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‘We don’t need madarsas’: Assam CM Sarma says Congress leaders are the new ‘Mughals’ who want to destroy India’s Hindu culture

OpIndia Staff
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‘We don’t need madarsas’: Assam CM Sarma says Congress leaders are the new ‘Mughals’ who want to destroy India’s Hindu culture

Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma has stated that over 600 madarsas have been shut down in the state because his government believes in establishing universities, schools and colleges rather than funding religious institutions. He was addressing a rally at Belgavi’s Shivaji Maharaj Garden in poll-bound Karnataka, on Thursday.

He asserted that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh pose a threat to the civilization and culture of the northeastern state.

He stated, “People from Bangladesh come to Assam & create a threat to our civilization and culture. I have closed 600 madrassas and I intend to close all madrassas because we do not want madrassas. We want schools, colleges and universities. The new India does not need madrasas.”

Last year, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader emphasised that Assam has turned into a hub of ‘jihadi operations’ after five ‘jihadi’ modules with connections to Al Qaida-affiliated terror outfits in Bangladesh were busted in the state. 

He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for restoring temples and denounced Congress for attempting to undermine the nation. “Once upon a time, the ruler of Delhi used to talk about demolishing temples but today under PM Modi’s rule, I am talking about building temples. This is new India. Congress is working to weaken this new India.”

He also called out the grand old party for its objection to Ram mandir in Ayodhya. “When Ram mandir is built, they (Congress) have a problem. Congress is representing the new Mughals today.”

He spoke against the domination of Mughal empire in Indian history. “The Congress and Communists showed that India’s history was all about Babur, Aurangzeb, and Shahjahan.” He added, “I want to tell that India’s history was not about them but about Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, Guru Gobind Singh.”

The CM shed light on historical events and remarked that continuous effort was made to annihilate the ‘Sanatan culture’ under Aurangzeb’s reign. “Many people were forcefully converted to Islam. At that time Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj took birth and he showed that Bharat Mata can give birth to a son like him who can challenge Aurangzeb.”

Referring to India as ‘Hindu,’ he proclaimed, “Aurangzeb was not able to destroy our ‘Sanatan’ culture. Today India is ‘Sanatan’ and ‘Hindu’ and will continue to remain so.”

He accused communist historians of attempting to prove that Mughals ruled over all of India. “It was not true that Aurangzeb had captured entire India.” He mentioned, that the Mughal emperor never had control over South India or the North East.

Govt announces 10% reservation, age limit relaxation, and exemption from physical test for ex-Agniveers in CISF

OpIndia Staff
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Govt announces 10% reservation, age limit relaxation, and exemption from physical test for ex-Agniveers in CISF

A week after announcing a 10 percent reservation for former Agniveers in Border Security Force (BSF), the Union Ministry of Home Affairs on Thursday, March 16 announced a similar reservation for ex-Agniveers in Central Industrial Security Force (CISF). 

The ministry amended the Central Industrial Security Force Security Wing (Subordinate Ranks) Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ to implement a 10 percent reservation for ex-Agniveers in the CISF.

“In exercise of powers conferred by section 5 read with clause 9(a) of sub-section (2) of section 2 of the Central Industrial Security Forces Act, (50 of 1968), the Central Government hereby makes the following rules to further amend the Central Industrial Security Force Security Wing (Subordinate Rank) Group ‘B’ and ‘C’ Post Recruitment Rules 2010,” the MHA notice states.

The Home Ministry also notified relaxation in the upper age limit by up to five years for the first batch.

For the candidates in the first batch of ex-Agniveers, the upper age limit may be relaxed by up to five years. According to a notice released by the ministry of home affairs, 10% of the open vacancies must be reserved for former Agniveers.

The upper age limit will be flexible by up to three years for the following batches of ex-Agniveers, it stated. Ex-Agniveers will not be required to take the physical efficiency test.

“The upper age limit shall be relaxable up to five years for the candidates of the first batch of ex-Agniveers. Ten percent of the vacancies shall be reserved for ex-Agniveers,” the MHA notification reads.

Reservation for ex-Agniveers in BSF

The union ministry of home affairs recently announced that 10% of all vacancies at the Border Security Force will be reserved for the Agniveers after their terms in the army under the Agnipath scheme is over. As the tenure of the Agniveers in the Agnipath is 4 years, this will ensure that ex-Agniveers will have the opportunity to join the BSF after their tenure.

Agnipath Scheme

On June 14, 2022, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, along with the chiefs of three armed forces, launched the Agnipath scheme for the recruitment of youth in the armed forces. Those who get enrolled in the armed forces under this scheme are called Agniveers. Enrollment under the scheme is open for both men and women for a four-year period, including the training.

The Agnipath scheme allows patriotic and motivated youth to serve in the armed forces for a short period of four-year. As per the press release by the Defence Ministry, the scheme has been designed to enable a youthful profile of the Armed forces. While 25% of the Agniveers will be absorbed into the army permanently after the 4-year term, the rest 75% will retire.

As the 2024 elections come nearer, Congress begins demonisation of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant

Dibakar Dutta
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As the 2024 elections come nearer, Congress begins demonisation of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant

On Wednesday (March 15), West Bengal Congress leader Kamruzzaman Choudhury courted controversy by comparing the Hindu religious chant of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to ‘Hail Hitler.’

While reacting to a tweet by BJP spokesperson Keya Ghosh about Hindus preparing for celebrating the Ram Navami festival in the state, a rattled Chowdhury dubbed the sacred chant a ‘war cry.’

“Jai Sri Ram is the new “Hail Hitler”. A slogan of pride has been reduced to an intimidating war cry,” he had claimed. The archive of the tweet can be accessed here.

The vicious attempt was to link ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to ‘Hail Hilter’, a Nazi chant dedicated to eulogising Adolf Hitler who oversaw the killing of over 6 million Jews.

Tweet by Congress leader Kamruzzaman Choudhury

At the time of writing, it had been over 40 hours since the tweet was posted by the Congress leader. Despite mocking the sentiments of Hindus, Kamruzzaman Choudhury or the Congress high command did not bother to offer an apology or delete the contentious tweet.

The concerted attempt to demonise ‘Jai Shri Ram’

It must be mentioned that the slogan ‘Jai Shri Ram’ means ‘victory to Lord Rama’ and does not demonise any religion, let alone call for war or subjugation of adherents of other Faiths. However, it has been subjugated to a vitriolic campaign for the past several years for political gains.

This includes raking up of cases, falsely alleging weaponisation of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ to commit crimes against ‘religious minorities’ in India. OpIndia has documented how the sacred Hindu chat was defamed by falsely linking it to criminal incidents.

Ahead of the 2024 polls, the Congress ecosystem is leaving no stone unturned in slandering the Hindu faith. It is aware that there will be no consequences for its bigotry as Hindus believe in peaceful co-existence. Lord Ram has been a deity who has been revered across the pantheon of Hinduism for ages.

For Congress leader Kamruzzaman Choudhury to essentially reduce the chant of Hindu reverence of Shri Ram to a ‘war cry’ (as done earlier by the likes of BBC and Wikipedia) is not just motivated by appeasement politics but also aimed at demonising the faith of the Hindu community.

It is now a clear indicator that such attempts to tarnish the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ chant as a supposedly hate-filled slogan by the Congress ecosystem will continue unabated in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

Delhi Police arrest YouTuber Prince Dixit after his video celebrating birthday with a car rally on NH24 went viral

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi Police arrest YouTuber Prince Dixit after his video celebrating birthday with a car rally on NH24 went viral

On Thursday, March 16, Delhi police took cognizance of a video going viral on social media where some people were seen standing on roofs of cars at National Highway 24 in Delhi’s Pandav Nagar. The people seen in the video were celebrating the birthday of YouTuber Prince Dixit. 

As per reports, prince Dixit has been apprehended by the police.

“Cognizance of the matter has been taken. We are inquiring into it to identify the offenders and to get the details of the time of the incident. Appropriate legal action shall be taken against the offenders,” Delhi Police said in a tweet.

Though viral now, the video was posted on Prince Dixit’s Instagram account in November last year. The YouTuber and his friends can be seen standing on the seats of the moving cars while driving at high speed, with loud music playing in the background.

According to Delhi police, Prince said that this video was shot on his birthday, November 16, 2022, while travelling from NH24 to Shakarpur. Prince and his supporters were standing on the cars. He also admitted that he had broken traffic rules and appealed to his YouTube subscribers to refrain from doing so.

Police are looking for those friends of Prince Dixit who along with him were creating a ruckus on the road on 16 November 2022.

Recently, two YouTubers Jorawar Singh Kalsi and Gurpreet Singh were arrested in Gurugram for throwing currency notes on the Golf Course road in Haryana from a moving Baleno car. The video of the incident wherein the accused persons were recreating a scene from a web series titled ‘Farzi’ went viral on social media. According to the police, the currency notes hurled in the viral video had ‘Manoranjan Bank of India’ written on them.

Britain set to display Koh-i-noor at the Tower of London as a ‘symbol of conquest’

OpIndia Staff
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Britain set to display Koh-i-noor at the Tower of London as a ‘symbol of conquest’

On May 26 this year, the historic diamond Koh-i-Noor (mountain of light) will be put up for display as a ‘symbol of conquest’ at the Tower of London. The new exhibition, which has courted controversy since its announcement, reportedly will explore the history and origin of the diamond in utmost detail.

India has time and again demanded the repatriation of the Koh-i-Noor diamond from the United Kingdom, which currently sits in the crown worn by Queen Elizabeth II during her 1937 coronation.

During the exhibition, the colonial past of the 105.6-carat diamond would be explained and the manner it was ‘given’ (taken away) to Britain in 1849. Koh-i-noor had changed several hands over centuries and was possessed by Mughals, Afghan Emirs, Iranian Shahs, and Sikh rulers before being taken away by the British.

While speaking about the development to CNN, Tower of London’s media manager Sophie Lemangnen informed, “(The exhibit) references its long history as a symbol of conquest, which has passed through many hands.”

The controversial diamond, which is now part of Crown Jewels, was originally unearthed in central Southern India. Reportedly, the East India Company seized Koh-i-Noor from Maharaja Duleep Singh in 1849 and handed it over to Queen Victoria.

The diamond was then recut in 1852 by the royal jeweller, Garrad of London, to improve its brilliance. The story of Koh-i-Noor will be retold at the exhibition through a short film and a combination of projections and objects.

The event comes at a time when King Charles and his Queen consort Camilla are set to be crowned in Westminster Abbey in May this year. The keeper of the Jewel House, Andrew Jackson, said that the exhibition will provide visitors with a richer understanding of the jewels’ collection.

“We look forward to expanding the stories we are telling about the Crown Jewels,” he emphasised.

Cyclone Freddy hits Southeast Africa, leaves over 300 dead in Malawi

ANI
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Cyclone Freddy hits Southeast Africa, leaves over 300 dead in Malawi

Tropical Cyclone Freddy left over 300 people dead after it ripped through southeastern Africa’s Malawi, CNN reported citing the landlocked country’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs.

Malawi’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs said the cyclone had killed as many as 326 people. The devastation in the wake of the tropical storm left survivors trapped and fighting for survival.

The authorities further stated that over 30 people from Chilobwe, one of the hardest-hit areas, have died and dozens remain missing as search and rescue efforts continue.

People could be seen on Monday using shovels, even bare hands, to search for the people in the rubble.
Speaking to CNN, Dorothy Wachepa, a mother of four, said she woke up to a deafening noise “resembling the sound of an aeroplane.”

“It was around 12 and I heard the sound accompanied by shouting from people upland,” she said.
What followed was a torrent of muddy water, accompanied by rocks and trees, sliding down the mountain. All her possessions were washed away.

“Everything is gone. I was doing a small-scale business selling vegetables because my husband died in 2014. I’ve been supporting the children from the little that I have,” she added, reported CNN.

Earlier, on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his condolences over the loss of lives in Malawi, Mozambique and Madagascar from Cyclone Freddy.

He said India stands with the people of the affected countries in tough times.

On Tuesday, the Malawi Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change said the cyclone was “weakening but will continue to cause torrential rains associated with windy conditions in most parts of Southern Malawi districts”.

“The threat of heavy flooding and damaging winds remains very high,” the weather report said.
In Mozambique, at least 10 people were killed and 13 injured in the Zambezia province, CNN reported, citing state broadcaster Radio Mozambique.

Cyclone Freddy has broken records for the longest-lasting storm of its kind after making landfall in Mozambique for a second time, more than two weeks after the first.

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

Conman poses as Additional Director (PMO), gets Z-plus security and bulletproof SUV, arrested by Jammu & Kashmir Police

OpIndia Staff
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Conman poses as Additional Director (PMO), gets Z-plus security and bulletproof SUV, arrested by Jammu & Kashmir Police

Jammu and Kashmir Police have arrested a man who was posing as a top official of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The conman, identified as Kiran Patel, son of Jagdish Patel, a Gujarat resident posed as Additional Director ‘Strategy and Campaign’, in the Prime Minister’s office. By deceiving the administration, he also managed to obtain Z-plus security cover, a bulletproof SUV, and official accommodation at a five-star hotel in Jammu & Kashmir. Kiran Patel was reportedly staying at the Hotel Lalit in the valley.

The fraudster, however, was arrested on March 3 after the Jammu and Kashmir police received information about him. A case has been registered against the accused at Nishat police station under sections 419, 420, 467, 468, and 471 IPC of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

According to the FIR, “the said individual has intentionally induced people to do and omit to do activities, under a well-conceived strategy for getting monetary and material gains, by using deceit, forgery, and impersonation to dupe gullible people.”

Security personnel have seized fake identification cards of “PMO” from his possession.

Fake ID card recovered from conman Kiran Patel’s possession

According to reports, the ‘fraudster’ visited a number of locations in Kashmir, including Doodpatri in the Budgam district of central Kashmir. An SDM rank officer was with the “fraudster” when they arrived at Doodpathri.

Even some of the IAS officers were in awe of Patel as he was dropping names of high-ranking bureaucrats and political leaders in New Delhi, according to reports. Patel said that he had been assigned a mandate by the government to identify buyers for apple orchards in south Kashmir.

It’s interesting to note that the ‘conman,’ Kiran Patel, claims to hold a Ph.D. from Commonwealth University in Virginia, an MBA from IIM Trichy, an M Tech in Computer Science, and a BE in computer engineering as well.

PM Narendra Modi has done a lot for Sikhs and Sikhism: Former pro-Khalistan leader

ANI
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PM Narendra Modi has done a lot for Sikhs and Sikhism: Former pro-Khalistan leader

The founder of Dal Khalsa and former pro-Khalistan leader Jaswant Singh Thekedar has lauded the work undertaken and accomplished by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the country’s Sikh community, saying that he admires the community and has done a lot for its people.

In an interview with ANI, Thekedar said, “Our Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, has done a lot for Sikhs and Sikhism. He loves our community. He has done a lot — ended the blacklists, opened Kartarpur Corridor, and talked about Chhote Sahibzadas (the sons of Guru Gobind Singh).” He said the Central government led by PM Modi has worked to meet major demands put forward by members of the Sikh community.

“The government has worked on major demands, and only a few demands and left to be fulfilled. All will be good if they agree to meet these demands,” he said.

Earlier, Prime Minister Modi had met prominent Sikhs from across the country at his official residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg. The delegation thanked the Prime Minister for taking steps for the welfare of the Sikh community, and especially for honouring Chaar Sahibzaade through his decision to declare December 26 every year as Veer Baal Diwas.

Each member of the delegation honoured Prime Minister Modi with ‘Siropao’ and ‘Siri Sahib’.

PM Modi said people in many regions of the country are not aware of the contribution and sacrifice of Chaar Sahibzaade. He recalled that whenever he got an opportunity to speak in schools and in front of children, he always spoke about Chaar Sahibzaade.

The decision to observe December 26 as Veer Baal Diwas will go a long way in making children from different corners of the country aware of them, PM Modi said.

He thanked the leaders of the Sikh Community for visiting him, saying that the doors of his house were always open for them. He recalled his connection with them and the time spent together during the course of his stay in Punjab.

He also praised the spirit of service of the Sikh community, saying that the world needs to be made more aware of it. He said that his government was fully committed to the welfare of the Sikh community. He talked about several steps taken by the government in this regard.

He discussed the special arrangements that were made to bring back Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan with full honour while also talking about the steps taken by the government through diplomatic channels to open up the Kartarpur Sahib Corridor for Sikh pilgrims.

In February last year, Prime Minister Modi met members of a Sikh-Hindu Delegation from Afghanistan at his 7 Lok Kalyan Marg residence. They honoured and thanked him for bringing Sikhs and Hindus safely to India from Afghanistan by virtue of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Prime Minister Modi welcomed the delegation saying that they are not guests but are in their own house, adding that India is their home. He talked about the immense difficulties faced by them in Afghanistan and the help provided by the government to bring them to India safely.

He also talked about the significance of the CAA and its benefits for the community while assuring them of his government’s continuous support in future as well to resolve all issues and difficulties faced by them.

Prime Minister Modi also talked about the significance of the tradition of honouring Guru Granth Sahib, in light of which special arrangements were made to bring back Swaroop of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan. He also brought up the immense love that he has received from Afghans over the years and fondly recalled his visit to Kabul.

Manjinder Singh Sirsa, who was also part of the delegation that met PM Modi, thanked him for sending help from India for bringing back the community safely, saying that when no one stood with them, Prime Minister Modi ensured constant support and timely help.

Other members of the delegation also thanked PM Modi for standing up for them in times of distress. They said that they had tears in their eyes when they heard him talking about making special arrangements to bring back the ‘Swaroop’ of Guru Granth Sahib from Afghanistan to India with proper reverence.

They also thanked him for bringing into force the CAA, which they said will be of immense help to the members of their community.

On Amritpal Singh, a pro-Khalistan leader and chief of ‘Punjab Waris De’ who made headlines following clashes with the police at Ajnala in Amritsar on February 23, Thekedar said he knows “nothing about Khalistan”. He added that Singh will not succeed in his plans.

“Amritpal is not a Khalistani, he knows nothing about it. But he has certainly made a lot of money in the name of Khalistan. I don’t think he will succeed in his plans going forward,” the former pro-Khalistan leader said.

On Pakistan’s intelligence agency Inter-Services Intelligence or ISI, he said it does not use an asset for a lifetime and will pick another person as soon as it is determined that the previous person is no longer of any use.

“When he (Amritpal Singh) was in Dubai, he was clean-shaven. He is not a (traditional) Sikh. He does not know anything about Sikh history. I must add that several more like him will crop up in the coming years. Because the ISI doesn’t run its assets for a lifetime. When they feel that a person is no longer of any use, they replace him with others who are in line,” Thekedar said.

He added that Pakistan would not let a separate Khalistan be carved out as it is aware that the pro-Khalistanis have their eyes on Lahore next.

“Pakistan knows that if a country of Sikhs comes into being, they will target Lahore next. They will come to Nankana Sahib and Panja Sahib. They won’t let this happen. It is Pakistan, not India, which is the real enemy of Khalistan,” he said.

The former pro-Khalistan leader cautioned the Punjab government of the Aam Aadmi Party against going soft on pro-Khalistan elements, saying that the regime under Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was, in effect, helping the revival of the Khalistan movement by not taking timely action.

“This Punjab government is not capable of dealing with this (threat of revival of the Khalistan movement). There is not a single person in the administration who handle this. I feel that by not taking timely action, they are only aiding the revival of the Khalistan movement,” he said.

Suggesting that the Centre consider agreeing with the demands of the Khalistan leaders, he said it would stop the movement from growing further.

“Their demands for the release of Sikh political prisoners, and removal of Sikhs from Section 25B-2 could be met. It won’t bring any harm to the country if the government were to meet these demands. If the government accedes to their demands, this movement could be nipped in the bud. Every issue has a political solution. The government can also consider putting together a committee comprising former Khalistan leaders. Through such moves, the government can bring the Khalistan movement to an end,” he 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)

Supreme Court says it is willing to relax restrictions in eco-sensitive zones around forests, SFI had vandalised Rahul Gandhi’s office over the issue

OpIndia Staff
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Supreme Court says it is willing to relax restrictions in eco-sensitive zones around forests, SFI had vandalised Rahul Gandhi’s office over the issue

On Thursday, 16th March 2023, the Supreme Court implied that it may relax the restrictions in the eco-sensitive zones (ESZ) around protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries. Currently, there are restrictions on the construction of permanent structures and mining in the one-kilometre buffer zone around protected forests according to an order that the Supreme Court gave on 3rd June 2022. Justices BR Gavai, Vikram Nath, and Sanjay Karol were on the bench that heard this case. The Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change and various state governments filed this case which sought relaxations to the buffer zone rulling.

Justice BR Gavai observed, “Prima facie, we are inclined to allow this modification application.” He also clarified that even if the order is modified, the restrictions on mining in the ESZ areas will remain unchanged. Justice BR Gavai essentially reaffirmed his remarks in the earlier hearing in this case on Wednesday in which he had said, “Whatever is prohibited, will remain prohibited, and whatever is regulated, will have to be regulated. But there can not be a complete ban on construction. Otherwise, it will again lead to the man-animal conflict.”

Additional solicitor general Aishwarya Bhati appeared for the Union Government. He submitted that stringent rules on the buffer zones around the protected forests and wildlife sanctuaries have caused certain practical difficulties. He urged that the zones be divided into three categories – one where ESZ notifications have been issued, second where a draft notification has been promoted, and third where proposals have been received.

K Parameshwar appeared in this case as an amicus curiae. He highlighted the issue of the conflict with the scheme under the Forests Rights Act 2006. He cited the case of the Sulthan Bathery municipality in Kerala, a predominantly tribal area that was entirely within the buffer zone around a protected forest, resulting in the prohibition of any new construction in that area. The locals residing in this area are forced to seek permission from a competent authority to continue ongoing projects. K Parameshwar said, “However, there should not be a carte blanche exemptions from all notifications. I do not know whether it would be possible to have little or no buffer zone at all.”

Advocate Jaideep Gupta appearing for the state of Kerala argued that the state has special circumstances as it has forest cover on more than 30% area of the state’s geography and high population density in the rest of the areas.

The Sulthan Bathery municipality and some residents also sought relaxation in the ESZ rules. The states of Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh were among the others seeking relaxation. Besides, he submitted that the medium and small towns of the state overlap with the forest areas, and human settlements in the immediate vicinity of the jungles share a common border with the protected forests. This affects the livelihoods of the residents of these areas if a blanket ban is imposed on the construction and developmental projects in these areas.

On 3rd June 2022, the Supreme Court mandated that each protected forest should have an eco-sensitive buffer zone of one kilometre around them. The court also directed in this order that no permanent structure can be built and no mining operation can be undertaken in this ESZ area.

This decision triggered protests in Kerala, as it was feared that thousands of people will lose their livelihoods due to this. Farmers in several areas in the state including Idukki, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, and Wayanad protested against the order, as they use the edges of the protected forests for farming. The state govt and the church supported them.

The office of Rahul Gandhi in Wayanad Kerala was vandalized by SFI workers on 24th June 2022 over the issue. The SFI workers were reportedly angry over Rahul Gandhi’s alleged silence over the Supreme Court order over maintaining an eco-sensitive zone. But Congress workers claimed that SFI was angry because Rahul Gandhi had already written a letter to Kerala CM over the issue.

Rahul Gandhi had said that the court order allows for some dilutions of the provision in the overwhelming public interest, and the state govt should take advantage of the same. However, the ruling LDF had termed the act of Rahul Gandhi writing to the CM over the issue as childish and immature. The left parties had said that the state govt has no role in this matter as it was a Supreme Court order, and only the central govt can intervene in it.

Apart from Kerala, several other states had also sought relaxations to the buffer zone order, including Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. It is notable that the apex court has already exempted Sanjay Gandhi National Park, Flamingo Thane Creek and Tungareshwar wildlife sanctuary near Mumbai from the order.

In the original order itself, the court had noted that a uniform ESZ rule may not be feasible in all cases and there could be specific instances of sanctuaries situated near metro regions where urban activities have come up over the years.

Delhi: Local Hindus and BJP leaders protest the demolition of 50-year-old Hanuman temple, party accuses AAP Govt of misinforming DDA

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: Local Hindus and BJP leaders protest the demolition of 50-year-old Hanuman temple, party accuses AAP Govt of misinforming DDA

On March 15, Wednesday, the Delhi Development Authority (DDA) officials demolished a Hanuman temple built about fifty years ago. During the demolition drive the portrait of Lord Hanuman was also trampled. The temple was located in the city’s Shankar road area in the Rajendra Nagar neighbourhood. 

The demolition work was, however, halted as soon as locals and members of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) reached the site and protested against the same. The leaders accused the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi Government’s ‘religious committee’ of misleading DDA by issuing a wrong recommendation to demolish the 50-year-old Hindu temple.

Several videos of the demolition of the Hanuman Temple located in Rajendra Nagar in Delhi have emerged on social media.

In another video shared on Twitter, locals and Hindu outfit members are seen opposing the demolition drive and arguing with authorities amid ‘Jai Shree Ram’ chants.

BJP leader Adesh Gupta also shared a video of him and several other leaders sitting on a dharna to protest against the Delhi Govt, accusing them of the demolition of the temple.

According to reports, on March 15, police officers and bulldozers arrived at the temple. Members of the BJP and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) gathered as soon as they got the news of the demolition drive. They stood over the bulldozer and halted the demolition.

The BJP leaders while speaking with the media said that Arvind Kejriwal’s AAP is targeting Hindus and they misinformed the DDA so that this Hanuman temple could be demolished.

The media reports also quoted some police officials as saying that they were taking action against the illegal encroachments around the temple.

After protests erupted, a heavy police force was deployed in the area and the situation was brought under control.

It may be recalled how a similar situation arose in January 2021, when the demolition of a Hanuman Temple in Delhi’s Chandni Chowk sparked outrage in the Union Territory. The temple was demolished as part of the Delhi Government’s Chandni Chowk Renovation Plan, and the NDMC, which is controlled by the BJP, was in charge of the demolition. The BJP in Delhi, on the other hand, accused the AAP government of not safeguarding the Temple. OpIndia then detailed the blame game that ensued post the demolition.

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