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As “Operation Kagar” against Naxalism delivers major successes and with end of ‘red terror’ on the horizon, five Left parties write to PM Modi urging him to talk to Naxals

Rukma Rathore
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As “Operation Kagar” against Naxalism delivers major successes and with end of ‘red terror’ on the horizon, five Left parties write to PM Modi urging him to talk to Naxals

“Operation Kagar” is underway in full force in Naxal affected areas to eradicate red terror from India by March of next year. Nevertheless, the usual suspects are once again trying to obstruct the efforts to rid the country of Left-wing extremism. On 9th June, five Left parties have voiced their opposition to the encounter of Maoist leaders in the Chhattisgarh region under the operation, in a joint letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The general secretaries of Communist Party of India (CPI), Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM), Communist Party of India (Marxist–Leninist) Liberation, Revolutionary Socialist Party and the All India Forward Bloc asked for an immediate end to the alleged “extra-judicial” killings that are taking place in the vicinity of Chhattisgarh under the guise of “Operation Kagar.”

“There are several reports that several senior Maoist leaders are currently in the custody of the security forces. We demand that they should all be produced in court and dealt with as per the rule of law,” D Raja, MA Baby, Dipankar Bhattacharya, Manoj Bhattacharya and G Devarajan urged.

Predictably, they dragged tribal people and cried violation of their rights in order to protect the Maoists, claiming that the action had completely upended their regular life in the area. “The Adivasis have long been complaining about the militarisation of the region, which has completely disrupted normal life,” the Left leaders claimed.

“The Adivasi rights enshrined in the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution are being systematically violated and the forest and minerals of Chhattisgarh are being subjected to indiscriminate corporate exploitation with disastrous implications for environmental safety and livelihood of the local people. We urge upon you to stop this militaristic approach that treats the Adivasis with unmitigated hostility,” the letter read.

Accusations have been directed at the centre for not providing the bodies of the deceased Maoists to their families and preventing them from having a proper farewell. “This hostility is being seen even after death, with the government refusing to hand over dead bodies to their families, denying them their right to give a dignified farewell to their family members,” they complained.

With the government’s proactive stance against Naxalism in the country, the Maoists have been imploring the government to stop the operation.

“The Maoists have repeatedly urged the government to consider their appeal for dialogue. Unfortunately, the union government and the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party)-led Chhattisgarh government have chosen not to pursue a solution through talks. Instead they are following an inhuman policy of killings and annihilation,” the Left parties bemoaned.

The letter stated that it was clear from Amit Shah’s remarks that the government was not prepared to seek an accord through negotiations.

“The statements made by the Union Home Minister, reiterating the deadline and the Chhattisgarh Chief Minister’s (Vishnu Deo Sai) assertion that there is no need for talks, reflect a mindset unwilling to resolve issues through dialogue. The government should not be intransigent and celebrate the taking of human lives against the spirit of the law of the land and principles of democratic governance,” the leaders conveyed.

They mentioned that many citizens and political parties, despite their differing opinions had requested the government to respond to the proclamation of a unilateral ceasefire by the Maoists and start a dialogue to resolve all concerns. “We reiterate the appeal and urge upon you to stop the extra-judicial killings and violence with immediate effect and order an impartial judicial enquiry,” the letter added.

The left parties are not the only ones worrying about the maoists and their future. Congress and BRS leaders have also commented on this issue.

Congress paint Maoists as victims

Amit Shah reaffirmed that naxalism will be exterminated from the nation by 31st March 2026, following the 22nd May encounter of Nambala Keshava Rao, also known as Basavaraju, who was the general secretary of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) and had a ₹1.5 crore bounty on him, along with 26 other Maoists.

However, B Mahesh Kumar Goud, head of the Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC), expressed that the government should deal with Maoists by “legal and constitutional means” rather than using a brutal strategy to wipe them out in Congress-ruled Telangana. He asked the center to announce a “ceasefire” and engage in “peace talks” with the red terrorists.

Speaking at a conference hosted by the Peace Talks Committee in Hyderabad, he further charged that the center wants to destroy Maoists to allow corporations access to the natural wealth in Chhattisgarh and other states. The Congress leader even slammed the Modi government for its “fascist rule,” indicating that it is willing to negotiate with terrorists but not those who have laid down their lives to rectify social disparities.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi ignored the appeals of Maoists for peace talks, but was quick to agree to negotiations with terrorists after being scolded by United States President Donald Trump,” he accused reffering to the ceasefire between the two countries and amplified Trump’s claim which has already been exposed in US court as well as dismissed by the centre.

He declared that the principles of non-violence are the cornerstones of his party and maintained that economic disparities were the root cause of naxalism and denounced violence on all fronts to mask his public endorsement of Maoists. Notably, the leadership of Congress identified Maoism as the most significant internal security threat facing the nation.

However, the Maoists, who are responsible not only for the deaths of security personnel but also killed innocent people, abused human rights especially of tribals and have caused remote areas to be isolated from the development and progress experienced by the rest of the country to maintain their authority, have been portrayed as noble social workers who do not wield guns or organize terror attacks, but rather uplift the impoverished by Goud.

He even managed to draw unreasonable parallels between the India-Pakistan conflict and Maoism to emphasize his absurd statement.

BRS leaders defend Maoists in the name of democracy

Likewise, Dasoju Sravan Kumar, an MLC for the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS), spoke on behalf of the party and emphasized the party’s dedication to democracy, peace and communication. He recounted how former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had asked the union government to start peace negotiations and demanded an early end to “Operation Kagar” during a public rally in Warangal.

“Today, the central government, in the name of Operation Kagar, is killing youth and tribals in Chhattisgarh. It is not fair,” Rao had alleged and added, “I am requesting the central government. It is not democracy that you go on killing people. The operation should be stopped immediately. Give naxalites democratic space and hold talks.”

Kumar then emphasized the necessity for effective platforms for people to voice their problems and warned that they turn to violence in the absence of such forums.

Another BRS leader and former Minister S Niranjan Reddy also advised the center to discontinue “Operation Kagar” and begin peace talks with the Maoists. He threatened that ongoing ‘military repression’ might undermine democratic principles and incite public indignation. “Shooting our own citizens cannot be the solution. Talks are the only way forward,” he announced.

Maoists have long been a major internal threat to India’s security, yet they are often portrayed as victims, their violent actions are defended as a fight against discrimination and these politicians even threatened the central government to stop its actions against the red terrorists, driven by their own petty political agendas.

Interestingly, they never called for dialogue to end the violence when Maoists were wreaking havoc in multiple parts of India and operating their own parallel administrations. The values of democracy and human rights appeared to be overlooked at the time as both soldiers and ordinary citizens were losing their lives.

However, as the country approaches the end of this menace, these politicians are now anxious about human rights and depict Maoists, who reject the constitution, democarcy, judiciary and every single element of the Indian Republic, as part of the country. They even attempt to create a misleading similarity between a democratically elected government and Maoists who wield their power through violence and have risen against the nation, with such statements.

Operation Kagar: A resounding success

The Modi government has been utterly relentless in its approach towards Maoists since taking charge of the country in 2014. actions against Maoists have intensified in recent years as the government has succeeded in liberating numerous regions from the violent grip of Maoists.

Several notorious Maoists have been neutralized, while many others have surrendered their weapons. Maoist violence decreased by 77% between 2010 and 2021 as a result of the government’s zero tolerance stance and robust military strategy. The number of violent occurrences has significantly decreased, from 2258 in 2009 to 509 in 2021.

Over the past ten years, the number of districts plagued by Maoists has also drastically decreased, from 106 in 2015 to 6 now (Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, and Sukma in Chhattisgarh, West Singhbhum in Jharkhand and Gadhchiroli in Maharashtra). Furthermore, there have been 90% fewer deaths from Maoist terror.

2089 Maoists were killed in encounters compared to 63 previously. 928 surrendered in 2024 and as of the first four months of 2025, 718 followed the same path. The central forces working with state police, set up 320 camps in states impacted by Maoists between 2019 and 2025, including 68 helipads with night landing capabilities. There are 555 fortified police stations from 66 in 2014.

Currently, the security forces are nearing the final stages of the operation which was launched in January.

Shielding Left-extremism at the cost of national security

With the operation yielding notable success in combating these terrorists, the left-liberal gang and some political figures have grown more desperate in their efforts to shield Maoists, portraying them as traumatized individuals forced to take up arms due to discrimination within the nation.

In truth, the Maoists are bloodthirsty beings who have indiscriminately killed to establish their authority across many areas of the country.

Unsurprisingly, the same rationale used to defend terrorists or stone pelters, including breaches of human rights is employed by the same ecosystem in the name of Adivasi rights. Nonetheless, similar to their disregard for human rights in Kashmir, they also have no concern for Adivasis. The only aspect that holds importance for them is their ideology, politics and agenda.

They use fancy terms such as democracy, freedom and human rights to evoke emotional support for their narrative. However, these concepts hold no genuine significance for them. They are blinded by their agenda to the extent that they are willing to jeopardize national security in pursuit of it.

As the operation progresses and the security forces continue to deliver massive blows to Maoists, expect numerous such appeals and accusations directed at the center to try and suspend the operation. The Maoists will be described with ornate language and their evil deeds will be rationalized as a revolt or rebellion against an oppressive system.

Nevertheless, it appears that the government is determined to continue its efforts until it fulfills its commitment to eradicate Maoists from India.

PM Modi urges Indians to participate in ‘Jan Man Survey’ and provide feedback to the govt, upholds true essence of democracy: Details

Dibakar Dutta
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PM Modi urges Indians to participate in ‘Jan Man Survey’ and provide feedback to the govt, upholds true essence of democracy: Details

On Monday (9th June), Prime Minister Narendra Modi urged all Indian citizens to participate in ‘Jan Man Survey’ – a unique initiative that allows everyone to share their opinion on government policies and matters of national importance.

The survey is a part of a larger exercise to ensure active engagement of common citizens in the country’s democratic process, coinciding with ’11 years of Seva’ of the Narendra Modi-led BJP government.

The government is seeking feedback from the general public so as to address their concerns better and shape future policies accordingly.

As part of this unique initiative, PM Modi tweeted on Monday (9th June), “Your views matter the most! Take part in this survey on the NaMo App and let us know how you view India’s growth journey over the last 11 years. #11YearsOfSeva.”

Everything to know about ‘Jan Man Survey’

The interactive and dynamic survey is hosted on the Narendra Modi/ NaMo app (which is available on both Android and iOS). After providing login details, the ‘Jan Man Survey’ can be accessed from the homepage of the app.

A total of 15 questions are asked during the course of the test, which takes about 2 minutes from start to completion. Most questions have multiple choices, while some question require users to rate the answer on a slider.

Screengrab of the Jan Man Survey

Here are the 15 questions asked during the survey –

  1. How has India’s approach to counter-terrorism evolved in the last decade?
  2. How secure do you feel as a citizen, considering the government’s actions against national security threats?
  3. Do you believe India’s voice is being heard and respected more internationally today than before?
  4. Which of the following developments since 2014 do you consider most significant for India?
  5. Which of the following Digital India products or services have you used most in the past 12 months?
  6. With the vision of ‘Women-led Development,’ what are the most significant improvements that you have witnessed?
  7. How have government initiatives like Skill India, Startup India, and reforms in education expanded the scope of opportunities for youth?
  8. In your opinion, how has the ‘Make in India’ initiative impacted the manufacturing sector?
  9. Which of the following has made you feel proud and more connected to our culture and heritage?
  10. Which of the following visions for India’s growth do you feel most aligned with?
  11. Which of the following initiatives do you believe have been truly transformational with respect to governance and national growth?
  12. Which of the following infrastructure developments have you or your family personally benefited from in the past few years?
  13. How would you assess the presence and responsiveness of your local and national representative in addressing public concerns in your area?
  14. How would you evaluate the progress toward building a Viksit Bharat and it’s alignment with your aspirations?
  15. To what extent do you feel inspired and involved in contributing to India’s development journey?”
Certificate of Completion of Jan Man Survey

On completion of the survey, participants are rewarded with 75 points and a certificate of completion.

Impact of the ‘Jan Man Survey’

According to government sources, the unique initiative of the Modi government received an overwhelming response from the public. A whopping 5 lakh Indian citizens have participated in the survey within 26 hours of launch.

States which recorded the most responses included Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Haryana. As per government sources, 77% of all respondents completed the full survey.

Through this exercise, the Modi government provided all Indian citizens an opportunity to directly express their views about an array of issues pertaining to national security, governance, cultural pride and youth development.

The ‘Jan Man Survey’ has emerged as a critical tool for the government to interact with the public in a meaningful day and ensure that their voices are represented in the country’s development.

From India to Europe and the US: why deporting illegal migrants is such an uphill struggle everywhere

Anurag
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From India to Europe and the US: why deporting illegal migrants is such an uphill struggle everywhere

Once illegal migrants cross into a country, whether India, the United States or European Union member states, deportation becomes a maze of legal hurdles, political resistance and activist interventions. In theory, sending back those who are in your country illegally should be straightforward. However, it has transformed into protracted court battles, rights-based campaigns and policy paralysis.

Interestingly, while the deportation of illegal immigrants in countries like India is a mess, in contrast, Pakistan is quickly and smoothly deporting Afghans. Reports suggest that by February 2025, over 800,000 Afghans have been pushed by Pakistan into Afghanistan with minimal domestic dissent. When such comparisons are drawn, the dilemma comes into sharp focus: does being a rights-oriented state handicap enforcement?

In India, courts and activists step in almost immediately

India is not a huge country when we compare its land size to China in terms of population. India is overpopulated and space to breathe is decreasing every day. In such a vast country, resources become scarce quite often. Land, food, shelter and jobs are major problems despite being the fourth-largest economy.

In such a country, it is hard to digest that illegal immigrants from Bangladesh and Myanmar (notably the Rohingya) routinely exploit constitutional protections to resist deportation. Once detained, a large number of NGOs, activists and so-called senior advocates like Prashant Bhushan and Kapil Sibal rush to the Supreme Court to stop deportations. Many of the detained illegal immigrants file petitions under Article 21 of the Constitution of India, claiming threat to their life or liberty.

Unfortunately, our legal system mostly favours them and at least stays the central as well as state governments from deporting the illegal immigrants. Even if Supreme Court is in favour of deportation of the illegals, the writs filed by the illegal immigrants, with the help of honed advocates, invariably trigger interim orders that stay removal, and the court case drags on for years.

With such pushback from the legal system, state governments are now trying to expedite matters by bypassing the legal system altogether. For example, Assam’s Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma recently invoked a long-forgotten 1950 law to bypass the Foreigners Tribunal and push the illegal immigrants back into Bangladesh and Myanmar, a move that is being criticised by the so-called human rights activists.

Across the US, sanctuary politics fuel friction

In the United States, once illegal immigrants set foot, deportation similarly becomes a drawn-out, controversial affair. There are sanctuary cities in the US, such as Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco, where authorities are not allowed to question or detain the illegal immigrants. These cities bluntly refuse to cooperate with deportation orders or ICE detainers, viewing them as political weaponisation of law enforcement.

In early June 2025, Los Angeles witnessed dramatic fallout. ICE raids targeting garment workers triggered mass protests, which quickly escalated. Police deployed tear gas and rubber bullets; a Home Depot became a flashpoint. Union leader David Huerta was arrested, prompting outrage. Between 44 and 118 migrants were detained during the operation.

Federal agents responded by deploying 4,000 National Guard troops and 700 marines under Title 10, leading to further unrest, burning cars, blocked highways, injured journalists injured and more. Even the state was sued for unconstitutional federal overreach.

These scenes underscore the tug of war between federal enforcement and sanctuary city politics, amplified by litigation and public protests, making deportation complex, expensive and politically toxic.

Even though the current President of the United States, Donald Trump, is pushing for stricter border enforcement and removing illegal immigrants from the land, the legal system and some specific cities are putting up a tough fight. Among the deported, several hundreds were Indians as well who had entered the US illegally.

In the European Union, human rights conventions result in rigid constraints

In Europe, the strongest barricade against deportation is legal. The European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) prohibits expelling individuals where there is a risk of torture or inhuman treatment. EU member states must adhere to non-refoulement principles and due process obligations. However, these rules are making the lives of locals a hell. Rampant crimes, rapes of local women and demographic shifts have become common in European countries.

In recent times, there has been pushback against these policies. Amid rising populist pressure, some governments (Italy, Germany, Austria, Denmark) are openly debating reforming or even withdrawing from the ECHR, viewing it as “hampering sovereign control” over migration.

Is tolerance undermining enforcement?

Rights-based democracies pride themselves on due process protections, independent judiciaries and activist pluralism, but these very traits make mass deportation remarkably difficult.

Petitions are filed in the courts regularly, whether under constitutional, international or humanitarian grounds. Sadly, the rulings are mostly in favour of the illegal immigrants and not the citizens of the country. Activists, from grassroots NGOs to civic organisations, mobilise public support, stage legal challenges, organise protests and feed media frenzy.

The left-liberal media amplify individual stories, framing deportation as punitive or a moral failure. Politicians, especially in liberal or sanctuary jurisdictions, avoid enforcement to maintain electoral support.

This system produces delays, expense and fractured enforcement. Deportation orders can take years to execute. Some migrants argue their cases before multiple tribunals; others vanish into legal grey zones. For authorities, each removal requires diplomatic engagement, legal preparation, detention infrastructure and risk management for anticipated backlash.

Pakistan shows what happens without institutional constraints

When the US and NATO forces left Afghanistan and the Taliban took over, lakhs of Afghanis migrated to Pakistan and other parts of the world illegally. Pakistan started pushing back Afghans soon enough. Between 2023–25, there were waves of deportations targeting undocumented Afghans. Estimates from the UN and Pakistani sources place the number of deported at over 813,300 by January 2025, and nearly a million by June 2025.

Why the indifference? Because Pakistan lacks robust independent judiciary protections, a confrontational press or mobilised civil society. The security narrative prevailed, framed around terrorism and national stability. International actors, UN agencies and rights groups, expressed concerns but held little leverage. Basically, everyone has made peace with the fact that there are no human rights in Pakistan.

Being tolerant comes at a cost

In effect, rights-respecting societies tie their own hands. Legal frameworks, activist resistance and public sentiment erect invisible walls around undocumented migrants. The ethical virtues of justice and liberty slow administrative action, often to a crawl.

Pakistan is an alternative, a system so unhinged that legal and civic constraints simply do not have any effect on large-scale deportations. Yet, it also reveals the chilling absence of accountability, transparency or due process, so India can’t go down that path.

Now the question is, which model is preferable? Rights-oriented democracies may be slower, messier and legally combative, but they preserve personal liberty. Countries that discard those safeguards may achieve enforcement targets, but at the cost of rule of law, oversight and basic humane treatment. India cannot behave like Pakistan, but it has to draw a line somewhere, for the sake of maintaining law and order and for its citizens.

Bihar: Fake police station kept running in a government school for 4 months, fake SHO duped 300 people of ₹50 lakh in the name of recruitment

OpIndia Staff
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Bihar: Fake police station kept running in a government school for 4 months, fake SHO duped 300 people of ₹50 lakh in the name of recruitment

In Bihar’s Purnia, a fraudster has cheated many people of lakhs of rupees in the name of getting them jobs in the Gram Raksha Dal and Home Guard by posing as a police officer. The accused, named Rahul Kumar Sah, had set up a fake camp in Batauna village of Mohini Panchayat of Kasba police station area, where he used to sit wearing a police uniform and used that to deceive people.

According to the information, fake SHO Rahul was a core cadre of NCC and most of his gang were NCC cadets. Rahul Sah used every trick to convince people. Rahul opened a fake office of ‘Bihar Rajya Dalpati and Gram Raksha Dal Mahasangh’ in a government school.

He promised people jobs by taking 10,000 to 15,000 rupees, distributed fake appointment letters, got uniforms stitched, got I-cards made, and even made some people do duty at fairs and other places.

People did not suspect this at all, because Rahul used to wear police uniform and also used to post pictures on Facebook with real policemen. He even got his fake camp inaugurated by the head of Mohini Panchayat.

When people did not receive their salary after working for about 2 months, they became suspicious. When the truth came out, they realised that they had been duped. After this, a large number of victims reached Rahul Sah’s house and started creating a ruckus.

The victims have lodged a complaint against Rahul Kumar Sah in the town police station. The police station in-charge said that an FIR has been registered, but the accused Rahul Sah is currently absconding. Police said that Rahul has cheated 300 people of Rs 50 lakh. Rahul used to get the youth to check vehicles and extort money from liquor smugglers by giving them police uniforms, sticks and fake identity cards.

According to the information, Rahul got challans of up to Rs 400 issued from the youth, half of which was given as commission. Rahul also used to take bribe from liquor smugglers. At present, the police is conducting raids to arrest the accused.

Mamata’s MP Saket Gokhale, who used to mock Savarkar for ‘clemency petition’, offers grovelling apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri

OpIndia Staff
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Mamata’s MP Saket Gokhale, who used to mock Savarkar for ‘clemency petition’, offers grovelling apology to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri

Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Saket Gokhale, who had previously mocked and ridiculed freedom fighter Veer Savarkar over his ‘clemency petitions’, apologised publicly for his tweets against ex-diplomat Lakshmi Puri on Tuesday (10th June).

In a tweet, the controversial politician from Mamata Banerjee’s party pleaded, “I unconditionally apologise for having put-out a series of tweets against Amb. Lakshmi Murdeshwar Puri on 13th and 23rd June 2021, which tweets contained wrong and unverified allegations in relation to the purchase of property by Amb. Puri abroad, which I sincerely regret.”

Screengrab of the apology tweet by Saket Gokhale

His apology was also published prominently in the national daily ‘The Times of India.’

The development comes days after the Delhi High Court reprimanded the TMC MP and asked him why he shouldn’t be sent to civil prison for failing to comply with the court’s order. 

In July last year, the Delhi High Court directed Saket Gokhale to pay ₹50 lakhs as damages to former diplomat Lakshmi Puri for defamatory tweets dating back to 2021. The TMC MP was also ordered to publish an apology in ‘The Times of India’ and on his X (formerly Twitter) handle.

When Saket Gokhale mocked Veer Savarkar

The Trinamool Congress MP, who was jailed for spreading fake news, had mocked the legacy of freedom fighter Veer Savarkar repeatedly.

In a tweet in October 2019, Saket Gokhale remarked, “I demand that the word ‘apologising'”‘ be officially replaced with the phrase ‘paying tribute to Savarkar ji. It’d be a far greater and fitting honour bestowed by the govt than the Bharat Ratna.“

Screengrab of the tweet of Saket Gokhale

In the subsequent years (2020-2021), he continued to ridicule Veer Savarkar and use his ‘clemency petition’ to troll social media users. Some of the abhorrent tweets of Saket Gokhale are produced below:

  1. Hahahahahahaha DON’T BE SAVARKAR, ADITI!
  2. And tweet archived in case @Prakash Javdekar decides to become Savarkar as always:
  3. Tweet deleted. Savarkar is proud.
Screengrab of the tweets by Veer Savarkar

Circumstances leading unto the ‘clemency petition’ of Veer Savarkar

At Cellular Jail, Veer Savarkar was subjected to unconscionable torture and inhumane treatment that tested the very limits of his conviction. He was, reportedly, restrained in chains, flogged, and resigned to six months of solitary confinement.

The British made him pound coir with his bare hands where his hands were often dripped with blood. He had to manually turn a massive wheel, that would squeeze coconuts for oil and had to produce about 30 pounds a day. While this punishment was only given to those who were “not behaving with the guards”, Savarkar was often made to do it despite his good conduct.

Left all alone, he scraped poems on the prison walls. In order to torment him, the guards whitewashed the walls on which he scraped poems. By some accounts, he was often forced to eat rotten food infested with worms and insects as punishment for his ‘crimes’ against the government. Having to go through life all alone, being allowed to write letters once in a year and a half, to his loved ones and going through tremendous physical and mental torture in a compressed cell.

Following the closure of the prison at Port Blair, Savarkar was eventually deported to Ratnagiri Prison in May of 1921, where his torture continued. Unlike numerous political prisoners who were driven to insanity or committed suicide, Savarkar showed remarkable resilience. He wrote strategic letters of ploy to the Britishers, not only for himself but for others also, to get out of jail, which the Congress has been shamelessly twisting for decades now. One here needs to ask, how many top leaders of the Congress had to suffer such harsh punishments?

Julia Kelley-Swift, a student of history at Wesleyan University, in her thesis titled, ‘A Misunderstood Legacy: V.D. Savarkar and the Creation of Hindutva wrote, “It is easy for any outsider, especially someone seeking to undermine Savarkar’s position, to disparage him for weakness under duress. However, such flippant criticism fails to acknowledge the incredible strain placed on the political prisoners at Port Blair. As Savarkar notes in one of the final sections of his memoir, by the last years of his sentence, he was struggling with continually disintegrating health, including a yearlong stint in the prison hospital.”

Jawaharlal Nehru signed a bond pledging not to return to Nabha, deserted his colleague Acharya Gidwani

On September 22, 1923, former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was arrested alongside K Santanam and AT Gidwani for defying British orders and entering the then princely State of Nabha. The British police had arrested several Akalis, who had launched a demonstration in Jaitu in Nabha, on September 14 of that year. They had demanded the reinstatement of Raja Ripdudaman Singh in the Princely State, after he was exiled by the British to Dehradun.

On learning about the incident, Nehru, Santanam, and Gidwani boarded a train to Mukatsar and then rode on horsebacks along with the Akalis to Jaitu. They were immediately handcuffed and lodged in a small cell at the Jaitu police station. The trio was then shifted to Nabha on September 22 morning and locked in district jail. Despite the police offering Nehru immediate release if he deserted his plans of ‘Satyagraha’, a defiant Nehru did not budge. He was arrested soon after.

It was here that the Satyagrahi in Nehru began to wear out. According to Santanam, the cell was small and the roof was covered in mud. No arrangements were made for new clothing, or shower. Nehru poignantly recounted the experience in his Autobiography where he said, “All this time, till the forenoon of next day, when we were finally delivered up at Nabha Gaol, the joint handcuff and the heavy chain kept us company. Neither of us could move at all without the other’s cooperation. To be handcuffed to another day and for a whole night and part of a day is not an experience I would like to repeat.”

There were no signs of his release. A desperate Motilal Nehru had to reach out to the Viceroy to learn about the whereabouts of his son Jawaharlal Nehru. “…The authorities of the Nabha jail suddenly changed their attitude and arrangements were made for our bathing. Our clothes were given to us and friends from outside were allowed to send fruits and other eatables,” Santanam had recalled the change after Motilal Nehru’s intervention.

In the case of political arrests, the usual policy for accused freedom fighters has been to not defend themselves in case of arrests. Although the former PM initially thought that he would only be tried for violating State orders, the invocation of ‘conspiracy’ by the prosecution made him baffled. It implied a jail term of 2 years. And Jawaharlal Nehru, who had earlier pledged to not defend himself, began seeking for an outside lawyer. However, he was not provided with a counsel and instead sentenced to 6 months for violation of State orders and 18-24 months for conspiracy.

Motilal Nehru then deputed lawyer K D Malviya, who later became a Cabinet Minister after India’s independence. And surprisingly, his sentence was suspended on the same evening. In the words of Professor Chaman Lal, he said, “Nehru was released from the Nabha jail only after he signed a bond that he would never enter the princely state again.” The former Prime Minister knew the case could be later used against him on a later date and therefore wanted to permanently quash it.

When violence broke out on February 21, 1924 during which 19 Sikhs were officially believed to have been killed, Nehru’s aide Acharya Gidwani had visited Jaitu to help the wounded. He was in turn arrested by the Nabha State police and had to spend almost a year in jail, before he was released on health grounds. A shrewd Jawaharlal Nehru, who conceded that he did not want to relive his short jail term in Jaitu, deserted Gidwani and chose not to remain loyal to his colleague and visit Jaitu.

In his own words, the former Prime Minister recounted, “I took shelter behind the advice of friends and made of it as a pretext to cover my own weakness. For after all it was my own weakness and disinclination to go to Nabha Gaol again that kept me away, and I have always felt a little ashamed of thus deserting a colleague. As often with us all, discretion was preferred to valour.”

While the Congress party and its trolls have been busy shaming freedom fighter Veer Savarkar despite the torture and ill-treatment meted out to him, a ‘valiant’ Jawaharlal Nehru was quick to get his sentence suspended by signing a bond with the aide of his influential father.

Donald Trump claims to broker ceasefires and douse fires of conflict all over the world, meanwhile, his own nation is engulfed in violence and chaos

Rukma Rathore
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Donald Trump claims to broker ceasefires and douse fires of conflict all over the world, meanwhile, his own nation is engulfed in violence and chaos

The President of the United States, Donald Trump, occupies the most powerful position globally and wields an equally loud megaphone that he utilizes to present himself as a messenger of peace, mediating between warring nations to foster harmony. However, his tall claims of being someone who can bring about peace anywhere have once again been exposed against the backdrop of the widespread violence in Los Angeles.

While Trump can try to hide behind the fact that California is a Democrat ruled state with a Democrat Governor and a Democrat Mayor, fact is that even after deployment of National Guard troops by Trump administration, Los Angeles continues to burn.

Over the weekend, demonstrators filled the streets of Los Angeles after dozens of people were arrested during federal immigration raids. While police deployed rubber bullets and tear gas to try and control the crowd, thousands blocked roadways and set self-driving cars on fire. Protests swept through the city and neighboring areas, including Compton and Paramount.

Agitators and federal officials blamed each other for the escalation, which started as minor tensions on the afternoon of 6th June and took a violent turn swiftly. Protesters hurled rocks, bottles and fireworks on cops. On the evening of 7th June, Trump directed 2,000 members of the National Guard to head to the region.

Around 60 people, including people under the age of 18, were arrested on 8th June in San Francisco as protests outside the Immigration Services building turned volatile. During a broadcast, Lauren Tomasi, a US correspondent for CNN station Nine News in Australia was struck by a rubber bullet fired by police which left her sore.

Meanwhile, on 8th June, California National Guard troops made an aggressive entrance in Los Angeles. Trump’s decision to mobilize about 2,000 guardsmen was the first time a president has done this without the governor’s request since 1965, however, it did not yield immediate results. State and municipal leaders, including Governor Gavin Newsom, strongly criticized the move. While Trump claims he can bring any war in the world to an end, he couldn’t stop his fight with Newsom to work together to bring peace to Los Angeles.

Newsom referred to the president as a “dictator” and argued that the deployment was “not to meet an unmet need, but to manufacture a crisis.” He also called the action “purposefully inflammatory” which will “only escalate tensions.” The Trump administration was formally urged to withdraw the troops by Newsom’s office in a letter.

While condemning violent protestors, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass who is also a Democrat, accused the Trump administration for raising fears by mobilizing the National Guard, thus adding fuel to the fire..

Instead of working together with Californian officials to try and maintain peace, Trump said, “If governor Gavin Newscum, of California, and Mayor Karen Bass, of Los Angeles, can’t do their jobs, the federal government will step in and solve the problem, riots and looters, the way it should be solved.”

Furthermore, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared that the Marines at neighboring Camp Pendleton were “on high alert” and that the Pentagon was ready to bring in active-duty troops “if violence continues” in Los Angeles. According to US Northern Command, approximately 500 Marines were ready to deploy at any time.

Interestingly, Los Angeles continues to be on fire and Trump is unable to reconcile with the people in his own country. He often identifies himself as a peacemaker between conflicting countries, however, he did not hesitate to employ major force to confront an inconvenient situation in his homeland.

Additionally, his officials have threatened to take even more drastic measures to address the problem rather than opting for a “peaceful dialogue” which their leader often recommends for other countries.

Claims of mediation between India and Pakistan

On 7th May, India initiated “Operation Sindoor” as a response to the Pakistan-sponsored terror attack that occurred in Pahalgam on 22nd April. New Delhi not only dismantled terror infrastructure at nine different locations in Pakistan but also hit its airbases, jets and an AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft when Islamabad attempted to attack civilian areas along the border.

The Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) Pakistan transmitted an official message on the evening of 7th May and asked India to halt hostilities. India and Pakistan convened a DGMO-level meeting to negotiate a ceasefire accord on 10th May at 3:35 pm at the Islamic Republic’s instance.

Nonetheless, Trump and his administration commended themselves and asserted that the agreement was achieved due to their involvement. “After a long night of talks mediated by the United States, I am pleased to announce that India and Pakistan have agreed to a full and immediate ceasefire. Congratulations to both countries on using common sense and great intelligence. Thank you for your attention to this matter,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on 10th May.

Trump alleged that he threatened the two nations with trade suspension and even “invited” Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for a “nice dinner,” as he spared no effort in portraying himself as a messiah of peace. The statements were welcomed by Pakistan but India consistently refuted Trump had any involvement.

According to Randhir Jaiswal, who serves as the spokesperson for foreign ministry, high-ranking leaders in Washington and New Delhi had a conversation after the Indian military’s tense confrontation with Pakistan, but trade was not mentioned. He strongly maintained that it was the might of Indian weaponry that led Pakistan to stop its aggressive actions and seek dialogue, rather than any outside mediation.

Moreover, the arguments put forth by his administration to justify his high tariffs on trading partners revealed that he fabricated the story of intervention between India and Pakistan to secure a favorable outcome. Nevertheless, the United States court dismissed his claims and he suffered a stinging loss.

Trump’s flip-flop on Russia-Ukraine war

Trump, known for his tendency to exaggerate, consistently asserted throughout his presidential campaign that he could resolve the conflict between Russia and Ukraine after assuming office. “There’s a very easy negotiation to take place. But I don’t want to tell you what it is because then I can’t use that negotiation, it’ll never work,” Fox News Channel host Sean Hannity said.

Trump insisted that he could “resolve” the conflict “within 24 hours” if he returned to the White House. “They’re dying, Russians and Ukrainians. I want them to stop dying and I’ll have that done. I’ll have that done in 24 hours,” he said in a townhall in May 2023.

“Before I even arrive at the Oval Office, shortly after I win the presidency, I will have the horrible war between Russia and Ukraine settled. I’ll get it settled very fast. I don’t want you guys going over there. I don’t want you going over there,” Trump told a National Guard Conference in August of last year.

In February, Trump charged that Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been serving as a “dictator without elections” and even stated that he “better move fast or he is not going to have a country left.” He added that “we are successfully negotiating an end to the war with Russia, something all admit only Trump and the Trump administration can do.”

His meeting with Zelenskyy in the Oval Office turned into a complete disaster. From the temporary cessation of military support to Ukraine to accusing the nation’s leader of prolonging the “killing field” and even denouncing Russia’s actions after a deadly onslaught on Kyiv, he made excessive efforts to present himself as the most powerful world leader able to ease conflicts and negotiate peace.

However, the relationship between both countries has only declined further. Trump even effortlessly retracted his promise of resolving the ongoing fight. “Well, I was being a little bit sarcastic when I said that. What I really mean is I’d like to get it settled and I think I’ll be successful,” during an interview in March.

Rather than a cessation of hostilities, Ukraine utilized 117 drones to attack “34% of (Russia’s) strategic cruise missile carriers” in a large-scale operation that further heightened the conflict after which Moscow reacted with deadly strikes.

Last month, Trump engaged in a conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted over two hours, however, he was unable to persuade him to consent to an immediate ceasefire.

Trump has stated that negotiations have been more challenging than anticipated as his pledge to resolve the Russia-Ukraine crisis never materialized. He even voiced that he believes Putin would “rather go and take the whole thing” with regards to Ukraine.

Trump failed to deliver peace in Gaza

Trump began his second term with modest progress toward resolving the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza, but peace in the region continues to be a distant dream. His envoy Steve Witkoff worked with Brett McGurk, the departing Biden administration’s Middle East adviser to persuade Hamas and Israeli leaders to sign a short-term ceasefire agreement that took effect the day before Trump’s inauguration.

33 hostages held in Gaza and around 2,000 Palestinian inmates imprisoned by Israel were freed as a result. However, the truce broke down in March and the fighting resumed because the two sides could not agree on the return of the 59 captives that were still alive, more than half of whom Israeli officials consider to be dead.

The situation continues to be dire. Israel also stopped providing any aid to the region and accused Hamas of stealing the supplies for its own purposes. Trump’s actions caught Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu off guard, instead of alleviating tensions between Israel and Gaza.

The latter is adamant about fully dismantling Iran’s nuclear operations and seeks to bomb its centrifuges and other facilities with assistance from the United States. However, Trump wants to prevent war and be celebrated as a “peacemaker” and hence desires to open dialogue with Tehran. There could be conflict between the two, even in relation to Syria.

Trump had outlined his plan to transform the region into the “Riviera of the Middle East” according to which around two million Palestinians would have to be relocated to nearby areas. Trump later stated that he would “recommend” but not implement his plan in response to opposition from the Arab world.

Arab League leaders convened to develop a counterproposal which was turned down by Israel and the United States because of issues with the proposed postwar governance of Gaza, among other things. Trump claimed that “nobody is expelling any Palestinians” from Gaza while Arab foreign ministers affirmed that they and the US special envoy are still discussing Egypt’s plan.

Trump told reporters that he is pressing Netanyahu “very hard” to get food and medicine into Gaza when he was travelling to Rome for the pope’s funeral. However, he did not address inquiries regarding the latter’s response to his request. Moreover, the Jewish state has maintained its military efforts in Gaza.

“While we continue to work to secure the release of all remaining hostages, Hamas has chosen violence over peace, and President Trump has ensured that Hamas continues to face the gates of hell until it releases the hostages and disarms,” the spokesman for the National Security Council declared as he rejected the notion that Trump has not succeeded in his attempts to identify a resolution to the Gaza conflict.

Conclusion

During Trump’s tenure, the White House along with him personally try to showcase America’s unmatched hold on world politics and assert that he could bring adversarial nations to the negotiating table and promote global peace. However, the reality starkly contrasts this narrative, as he has continually failed to fulfill his lofty commitments time after time.

Additionally, he has also resorted to outright falsehoods to bolster his image among his supporters. The escalating disorder around the world persists, despite his repeated commitments to resolve it which serves as a glaring indication of the reality. More importantly, he cannot secure peace in his own country while professing to do so on a global scale.

His performance is equally poor at home and abroad while his claims are inflated. Ironically, Trump is unable to negotiate with members of an opposing political party or convince them to align with his stance on conflict resolution in the United States, but he claims to be capable of doing it between countries with longstanding animosities.

He intends to portray himself as a primary candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in international diplomacy, however, his peaceful approach transforms into confrontational tactics when confronted with minor domestic challenges.

Muslim women hounded for being friends with Hindus in Bareilly: What is Haidari Dal and how Islamists are enforcing Taliban-style moral policing in India

Shraddha Pandey
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Muslim women hounded for being friends with Hindus in Bareilly: What is Haidari Dal and how Islamists are enforcing Taliban-style moral policing in India

The incidents of Muslim youths harassing Muslim women and non-Muslim men seen together are on the rise in recent years. Now the ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’ conspiracy theory peddlers are bullying Burqa-clad Muslim girls in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district. They threaten them if they see them with non-Muslim boys. A group named Haidari Dal is harassing ‘suspected’ interfaith couples and even friends, in the name of protecting Islam and sanctity of ‘Burqa’.

Several videos of Haidari Dal members harassing Muslim girls for hanging out with Hindu or non-Muslim men has surfaced on social media. Some Muslim youths come and question the girls wearing burqa. These videos are posted on Instagram, in which the girls’ name, address, parents’ name and other identification is written.

A video is being said to be of Gandhi Udyan in Bareilly. In this, a Muslim youth asks, “Sister, listen to me. What is your name? Where do you live? What is the name of your father and brother?” Then he shouts loudly, “You will indulge in debauchery here, if there is no one in your house.” Along with this, he also takes information about the young man accompanying the girl.

Hindu organisations have protested in this matter. The organization’s leader Himanshu Patel has lodged a complaint on X. Taking cognisance of the matter, Kotwali area’s inspector Nitin Rana has lodged an FIR against some unknown people of the Haidari Dal.

Bhagwa Love Trap conspiracy theory: A dishonest Islamist counter to international phenomenon of Grooming Jihad/Love Jihad

‘Bhagwa Love trap’ is a baseless theory about Hindu outfits, supposedly training Hindu youth to lure, and entrap Muslim women and turn them into non-Muslims. OpIndia has reported that an Islamic cleric by the name of Sajjad Nomani has been making such outrageous claims since 2021.

The conspiracy theory soon took the form of a social media hashtag, which Islamists used to share videos of random hijab-wearing Muslim women and their male Hindu friends/ acquaintances and partners without their consent. The posts are often accompanied by emotional messages and seek public help in identifying the couples. Soon after, social media was rife with videos of Islamist mobs ambushing random Hindu-Muslim couples. This would then be followed by heated arguments, physical assault on Hindu men, and even molestation of Muslim women. The victims have been targeted on roads, restaurants, eateries, and even hotels.

There have been numerous instances when Muslim vigilantes verbally abused, physically assaulted and publicly humiliated interfaith couples, friends or classmates etc wherein the girl was Muslim and boy was Hindu. In many cases, Islamists forcibly removed Hijabs or Niqabs of Muslim women, filmed the victims and circulated their videos with dramatic Islamic religious music and hashtag #BhagwaLoveTrap, all in the name of ‘saving deen’ (Islam). They also resort to doxing Muslim women by sharing their personal details on social media, often with morphed pictures or misleading claims to incite Islamists to prevent Muslim women from interacting with Hindu and other non-Muslim men in their areas.

Interestingly, those who are often at the forefront of denying and even mocking grooming Jihad, colloquially called ‘Love Jihad’ wherein Muslim men lure Hindu and other non-Muslim women into their love trap, to sexually exploit them and convert them to Islam, are the one who cry ‘Bhagwa love trap’ at the mere site of a Muslim girl with Hindu or any non-Muslim youth.

This comes despite the fact that while there is no basis for claiming that Hindu or other non-Muslim men are deliberately targeting Muslim women for converting them, over the years, OpIndia has reported countless cases wherein Muslim youths either individually or as a part of grooming gangs have been targeting Hindu girls to sexually exploit them and coerce them into converting to Islam. It is essential to note that while Indian Islamists and their left-liberal cheerleaders quite conveniently dismiss love jihad/grooming jihad as ‘hoax’, ‘Hindutva conspiracy theory’ and whatnot, this pattern of Islamist perversion is not confined to India but has been traced in the United Kingdom and many other countries.

On social media, ‘members’ of Haidari Dal have uploaded many such videos in which they are getting Hindu and other non-Muslim girls married to Muslim youths and celebrating the same, however, these same Islamists allege Bhagwa Love Trap if Muslim girls choose to date Hindu men or hang out with them. For Islamists, women are an object or means of asserting their religious dominance. For them, trapping Hindu women and converting them to Islam is a ‘religious victory’ over Kafirs while Muslim women marrying Hindu men or dating them is an insult to Islam and no less than a defeat.

This perverted mindset drives Islamists to entrap non-Muslim women to convert them while also making sure that Muslim girls do not even interact with Hindu men, let alone dating or marrying them. Their illegal actions fuelled by jihadist mindset and conspiracy theories threatens personal freedoms and jeopardises safety of Muslim women and their Hindu friends or partners as well as poses a serious threat to communal harmony.

Based on local reports and social media videos, OpIndia has compiled several cases (here, here and here) where Hindu men and Muslim women were attacked by extremists under the pretext of the ‘Bhagwa love trap.’ These documented cases from various states of India, where Muslim mobs harassed interfaith couples and assaulted them in many cases, indicates the disturbing mainstreaming and rampancy of Muslim vigilante groups conducting illegal moral policing stripping individuals especially Muslim women of their personal freedom to mingle with people belonging to any religion.

So far, the details of who leads Haidari Dal, which has now expanded its tentacles in many cities in North India, remain unknown. However, with Bareilly Police launching an investigation into the activities of Haidari Dal (Bareilly), more revelations regarding this Islamist vigilante outfit is likely to emerge.

Haidari Dal: A multi-city Muslim vigilante group harassing Burqa-clad Muslim women and non-Muslim men

Haidari Dal is an informal Islamist vigilante group comprising Muslim men, who engage in moral policing against interfaith couples involving Muslim women and non-Muslim men. An Instagram page named ‘Haidari Dal Official’, which has now been taken down, used to post videos of self-declared Muslim vigilantes harassing Muslim women and their Hindu companions by alleging Bhagwa Love Trap conspiracy.

OpIndia came across many city-wise pages of Haidari Dal including one ‘Haidari Dal Pilibhit’. These pages peddle Islamist propaganda and further Bhagwa Love Trap falsehoods to villainise Hindu men and target Muslim girls. Similar hateful content was found on the Instagram page named ‘Haidari Dal Mumbai’.

While it is not confirmed whether these pages are interconnected or its administrators are essentially members of Haidari Dal, their posts are largely centred on anti-Hindu themes and full of content furthering Bhagwa Love Trap conspiracy theory.

They are several ‘fan pages’ of Haidari Dal, which are also constantly posting videos of of self-declared Muslim vigilantes harassing Burqa-clad Muslim women and their Hindu friends, or boyfriend. Many such pages named after Haidari Dal are active across multiple social media platforms with impunity and jeopardising the safety of numerous Muslim women and their male Hindu partners and friends

While there is no confirmation about the origins of Haidari Dal, it is said that this group is named after “Ali ibn Abi Talib” also known as Imam Ali and Haider, who was the cousin and son-in-law of Islamic Prophet Muhammad. Imam Ali is particularly remembered by Muslims for his role in leading the Muslim army to victory in the Battle of Khaybar in 629 CE against the Jewish tribes of Khaybar. Besides glorified mentions in Islamic texts, numerous folk songs and poem dedicated to Imam Ali also known as Haider (lion) are popular among Indian Muslims.

One such popular song is ‘Haider ki Talwar’ which glorifies Imam Ali for killing Kafirs (non-Muslims) and has lyrics “Ilaka Hil Raha Tha Vehdat Ke Naaron Se, Zara Si Der Mein Maidan Bhara Tha Kafir Ki Lashon Se, Jab Chali Haider Ki Talwar”. OpIndia reported earlier, however Muslim youths make lip-sync videos on social media on this particular part of the song to threaten non-Muslims and glorify violence against Kafirs.

Naming Islamist vigilante group as Haidari Dal suggests that just as Haider fought against Kafirs, these Islamists would fight against non-Muslims in the name of Islam using ‘Bhagwa Love Trap’ lies as an excuse.

Leftist media, which once hailed Himanshi Narwal for her ‘secular ideals’, goes silent after Muslim men caught for circulating her fake obscene videos

OpIndia Staff
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Leftist media, which once hailed Himanshi Narwal for her ‘secular ideals’, goes silent after Muslim men caught for circulating her fake obscene videos

On 8th June, Gurugram police, with assistance from Gopalganj police in Bihar, arrested two men identified as Mohibul Haq and his son Gulam Zilani, for creating and circulating an AI-generated obscene video of Himanshi Narwal, widow of Lieutenant Vinay Narwal, who was killed in the 22nd April Pahalgam terrorist attack. The accused were operating a YouTube channel named “SS Real Point” where they uploaded the morphed video.

As per media reports, the accused used artificial intelligence to fabricate pornographic content using Himanshi’s morphed face and published it online. The act not only defamed a grieving war widow but also aimed to provoke societal unrest. Police seized devices including laptops, mobile phones and other equipment from the accused. A deeper digital forensic probe is underway in the matter. Officials suspect the presence of a larger cybercrime syndicate operating behind this incident.

Both accused were arrested from Maajhagadh, Gopalganj. They have been remanded to Gurugram police custody for further investigation. The video came to the attention of authorities after it went viral. Himanshi’s family and local citizens raised objections and demanded strict action. A case has been registered under the IT Act and relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The deafening silence of the Left-liberal media

Some time back, Himanshi Narwal spoke to the media and hoped for peace between India and Pakistan. Her words fit the narrative of the Left-liberal section of society and media. However, the right-wing social media accounts dug up some history around her and pointed out her connection to JNU. The reaction from the right-wing accounts sparked controversy, where Left-liberals hailed Himanshi as their hero.

Her words were magnified and glorified. She was made the face of ‘secular suffering’ and ‘courage under saffron pressure.’ However, now that two Muslim men have created and circulated a fake pornographic AI video defaming the same woman, the Left-liberals are silent. The question is, where are those self-declared sentinels of morality? Not a single headline screams outrage. No op-eds ridiculing the Muslim men. No panel discussions pointing out how two Muslim men defamed the widow of an armed forces personnel. No emotionally charged interviews. What is there on social media is deafening silence.

This is not a slip but a pattern. When a narrative suits their ideological comfort, they run to take advantage of the situation. However, when there is a risk that they have to talk about uncomfortable truths, like a Muslim duo targeting a widow of armed forces personnel with sexualised propaganda, they disappear behind editorial silence. They do not find the “meat” needed for prime time.

What is more disgusting is the double layer of betrayal. A woman whose husband was gunned down by terrorists is now being digitally assaulted by vultures using AI. But for the Left-liberals, it is not worth talking about because the perpetrators do not fit the narrative they want to set or do not belong to the right-wing, which they love to target.

One cannot help but wonder, if the accused were Hindus and the victim a Muslim woman, would this story be trending wall-to-wall on prime time? It is not about speaking out the truth or journalism. It is ideological voyeurism, and Himanshi Narwal is just collateral.

“She had a good nature, don’t think she has done this”: Neighbours of Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused in Indore couple case

ANI
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“She had a good nature, don’t think she has done this”: Neighbours of Sonam Raghuvanshi, accused in Indore couple case

The neighbour of Sonam Raghuvanshi, an accused in the Indore couple case could not believe that she could be involved in these kinds of criminal activities.

Speaking with ANI, Sapna Solanki, a neighbour of Sonam, said that Sonam was quite happy at the time of her marriage.

“Her (Sonam’s) behaviour was very good. The wedding was celebrated with great pomp and Sonam looked very happy. There was no fear or suspicion that she could do something like this. We do not think she has done anything like that,” she said.

Another neighbour said, “Didi (Sonam) had a very good nature. She remained friendly with everyone. Everyone calls her ‘Bitti’. I don’t think she would have done such a thing because given her nature, she could only do good things like that.”A resident of the same locality expressed sadness over Sonam’s involvement in the case.

“She had a very good nature. Hearing this today, we are very saddened because we never thought this way about her,” another resident said.

Meanwhile, Sagar Assistant Superintendent of Police, Sanjeev Uikey said that one of the accused, Anand Patel was caught in a joint operation of Madhya Pradesh and Meghalaya Police.

“Meghalaya police contacted us and they even came here. Location of Anand Patel, one of the accused in the case, was found to be in Basari. The accused has been caught after a joint operation and Meghalaya Police has taken him for further investigation… He is a resident of Indore,” ASP Uikey said.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) Chief, Herbert Pyniaid Kharkongor, said that they will get the transit remand of the four accused to bring them to Shillong.

Vishal Chauhan, Raj Kushwaha and Akash Rajput have been arrested in the case, while the Meghalaya Police is on its way to formally arrest Sonam Raghuvanshi, wife of Raja Raghuvanshi from Uttar Pradesh’s Ghazipur.

Speaking with ANI, SIT Chief and SP (City), East Khasi Hills, Kharkongor, also mentioned that their team is about to reach Ghazipur in Uttar Pradesh, where they will arrest Sonam, who surrendered to the UP police earlier today.

“First challenge was the terrain and then weather, but eventually we took up the challenge and discovered the body of Raja, registered the murder case and initiated the investigation. Four persons have been arrested and will be produced before the respective courts. We will get their transit remand to bring them to Shillong. Our team is about to reach Ghazipur and will formally arrest Sonam and take her transit remand,” he said.

“We formed the SIT with capable officers in the case. Last night, we sent two teams, one to Uttar Pradesh and the other to Madhya Pradesh. Patterns are saying that the Raja and Sonam did not have good contact, but that is a subject of investigation,” the SIT Chief said.

Sonam Raghuvanshi, the wife of late Raja Raghuvanshi, was found near a dhaba on the Varanasi-Ghazipur main road, said a senior police official of Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday.

Raja Raghuvanshi and his wife, Sonam, both residents of Madhya Pradesh’s Indore, had gone missing during their honeymoon in the northeastern state of Meghalaya. Raja Raghuvanshi’s body was later recovered in Meghalaya.

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

From Nobel to Nightmare: How Muhammad Yunus is eyeing to scrap the constitution of Bangladesh and induct his own ‘Islamic Revolutionary Army’

Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury
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From Nobel to Nightmare: How Muhammad Yunus is eyeing to scrap the constitution of Bangladesh and induct his own ‘Islamic Revolutionary Army’

The remaining weeks of June and the month of July may usher in dramatic and unprecedented political developments in Bangladesh. Muhammad Yunus is swiftly advancing his agenda of establishing himself as an oppressive ‘Sultan’ of a so-called ‘Second Republic’ by nullifying the nation’s existing 1972 Constitution.

Central to this transformation is the impending “July Declaration”, which, if enacted, would effectively convert Yunus’s “interim government” into a “revolutionary government”.

Once the Constitution is scrapped, Yunus will acquire unchecked authority to dismiss President Muhammad Shahabuddin and Army Chief General Waker Uz Zaman, replacing the Bangladesh Armed Forces with his envisioned “Islamic Revolutionary Army” (IRA).

Bangladesh could thus be hurled into the dark abyss of a radical Islamic Caliphate – far more oppressive than Khomeini’s Iran, Pakistan’s militarized Islamism, or Erdoğan’s autocratic Turkey.

Yunus has already hinted at this ominous transformation, claiming that his regime is working on a comprehensive ‘July Charter’ – a set of reform proposals allegedly agreed upon by all political parties – that will be presented to the nation. According to him, this charter will lay the foundation for a “welfare-oriented state”, and signatories will pledge to implement its radical reforms.

Yet only months earlier, in December 2024, Yunus’s press office vehemently denied any association with the July Declaration, calling it a “private initiative unrelated to the interim government”. This deliberate obfuscation was likely a strategic maneuver to avoid early scrutiny while preparing the ground for a sweeping power grab.

Prominent leaders of the National Citizen Party (NCP) – a core ally of Yunus -have been more candid. Hasnat Abdullah described the July Declaration as an instrument to render the Awami League irrelevant, comparing it to Nazi forces, and marking the “burial of the Mujibist 1972 Constitution”. Another NCP leader, Sarzis Alam, stated that the declaration would serve as a “guideline for future governance” and “reflect the hopes and aspirations of all Bangladeshis”.

The truth is far more sinister.

Leaders of NCP, along with the Anti-Discrimination Student’s Movement and other jihadist-aligned entities involved in the anti-Hasina coup that claimed hundreds of lives – including law enforcement officers, Awami League supporters, and religious minorities – are now pushing for the July Declaration to be passed before the next general election. They fear that if a future elected government comes to power, Yunus and his Islamist cabal could be tried for high treason and crimes against humanity.

These fears gained traction following the February 12, 2025 report by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), which in Chapter 6 documents shocking details of lynchings, targeted assassinations, and brutal violence committed by jihadist groups. The report confirms that extremist factions, operating in close coordination with Yunus, carried out violent campaigns to paralyze the state and stage a political takeover.

Following the release of the report, Yunus’s regime deliberately suppressed the damning Chapter 6 while cherry-picking portions that criticized the previous Awami League government. Backed by enormous financial resources, Yunus launched a coordinated media and public relations blitz – domestically and internationally – framing his administration as a beacon of justice while concealing its own crimes.

Despite persistent denials, mounting evidence confirms that the July Declaration is part of a meticulously orchestrated plan involving Yunus and his powerful backers – most notably elements within the US Deep State and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI). Their objective is to use Yunus as a proxy to destabilize Bangladesh, dismantle democratic institutions, and gain full control over the country’s strategic and geopolitical assets.

Yunus knows full well that neither he nor his Islamist partners enjoy significant public support – barely 5 percent at best. Holding a free and fair election would be suicidal, as the Awami League or the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) would easily secure a landslide victory. Having already banned the Awami League from elections, Yunus now seeks to marginalize BNP as well, enabling a sham election that will grant him and his Islamist allies illegitimate power through deceitful manipulation.

In this endeavor, Yunus is attempting to use the United Nations as a key enabler. During a recent meeting, UN Resident Coordinator Gwyn Lewis expressed “unwavering solidarity with Bangladesh’s reform and transition process” and shockingly supported the Awami League ban, claiming that “inclusive elections” are possible without the party that commands over 45 million of the 120 million registered voters. Her statement amounts to an implicit endorsement of the authoritarian regime and its jihadist backers.

Even more disturbingly, Volker Türk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, admitted during a BBC interview that the UN discouraged the Bangladesh Army from intervening during the July–August 2024 protests, which were, in fact, coordinated by jihadist factions. Türk confessed that the UN warned Bangladesh’s armed forces that participation in peacekeeping missions would be jeopardized if they intervened. This emboldened the coup plotters and helped Yunus topple the legitimate government of Sheikh Hasina.

These revelations raise grave questions about Türk’s connections to controversial figures such as Muhammad Yunus and George Soros, and whether key UN officials have been complicit in the destabilization of Bangladesh. The world must now ask: Has the UN abandoned its mission to uphold human rights and instead become a facilitator of regime change at the hands of radical Islamists?

As the crisis deepens, Yunus is preparing to depart for the United Kingdom to receive the so-called “King Charles Harmony Award” from a British monarchy plagued by corruption and scandals. Local media-manipulated by Yunus’s propaganda wing – have been instructed to promote this event as a “moment of national pride” and exaggerate the award’s significance.

However, political observers in Dhaka view this trip with suspicion. They believe Yunus may orchestrate the declaration of the “Second Republic” while abroad, anointing himself as its President and replacing senior military figures with loyalists drawn from Jamaat-e-Islami, Hizb ut-Tahrir, and other jihadist groups – including Ansar al-Islam, the Al-Qaeda franchise operating in Bangladesh. This coup by proxy could see the formal declaration of Bangladesh as an “Islamic Republic” or even a “Caliphate”, granting Yunus unchecked power to indefinitely suspend elections and form a so-called Revolutionary Government.

To garner support from the potential Trump administration in the US, Yunus reportedly plans to lease out the strategically vital Chittagong Port to DP World – a company allegedly linked to the CIA – and offer additional concessions including a transit corridor to Myanmar’s Rakhine State and US military base at the St Martin’s Island. He may also covertly hand over control of Lalmonirhat Airport and the Bangladesh Ordnance Factory to the US via intermediaries in the Pakistani or Turkish military, posing a severe security threat to neighboring India.

In this perilous hour, the onus lies with the Bangladesh Armed Forces and General Waker Uz Zaman. The only viable path to preserving Bangladesh’s sovereignty and democratic character is to take immediate, decisive action against Muhammad Yunus and his jihadist collaborators. If the military fails to act, Bangladesh will descend into a vortex of radicalization, serving as a battleground for proxy wars orchestrated by foreign powers and Islamist terror groups. The time for hesitation is over – the survival of the nation depends on bold leadership, patriotic resolve, and an unwavering commitment to defend the republic from the looming shadow of tyranny.

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