groups directly or indirectly in India. Individuals and organizations like him are why the Indian government is sensitive towards foreign funds coming into India via FCRA and other means. When the government tightens the rules or takes action on organizations and media houses for trying to influence Indians as part of international propaganda, they intensify the attack. Misinformation and disinformation are the biggest tools to establish anti-government sentiments, and this is what these individuals and organizations are doing.

Interestingly, opposition leaders like Rahul Gandhi are riding the same boat. During his US visit, Gandhi recently called for the direct intervention of foreign powers in India’s affairs. For what? Just to get back into power. The vested interests of the opposition leaders give way to a sinister plan against India which they are obviously ignoring to address.

India is progressing to become a 5 trillion economy. While the West is pacing towards inevitable recession, India has managed to keep it at bay. Free ration, housing, electricity, and LPG, along with better roads, infrastructure, free healthcare, tap water, toilets, and cheap medicines, are only a handful of offerings from the current government to the people of India.

Zakaria’s father was a Congressman

While Zakaria spoke the language of left liberals, it has to be noted that his father, Rafiq Zakaria, was a Congressman and an Islamic religious cleric. He had served as a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra government and later served as deputy to Indira Gandhi, then-leader of the Congress Party in the Lok Sabha.

Film to be made on Kanhaiya Lal- the Udaipur Hindu tailor who was beheaded by Islamists last year for supporting ex-BJP leader Nupur Sharma

OpIndia Staff
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Film to be made on Kanhaiya Lal- the Udaipur Hindu tailor who was beheaded by Islamists last year for supporting ex-BJP leader Nupur Sharma

On the dreadful day of June 28 last year, two Islamists identified as Riyaz and Ghous Mohammad brutally beheaded a poor Hindu tailor Kanhaiya Lal in Udaipur, Rajasthan. He was murdered for posting a social media message in support of former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma. The murderers had also made a video boasting about their heinous act, basking in false bravado over killing the hapless poor man inside his shop.

One year after the brutal murder, a production house named Jani Firefox Media Private Limited is all set to make a movie on the Udaipur Hindu Tailor. According to a report by ABP News, deceased Kanhaiya Lal’s elder son Yash has confirmed the development.

Speaking to the media house, Yash confirmed that Amit Jani, the director of the media house spoke to him over the phone and expressed his desire to make a film on his father. He spoke with Kanhaiya Lal’s other family members also who were initially reluctant but later gave their permission to make the film.

After this, the production house team decided to visit Udaipur on June 28, 2023, which is the first death anniversary of the Hindu tailor, to gather details about Kanhaiya Lal, his family, his brutal murder and all others who were involved in the heinous crime.

According to reports, besides showing the life and the heinous murder of Kanhaiya Lal, the movie will also show the story of two youths of Rajsamand, who had displayed exemplary courage and helped the police nab the accused- Riyaz and Ghous Mohammad.

The brutal murder of Kanhaiya Lal

Islamists Riyaz and Ghous Mohammad had come to Kanhaiya Lal’s tailor shop posing as customers. As the tailor was taking their measurements, they took out their heavy meat cleavers and brutally hacked him to death, while making a video of the incident. Kanhaiya Lal’s body had over 30 wounds. Kanhaiya Lal’s ‘fault’ was that a post supporting the statement of ex-BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma was shared from his phone.

After brutally murdering Kahaiya Lal, Riyaz and Ghous had made a chilling video, brandishing their blood-stained weapons and gloating about the heinous act. They had asserted the Islamist slogan “Gustakh-e-Nabi ki ek hi saza, Sar tan se juda” and had boasted that they had killed the man for the sake of Islam.

The brutal act of murder was supported and even hailed by some of Ajmer Dargah’s custodians (Chishtis). Despite the brutality and wanton display of Islamic terrorism involved in the act, many media outlets had tried their best to tone it down, and had even shared reports of the news as ‘just another crime’.

‘We will fight in court, not on streets’: Wrestlers call off protest after IOA grants exemption from trials, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat announce break from social media

OpIndia Staff
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‘We will fight in court, not on streets’: Wrestlers call off protest after IOA grants exemption from trials, Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat announce break from social media

The protesting wrestlers have announced that since the cases against former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh are in court and a charge sheet has been submitted, they will keep their fight on, but in court, not in the streets.

In a statement circulated on social media, the protesting wrestlers have stated that the process for the elections for the next WFI president and the executive committee has already started and the polls are scheduled to be held on July 11, they will wait for the implementation of the assurances given by the government.

The wrestlers have stated that their fight will continue until they get justice, but the contest will be in court, legally, not on the streets.

Wrestlers Sakshi Malik and Vinesh Phogat have announced that they will be away from social media for some days.

With this, the wrestlers’ protest, going on and off for several months, seems to have come to an end.

On June 23, the Indian Olympics Association announced that the six wrestlers, Sakshee Malikh, her husband Satyawart Kadian, Vinesh Phogat, Sangeeta Phogat, her husband Bajrang Punia, and Jitendra Kinha will have to win just one bout against the winners of trials in their respective categories to secure their place in the Indian team. Considering that the said wrestlers have been busy with their protests and have been away from practice, the govt had even postponed their trials to August while others have to appear for trials in July.

Following the trial exemptions announced for the protesting wrestlers, many other wrestlers have called it unfair and spoken against it. Ugly fights and matches of allegations-counter allegations between the wrestlers were witnessed on social media.

“I’m not sure what criteria the IOA committee used to decide on the trials, and that too for these six wrestlers only. Ravi Dahiya is an Olympic silver medalist as well as a CWG gold medalist, Deepak Punia is a CWG gold medalist, Anshu Malik is a World silver medalist, Sonam Malik is also there and many others. I don’t understand why these six wrestlers have been granted an exemption. This is utterly wrong. Even in the old WFI setup, this was not done,” Dutt had said.

The wrestlers’ protest

The wrestlers have been protesting against former Wrestling Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, demanding his arrest. Female wrestlers have alleged that Singh sexually harassed them. Two FIRs were registered against Singh on the complaint of seven female wrestlers, including one allegedly minor wrestler. Singh was booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and POCSO Act. However, recently it was reported the minor wrestler withdrew her statement in front of the magistrate and recorded a new one under Section 164 of the CrPC.

On June 15, the Delhi Police submitted the charge sheet on Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh following their investigation on the allegations of sexual harassment of women wrestlers.

For the first time, investments made in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, says CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of a global robotics company factory

ANI
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For the first time, investments made in all 75 districts of Uttar Pradesh, says CM Yogi Adityanath at the inauguration of a global robotics company factory

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, inaugurated the factory of Addverb Technologies (a global robotics company based out of India) in the Gautam Buddh Nagar district. 

Addressing the inauguration ceremony, CM talked about the developmental works carried out in the district and the progress it made over the last few years. He said, “For the first time in Uttar Pradesh, investments have been made in all the 75 districts of the state, which were once reckoned as ‘aspirational’ districts, lacking development”. 

“Before 2017, in Gautam Buddh Nagar, despite being a part of the National Capital region, possibilities of investments were merely imagination and it lacked the level of competition it needed. But under Prime Minister Modi’s ‘ease of doing business’ vision, it has emerged as a great destination of investment, not only in the NCR but also across the country”, said CM Yogi. 

The Chief Minister added, “On February 10 to 12, Uttar Pradesh organised the second global investor’s summit in the capital, Lucknow. From the state’s point of view, it was the first summit. We got investment proposals more than worth Rs 36 lakh crores. Most of them were for Gautam Buddha Nagar”. 
CM further added, “Investments are done keeping in mind the law and order situation, infrastructure, safety environment, and convenience which we can witness here and across the state”. 

Talking about the development work in the state, he added, “We have made the air connectivity better. There are 9 active airports in the state. Work is in progress on 12 more. By the end of this year, Uttar Pradesh will become the first state in the country to have 5 international airports. Looking at the Indian Railways, the state has the best rail network. There is a rail network of 16,000 kilometres”. 

CM Yogi further suggested that the youths be technically capable. “I would like to say to the Addverb technologies that we should make our youths technically capable”, said the Chief Minister. 

He also thanked the company for assisting its young employees with higher studies. 

Talking about the New Education Policy, he said, “The NEP gives us the liberty to continue our jobs along with studies”. 

Further, the Chief Minister expressed his gratitude towards Addverb Technologies for making an investment in the district and providing employment opportunities to the youth. 

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

Bharat Petroleum holds negotiations with Russia’s Rosneft to buy discounted crude oil priced on the Dubai benchmark

OpIndia Staff
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Bharat Petroleum holds negotiations with Russia’s Rosneft to buy discounted crude oil priced on the Dubai benchmark

Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL), a state-run refiner in India, is currently in talks with Rosneft, a Russian petroleum refinery company, to buy approximately 6 million metric tons (43.8 million barrels) of discounted Russian crude. As per a Reuters report, the pricing of this deal is expected to be pegged with the Dubai benchmark.

If the deal is finalised, it would strengthen India’s partnership with Russia, which has become India’s largest oil supplier, particularly in the wake of the Western sanctions imposed on Moscow. Further, in that case, it would also reflect Rosneft’s continued shift to link its oil price with the Middle Eastern benchmark that is commonly used in Asia and shift away from the predominantly Europe-based Brent benchmark.

The details of the ongoing deal

The report added that under this pending deal, Rosneft would deliver the equivalent of 6 to 7 cargoes, each consisting of about 700,000 to 720,000 barrels, per month through March 2024 to the state-run refiner, BPCL.

According to Reuters, the ongoing discussions have reached an advanced stage. Now both parties have been actively negotiating to work out details including terms of payment, for a potential contract. Currently, the deal needs approval from BPCL’s board. If approved then it would further expand the share of Russian oil purchased by the world’s third-largest oil importer.

With an approximate share of 40 percent, Russia has become India’s top oil supplier. It is important to note that in the past Indian refiners rarely bought Russian oil because of its high transport cost. However, when the West imposed sanctions on Moscow, it diverted its supplies away from Europe and started selling crude at a discounted price. 

From the 5th of December, the European Union (EU) nations have stopped purchasing Russian oil. Subsequently, to limit Russia’s economic leverage, the Group of Seven (G7) countries joined the EU and imposed a price cap of $60 per barrel on Russian crude. 

As per the report, Russian crude sold to BPCL would be priced at a discount of $8 per barrel to the Dubai benchmark.

Earlier in April, Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the country’s top refiner, struck a deal with Rosneft for buying up to 1.5 million metric tons of oil per month. Reportedly, the crude was pegged with the Middle East benchmark and the discount was around $8 to $10 per barrel.

Russian refinery companies are shifting away from Europe-dominated Brent benchmark

Due to Western sanctions, Russia began redirecting its crude oil shipments toward Asia. As a result, Rosneft has gradually moved away from the Europe-dominated Brent benchmark. Notably, both benchmarks are denominated in dollars. Further, they are set by the S&P Global Platts which is a unit of US-based S&P Global Inc. 

The Dubai benchmark is largely influenced by oil trading in Asia and the Middle East, whereas Brent is primarily used to price crude from Europe, Africa, and South America. Reuters reported that like most of the Indian refiners, BPCL also makes spot purchases of Russian oil and it is mostly done from traders. Additionally, in the ongoing contract negotiations, BPCL intends to import a range of Russian oil grades including Sokol, Varandey, and Urals.

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