Home Blog Page 2073

Son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge directs cops to kick ‘gaurakshaks’ in Karnataka, netizens fume

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge directs cops to kick ‘gaurakshaks’ in Karnataka, netizens fume

Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge, who also happens to be the son of Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, has courted controversy for asking police to crack down on ‘gau-rakshaks’ in the State. The development came days ahead of the Islamic festival of Eid-al-Adha (also known as Bakri-eid).

He claimed that transportation of cattle is being obstructed despite having valid documents, and asked police to take action in such cases.

During a meeting with State police officials in Kalaburgi, Priyank Kharge directed, “Those who wear shawls, take the law into their own hands and say they are from these Dals (Bajrang Dal), kick them and put them behind bars.”

“If there’s anyone who’s a self-proclaimed leader and who spews venom in the name of communal issues, then action should be taken against them. I don’t want unnecessary communal riots,” he was quoted as saying.

“The law is very clear on the transportation of livestock. Be it within city limits or rural areas. If they have the right documents, don’t harass them,” Priyank Kharge was quoted as saying.

Although the contentious statement was made a few days earlier, the video of his speech went viral on Saturday (June 24). Social media users did not mince any words before lambasting the Congress Minister.

“Priyank Kharge- wants to throw people in jail if they do moral policing on Bakri Eid for rescuing COWs. Since when did they start cow slaughter on the day? Or is this to tease the Hindus the wrong way? One State has gone to Congress and see what is happening,” one user tweeted.

“There are many reasons like this why I have never voted for Congress, and I have no intention of voting for them,” wrote one Suneet Bhargav.

BJP leader Priti Gandhi said, “Every Hindu who voted for the Congress in Karnataka should hang their heads in shame!!”

In May this year, Priyank Kharge stirred the hornet’s nest by claiming that the Congress government will not hesitate to ban Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Karnataka. He had also stoked controversy for referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as ‘Nalayak.’

Manipur: Security forces nab 12 members of banned Meitei group KYKL, released after a mob of 1200 led by women blocks them

ANI
-
0
Manipur: Security forces nab 12 members of banned Meitei group KYKL, released after a mob of 1200 led by women blocks them

Security forces launched a search operation and apprehended 12 Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) cadres but had to release them to local leaders after a mob of over 1200 people led by women, surrounded the target area and prevented them from continuing with the operation, stated an official release from Defence PRO.

The search operation was carried out acting on specific intelligence, in village Itham (06 km East of Andro) in Imphal East district on June 24 morning. The forces seized arms, ammunition and war-like stores.

“The area was cordoned before the specific search commenced to avoid inconvenience to the locals. The operation resulted in the apprehension of 12 KYKL cadres along with arms, ammunition and war-like stores,” it read.

It stated that a mob of approximately 1200-1500, led by women and the local leader immediately surrounded the target area and prevented Security Forces from continuing with the operation, despite repeated appeals, to the aggressive mob, as per law. However, it did not yield any positive results.

“Keeping in view the sensitivity of the use of kinetic force against a large irate mob and envisaged casualties due to such action, the officer on the ground made a considerate decision to hand over all 12 cadres to the local leader. Own columns lifted the cordon and left the area with weapons and war-like stores, recovered from insurgents,” it read.

According to the press release, self-styled Lt Col Moirangthem Tamba alias Uttam was positively identified.

“He was the mastermind of an ambush on the 6th battalion of the DOGRA case in 2015 and was amongst the apprehended cadres,” it read.

As per an official release, a mature decision on the part of the Operational Commander displays the humane face of the Indian Army, making all efforts to avoid any collateral damage and denies the scope of escalating the situation, during the ongoing unrest in Manipur.

Indian Army further appealed to the people of Manipur to assist the Security Forces in maintaining law and order to bring peace and stability.

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

USA: Freight train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana

OpIndia Staff
-
0
USA: Freight train carrying hazardous materials derails into Yellowstone River in Montana

On Saturday, June 24, around ten bogies of a freight train fell into Montana’s Yellowstone River. The accident transpired following a derailment following a bridge collapse. 

According to a Montana Rail Link statement, the damaged rail cars were carrying “molten sulphur and asphalt.”

The train derailment involved two cars carrying sodium hydrogen sulphate, but neither landed in the river, according to the railroad. “Initial air quality assessments have been performed and confirmed that there is no release event associated with those two cars (bogies),” the railroad officials said.

Officials were checking if the derailment or bridge collapse occurred first, in addition to how much cargo had spilled into the river. Officials did not immediately know what caused the derailment.

The train cars, operated by Montana Rail Link, derailed around 6:45 AM local time in Stillwater County, according to the county’s Disaster and Emergency Services Department.

Stillwater County’s chief of emergency services, David Stamey, told New York Times that both spilled substances solidify quickly in the water. That means the potential environmental harm could be constrained, especially if the spread is limited, he stated.

According to Stamey, ten rail cars derailed in total. The train derailed between Reed Point and Columbus, about an hour west of Billings. According to Global Net, the bridge collapse damaged a fibre-optic cable that provided internet service to many customers in the state.

Meanwhile, Yellowstone County officials said they implemented emergency measures at water treatment plants in response to the “potential hazmat spill” and asked residents to conserve water.

Notably, on February 3, this year, a train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio State, caused a massive chemical spill of toxic substances including vinyl chloride. A Norfolk Southern train carrying about 50 cars derailed near East Palestine, causing a massive fire and chemical spill in the area.

Modi in Egypt: PM Modi meets Grand Mufti Dr Allam among other prominent Egyptian personalities during his two-day state visit

Shraddha Pandey
-
0
Modi in Egypt: PM Modi meets Grand Mufti Dr Allam among other prominent Egyptian personalities during his two-day state visit

After a historic three-day state visit to the United States, Prime Minister Narendra is on a two-day state visit to Egypt. During his visit, on Saturday, June 24, PM Modi met the Grant Mufti of Egypt, Dr Shawky Ibrahim Allam. The Grand Mufti lauded PM Modi for his leadership in fostering inclusivity and pluralism. 

In addition to this, the discussions centred on combating radicalisation and extremism, and promoting social and religious harmony in society. Prime Minister Modi stated that India would set up a Centre of Excellence in IT at the Dar-al-Ifta under the Ministry of Social Justice of Egypt. The Grand Mufti also presented PM Modi with a special gift to mark the event.

Following his meeting with PM Modi, the Grand Mufti said that he was honoured to meet the Indian prime minister adding that PM 

“Today, I was honoured to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi. It was a very nice and interesting meeting. In fact, he reflects a wise leadership for a country like India,” the Grand Mufti said.

The Grand Mufti also said that he had met PM Modi earlier in Delhi at a Sufi conference.

“Between the two meetings, I have noticed that there is a great development in India. It reflects that he is continuously working in India and it also reflects the wise policies being adopted by Prime Minister Modi bringing co-existence between various factions in India. At the religious level, we have strong cooperation between us and India and we are looking forward to further enhancing and deepening this cooperation,” the Grand Mufti said.

Taking to Twitter on Sunday, PM Modi shared some pictures of his meeting the Grand Mufti and wrote, “Honoured to have met the Grand Mufti of Egypt, His Eminence Prof. Shawky Ibrahim Allam. Had enriching discussions on India-Egypt ties, notably cultural and people-to-people linkages.”

PM Modi wins hearts in Egypt as he engages in a candid interaction with the Indian diaspora

Being a people’s leader, Prime Minister Narendra Modi never misses an opportunity to interact with his people. On Saturday, PM Modi interacted with the Indian diaspora in Cairo following a warm welcome by the community. PM Modi commended the community for their splendid contribution towards strengthening the relations between the two countries. 

The event was attended by over 300 members of the Indian diaspora, including students, professionals, and businesspersons.

Sharing his joy over meeting the Indian diaspora in Egypt PM Modi tweeted, “Deeply moved by the warm welcome from the Indian diaspora in Egypt. Their support and affection truly embody the timeless bonds of our nations. Also noteworthy was people from Egypt wearing Indian dresses. Truly, a celebration of our shared cultural linkages.”

PM Modi meets Tarek Heggy, renowned Egyptian author

On Saturday, PM Modi had a meeting with Tarek Heggy, a well-known Egyptian author and petroleum strategist. The two discussed themes like radicalism, gender equality, energy security, and global geopolitics.

PM Modi in a tweet expressed his admiration for Heggy’s rich knowledge of different cultures as he wrote, “It was a delight to interact with noted thinker @heggy_tarek. He shared his insightful views on global issues. I admire his rich knowledge on issues relating to different cultures.”

The Egyptian author also shared a picture with PM Modi on Twitter and wrote, “This picture was taken of me a few minutes ago when I was with the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, who is currently visiting Egypt, and he is one of the most important political figures in the world. Mr Modi was born on September 17, 1950, that is, he is 25 days older than me!”

PM Modi meets Egyptian Yoga instructors Reem Jabak and Nada Adel

Days after the world celebrated the International Day of Yoga, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met prominent Egyptian Yoga instructors Reem Jabak and Nada Adel. The Prime Minister commended them for their dedication to yoga and urged them to visit India. The Egyptian Yoga instructors apprised PM Modi of the tremendous passion for Yoga in Egypt.

PM Modi also shared a picture with two on Twitter and wrote, “Nada Adel and Reem Jabak are making commendable efforts to make Yoga popular across Egypt. Had a wonderful conversation with them in Cairo.”

After meeting PM Modi, Egyptian Yoga instructor Reem Jabak said, “It is great to see that despite his busy schedule, he still had time to address Yoga and its importance to Egypt and all over the world.” I was very impressed that how he is very keen on the Yoga community in Egypt and how he aspires to bring more intellectuality and information to the Yoga community in Egypt. All religions in the world come from peace and this is something I have learnt from Yoga”

PM Modi meets CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Company

PM Modi and Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Company, one of the major Egyptian companies doing business in the Middle East and North Africa, had a fruitful conversation earlier on Saturday. The two leaders talked about how to work more closely with Indian companies to develop green hydrogen and renewable energy, infrastructure and construction sectors.

Taking to Twitter, PM Modi commended Allam’s passion for preserving the cultural heritage of Egypt. 

“My meeting with Mr Hassan Allam, CEO of Hassan Allam Holding Company was a fruitful one. In addition to topics relating to the economy and investments, I really enjoyed hearing his passion towards preserving cultural heritage in Egypt,” PM Modi tweeted.

Meanwhile, Allam found PM Modi to be an unbelievable man. Talking about his meeting with the Indian leader, Allam said that it was informative and inspiring. He further lauded PM Modi saying that under his leadership, India’s private sector has witnessed spectacular growth. 

“PM Modi is an unbelievable man, he is wise and humble. I found the meeting with him to be informative, educational and inspiring. As a private sector company, we have a lot to learn from India’s private sector. Under the leadership of PM Modi, India’s private sector grew tremendously in the world of infrastructure, engineering and manufacturing. I had the privilege of meeting with PM Modi where he gave me a lot of valuable insights and advice,” Allam said.

PM Modi meets the “India Unit” of the Egyptian Cabinet 

On Saturday, Modi held talks with his Egyptian counterpart Mostafa Madbouly and the “India Unit” comprising prominent Cabinet ministers to kick off his first official visit to Egypt. The talks focused on expanding trade ties and cementing the strategic alliance.

Prime Minister Madbouly and his Cabinet colleagues highlighted the activities of the India Unit and proposed new areas of cooperation.

PM Modi welcomed the establishment of the India Unit and the ‘whole-of-government approach’ to advancing bilateral with India, and expressed India’s willingness to collaborate closely with Egypt in an array of areas of mutual interest.

Notably, the India Unit is a group of high-level ministers formed in March by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to bolster India-Egypt relations.

MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi stated on Twitter that the discussions focused on deepening cooperation in a variety of areas such as trade and investment, renewable energy, green hydrogen, IT, digital payment platforms, pharma, and people-to-people ties.

Significance of PM Modi’s state visit to Egypt

Prime Minister Modi is in Egypt at the invitation of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. President Sisi was the Chief Guest at India’s Republic Day celebrations in January 2023, and he extended the invitation to the Prime Minister.  The visit is historic because the last bilateral visit to Egypt by an Indian Prime Minister was in 1997.

Modi’s visit to Egypt comes at a time when Egypt has formally applied for membership in the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa) group and plans to reduce its reliance on the US dollar while aligning with the BRICS goal of promoting alternate currencies in international trade, which includes its own currency.

Uttar Pradesh: Cops injured after mob attacks them with stone for removing illegal statue of BR Ambedkar, 11 arrested

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Uttar Pradesh: Cops injured after mob attacks them with stone for removing illegal statue of BR Ambedkar, 11 arrested

On Saturday (June 24), a frenzied mob pelted stones at the police for attempting to remove an illegal statue of BR Ambedkar. The incident took place in Musilatpur village in Bhadohi block in Sant Ravidas Nagar district of Uttar Pradesh.

As per reports, the statue was installed illegally overnight on a land, which was designated for a pond in the village. On receiving a complaint about the matter, the local police and district administration officials reached the scene.

They requested the locals to remove the statue, which was met with resistance. When the police tried to get remove it, a mob attacked them with stones. The cops had to resort to lathi-charge to control the law and order situation.

Reportedly, two police personnel were injured during stone pelting. They were rushed to a nearby hospital. A large contingent of police personnel was later deployed in the area to maintain law and order. A total of 11 people were arrested by the cops.

At the same time, a case was registered against 51 individuals under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 186 (obstructing public servant), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt), 336 (act endangering the life of others), 353 (assault against public servant) and 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke).

The illegal statue of BR Ambedkar was eventually removed and kept at the police station.

Pakistan: Sikh shopkeeper killed in Peshawar, second targeted attack on Sikhs in the city in two days

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Pakistan: Sikh shopkeeper killed in Peshawar, second targeted attack on Sikhs in the city in two days

On Sunday, June 24, two unknown assailants killed a Sikh man identified as 32-year-old Manmohan Singh in a targeted attack in Rashidgardhi Bazaar of Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Manmohan Singh owned a cosmetic shop. This was the second targeted attack on Sikhs in two days in the city.

As per reports, a Sikh shopkeeper named Tarlok Singh was targeted on June 23. Unknown men shot him, but he managed to survive. On the other hand, Manmohan Singh died on the spot following the attack. He was survived by his parents, wife, son, and brother.

As per an Indian Express report, a local Sikh community member Balbir Singh said Manmohan was on his way home after closing the shop. Two motorbike-borne assailants followed him after he boarded an auto and shot him on his way home. The incident took place at around 8 PM. “He was on his way home in an auto when the assailants opened fire. He died on the spot,” said Balbir.

He added, “His body is now being taken to Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh, where the Sikh community living in Peshawar will pay their last respects and decide the further course of action on being targeted with impunity.” According to the Sikh organisation United Sikhs, Manmohan was the family’s sole breadwinner.

Another local Sikh told Indian Express that seven bullets were fired at Tarlok Singh, who was attacked on Friday. He sustained an injury on his leg. Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) took responsibility for the attack on Tarlok Singh, as per the local news portal The Khorasan Diary.

In the past couple of years, the Pashtun Sikh community has been living under constant threat. There have been multiple reports of attacks on them. At present, around 300 Sikh families are living around Gurdwara Bhai Joga Singh in Peshawar.

Previous incidents of attacks on Sikh community members

In March 2023, a Sikh man identified as Dayal Singh was shot dead by unknown assailants at his shop in Dir Colony Market. The assailants escaped after killing Dayal Singh. On May 15, 2022, two Sikh men, identified as Ranjit Singh and Kuljit Singh, were shot dead while they were sitting at their shops at Batta Tal Chowk. On September 30, 2021, a Sikh man identified as Satnam Singh was shot dead while he was at his shop in Fariqabad, Peshawar. Besides the recent attack on Tarlok Singh, ISKP also took responsibility for killing Satnam Singh.

Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin negotiates deal after armed rebellion against Putin, moves to Belarus and evades prosecution. Here is what happened

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Wagner chief Yevgeny Prigozhin negotiates deal after armed rebellion against Putin, moves to Belarus and evades prosecution. Here is what happened

Hours after launching an offensive against the Putin-led government in Russia, the chief of the ‘rebel’ paramilitary organisation Wagner Group brokered a deal with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko.

Yevgeny Prigozhin, who had earlier vowed to overthrow the Russian premier, called off the march of Wagner fighters to Moscow and instead asked them to move out of the fallen city of Rostov.

As per his deal with Alexander Lukashenko, the Wagner chief will move to Belarus. In exchange, all charges against Yevgeny Prigozhin will be dropped. The Wagner fighters will also not face prosecution.

The development was confirmed by Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who thanked the Belarusian President for de-escalating the situation. He informed that Vladimir Putin had given his word about the safety of Yevgeny Prigozhin and his private militia.

Peskov also said that the Wagner fighters who did not take part in the armed rebellion would be offered contracts with the Russian Defense Ministry. While speaking about the matter, Wagner Group chief Yevgeny Prigozhin said that he agreed to the deal to prevent the spilling of Russian blood.

“Realising all the responsibility for the fact that Russian blood will be shed from one side, we will turn our convoys around and go in the opposite direction to our field camps,” he emphasised.

In the meantime, Vladimir Putin reportedly flew out of Moscow to an unknown location. Before the Belarus deal, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy seemed to approve of the armed rebellion against Kremlin by the Wagner Group.

“Everyone who chooses the path of evil destroys himself. Whoever throws hundreds of thousands into the war, eventually must barricade himself in the Moscow region from those whom he himself armed,” he had said.

The Background of the Controversy

The long-running internal feud between Russia’s private military company- Wagner mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu over the war in Ukraine is now in the open.

On Saturday (June 24), Yevgeny Prigozhin vowed to topple the Russian military leadership, whom he accused of launching strikes on his men. Subsequently, the Russian authorities called for the arrest of Yevgeny Prigozhin after, in his audio message, he called for an armed uprising against the country’s military.

Vladimir Putin issued a statement condemning the actions of the ‘rebel’ Russian paramilitary organisation. In a televised address, he said, “What we are facing is precisely treachery… excessive ambitions and personal interests led to treason (against) their country and people, and to the cause for which Wagner fighters and commanders fought and died side by side with our other units and divisions.”

“Those who organised a military mutiny… who took up arms against their comrades… betrayed Russia and will answer for it. This is a blow to Russia… our people. Our actions to protect the Fatherland from such a threat will be harsh,” Putin warned.

While responding to the statement of the Russian President,  Yevgeny Prigozhin said, “Regarding the betrayal of the motherland, the President was deeply mistaken. We are patriots of our homeland…We do not want the country to live on in corruption, deceit and bureaucracy.”

Union Minister Prahlad Joshi rubbishes Jairam Ramesh’s claims that Congress leader Ibobi Singh was not allowed to speak during all-party meeting on Manipur

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Union Minister Prahlad Joshi rubbishes Jairam Ramesh’s claims that Congress leader Ibobi Singh was not allowed to speak during all-party meeting on Manipur

On Saturday, June 24, Union Minister Prahlad Joshi exposed Congress’s General Secretary in charge of Communication, Jairam Ramesh’s lies in Manipur. In a tweet, Ramesh had claimed former Chief Minister of Manipur and Congress leader Okram Ibobi Singh was not allowed to speak during all-party meetings on Manipur violence.

Refuting his claims, Joshi called out Ramesh for using the Manipur tragedy for political gains. He added that Ibobi spoke for 30 minutes during the meeting and was offered two hours by Home Minister Amit Shah to talk over lunch. He tweeted, “It is unfortunate that Jairam Ramesh is politicising Manipur’s tragedy. This is not the time for petty politics. Okram Ibobi Singh spoke for 30 minutes and concluded. He asked for a separate time to meet, and HM Amit Shah Ji offered to give him 2 hours separately over lunch. Don’t spread lies.”

After the meeting, BJP’s Manipur in-charge Sambit Patra said in a statement that not a day had passed when Home Minister Amit Shah did not talk to the PM about the Manipur situation. He added that the government is making all efforts to restore peace in the state on instructions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Speaking to ANI, he said, “Before the meeting started, a detailed presentation was presented on the situation of Manipur, such as what caused the violence, what measures have been taken to control it to date etc. Members of all the parties gave their suggestions positively.”

He added, “After listening to everyone, Union Minister Amit Shah assured everyone to have a discussion on suggestions made by all party members. All the members also appreciated the efforts made by the home minister regarding Manipur. They appreciated how the HM spent three days and three nights in the state which is witnessing ethnic clashes. Home Minister has assured that we will move towards peace as soon as possible with the co-operation of everyone.”

Congress claimed former CM was not allowed to speak

In a tweet, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed that Okram Ibobi Singh was not allowed to present his points on Manipur violence during the all-party meeting. He further added that the people of Manipur were not allowed their representation during the meeting.

He wrote, “The all-party meeting organised by the Home Minister today was just an eye-wash and a formality. As the principal Opposition party, our representative, the senior leader from Manipur, 3-time elected CM Okram Ibobi Singh, was not allowed to present his points representing the pain and anguish of the people of Manipur. He was the only leader from Manipur in the all-party meeting today, and it is an insult not only to the former CM and the Congress party but the people of Manipur that their representative was not allowed to fully put forth his point of view. We are sharing the 8 points on behalf of Congress, which includes the immediate removal of the CM of Manipur, without which no progress can be made towards peace and normalcy in Manipur.”

After the meeting, Singh made similar claims during a press meeting. He said, “More than 50 days after the violence in Manipur started, the home ministry organised an all-party meeting today. I was nominated by the AICC. I barely had 7-8 minutes to share my views. Manipur is my home state. I asked for additional five minutes to express my opinions, but it was denied. This is unfortunate.”

So far, over 100 people have lost their lives in Manipur violence, and over a thousand have been reported injured. Several hundred Manipur residents were displaced and moved to safer places because of the violence triggered after the High Court’s order to consider including the Meitei community in the Scheduled list that is being opposed by the Kuki community.

A rail-road tunnel under the Brahmaputra in Assam to become a reality, DPR tenders for the ₹6,000 crore project to be opened next month

OpIndia Staff
-
0
A rail-road tunnel under the Brahmaputra in Assam to become a reality, DPR tenders for the ₹6,000 crore project to be opened next month

A tunnel under the mighty Brahmaputra River will finally become a reality, Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma announced on Friday. He said that the centre has approved the project, and tenders will be invited to prepare DPR for the project soon. He informed that a tunnel will be constructed under the Brahmaputra at an estimated cost of ₹6000 crore.

Addressing a public rally at Biswanath Chariali in Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma said he thought that a tunnel under the river was just a dream, and it will not become a reality. But he was surprised during a recent visit to Delhi, where the union govt told him that the project has been greenlighted. He said that after much deliberation, it was decided that the tunnel will be constructed between Gohpur on the north bank and Numaligarh in the south bank. It will be a road cum rail tunnel.

Assam CM said that the first tenders for Detailed Project Report (DPR) will be opened on 4th July. ‘If everything goes as planned, we may be able to start the construction during the current tenure of my govt,’ he said. Sarma further said that PM Narendra Modi has already signed a file to connect the north and south banks of Brahmaputra through a tunnel. The tunnel will connect NH 15 on the north with NH 715 on the south.

The centre has entrusted NHIDCL (National Highways and Infrastructure Development Corporation Ltd.) with the project. The NHIDCL has floated tenders to prepare DPR and will start pre-construction activities for the construction of the tunnel soon. 4-lane approach roads on both ends of the tunnel are part of the project.

Tunnel Boring Machine will be deployed for the main tunnel under the river, while the open cut and cover method will be used for the sections of the tunnels on both ends. The length of the main tunnel will be 11.4 km, with a total length of around 15 km.

Artificial islands are also proposed on the northern and southern sides of the river Brahmaputra, and the construction zone will be created within the islands to facilitate the construction of the tunnel and also during the operational phase. The islands will act as bunds to prevent flood water from entering the tunnels.

NHIDCL has already prepared a Pre-Feasibility Report for the tunnel project. However, the report is only for a two-lane road tunnel and does not mention a rail tunnel. Therefore, significant changes in the DPR is expected from this report.

At present, there are six bridges over the Brahmaputra, which include twin bridges at Guwahati and Tezpur. Three more bridges at Dhubri, Guwahati and Majuli are under construction. Construction of two more bridges in Guwahati, on its eastern and western ends, will start soon, and Railway will build two bridges at Guwahati and Tezpur. Several other bridges are under the pipeline connecting the north and south banks of the Brahmaputra river across the state.

However, the bridges are seen as vulnerable in case of a war or major terrorist activities in the region, and the security establishment was considering a tunnel as an alternate route. Connectivity across the Brahmaputra is vital for the defence of the frontline on the border with China, and a tunnel is considered much more secure compared to a bridge over the river.

According to previous reports, there will be three separate tunnels, one for road, the second one for rail, and the third one for emergency use including military transport. The tunnels, including the 11.4 km long main tunnels, will be around 15 km long and will be around 32 meters below the riverbed.

The proposal for a tunnel was originally floated by the Border Roads Organization (BRO), considering its strategic importance. BRO started surveys for the project in 2014 and selected two sites, Tezpur-Nagaon and Gohpur-Numaligarh. In 2020, the centre gave in-principle approval for the project, after which detailed studies were conducted, including an airborne electromagnetic survey.

Initially, the Tezpur site was favoured, as the river is narrower there, and Tezpur is home to the headquarters of the GOC 4 Corps of the Indian Army. However, later the Gohpur-Numaligarh location was selected.

There are already two road bridges over the Brahmaputra at Tezpur, and a Railway bridge has been planned. That could be the reason for not selecting the site as both banks of the river are already well connected there. With the tunnel coming, the plan for a bridge between Gohpur and Numaligarh will be scrapped. In fact, the project was delayed because the centre was deliberating between the tunnel and the bridge, which would have been a cheaper option. The tunnel was approved after several cabinet ministers supported the plan, considering its strategic importance.

The project will be undertaken under the Special Accelerated Road Development Programme (SARDP-NE) of the Union Ministry of Road Transport & Highways.

‘Punishment for pre-marital sex is 100 lashes in Islam’: Allahabad HC refuses protection to an interfaith live-in couple as they don’t intend to marry soon

OpIndia Staff
-
0
‘Punishment for pre-marital sex is 100 lashes in Islam’: Allahabad HC refuses protection to an interfaith live-in couple as they don’t intend to marry soon

On the 24th of June, the Allahabad High Court dismissed a plea for police protection filed by an Interfaith Live-In couple. The couple had come to seek the court’s protection against alleged harassment by the Police. While dismissing the plea, the High Court observed that in Islam, any sexual, lustful, affectionate acts such as kissing, touching, staring, etc before marriage is prohibited. 

The court observed that the couple, a 29-year-old Hindu woman and a 30-year-old Muslim man, did not show any intention to marry soon. Subsequently, the two-judge bench comprising Justices Sangeeta Chandra and Narendra Kumar Johari stated that according to Muslim law, sexual relations outside of marriage are not recognised.

The court said, “Zina which has been defined as any sexual intercourse except that between husband and wife includes both extramarital sex and premarital sex and is often translated as fornication in English. Such premarital sex is not permissible in Islam. In fact, any sexual, lustful, affectionate acts such as kissing, touching, staring, etc. are “Haram” in Islam before marriage because these are considered parts of ‘Zina’ which may lead to actual ‘Zina’ itself.”

The bench added, “The punishment for such offence according to Quran (chapter 24) is a hundred lashes for the unmarried male and female who commit fornication together with the punishment prescribed by the ‘Sunnah’ for the married male and female that is stoning to death.”

The Petitioner’s claim and major observations by the Court

Essentially, the petitioners claimed that they are facing harassment from the police. Claiming that they come under the ambit of the Apex Court’s ruling in the case of Lata Singh vs. the State of UP (2006), the couple claimed that they should be given protection by the Court.  

The court remarked that the Supreme Court’s opinions on ‘live-in’ relationships “cannot be considered to promote such relationships”. Referring to previous cases which touched on the subject of Live-In relationships vis-a-vis laws of the land, the court titled its remark in favour of the institution of marriage.  

The Court stated, “The Observations of the Supreme Court as aforesaid however cannot be considered to promote such relationships. Law traditionally has been biased in favour of marriage. It reserves many rights and privileges to married persons to preserve and encourage the institution of marriage. the Supreme Court is simply accepting a social reality and it has no intention to unravel the fabric of Indian family life.”

The Court stated that on several occasions, the Supreme Court observed that section 125 CrPC is not meant for granting maintenance to the “other woman” – a case where a man, having a living lawfully wedded wife, either marries for a second time or starts living with a concubine. 

The Court further noted that the apex court refused to broaden the definition of the term “wife” mentioned in section 125 of the CrPC to include live-in partners seeking maintenance claims.

The court’s ruling highlighted the importance of raising awareness among young individuals about the emotional, societal, and legal challenges that can arise from being in a live-in relationship.

The court observed that in this particular instance, the petitioners have only claimed that, since they are of legal age, they have the right to live with whomever they choose. However, the mother of one of the petitioners had expressed her dissatisfaction with this relationship. The Court remarked that writ jurisdiction is not made out in such matters of dispute between two private parties. 

The Court observed, “Writ jurisdiction being extraordinary jurisdiction is not made to resolve such type of dispute between two private parties. We believe that it is a social problem which can be uprooted socially and not by the intervention of the Writ Court in the garb of violation of Article 21 of the Constitution of India unless harassment is established beyond doubt.”

Other remedial measures available

The Court also stated that if a live-in couple faces genuine issues with their parents or relatives who interfere with their live-in relationship, to the extent that their lives are threatened, they have the freedom to take certain actions. These actions include filing a First Information Report (FIR) under Section 154 (1) or Section 154 (3) of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) with the Police, submitting an application under Section 156 (3) of the CrPC to the appropriate Court, or initiating a complaint case under Section 200 of the CrPC.

The Honourable High Court made these observations while dismissing the protection plea (against police harassment) filed by an interfaith couple. They had alleged that the mother of the woman was unhappy with their Live-In relationship and lodged an FIR against them. 

1...2,0722,0732,074...7,645Page 2,073 of 7,645