The NMDC has started its anti-encroachment drive in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri area amid a heavy police presence. As per the latest visuals from the area, bulldozers have started bringing down illegal structures, shops and other encroachments.
#WATCH | Anti-encroachment drive underway at the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi which witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession pic.twitter.com/zIxMVccwSM
Just before the anti-encroachment drive began, the Delhi police and hundreds of security personnel in riot gear had conducted a surveillance of the area earlier in the morning.
#WATCH | Delhi Police take stock of the situation in Jahangirpuri which witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession pic.twitter.com/rHlxA62wZ6
Slums and shops built on roads will be removed, said the driver of a bulldozer during the anti-encroachment drive at the Jahangirpuri area of Delhi which witnessed violence on April 16 during a religious procession pic.twitter.com/NY7DyWdyqQ
Last evening, the NMDC had requested over 400 personnel from Delhi police to carry out the anti-encroachment drive in the Jahangirpuri area. The area had witnessed severe violence on April 16 when a Hindu procession on Hanuman Jayanti was attacked with stones, bottles and gunshots by a Muslim mob. Over 2 dozen arrests have been made so far for the violence. The area is reportedly a hub of illegal encroachments and criminal activities. Many BJP leaders have blamed the heavy presence of illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi immigrants for illegal activities.
As per the latest update, the Supreme Court ordered a status quo on the demolition drive at Jahangirpuri and the North Delhi mayor has confirmed that the drive will be halted as of now as per orders by the top court.
On April 18, in a conversation at World Heritage Day in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, renowned archaeologist KK Mohammed said that 27 temples were demolished to build Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque near Qutub Minar in Delhi. He said, “Remnants of temples were found near Qutub Minar, including Lord Ganesha temple. It proves there was a temple.”
Notably, the Delhi Tourism website clearly mentions that the 73-metre high Qutub Minar was built using the material obtained from 27 Hindu and Jain temples. The first Muslim ruler of Delhi, Qutub-ud-din Aibak, defeated the last Hindu ruler of Delhi Prithiviraj Chauhan.
The website says, “An inscription over its eastern gate provocatively informs that it was built with material obtained from demolishing ’27 Hindu temples.”
However, KK Mohammed said it was a pure Islamic structure. he said similar Minars were made during the time of Ghazni, Ghauri and other Mughal rulers. Speaking to ABP News he said the many mistakes had happened during the medieval period. Both communities have a responsibility for the current standing structures. He said, “The biggest mistake communist Historians make is that they try to hide the truth. It is a fact that temples were demolished and there is no benefit of hiding the truth.” He also blamed communist historians for provoking Muslims that had delayed the construction of Bhavya Ram Mandir in Ayodhya.
The website further reads, “The main mosque comprises of an inner and outer courtyard, decorated with shafts and surrounded by Piller. Most of these shafts are from the 27 Hindu temples, which were plundered to construct the mosque. It is, therefore, not surprising that the Muslim mosque has typical Hindu ornamentation.”
The construction of Qutub Minar was started by Aibak in 1200 AD. However, he could only finish the basement. His successor Iltutmush added more storeys to the construction. Later, in 1368, Firoz Shah Tughlak constructed the last storey of the building.
KK Mohammed said, “Not one, but there were many idols of Lord Ganesha found at the site. It was the capital of the Chuahans, including Prithviraj Chauhan. There were around 27 Hindu temples, and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was built on the ruins of these temples using the same elements. You can clearly find the evidence through Arabic inscriptions which say that 27 temples were destroyed to build a mosque at the site.”
Delhi Court directed ASI not to remove Lord Ganesha idols
Recently, reports had suggested that the NMA wanted to move the Ganesha idols from the premises. However, a Delhi court stayed the order and directed ASI not to remove the idols. Additional District Judge Nikhil Chopra, in an order, directed ASI not to take any action till the matter was heard before the court. The hearing in the matter will take place on May 17.
The directions from the court were on a suit filed by advocate Hari Shankar Jain on behalf of Jain deity Tirthankar Lord Rishabh Dev. The plea claimed that 27 temples were demolished by Qutubdin Aibak, and Quwwat-ul-Islam Mosque was constructed using the material from the ruins. Advocate Jain said there were two idols of Lord Ganesha on the premises, and ASI was likely to remove and place them in National Museum as just artefacts.
It is noteworthy that Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) has also demanded that the government should rebuild the ancient temples in the complex and allow Hindus to offer prayers. In a statement, national spokesperson Vinod Bansal said, “We visited major parts of the site, and it was heart-rending to see the condition of the idols of Hindu deities…Qutub Minar was built with materials obtained after demolishing 27 Hindu temples. The superimposed structure was built just to tease the country.”
KK Mohammed was part of the Ayodhya excavation
Notably, KK Mohammed was a part of the team from the Delhi School of Archaeology that had joined the excavation team in Ayodhya headed by Professor VB Pal. On several occasions, Mohammad openly spoke about the temple ruins that were found during an excavation in Ayodhya. He had pointed toward the possibility that the disputed structure was built using pillars, slabs and other components from the demolished temple at the site.
Taking a cue from states such as Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the Delhi local administration has decided to act against encroachments and raze the illegal structures that have come up at North West Delhi’s Jahangirpuri Muslim mobs had recently attacked a Hindu religious procession on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti.
According to the reports, the North Delhi Municipal Corporation will remove the “encroachments” in Jahangirpuri, where riots broke out last Saturday against Hindu devotees during a procession commemorating Hanuman Jayanthi.
As per reports, in an order released by Assistant Commissioner, North Delhi Municipal Corporation has announced that the encroachment drive will be carried out on illegal constructions in the area of April 20 and 21 in Jahangirpuri. The NDMC officials have also written to the Delhi Police requesting at least 400 police personnel to maintain law and order during the demolition drive.
“The special joint encroachment removal action programme comprising PWD, local body, Police, and the Works/Maintenance Department, Health Department, Sanitation Department, Veterinary Department and Enforcement Cell of North DMC is to be fixed in Jahangirpuri area,” the letter read.
Image Source: Twitter
Meanwhile, the NDMC officials are clearing out the streets in the Jahangirpuri area ahead of the demolition drive. According to the locals, the NDMC officials are collecting garbage and waste materials.
Delhi | Morning visuals from the Jahangirpuri area
“They collect garbage or waste materials here. Now they are removing it as we got to know that bulldozer will come here,” said a person present at the location pic.twitter.com/jphnlYud3Y
“Now they are removing it as we got to know that bulldozer will come here,” said a person present at the location.
Raja Iqbal Singh, the mayor of North Delhi has confirmed the development to ANI.
Illegal construction, encroachment on govt land in Jahangirpuri will be removed today, April 20, by North MCD…To avoid any mishap in the area especially in the wake of recent violence, we have also demanded police force (deployment): Raja Iqbal Singh, Mayor, North Delhi https://t.co/ZiYyEWRPncpic.twitter.com/LF80ygtKlb
Earlier, Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta had written a letter to the commissioner and mayor of the north civic body, urging them to identify and demolish illegal encroachments and constructions by the accused arrested in the Jahangirpuri riots on Saturday.
The BJP leader had also requested the Delhi Police commissioner to probe the role of illegal Bangladeshi Rohingyas in the violence. Gupta also reportedly urged the police commissioner to investigate the role of AAP functionaries in the riots.
“Wherever such activities take place, AAP members are found involved with the patronage of their seniors. Those questioning the police action instead of praising it are people with the mindset that supports the tukde tukde gang and insults the national tricolour,” alleged Gupta.
Senior BJP leader Ramvir Singh Bidhuri said the way stones were hurled at the procession proved the involvement of Bangladeshi Rohingyas.
“They are getting the patronage of the Kejriwal government. We urge the LG to stop their free ration, water and power supply and cancel their Aadhaar cards. Their senior citizens’ pension should be stopped and their names removed from the voter list,” he added.
AAP’s Amanatullah Khan opposes the anti-encroachment drive, says it is attempt to disrupt peace during Ramzan
While the authorities have clarified that the anti-encroachment drive will be against illegal structures in Jahangirpuri, AAP leader Amanatullah Khan has issued a statement insinuating that it is deliberate action against Muslims during the month of Ramzan. He has added that Amit Shah and MCD want to disrupt the peaceful atmosphere of Delhi.
अमित शाह और भाजपा दिल्ली के शांति पूर्वक माहौल को रमज़ान के महीने में ख़राब करना चाहती है, MCD का इस्तेमाल कर अब जहांगीरपुरी में एंक्रोच्मेंट के नाम पर बुलडोज़र चलाने और एक ख़ास समुदाय को प्रताड़ित करने का नया फ़रमान जारी कर दिया गया इससे पूरे देश का माहोल ख़राब होगा। pic.twitter.com/7676f9d867
— Amanatullah Khan AAP (@KhanAmanatullah) April 19, 2022
Giving an indirect threat to the anti-encroachment drive, Khan stated that the action is aimed to target Muslims and disrupt the ‘peace’ in Delhi. Citing Ramzan, Khan said that the anti-encroachment drive can be done later too.
Jahangirpuri riots:
On Saturday, violence took place on the day of Hanuman Jayanti in Delhi’s Jahangirpuri. The Islamist mob pelted stones and fired shots at Hindu Devotees taking out the Shobha Yatra. Several people and police personnel were injured. So far, the police have arrested 25 in the case.
According to the FIR, the procession was moving peacefully. However, when the procession approached the Jama Masjid in C Block at 6 pm, a man named Ansar approached the procession with some of his companions and initiated an argument. The dispute quickly devolved into stone-pelting, resulting in a stampede in the procession. The police attempted to control the situation, but a specific segment of the mob disregarded the orders and intensified the sloganeering, and set ablaze some vehicles. The crowd kept pelting stones and glass bottles at the procession.
The role of Bangladeshi settlers in Jahangirpuri involved in the Hanuman Jayanti attack is also being pondered over after sub-inspector Meda Lal alleged that slogans were raised in Bangla as the riot escalated.
PM Modi laid the foundation stone for the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar in Gujarat on Tuesday. The Director-General of the World Health Organisation Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus and Prime Minister of Mauritius Pravind Kumar Jugnauth were present at the event. The India-led Centre will be the first and only global outpost for traditional medicine across the world, aimed to emerge as an international hub of global wellness.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday participated in the stone laying ceremony of The WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar Gujarat. In his inaugural speech, he affirmed that the centre in Jamnagar has come as a recognition of India’s contribution and potential in the field of traditional medicine. “This partnership between India and WHO in building this centre is a respect towards India’s contribution as well as potential in the field of traditional medicine,” PM Modi said.
Modi said that Jamnagar’s contributions towards wellness will get a global identity with WHO’s Global Centre for Traditional Medicine. He highlighted the part played by the Institute of Teaching and Research in Ayurveda established in Jamnagar five decades ago. He said that remaining disease-free could be an important aspect of life but overall ‘Wellness’ should be the ultimate goal. “We learnt closely, the importance of wellness, during the Covid-19 times. The world awaits new paradigms in ‘Healthcare Delivery’ today,” Modi added.
The Prime Minister added that the facility will bring ancient wisdom and modern science together while inaugurating the WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar.
Highlighting India’s contribution to medicine, PM Modi said, “India’s traditional medicine system is not limited to treatment. It is a holistic science of life. The science of Ayurveda goes beyond just healing and treatment and delves into mental health, social health, and environmental health as well. To fight disorders of diabetes, depression and obesity and others, India’s tradition of Yoga is helping the world in many ways.”
WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, who is on a three-day visit to India expressed deep appreciation for India for its contributions in health and medicine in his speech. He started off in Gujarati asking, “Kem Cho Badha?” (how are you all) which dazzled the audience in applause.
#WATCH | WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus greets the public in Gujarati during the inaugural ceremony of the WHO-Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar. pic.twitter.com/Mexd6RUXLw
Ghebreyesus highlighted that the centre will help to harness the power of science by strengthening evidence-based traditional medicine. “I’m grateful to PM Modi and the Government of India for their leadership in supporting this important initiative,” the WHO chief said.
During his speech, he added his connection to India and interactions with Indian wisdom in his college days. “my Indian teachers taught me well about traditional medicines for which I am very grateful. He added that he has good knowledge about the benefits of the traditional medicines and Indian practices, which were introduced to him by his Indian teachers during biology classes. Ghebreyesus highlighted that he loves watching Bollywood films, particularly those shot in the Swiss Alps and that ‘Mother India’ remains his favourite Hindi film so far.
“I thank PM Modi for the USD 250 Million investment to establish the centre with an interim office and a 10-year commitment for operating costs. From the day I spoke to PM Modi, his commitment was amazing and I knew that this centre will be in good hands,” Dr Tedros added. The WHO chief said, “This is a truly global project, this means that India will go the world & the whole world will come to India.”
Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus then listed a 5-point agenda for the centre to work on as a focus. The WHO’s chief 5 points were:
Leadership and partnership in working with our global networks.
Expand the knowledge of traditional medicine by expanding clinical trials.
Data and analytics: The data of WHO’s reliable data will help to understand the use of traditional medicine.
To tackle problems affecting the sustainability of bio-diversity and other similar issues.
Innovation and technology: Help of Artificial intelligence which has already started mapping the patterns for the WHO app.
Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, PM of Bhutan Lotay Tshering and Nepal’s PM Sher Bahadur Deuba attended the event through online links. Chief Minister of Gujarat Bhupendra Patel, Union Minister of Health Mansukh Mandaviya and Minsiter for AYUSH Sarbananda Sonowal were also present during the inauguration.
Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Sergey Lavrov has refuted the claims of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy that Russia is using tactical nuclear weapons in the ongoing war. In a recent interview with India Today, Lavrov talked at length about Russia’s military strategy in its invasion of Ukraine, how the West has played its part to fuel fire in the tensions between Russia and Ukraine and the role India can play amidst the challenging geopolitical situation.
When India Today Foreign Affairs Editor Geeta Mohan asked Lavrov about Zelenskyy’s claims on Russia planning to use tactical nuclear weapons, he said, “He says many things, depending on what he drinks or smokes.” Lavrov claimed that the West played Zelenskyy against Russia. He said the Ukrainian President’s standing up against Russia in not signing the Minsk agreements was not a far-sighted move. “The West is a broad concept. I mean The US and the Brits, the European Union is just their obedient servant.”
The Minsk agreement consists of measures, including a ceasefire, withdrawal of heavy weapons from the border and implementation of constitutional reform in Ukraine by granting self-government to certain areas of Donbas, which are largely Russia sympathetic.
Talking about Russia’s designs on the possibility to use tactical nuclear weapons in the future, Lavrov said, “We never mentioned Tactical weapons, Zelenskyy talked about this. His intelligence must have provided him with some news. I cannot comment on something which any inadequate person has pronounced.”
While Russia continues to be a nuclear power and a P5 nation, the possibility of nuclear escalation in the ongoing war cannot be completely ruled out. “When in 1987, Soviet Union President Mikhail Gorbachev and American President Ronald Reagen met, they signed a solemn declaration stating that there will be no winners in a nuclear war. When the Trump administration came to power, we decided to put a positive political message to the universe, registering what Gorbachev and Reagen pronounced. Initially, the Trump administration declined but we were encouraged when after five days to President Biden was inaugurated when initially decided to sign the declaration,” Lavrov commented.
He added, “In June 2021, when Biden met President Putin in Geneva, America issued this declaration on our initiative. We started to promote the same commitment in the context of the P5.” Lavrov highlighted that Both the Russian-American statement and the P5 statement were signed on the behest of the Russian Federation’s encouragement.
Russian Foreign Minister on India’s Foreign Policy and Dr. S Jaishankar
Watch why Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said that EAM Subrahmanyam Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) is a real patriot.
“When the Americans say they want the support democracies, they mean very specific things, that it is up to them to decide who is democracy. When they convened the summit of democracies, you need to see the list of invitees- it is not democracy, it is about something else. Lavrov highlighted that when the Americans put everyone else in the anti-Russian camp including India, China, Turkey, and Egypt which are ‘countries with their own thousands of years of history, Civilization and culture,’ “they are not even publically ashamed to tell you what to do”, he said.
“When it comes to S-400, Anthony Blinken says the United States has not yet decided whether to use sanctions against India for S-400s publically. Later his undersecretary says that the US must help India to understand what is important for its security. What about that?” he asked highlighting the US’ unwanted pressure to take a stand against Russia.
Foreign Minister Lavrov pressed, “But I really respect Subramanian Jaishankar very much, he is a seasoned diplomat and a real patriot of his country. It’s respectful, not too many countries can say something like this.”
On Sunday, April 17, supporters of disgraced former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif threatened to enter the bedroom of Imran Khan’s ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith during a protest outside her residence in the suburban district of Ham in Richmond in southeast London.
The demonstration was led by Pakistan Muslim League -Nawaz (PML-N) supporters, the plans for which were originally announced by the party’s Vice-President Abid Sher Ali. In a video that has now gone viral on social media, a PML-N supporter was seen threatening to enter the bedroom of Imran Khan’s former wife.
“End this trend of standing outside people’s houses for politics. If you want to do politics then stand outside the Pakistan High Commission. It has been an established norm to stage protests outside the Pakistan High Commission,” the man was heard as saying.
He then threatened, “If you stand outside the house of Miya Nawaz Sharif or his children, then, remember we will enter your bedrooms. We will jump off your walls and enter your building. If you (referring to PTI supporters) don’t stop this trend, then, it will pan out badly.”
“ہم آپ کے بیڈروم تک آ جائیں گے” ن لیگ کا عمران خان کی سابقہ اہلیہ جمائما گولڈ سمتھ(جنہیں وہ بیس سال پہلے طلاق دے چکے ہیں) کے گھر کے باہر احتجاج pic.twitter.com/Ym7KFYusAw
The development came after the protests outside the residence of Nawaz Sharif by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) supporters, following the ouster of Imran Khan as the Pakistani Prime Minister.
While reacting to the comments made by PML-N supporters, Jemima tweeted, “This is a video of hundreds of men protesting for hours outside my 88 yr old mother’s house in Surrey yesterday. The man with the tannoy is threatening – If Jemima and her children don’t come down here, then we will enter her bedroom. Metropolitan Police, is this legal?”
This is a video of hundreds of men protesting for hours outside my 88 yr old mother’s house in Surrey yesterday. The man with the tannoy is threatening – “If Jemima and her children don’t come down here, then we will enter her bedroom.”@metpoliceuk is this legal? https://t.co/0aNE7J0Hmx
The British television personality and descendent of the Goldsmith family, Jemima Goldsmith married Imran Khan in 1995 and was divorced 18 years ago in 2004. The decision of the PML-N supporters to target Goldsmith, despite being a non-political personality, has drawn the ire of the public and politicians alike in Pakistan.
Earlier on Friday, April 15, Jemima Goldsmith had called out PML-N Vice-President Abid Sher Ali on social media for threatening to stage a protest outside her house and targeting her children with anti-semitic abuse. “It’s almost like I’m back in 90s Lahore,” she had tweeted.
Protests outside my house, targeting my children, antisemitic abuse on social media…. It’s almost like I’m back in 90s Lahore. #PuranaPakistanpic.twitter.com/0R2YOPcQrJ
She had slammed Abid Sher Ali for posting the address of her residence on social media. “And posting a private home address on social media is surely not legal? Especially as I have an ongoing problem with stalkers (one arrested at my workplace last week and another who breached his restraining order & is being tried in a few weeks),” Jemima Goldsmith had tweeted.
Especially as I have an ongoing problem with stalkers (one arrested at my work place last week and another who breached his restraining order & is being tried in a few weeks)
Followers of Nawaz Sharif defend protest against ex-wife Jemima Goldsmith
Abid Sher Ali had defended the protests claiming that Jemima Goldsmith and her children are political supporters of Imran Khan and the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaaf party. In a tweet, he posted a picture of Khan’s son in a PTI scarf and wrote, “Your children are apolitical but wearing PTI slavery scarf to protest against then sitting Prime Minister of Pakistan – hypocrisy at its best- so long Imran Khan Niazi – The X Jemima Khan.”
Your children are apolitical but wearing pti slavery scarf to protest against then sitting Prime Minister of Pakistan – hypocrisy at its best- so long Imran Khan Niazi – The X @Jemima_Khanpic.twitter.com/2f00Ec8mgw
He had also shared screenshots of tweets by Jemima Goldsmith, where she was seen campaigning for her estranged husband and criticising the party of Nawaz Sharif.
Why are the repeated protests outside Sharifs’ residence underplayed? Despite deleting her old tweets there’s enough to show @jemima_khan political leanings. We denounce anti-semitism. It has nothing to do with the protest. Freedom of expression is a hall mark of British Society. pic.twitter.com/5gjSS6GTeG
On April 10, PTI supporters staged a protest outside the Avenfield House in London, where Nawaz Sharif currently resides with his family. Imran Khan’s followers raised slogans against PML-N over the collapse of his government after the no-confidence vote in Pakistan National Assembly.
The protestors had initially gathered from all over the UK at the Hyde Park before marching towards the residence of Nawaz Sharif and his two sons, namely, Hassan and Hussain. The PTI supporters were later confronted by PML-N supporters.
On Sunday, April 17, Imran Khan’s supporters led a large-scale demonstration outside the residence of Nawaz Sharif.
Several Pakistani political commentators discouraged the political protests outside the houses of the family members of the politicians.
With respect, The difference is that I have got nothing to do with Pakistani politics and neither have my children. They are low- key private individuals who are not even on social media. https://t.co/REB4u5ncqa
“With respect, The difference is that I have got nothing to do with Pakistani politics and neither have my children. They are low- key private individuals who are not even on social media,” Jemima Goldsmith had outlined the difference.
Imran Khan loses no-confidence motion
Imran Khan’s tenure as Prime Minister of Pakistan was finally over on April 9 as he lost the no-confidence motion in Pakistan’s National Assembly. Khan joined the long list of Pakistani Prime Ministers who have failed to complete their full tenure as per the official Pakistani Constitution.
Since Pakistan’s inception, no PM has managed to survive the full term, and Imran Khan didn’t turn out to be an exception. This time, there was no direct coup by the Pakistan Army, and Imran was displaced by a show of opposition unity, and by America as per Imran’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI). Pakistan Army, which had allegedly installed Imran as the PM of the country, didn’t come to his support as he lost the battle in Supreme Court and then the National Assembly.
In the run-up to the no-confidence vote, Imran Khan and his party colleagues repeatedly said that their government was being destabilized by a foreign power, namely the United States of America. They said that Imran Khan is being punished for visiting Russia ahead of the Russia-Ukraine war. However, this attempt to blame foreign powers didn’t work, and Imran Khan ended up losing his post as the Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Khargone in Madhya Pradesh was marred with violence during the Ram Navami celebrations on April 10, 2022. The Shobha Yatra being taken out by devotees had to be abandoned midway after it came under a stone-pelting attack. The violence subsequently escalated as several vehicles were set on fire.
The day after the riots, the Khargone administration took strict action against the miscreants who had pelted stones at the Ram Navami procession. The illegally constructed buildings used to pelt stones at the procession were razed to the ground by the administration.
Following the news of the Madhya Pradesh government’s strict action against the stone-pelters, a claim went viral that during its action against the rioters, the Shivraj Singh Chouhan government also demolished the kiosk of a man who had lost both his arms in an accident in 2005.
In a video, the man, Wasim Sheikh, was heard saying how the administration demolished his kiosk during the action taken against stone-pelters. The video was first shared by alleged journalist Kashif Kakvi through her Twitter handle.
The allegation was then shared by several people online, including some members of the Parliament like AIMIM’s Asasuddin Owaisi and Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi.
BJP’s Hindutva ideology has no place for humanity. It’s the State Government’s arms of Law that have been amputated. It feels powerful after making poor people poorer & homeless. It has an obsession with giving extrajudicial collective punishment to the Muslim community https://t.co/qc0OKNjTti
Have you met one of the stone pelter of Khargone as identified by Madhya Pradesh government? His small shop was razed by bulldozers, just like a home made under PMJAY scheme. pic.twitter.com/KeKlAeWwsW
However, a day later, Wasim Sheikh took a u-turn and said that neither his house nor his kiosk has been demolished by the administration. He even made an appeal to the locals to maintain peace in the aftermath of the violence on Ram Navami.
मध्यप्रदेश : खरगोन हिंसा में बिना दोनों हाथ वाले शख्स को पत्थरबाज मानकर, उसकी छोटी दुकान (गुमठी) पर चला दिया बुलडोज़र
Hindi daily Bhaskar also reported how Wasim Sheikh had backtracked from his previous statement. It was reported that Wasim Sheikh, who had claimed that his shop had been demolished until the morning, changed his mind in the evening.
Screengrab from the epaper of Hindi daily Bhaskar
While people were still trying to figure out whether the administration has or has not demolished his kiosk, Wasim Sheikh put out another video today where he said that the administration told him to say they haven’t demolished his kiosk. However, in this video, he refrained from directly saying that the administration has demolished his kiosk and said that CCTV cameras can reveal who actually demolished his kiosk.
All these u-turns from the person affected are making it really difficult to ascertain the truth. However, we will update the story if there is conclusive evidence one way or the other after the administration examines CCTV evidence.
Khargone violence
On April 10, a Ram Navami procession that began in the Talab Chowk area of Khargone had to be abandoned midway after stones were pelted at the procession. Riots escalated as several vehicles were set on fire. The cops resorted to firing tear gas shells to bring the situation under control. During the violence, a total of 24 people were injured, including six police personnel.
The day after the riots, the Khargone administration took strict action against the miscreants who had pelted stones at the Ram Navami procession. The illegally constructed buildings used for stone-pelting were bulldozed by the administration. Five JCB machines were deployed for the task. According to the reports, 77 people have been arrested and the city of Khargone continues to be under curfew.
The Delhi police officers who have previously served in the minority-dominated Jahangirpuri have revealed that the area is a “hub of criminals” who can easily acquire illegal weapons, reports News18.
According to police officers, who have served or supervised the range, said that Delhi’s Jahangirpuri, the area which was marred with violence on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti last week, is “criminal-prone”. On Saturday, an enraged Muslim mob attacked Hindu devotees during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Jahangirpuri in which eight policemen and locals were injured.
The police officers, including former joint commissioners and station house officers (SHO), have revealed to News18 that the area is sensitive as criminal activities are routine in Jahangirpuri. The locality with a high Muslim population is under the jurisdiction of North-West Delhi.
Senior Indian Police Service officer, who served in the area as the district deputy commissioner of police (DCP), also said the area is prone to criminal activities.
“While running the North-West District, the priority is maintaining law and order in Jahangirpuri. The local police should have a good network and penetration in the area. In case of any street crime such as robbery, mostly, a criminal from the area is found to be either involved or aware of it,” a senior officer said.
Jahangirpuri police station registers one case every six hours
As per the records, the Jahangirpuri police station registers one case every six hours. Reportedly, the area is also one of the top 10 in Delhi for robberies. In 2021, the police station registered 1,130 cases, while in 2022, the number was 439 in the first three months.
“Any special unit such as crime branch or special cell etc. avoids operating in the area without the support of local police, especially the beat officer. However, an attack on cops, like the one on Saturday, is unprecedented,” a DCP who served in the area said.
An inspector, who was once posted in the area, said to News18 that the two blocks – C and CD blocks are a priority and under the radar of local police.
“Kushal Chowk in Jahangirpuri is an area where maintaining law and order is a top priority. The officer said that local staff and beat officers have good sources in the area,” the officer said.
The cop said it is not surprising to find residents of the area possessing illegal arms, which were used during riots. The senior officer said that area had seen a growth in the number of migrants over the past few years.
“It is among Delhi’s top areas where illegal arms can be procured easily. Even after multiple operations conducted by Delhi Police in the area, criminals manage to get arms illegally,” said a joint commissioner of police who has served the range. Not only Delhi Police, but there have also been instances where other state police have contacted local police regarding crimes in their states. The men often commit crimes in other cities and come back here,” said a senior officer.
On April 16, Islamists attacked Hanuman Jayanti Shobha Yatra in Jahangirpuri, Delhi. Several people were injured, including police personnel. So far, 40 people have been arrested by the Police in the case, including prime accused Ansar and Aslam. There have been allegations that Ansar is an Aam Aadmi Party member, and the party is yet to respond to the same.
On Tuesday, the Uttar Pradesh government led by CM Yogi Adityanath allotted residential and agricultural plots and houses to 63 Hindu families who had migrated to Kanpur after being displaced from East Pakistan in the year 1970. The government also stated that under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojna, Rs 1.20 lakh will be given to each for the construction of the house.
“I welcome all the brothers and sisters from the 63 families. In Kanpur’s Rasulabad, the arrangement has been made to provide two acres to each family for agriculture and 200 square yards for housing to each family in a total of 130 hectares of land,” said Yogi Adityanath while giving away the residential and agricultural plots to 63 Hindu families.
वर्ष 1970 में तत्कालीन पूर्वी पाकिस्तान से विस्थापित 63 हिंदू बंगाली परिवारों की दशकों की प्रतीक्षा आज समाप्त हो गई।
उनके पुनर्वासन हेतु आज उन्हें कृषि भूमि व आवासीय पट्टा तथा मुख्यमंत्री आवास योजना के स्वीकृति-पत्र वितरित किए गए हैं।
He said that rehabilitating 63 Hindu families was of significance as people back in 1970 had fled East Pakistan, their native due to religious persecution. He added that along with Rs. 1.20 lakh under the Mukhya Mantri Awas Yojna, the facility of land development and irrigation will also be provided through Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, 2005. “India is working to rehabilitate them. It shows India’s humanity. This will benefit a population of 400 people”, he stated.
पूर्वी पाकिस्तान से विस्थापित हुए हिंदू बंगाली परिवारों को अपने मूल देश में ही प्रताड़ना का दंश झेलना पड़ा, मगर भारत ने उन्हें न केवल शरण दी, बल्कि उनके व्यवस्थित पुनर्वासन को सुनिश्चित किया है।
मानवता के प्रति भारत की सेवा का यह अभूतपूर्व उदाहरण है।
Meanwhile, the Uttar Pradesh CM also slammed the previous governments for ignoring the development of 63 Hindu families. “When our government was formed in Uttar Pradesh in 2017, 1,08,000 families were benefited under Mukhimanti Awas Yojana. Mushar community along with five other communities including the Vantangia caste were given benefits. The insensitive previous governments did nothing for them.”
In November 2021, the Yogi Adityanath government announced that it would rehabilitate all the 63 Bengali Hindu families who had arrived in India after being persecuted in Bangladesh. The state cabinet then had also decided to provide monetary help to the families.
Earlier on January 6, the Uttar Pradesh CM had reiterated his promise and had said that 63 Bengali Hindu families would be provided with lands freed from land grabbers. “Hindu refugees from Pakistan, Bangladesh will be given housing plots in the land we seized from mafias. The land freed from encroachers was brought under a land bank and the land would also be used to set up schools, industries, and other businesses”, he had said.
According to the reports, the Uttar Pradesh government has pledged to build model villages for the migrants in a planned way. It plans built schools for children, hospitals and animal husbandry work for men.
On the day of Hanuman Jayanti, Delhi’s Jahangirpuri became a scene of brutal violence. Relentless stone-pelting, arson, and even firing at the Hindus taking the procession or Shobha Yatra on the occasion of Hanuman Jayanti by the local Muslim residents sparked communal tensions in the area.
Soon after the Jahangirpuri violence, certain ‘secular-liberals’ came out with a claim that the violence was sparked because the Hindu devotees had tried to enter a mosque to hoist a saffron flag. This attempt at blaming Hindus for the violence was expected, because, less than a week back, the blame for similar stone-pelting attacks on Ram Navami processions in multiple states was put on the Hindus too, saying that they had played ‘provocative songs’.
The blames and excuses are aplenty. “Hindus were using provocative songs, they should not have used ‘provocative slogans’, they should not have taken their procession through Muslim areas, they should not carry saffron flags”, etc etc.
In the Jahangirpuri violence, there were videos of Muslims pelting stones at Hindus going around on social media. So the ‘secular-liberals’ came up with some crafty claims. They said the Hindu mob tried to forcefully enter a mosque to hoist a saffron flag. So, the victim card and the blame card were out. It was the Hindus’ fault again that some Muslims just had to resort to pelting stones.
However, Delhi Police soon punctured holes into those claims. Police stated that no attempts were made to hoist the saffron flag in a mosque during the Jahangirpuri Hanuman Jayanti procession.
The thing is, the recent spate of violence is neither unique nor confined. In Karauli, the Muslim mob had pelted stones and attacked a Hindu procession during the Hindu New Year celebrations. Days later, Ram Navami Shobha Yatras saw multiple attacks in Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand, Karnataka, West Bengal, Gujarat, Odisha etc.
This is just the list of attacks in April 2022. A simple Google search will tell you that Hindu festivities and processions or ‘Sobha Yatras’ which are a part of the traditional celebrations have been attacked by Islamists for a very long time. Such incidents have been happening in many states, across many areas for decades.
‘Muslim areas’ and other such claims of ‘secular liberals’
‘Secular liberals’ seem to assert that the very act of taking a Hindu procession through these so-called ‘Muslim areas’ is provocation enough. They don’t explicitly say that the stone-pelting should be done and the attacks are justified, but the very fact that they highlight the procession and its passage through the alleged ‘Muslim areas’ and not the fact that stones were pelted on a passing procession in a particular neighbourhood, tells you who they want to blame it on.
As per the ‘secular liberals’, these so-called ‘Muslim areas’ are actually ‘Muslims only’ areas. In reality, these are ghettos where forget Hindu festivities, even police presence and medical workers are unwelcome.
In a densely populated city in India that is 80% Hindu, an alleged ‘Muslim area’ can never be ‘Muslim only’ area. There will be Hindus living in pockets, there will be temples, Hindu shops and schools. What the ‘secular liberals’ are theorizing here is that there should exist Muslim exclusive ghettos where non-Muslims cannot practise their faith with the freedom that is granted by the constitution of this country.
Today, there is another bunch of ‘secular liberals’ claiming that Hindus are to blame for the violence because the very idea of taking out a procession is at fault. Apparently, Hindus should confine their faith to only the premises of their homes. Religious processions on roads (for Hindus) are not allowed.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera has shared a video saying that he keeps his faith at home and doesn’t take it on the road, a sly comment on the Hindu processions on the Hanuman Jayanti of course.
आस्था एक व्यक्तिगत मामला है। मेरी आस्था का स्थान मेरे घर और मेरे मन में है। सड़क पर नहीं। ना मैं अपनी आस्था किसी पर थोपता हूँ, ना किसी और को अपने उपर थोपने देता हूँ। मेरे लिए धर्म निरपेक्षता का यही अर्थ है। https://t.co/pey6fs2Aw9
In November 2021, Pawan Khera wrote an op-ed for The Quint, defending the right of Muslims to use public spaces in Gurugram for Friday Namaz and saying that the people opposing the usage of public spaces for Namaz are a threat to the proud spirit of secular India and mature multicultural societies should not behave like that. “Muslims congregate for community prayers on Fridays. They have done so for centuries,” Khera wrote.
Pawan Khera’s article in The Quint, denouncing the opposition for blocking public spaces for Namaz
So for Pawan Khera, Muslims of Gurugram using public spaces like roads, parks etc, apart from their mosques and Waqf compounds for Namaz every Friday is totally acceptable and should be welcomed by the Hindu community. But the Hindu community celebrating Hanuman Jayanti by taking out a Shobha Yatra is not a good way to practice the faith.
Please bear in mind that the protesting resident groups in Gurugram were not pelting stones at the Muslims offering Namaz in public spaces. They were protesting peacefully, legally, asking the administration to ensure public spaces are not blocked. Nobody pelted stones, nobody torched buses.
Places change, occasions change, but attacks continue
As said before, the instances of an Islamist mob attacking Hindu processions are aplenty. They don’t even need the alleged “provocation” of a procession or slogans, a photoshopped image on social media is enough ‘provocation’ to gather a violent mob and go on a stone-pelting, vehicle burning spree. If there are temples on the way, they will be attacked too.
A WhatsApp post shared by a boy was all that it took for a mob of hundreds of Muslims in Karnataka’s Hubballi to attack a police station, torch vehicles and pelt stones at a Hanuman Temple.
Welcome to the new normal – Muslim mobs on a rampage. This one from Hubballi, Karnataka didn’t even make the primetime news cycle.
11 cops badly injured. A Hanuman temple stoned. Reason? A photoshopped WhatsApp post showing a saffron flag on a mosque. pic.twitter.com/NayuMfCOAX
Last year, a mosque caretaker in Bangladesh intentionally placed a copy of the Quran near a Hindu idol in a Durga Puja pandal and it became enough of a trigger for the local Muslims to start attacking pandals, temples and assault the Hindus.
Durga Puja pandals and Visarjan processions have been attacked multiple times in various Indian states. Just because they do not happen in Delhi, they have been swept away from the news cycle soon, without the national media discussing it in loud debates. The festivals differ, the cities differ, but the constant theme in these incidents is that when the procession passes through an alleged ‘Muslim area’, it comes under attack.
Not so long ago, just weeks back, a young boy named Rupesh Pandey was lynched by a Muslim mob when a Saraswati Puja Visarjan was attacked in Jharkhand’s Hazaribagh.
Even the pilgrimage of Hindus to the Amarnath shrine has been criticised, tarnished by ‘secular-liberals’, Leftists and their Islamist comrades over the years. OpIndia did a series of articles to highlight those elements. Articles in Foreign Policy and TRT have called the Amarnath Yatra ‘a state-sponsored attempt to ‘capture Kashmir’. Remember that the whole idea of Article 370, Kashmir’s ‘separate’ status and the secession politics is nothing but a weaponised, larger version of the ‘Muslim area’ theory.
Why so intolerant?
The irony is, while the mainstream media paints the picture of a belligerent intolerant Hindu majority in the country. We do not see reports of Muharram processions coming under attack by Hindus. Considering that the country is 80% Hindu and there are far more ‘Hindu areas’ than ‘Muslim areas’ in the nation, why is the stone-pelting, arson is a one-sided affair? Has anybody pondered over it?
The thing is, there is zero accountability from Islamists and their apologists for acts of deliberate and planned violence. The mainstream media rushes in to whitewash crimes of stone pelters and arsonists, the victim card is flashed in an instant and the mentality that creates the lawless ghettos and calls them ‘Muslim areas’ keeps spreading like a virus.
India is a Hindu majority country that allows all citizens to practice their faith freely within the ambit of the law. Propagation of the ‘Muslim areas’ mentality has given us one partition in 1947 and then the Bangladesh genocide, and dozens of riots over the years. It is the duty of the government and the administration to ensure that lawless ghettos do not flourish in the country. By allowing certain disruptive elements to wield the threat of violence and get away with it year after year, the authorities are indirectly paving the way for anti-India elements to exploit those faultlines and push the nation into chaos whenever, wherever they want.
