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Hundreds of Hindu activists helped in Balasore rescue ops, RSS, ABVP among first to reach spot, Bajrang Dal help survivors, donate blood too: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Hundreds of Hindu activists helped in Balasore rescue ops, RSS, ABVP among first to reach spot, Bajrang Dal help survivors, donate blood too: Details

On June 2, India witnessed one of the deadliest train accident in history in Balasore, Odisha leaving 233 dead and over 900 injured. While the state and central governments rushed rescue teams of NDRF and other agencies to the spot, activists of Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangha (RSS), Akhil Bhartiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Bajrang Dal were among the first to reach and initiate the rescue operation along with locals. Hundreds of activists not only helped in saving hundreds of lives at the accident spot but also lined up for hours to donate blood.

As per reports, RSS activists reached the accident site at around 7:30 PM, soon after the accident took place. As there is a small Shakha in the village nearby, a few RSS activists were able to reach but soon around 250 RSS were at the accident spot helping in the operation. Speaking to the organiser, ABVP Karyakarta Lakshmi said around 600 activists of RSS were deployed at Balasore Hospital to help the families to identify their relatives. From providing food to assisting in making calls to ensure the families reunite, the members of Hindu organisations stayed at hospitals and accident sites around the clock.

RSS State President Ravi Narayan Panda said in a statement that RSS workers assisted different agencies in rescue operations. RSS’s leader Vishnu Nayak was also present at the site helping in the operation. While RSS activists helped at the rescue site, several of them were also present at the hospital to assist the families and injured victims.

As the number of causalities was high, hospital staff and ambulance services were overwhelmed. The activists ensure ambulance drivers and hospital boys had all the help in dispatching the dead bodies. They also helped in transporting the bodies to the morgue manually.

He added, hundreds of pracharaks and prant pramukhs have arrived in Balasore and are helping the railway officials, with the rescue operation on site. Some of the Karyakarta’s are also helping the NDRF teams, he added.

Lakshmi mentioned several activists were stationed at bus stops and crossings etc with food, water, first-aid kits and mobile phones to help the survivors. The organisations issued helpline numbers from the official accounts to help the victims and their families. Speaking to Organiser, Lakshmi said, “He added, “Times like these are depressing, we are here to build a human chain and do everything possible in our capacity to save human lives. The whole town is on streets serving the people, it’s not like we are the only ones. But we are here 24/7 and will remain, till the situation gets back to normal”.

Hindu organisations provide help during calamities

RSS, Bajrang Dal, VHP, ABVP and other Hindu organisations are among the first to respond to the calamities across the country. During the Covid-19 crisis, activists of these organisations were on the ground providing food, shelter, medical care and even education to those in need. At the time of both natural and man-made calamities, these organisations have worked extensively to ensure the safety and welfare of the victims.

Bajrang Dal activists were also present, not only to help in rescue efforts but also provide food and water to those injured.

Triple train accident in Odisha

On June 2, a collision between a passenger train and a freight train in Odisha’s Balasore district left at least 233 people dead and 900 injured. Around 10-12 coaches of Chennai-bound Coromandel Express derailed and fell on an adjacent track in the path of another train from Yeswanthpur to Howrah near Balasore in Odisha. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw reached the accident spot and took stock of the situation. He stayed there during the rescue operation. On June 3, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited the site and took stock of the situation. While the government has announced compensation for the victims, a high-level probe has been initiated to find the cause of the train accident.

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says many love jihad cases unearthed during the probe into missing person complaints

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis says many love jihad cases unearthed during the probe into missing person complaints

On Saturday, 3rd June, Maharashtra Deputy CM and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said that investigations into missing person complaints have led to the unearthing of a large number of Love Jihad cases in the state. 

During a media interaction in Mumbai, Fadnavis said that his government is sensitive about the missing person complaints adding that “the detection rate in such cases was 90 to 95 per cent in the state. Still, I agree that more efforts are required to stop the exploitation of innocent girls.”

The Maharashtra Home Minister further stated that there is nothing objectionable in interfaith marriages, however, many cases have surfaced wherein women have been misled and lured with false promises by either married men or those belonging to the ‘other’ faith and subjected to love jihad. He also reiterated his government’s commitment to tackle the surging cases of love jihad and exploitation of women in the state. 

“We found cases where false promises were made or fake identities were used to trap innocent women. In many cases, married men have been found to deceive women. A large number of cases of what is called love jihad have come forward. I have said this earlier as well that we are alert on the love jihad issue and working on a law against it,” Fadnavis stated. 

In March this year, during the budget session, Devendra Fadnavis said that the Maharashtra government is studying the laws introduced by various states in this respect. He had said back then that information would be gathered from the various states that had already passed anti-conversion laws.

“This is very serious. So we have taken cognisance of the sentiments of the people. We are studying ‘Love Jihad’ type laws that have been passed by other states and an appropriate decision on bringing such a law in Maharashtra will be taken soon. This law will be within the constitutional framework,” he remarked.

Notably, many BJP-led governments, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttrakhand and Haryana, have constituted laws against ‘Love Jihad’ in their respective states to tackle the problem of forced and illegal conversions of Hindus at the hands of their Muslim partners.

Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani elected fifth President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board

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Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani elected fifth President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board

Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani was elected the fifth President of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) during an executive meeting held on June 3 and 4 in the town of Mhow in Indore, the officials said. 

They added that the seat of the president had been vacant since last April after the demise of the former occupant, Maulana Rabey Hasani Nadwi. According to officials, the Board’s newly elected president also announced appointees for the vacant portfolios of the AIMPLB. 

“Maulana Fazlur Raheem Mujaddidi was appointed the new general secretary of AIMPLB, replacing the Board’s previous general secretary Maulana Khalid Saifullah Rahmani,” an official said. 

Saiyyad Shah Khusru Husaini Gulbarga and Saiyyad Sadatullah Husaini were appointed the new vice presidents of the board, they added. 

The president also appointed Maulana Sayyid Bilal Hasni Nadwi, Maulana Ahmad Wali Fasial Rahmani and Maulana Yaseen Ali Usmani to the board. 

They said that the board had four vice presidents but two of the posts fell vacant following the demise of the holders. 

The agenda for the first day of the meeting was the appointment of the new president and the filling of the vacant portfolios of AIMPLB. 

The agenda for the second day of the conference would be the Uniform Civil Code and the meeting of AIMPLB internal committees, stated officials. 

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

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot throws a microphone at the Barmer district collector during an event

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot throws a microphone at the Barmer district collector during an event

On Friday, 2nd June 2023, Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, threw a microphone at the Barmer district collector during a public event. The incident reportedly occurred at the Barmer Circuit House, while he was engaging with a group of women, seeking their feedback on government schemes aimed at benefiting the public.

A video capturing this incident was widely circulating on social media. The video emerged after the public address system experienced a malfunction, seemingly causing frustration for the Chief Minister.

In the viral video, CM Gehlot was seen sitting on a chair and speaking to the assembled group of women when an apparent malfunction occurred with the wireless microphone. Displaying signs of frustration, he threw the microphone towards the Barmer district collector. Subsequently, the collector retrieved the microphone from the ground. In the meanwhile, a woman handed him another wireless microphone which was working.

Gehlot’s composure slipped again as he noticed a group of individuals positioned behind the women. In response, he demanded that they vacate the area. He said, “Where is SP (superintendent of police)? Both SP and collector seem to be similar.”

As part of his two-day visit to Barmer, Ashok Gehlot engaged in an event where women had the opportunity to share the positive impacts of government schemes and express their gratitude to the chief minister for the increased honorarium provided to Anganwadi workers. During this event, the chief minister of Rajasthan lost his temper over a minor issue like a microphone malfunction.

Later the Chief Minister’s Office attempted damage control by saying that the CM did not throw the mic towards the DC. They claimed that after the microphone stopped working, he threw it to the ground on his left.

There was pressure on me to postpone the judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case: Former Allahabad HC judge

OpIndia Staff
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There was pressure on me to postpone the judgment in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case: Former Allahabad HC judge

Justice (retired) Sudhir Agarwal, a member of the Allahabad High Court bench that rendered a pivotal decision in the Ram Janmabhoomi–Babri Masjid title suit in 2010, has stated that he was under pressure not to do so. Furthermore, he mentioned that had it not been for their ruling, there would not have been an outcome in the case for the next two centuries. Justice Agarwal retired from the high court on April 23, 2020.

“After delivering the judgment I felt blessed. There was pressure on me to postpone the judgment in the case. There was pressure from within the home and also from outside. Family members and relatives used to suggest to somehow pass time and not deliver the judgment,” he remarked while speaking with media after an event in Meerut.

He added, “Had the judgment not been delivered on September 30, 2010, in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid case, there would not have been any judgement in this matter for the next 200 years.”

On September 30, 2010, the Allahabad high court pronounced its judgement with a majority decision of 2:1. The verdict said that the 2.77 acres of land in Ayodhya would be divided equally among three parties, the Sunni Waqf Board, the Nirmohi Akhara, and Ram Lalla (infant) represented by the Hindu Mahasabha. Sibhghat Ullah Khan, Sudhir Agarwal, and D V Sharma served as the judges on the bench. Justice Khan had a dissenting opinion from the other two Justices. 

However, on 9 November 2019, the Supreme Court in a momentous judgement pronounced that Ram Mandir (temple) would be constructed on the disputed land in Ayodhya and directed the government to provide Muslim litigants with a substitute five-acre tract in Dhannipur for a mosque putting an end to the conflict that had been festering since centuries.

Babri Masjid (Mosque) was constructed at Lord Ram’s birthplace by Mir Baqi, a general of the Mughal emperor Babur in 1528–29 on the latter’s orders after destroying the temple. The mosque was eventually demolished on 6 December 1992 by a large group of Hindu activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad, Bajrang Dal and allied organisations.

Since the 18th century, Hindus were fighting for the right to reclaim their land and rebuild a Ram temple there. However, following the supreme court’s decision the Bhumi Pujan ritual of the temple was performed on 5 August 2020 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi after which the construction started and it will be inaugurated on January 1, 2024.

Maharashtra: Hindu girl kidnapped by Javed Sheikh in 2019 rescued by family after four years, went through forced conversion, assault, rape

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Hindu girl kidnapped by Javed Sheikh in 2019 rescued by family after four years, went through forced conversion, assault, rape

In an alarming case coming out of Maharashtra, a 16-year-old minor Hindu girl who had gone missing from Pune four years before was abducted by a 22-year-old Muslim man named Javed Sheikh. Fortunately, she was successfully rescued from Manchar. She was kidnapped in 2019 when she went to take the Staff Selection Commission (SSC) exam after completing her 10th grade.

The perpetrator is arrested and a case has been registered against him under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 363, 376, 324. 344 and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Further action will be taken against the accused but the girl is still reliving her traumatic experience.

Her family members had been looking for her ever since she disappeared but couldn’t find her anywhere. After a while, they found out about Javed Sheikh and came to know about his residence. When they reached the neighbours informed them about a girl who always lived in the house and never went outside.

They bravely walked into his home and went to the room where they discovered their scared daughter wearing a burqa. When she saw the faces of the people who had entered there, she reacted as though no one had come to meet her with affection in years.  She stayed still and stared as they entered the room. She even believed that someone has come to kill her. However, she was assured not to worry. Afterwards, a woman removed the girl’s burqa and brought the latter with her.

The victim, who was obviously terrified and didn’t want to speak at all, eventually described her horrific ordeal after being rescued. She reported that in addition to kidnapping and marrying her, Javed Sheikh had raped her frequently due to which she fell into depression. Furthermore, he even converted her to Islam. She had cigarette burns over her entire body. Some users on social media have also charged that the girl was forced into prostitution for six months.

Gopichand Padalkar, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader revealed that the girl’s family came to understand what had happened to their daughter after watching the movie The Kerala Story. It was also mentioned in some reports that the offender’s sister had taken the girl with her at the time of the kidnapping. Following that, the girl did not return and every attempt to find her resulted in failure.

Lately, after seeing The Kerala Story, they again appealed for help in the community and on May 16, the girl was ultimately saved. The politician demanded to check the culprit’s phone after meeting the victim. He noted that it contained images of other Hindu girls. Her brother disclosed that she was made to wear a burqa, perform namaz, and was fed mutton after the marriage. She was physically assaulted when she refused to offer namaz.

USA: Utah school district’s review committee finds King James Bible ‘vulgar and violent’, removed from school libraries

OpIndia Staff
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USA: Utah school district’s review committee finds King James Bible ‘vulgar and violent’, removed from school libraries

In the USA, a school district in Utah has made the decision to take the King James Bible off library shelves, following a complaint from a parent who claimed that the religious text violated a newly enacted state law that prohibits inappropriate books.

After receiving the complaint in December 2022, the Davis County school district conducted a review of the Bible to determine if it contained any objectionable content. The committee responsible for the review acknowledged that the King James Bible did include elements of “vulgarity and violence,” but concluded that it did not explicitly violate a book ban law that was enacted in 2022.

On Thursday, the school district made an announcement stating that approximately eight schools in the district would no longer provide access to the Bible for middle and elementary school students. However, high school students would still be able to borrow copies of the Bible from the library.

Towards the end of last year, a concerned parent from Davis County raised objections about the suitability of the Bible in school. According to the parent, the book contained incest, onanism, bestiality, prostitution, genital mutilation, fellatio, dildos, rape, and even infanticide. The parent said in the complaint, “You’ll no doubt find that the Bible, under Utah Code Ann. 76-10-1227, has ‘no serious values for minors’ because it’s pornographic by our new definition.”

The mentioned Utah law passed in 2022, prohibits the presence of books with “pornographic or indecent” content in Utah schools, including both libraries and classrooms. According to the law, the material is considered indecent if it contains explicit depictions of sexual arousal, stimulation, masturbation, intercourse, sodomy, or fondling. However, another parent within the district has disputed the findings of the school board’s review and is currently attempting to have the Bible reinstated in schools throughout Davis County.

This is not the first incident in which the Bible has been banned in American schools. The Bible has consistently appeared on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books, and there have been previous instances where it was temporarily removed from shelves in school districts in Texas and Missouri last year.

Odisha train tragedy: Despite repeated reminders that the rescue effort is over, Mamata Banerjee insists there are still three coaches with trapped passengers

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha train tragedy: Despite repeated reminders that the rescue effort is over, Mamata Banerjee insists there are still three coaches with trapped passengers

One of the worst train accidents took place in the Balasore district in Odisha on Friday (June 2) evening. The tragic incident has left 261 people dead and around 900 injured. The accident involved three trains, Howrah-Chennai Coromandel Express, Yeswanthpur-Howrah Superfast Express, and a goods train.

Since last evening, almost every media house has been giving a minute-by-minute update about the tragic incident. Earlier in the day, ANI quoted railways spokesperson Amitabh Sharma as informing that the rescue operation in the horrific train accident in Odisha’s Balasore has been completed and the restoration work has been started. Despite this, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee surprisingly remained completely ignorant.

Mamata Banerjee, Saturday visited Odisha’s Balasore district where she met Union railway minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. In a video of her visit to the area, the West Bengal CM is heard insisting that the examination of three coaches of the derailed trains has still not been conducted and several more passengers may be trapped inside.

She said, “I have heard that the death toll in the train accident might go up to 500. Three coaches of the damaged train are yet to be examined and injured and deceased bodies still needed to be recovered.”

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw quickly intervened to inform her, “Didi, all the coaches have been thoroughly inspected, and the bodies have been recovered. The state government has confirmed a final death toll of 238.”

Despite his response, Mamata remained unpersuaded and insisted that three coaches have still not been rescued. She adamantly said that the death toll reported by the Union Minister was only as of yesterday (Friday, June 2) and not the total.

It may be noted that Union Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had reached the spot immediately after the tragedy struck at around 7 pm on Friday (June 2, 2023) and supervised the entire rescue operation that ended earlier in the day today. Mamata Banerjee, on the other hand, arrived at the train accident site only today. Despite this, she condescendingly ignored Ashwini Vaishnaw’s information and continued to declare that the rescue effort was far from complete.

It may be further noted that Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw not once but several times tried to apprise Mamata Banerjee that the death toll figure had been confirmed by the Odisha State Government, which we know is a non-NDA government, yet the West Bengal CM continued to completely disregard what the Union Minister what trying to tell her and continued to insist that several more passengers are trapped in the three coaches which she maintained, were not examined yet.

Not the time to play politics: Union Railway Minister responds to statements made by Mamata Banerjee

Reacting to Mamata Banerjee’s statement, Railways Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw asserted, “The CRPC lays out a proper procedure and the state government has time to time given accurate information and as of now as per the accurate information the death toll has reached 261.”

Further responding to Mamata Banerjee’s demand that the Union Railway Minister must resign over the Odisha accident, Ashwini Vaishnaw told the media, “Which is fine but this is not the time to do politics. This is time to focus on making sure that restoration happens at the earliest.”

Notably, speaking to ANI, the Executive Director, of the Information Publication Railway Board Amitabh Sharma said today, “The rescue operation has been completed, now we are starting the restoration work. 238 people have died and more than 600 are injured. Kawach was not available on this route”. He said that so far more than 100 people have claimed ex-gratia payments. He also said that several trains have been cancelled and diverted in the wake of the incident.

Several coaches of the 12864 Bengaluru-Howrah Superfast Express, on the way to Howrah, derailed and fell on adjacent tracks. The 12841 Shalimar-Chennai Central Coromandel Express coming from the opposite direction on the parallel track rammed into the derailed coaches. Some 12 Coromandel Express coaches derailed and hit the stationary goods train on the third track.

Uttar Pradesh Government to beautify and develop various temples in Prayagraj ahead of Mahakumbh 2025

ANI
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Uttar Pradesh Government to beautify and develop various temples in Prayagraj ahead of Mahakumbh 2025

Ahead of Mahakumbh 2025 which will be held in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh Government has proposed to beautify and develop various temples.

“There is a plan to complete more than 47 permanent and temporary works in this area in preparation for Mahakumbh. Before Mahakumbh 2025, Prayagraj will also see the development of many tourist attractions. With Rs 1542.71 lakhs, the Bhardwaj Ashram’s entrance gate, corridor development, and beautification will be completed,” the official statement said. In view of tourism development, it is proposed to spend Rs 1356.81 lakhs for Dwadash Madhav Temple, Rs 523.53 lakhs for Nagavasuki Temple, Rs 283.08 lakhs for Dashashwamedh Temple, Rs 667.57 lakhs for Mankameshwar Temple, Rs 700 lakhs for Alopshankari Temple, Rs 1000 lakhs for Padila Mahadev Temple, Rs 500 lakhs for temples coming under Panchkosi Parikrama Path, Rs 150 lakh for Koteshwar Mahadev, Rs 100 lakh for development of Kalyani Devi,” it added.

Additionally, temples coming under the Karchhana area will also be developed with Rs 460.17 lakhs. Many works including corridor development in Akshayvat/Saraswatikoop/Patalpuri temple will be done with Rs 1850 lakhs.

As per officials, prior to Mahakumbh-2025, there will be more than 10 facade-related works which are likely to cost more than Rs 18 crores. The facade lighting works are proposed at various locations including the Bade Hanuman Ji Temple located at Sangam costing Rs 1.04 crores, the Vimana Mandapam Temple costing Rs 2 crores, the Nagwasuki Temple, the Shaktipeeth Alopi Devi Temple, and the Hanuman Temple located at Civil Lines, costing Rs. 1.5-1.5 crores each.

The hanging light work from the old Naini Bridge to the DPS School in the Arail area is estimated to cost Rs. 5 crores. Additionally, there is a proposed facade lighting work costing Rs. 1.5 crores at the Science Faculty Tower of Allahabad University, at the Public Library situated in the Chandra Shekhar Azad Garden, and at the Mohall Sports Complex and Shringi Rishi Ashram in Shringaverapur Dham, each costing one crore rupees, the statement said.

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

‘Those found guilty will be punished stringently’, says PM Modi after visiting the train accident site in Balasore in Odisha

OpIndia Staff
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‘Those found guilty will be punished stringently’, says PM Modi after visiting the train accident site in Balasore in Odisha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the train accident site in Balasore, Odisha today. During his visit, he also met the injured individuals at hospitals in Cuttack. Accompanied by his cabinet colleagues, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw and Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, the Prime Minister inspected the site.

While speaking to DD News after the visit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Citizens of many states have lost so much in this accident. People lost their lives. This is a very painful and disheartening accident. The government will leave no stone unturned to help the families of the injured and treat the injured. Those family members who passed away cannot be brought back but the government is standing with the families in this hour of grief.”

He further said, “For the government, this is a very serious incident. Instructions are given for every type of inquiry. Those who will be found guilty will be given a severe punishment. None of them will be spared. I thank the Odisha government and the administrative officers here who put all their resources to help people. I also extend my thanks to the citizens living here because, in this dangerous situation, they helped in whatever way they could. They donated blood. they rescued people.”

PM Modi added, “I especially thank the youth here. I also bow to the people living here. It is because of their support that the operation could proceed faster. The railway has put ts all power, capabilities, and resources into the rescue operation and relief operations ahead. A well-thought effort to restore the tracks is also underway. But, in this hour of grief, I went to the spot and saw it all. I also went to the hospital and saw the injured ones. I don’t have words to express this grief. But, I pray to the almighty to give us the power to come out of this as soon as possible.”

At least 261 people were killed in a train accident in Odisha’s Balasore district that took place on 2nd June 2023. Several teams, including the Army and the Air Force, were involved in rescue operations after the accident. The injured ones are being treated.

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