Home Blog Page 3343

Hijab not for schools, issue raked up by Muslim clergy to regain control over women: UP madrassa board chief

On Tuesday, the chairperson of the UP Board of Madrassa Education, Iftikar Ahmad Javed affirmed that the hijab controversy erupted due to the flawed leadership of the clerics. He added that the Muslim clerics stirred up the hijab controversy in Karnataka to control the women and make them feel secondary to the Muslim patriarchy.

According to the reports, Javed further blamed the Muslim clerics for suppressing Muslim women by creating controversy around triple talaq, polygamy, or hijab. He said that the Muslim community has leadership problems and that the clerics don’t prefer normalcy. “They always want some issues to create controversy”, added Javed as he said that the recent hijab controversy has been used to subdue women.

“There is a very clear concept in hijab. The women are entitled to wear it at home, Masjids, Mazars, weddings, and markets, but cannot claim to don it in the army, as cabin crew, in the police force, as doctors, as lawyers, or even go to school in hijab. This cannot work. Hijab has been used to steer women away from the mainstream”, he was quoted as saying by a Times of India report.

Earlier, on March 25, the Uttar Pradesh Board of Madrassa Education had announced that singing of national anthem along with other morning prayers would be mandatory for students in madrassas. “The national anthem is sung in various schools and we want to instil patriotism in madrassa students too so that they know our history and culture”, Iftikar Ahmad Javed said then.

The Hijab Controversy

The hijab controversy in Karnataka gained momentum in the first week of January after eight Muslim girls were denied entry to classes in a Udupi college because they were wearing a veil. The college authorities had informed that the veil was not a part of the uniform dress code mandated for the students.

The Muslim girls, adamant about wearing hijab, then filed a petition in High Court seeking permission to attend classes in hijab. They stated that wearing the hijab was their ‘fundamental right’ granted under Articles 14 and 25 of the Indian Constitution and an ‘integral practice of Islam’.

The controversy spiralled as Hindu students in Karnataka came with saffron scarves around their necks and protested against Muslim girls continuing to wear burqas to college. Tensions also prevailed at some educational institutions in Udupi, Shivamogga, Bagalkote, and other parts, as stones-pelting and violence were reported from various parts of the state.

The High Court however in its verdict dismissed the petition filed by the Muslim girls and said that wearing the hijab is not an essential practice in Islam. As reported earlier, the students had begun to wear hijab to schools and colleges after they had met the Campus Front of India (CFI), the student branch of the Islamist organization Popular Front of India (PFI), in October 2021. The students confessed that they had spoken with the CFI.

Bengal monitor lizard gang-raped in Sahydari Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra, four arrested

In a bizarre incident, four people have been arrested for raping a Bengal monitor lizard in the Sahydari Tiger Reserve near Gothane village in Maharashthra. According to the reports, the four accused, identified as hunters, entered the core zone of Sahydari Tiger Reserve in the Gabha area at Gothane and raped a Bengal monitor lizard.

The three accused have been identified as Sandeep Tukaram Pawar, Mangesh Kamtekar, Akshay Kamtekar, Ramesh Tukaram Ghag.

The Maharashtra Forest Department had initially caught the accused on the charges of hunting, as they were caught in CCTV roaming around in the forest. As the officials checked the mobile phone of the accused, they came across the video of raping the Bengal monitor lizard. As per the officials, the accused raped not only the four and a half feet long Bengal monitor lizard but also recorded the gang-raping act.

The officials also found photos of rabbits, porcupines, and deer on their mobile phones.

The arrested accused/ Image Source: NewzIndia

The forest officials posted at Sangli forest reserve had arrested the accused with the help of CCTV footage in which they can be seen wandering inside the forest. When the CCTV showed them inside the forest, the forest guards arrived at the spot in Gabha area at Gothane , but managed to catch only one of them, while the rest had fled. The found the video of the rape of the Bengal monitor lizard in the phone recovered from the nabbed person.

The act was recorded using the same phone, which showed one of the four accused raping the reptile. Following the probe, the other three accused were nabbed later from Hativ village in Ratnagiri district. The forest officials also recovered two pistols and two motorcycles from them. According to the officials, the accused had come from Konkan to Kolhapur’s Chandoli village for hunting.

The officials have now decided to take up the matter with law experts to discuss the relevant charges to be filed against them for the alleges rape of an wile animal. According to the officials, the accused will be produced in court, and appropriate legal action will be taken against them.

The Bengal monitor lizard is a reserved species under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972. The accused would be charged with seven years of imprisonment if found guilty.

From demanding UCC, unequivocally supporting Hindutva to lashing out at MVA leaders: Here’s what Raj Thackeray spoke at the Thane rally

“While coming to the rally, I saw many fire extinguishers on the way. Let me assure you that I am not gonna set the things on fire unquenchable,” kicked off Raj Thackeray in his latest speech in Thane. Titled the ‘Uttarsabha‘, Thackeray decided to rebut counter-allegations against him made by Maha-Vikas-Aghadi leaders after his Gudhi Padwa rally on April 2.

In his speech on April 12, Thackeray took many a dig at MVA leaders and reiterated his demand for a Uniform Civil Code and Population Control Bill, as a request to PM Modi.

Lashing out loud at the MVA-sympathetic Marathi Media

Raj Thackeray said that he is doing a second rally to counter the allegations levelled against him and to underline his ideas expressed in the earlier speech, precisely because he did not want to do a press conference. Thackeray alleged the sympathizers of Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress in vernacular Marathi media of twisting his statements and missing the point that he often puts in his speeches. “They often expect you what to say and have a script of my speech ready in their minds,” Raj Thackeray pointed.

The MNS chief said, “After my rally on April 2, politically affiliated journalists threw their own agenda upon me. They alleged that I spoke from a script given by the BJP but it is often them who write scripts for other political leaders” He added that many journalists in Maharashtra today toe lines of a particular political party. “Firstly such journalists used caste politics, now their affiliated to political ideologies. Hence they descend upon anyone who criticises the current dispensation,”

“I was the first one who said Narendra Modi should become the PM”

“Some people expected me to talk about Narendra Modi as I did two years back, in my Gudhi Padwa speech. If the time comes, I’ll surely talk on him but let me expose all of you as well!” said Thackeray after MVA leaders alleged that MNS has changed its tune owing to the Mumbai Municipal elections. “The entire state knows how cunningly you formed an alliance with the Congress and the NCP when a mandate was given to the BJP and Shiv Sena by the people,” said Thackeray asserting that this is not a BJP-script while the whole nation is aware of it.

“When I criticised Narendra Modi, I did that openly because I did not agree with some of his policy decisions. But I was the first person to congratulate him for the abrogation of article 370 in a tweet,” added Raj Thackeray. He reminded that he was the first one to express that a person like Narendra Modi should become the Prime Minister even before many others.

The demand for UCC and Population Control Bill

The MNS chief who has recently tip-toed the arena of Hindutva after Shiv Sena’s ideological departure from the same stated that he has many expectations from Narendra Modi even today. “I openly demand a Uniform Civil Control and a bill to control the menace of unprecedented population growth. The nation will be forever indebted if Narendra Modi brings these two laws. Given the growth in population, this country would sink in a day,” highlighted Raj in a speech.

In a justification, he noted that the Population control Bill should be brought because we (Hindus) have two children whereas you (Muslims) have five. Implementing such laws is essential to the existence of this nation, Thackeray added.

“Pawar keeps meeting Modi even as raids continue on NCP leaders”

Raj Thackeray said, “Gone are the days when I used to criticize Modi, and if the time comes I will again. But today it is you guys who have disturbed the tones, so let me take a note of that,” while lashing out loud at the MVA leaders. He said that the comments given by ruling parties in his earlier speech are unfounded and undermined his stature in politics.

Earlier NCP bigwig from Nashik Chagan Bhujbal alleged Thackeray that he is towing the BJP line because he fears an ED notice. “Chagan Bhujbal should note that he was jailed not because he criticized Modi or the BJP but because the CA of his company was proven of corruption charges,” asserted Raj Thackeray after the leader commented on his recent pro-BJP stances. Chagan Bhujbal was made the cabinet minister for consumer affairs in Maharashtra right after his coming out from his two-year jail term in a money laundering case.

“I also want to ask Supriya Sule how can an Income tax raid can be conducted at Ajit Pawar’s residence but not hers?” Thackeray noted as ED raids descend upon MVA leaders one after the other, Sharad Pawar keeps meeting Modi in Delhi. “When Deshmukh was jailed, Pawar met Modi. When raids on Ajit Pawar’s residence were done, the duo again met. After the shenanigans of Nawab Malik, the pattern repeated. Now Pawar is said to have met Mr Modi after ED enquiries on Sanjay Raut, or rather he has only claimed such,” Thackeray added.

NCP leader and Cabinet Minister Jayant Patil had earlier questioned Thackeray about his appreciation of development in Uttar Pradesh led by Yogi Adityanath. To this, Thackeray replied in his speech, “I’ve always maintained that the development of UP, Bihar and Jharkhand should take place for the people residing in those areas should not have to migrate to Maharashtra for their needs. I’d requested Narendra Modi to focus on the development of these North-Indian states on a similar note.”

“If reports of development and good work happening in Uttar Pradesh have reached me, and if that is true, then I stand by my words,” added Raj Thackeray in a gathering that was received in large numbers. He attracted thunderous applause after mimicking Maharashtra deputy-CM Ajit Pawar, Cabinet Minister Jayant Patil and radical NCP leader Jitendra Awhad after comparing his looks with that of a snake. Maharashtra Navanirman Sena with its recalibrated stances of Hindutva and a re-designed saffron flag hopes to revive its political relevance in the forthcoming Municipal corporation elections which are supposed to happen this year in Maharashtra.

Khargone violence: 16-year-old Shivam Shukla with severe head injuries is struggling for his life in the hospital

On April 10, when Islamists were pelting stones and petrol bombs at Hindus celebrating Ram Navami in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh, a 16-year-old boy Shivam became the victim of the violence. Shivam Shukla was part of the procession on Ram Navami. The celebrations turned into a horror story for the family within minutes.

Currently, Shivam is lodged in a hospital getting treatment for head injuries. As per reports, the broken skull bones had punctured the brain, and a clot had formed. Surgery was performed on Shivam by the doctors to save his life. He is now in ICU, struggling for his life.

What happened on April 10?

On the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami on Sunday, April 10, Shivam took part in the procession to celebrate the birth festival of Bhagwan Ram. The Islamists started pelting stones and petrol bombs on the procession in Khargone, Madhya Pradesh. Suddenly, Shivam fell down, and when the people around saw him, they noticed he had sustained head injuries.

Amid the violence, he was rushed to a local private hospital, but there were no beds available. He was then moved to the government hospital. The doctors saw there was a hole in his head, but he was still breathing. He was immediately referred to Indore for treatment. On the way to Indore, Shivam was conscious, but he had lost consciousness by the time they reached the hospital.

Shivam was admitted to a private hospital in Indore, where neurosurgeon Dr Pranav Ghodgaonkar is treating him. Some reports suggest that the family first thought he had sustained a bullet injury, but no bullet or bullet fragments were found in the head. Doctors could not figure out what could have caused the injury. However, it was reported by the doctors treating Shivam that it was a deep injury and the skull bone fragments had punctured the brain. On the other hand, a report in Nai Duniya stated that Shivam’s cousin Nilesh has informed that he was hit by a stone.

On Tuesday night Dr Ghodgaonkar performed surgery on Shivam and pulled out the fragments and some other material that had entered the skull when he was injured. Shivam is unconscious, and doctors are not sure when he will gain consciousness. The doctor said his condition is critical and currently under observation post-surgery.

His cousin Nilesh who accompanied him to the hospital said in a statement that Shivam’s father, Purshottam Shukla, is a farmer and his family lives around 100 KM away from Khargone in Nisarpur. Shivam was pursuing a diploma in Computer Sciences from ITI, for which he had shifted to Khargone to live with his uncle Surendra Joshi.

Shivam has two elder sisters. One of the sisters’ wedding was scheduled for April 17. His uncle and parents could not come to Indore due to curfew in the region. It is unclear if he will be able to attend the wedding if it takes place on April 17 or if the wedding will be postponed considering his curfew and his health condition in Shivam.

MP Govt acknowledged Shivam’s hospitalization

State Cabinet Minister Narottam Mishra mentioned Shivam’s name during a press conference. He said, “A boy named Shivam Shukla was also injured in the violence. He is getting treated in a hospital in Indore.” He added otherwise, the situation in Khargone was under control.

Actor Akshay Kumar trolled on social media for joining Vimal ‘Zubaan Kesari’ Universe

After Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan, actor Akshay Kumar has reportedly joined the Vimal ‘Zubaan Kesari’ Universe. A new trailer of Vimal ‘Bolo Zubaan Kesari’ featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Ajay Devgn has dropped on the internet. In the advertisement, SRK wonders who is the latest one to join the Vimal universe as the silhouette of Akshay Kumar shows up.

Here is the teaser of the latest Vimal Elaichi video:-

Film analyst Sumit Kadel also took to confirm that actor Akshay Kumar has become the third major Bollywood actor to join the Vimal universe, after Ajay Devgn and Shah Rukh Khan.

However, Akshay’s association with Vimal Elaichi triggered mixed reactions on social media platforms, with a section of users poking fun at the actor by sharing memes from his previous movies, while others criticising the actor for joining hands with an organisation known for producing chewable tobacco products that are injurious to health.

Social Media share memes after the advertisement showed Akshay Kumar being roped in to promote Vimal Elaichi

A social media user shared two juxtaposed pictures of Akshay Kumar, one of them showing the actor’s teeth blackened. The caption to the picture read, “Akshay Kumar Before and After Eating Vimal.”

Another Twitter user shared a meme from a popular Akshay Kumar movie and showed the actor’s teeth stained in shades of red and brown. The caption read, “Vimal laaya?”

Yet another Twitter user shared a picture from Akshay Kumar’s movie Kesari and said the actor had given the hint of joining the Vimal universe way before.

Source: Twitter

Some social media users slam actor Akshay Kuma for affiliating with a tobacco products company

While some of them were amused with Akshay Khan joining the Vimal universe, many others were not pleased with the actor for agreeing to associate himself with companies that produced tobacco products.

A Twitter user shared an old clip where the actor is seen denouncing his fellow actors who were involved in marketing things that are injurious to health such as tobacco products.

Another aggrieved Akshay Kumar fan said he was disappointed with the actor for the movie Laxmi where love jihad was glorified but he could understand it as other stakeholders like directors, and producers might have pressurised him to do so. But, the user could not make peace with the fact that Kumar was now endorsing Vimal.

“Stop running after money sir, use your great acting skill in making great movies, ye businessman ban na chhod do,”

Vimal Elaichi is owned by the Manikchand Group, a privately owned group of industries in India headquartered in Pune. It primarily started out as a company that produced chewable tobacco products called ‘Gutka’. It is one of the leading producers of Gutkas in India, with One of the most successful gutka called RMD, which became famous for its brand ambassador Moiz Miya during the year 2018, 2019 and 2020.

AIMIM leader Akbaruddin Owaisi acquitted in hate speech cases, had threatened to ‘eliminate 100 crore Hindus in 15 minutes’

0

The special sessions court for MP and MLAs at Nampally metropolitan courts in Hyderabad on Wednesday acquitted AIMIM controversial leader Akbaruddin Owaisi in decade-old hate speech cases and directed him not to make any controversial speeches in future, keeping in view the national integrity.

A special court in Hyderabad’s Nampally was hearing the two cases filed against Owaisi for delivering hate speeches against Hindus in 2012 and 2019. He was charged in Nirmal and in Nizamabad in 2012 under the IPC for criminal conspiracy and promoting enmity between two groups based on religion.

Following his acquittal, AIMIM leader and brother Asaduddin Owaisi said that he was grateful for the public support in the case. “Alhamdulilah Akbaruddin Owaisi has been acquitted by MP/MLA Special Court in two criminal cases against him for alleged hate speeches. Grateful to all for their prayers & support. Special thanks to Advocate Abdul Azeem sb and senior lawyers who provided their valuable assistance”, he tweeted.

Akbaruddin Owaisi in the year 2012 had made a highly inflammatory speech asking to remove the police for 15 minutes so that he could finish off 100 crore Hindus. While addressing a crowd in Nirmal, Akbaruddin Owaisi resorted to fear-mongering and attempted to incite violence against Hindus by raking up the issues of alleged lynchings against minorities.

He had also abused the Hindu deities and blatantly mocked Hindus for worshipping them. “Hindus have so many Gods and every eight days there are new Gods coming up. We knew Lakshmi, but we don’t know who is Bhagyalakshmi”, he had said referring to the Bhagyalakshmi temple near Charminar.

Taking a jibe at India’s Prime Minister, he had compared PM Modi to terrorist Ajmal Kasab and had said that he should be hanged to death. He had instigated the Muslim crowd in Nirmal and had said that if all the Muslims from all over the country unite, then this country will be ruled by a Muslim and then the death of PM Modi would be confirmed. (Timestamp 2:30)

Further in 2019, he blatantly repeated his ’15 minutes’ threat and challenged the RSS and the Bajrang Dal. “No person from RSS or Bajrang Dal can even touch our hair and remember, remember, the world tries to scare the person who gets scared. And the world fears the person who knows how to instil fear why do they hate Akbaruddin Owaisi? Why? A single blow of a blacksmith is equal to a hundred blows of a goldsmith. They (RSS) haven’t yet recovered from the ’15 minute’ blow,” Akbaruddin Owaisi had stated.

It is pertinent to note that a total of 41 witnesses were examined in the Nizamabad case while 33 people were examined in the Nirmal case. Owaisi was also arrested and subsequently released on bail. The CID investigated the Nizamabad case and filed the charge sheet in 2016, while the district police which probed the Nirmal case also submitted the charge sheet in the same year.

Uttar Pradesh: Bijnor Police arrest Mohammed Faizi, accused of duping Muslims in the name of Sharia-compliant Muslim Fund

On April 12, Bijnor Police arrested a person identified as Mohammed Faizi. He had absconded after duping customers of the Muslim faith of crores of rupees in the name of a ‘Sharia-compliant Muslim Fund’ named Al-Faizan Muslim Trust.

In a statement, Nagina Police Station in-charge Sumit Shukla said, “In January, a complaint was received against the accused that he ran away after taking money from customers in the name of Al-Faizan Muslim Trust. The main accused who was running the trust returned from Saudi Arabia yesterday at Jaipur Airport.”

He added, “There was a lookout notice issued by us against him. He was apprehended at the Jaipur airport by the security agencies. They informed us about his arrival and arrest. He was then brought to Bijnor in the morning. He is being booked under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.” He further said his sister and two more members were involved in the scam. One of the members of the trust has already been sent to jail. The police are trying to arrest the rest of the accused.

The ‘Muslim Fund’ Scam

In January this year, it was reported that hundreds of Muslims had been duped by a private “bank” that promised to keep their money secure. The chief accused Faizi had fled to Saudi Arabia. According to the authorities, hundreds of locals in the Nagina region of Bijnor district in Uttar Pradesh had lost money they had placed with ‘Al Faizan Muslim Fund Limited,’ a facility privately held by Mohammed Faizi for Muslims to keep their money secure as per Sharia rules.

The trust has been operational for the last five years. He had hired agents to increase the number of customers at his “bank”. Within one week after he fled with the money and jewellery deposited in the bank, over 170 police complaints were filed against him. Notably, the majority of his clients were small vendors who deposited their hard-earned money in his bank as it was Sharia-compliant. As per Sharia, earning interest on money deposited in the bank is Haram. 

‘Bhagwat Gita is evil, read Bible’: Tailoring teacher in Tamil Nadu forces Hindu students to recite Christian prayers, follow Christianity, suspended

On Wednesday, a Hindu student from the government high school in the Kannattuvilai area of Kanyakumari registered a complaint against a Christian teacher who allegedly abused the Hindu deities and forced the students to recite Christian prayers. The complaint was filed by a girl student and her parents who have demanded strict action against the teacher.

According to the local reports, the Kanyakumari district administration has directed the primary education officer to investigate the matter and has asked the school to immediately suspend the accused Christian teacher.

The matter came to light when the parents of a 6th-grade girl student released a video describing the acts of the teacher. In the video, the girl said that the teacher asked the students to recite Christian prayers while she abused the Hindu deities. “She told us to read the Bible. We said that we are Hindus; We read Bhagavad Gita. But she said that Bhagavad Gita is evil and that the Bible had good things, so we should read the Bible”, the girl said as her parents filed the complaint.

The video of the girl that went viral over social media further revealed that the Christian teacher who taught tailoring in the school would ask the students to recite Christian prayers before lunch by kneeling and joining their hands. She also would draw a cross with the thread in the sewing class and would ask the students to believe in Christianity. According to the girl, the Hindu students refused to recite Christian prayers as the teacher forcefully called them and ordered them to kneel and join hands within the school premises.

During the police inquiry, the girl added that the teacher talked about a story involving a Satan (Hindu) and a Christian. “Satan and a Christian were riding on a bike. They met with an accident and died. Some people were reading Bible nearby, and the dead people were resurrected”, she narrated the story to the parents and the Police.

This is not the first incident in which the Hindu students are forced to convert to another religion. Earlier in January, Lavanya, a student of standard 12th in Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Thirukattupali in Thanjavur, Tamilnadu, had killed herself after she was tortured by her school authorities to convert to Christianity. Reportedly, the school had said that she must convert to Christianity if she wishes to continue her studies in the school.

Also, on January 6, a Hindu girl released a video and complained that a math teacher in Orchid International School forced students to pray in the name of Allah for failing to solve a problem, and also instructed them to keep silent about the matter. The girl in the video had said that her teacher had asked the Hindu students to make a bowl shape of their hands and pray in the name of Allah, a ‘better god’.

In the current case, the government school is located in the Kannattuvilai area of ​​the Kanyakumari district educating more than 300 students from the surrounding areas. While the Police are investigating the matter, the district administration and the primary education officer have demanded immediate suspension of the teacher who forced students to pray to the cross.

SC refuses to stay upcoming Dharma Sansad in Himachal Pradesh

The Supreme Court on Wednesday refused to stay the upcoming Dharma Sansad event in Himachal Pradesh. The SC bench consisting of Justices Khanwilkar and Abhay Oka today allowed the petitioners to approach the lower court for the same.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, also a senior Congress leader, appearing on behalf of petitioners claimed that the upcoming Dharma Sansad which is scheduled to be held in Simla is on Sunday and “see what is happening.” He added that he does not even want to say some of the things that were said in public. The apex court passed the order giving liberty to serve advance copy to the state of Himachal Pradesh.

The SC did not grant any orders against the Dharma Sansad at Himachal Pradesh as the state was not served and hence there was no counsel representing them in the court.

Meanwhile, the apex court also directed the state of Uttarakhand to submit status report on the action it has taken against alleged hate speech at the Haridwar Dharma Sansad organised by Yati Narsinghanand on 17 December 2021. As per the petition filed, speeches were made with objective of declaring ‘war’ against a significant section of Indian citizens.

Subsequent to the event, Yati Narsinghanand was arrested by Uttarakhand police on 16th January 2022 and released a month later in February.

Protest against Karauli anti-Hindu violence: BJYM President Tejasvi Surya, state BJP leaders detained by Rajasthan police on the way

On Wednesday, April 13, BJYM President and Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya was detained by the Rajasthan police while he was on the way to Karauli to participate in the BJP’s Nyay Yatra against the anti-Hindu violence that occurred on April 2.

As per reports, Tejasvi Surya, BJP Rajasthan chief Satish Poonia and several other leaders were detained at the Dausa border by the Rajasthan police and were prevented from reaching Karauli.

“We will go to Karauli at any cost. We will go there peacefully. If they arrest us, let them.” Surya said to the crowd.

The BJP has planned to hold a protest march in Karauli calling it ‘Nyay Yatra’. BJP leaders have stated that the Congress government in Rajasthan has failed to maintain law and order in the state.

“Section 144 is not in place where we are now. It’s our constitutional right to go to Karauli. This dictatorial govt is snatching our rights, which is why we are protesting,” Surya stated.

“Karauli riots indicate clear lawlessness in Rajasthan. The deliberate attempt to disturb Ram Navami Shobha yatra & the unwillingness of the congress govt to act against the aggressors is deplorable”, Surya had tweeted earlier.