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Hinduphobia: Usual suspects hide behind ‘constitutional process’ and other jargon after being triggered by the sight of Puja by PM Modi at new parliament building

Sanghamitra
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Hinduphobia: Usual suspects hide behind ‘constitutional process’ and other jargon after being triggered by the sight of Puja by PM Modi at new parliament building

PM Modi had yesterday inaugurated the majestic bronze ‘Ashoka Stambha’, India’s National Emblem on the roof of the new parliament building under construction at Central Vista. Stunning visuals of the new emblem made headlines yesterday on 11 July.

The emblem structure is made up of bronze and weighs roughly 9500 kgs. It is 6.5 metres tall and has been cast at the top of the main foyer of the new parliament building. Another steel structure constructed to support the emblem weighs around 6500 kgs.

However, since it was PM Modi, the Central Vista Project, a proud symbol of India, and a traditional Puja by a Hindu priest for the inauguration all combined together, the meltdown by the usual whining suspects was quite expected. They proved to be exactly as predictable as always.

Asaduddin Owaisi stated that it was against the ‘constitutional norms’ for the PM to lead the ceremony, as Lok Sabha is not subordinate to the government’.

The Wire’s boss S Varadrajan objected to the ‘Hindu’ ceremony. He proclaimed that PM Modi should say his prayers at home and if he wants to do it in the open it should not be at an official event of the Indian Union. He even called the PM a ‘repeat offender’ in this regard.

Screenshot of Tweet by The Wire’s S Varadarajan

So, as per S Varadarajan, doing a Puja is an offence committed by the Prime Minister of India.

The Opposition had its own trauma. Congress fumed that it was not invited to the program, even though it was quite visible that it was a low-key ceremony and not many people were there, even prominent ministers of the government and senior BJP leaders were missing.

Also, Congress has been against the entire Central Vista project and has been fighting it tooth and nail. It was amusing to see that they were fuming over not being invited to the small ceremony of the unveiling of the emblem.

The Left parties went a step ahead. They were more ‘team Varadarajan’ and proclaimed that the Puja ceremony was wrong. CPM said, “National Emblem installation should not be linked to religious ceremonies. It is everyone’s emblem not those who have some religious beliefs. Keep religion separate from national functions.”

CPM statement

CPM’s Sitaram Yechury went a step ahead and straightaway declared the event as ‘unconstitutional’. As per Yechuri, the constitution separates the 3 wings of democracy- the Executive, the Legislative and the Judiciary.

Yechury’s thought process seems weird. The PM was not there undermining Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla, the PM was not overstepping or meddling in any parliamentary process. The PM was not declaring himself as the Supreme Leader of the parliament there. The current parliament runs in the old building. That parliament is NOT IN SESSION as of now.

The Central Vista project is by the Central government. The new parliament building is still under construction and when the new building is functional and Lok Sabha is convened in that new building, Speaker Om Birla will preside over it. The Lok Sabha or its MPs are not funding or managing the construction of the new parliament building, the government is. So the head of the government, the PM, has all the right to preside over any ceremonies associated with the project.

The problem is Hinduphobia, and hatred for PM Modi

In fact, the reason behind most of the negative comments and statements is the same, “How dare Modi”? How did Modi dare to unfurl a roaring, majestic symbol of Indian sovereignty on the top of a brand new parliament building that will be his legacy in the very heart of Delhi? How dare he flaunt his ‘Hinduness’ so openly? How dare he ‘change’ Lutyen’s Delhi to India’s Delhi?

We have seen similar outbursts of frustration and negativity each time PM Modi lets everyone know that he is not ashamed of his Hindu identity, but he asserts it proudly. Be it the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor, the visits to Kedarnath, the Bhoomi Pujan at Ayodhya or the dozens of other instances where PM Modi has let every Indian know that Hindu Dharma is not confined to some narrow religious confines of a mere belief, but it is India’s civilisational identity, the Left and its ecosystem suffers a collective meltdown.

There is no reason why a Puja should not be done at an inauguration or unveiling ceremony. Sanatan Dharma is the civilisational fabric of this land, a couple of words forcefully added into the preamble of the Constitution during the Emergency cannot change this truth. We may be secular in our policies, and administration, but India is a Hindu country. The Left should just learn to deal with it.

‘United Opposition’ Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha casts aspersions on central agencies ahead of Presidential elections

OpIndia Staff
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‘United Opposition’ Presidential candidate Yashwant Sinha casts aspersions on central agencies ahead of Presidential elections

On Monday (July 11), ‘United Opposition’ Presidential candidate former TMC leader Yashwant Sinha claimed to prevent the ‘misuse’ of central investigative agencies if he is appointed for the coveted post of the President of India.

He made the remarks during a press conference held in Jaipur. Sinha was accompanied by Congress leader and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. He suggested that the ‘misuse’ of central agencies will cease immediately after he takes oath as India’s 15th President.

After realising that he does not have the numbers to be appointed as President, Yashwant Sinha appealed to the other side to back him up. He pointed out that the party’s whip was not applicable during Presidential elections and the voting is conducted through a secret ballot.

Sinha further alleged, “There is communal strife and attempts are being made to dethrone elected governments in various states. It was seen recently in Maharashtra and in Goa.” He also launched a scathing attack on the Modi government over rupee-dollar exchange rate and economic growth.

“This is also a fight against those agencies which are being misused by the Centre. I do not know what will happen to me after the elections,” he was heard as saying.

The former TMC leader also appeared to have cast aspersions on the integrity of the outgoing President Ramnath Kovind. “If we talk about the last five years, it was a period of silence in the Rashtrapati Bhavan. We saw a silent President,” Sinha claimed.

The political turncoat also tried to rationalise his decision of switching parties. He claimed that there used to be politics of consensus during the Vajpayee era while it has been confined to conflict during the tenure of PM Narendra Modi.

President of India is only a nominal executive

It must be mentioned that India follows a Parliamentary system of government and that the powers of the President are limited. Unlike the United States, the President of India is a nominal Head of State.

He cannot take decisions on his own and acts only on the advice of the Council of Ministers, headed by the head of the government i.e. the Prime Minister. As such, Yashwant Sinha’s claim to stop the alleged misuse of central agencies is not rooted in truth.

The elections for the 15th President of India are scheduled to take place on July 18 this year. From the complex maths behind the crucial election, it becomes evident that Yashwant Sinha has marginal to negligible chances of winning.

From allegations of ‘blackmail’ to ‘Khali slapping a toll worker’: Watch viral video of Khali and toll workers arguing

OpIndia Staff
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From allegations of ‘blackmail’ to ‘Khali slapping a toll worker’: Watch viral video of Khali and toll workers arguing

On July 11, a video of former WWE wrestler Dilip Rana alias The Great Khali went viral on social media platforms. He was seen arguing with the toll workers of Ladowal Toll Plaza near Phillaur in Punjab. In the video, Khali alleged the toll workers were blackmailing him while the toll workers were alleging he slapped one of them. At the same time, the toll workers were asking him to show ID cards.

Reports suggest that Khali was going to Karnal from Jalandhar. Khali alleged the toll plaza employees wanted to click photographs with him, but he refused. After that, the toll plaza workers allegedly mistreated him.

The toll plaza workers could be seen surrounding his vehicle and arguing with him. There were barricades in places to stop Khali’s car from moving ahead. Meanwhile, a PCR van reached there, and the toll plaza workers removed the barricades. A Police officer approached to understand the situation. Both toll plaza workers and Khali could be seen telling the Police officer their own versions of the incident.

As the barricades were removed, Khali’s driver moved his car. When a toll plaza worker tried to put the barricade again, Khali stopped him and walked towards his car. At that time, the toll plaza worker called him a monkey while pointing the way he was walking.

Khali left WWE a few years back and moved back to India. He now runs his own academy known as Continental Wrestling Academy in Jalandhar, where he prepares new wrestlers.

Lakhimpur Kheri: Man who got an FIR filed against Mohammed Zubair receives death threats, demands police protection

OpIndia Staff
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Lakhimpur Kheri: Man who got an FIR filed against Mohammed Zubair receives death threats, demands police protection

Mohammed Zubair, the self-described fact-checker and co-founder of propaganda outlet Alt News, was on Monday (11 July 2022) sent to 14-day judicial custody in connection with the Lakhimpur Kheri case. Meanwhile, the man who filed a complaint against him is receiving death threats from the Islamists and had demanded protection from the police. 

The complainant, Ashish Katiyar, said when he was travelling to the court earlier this werk, some people waylaid him and threatened to kill him and his family over his complaint against Mohammed Zubair. 

A bail application has also been filed on behalf of Zubair in the court in connection with the case. The matter will be heard on July 13. Complainant Ashish Katiyar’s lawyer BK Trivedi has also expressed dissatisfaction over the apathy of the Lakhimpur Kheri police on the FIR against Zubair for a long time. 

“The police must get Zubair’s custody as there have been many reports of him getting money from abroad. On what basis will the police chargesheet in this case without taking his custody?” Trivedi questioned. 

An FIR was filed against Zubair over a tweet for inflaming communal tensions with an infographic used in ‘Bindas Bol’ program of Sudarshan News in 2021. 

Speaking to OpIndia, Trivedi said, “Zubair’s hearing has been done through video conferencing from Sitapur Jail. During the hearing, a local lawyer appeared on his behalf in the court. He applied for Zubair’s bail, on which 13 July 2022 was fixed for hearing. The Kheri police had sought police custody of Zubair from the court.”

Ashish Katiyar, a correspondent with Sudarshan News who had also filed a complainant against Mohammed Zubair, has complained to the police about the death threats he is receiving. In his complaint sent to SHO Mohammadi on July 11, he said, “Today around 11 am, I was on my way to the court from my house. My case was to be heard. As soon as I reached the road, 4 unknown people stopped me and started abusing me. They threatened me and said that if Zubair’s bail is not granted today, they will kill you and your entire family. After that all four of them ran away.”

Copy of complaint filed by Ashish Katiyar

In the complaint, the victim has expressed concern about threat to his life and family, describing herself as a plaintiff in the FIR against Zubair. Ashish Katiyar has appealed to the police to take his complaint seriously. Talking to OpIndia, Ashish Katiyar said, “Zubair’s case is not a minor issue. I want the safety of myself and my family.”

Significantly, even after getting interim bail for five days from the Supreme Court, Zubair is still held in Sitapur jail after police filed a complaint against the ‘fact-checker’ in the Lakhimpur Kheri case.

16 Shiv Sena MPs urge Uddhav Thackeray to support NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu

OpIndia Staff
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16 Shiv Sena MPs urge Uddhav Thackeray to support NDA’s Presidential candidate Droupadi Murmu

Sixteen MPs of Shiv Sena have urged Uddhav Thackeray, who was recently ousted from the Maharashtra CM’s position after facing a huge rebellion, to support the NDA presidential candidate, Droupadi Murmu, instead of the Opposition nominee Yashwant Sinha. The presidential election is scheduled for July 18.

The demand was made at the meeting that was called by Uddhav Thackeray at his residence Matoshree in Mumbai on Monday (July 11) afternoon. Thackeray had called the meeting to know for whom the Shiv Sena MPs wanted to cast their vote during the presidential elections.

The Shiv Sena chief has reportedly assured his MPs that he will make the final decision on this issue in the next 2-3 days.

It may be noted that only 12 MPs from the Lok Sabha and two Members of the Rajya Sabha attended a meeting called by Uddhav Thackeray on Monday. The party has 19 MPs in the Lok Sabha.

NDTV quoted Shiv Sena MP Gajanan Kirtikar as saying that all sixteen MPs agreed that Droupadi Murmu “is a tribal woman and that’s why they should vote for her”. 

Shiv Sena MP writes to Uddhav Thackeray to support Droupadi Murmu

Notably, last week, Shiv Sena MP Rahul Shewale had written to Uddhav Thackeray asking the party to support Droupadi Murmu. “Droupadi Murmu comes from the Adivasi community and has a seminal contribution to social life,” said Shewale, asking Thackeray to issue instructions to the party MPs accordingly.

Another Shiv Sena MP from Maharashtra’s Palghar Lok Sabha seat, Rajendra Gavit, had also urged the party supremo to support the candidature of Droupadi Murmu in July 18 presidential election.

According to a Sena MP acquainted with the proceedings, the party has not yet declared its stance on the presidential election. “There is a chance of cross-voting due to the elections taking place through secret ballot. Eventually, it will be Shiv Sainiks who are fighting each other. Shewale’s letter is an attempt to bring about a rapprochement between the two factions,” said another MP.

“The Shiv Sena is with the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) and the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) and will take a decision at the right time,” the Shiv Sena MP and party secretary Vinayak Raut said.

It is noteworthy that the Shiv Sena twice parted with the BJP in the presidential election while it was a member of the NDA. It backed Pranab Mukherjee over P A Sangma in 2012 and supported Maharashtra-native Pratibha Patil, a candidate for the Congress, over Bhairon Singh Shekhawat of the NDA in 2007.

Political drama in Maharashtra

It may be recalled how the Shiv Sena supremo Uddhav Thackeray resigned from the post of the Chief Minister of Maharashtra on June 29, minutes after the Supreme Court of India refused to intervene with the Maharashtra Governor’s direction for a trust vote. The Governor had asked Uddhav Thackeray-led SS-NCP-Cong ruling coalition to prove majority in Assembly on June 30, with voting at 5 pm.

The CM had addressed the public through a live video on Facebook and announced that he is resigning. Along with the post of CM, he had also resigned as an MLC. Following his resignation, Eknath Shinde took oath as the CM of the state and went on to prove his majority on the floor of the house.

Uddhav Thackeray and Shiv Sena were facing a coup since 21st June 2022 when Eknath Shinde and 39 other Shiv Sena MLAs rebelled against the Maha Vikas Aghadi alliance in the state and asked to get back into an alliance with their former partner BJP.

ED summons Congress President Sonia Gandhi on July 21 in the National Herald case, had skipped earlier summons due to Covid infection

OpIndia Staff
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ED summons Congress President Sonia Gandhi on July 21 in the National Herald case, had skipped earlier summons due to Covid infection

The Enforcement Directorate on Monday asked Congress president Sonia Gandhi to depose before it on July 21 in connection with a money laundering case related to the National Herald case. The Congress chief had skipped earlier summons on June 8 after she reportedly tested positive for Covid on June 2, six days before she was supposed to appear before the Enforcement Directorate.

Sonia Gandhi was released from the hospital in the middle of June after recovering from Covid. Sonia Gandhi was issued the second summons on June 23 by the agency, but the Congress supremo had again refused to depose before the agency on the grounds that the doctors had “strictly advised her to rest at home following her hospitalisation on account of Covid and lung infection”.

Congress leaders created ruckus at the ED office during Rahul Gandhi’s summons

It may be recalled that when her son, Rahul Gandhi, was summoned by the Enforcement Directorate for questioning in the National Herald case, the Congress party had turned the entire event into a major political drama.

On June 13, before Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared for questioning at the Enforcement Directorate office, the Congress leaders created a ruckus and protested across the country at 25 party offices.

Calling it a ‘Satyagrah’, Congress workers in large numbers took out agitations against the notice served to Rahul Gandhi, as he reached the ED office.

Several Congress leaders were held by police for attempting to cause unrest before Rahul Gandhi’s attendance in the ED office. Along with other workers, police had detained Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala, senior leader Harish Rawat, and Congress leaders Rajni Patil, Akhilesh Prasad Singh, L. Hanumanthaiah, and Thirunavukkarasar Su.

National Herald Case involving Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi

The National Herald case is one of the most notable legal cases in Indian history, as the Gandhis are directly accused. The Mother-Son duo of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and her son Rahul, along with their aides – Oscar Fernandez, Motilal Vohra and Sam Pitroda, are alleged to have been involved in ‘massive cheating and breach of trust’ in the acquisition of Associated Journals Ltd (AJL) by Young Indian Pvt Ltd (YIL). Assets worth crores of rupees had been allegedly transferred for purposes other than originally intended for a paltry sum. Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi got unconditional bail in the case in December 2015.

Love Jihad in Bareilly: Imran poses as Surendra to trap a Hindu woman, blackmails her with private pictures to eat beef and accept Islam

OpIndia Staff
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Love Jihad in Bareilly: Imran poses as Surendra to trap a Hindu woman, blackmails her with private pictures to eat beef and accept Islam

In yet another case of love jihad, a youth named Imran has been accused of hiding his religious identity to trap a Hindu woman, thereafter pressurising her to convert to Islam and forcefully marrying her. The incident was reported from the Izzatnagar area of ​​Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh.

According to reports, Imran also raped her and clicked objectionable pictures of the Hindu woman. He thereafter used the pictures to blackmail her into eating beef forcefully against her will and offer Namaz. When she resisted, Imran and his family members beat her up and denied her food and water. Imran and his family also threatened to kill her if she did not accede to their demands.

Fed up with the continued harassment, the woman approached the Izzatnagar police station and filed a complaint against Imran and his family, accusing them of harassment, assault, rape, forced marriage and conversion. The police have begun investigating the case.

On July 10, Bareilly police took to Twitter to state that the Izzatnagar police had taken cognisance of the case. Replying to a Tweet posted by Darshinik Samachar, where it shared information about the case, the Bareilly police said that based on the complaint received from the victim, the Izzatnagar police have registered a case. Based on the evidence, further action is being taken, it added.

In what transpired, the victim, who hailed from Biharman Nagla, situated in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district, used to go to an institute located near the Kanta Dairy to learn a computer course. She met Imran during her classes. Imran introduced himself as Surendra Singh. The duo started talking to each other and soon became friends. Imran tactfully lured the victim into his trap and established physical relations with her. He clicked objectionable pictures with her without her knowledge.

Report on the incident by Live Hindustan
Report on the incident by Live Hindustan

After some time, Imran started blackmailing the woman with her private pictures. He told her that if she did not accede to his demands he would release the obscene pictures on the internet. He pressurised her to embrace Islam and marry him. Imran gave the victim a Muslim name after he forcefully married her on May 26, 2020.

After marriage, Imran and his family started forcing the woman to eat beef and offer Namaz. When she resented, they locked her up in a room and assaulted her. She was denied food and water.

The victim kept giving in to the pressure and harassment for over two years, but recently she escaped and went to the Izzatnagar police station, where she lodged a complaint against Imran, his mother Rifat Bibi, brothers Misriyar Khan, Khurshid Khan, Irshad Khan and brothers-in-law Aftab and Moin Khan.

Uttar Pradesh passes law to curb the menace of love jihad

Uttar Pradesh was the first state to implement strict laws against Love Jihad or grooming jihad, a phenomenon which the self-proclaimed ‘liberals’ have always dismissed calling it the figment of the imagination of the “rightwing”. However, the menace of Love jihad is so pervasive that these incidents keep cropping up, not only in Uttar Pradesh but across many parts of the country, where susceptible and vulnerable Hindu women are targeted by Muslim men, lured and brainwashed, forcefully converted to Islam, tortured, raped and then either killed or abandoned.

In fact, only yesterday, OpIndia reported another case of Love Jihad from Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh itself. As per reports, planning and scheming for this spanned from Bareilly to Kaliyar Sharif (Uttarakhand) to target a Hindu girl student. During the two-year long plan, every effort was made to brainwash the girl. The Muslim boy, who befriended the victim on the pretext of marriage and promised her that she could continue to be a Hindu, also pressured her to convert to Islam.

The Hindu victim was reportedly forced to stay in Mazaar for days and raped by the Muslim boy in Uttarakhand’s Kaliyar Sharif. The accused’s aides also shot several videos of her and kept circulating between them. On the evening of June 30, the boy tried to take her to some other place but the police caught him at Haridwar railway station.

After giving her statement and professing to have been misled and betrayed, the girl was returned to her parents. She was brought before the Child Welfare Committee, which, after evaluating the girl’s situation, handed her to her parents.

Ichhadhaari protestor Yogendra Yadav heads to Sri Lanka to become the leader of the protests against the local government

Amit Kelkar
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Ichhadhaari protestor Yogendra Yadav heads to Sri Lanka to become the leader of the protests against the local government

Ichhadhaari protestor Yogendra Yadav is set to hit the headlines again as he sets sail to Sri Lanka to lead the protests at the presidential palace there. Out of work, and out of headlines, since the farmers’ protest in India, the andolanjeevi inside Yogendra Yadav couldn’t stop himself after seeing the news of the protests on TV and set out to lead the protests.

Yogendra Yadav, who has previously been an anti-corruption protestor, a student protestor, and a farmer protestor, is set to re-brand himself as a Sri Lankan protestor now. As per sources, YoYa (as Yogendra Yadav is affectionately known) will land at the Sri Lankan presidential palace, and position himself in front of the cameras as the leader of the protests.

While the previous protests ‘led’ by Yadav were aimed at removing Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his office, this protest is without any such stated aim. Close aides of Yadav have shared that he is going to lead this protest just to stay in shape for any future protests in India. Having been away from the TV cameras for a long time, Yadav also wants to make sure that people don’t forget about his designation as the default leader of every protest.

“There are multiple reasons for Yadav Ji heading to Sri Lanka to lead this protest”, a close aide of Yogendra Yadav said, “Firstly, protests are the brand identity of Yadav Ji. If people see any protest, they expect him to be there as the first face in front of the TV cameras. Further, since the farmers’ protest ended, nobody has even cared to point a mobile camera at Yadav Ji’s face, forget a news camera. That Tikait took away all the news cameras with him to an all-India visit while Yadav Ji was forgotten, so you can consider this as a return to the protest game by Yogendra Yadav.”

Further, he added, “Every individual seeks growth and expansion, and so does our Yadav Ji. Now that he has protested against everything within India, including protesting against his own party of the time, it was time to go international and lead protests around the world. When he can be an anti-corruption activist, student leader, or farmer, then how is being a Sri Lankan leader any different? It all depends on the willpower of an individual and Yadav Ji has strong enough will to be anyone and anything he wants. We wish him all the success in his endeavours there.”

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who was supposed to have left Sri Lanka, has released a statement that he is still in Sri Lanka and is trying to reach the presidential palace before Yogendra Yadav. President Rajapaksa took this decision fearing that if Yogendra Yadav reaches there first and settles down, it will be impossible to remove him from there for months.

Journalist Sudhir Chaudhary joins India Today group’s Aaj Tak as Consulting Editor: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Journalist Sudhir Chaudhary joins India Today group’s Aaj Tak as Consulting Editor: Details

Days after journalist Sudhir Chaudhary resigned as the Editor-in-Chief and CEO of Zee News, it has come to light that he will join Aaj Tak as a ‘Consulting Editor.’

Aaj Tak is a Hindi news channel and a part of India Today Group. The development was confirmed to the channel’s employees through an email by Kalli Puri, India Today Group’s Vice-Chairperson.

Reportedly, Sudhir Chaudhary will host a new programme on Aaj Tak. According to Puri, Aaj Tak and Sudhir Chaudhary are eyeing to reach 100 million viewers with the guidance of news director Supriya Prasad.

A veteran of Indian TV journalism, Sudhir Chaudhary joined Zee News during its initial years but left in 2003 to join Sahara Samay. He had also joined India TV for some time. In 2012 he returned to Zee News, where he was hosting his show Daily News & Analysis (DNA), one of the highest-rated show on Hindi news channels.

Subhash Chandra, Chairman of Essel Group and Zee Media Mentor, stated in an internal email that he met with Sudhir Chaudhary twice in the previous two days to attempt to persuade him to stay. Subhash Chandra said in the email, “Since he is planning to start his own venture by utilizing his fan following, I did not want to come in his way of progression.” Chandra also intends to hold a goodbye dinner for Sudhir Chaudhary on July 8th at the Constitution Club.

Sudhir Chaudhary said in his resignation letter to Chandra that he had been contemplating beginning his own business for quite some time. In his resignation email, Sudhir Chaudhary wrote, “To start my own enterprise. I assure you that my proposed new venture (If successful) will make you happy and proud of me. My success will be a testimony to my learning over more than 15 years Two stints) at Zee.”

He wrote in the resignation letter, “With heavy heart I have to say that ‘Great is the art of beginning, but greater is the art of ending.’ But, Sir at the same time I would like to add that, I am seeking your blessings for parting ways from ZMCL.”

NCPCR writes to Mumbai Police to register FIR against Aaditya Thackeray for using children in Aarey protests

OpIndia Staff
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NCPCR writes to Mumbai Police to register FIR against Aaditya Thackeray for using children in Aarey protests

On July 11, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) wrote to Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar and sought action against Shiv Sena MLA and former Maharashtra Minister Aaditya Thackeray. NCPCR got into action after an organization named Sahyadri Rights Forum wrote to NCPCR accusing Aaditya Thackeray of allegedly using minors in anti-Aarey Car Shed protests.

In its letter addressed to the Commissioner, the Commission said that it took suo moto cognizance of the matter under Section s 13(16) of CPCR Act, 2005. As per the Commission, using children for protests was in contravention of Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, Child & Adolescent Labour (Prohibition and Regulation) Act, 1986, Article 21 (Right to Life) & Article 23(Right to protection from forced labor) of the Constitution of India and relevant Sections of Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The Commission said, “In view of the above, the Commission thereby requests you to investigate the matter urgently by lodging an FIR against the accused person (s) at once. The children should be identified and produced before the Child Welfare Committee as per Juvenile Justice Act, 2015 for recording their statements. An action taken report along with a copy of FIR and statement of children may be shared with the Commission within three days of receipt of this letter.”

On Sunday, Thackeray joined Save Aarey protesters and published a few photographs on Twitter as well. He said, “Aarey is a unique forest within our city. Uddhav Thackeray Ji declared 808 acres of Aarey as Forest, and the car shed must move out. Our human greed and lack of compassion cannot be allowed to destroy biodiversity in our city.”

Notably, after Shiv Sena’s rebel leader Eknath Shinde became Chief Minister of Maharashtra with the BJP’s support, one of the first decisions taken by the Maharashtra government was to restart work of the Metro Car Shed at Aarey Colony. The project was canceled by the Uddhav Thackeray-led MVA government.

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