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Praveen Nettaru Murder: 2 arrested suspects are linked to PFI and SDPI, accused Shafiq and his father works in Praveen’s shop

OpIndia Staff
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Praveen Nettaru Murder: 2 arrested suspects are linked to PFI and SDPI, accused Shafiq and his father works in Praveen’s shop

Hours after the arrest of two accused named Mohammed Shafiq Ballere and Zaqir Savanuru, in connection with the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Kumar Nettaru in Karnataka, reports have emerged that Shafiq and Zakir are linked to the Islamist terrorist organisation PFI and SDPI.

According to reports, the wife of Shafiq has confirmed that her husband was an active member of the PFI and that he used to participate in all the ‘social’ activities. She also said that on the day of the incident, he was not at home hinting that he might be involved in executing the murder of the BJP youth member. “My husband was a PFI member. He was aware that the murder took place,” Shafiq’s wife told India Today.

Shafiq is also associated with SDPI (Social Democratic Party of India) and has organized various ‘social’ events. The wife after the arrest while talking to the media also said that initially her husband was not aware of the murder. Later he had tears in his eyes when he came to know about who was murdered in the village. Meanwhile, a video report by News18 also shows Safiq’s picture at an SDPI event.

ADGP (law and order) Dakshina Kannada, and Alok Kumar who also interacted with the media confirmed that Zakir who has a criminal case in Bellare has been suspected of having PFI links. The Police who arrested the duo said that they have undertaken the investigation into the murder case as there is a lot to verify in the case.

Zakir is 29 years old and is a resident of Savanoor whereas Mohammed Shafiq who is 27 years old belongs to Bellare. According to reports, Shafiq and Zakhir are the conspirators, but the assailants are still to be apprehended. The Police have detained a total of 21 persons in connection to the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Kumar Nettaru. “We have been investigating all suspected persons legally using the powers investigation officers have. Dakshin Kanada SP and Mangaluru City Police are also working on the case”, ADG Alok Kumar said.

Accused and his father works in victim’s shop

Another important fact in the matter is that father of accused Shafiq Ballere and his father worked in the poultry shop of Praveen Kumar Nettaru. This was revealed by Shafiq’s father Ibrahim himself while talking to the media. Ibrahim told India Today,  “I work at Praveen’s shop. My son and Praveen used to talk there.”

Ibrahim denied his son’s involvement in the crime, and alleged that they are targeted because they are Muslim. ” We have no idea why my son has been arrested. Just because we are Muslims, we are being targeted. Both Shafiq and Zakir aren’t like that,” he said. He also informed that Praveen used to go to their house.

On July 26, Nettaru was hacked to death by unidentified assailants. As per reports, the killers came on a bike in Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, in the late evening and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Praveen Nettaru, who looked after a poultry business, was returning home when the attack happened. The assailants escaped after the attack. Praveen was rushed to the hospital, but he could not be saved.

Massive protests erupted after Praveen’s death in the city of Bellare and Sullia. While the outraged BJP Yuva Morcha members started to furnish mass resignations, the members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a bandh concerning the safety of Hindus in the state of Karnataka.

The Police have arrested two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq in connection with the murder. According to the reports, Shafiq and Zakhir are the conspirators, but the assailants are yet to be apprehended. Investigations in the case are still underway.

Mamata Banerjee finally sacks minister Partha Chatterjee after ED recovers more illegal money, gold from his ‘close aide’

OpIndia Staff
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Mamata Banerjee finally sacks minister Partha Chatterjee after ED recovers more illegal money, gold from his ‘close aide’

The Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal Government have finally sacked Partha Chatterjee, who is accused of the SSC Recruitment Scam and was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate. As per the official notification issued by the government of West Bengal, Chatterjee has been relieved from the departments he was Minister-in-charge of. Notably, he had charge of the Department of Industry, Commerce and Enterprises, Department of Information Technology and Electronics, Department of Parliamentary Affairs and Department of Public Enterprises and Industrial Reconstruction.

While earlier the party had said that Partha Chatterjee will not be sacked unless charges against him are proven, that stand proved to be difficult to maintain after more illegal money was found from another house of Arpita Mukherjee, a ‘close aide’, of the minister. Till now, around Rs 50 crore in cash, gold, jewellery, and foreign exchange have been recovered from two flats in Kolkata belonging to her. Arpita Mukherjee has said that the money belongs to Partha Chatterjee, and it is believed that the money is proceeds of the SSC recruitment scam in the education department when Partha Chaterjee was the education minister.

The Enforcement Directorate unearthed the huge stash of cash and valuables after the Calcutta High Court ordered a probe into the SSC recruitment scam, where bribes were taken in exchange of jobs of teachers and other staff in government schools.

In the raids being carried out in connection with the ongoing investigation of the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, the federal agency has, thus far, recovered a little over Rs 50 crores in cash and Rs 4.31 crore worth of gold from multiple locations linked to actor Arpita Mukherjee, who have been described as a ‘close associate’ of arrested cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee.

The ED conducted a fresh raid at Mukherjee’s apartment complex in Kolkata’s Belgharia locality on Wednesday. They left this morning with ten trunks of cash amounting to Rs 29 crores, besides 5 kg of jewellery and gold bars. The operation continued for 18 long hours. This was the second raid conducted by the agency. During the first raid on July 22, a day before her arrest, the agency had recovered a whopping Rs 21.20 crores in cash from the actor’s residence, apart from gold, jewellery and foreign exchange.

Besides the cash, jewellery, 22 mobile phones and Rs 54 lakh worth of foreign currency, a number of other incriminating documents, records, details of dubious companies and electronic devices were also seized by the central agency.

They also recovered two black journals consisting of entries about the illegal appointments of teachers against bribes, collection of cash, and more. A detailed account of the SSC Recruitment Scam can be read here.

Sanjay Dutt ‘stands with’ super flop film Shamshera, gaslights audience for calling out the Hinduphobic content

OpIndia Staff
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Sanjay Dutt ‘stands with’ super flop film Shamshera, gaslights audience for calling out the Hinduphobic content

Film actor Sanjay Dutt on Thursday took to social media and said that he stands by the film Shamshera and tweeted ‘#ShamsheraIsOurs’ claiming that those who have criticised the film over its Hinduphobic content are ‘spewing hatred’ on ‘one of the most hardworking and talented actors of our times’.

Dutt claimed the film got a lot of hate, some of it by people who had not even seen it and claimed that he found it ‘horrible’ that people don’t ‘respect the hard work’ we all put in. Shamshera has been receiving a lot of criticism not only over its Hinduphobic content, but even mainstream ‘film critics’ have also trashed it over its content.

Dutt ended his rant with a couplet ‘kuch toh log kahenge’ (people will say things), thereby dismissing viewer feedback, people who actually pay money to watch their films and demonised them.

The emotional train wreck was triggered by a post by the film’s director, Karan Malhotra, who, took to Twitter on Wednesday to pen a note to the film to talk about the ‘hate’ and ‘humiliation’.

In a note he claimed that all the criticism that came his way for a seemingly badly made film made him ‘abandon’ it and he got ‘weak’. But now he was, claiming ownership of it and being proud of a film the audiences have rejected.

Usually when a film is a hit and successful, the filmmakers rush to take ownership and take credit, especially the director and actor. However, it seems, now when a film doesn’t do well, the audience is to be blamed for the same.

Shamshera and its Hinduphobic content

Shamshera has been on the receiving end of criticism not only from apolitical mainstream film critics who have giving it low rating and even called it unbearable, but even an average movie-going audience seem to be unhappy with the storyline. Shamshera portrays the villain, played by Sanjay Dutt (Shuddh Singh) as a devout Hindu and a ruthless barbarian. He is shown in the film as a devout Hindu with a Shikha and a Tripund Teeka. His character is named Shudh Singh, a brutal authoritarian general who has imprisoned and enslaved a warrior tribe.

With less than Rs 21 crore in two days’ worth of box office revenue, Shamshera, a movie with a huge budget of Rs 150 crore, has decisively been rejected by fans, putting YRF under a lot of strain. The film’s script has also been panned by reviewers for its weak content with many saying the storyline has no point. Audience feedback is that Ranbir Kapoor does not match the image of a dacoit, and neither does his voice. The screenplay was not well praised by critics too.

But ‘kuch toh log kahenge’…

‘If Jihadi violence continues like this, there will be a reaction, and Hindus won’t be responsible for it’: Vishwa Hindu Parishad

OpIndia Staff
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‘If Jihadi violence continues like this, there will be a reaction, and Hindus won’t be responsible for it’: Vishwa Hindu Parishad

On 28th July 2022, the general secretary of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) Milind Parande said that the Hindu society will not be responsible for any extreme reaction against Jihadi violence. The VHP spokesperson Vinod Bansal has shared a press note which quotes VHP general secretary Milind Parande’s detailed statement regarding recent targetted killings of Hindus by Jihadi Islamists in various parts of the country.

Milind Parande said, “All cases of recent Jihadi violence and beheadings, including the slaying of Praveen Nettaru in South Kannada district in Karnataka, should be tried in fast track courts to ensure speedy justice to the victims’ families and the Hindu society. The Central and State Governments should immediately consider setting up Fast Track Courts. If the Jihadi mindset continues to commit such sadism, viciousness, and assassinations, then there will be express fury in the Hindu society and there will naturally be an extreme reaction. If this happens, then the Hindu society will not be responsible for it.”

Milind Parande reiterated that Bajrang Dal – the youth wing of VHP – has issued helpline numbers at the state levels. He added that if anyone receives a threat of violence, then immediately s/he should register an FIR with the local police and may contact the said helpline numbers for legal and all related necessary assistance.

Appealing to the Muslim community to follow a better leadership, Milind Parande said, “The Muslim community will now have to decide which leadership it accepts, that of Madanis and Owaisis or that of Kalams and Ashfaq Ullahs! The Muslim community will have to dismiss and eject the extremist and terrorist mindset from its social order and show it the door, otherwise, the self-contradiction of their words and actions may remain as it is. Organizations like the Jamaat-e-Islami follow a double standard. On one hand, they stand in support of those Jihadi gangs who practice ‘Sar Tann Se Judaa’ (beheading) and also blow up bombs, and, on the other side, they pretend to offer refreshments to Kanwariyas.”

Besides, Milind Parande also underlined the role of social media in enhancing communal tensions. He said, “The materials that promote, incite, and inflame Jihadi violence are being circulated and spread through the Internet. There should be a complete ban on all such materials being distributed through the Internet. A conspiracy to build a Terror Corridor from Nepal to Delhi has come to the fore. In such a situation, the central government should make every effort to entirely neutralize it.”

It is notable that after the alt-news co-founder Mohammed Zubair dog-whistled the Islamists over Bharatiya Janata Party’s former spokesperson Nupur Sharma’s remarks about the life of prophet Muhammad, several Hindus have been killed so far by Islamists in various parts of the country for supporting Nupur Sharma. Recently, Praveen Nettaru, a Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha member, was hacked to death in Karnataka. Many people living in different parts of India received death threats for supporting Nupur Sharma on social media. Bajrang Dal issued state-level helpline numbers where a Hindu in trouble can call and seek help.

Praveen Nettaru murder: Two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq arrested from Kerala, PFI links suspected

OpIndia Staff
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Praveen Nettaru murder: Two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq arrested from Kerala, PFI links suspected

The Karnataka Police on Thursday arrested two persons in suspiscion of involvement in the BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Kumar Nettaru’s murder case. The accused have been identified as Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq. The duo was arrested from Kasargod, Kerala. According to the Police, one of the suspects is said to have ties with the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Zakir is 29 years old and is a resident of Savanoor whereas Mohammed Shafiq who is 27 years old belongs to Bellare. According to reports, Shafiq and Zakhir are the conspirators, but the assailants are still to be apprehended. The Police have detained a total of 21 persons in connection to the murder of BJP Yuva Morcha member Praveen Kumar Nettaru.

The Karnataka Police on July 28 also mentioned that the 21 people who have been detained in the case belong to various Islamist organizations including the SDPI and PFI. “We have been investigating all suspected persons legally using the powers investigation officers have. Dakshin Kanada SP and Mangaluru City Police are also working on the case”, ADG Alok Kumar said.

Karnataka minister Araga Jnanendra has stated that the involvement of SDPI and PFI is being probed. He added that Kerala-based organisations have been involved in the murder of BJP karyakartas earlier too.

On July 26, Nettaru was hacked to death by unidentified assailants. As per reports, the killers came on a bike in Bellari, Dakshina Kannada of Karnataka, in the late evening and attacked Nettaru with sharp weapons. Praveen Nettaru, who looked after a poultry business, was returning home when the attack happened. The assailants escaped after the attack. Praveen was rushed to the hospital, but he could not be saved.

Massive protests erupted after Praveen’s death in the city of Bellare and Sullia. While the outraged BJP Yuva Morcha members started to furnish mass resignations, the members of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad called for a bandh concerning the safety of Hindus in the state of Karnataka.

The Police amid the investigation gained CCTV footage near Praveen’s shop which showed some of the persons moving suspiciously. Reports mention that the footage showed suspects waiting for the deceased on the roadside for about 30 minutes and riding towards the chicken shop just before the murder.

The Police have arrested two accused named Zakir and Mohammed Shafiq in connection with the murder. According to the reports, Shafiq and Zakhir are the conspirators, but the assailants are yet to be apprehended. Investigations in the case are still underway.

Maharashtra: CM Eknath Shinde led govt to withdraw cases filed for agitations during Dahi Handi, Ganeshotsav under the MVA regime

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra: CM Eknath Shinde led govt to withdraw cases filed for agitations during Dahi Handi, Ganeshotsav under the MVA regime

On Wednesday, the Maharashtra government led by CM Eknath Shinde decided to withdraw all the legal cases filed in connection with the alleged agitations during the Dahi Handi and Ganeshotsav. CM Shinde announced that all such cases up to March 2022 will be withdrawn.

“In the cabinet meeting today, it has been decided to withdraw all the cases up to March 2022 in political and social agitations in the entire state in connection with Ganesh Utsav and Dahi Handi (Krishna Janmashtami)”, the chief minister said after the cabinet meeting at Mantralaya, state headquarters on July 28. He also said that the cases filed against people for violating the COVID guidelines will also be taken back.

According to reports, the Maharashtra government held a Cabinet meeting on Wednesday to provide relief to many who have faced charges for violating the COVID rules during the pandemic. Many students who desire to study abroad have also been relieved by the ruling govt, as they will now have no difficulty obtaining no-objection certifications for visas owing to lawsuits against them.

The violators of the COVID limitations were charged under Section 188 for disobeying a validly issued order by a public official. Persons were arrested for violating lockdown limits, curfews, prohibitory orders prohibiting gatherings of five or more people, and not wearing masks, among other things. There are around 10,000 cases filed across the state for violating COVID restrictions.

In addition, the state cabinet resolved to drop social and political proceedings filed against individuals until March of this year. Furthermore, the state administration also made other decisions, such as offering a 50,000 bonus to farmers who repay their debts in a regular manner for two consecutive years and lowering electricity tariffs by 1 per unit for farmers participating in the drip irrigation system, among others.

“The erstwhile government had made the farmers ineligible for the incentive who have got financial assistance from the state for floods but we have decided to provide the incentive to all the farmers. The decision will benefit 14 lakh farmers,” CM Shinde was quoted. The state administration has also meanwhile agreed to make certain discounts available to landless persons who qualify for the rural housing plan.

“The beneficiaries of the decision will be charged with ₹1,000 as stamp duty for the property instead of charging stamp duty as per ready reckoner rates. They will also be given a 50% discount on the measurement fees of the plot,” the chief minister said.

Smriti vs Sonia in Lok Sabha: Here is what happened on the floor of the House after a heated argument on ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

OpIndia Staff
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Smriti vs Sonia in Lok Sabha: Here is what happened on the floor of the House after a heated argument on ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment by Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

On July 28, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi angrily told fellow Member of Parliament Union Minister Smriti Irani ‘Don’t talk to me’ as the debate inside the Lok Sabha got too heated. The exchange between Gandhi and Irani took place in Lok Sabha following the loud protests that happened against Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury for calling President Droupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MPs demanded an apology from Sonia Gandhi for Chowdhury’s remarks.

Smriti Irani lashed out at Congress and demanded that being the head of the party, Sonia Gandhi must apologise for what Chowdhury had said. Members of NDA held placards with ‘Sonia Gandhi, apologise’ written on them. The Union Minister said, “Sonia Gandhi, you sanctioned the humiliation of Droupadi Murmu. Sonia Ji sanctioned humiliation of a woman at the highest constitutional post.”

Amidst the loud protests, the Lok Sabha speaker adjourned the house. Sonia Gandhi then walked across the floor of the House to speak to BJP MP Rama Devi and said, “Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury had already apologised. Why am I being dragged into this?” As per the sources, Union Minister Smriti Irani intervened and questioned Gandhi, “Madam, may I help you? I took your name.”

Sonia Gandhi, who was already irked by her name being mentioned because of Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, angrily said, “Don’t talk to me.” As per reports, Trinamool Congress MPs and NCP’s Supriya Sule took Sonia Gandhi away from BJP members.

Following the war-of-words inside Lok Sabha, Sonia Gandhi left the house, where media reporters asked her if she would apologise for what Chowdhury had said. To which she replied, “He has already apologised.”

In a statement to the media, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “When Sonia Gandhi came to our MP and tried to talk to her, one of our other MPs came and asked what had happened. That time Sonia Gandhi said, ‘You don’t talk to me’ with an almost threatening voice. She has not apologised for her behaviour. Secondly, she is misleading that Adhir has apologised. What is this behaviour?”

The controversial ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment by Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has sparked a massive controversy by calling President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha were adjourned after a huge uproar over this issue. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury admitted that it was his ‘mistake’ to call President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. However, the Congress leader has refused to apologize and said that the ruling party is trying to make mountain out of a molehill.

Amidst the uproar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has clarified his statement. He said, “Two days ago when I was going towards Vijay Chowk, I was being asked where you’re going. I was telling them that I want to go to Rashtrapati Bhavan and meet the President. Yesterday, I spoke this word (Rashtrapatni – apparently meaning wife of the nation) by mistake. I know that whoever the President of India is, he is the ‘Rashtrapati’ for us. I spoke that word only once. This is a mistake. But some people of the ruling party are trying to make mountain out of a molehill. Once I uttered that word, so what to do now? Hang me to death. I don’t have anything to say about the BJP.”

Over 50 crores cash seized from TMC leader’s aide, ‘mistakes happen’ says WB CM: All you need to know about the SSC recruitment scam

Jhankar Mohta
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Over 50 crores cash seized from TMC leader’s aide, ‘mistakes happen’ says WB CM: All you need to know about the SSC recruitment scam

The Enforcement Directorate has unearthed another massive corruption scandal- the SSC recruitment scam, brewing in West Bengal involving the state’s Commerce and Industries Minister and Mamata Banerjee’s close confidante, Partha Chatterjee and his close aide Arpita Mukherjee.

In the raids being carried out in connection with the ongoing investigation of the School Service Commission (SSC) recruitment scam, the federal agency has, thus far, recovered a little over Rs 50 crores in cash and Rs 4.31 crore worth of gold from multiple locations linked to Arpita Mukherjee, a close associate of arrested cabinet minister Partha Chatterjee.

Partha Chatterjee was the former education minister in the state in the Mamata Banerjee government.

According to reports, the ED carried out a fresh raid at Mukherjee’s apartment complex in Kolkata’s Belgharia locality on Wednesday. They left this morning with 10 trunks of cash amounting to Rs 29 crores, besides 5 kg of jewellery and gold bars. The operation continued for 18 long hours. This was the second raid conducted by the agency. During the first raid on 22 July, a day before her arrest, the agency had recovered a whopping Rs 21.20 crores from the actor’s residence.

Besides the cash, jewellery worth Rs 20 lakhs, 22 mobile phones and Rs 54 lakh worth of foreign currency, a number of other incriminating documents, records, details of dubious companies and electronic devices, were also seized by the central agency.

On Tuesday, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) revealed that it recovered two black journals from the residence of Arpita Mukherjee in Kolkata which bears the details of the alleged School Service Commission (SSC) scam in West Bengal. One of the journals recovered from Mukherjee’s Diamond City South apartment has all the details of the West Bengal government’s department of higher education and school education.

According to reports, the black diary has 40 pages which consist of entries about the illegal appointment of teachers against bribes, collection of cash, and other details. 

Besides, the agency also unearthed many disproportionate assets, including the two flats in an apartment in Belgharia in Kolkata, from where the cash has been recovered, which the minister reportedly gifted to Arpita Mukherjee. It was discovered that in addition to the apartment he stays in, Partha Chatterjee owns three other properties in south Kolkata’s Tollygunge area. One of these flats is used exclusively for his dogs.

Notably, on Monday (July 25), a special court remanded Trinamool Congress (TMC) Minister Partha Chatterjee and actress Arpita Mukherjee to Enforcement Directorate custody for a period of 10 days.

The duo was arrested in connection to the School Service Commission (SSC) scam case. Arpita was arrested on July 23 this year, hours after the arrest of TMC Minister Partha Chatterjee in the same case. While remanding the duo in ED custody, the Court noted that the material produced before it by the central agency suggested that the offence was very serious.

It has been found that Partha Chatterjee owns a large number of flats, many of which he has gifted to his ‘close aides’ including Arpita Mukherjee and another woman named Monalisa Das. Arpita Chatterjee has told the ED that Partha Chatterjee used her flat as a ‘mini bank’. It is suspected that the flats gifted to Monalisa Das also were used for the same purpose.

Notably, Partha Chatterjee earned the majority of the money discovered hidden in Arpita Mukherjee’s apartments through embezzlement during the recruitment of Group-C and D staff members as well as teachers in government-sponsored and aided schools on recommendations of the West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC). At the time of the alleged irregularities, Chatterjee served as the state’s education minister.

‘Mistakes happen’: Mamata Banerjee reacts to Partha Chatterjee’s involvement in the SSC scam

Meanwhile, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, under whose nose the alleged multi-crore scam took place, has reacted to the involvement of her minister in the scam by stating ‘mistakes happen’. Addressing a public gathering, the Trinamool Congress supremo further said that if found guilty, those who committed the mistake ‘should be subjected to punishment’.

Despite the seizure of an enormous amount of cash from the house of Arpita Mukherjee, a close aide of Partha Chatterjee, TMC leader and minister in the Mamata government, the latter continued to call the action by the federal agency a political vendetta.

Addressing a programme of Kolkata-based firm Titagarh Wagons on July 27, Banerjee asserted that businessmen, along with Opposition leaders, were being “threatened by agencies at the behest of the ruling BJP” at the Centre.

“I don’t have a problem if agencies function impartially. These should not be used to malign parties,” she said.

She further claimed that the media is running ‘malicious campaign’ against her party. “When you run a big institution, there can be mistakes. If anyone has committed any mistake, and it is proven legally, he or she must be punished. But I am against any malicious media campaign. Media is playing the role of kangaroo (court). A senior judge also said that recently,” said the WB CM.

Interestingly, the WB CM Mamata Banerjee had, earlier, denied links with Arpita Mukherjee. Her statement came soon after BJP released a video in which she was seen interacting with Arpita Mukherjee.

What is the Bengal Teacher SSC recruitment scam?

The West Bengal Teacher’s recruitment scam, more commonly referred to as the SSC scam, looks into the recruitment process conducted through the State Level Selection Test (SLT) conducted by SSC from 2014 to 2016.

The West Bengal School Service Commission (SSC) announced in 2014 that teachers would be hired at state-run schools in West Bengal through the State Level Selection Test (SLST), which is when the alleged scam first surfaced. In 2016, the hiring process got underway. At that time, Partha Chatterjee was the Minister-in-Charge of the West Bengal Department of Higher Education and School Education. Nevertheless, a number of complaints were submitted to the Calcutta High Court citing irregularities in the hiring procedure.

The petitioners alleged that many examinees who got lesser marks ranked high on the merit list. Several claims also surfaced regarding the receipt of appointment letters by some applicants who weren’t even on the merit list.

In a separate, but related instance, the Bengal government had in 2016 sent the School Service Commission (SSC) notification for the hiring of 13,000 Group D staff in government-run or aided schools. Interestingly, the tenure of the panel responsible for said recruitment expired in 2019, but several petitioners alleged that recruitment had taken place despite the expiry of the panel’s tenure and as many as 25 persons were allegedly appointed by the WBBSE.

However, when the case came up for hearing, the petitioners alleged that not 25 but over 500 people were appointed after the SSC panel’s expiration and were now receiving salaries from the state government.

Soon a CBI probe was launched in the case following an order by the Calcutta High Court bench of Justice Abhijit Gangopadhyay. The court ordered the agency to interrogate the former chairman of the SSC advisory committee, SP Sinha, and other former members of the panel.

The court had asked the CBI to file a report after interrogating the former members. In April, the CBI also registered an FIR against West Bengal Directorate of School Education former deputy director Alok Kumar Sarkar and unidentified officials of the SSC.

In May this year, the Central Investigation Bureau (CBI) filed an FIR against West Bengal Education Minister Paresh Adhikari and his daughter Ankita Adhikari. The case was registered after the father-daughter duo skipped the CBI summon deadline that was set by the Calcutta High Court. Adhikari was summoned for illegally recruiting teachers in government-aided schools and also for allotting a job to his daughter despite her absence from the merit list.

In the same month, CBI also quizzed Partha Chatterjee as the alleged recruitment scam had taken place when he was the education minister.

Later, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) also joined CBI to jointly investigated the scam. While the CBI is probing the criminal aspect of the recruitment scam, the ED is investigating the money laundering aspects.

As a part of the inquiry into the money laundering aspect of the SSC recruiting scandal, ED has now raided Partha Chatterjee’s premises and arrested him for swindling money worth crores in the form of bribes taken during his tenure as the state education minister.

Brazil’s President hits out at Leonardo DiCaprio after he pontificates on deforestation in the Amazon, had earlier schooled Mark Ruffalo too: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Brazil’s President hits out at Leonardo DiCaprio after he pontificates on deforestation in the Amazon, had earlier schooled Mark Ruffalo too: Details

On Thursday, Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro took a jibe at Leonardo DiCaprio after the Hollywood actor and ‘environmentalist’ wrote a Twitter post commenting on deforestation in Brazil’s Amazon forest. According to the actor, the region had faced an onslaught of illegal deforestation over the last 3 years.

“How extensive is deforestation in Amazonia, one of the most important places on the planet for people and wildlife?”, he pondered while he shared a map showcasing illegal deforestation in the Amazon forest. Responding to the tweet, the Brazilian President shared his sarcasm and said that the actor cum environmentalist could become his best electoral cable.

“You again, Leo? This way, you will become my best electoral cable, as we say in Brazil!”, the President tweeted. He called out the actor for owning a yacht (the actor also travels in private jets) while lecturing the world over deforestation. “I could tell you, again, to give up your yacht before lecturing the world, but I know progressives: you want to change the entire world but never yourselves, so I will let you off the hook”, his tweet read.

Educating Leonardo DiCaprio on the steps taken by his government, Bolsonaro said that Brazil preserves more than 80% of its native vegetation and that they have the cleanest energy among G20 nations. He also mentioned that Brazil has pledged to stop illegal deforestation by 2028, while most other countries have kept 2030 as the target. Bolsonaro also implied that DiCaprio is being paid for this ‘role’ that he is playing pretending to be concerned for the Amazon forest.

To note, this is not the first time that the duo has clashed with each other. Earlier in April this year, DiCaprio posted a tweet saying, “Brazil is home to the Amazon and other ecosystems critical to climate change. What happens there matters to us all, and youth voting is key in driving change for a healthy planet”. Slamming the actor, the Brazilian President had then said, “Our people will decide if they want to keep our sovereignty on the Amazon or to be ruled by crooks who serve foreign special interest”. Also, in 2019, Bolsonaro accused the actor of giving money to set the Amazon on fire and slammed the actor for using a 2003 picture to show Brazil in 2019.

Brazilian President had also reacted strongly to Mark Ruffalo’s recent criticism of him, as the ‘Hulk’ claimed that the leader didn’t ‘respect democracy. “Dear Mark Ruffles, calm down! I’m sure you have never read the Brazilian Constitution, but I can assure you it’s nothing like the complicated Hulk scripts you have to memorize: “AHGFRR”. Read it and you’ll find out I’m not only respecting it, but protecting Brazil’s rule of law”, the President had tweeted.

According to reports, the destruction of the world’s largest rainforest has elevated since Jair Bolsonaro took office in 2019. He is said to have undermined environmental safeguards, claiming that they impede economic growth and thereby poverty reduction in the Amazon region. Brazil is due to go to the polls in October this year.

Uproar in parliament over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment on President Draupadi Murmu, he claims it was a ‘mistake’ but refuses to apologise

OpIndia Staff
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Uproar in parliament over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s ‘Rashtrapatni’ comment on President Draupadi Murmu, he claims it was a ‘mistake’ but refuses to apologise

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has sparked a massive controversy by calling President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. The Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha have been adjourned after a huge uproar over this issue. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury admitted that it was his ‘mistake’ to call President Draupadi Murmu ‘Rashtrapatni’. However, the Congress leader has refused to apologize and said that the ruling party is trying to make mountain out of a molehill.

Amidst the uproar, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury has clarified his statement. He said, “Two days ago when I was going towards Vijay Chowk, I was being asked where you’re going. I was telling them that I want to go to Rashtrapati Bhavan and meet the President. Yesterday, I spoke this word (Rashtrapatni – apparently meaning wife of the nation) by mistake. I know that whoever the President of India is, he is the ‘Rashtrapati’ for us. I spoke that word only once. This is a mistake. But some people of the ruling party are trying to make mountain out of a molehill. Once I uttered that word, so what to do now? Hang me to death. I don’t have anything to say about the BJP.”

Union Minister Smriti Irani slammed the Congress party over Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury’s comments and asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to apologize. She said, “Sonia Gandhi, you approved the insult to Draupadi Murmu. Sonia Ji approved the insult of a woman in the highest constitutional post. Ever since she became the presidential candidate, Draupadi Murmu became the center of hatred of the Congress party.”

Smriti Irani added, “Congress leaders have called Murmu a puppet. The congress’s male leaders who committed heinous acts called Draupadi a symbol of evil. Yesterday, the Congress leader of the House insulted the President by addressing her as ‘Rashtrapatni’.”

She further said, “The Congress has insulted every citizen of the country. The Congress and Sonia Gandhi should apologize to the people of the country.”

Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said, “Calling the President of India, ‘Rashtrapatni’ wasn’t a slip of the tongue. It was a deliberate sexist insult against the person who comes from a tribal background. Therefore, Smt. Sonia Gandhi should apologize for the remark made by her party leader.”

It is notable that on 25th July 2022, Draupadi Murmu took an oath as the President of India. She was the candidate of the BJP led NDA, who defeated opposition candidate Yashwant Sinha by a wide margin. Former President Ramnath Kovind handed over the charge to her as he completed his tenure of 5 years as the President of India.

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