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AIMIM chief, who follows Aurangzeb’s ‘school of thought’, gets outraged again, asks ‘Can you even authenticate Aurangzeb’s photo?’

OpIndia Staff
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AIMIM chief, who follows Aurangzeb’s ‘school of thought’, gets outraged again, asks ‘Can you even authenticate Aurangzeb’s photo?’

On Monday, June 12, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi raked up the incidents of violence that recently occurred in the districts of Ahmednagar and Kolhapur in Maharashtra over the Aurangzeb photographs. Owaisi said that it is difficult to verify and authenticate that the photos and videos used by some in the two regions were even of the Mughal emperor.

“Can you authenticate the image of Aurangzeb used by the people after which the violence happened? Aurangzeb died 300 years ago. I asked one is this photo of Aurangzeb and he said it could be his. What do I do then amid this ambiguity,” he said roughly in Hindi while addressing a conference in Chicago.

Large scale violence had erupted in the state of Maharashtra in several places including Ahmednagar, Kolhapur, and Yavatmal after some of the Islamists flaunted photos and videos of Aurangzeb in processions or on social media platforms. The images of Aurangzeb were reportedly flaunted on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and also on the 350th Rajyabhishek Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, with an intention to show disrespect to the Maratha king.

On June 5 in Ahmednagar, four persons flaunted posters of Aurangzeb during a procession in the Mukundnagar area. The police have filed a case against four people in total and have arrested two of them. While Owaisi claimed that the posters used by the miscreants could not be proven to be of Aurangzeb, the videos of the procession had gone viral over the internet in which the accused could be seen flaunting posters of Mughal figure with ‘Aurganzeb’ clearly written on it.

Also on May 17, Maharashtra Police filed an FIR against one person identified as Sheikh Aftaab Shiekh Mannan for uploading an Islamist propaganda social media story on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The accused person had posted a video in which Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was seen bowing down before Aurangzeb. “Aurangzeb Hindustan ka Baap,” the video captioned.

Recently, massive violence erupted in the city of Kolhapur after around 7 miscreants posted social media stories praising Aurangzeb and Islamic tyrant Tipu Sultan on the day when the state celebrated the 350th Rajyabhishek Day of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The police had to resort to lathicharge and tear gas shells after the peaceful protest organised by several Hindu organisations against the Islamic act was attacked by miscreants who pelted stones at the protesters.

Owaisi got upset when Devendra Fadnavis called stone pelters the offsprings of tyrant Aurangzeb

Maharashtra Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis then commented on the issue and said that those who are praising the Islamic tyrants on Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj’s land would not be spared. “This Maharashtra belongs to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and people who show disrespect to him will not be spared. This is intolerable. The situation in Kolhapur is being monitored and it is under control now. The state appeals to people to maintain peace,” he was quoted.

Later speaking to reporters in Nagpur, Fadnavis said suddenly Aurangzeb’s “aulaadein” (progenies) have taken birth in Maharashtra but the government will find out the people responsible for creating the law and order situation. “Displaying Aurangzeb’s photos and keeping a mobile status (on Tipu Sultan); this is creating tension in society. We will find the real culprits who are deliberately disturbing the law and order and defaming the state,” he said.

Owaisi took offence over Fadnavis’s statement and lashed out at him on June 9. “Maharashtra’s Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis said Aurangzeb ke aulaad. Do you know everything? I didn’t know you (Devendra Fadnavis) were such an expert. Then call out Godse’s & Apte’s offspring, who are they?” Owaisi said.

Considering that Owaisi took this to be an insult from Devendra Fadnavis, one would imagine that Owaisi denounces Aurangzeb as a tyrant who massacred Hindus and is therefore offended that current Indian Muslims, even those who pelt stones at Hindus and celebrate Aurangzeb were compared to the tyrant.

Owaisi follows Fatwa-e-Alamgiri,

It was reported earlier that Owaisi had said that majority of Indian Muslims are Hanafi and that they follow Fatwa-e-Alamgiri which he claimed was based on the Quran and Sunnah. However, it is pertinent to note that Fatawa-e-Alamgiri is a treatise authored by Aurangzeb wherein he outlines the ideal form of Sharia for all subcontinental Muslims and non-Muslims as well.

In order to compile Fatawa-e-Alamgiri, Aurangzeb gathered 500 experts in Islamic jurisprudence, 300 from South Asia, 100 from Iraq, and 100 from the Hejaz. Shaikh Nizam, a celebrated lawyer from Lahore was appointed the chairman of the commission which would compile the Fatawa-e-Alamgiri. The years-long work of these scholars resulted in an Islamic code of law for South Asia, in the late Mughal Era. It consists of legal code on personal, family, slaves, war, property, inter-religious relations, transactions, taxation, economic and other law for a range of possible situations and their juristic rulings by the faqīh of the time. In fact, it is documented that the Fatwa-e-Alamgiri even has elaborate instructions on how Muslim men can keep and treat slaves.

The Fatawa-e-Alamgiri was a creative application of Islamic law within the Hanafi fiqh. It restricted the powers of the Muslim judiciary and the Islamic jurists’ ability to issue discretionary fatwas.

Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaign alone took 4.6 million Hindu lives

In the 17th century, Aurangzeb was seen as the most ruthless Muslim king whose reign saw a scale of religious violence in India that is listed as 23rd in the 100 deadliest episodes of atrocities in human history. Having imprisoned his father and killed his brothers for the throne, Aurangzeb unleashed one of the strongest campaigns of religious violence in the Mughal Empire’s history. Aurangzeb re-introduced the jizya tax, led a number of campaigns against non-Muslims, destroyed Hindu temples, and arrested and executed the ninth Sikh guru Tegh Bahadur.

He not only destroyed temples but also built mosques on the foundations of destroyed temples. Idols were smashed and briefly, Mathura became known as Islamabad in local official documents, while the major Hindu pilgrimage sites in Varanasi and Somnath were destroyed. Aurangzeb’s Deccan campaign alone took 4.6 million Hindu lives, almost as much as the death toll of the Holocaust! During the Mughal-Maratha wars, about 2 million civilians died in war-torn lands due to famine, drought, and plague.

Navab Hayath Sharif manhandles Dutch YouTuber Pedro Mota in Bengaluru, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Navab Hayath Sharif manhandles Dutch YouTuber Pedro Mota in Bengaluru, arrested

The Bengaluru police have arrested a Bengaluru trader identified as Navab Hayath Sharif for misbehaving with a foreign national. Sharif was arrested from Chor Bazaar in Bengaluru’s Chickpet area, where he allegedly manhandled and harassed YouTuber Pedro Mota, a Dutch citizen while the latter was recording his vlog.

Laxman B Nimbargi, DCP, West Division, Bengaluru took to Twitter to inform about the arrest. “Pertaining to this, action has been taken and the concerned person rounded up. Strict action will be taken against him. No such misbehaviour with foreign tourists will be tolerated,” he said responding to a video of the incident posted by a Twitter user going by the handle @tajirmudassir.

Laxman B Nimbargi was also reported as saying, “Regarding a complaint about misbehaving with foreigner Pedro Mota, a case has been registered against the person Navab Hayath Sharif under Karnataka Police Act Section 92.”

The action against Navab Hayath Sharif was taken after the video of the shocking incident went viral on social media platforms. The incident occurred a few days ago, however, it has come to light after yesterday (June 11, Sunday), YouTuber Pedro Mota himself took to Youtube to share his harrowing experience in Karnataka’s capital.

He stated in the video’s description, “Exploring the area in Bengaluru started out on the wrong foot as an angry man attacked me by grabbing and twisting my hand and arm, lunging after me as I tried to escape.”

In the above video, a man can be seen harassing the vlogger while he was shooting a video in Bengaluru. In the video, the Dutch YouTuber is heard saying, “Namaste, sir…”, while the man, who looked like a shopkeeper and has been identified as Navab Hayath Sharif, grabbed his hand and started shouting, “Ye kya hai…(What is this…).” 

The accused Navab Hayath Sharif, further held the hand of the YouTuber and tried to snatch his camera while the latter pleaded, “Please let me go, sir.” Pedro then, somehow, managed to escape the scene and later alleged in the video that the man tried to break his finger.

The Dutch vlogger has two youtube channels- one is named @MadlyRover which has 30.2K subscribers and the other is named @iPedroMota which has 77.9K subscribers. This particular vlog he had unloaded on his channel @MadlyRover.

In December last year, a South Korean YouTuber was allegedly harassed by two men on a Mumbai street while she was live streaming. The video of the incident went viral and Mumbai Police arrested two men named Mobeen Chand Mohammad Shaikh and Mohammad Naqeeb Sadrealam Ansari and an FIR was registered under section 354 of the Indian Penal Code. The Indian Ministery of External Affairs also then assured full protection to the Korean YouTuber.

Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis dismisses opposition’s allegations of lathicharge on devotees of Lord Vitthal

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: Devendra Fadnavis dismisses opposition’s allegations of lathicharge on devotees of Lord Vitthal

Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis has dismissed the allegations leveled by the opposition parties that Pune police had lathi-charged the Warkaris (devotees of Lord Vitthal).

A faceoff reportedly erupted between varkaris, devotees of Lord Vitthal who is a reincarnation of Bhagwan Vishnu, and the Maharashtra police in Pune’s Alandi town on Sunday.

Addressing the media, Fadnavis said that a “minor scuffle” has been “sensationalized by some media reports.” He also mentioned that some police officials also sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Fadnavis added that around 400-500 youths decided to not follow the restricted entry system and insisted on participating in the pilgrimage and broke the barricades. The Home Minister added that police tried to stop the devotees which led to some police personnel getting injured in the process. 

In Alandi, a large crowd of devotees had arrived to pay obeisance, like every year, at the Sant Dnyaneshwar Maharaj Samadhi Mandir. There are 47 entrances to the temple. 75 varkaris from each dindi (group) are allowed inside. Varkaris who were not allowed inside also demanded entry which reportedly led to the scuffle.

According to Commissioner of Pimpri Chinchwad, Vinay Kumar Choubey, “Police had made elaborate arrangements and held meetings with temple trustees to prevent any untoward incident. While the police were sending batches of 75 devotees at a time, a few people breached the barricades and tried to enter the temple.”

In the video, a sea of devotees can be seen cramped up in narrow lanes, breaching the barricades and attempting to rush past the police to enter the temple. The audio can also be heard wherein a man (likely a temple representative) appeals to the devotees to maintain peace and calm.

Uttar Pradesh: Girl abducted, passed around and raped by Shah Alam, Irfan, Nadeem Qureshi, given Rs 500 before being set free

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Girl abducted, passed around and raped by Shah Alam, Irfan, Nadeem Qureshi, given Rs 500 before being set free

A horrific case of abduction and multiple rapes has come to fore from Mirganj region of Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. A girl was abducted and brutally raped by three men identified as Shah Alam, Irfan and Nadeem Qureshi and was given Rs 500 after the assault. The police has launched a man hunt to nab the accused after the victing girl filed a police complaint against the three.

According to the Live Hindustan report, the girl knew the accused persons who treated her like a call girl after they brutally raped her. One of the accused Shah Alam abducted the girl and locked her in a room in Uttarakhand’s Kashipur region. He raped her and then handed her over to the second accused identified as Irfan. Irfan also raped her and then sent her to Nadeem Qureshi in Noida.

The third accused also raped her and then gave her Rs 500. The three accused are said to be friends and the victim knew one of the accused named Shah Alam. The girl reached Uttar Pradesh and informed the police about the incident.

As per the Police, the girl was offered a friendly lift by Shah Alam in the Mirganj region. Later she was misbehaved with and abducted by Alam who raped her and handed her over to his friends for the same purpose. The accused also gave Rs 500 to the victim after the assault.

The Police are said to have registered the case and are looking for all the three accused who are absconding at present. Further investigations into the case are underway.

Purola Love Jihad: Police start police verification of ‘outsiders’, tensions extend to Gangotri, several shops remain shut

OpIndia Staff
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Purola Love Jihad: Police start police verification of ‘outsiders’, tensions extend to Gangotri, several shops remain shut

After the Purola incident, in Gangotri, businesses and shops remained shuttered on Saturday in protest of the love jihad occurrences that are believed to be occurring more frequently around the state. The people protesting say that one of the Char Dham pilgrimage towns, Gangotri, is being negatively impacted by the influx of unverified outsiders engaging in small roadside businesses. They demanded that the administration take action right away in this regard.

Reports mention that around 11 shop owners from the minority community reportedly left Purola, and three more from Barkot and Naugaon towns.

8-10 Muslim shopkeepers have left Purola post verification

VHP President from Purola, Virendra Singh Rawat confirmed to OpIndia the development and said that a few outsiders belonging to the minority community have left the Purola region after the protest by local businessmen and after the police verification began. “Around 8-10 Muslim shopkeepers have left the region. The Police have also begun verification of the outsiders as was demanded by the local businessmen out of concern for their families, especially the daughters,” Rawat stated.

He also added that there has been an increase in cases of love jihad in the Uttarkashi region. “Recently, another love jihad case happened in the Arakot village. A Muslim man lured two Hindu women. Many such cases keep on happening here but the police fail to take action at times. In the given case also, the police have deployed staff to make sure that the Muslims are protected in the region. But what about our Hindu daughters,” he pondered.

As informed by the sources, the police have also held rounds of talks with the two communities and have appealed to maintain peace in the region. CM Pushkar Singh Dhami also has appealed the same and has warned that no one in the region should disturb the law and order of the state.

What happened in Purola on May 31

The case in question was reported on May 31 from the Purola region of Uttarkashi where a Hindu minor girl was abducted by two youths, one of whom is from the Muslim community. The two accused have been identified as Uved Khan and Jitendra Saini. One of the accused owns a cycle repairing shop and the other one is engaged in making handmade blankets in the main market area of Purola.

One of them named Uved Khan is believed to have trapped a Hindu girl studying in class 9, who is the daughter of one of the local shopkeepers in the market. He promised her marriage and then abducted her with the help of the other accused to the Vikasnagar region of the state. The duo were caught and have been taken into custody by the police.

Police began verification of ‘outsiders’ after locals launched protest

After the incident, locals have launched a massive protest and are demanding the shutdown of the shops owned by outsiders, the majority of whom are from the minority community. The locals also have demanded police verification of the outsiders. Earlier they had revealed how outsiders, people from the minority community migrate to Purola as shopkeepers and daily wage earners but engage in their religious propaganda.

While the left liberals and also several media houses expressed doubts about the ‘love jihad’ angle in the case, Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) President from Purola, Virendra Singh Rawat confirmed that the minor Hindu girl was abducted by the Muslim boy, Uved Khan and that the other accused, Jitendra Saini hardly had any role to play in the entire incident. “Saini happened to introduce Uved to the girl. He also influenced the girl in favor of Uved and helped the boy abduct the girl. The girl was actually trapped in a love affair by the Muslim accused who later also promised her of marriage. He then abducted her with the help of the other accused,” Rawat said.

Rawat meanwhile also stated that the activities of Hindu boy can’t be justified but this is simple case of love jihad. “Outsiders most of whom are from the minority communities migrate to Purola and set up small businesses like puncture, vehicle repairs, etc and then execute their agenda. They eye on Hindu girls and try to convert them to other religion. Several cases like these have happened in the past. This case is also one of those. Its simple love jihad,” he added.

In the recent update, the police authorities have began police verification of the outsiders as demanded by the local shopkeepers. Also, around 8-10 outsiders who had their businesses in the main market have left the Purola region. The protests have now extended to the Gangotri region and locals have declared that no shops owned or rented by non-local people will be allowed to open until police verification of these outsiders is executed.

Malerkotla: Congress blames AAP for ignoring its ‘gift to Muslims on Eid’. Here is how the newly created ‘Muslim majority’ district of Punjab is suffering

OpIndia Staff
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Malerkotla: Congress blames AAP for ignoring its ‘gift to Muslims on Eid’. Here is how the newly created ‘Muslim majority’ district of Punjab is suffering

In May 2021, then-CM Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress Government gave a ‘gift’ to the Muslims in Punjab by declaring Muslim-majority Malerkotla as a district. The party promised it during the 2017 state elections, and the poll promise was fulfilled months before the scheduled Assembly elections. People of Malerkotla, which has a 68.5 per cent Muslim population followed by 20.70 per cent Muslims and only 9.49 per cent Sikhs (2011 Census), expected to see changes at a massive scale after it became a district. However, over two years have passed, and nothing notably has changed for the youngest district.

According to an exclusive ground report by The Indian Express, Malerkotla town is waiting for doctors, roads and better schools. The basic amenities in the newly formed district are far from reality, and people have started it calling ‘naam ka zila’ or ‘district for the namesake’.

The painful state of the civil hospital

The ordeal of the poor and marginalised who visit the government hospitals for treatment shows the crumbling healthcare system in the state. Aam Aadmi Party, which promises a better healthcare system, has not appointed doctors and healthcare staff in the civil hospital. Indian Express report noted that all ten Emergency Medical Officers (EMOs) posts are vacant. There is only one specialist doctor that has to handle emergencies all day.

On paper, there are 27 posts of doctors, out of which 15 are vacant. There should be 32 nurses, but the hospital has only 17. Out of 25 ward attendants, 11 are yet to be hired. In a statement, senior medical officer (SMO) Dr Jagjit Singh said, “There’s extreme rush at the emergency as all posts of EMOs are currently vacant. A specialist doctor handles emergencies. However, we have already started free-of-cost treatment for TB, hepatitis and other diseases as per norms for district-level hospitals.” He also serves as the gynaecologist.

The patients lined up till 2 PM every day, and most of them were sent back to come the next day. Even after getting tests done and being diagnosed with diseases like Hepatitis C, patients have to wait for days for their turn and get a subscription for the medicine.

Submerged roads and potholes

The roads of the town are no better. There is a ‘labour mandi’ in the city where the daily wagers stand every day, hoping to get hired. That “mandi” is basically Malerkotla’s Dilli Gate, a road leading to the government schools. Even after two years of becoming a district, this road has not seen good days. It gets submerged in rainwater quickly, and people keep guessing where the potholes are while driving.

A handful of teachers and classrooms for over 2,000 students

Children living in a district expect better education but not the children of Malerkotla. There are 960 students in the government senior secondary school for boys. Due to the shortage of classrooms and teachers, they have to study in two shifts. Principal Aarti Gupta told Indian Express they are short of 15 classrooms, including laboratories. For 300 students in classes 11 and 12, there are only eight lecturers. AAP, which boasts its education policy, is yet to announce any new building for the school. “Currently, we haven’t been told of any plans for a new building for the school,” said Gupta.

Furthermore, a portion of the school has been vacated for the office of district education officer (DEO). Instead of making a new office, the education department decided to snatch away part of the school.

Coming to the Girl’s school, there are over 1,300 students who also study in two shifts due to the shortage of classrooms and teachers. Thankfully, a new building is coming up in the school, but it is unclear how long it will take to get constructed. Notably, there are only two rooms for 214 students of the primary school located in the Girls’ school. A new building for the primary school is yet to be announced.

When Capt Amarinder Singh declared Malerkotla as the 23rd district of Punjab, he announced an array of new projects. A new medical college with a budget of 400 crores, a new bus stand, a new degree college for girls, a new all-women police station and the restoration of Mubarak Manzil Palace were among the projects that were announced. All these projects are still on paper, gathering dust.

Deputy commissioner of Malerkotla Sanyam Aggarwal told Indian Express that the proposed medical college is a joint venture between the Government of India and Punjab. The centre has already sanctioned the first instalment of Rs 97 crore. However, Indian Express’s sources revealed that the AAP government is not pleased with the site the previous government proposed for the project and is looking for a new site, leading to unnecessary delay.

Aggarwal further added that the all-women police station was established in 2021, and the upgrade work worth Rs 30 lakh is underway. However, speaking of the new bus stand, she added that the state government is yet to release Rs 9 crore.

Congress blamed AAP for delays in projects

Congress leader and former Cabinet Minister Razia Sultana expressed her dismay over halted projects. She said, “We do not blame CM (Bhagwant Mann), but local AAP MLA (Mohammad Jamil Ur Rahman) for it. He has failed to take ahead projects which were already sanctioned, let alone get new ones. They (the AAP government) are now trying to create hurdles in the medical college project even though the site was already finalised. Earlier, we had at least 23 doctors at a local hospital, which has reduced to half.”

Before AAP came to power, work for girls’ colleges and government schools had been started by the previous government. However, now the work has been stagnant. She said, “They had even failed to operationalise the girls’ college and government school for which work was already started before AAP came. Not a single new penny has been sanctioned in two years.” Her husband and former DGP Mohammed Mustafa said, “It is all due to the incompetency of the local MLA who has been a party hopper for his life. From SAD to BSP to Congress to AAP, he has been everywhere for want of a ticket.”

On the other hand, AAP MLA Rehman claimed the projects are underway in the town. He said, “We have got a new 66KW power grid approved, and there won’t be any power issues for the next 40 years. Site selection work for medical college is in progress. Buildings for new girls’ colleges and schools are near completion. I have got Rs 8 crore sanctioned for the refurbishment of streets and kutcha roads in outer areas of the town and another one crore for roads and sewage overall. Since 50% of the Kamboj Muslim community here depends on vegetable farming, we plan a food processing unit to procure their produce.”

While leaders, administration and state government are moving slowly, the locals in the youngest district of Punjab are yet to see any notable changes on the ground.

He had two extra pegs of alcohol: Netizens slam ex-cricketer and AAP leader Harbhajan Singh for taking potshots at MS Dhoni

OpIndia Staff
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He had two extra pegs of alcohol: Netizens slam ex-cricketer and AAP leader Harbhajan Singh for taking potshots at MS Dhoni

On Sunday (June 11), former cricketer turned AAP Rajya Sabha MP, Harbhajan Singh, courted controversy for taking potshots at ex-Indian captain MS Dhoni and his achievements.

The development came hours after India lost to Australia in the World Test Championship (WTC) final. A fan of MS Dhoni (@ItzShreyas07) took to Twitter to point out how the former Indian captain ensured victory for the team in the 2007 World Cup.

While posting a picture of MS Dhoni, he wrote, “…This guy defeated prime Australia in semifinals and won a T20 World Cup in 48 days after becoming captain.” Harbhajan Singh, who was not even tagged in tweet, chose to reprimand the Dhoni fan for giving ‘all the credit’ to the former Indian skipper.

Screengrab of the tweet

In a tweet, he wrote, “Yes when these matches were played this young boy was playing alone from India…not the other 10…so alone he won the World Cup trophies…irony when Australia or any other nation win the World Cup headlines says Australia or etc country won.”

“But when Indian wins it’s said the captain won ? it’s a team sport. Win together, lose together,” Harbhajan Singh claimed. The archive of the tweet can be accessed here.

Soon after, social media users slammed the ace spinner for publicly berating his ex-teammate and skipper MS Dhoni. Some accused Singh of excessive intoxication while others lambasted him for displaying his jealousy.

“Today, my brother had two extra pegs of alcohol. Tomorrow, he will regret this tweet. He let out his inner thoughts in an intoxicated state of mind. Now, the entire country is abusing him,” wrote popular user Madhur Singh.

Another user pointed out, “He (MS Dhoni) never shamelessly slapped someone on the ground after losing. After his departure, those 10 players have yet to win an ICC trophy. Despite having friends like you, he was cool enough to lead India to numerous victories.”

One Braj Raj Singh remarked, “Know you have become a politician…Played your cricket under him and (is) so jealous…Shame on you.”

“Another reason to admire @msdhoni is that he survived around such ppl. Proud of you Thalaivaa,” wrote another user.

Another user emphasised that MS Dhoni was critical to the victory of India during crucial ICC tournaments.

“Harbhajan, he made sure India don’t lose the final. He use to take responsibility for losing, unlike today who say: We don’t care about outside noise. Players want to win more than any other. It’s just another game. (Instagram stories simultaneously for no reason) – cmon, accept, MSD alone won the cup with his brave decisions. Don’t be jealous now,” he added.

“Crying over a fan hyping his idol?? Thats a new low level for players…CurrentIndiann team speaking in Insta stories and old team responding to fans,” tweeted another MS Dhoni fan.

“That MSD won with such bitter players around him makes his success as captain even bigger,” tweeted one Dr Devashish Palkar.

Harbhajan Singh has been the controversy’s favourite child for quite some time. In June 2021, he shared a story on Instagram which hailed Bhindranwale as a martyr.

It read, “Live with pride, die for the religion.” He paid tribute to the terrorists on the 37th anniversary of Operation Blue Star. It featured Jarnail Singh Bhindranwale at the centre wearing a blue turban. Singh later deleted the post and issued an apology.

Damoh school case: Principal of Ganga Jamna School, where Hindu girls were wearing Hijab in a poster, teacher and a security guard arrested

ANI
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Damoh school case: Principal of Ganga Jamna School, where Hindu girls were wearing Hijab in a poster, teacher and a security guard arrested

In a major development in the Ganga Jamna School row in Madhya Pradesh’s Damoh district, three persons including the school principal have been arrested by police, officials said on Sunday. 

According to the police, Ganga Jamna School in MP’s Damoh hit the headlines after purported posters of the school went viral on social media in which a few Hindu girls were allegedly seen wearing hijabs. “The arrested persons include the school principal, a teacher and a security guard,” the police said. 

Damoh SP Rakesh Singh said that currently three accused have been arrested and the search is on to nab the remaining accused. The accused were produced before a court and from where they have been sent to judicial custody, he said. 

On the other hand, Anunay Srivastava, the lawyer for the accused said, “The police have added a section in the registered case. Today being Sunday, the sessions court is closed, so an appeal will be made on Monday”. 

After the controversy regarding Ganga Jamna School erupted, the police registered a case against the school administration under Indian Penal Code (IPC) section 295, 506 and Juvenile Justice Act. 

Damoh Superintendent of Police (SP) Rakesh Singh said, “Yesterday, statements of two-three girls came to the fore, after which it was felt that their statement is worth taking into consideration and the investigating committee also sent that statement to us, to take cognizance into it.” 

“Now, the statements of the people associated with the school management will be recorded and on the basis of it further action will be taken,” the SP said, adding that the number of sections and the accused may increase after further investigation. 

Earlier, CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan had said that an FIR would be filed against the school management. 

“Religious conversion conspiracies are going on at some places in the state and we will not let them succeed. We have also given instructions to investigate in the entire state, especially the educational institutions, whether it is madrassas or if education is being imparted in a wrong way,” Chouhan told ANI. 

He added, “In the Damoh case, we are now getting the report and I have been told that the daughters who gave their statements have been forced. This is a very serious matter. Strict action will be taken”. 

Earlier, the affiliation of Ganga Jamuna Higher Secondary School was suspended for non-compliance with Madhya Pradesh Secondary and Higher Secondary Schools Recognition Rules 2017 and amended rules 2020. 

According to a circular, there was no proper arrangement of a library in the school, old furniture and old materials were kept in the laboratories rooms and there were no proper experimental materials in the school. There were 1,208 students registered in the school and there was neither proper arrangement of separate toilets for boys and girls nor pure drinking water.

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

George Soros hands over his empire to son Alexander, who promises to increase support for far-left, says worried about Trump returning to White House

OpIndia Staff
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George Soros hands over his empire to son Alexander, who promises to increase support for far-left, says worried about Trump returning to White House

George Soros, the American billionaire and financier of left-wing causes and parties, has decided to entrust the management of his vast $25 billion empire to his younger son, Alexander Soros. Despite initially not being considered a likely candidate for succession, Alexander, who identifies as a centre-left intellectual, has been selected by Soros to manage his funds.

George Soros told the Wall Street Journal in an interview published on Sunday that he was handing control of his massive empire to his son, Alexander Soros. Earlier, senior Soros had said that he will not hand over his Open Society Foundations (OSF) to any of his five children, but now he has made a change in his decision. Open Society Foundations gives away around $1.5 billion each year to support left-liberal and woke causes, and fight nationalists and right-wing organisations across the world. It is often alleged that Soros funds regime changes through funding by ORF in the name of supporting democracies.

Alexander Soros told the Wall Street Journal that he was now chairman of Soros’s Open Society Foundations and planned to continue supporting and expanding the same causes as his father.

In his first interview following his appointment, the 37-year-old Alexander Soros, also known as Alex, expressed his intention to expand upon his father’s liberal objectives. While sharing similar views with his father, George Soros, Alex also seeks to champion additional causes such as voting and abortion rights, as well as gender equity. He intends to leverage the substantial resources at his family’s disposal to support left-leaning politicians in the United States.

Alex identifies himself as more political than his father. In his advocacy for matters connected to the family foundation, Alexander Soros has been actively engaged in discussions with notable figures, including officials from the Biden administration, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, as well as heads of state such as Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva and Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Expressing apprehension over the potential return of Donald Trump to the White House, Alexander Soros has indicated the likelihood of substantial financial involvement by the Soros organization in the upcoming 2024 presidential race. His concerns highlight the intention to actively support efforts that align with his political stance and counterbalance any perceived influence of Trump’s candidacy. He said in the interview, “As much as I would love to get money out of politics, as long as the other side is doing it, we will have to do it, too.”

Diverging from certain left-leaning perspectives, Alexander Soros holds the belief that freedom of speech, particularly on college campuses and in other settings, has become overly constrained. He said that he has some differences from his generation on the issue of freedom of speech.

Previously, George Soros had expressed his reluctance to have one of his five children assume control of his Open Society Foundations (OSF). But regarding his decision to make Alexander Soros his successor, the senior Soros said that Alexander has earned it.

In December 2022, Alex was elected as the chairman of the OSF board. Under the chairmanship of Alex Soros and his position as president of Soros’ political action committee, the Open Society Foundation (OSF) annually allocates around $1.5 billion to so-called human rights groups worldwide. The activities of the foundation, under the leadership of Soros, are widely recognized for their explicit agenda of supporting initiatives aimed at challenging and destabilizing governments in various countries under the guise of promoting democratic ideals.

He is also the chairman of Democracy PAC, the Political Action Committee of Soros, one of the major vehicles for political spending by the billionaire. The Super PAC is funded heavily by Soros to fund election candidates and political causes. Democracy PAC has backed the election campaigns of district attorneys and law-enforcement officials in the USA.

Around $125 million has been set aside for the super PAC, and $25 billion from it will be directed to OSF.

Notably, Soros has launched a global campaign targeting right-wing governments, actively funding left-leaning organisations and initiatives. He has dedicated $1 billion to start a global university to “fight nationalists”, whom he referred to as “authoritarian governments”, along with combating climate change, calling them twin challenges that threaten the survival of our civilization. 

Through his Open Society Foundations, he has been instrumental in providing financial support to Islamist, Marxist causes and quasi-political radical movements around the world. Soros’s efforts are driven by his desire to counter the rise of nationalist and conservative forces, under the garb of advocating for liberal values and democratic governance. His involvement in these attempts of interfering sovereignty of various countries has made him a villainous figure in the ongoing political landscape, influencing the trajectory of numerous nations.

Congress alleges ‘misuse’ of railway safety fund over purchase of items for crew running rooms, here is how they are essential for train safety and recommended during UPA govt

OpIndia Staff
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Congress alleges ‘misuse’ of railway safety fund over purchase of items for crew running rooms, here is how they are essential for train safety and recommended during UPA govt

Ever since the tragic triple train accident in Odisha, the Congress party has been trying to pin the blame for the accident on the Modi government. Even though the work done on expansion, efficiency, safety and passenger amenities of railways by the Modi govt is much more than what Congress governments did in over half a century, the party is somehow trying to prove that not enough is being spent on safety, often using misleading data and half-baked information. In such an attempt, the Congress party posted a tweet on June 8, where the grand old party cried ‘misusing funds’ as Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report from 2022 on ‘Derailment in Indian Railways’ showed some expenses on items including foot massagers, crockery, car rentals and more.

In a tweet, Congress said, “Modi govt. excels in misusing funds! According to CAG reports, the Indian Railways spent extravagantly on foot massagers, crockery, furniture, car rentals, laptops & much more from the ‘Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh’.” It is notable that the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) is a special fund created in 2017, apart from the regular budget, with a corpus of ₹1 lakh crore.

The tweet was picked by Telegraph and mixed with the CAG report to claim that the funds were “misused” to buy foot massagers, crockery, electrical appliances, furniture, winter jackets, computers and escalators, develop gardens, build toilets, pay salaries and bonuses and erect a flag. Calling it a “horrifying detail” that was tugged away in the CAG report, Telegraph claimed, “This may prove to be the tip of an iceberg in a tale of villainy and deceit that have undermined the noble principles that underpinned the creation of the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK), a dedicated fund to improve railway safety.”

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh then used the report to propagate the agenda further. He wrote, “Read here how funds earmarked for railway safety from 2017 have ACTUALLY been spent. Shocking & Scandalous are understatements,” while quoting the Telegraph report. The choice of words indicates Congress may eventually call it a scam.

The Congress claim that “Indian Railways spent extravagantly on foot massagers, crockery, furniture” using the Railway safety fund suggests that such items were purchased for ministers or senior officials. However, the Congress party and The Telegraph chose to crucial information which show that there was no real scam or misuse of funds. Moreover, the CAG report cited by Telegraph and Congress also just points out just some regular accounting anomalies, and the amounts involved in such anomalies are minuscule compared to the total fund amount.

The case of misclassification of funds

Twitter user Aviral Sharma shared a detailed thread on how Congress and the Telegraph were making a mountain out of a mole. First of all, the CAG report took a minuscule sample size of Rs 2,995.58 crore out of Rs 1 lakh crore corpus of RRSK. Out of this, CAG found alleged misappropriation of funds of worth Rs 48.21 crores. Furthermore, CAG pointed out that out of these 48.21 crores, Rs 30.84 crores were spent on passenger amenities like escalators, lifts, raising/extension of platforms and more. CAG also said that ₹7.82 crore were spent on revenue items, which is not allowed under RRSK.

Upon reading the CAG report, OpIndia found that CAG remarked the funds were misclassified leading to reduced funds availability. A total of Rs 4.54 crores out of the said 48.21 crores were spent on the development of a garden/waiting hall/circulating area, imprest, sewage treatment plant, stationary purchase, provision of ACs, temporary electricity connection, intercom, power cable, CCTV, LAN, LED/Street lights, the fee to the pollution control board, foot massager and winter jacket. Furthermore, Rs 0.085 crore was spent on the hiring of vehicles. Rs 1.48 crore was spent on furniture, utensils, crockery, and kitchen/electrical appliances. Only Rs 0.35 crore was spent on the purchase of computers, xerox machines, printers, laptops, AMCs, cartridges, toner etc. If we deduct Rs 30.84 crore that was spent on passenger amenities from the total of 48.21 crore, it makes Rs 17.37 crore or 0.57 per cent of the sample size.

The report further noted, “Items of Revenue expenditure were booked under RRSK in contravention to Para 7.7 of the RRSK Deployment Scheme which states that revenue works are not proposed to be funded through RRSK. The incorrect bookings have resulted in misclassification of expenditure between Revenue Grants and RRSK, amounting to Rs 7.82 crore.”

It added, “Thus, though prioritization principles have been clearly laid down for deployment of RRSK, bookings not falling under RRSK category have been accepted under RRSK. These incorrect bookings denote misclassification of expenditure and consequently end up with reduced fund availability for RRSK priority works.”

While the CAG report clearly mentioned that it was a case of misclassification, Congress used it to attack the Modi government and claim misuse of funds.

Items necessary for train crews

While items like foot massagers, utensils etc may seem unusual, they are actually necessary items for the Railways. The items pointed out by the CAG were purchased for Running Rooms, the resting facilities meant for train crews. Major junctions and railway stations have running rooms, where loco pilots assistant loco pilots and train managers take rest between their shifts.

It is notable that like airline pilots, there are stipulated hours of total duty at a stretch and rest between shifts for loco pilots and train managers (formerly known as guards) also. It is notable that even though some long-distance trains run for 2-3 days, the same crew does not operate them. The crew have a running duty hour of 8 hours at a stretch, while the total duty hour can extend to 11 hours. The crew of such trains are changed at regular intervals at major stations after their duty hours are over, and a new team takes over from such stations, who have to be ready by the train arrives. Therefore, running rooms are provided at such stations so that they can join duty without causing delays to the running train.

The loco pilots and train managers keep standing for hours together on trains. After their shift is over, they go to the Running Room for their mandatory breaks before their next duty.

Apart from basic accommodation facilities, running rooms have a kitchen and cooks, who prepare food for the crew. Moreover, according to Railway guidelines, running rooms must have adequate facilities so that the crew can get proper rest before their next shift begins.

Running a train for up to 8 hours is a very tiring job, and the pilots and managers have to be on alert the whole running time. And it is essential that they receive proper rest between running hours. That is why things like cooking facilities, utensils, crockery, foot massagers etc are essential items for the running rooms.

The union government has also clarified there was no misuse of funds and only a small amount was spent for facilities at running rooms. Govt sources said that such spending was in no way “diversion” or “misuse” of the Rashtriya Rail Sanraksha Kosh (RRSK) fund, as facilities at resting places for the crew are also meant for safety. According to the govt, ensuring proper rest for the crew between duty breaks is crucial, because investigations into several past derailments and accidents have pointed out human errors, and fatigue of loco pilots and assistant loco pilots as among the main reasons.

According to reports, the railway ministry will soon submit its response to the CAG with details of expenditures made for the running rooms. It is notable that several official presentations and reports on running rooms, including one from 2013, mention the need to provide several facilities such as foot and eye massagers, gym equipment etc for the crew.

Talking on the issue, Shiv Gopal Mishra of All India Railwaymen’s Federation slammed politics over the issue. “Our loco pilots, assistant loco pilots and train managers put in hard work. The facilities of food and foot massage at running centres are meant for their sound health,” he said.

South Western Railway also said that these items were procured for use in Running Rooms meant for the mandatory rest of loco pilots and guards after continuous duties of 9-10 hours. These are as per the recommendation of the safety committee and not infructuous expenditures as wrongly assumed by some media outlets, the railway officials said.

Provisions included in RRSK

Officials also noted that while the RRSK fund is mainly meant for major projects to improve the safety of railways, there were provisions for improving working conditions to reduce fatigue and human error. “Every crew member must get good facilities for rest and these must be better than that of what they get at home. This has been the guiding principle to run fully-equipped running rooms. The loco pilots and assistant loco pilots need to be fully attentive about signal, track and the machine when on duty. So, we need to ensure that when they are back on duty, they are fresh,” said an official.

In fact, while CAG flagged the expenses on passenger amenities and running rooms as “diversion” or “misuse”, the govt notification on Rashtriya Rail Sanrakshan Kosh (RRSK) clearly mentions passengers amenities, training/HRD as among the heads of expenses for the fund.

In the guidelines for the use of RRSK funds by the railway board, staff welfare and passenger amenities have been included in the minor Heads classification under capital outlay. The guidelines mention platforms, booking offices, waiting and refreshment rooms, running rooms, goods sheds, post and telegraph offices, latrines, etc for which RRSK funds will be spent. The guidelines clearly state that there is a clear provision for expenditure on reducing chances of human errors in critical areas of operations, by improving working conditions and training of loco pilots and other relevant employees.

It is also notable that only a small amount is allotted and spent under these heads, while the majority of the allotments have been made for works under Level Crossings, Road Over/Under Bridges, Track Renewals, Bridge Works, Signalling and Telecom, Electrical Works, Machinery & Plant, Workshops etc, all vital for improving railway safety.

Running room facilities were suggested in reports

While the Congress is using the CAG report on some purchases for running rooms to attack the Modi government, an interesting fact is that Railway Board had suggested improvements in running room facilities during the UPA govt. In guidelines issued in 2011 by the Railway Board for the improvement of running rooms, various facilities were suggested, including telephones, lockers, cooking facilities and utensils, coolers etc.

In 2014, CAMTECH under Indian Railways suggested several measures to improve the facilities of running rooms. The recommendations included relaxation facilities for railway crew, which included Foot massagers for relaxation, gym equipment and gym ball, Treadmill equipment, Eye massager, Acupressure equipment etc. The report also suggested Light music system, Concentration boards, Recreation Facilities etc in the running rooms.

Therefore, items like foot massagers, crockery, utensils etc for running rooms were recommended much before the RRSK was set up. The Railway officials have clarified that the expenditure pointed out as ‘misuse’ by CAG are for procurement for upgradation of Running Rooms and training staff and other heads, which are directly related to the safety of trains. Therefore, these are not fripperies but part of the mandate.

Furthermore, the amount spent under these heads from RRSK is minuscule. The majority of the fund is already being spent on works directly related to railway safety. If Railway is spending 0.57 per cent almost Rs 3,000 crore to provide some relief to employees so that they can perform better at their job, it should not be seen as “misuse” or get denoted as a “scam” at later stages, as the Congress party is suffesting.

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