Home Blog Page 2713

The threat of Islamisation looms over Fiji, Hindus sidelined by Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiym with an ‘invisible’ Pakistan backing: Details

Dibakar Dutta
-
0
The threat of Islamisation looms over Fiji, Hindus sidelined by Minister Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiym with an ‘invisible’ Pakistan backing: Details

Fiji, an island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, is under the spotlight over reports of persecution of the Hindu community. At the epicentre of the controversy is Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, the Fijian Minister for Economy, Civil Service and Communications. Hindus in Fiji comprise about 27.9% of the total population and the minority community is faced with increasing cases of inequitable treatment and racial prejudice.

Aiyaz Sayed Khaiyum is one of the most important Ministers in the Cabinet of Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama. He is accused of having close ties with the intelligence agency of Pakistan, ISI, and fuelling the ongoing persecution of Hindus.

The allegations stem from his role in onboarding NADRA, the national database registration authority of Pakistan for conducting the 2018 elections in the island nation. This is despite the claim of the agency that it landed the Fiji contract in 2016 via a competitive bidding process.

In 2017, NADRA came under the scanner for tampering with voter registration in its home country of Pakistan. As per a report by ABC News, the agency was accused of ballot stuffing, corruption and giving identity cards to terrorists.

According to Hindu Post, Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum used NADRA to allegedly tamper with the 2018 election results and ensure the victory of Frank Bainimarama.

Screengrab of the article by the Hindu Post

“Critics allege that Bainimarama gave Khaiyum a free hand in return for the victory, and Khaiyum turned all his attention against the Hindu population in Fiji. Not only temple attacks became more frequent, but also Hindu intellectuals are regularly picked up by the police and slapped with false cases,” it stated.

Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyume has been accused of ‘stuffing’ Pakistani-origin Muslims in key positions of power by flouting rules. One of the controversial appointments has been that of Saud Minam as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Fiji Development Bank (FDB).

Saud Minam, a former Pakistani citizen, was originally eyeing the position of Fiji National Provident Fund. When he was made the CEO of FDB, questions were raised about the manner in which Fijian citizenship was granted to him.

“What a shame…Naturalising someone to become a Fijian citizen after only seven years or so of him being in Fiji. Is this for real? The deception to use their job to gain citizenship in Fiji makes me very very nervous,” legislator Aseri Radrodro pointed out last year.

Screengrab of the news report

Under the ‘supervision’ of Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, Muslims have been appointed to crucial positions of power including the Reserve Bank, Broadcasting Commission, Financial Intelligence Unit, Accident and Compensation Commission, Supervisor of Elections, and Permanent Secretary Trade (government).

It must be mentioned that Muslims comprise only 6% of the population and their appointments have been disproportionate to their population. Khaiyum’s aunt, Nur Bano Ali, controls the Fiji Chamber of Commerce and is the Chairperson of Women in Business (Fiji).

She is said to have tremendous influence in the private sector of the country. Fiji also signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a ‘bankrupt’ Pakistan, leading to the constitution of the Pakistan Fiji Business Council.

The unceremonious ouster of Hindus from positions of power, change to Fijian Hindi on Radio Mirchi

Mohammed Saneem, who was appointed as the Supervisor of Elections by Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, had allegedly been involved in recalling the High Commissioner-Designate of Fiji to India, Namita Thakar.

He had accused her of being anti-Muslim after Saneem insisted on having non-vegetarian food during Diwali. “…Khatri was supposed to take Saneem out for a meal. But she said since Diwali was near she won’t eat meat but Saneem said he wanted to eat meat,” reported Fijileaks.

“So Khatri’s deputy and Saneem said “Ok we will go and eat meat”. On that Khatri said “Oh you two Muslims, go and eat meat”. Saneem allegedly told Khaiyum that Khatri “is anti-Muslim”; she was later recalled from India,” the news portal added.

Namita Khatri presenting her credentials to President Mukherjee in 2016, image via Digital Photo Library of Rashtrapati Bhavan

Saneem has been accused of facilitating the wrongful termination of ‘devout’ Hindu, Sharvada Sharma as the Solicitor general of Fiji. He had served in that position for 10 years. After a fallout with Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, he was unceremoniously ousted by the Fijian Prime Minister.

Reportedly, his termination letter came when he was prepping for Puja on the occasion of Diwali. Although Sharma had challenged the matter before the Court, Khaiyum is accused of compromising the independence of the Judiciary and prolonging the case.

Coupled with the sacking of Hindus from key positions and the growing proximity with Pakistan, Aiyaz is paving the way for the Islamisation of the Christian-majority nation.

His brother, Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum, has been accused of severing the Indic roots of Hindu Fijians. Riyaz, who serves as the CEO of Fiji Broadcasting Corporation, even changed the medium of instruction on Radio Mirchi from pure Hindi to an adulterated version called ‘Fiji Hindi’.

Screengrab of the news report

While speaking about the development back then, Hindu politician Mahendra Chaudhry said, “It is not only demeaning, it sounds absolutely ridiculous when one hears Radio Mirchi announcers expressing themselves in this medium.”

“It is a gratuitous insult hurled at the Indians, particularly the followers of the Hindu religion. To dilute one’s language effectively means diluting one’s culture because language is so intrinsically tied up with the practice and preservation of one’s culture and traditions,” he had emphasised.

Riyaz Sayed-Khaiyum had however defended the move and claimed that it would help preserve ‘Fiji Hindi’ for decades and generations to come.

Systemic attack on the Hindu Indo-Fijian community

According to the Hindu American Foundation (HAF), Indo-Fijians belonging to the Hindu community have been subject to systemic violence since the first military coup in May 1987.

“In the months following the coup, racial tensions escalated and indigenous Fijians attacked Indians in widespread violence. In one bout of violence in May 1987, nearly 200 Indians were injured by a rampaging mob of thousands of coup supporters,” it stated while citing a New York Times report.

Another coup, which took place in the same year, witnessed the exodus of 30,000 – 40,000 Indo-Fijians from the island nation. According to HAF, systemic violence had seen a change in demographics with the Indo-Fijian community now accounting for only 37% of the population (from 50% in 1987).

Screengrab of the article by the Hindu American Foundation

The Hindu advocacy group pointed out that the first two coups in Fiji paved the way for a new constitution in 1990. The said constitution reportedly created a race rift, wherein the majority of Parliamentary seats were allocated to indigenous Fijians.

This soon escalated to real-life violence against the Hindu community and arson attacks on temples and sacred shrines in October of 1991. A year after the island nation had its first Hindu PM (Mahendra Chaudhary) in 1999, he was held hostage and toppled from his position of power.

“Subsequently, violence against Indian Hindus increased and threatened their fundamental right to practice their faith,” HAF said. Despite the secular nature of the Constitution adopted by Fiji in 2013, the targeting of Hindus continues unabated.

This includes cases of vandalism and theft at multiple temples across the country. Here is a comprehensive list of such incidents:

  • June 2016 – Vandalism of Hindu temple in Lautoka, desecration of Hindu symbols and hate graffiti targeting local Indian students.
  • December 2017 – Vandalism of Tirath Dham temple (Nadi), theft of donation boxes, desecration of Hindu murtis
  • January 2018 – Vandalism of a temple near Suva.
  • July 2019 – Theft at Sita Ram Mandir (Calia) and Hindu temple at Malolo
  • August 2019 – Vandalism of temple doors and windows of Kaliamman Temple in Lautoka.
  • September 2019 — Theft at a temple in the Suva city of Fiji.

The Hindu American Foundation pointed out that Indo-Fijians still have less land ownership [pdf] compared to indigenous Fijians and the former is dependent on leased lands for farming from the latter.

Besides the threat of Islamisation, Hindus in Fiji also face challenges from the hegemony of the Methodist Church of Fiji and its resolve to make the island nation a ‘Christian State’.

In 2012, the then Fiji Methodist Church’s President Tuikilakila Waqairatu claimed, “Fiji was given to God…When we say that Fiji is a Christian state … we say it was decided by our chiefs who ceded Fiji to Great Britain that Fiji be a Christian country.”

“When it was given to God, it has already established its covenant relationship with God, and that covenant relationship is eternal – it cannot be withdrawn,” he had asserted then

Fijian Prime Minister cries foul

Meanwhile, Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama has reacted strongly to the article posted by Hindu Post.

In a video, he said, “The Fiji I lead does not tolerate antagonism against any faith. Christians, Hindus, and Muslims are all loved, accepted and protected in Fiji, that is the character of our country, that is the security provided by our constitution.”

“What is really quite sad is that no other politician has condemned this nonsense for what it is, even though they know it is a lie,” the Fijian Prime Minister dismissed the allegations.

“Ordinary Fijians know exactly who is most responsible for the communal and religious division that nearly tore our country apart in the 1980s and 1990s. These same people want to drag us back to the darkness,” Frank Bainimarama claimed.

Will Muslim voters in Gujarat vote for Owaisi’s AIMIM in the assembly elections: OpIndia ground report

લિંકન સોખડિયા
-
0
Will Muslim voters in Gujarat vote for Owaisi’s AIMIM in the assembly elections: OpIndia ground report

The history so far is such that the fight in the Legislative Assembly elections in Gujarat has always been between the two main parties BJP and Congress. This is the first time that a third party as the Aam Aadmi Party is participating in such a significant manner. Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM party is also fielding candidates on several seats this time.

The All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), headed by MP Asaduddin Owaisi, has fielded candidates across 14 seats in the assembly elections. Of these, 12 candidates are Muslims. Since two seats are reserved for Scheduled Castes, the party has fielded a Hindu Scheduled Caste candidate there.

AIMIM and MP Asaduddin Owaisi are notorious across the country for their communal politics and controversial statements. We tried to find out the impact of his communal politics on the minds of Muslims in Gujarat by talking to local Muslims in some of the above-mentioned seats.

Owaisi’s meeting has been canceled as the crowd did not gather in Danilimda.

The AIMIM has fielded a woman named Kaushika Parmar for the Danilimda seat, which is considered to be a Muslim majority in Ahmedabad but reserved for scheduled castes (SC). Shailesh Parmar of the Congress has been elected as an MLA for the last four terms. This time too, the Congress has fielded its sitting MLA. AIMIM has fielded Kaushika Parmar as a Hindu Scheduled Caste candidate from the seat.

It is worth mentioning that Shailesh Parmar has got the backing of a Muslim strongman family living inside the Shahalam Darwaza in Danilimda. Therefore, he has been continuously elected by getting Muslim votes. This is the same area where Muslims had fatally attacked security personnel and police in the name of anti-CAA protests and on the charge of which many people were detained including local corporator Shahzad.

Congress has been winning this Muslim-dominated seat for the last 20 years with the support of the Muslim community. This is the first time in the form of AIMIM that a Muslim party is challenging them from here. In this regard, OpIndia went to Danilimda and tried to know the opinion of local Muslims.

On Friday, November 18, our team reached a tea shop called Fakira near Pir Kamal Mosque in Danilimda. There are always 100-150 people sitting here and a large number of them are Muslims.

Near Pir Kamal Mosque, Danilimda

Speaking to OpIndia, a local man named Sohail, who works as an electrician, gave his opinion. He said, “In Danilimda, things happen the way that Shahzad Baba says. Owaisi will not work here.”

Speaking further, Sohail said, “A few days ago, Owaisi had a meeting in Danilimda, but he had to cancel the meeting and leave as there were no people gathered for the meeting. Who will vote for those whose meetings are not attended by people?”

Another person named Farid Mohammad Atari said, “There is talk among Muslims that Owaisi is not the leader of Muslims. He is a BJP-RSS agent. So no Muslim will vote for him.”

Apart from this, our team spoke to many people whose responses were mostly similar to the above-mentioned ones. Also, one thing was prominently noticed. Since this seat was reserved for scheduled castes, here the AIMIM had fielded a Hindu woman. If this seat were non-reserved and there was a Muslim male candidate from AIMIM, perhaps there would have been a difference in the response of the people and the outcome of the election.

A battle of Chhipa vs Chhipa in Jamalpur

Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur seat is also a Muslim-dominated assembly constituency where Imran Khedawala of the Congress is currently an MLA and this time he is also the Congress candidate. Here too, AIMIM has fielded its own candidates. Gujarat AIMIM state president Sabir Kabliwala has been made the candidate of Owaisi’s party here.

Ahmedabad’s Jamalpur seat is dominated by Chhipa Muslims, which is a caste of Muslims. The history so far is such that Chhipa Muslims have given direction to the politics here with their votes. In 2012, Congress fielded another Muslim, Samir Khan Sipai, who was a Pathan, instead of the Chhipa Muslim here. Sabir Kabliwala, who belongs to the Chhipa community, had filed his nomination as an independent candidate here. And the entire Chhipa community came together and gave him over 30,000 votes and as a result the Congress candidate lost to BJP candidate Bhushan Bhatt by just 6000 votes.

The Team of OpIndia reached the famous Lucky Tea Stall in Jamalpur. Here we tried to find out for the local Muslims. In a conversation with OpIndia, Ajaz Akhtar Sheikh, who does a private job, said, “This time there is a battle of Chhipa versus Chhipa in Jamalpur. Imran Khedawala of the Congress and Sabir Kabliwala of the AIMIM both come from the Chhipa community.”

Lucky tea stall in Jamalpur

He further said, “These two leaders have a good influence over their community and it is not possible to know from now on whom the society will vote for them. But one thing is certain whatever votes Kabliwala gets will be in his own name and not in the name of AIMIM. Because in the past, he has got more than 30,000 votes even by contesting independently.”

Another person, who did not wish to be named, said that on the day before polling in every election, fatwas are issued by the Chhipa community as to whom they will vote for. And the candidate named in the fatwa is almost certain to get the votes of the entire community. Now it remains to be seen whom the community supports in this fight between two Chhipas.

A man named Anas Patni told OpIndia, “AIMIM will not do well anywhere in Gujarat. It will only work to break a few votes of Congress. This will only benefit the BJP.” We tried to talk to many other Muslim citizens but most of them were avoiding talking to us and expressing their opinions.

What is the Owaisi effect in Surat?

Apart from Ahmedabad, AIMIM has also fielded candidates for two seats in Surat. These two seats are Surat East and Limbayat. Both these seats have a sizeable Muslim population.

OpIndia had recently reported that Owaisi had faced opposition from Muslims during a public meeting at Surat East seat. When Owaisi came to speak on stage, some Muslim youths protested against Owaisi with slogans of ‘Modi-Modi’ and ‘Wapas Jao, Wapas Jao’.

This is not the first time that Owaisi has been opposed by the Muslim community in Gujarat. Earlier in May, members of the Muslim community had gathered in Limbayat in Surat to protest against the AIMIM leader, who was on an election tour.

During the protest, people called Owaisi an agent of the BJP-RSS. And not only surat but a large section of Muslims across Gujarat believe that Owaisi is working as an agent of the BJP. This was also coming to light in the ground research by Opindia.

AIMIM removes Bapunagar candidate to help Congress

There is talk in the Muslim community that Owaisi is an agent of the BJP and the RSS and his party is the B-team of the BJP. It is also prevalent among Muslims that AIMIM has come to help the BJP by breaking the Congress vote in Gujarat.

On the other hand, the AIMIM candidate from the Bapunagar seat in Ahmedabad, Shahnawaz Pathan, has withdrawn his candidature to help the Congress candidate. Now it will be more difficult for the Muslim community to decide whose B-team Owaisi and AIMIM really are.

Apart from this, the locals do not believe that Owaisi will be able to make any big impact even in the seats where AIMIM has fielded candidates. So now it remains to be seen whether the Muslim community of Gujarat will actually reject Owaisi’s communal politics or follow the ‘Aapna Wala Hai’ rule at the last moment.

Vasai interfaith marriage: The couple’s parents confirm a limited ceremony following a death in family, deny rumours of cancellation over any tweet

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Vasai interfaith marriage: The couple’s parents confirm a limited ceremony following a death in family, deny rumours of cancellation over any tweet

The wedding reception of interfaith marriage in Vasai in Maharashtra was rumoured to be cancelled after Suresh Chavhanke, the editor-in-chief of Sudarshan News, shared the wedding invite via his Twitter handle. Now, the parents of the couple in this new interfaith wedding in Vasai confirmed that they limited the ceremony because of the death of a relative.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, the parents of Divya Dudhrejiya informed the Manikpur police station in Vasai about this change in the program. Their daughter Divya and Imran Mukadam married a month before the marriage registrar and planned a reception on November 20. Due to a loss in the family, they decided not to have the reception at Vishwakarma Hall in Anand Nagar. Instead, they held a small ritual with close family members in a temple where they exchanged garlands.

Suresh Chavhanke mentioned in his tweet that Shraddha Walkar was brutally killed by her husband Aftab Amin who also hailed from Vasai. As the wedding reception program in Vasai was cancelled, it was speculated that Suresh Chavhanke’s tweet led to this cancellation.

Suresh Chavhanke shared their wedding reception invitation on 18th November 2022 from his Twitter handle. Chavhanke wrote in his tweet, “Imran and Divya are now going to get married in murderer Aftab’s Vasai. Wedding invitations are public. How is this going to happen in Vasai even after Aftab from the same place committed the heart-rending crime of cutting shraddha into 35 pieces?”

Over 12000 Twitter users were engaged on this post by Suresh Chavhanke. The post also had a hashtag of love jihad. When the news spread that the wedding reception ceremony is cancelled, at that time, there was a buzz in social media that this has happened because of this tweet by Chavhanke. But on Saturday, 19th November 2022, the parents of the couple made it clear that the wedding reception was converted to a limited program because of the death of a relative.

Karnataka: Mangaluru blast suspect identified as Mohammed Shariq, was previously arrested under UAPA

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Karnataka: Mangaluru blast suspect identified as Mohammed Shariq, was previously arrested under UAPA

On Sunday 20th November 2022, the Karnataka police identified the suspect in the Mangaluru blast case. The name of the suspect is Mohammed Shariq and he has been previously arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A blast took place in an autorickshaw in Mangaluru on Saturday, 19th November 2022, in which Shariq has now been identified as the main suspect.

The explosion in the moving autorickshaw in Mangaluru resulted in flames and copious smoke. Burn injuries were suffered by the autorickshaw driver and the passenger who was carrying a pressure cooker with him that exploded. The passenger has now been identified as Mohammed Shariq. He is currently receiving treatment in a local hospital after being injured in the explosion.

It is notable that Mohammed Shariq had earlier been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for graffiti on the walls in Mangaluru. He was granted bail in the case. In addition, the police were searching for him in another terror case as well.

In September, two persons Maaz Muneer Ahmad (22) of Mangaluru and Syed Yasin (21)were arrested for their alleged links to the banned terrorist organisation Islamic State. In the same case, Mohammad Shariq was a suspect and he was on the run from the police.

According to a report by Hindustan Times, two senior officials who are investigating the case said, “The name of the bomber in the Mangaluru blast case is Shariq. He is one of the three men who is wanted for his links to the Islamic State and executed trial bomb blasts on the bank of Tunga River earlier this year.”

The explosive device was inside a pressure cooker

Mohammed Shariq was carrying a pressure cooker, and police found that there was an improvised explosive device (IED) inside the cooker which exploded. He was also carrying a stolen Aadhar card of a 24-year-old Hindu person named Premraj, who is a resident of Hubballi. As per a News18 report, police sources said that the suspect was already on the radar of the police. The suspect was reportedly planning a similar attack two months ago in Shivamogga, however, could not succeed as the plan was busted by the police. 

The owner of the house where the suspect rented a room has also confirmed his identity, according to intelligence agencies. M Mohan Kumar, the house owner from Mysuru, stated that the suspect was paying Rs 1,800 per month for a single room. Kumar produced a copy of the rental agreement, which listed the suspect’s name as Premraj, S/o Sri Maruthi, with a Hubballi address.

Explosives, circuit boards, sulphuric acid, other chemicals, small bolts, batteries, mobile displays, wooden powder, aluminum foil, multimeter, wires, mixer jars, pressure cookers and whistles, and other items were discovered in the room by intelligence agencies. A mobile phone, two fake Aadhaar cards, one PAN card, one debit card, an unused SIM card, and a notebook with circuit drawings have also been recovered.

Shraddha was once beaten by Aftab after a fight over non-vegetarian food, reveals neighbour, says he assaulted her almost regularly

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Shraddha was once beaten by Aftab after a fight over non-vegetarian food, reveals neighbour, says he assaulted her almost regularly

As the probe into the death of Shraddha Walkar continues, surprising evidence emerges revealing that accused Aftab and Shraddha were in a toxic relationship and that the latter was psychologically traumatized by the former. Aftab allegedly assaulted Shraddha Walkar for consuming non-vegetarian food, according to a new disclosure by Shraddha’s neighbour Poonam Bidlan.

“When she came to me, she was very much frightened. She was severely beaten by someone. Then I asked her what happened to her. I could see bruises all over her face. That day they fought over eating non-vegetarian. She told me that she lived in a live-in relationship and her boyfriend had beaten her severely,” the neighbour told reporters.

“She said that whenever her boyfriend got angry, he used to beat her and leave her alone. He used to come back the other day,” she further said. Poonam said that she used to tell Shraddha to not stay with Aftab and instead stay with her. The neighbour said that she also insisted Shraddha make a police complaint.

Poonam said that when Aftab assaulted Shraddha, his parents visited them and spoke to them. According to Poonam Bidlan, the relationship was very abusive as Aftab assaulted Shraddha almost on a regular basis.

OpIndia has reported on WhatsApp talks between Shraddha and her friends from 2020, in which the victim described the event wherein Aftab viciously assaulted her.

Shraddha Walkar murder case

On November 14, the Delhi Police solved the six-month-old murder case of Shraddha Walkar and arrested Aftab Poonawala for murdering her, and then chopping her into 35 small pieces. Aftab executed the murder on May 18 and stored her body parts in the refrigerator. He then disposed of the body pieces in Delhi’s Mehrauli forest during the next 18 days.

The accused was arrested based on the complaint filed by Shraddha’s father on November 10. He stated in the complaint that the accused and the deceased had rented an apartment in Delhi and were staying in an unhealthy live-in relationship. He said that he had always opposed their relationship as Aftab used to physically assault Shraddha.

The girl, a resident of Palghar was adamant about continuing her relationship with accused Aftab and shifted to Delhi with him. Three days after they shifted to Delhi, they engaged in a quarrel and Aftab happened to kill Shraddha. He confessed his crime on November 14 and stated that they used to fight a lot. He said that he murdered Shraddha on May 18 as she was forcing him to get married to her. They also fought over who would manage the domestic household expenses.

The accused has been arrested and a case under IPC section 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed) have been registered. Further investigations into the case are underway.

Sex with minors an offence even after a valid marriage, Kerala High Court refuses to exclude Muslim personal law from POCSO Act

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Sex with minors an offence even after a valid marriage, Kerala High Court refuses to exclude Muslim personal law from POCSO Act

On November 19, Kerala High Court ruled that a marriage between Muslims under personal law cannot be excluded from the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Justice Bechu Kurain Thomas said if one of the partners in the marriage is a minor, offences under POCSO Act will apply. The validity of the marriage would not be considered in such cases.

Notably, Punjab and Haryana High Courts, Delhi High Court and Gujarat High Court had ruled differently from what Kerala High Court ruled. The three state High Courts had favoured personal law above POCSO. However, on October 30, Karnataka High Court ruled POCSO would override personal law.

Justice Thomas said, “With respect to the learned Judges, I am unable to agree to the proposition laid down in those decisions that an offence under the POCSO Act will not get attracted against a Muslim marrying a minor.”

The court was hearing a bail plea moved by a 31-year-old Muslim man accused of kidnapping and raping a minor. He claimed to have gotten married to the minor as per Muslim personal law in March 2021. Thiruvalla Police Station booked the accused under sections 366, 376(2) (m) and 376(3) of the Indian Penal Code and under sections 5(j)((ii), 5(i) and section 6 of the POCSO Act.

The FIR in the matter was registered based on intimation received by a doctor of a health care centre where the victim had gone for a checkup for her pregnancy. The accused allegedly abducted the minor from West Bengal and “committed repeated penetrative sexual assaults during the period before 31.08.2022, due to which the victim became pregnant and thereby, the accused committed the alleged offences.”

The accused’s counsel argued that as Muslim personal law allows the marriage of girls below the age of 18, he cannot be prosecuted for rape of provisions under the POCSO Act. On the contrary, the state argued POCSO Act would override personal law.

Justice Thomas said, though, as per The Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) Application Act, 1937, all questions related to marriage would be divided as per the Muslim Personal Law (Shariat) after the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act, 2006 came to force, “It is questionable whether the said personal law will prevail over the special statute relating to marriages. Under section 3 of the said Act, a child marriage shall be voidable at the option of the contracting party, who is a child. But section 12 makes a child marriage void in certain circumstances.”

The court noted that the investigation officer alleged the accused enticed the victim without the knowledge of her parents. At that time, the victim was only just over 14 years. The validity of the marriage was also put under scanner by the court.

The court ruled, “However, the petitioner is arrested for the offences under the POCSO Act as well as the IPC. The POCSO Act is a special statute enacted specifically for the protection of children from sexual offences. Sexual exploitation of every nature against a child is treated as an offence. Marriage is not excluded from the sweep of the statute.”

The court further added that Section 42A of the POCSO act categorically says that if there are inconsistencies with provisions of any other law, the POCSO Act will override other laws.

Multiple courts stated that Muslim girls could marry at the age of 15

The Kerala High Court’s judgement saying POCSO oversides Personal Law is significant because, in the past, several High Courts have ruled that marriage of Muslim girls above 15 years of age or those who have attained puberty is legal as per Muslim Personal Law, which is based on Sharia Law.

In a recent judgement, the Punjab and Haryana High Court said that a Muslim female aged 15 years and above can legally marry a person of her choice with her own consent and willingness. On October 28, Punjab and Haryana Court reaffirmed that a Muslim girl who reaches the age of 15 can marry whoever she wants, and such a marriage would not violate the Prohibition of Child Marriage (PCM) Act. Notably, according to the personal laws in Islam (Sharia), the age of attaining puberty is 15.

The High Court also reassured that Muslim girls will continue to be governed by Islamic personal laws. The Court had added that such a marriage would not contradict the terms of Section 12 of the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act 2006.

However, the Supreme Court will be examining the matter on the petition filed by the National Commission for the Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), challenging the said judgement.

In June 2012, Delhi High Court had said in a judgment that a Muslim girl could marry a person of her choice at the age of 15 if she had attained puberty.

In December 2014, Gujarat High Court said that the marriageable age of Muslim girls was 15 years and above.

In December 2021, Punjab and Haryana Court had asked the authorities to provide protection to a 17-year-old girl who had gotten married to a 33-year-old Muslim man suggesting that as per Islamic law, a girl above the age of 15 can marry a person of her choice.

Khargone riots: Minor sent a notice of liability of Rs 2.9 lakhs for damaging property, media rushes in to save accused labelling him ‘sleeping child’

राहुल पाण्डेय
-
0
Khargone riots: Minor sent a notice of liability of Rs 2.9 lakhs for damaging property, media rushes in to save accused labelling him ‘sleeping child’

On April 10, 2022, riots erupted in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, after Hindus were attacked by Islamic extremists on Ram Navami. The violence not only targeted Hindu houses and businesses, but also police officers. Rioters had shot the district’s SP, and the blame for the rioting was ingeniously thrown on Nupur Sharma’s remarks on the Islamic prophet.

To analyse the damage caused by the violence, the government formed a tribunal led by a retired judge. The government established this tribunal under the ‘Prevention and Recovery of Damage to Public Property Act.’ Several senior former top officers, including retired IAS, are members of the panel.

This tribunal sent several of the offenders notices of damages and penalties in accordance with the investigation’s conclusions. A certain media section made an effort to turn one of those notices into a point of disagreement in those letters. This notice was delivered to a 12-year-old juvenile. The minor child is from the Muslim community, and his father’s name is Kalu Khan.

The panel has imposed a Rs 2.9 lakh fine on him. The tribunal believes that the accused 12-year-old juvenile was actively involved in violence and caused property damage. The panel has also ordered Kalu Khan to pay Rs 4.8 lakh since the tribunal thinks both father and son were complicit in the attack.

12-year-old hits headlines

The 12-year-old entered the media spotlight shortly after the notice was published. Numerous accounts refer to the alleged violent perpetrator as a “child.”

Media coverage on notice after Khargone incident

With headlines like “sleeping kid,” institutions like The Wire and Maktoob Media also entered the fray.

The media somehow tried to save the rioters

High Court rejected the demand for cancellation of notices

Media reports refer to Prabhat Parisar, a member of the tribunal. He stated that children or minors are protected from prosecution in criminal instances, but the issue of compensation is civil, not criminal. According to Parashar, the accused’s lawyer, Bashar Ali, is yet to provide any rationale or proof to support his innocence. According to this report, Bashar Ali went to the Indore High Court to have the notice dismissed, but the High Court asked him to state his case before the tribunal.

The ADM of Khargone told OpIndia that the damage assessment and recovery are being handled by the tribunal. He stated that the chairman of the recently established tribunal is a retired judge, not an administrative person. This tribunal, according to ADM, is acting on the basis of substantial evidence.

Action is being taken on the complaint of victims, not the administration

OpIndia met with a member of the tribunal formed to probe the Khargone riots. The member has been a former senior bureaucrat. He informed us that the notice being reported in the media is the initial notice and that it has not been pronounced as a final judgement. In addition, the member stated that the compensation notice, which was also issued, was issued on the complaint of a victim of violence rather than by the tribunal or any administrative official.

According to the tribunal member, by giving the notice, the accused have been given the chance and time to defend their case. He stated that if it is interpreted as an instruction to deposit money quickly, it is incorrect. According to the tribunal member, the family of the 12-year-old accused have presented their case to the tribunal, which will make a final judgement shortly alongside other members.

Responsibility of next to the kin in compensating for loss on exemption in criminal cases

The tribunal member, who did not want to be identified, went on to say that while the law grants minors immunity in criminal trials, it is also important to pay for the damage done. He informed us that the minor’s relatives had also been notified at the same time. Some children, according to the member, had actively joined in the violence. Finally, we were informed that no one was being treated unfairly and that the tribunal’s processes were fair.

Vivek, the leader of Khargone’s VHP (Vishwa Hindu Parishad), spoke to OpIndia. Vivek told us that not only the riot victims but also the majority community of Khargone, are impressed with the tribunal’s and administration’s actions. Concerning minors, Vivek informed us that many juveniles were participating in the violence that targeted Hindu houses and businesses. The VHP leader also anticipated that the administration will continue the action equitably and without any pressure.

Minors looted shops

Raju alias Rajesh Taylor informed us that his shop was looted and torched during the Khargone violence and that he was robbed of roughly Rs 25 lakh. Rajesh went on to say that several of the perpetrators of the theft were children, whose faces were also recorded on CCTV. Rajesh, who fully supports the recovery action against the offenders, stated that owing to the tribunal’s and administration’s action, he has gotten around two and a half lakh (2.5 lakh) rupees out of his entire loss so far.

Rajesh has sent us video evidence and pictures of the violence to back up his accusations. Some youngsters can be seen actively participating in the violence, with stones evident in their hands, in the video.

A minor with a stone in his hands.

However, while criticising the administration’s assistance as inadequate, Rajesh informed us that he is doing everything he can to resurrect his ruined enterprise.

Arvind Kejriwal supporter threatens to kill Kumar Vishwas for criticising the Delhi CM and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’, arrested from Indore

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Arvind Kejriwal supporter threatens to kill Kumar Vishwas for criticising the Delhi CM and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’, arrested from Indore

A man named Lokesh Shukla from Indore has been arrested for sending death threats to poet and former AAP leader Dr. Kumar Vishwas through emails. Shukla swore in the name of Shaheed Udham Singh that he will kill Dr. Vishwas for criticising Arvind Kejriwal and praising Lord Ram ‘too much’. Shukla is a supporter of Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal and he had sent several emails to Kumar Vishwas with the threats.

Ghaziabad City-2 SP Gyanendra Kumar Singh said that accused Lokesh Shukla was arrested at 3 AM from his house in Sudama Nahar in Indore in Madhya Pradesh by a police team from Indirapuram. Lokesh is also a poet. During questioning, he said that he was angry because Kumar Vishwas continues to criticise Arvind Kejriwal through public comments and poetry. He was also angry because Kumar Vishwas was showing too much devotion towards Lord Ram.

Indirapuram police station in-charge Devpal Singh Pundir said that Lokesh Shukla had sent the first threatening mail to Kavi Kumar Vishwas on 23 October. After this, for the next four-five days, he sent several threatening emails to the poet, swearing in the name of Shaheed Udham Singh that he will kill him.

After receiving a series of such emails, Kumar Vishwas’ office took the matter seriously and decided to approach the police. Accordingly, a complaint in this regard was filed at the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad on 20th November 2022.

Informing about the complaint filed, Kumar Vishwas said in a Twitter post, “Now he and his accomplices don’t like me glorifying my Raghavendra Sarkar Lord Ram. They say “they’ll kill me.” All this is fine but tell your men not to abuse Maryada Purushottam Lord Ram. Do your work or else remember that the dynasty of Ravana is not left, then who are you Lavanasur?”. Although not named, Vishwas was referring to Arvind Kejriwal bby ‘he’.

Attached with this tweet is the complaint letter submitted by the former AAP leader’s manager to the officer of the Indirapuram police station in Ghaziabad. The letter mentions, “I, Praveen Pandey, am the manager of Dr. Kumar Vishwas. For the past few days, a person is continuously threatening Dr. Kumar Vishwas through e-mail. The e-mailer has given a warning in this email not to glorify Lord Ram, giving very derogatory, dirty, and obscene abuses to Maryada Purushottam Lord Shri Ram.”

It is further mentioned in this letter, “The person who threatened has also warned Dr. Kumar Vishwas not to comment on Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, describing him as better than Kumar Vishwas (Arvind Kejriwal is better, did good to the poor, made government schools better, etc.). In his recent mail, the person threatening Dr. Kumar Vishwas openly said I swear on Shaheed Udham Singh that I will kill you.”

The complaint letter concluded by saying, “Kumar Vishwas’s office has also informed the security agency provided by the Ministry of Home Affairs about the whole incident and mail. Since he frequently travels across the country for public events, all the emails are being made available to you with this letter for security and information purposes. Please take serious note of this whole episode.”

It is notable that poet Dr. Kumar Vishwas has grown differences with his former colleague and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal over the past few years. He had criticized the AAP convenor during the Punjab assembly elections in February 2022. He is known for his performances in various literature festivals where he recites poetry and his uniquely designed show Apne Apne Ram in which he describes and explains various facets of the life of Lord Ram.

Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 records solid growth on weekend, rakes in Rs 21 crore on day 2

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 records solid growth on weekend, rakes in Rs 21 crore on day 2

Ajay Devgn starrer Drishyam 2 is creating a lot of buzz among the audience. The film has managed to strike a chord with the audience giving the film a flying start at the box office. Other than Ajay Devgn, the film has Tabu, Akshaye Khanna, and Shriya Saran in the lead roles. 

The film earned Rs 15 crore nett on Day 1 and saw a massive 40 percent increase on Day 2 for a total of Rs 36 crore nett. The crime thriller is getting excellent word of mouth resulting in increased footfall. Drishyam 2 capitalized on the strong brand value created by the first installment. The first part was a hit at the box office, and it also did extremely well on satellite television and digital platforms.

In less than two days, Drishyam 2 has surpassed the lifetime collections of the two other Ajay Devgn films released in 2022, Runway 34 and Thank God. The interesting tidbit is that Runway 34 and Thank God were released during Eid and Diwali, respectively, whereas Drishyam 2 was released on a non-holiday weekend, with little help in terms of music and promotion costs.

Notably, the film is faring well overseas as well. Drishyam 2 has crossed the 1.5 million dollar mark from overseas in two days and is on its way to a weekend in excess of 2.5 million dollars. These figures are excellent for an Ajay Devgn film, and based on word of mouth, a lifetime total of more than $5 million from overseas is almost certain.

Noted film critic Taran Adarsh took to Twitter to inform about the film’s ‘remarkable run’ and wrote, “All estimations and calculations go for a toss… #Drishyam2 is SENSATIONAL on Day 2… East. West. North. South. The REMARKABLE RUN continues PAN-#India… Multiplexes superb, mass pockets join the party… Fri 15.38 cr, Sat 21.59 cr. Total: ₹ 36.97 cr. #India biz.”

About Drishyam 2 

The film is a sequel to Ajay Devgn‘s 2015 crime thriller “Drishyam,” which was a Hindi remake of the Malayalam film of the same name starring Mohanlal. The Malayalam film’s sequel was released in February of last year.

The story revolves around a family of four who see their lives thrown into turmoil after an unfortunate incident with their elder daughter (played by Ishita Dutta). As Meera (Tabu) has yet not come to terms with the death of her son, the case is reopened and investigated by IG Tarun Ahlawat played by actor Akshaye Khanna. The captivating plot and excellent performances by the actors keep the audience on the edge of their seats. It will be interesting to see if the film manages to maintain the box office momentum.

Qatar 2022: The controversial World Cup finally kicks off as the host nation makes its tournament debut against Ecuador

OpIndia Staff
-
0
Qatar 2022: The controversial World Cup finally kicks off as the host nation makes its tournament debut against Ecuador

The FIFA World Cup in Qatar, which has attracted more controversy than any other edition of the tournament, finally kicks off today as the host nation face off against Ecuador. The match will start at 9:30 PM IST. The match is being held at Al Bayt stadium in Al Khor, one of the 8 brand new stadiums constructed for the mega event.

This is the tournament debut for Qatar which has qualified for the World Cup for the first time because of being the host of this edition. Ecuador will be making their 4th appearance at Football’s showpiece event having made their first appearance in 2002. The two teams are part of Group A with Netherlands and African champions Senegal being the other two teams in the group.

The host nation Qatar will be hoping that the action on the pitch will finally get people to focus on football instead of the various controversies that have been talked about in the lead-up to the tournament. Ever since the tournament was awarded to Qatar in December 2010, questions have been raised over the suitability of the gulf nation as a venue for the event with the voices becoming really loud in the weeks before the tournament.

Criticism of Qatar’s human rights record

Qatar’s treatment of the migrant workers, who make up the bulk of the population in the country, has come under the scanner ever since they were awarded the tournament. The country has seen an infrastructure boom in the last 12 years with the projects linked to World Cup alone seeing a $200 Billion expenditure. However, the workers who have toiled hard to build these stadiums have had to endure terrible working conditions.

Thousands have died during the construction of the new stadiums and the related infrastructure due to poor working conditions. Qatar on its part has denied any human rights abuse and has claimed that working conditions have improved in the country.

Allegations of bribery and corruption on Qatar to get the hosting rights

The world was left shocked in 2010 when FIFA awarded Qatar the rights to host the 2022 edition of the World Cup, a decision since described by the then FIFA President Sepp Blatter as a mistake. There were various allegations of bribery leveled against Qatar and claims were made of widespread corruption in FIFA.

The country was awarded a summer world cup despite the temperatures reaching 50 degrees celsius in the summer, eventually forcing FIFA to switch the tournament to winter for the first time. The wisdom to award the tournament to a country with little football pedigree or interest was also questioned.

Qatar will be hoping that the quality of football will finally make everyone forget about all these issues and they can make the tournament a success.

1...2,7122,7132,714...7,625Page 2,713 of 7,625