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No blue eyes, no blond hair: Is that why victims of war in Ethiopia and Yemen are children of a lesser God?

Sandeep Singh
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No blue eyes, no blond hair: Is that why victims of war in Ethiopia and Yemen are children of a lesser God?

For the past one month, the entire world has been justifiably horrified by the events in Ukraine. Ever since Russia started its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, thousands have died, and millions have become refugees leaving their homes. The Western world has acted as one and has imposed strict sanctions on Russia while providing Ukraine with Billions of dollars worth of aid and weapons. Meanwhile, there are other conflicts around the world, including in Ethiopia, Yemen and other places, with more civilian deaths and more refugees, which continue to get ignored by global media and powerful nations who suddenly seem very vocal about Ukraine.

The civil war in Ethiopia

The Tigray war in Ethiopia started in November 2020, leaving tens of thousands dead, millions as refugees, and hundreds of thousands in a famine-like situation. The civil war started when Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed sent troops to a military base in the northern region of Tigray, which borders Eritrea and Sudan. Abiy Ahmed accused Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF), the party ruling the region, of attacking the base and announced that the Ethiopian military had bombed the facility in retaliation.

Soon, militias from the neighbouring Amhara region of Ethiopia, and forces from adjoining country Eritrea joined Ahmed’s troops starting this long-lasting conflict in Tigray. Surrounded from all sides, TPLF continues to fight and resist Ahmed’s forces, but the war has had a devastating effect on the local population.

Roots of the problem

Since 1994, Ethiopia has had a federal system in which different ethnic groups control the affairs of the 10 regions in the country. The TPLF was the leader of a four-party coalition that governed Ethiopia from 1991 and was the most influential party in the region. However, discontent among the coalition led to a reshuffle in 2018, resulting in Abiy Ahmed being appointed the Prime Minister.

Ahmed set up a new Prosperity Party and removed key Tigrayan government leaders accusing them of corruption and repression. Tigray’s leaders accused Abiy Ahmed of trying to centralize power and destroy Ethiopia’s federal system.

The tensions between the two escalated in September 2020 when Ahmed postponed elections in the country citing Coronavirus as the reason. Meanwhile, TPLF held elections in Tigray, which were deemed illegal by Ahmed’s government, and the war broke out a few weeks later.

Ethiopia
Image source: Anadolu Agency

Current situation

As per reports, the situation is really dire in Tigray right now. Even by conservative estimates, around 50,000 have died in the war due to violence, starvation, and diseases. Over 2.5 million have been displaced as refugees, and live in the neighbouring regions in abject poverty. Over 4 million desperately need food assistance to survive as famine has gripped the region. However, unfortunately, the world’s heart doesn’t bleed for them the way it does for European refugees.

The millions of refugees, along with dealing with food shortage, also have to deal with communicable diseases such as malaria, cholera, as well as reduced access to treatment for non-communicable diseases and maternal and child health services.

Ethiopia
Image Source: Associated Press

Yemen civil war

The civil war in Yemen began in September 2014, when Iran-backed Houthi insurgents seized the capital Sana’a and took control of the government. By March 2015, they had taken control of most of the country leading President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee the country and go to Saudi Arabia.

Image Source: Parliament of Australia

In response to Iran-backed Houthis seizing control of Yemen, Saudi Arabia announced a military intervention in Yemen against the Houthis. A 9 country coalition of countries from the Middle East and North Africa led by Saudi Arabia started a bombing campaign against the Houthis in 2015.

Yemen
Image source: BBC

The bombing campaign later expanded to include a naval blockade, and then ground forces of the coalition in Yemen. The United States provided intelligence and logistical support to the coalition and accelerated the sale of weapons to the coalition states.

The war has been absolutely devastating for the civilian population of Yemen. As per UN estimates, 377,000 people have died due to the war since 2015. Diseases and starvation have wreaked havoc on the locals, with the majority of the casualties being children. Thousands of children have died due to a Cholera outbreak that infected a million people. Poor sanitation and no access to clean drinking water have led to various water-borne diseases among the population.

Image source: United Nations

Over 4 Million people have been displaced since the start of the conflict, and now nearly half the country’s population lacks enough food in the country of 30 million people, as per the world food program.

Ethiopia
Image source: TRT World

As the civilian population in these regions continue to starve and fall to diseases, the world refuses to move beyond token gestures to help them. United Nations recognizes that these are the two biggest humanitarian disasters staring the world today, but even then the efforts to end the conflicts are nowhere in sight.

There are no sanctions placed on Ethiopia and Abiy Ahmed (a Nobel Peace Prize winner) to pressurize them to stop the violence in Tigray. There are no talks to stop buying oil from Saudi Arabia till they stop bombing Yemen, in fact, the USA wants to replace the Russian oil supply with oil from Saudi Arabia.

The forgotten civilians of these countries may rightly think that they are the children of a lesser God, or maybe God just cares for the blonde, blue-eyed refugees.

Parth Jindal, MD of JSW Sports and chairman of Delhi Capitals endorses Arvind Kejriwal’s derisive remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’

OpIndia Staff
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Parth Jindal, MD of JSW Sports and chairman of Delhi Capitals endorses Arvind Kejriwal’s derisive remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’

In a shocking display of insensitivity towards the plight of Kashmiri Pandits, Parth Jindal, the managing director of JSW Sports, the chairman of IPL cricket team Delhi Capitals and Bengaluru FC, on Thursday endorsed Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s callous statements on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus that took place in the 1990s.

On Thursday, Parth Jindal retweeted Aam Aadmi Party leader Abhijeet Dipke’s tweet that endorsed Arvind Kejriwal’s insensitive remark on the movie – ‘The Kashmir Files’. In the tweet, Dipke had hailed Kejriwal’s speech where the Delhi CM was seen making contemptuous remarks for the movie.

Dipke had claimed that the speech of Kejriwal was ‘vintage’, in which the Delhi CM had called the movie a ‘lie’. The AAP leader had also mocked the BJP and movie director Vivek Agnihotri, asking them not to watch the video.

Netizen Mr Sinha took to Twitter to point out that he had retweeted the tweet, endorsing the derisive comment by Kejriwal.

Arvind Kejriwal mocks ‘The Kashmir Files’ to launch an attack against BJP

Speaking in the Delhi Assembly on Thursday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had displayed callous insensitivity by ridiculing the demands to make ‘The Kashmir Files’, a movie based on the 1990s Hindu genocide in Kashmir, tax-free in the state.

Mocking the decisions of various state governments of making The Kashmir Files tax-exempted in their respective states, CM Arvind Kejriwal stated, “They are saying to make the movie The Kashmir Files tax-free, better upload it on YouTube and the whole movie will become free.”

Arvind Kejriwal, laughing and giggling, said that if they wanted The Kashmir Files to be tax-free, Vivek Agnihotri, the director of the movie, should simply release it on YouTube so everyone can watch it for free. Refusing to stop the insult there, Kejriwal further said that the movie was not based on reality and was a “jhoothi film”.

The mocking of the plight of the Kashmiri Hindu genocide had met with a strong reaction from the Hindu community, who came forward to react sharply to the insults heaped by Arvind Kejriwal. Several Kashmiri Pandits had slammed Arvind Kejriwal for calling their genocide a lie and defended the movie saying it was indeed a true movie and not a ‘Jhooti film’.

Some even said that the insensitive remarks made by Arvind Kejriwal were akin to Bitta Karate killing Hindus on the streets of Kashmir.

Parth Jindal’s endorsement for Kejriwal’s remarks on ‘The Kashmir Files’ draws social media backlash

By endorsing such careless statements made by a sitting Chief Minister, Parth Jindal is now facing widespread condemnation across social media platforms. Netizens slammed Parth Kiindal for his cruel act, who also urged the Hindus to boycott the products of Jindal Group, including withdrawing support to his IPL franchise Delhi Capitals and ISL team Bengaluru FC.

Vijay Patel, a fact-checker and researcher, said that Jindal Group should not forget that their income source is mostly from Hindus and warned them against mocking victims of genocide.

‘The Kashmir Files’ film is based on the genocide of the Kashmiri Hindus by the fanatic Islamists in Kashmir in 1990 and the exodus of Kashmiri Hindus following that. The film stars Anupam Kher, Mithun Chakraborty, Pallavi Joshi, Darshan Kumar, Chinmay Mandlekar, and Mrinal Kulkarni are in lead roles.

Many Islamists opposed the film before its release. A petition was also filed in the Bombay high court after the trailer of the film was published on YouTube. The petition sought a ban on the release of the film, citing that it could potentially hurt the sentiments of the Muslims in the country.

Thousands of birds rescued by Delhi Police in a raid on illegal bird market near Jama Masjid

OpIndia Staff
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Thousands of birds rescued by Delhi Police in a raid on illegal bird market near Jama Masjid

On Wednesday, Delhi Police in collaboration with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) raided the illegal bird market in Delhi. Police raided the Kabutar Market near Jama Masjid in a massive operation against the pervasive illicit wildlife trade. Thousands of birds were rescued from the hands of vendors.

The majority of the birds rescued are native parrots. They were held in cages here after being unlawfully hunted. Apart from that, several other native birds such as Muniya, hill Myanas, and pigeons were rescued. These rescued birds were in terrible condition.

The Delhi Police and Forest Department confiscated the birds, which included over 500 chicks, and they are now being treated and cared for at Wildlife SOS.

Kabutar Market Delhi
Image: Indiatimes

The birds were crowded into cramped cages and housed in rooms with little natural ventilation. Several young parakeets were discovered dead after being placed on top of each other in little cardboard boxes.

PETA India filed a complaint under multiple provisions of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (PCA), 1960, and the Indian Penal Code, 1860, which led to the search. In addition, an FIR has also been filed in accordance with the Wild Life (Protection) Act (WPA) of 1972.

The birds were taken into custody by the Forest Department, and the rescued birds, which included adults, chicks, and juveniles, were placed in the care of Wildlife SOS under the direction of the Deputy Conservator of Forests.

Kabutar Market Delhi
Image: Indiatimes

The WPA makes it illegal to possess or sell wildlife species. Several of the bird species rescued on Friday were not indigenous to the National Capital and had to be smuggled in from neighbouring states. Despite the fact that the birds have been rescued, they require special attention to ensure their survival.

This illegal bird market in Delhi has been around for a long time and is located in front of the Red Fort, near the Jama Masjid. This sort of raid has occurred several times in the past. Nonetheless, the business of purchasing and selling birds is undertaken without concern.

Chhattisgarh: Shivling of a temple uprooted and carried on a hand cart to the Tehsil office to appear before a Court for a summon

OpIndia Staff
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Chhattisgarh: Shivling of a temple uprooted and carried on a hand cart to the Tehsil office to appear before a Court for a summon

In an unusual move, a Shivling of a Shiva temple in Raigarh, Chhattisgarh, was uprooted on Friday, March 25 and brought to the Tehsil office to appear before the Court in response to a summoning order issued by the Tehsildar Court a few days ago, reports LiveBeat.

RGHNews, a local media platform, provided LawBeat with photographs and videos showing the Shivling of the temple being carried to the Court on a hand trolly. However, the hearing was reportedly cancelled due to a lack of officers in the tehsil, and the date of appearance was set for April 13.

According to the report by LiveBeat, the development occurred as a result of a petition filed by Sudha Rajwade before the Chhattisgarh High Court, in which 16 people, including the Shiv temple, were accused of trespassing on government property.

The copy of the judgement (source: LiveBeat)

Rajwade claimed that illegal construction is taking place on government land adjacent to the proposed construction of a housing residential real estate project called Banshi Enclave.

On February 14, 2022, the high court directed the Municipal Corporation to ensure that no further illegal construction on the said government land is permitted. The court also ordered the authorities to inspect the alleged encroachment sites.

In response, the Tehsildar Court directed the concerned officials to inspect the said land and found the encroachment allegations to be true. Following that, the Tehsildar Court summoned ten people, including the temple, to appear before the Court today.

The Tehsildar had also warned everyone in the notice that failure to appear at the hearing could result in a Rs 10,000 fine and eviction from the premises.

Unprecedented increase in Muslim population in West Bengal has forced many Hindus to migrate, some areas in rural Bengal have 70:30 demographic: Report

OpIndia Staff
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Unprecedented increase in Muslim population in West Bengal has forced many Hindus to migrate, some areas in rural Bengal have 70:30 demographic: Report

The demographic imbalance in West Bengal has become a growing cause of concern. A journalist with the Organiser magazine named Pranay Kumar visited a few cities like New Jalpaiguri, Siliguri, Islampur, Malda Town, Murshidabad etc., villages and towns situated adjacent to them, where he noticed a terrible imbalance in the demographics in these villages. Many Rohingya immigrants from Bangladesh have come and settled in these areas. This unprecedented increase in the Muslim population in specific areas of the state bordering Bangladesh has forced many Hindus to migrate from these regions.

Describing the unmatched scenic beauty of these small hamlets in West Bengal, the Organiser journalist said that there are limitless business opportunities here since the land in this area of West Bengal is very fertile and hundreds of small villages are attached to and dependent on each market here but the only problem is the law and order situation and changing demographics. 

The journalist went on to write that the condition of cities is comparable to that of other states in the country, but there is a severe demographic imbalance in the villages. In most villages and small towns, Muslims outnumber non-Muslims. There are also a large number of suspected Rohingyas from the bordering country of Bangladesh, who are being deliberately pushed into the villages for vote banks, despite the Centre identifying them as a security threat. As a result of their abundance, local Hindus migrate to other cities or safer locations. They flee as a result of organised and sponsored violence. They are terrified by the spread of violence, said the journalist.

As a result, Hindu migrants are selling their homes, farms, businesses, and other assets. Following their escape, some Muslims share their land, take gardens, and care for their homes with great care and skill. They then obtain ownership rights to those lands at rock-bottom prices, have them registered in their names by demonstrating a fear of losing possession of the house, and so on. The majority of these mango, orchard, fruit and vegetable markets are now controlled by Muslims.

It is critical for a border province like West Bengal to put a stop to this migration. Hindus’ main issue is migration and self-forgetfulness, opines Pranay Kumar.

Speaking further about the clout and influence that these Muslims have developed in these regions over time, the journalist stated that when he met a few Muslims living in these regions, he was surprised to see that they were living such a luxurious life despite living in a village. He described how a particular Muslim man he met owned over 125 madarsas, schools and professional institutions and a number of hospitals.

He also visited several madrasas, or religious schools for Muslim girls, as well as nursing and pharmacy schools. He said that he was surprised to see madrasas, schools, and nursing-pharmacy colleges operating with excellent infrastructure in areas bordering Bangladesh. Every year, around 50 young people from these madrasas travel to Saudi Arabia to study religion. The majority of them go on to become imams and bukharis. These madrasas educate Muslim children ranging in age from 7 to 30 years. They receive funds from all over the country. Saudi Arabia provides the funding, and they take full advantage of all state government schemes. Their entire system is designed to exploit government funds and schemes, said the Organiser journalist.

The journalist went on to say that he was surprised by how many Muslim officials were in charge of police administration in most of those border areas, which he believes is impossible without collusion with the power elite.

The journalist said that he also interacted with many Muslim girls and women and realised that there was terrible fanaticism among the youth.

Concerned about the growing Muslim population in these areas, the journalist stated that the demographics of rural conditions have a 70-30 ratio in some areas. He further narrated how a Muslim he met told him that fewer children are considered a “Gunah” in their society. 

“When I came to know a Muslim family, they proudly told me he is a father and his 3 wives have in total 39 brothers and sisters apart. When my friend asked, “Do you have 3 children?” he proudly replied – “No, 6”. Again, fewer children are considered a “Gunah” in our society. It does not have any bad effect on the health of our wives due to “Allah ke Fazal”, and after the death of my brother, I have adopted his child on paper as well,” wrote the journalist.

The journalist further stated how a Muslim man, he encountered, confessed that the Madarsas being operated in those areas receive funds through hawala networks from Islamic countries in the Gulf.

“A Muslim told me we do not charge any fee for these children studying in Dini Talim or Madrasa-Pharma-Nursing. Those who are capable pay a fee of 1000 rupees per month. At first, he kept avoiding the question “Where does the money come from?” but on my repeated asking, he said that the rich Muslims of the Gulf countries, Kerala and the country give him charity,” wrote the Organiser journalist.

The journalist went on to say that the local Hindus in these areas believe that the only way to solve this growing crisis is for the ruling dispensation to change. “They want the BJP to win so that the winds of development flow in these areas, capital comes, the industry comes, making a place for itself in the minds of the people on the development front is a big achievement of the BJP, but it is a big failure of the BJP leadership to not provide qualified candidates. Even among the Muslims, people accepted it in a suppressed tongue that better development takes place under the BJP rule!” opined the journalist.

Further elucidating what went wrong with the BJP’s inroads into West Bengal, the journalist said that BJP is a ray of hope for West Bengal. People know and believe that only BJP can change the picture and destiny of West Bengal. But the local Hindus need a grassroots leader, who works on the ground, fights for them, and passes the benefits of various government schemes down the line to the common Hindu voter. The real problem of BJP, West Bengal, is that they do not have leaders to fight on the ground. If the BJP finds such leaders, then Hindus will vote for them along with a few Muslims, too. But unfortunately, most of the BJP’s winning leaders do not even spend time in the region, stay outside the state, are more interested in the politics of Delhi.

Days after Birbhum violence, cops seize 200 crude bombs from Margram: Here is what we know so far

OpIndia Staff
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Days after Birbhum violence, cops seize 200 crude bombs from Margram: Here is what we know so far

On Friday (March 25) morning, the police recovered 200 crude bombs from Margram village in Rampurhat II CD Block in Birbhum district of West Bengal. The area falls under the administration of the Hansan Vidhan Sabha constituency.

As per reports, about 6 barrels of crude bombs were seized by the police. The bomb squad was also summoned to detonate the live bombs. The police have initiated a probe into the matter.

It must be mentioned that Margram is located only a few kilometres away from Bogtui village, where 8 people were charred to death following the alleged murder of a TMC leader named Bhadu Sheikh.

At this point, it remains unclear as to what the unidentified miscreants intended to do with the crude bombs or whether it is connected to the violence in Bogtui village.

Violence in Birbhum

On Tuesday (March 22) night, a group of enraged miscreants set ablaze around 12 homes which resulted in the gruesome death of eight people including women and children in Birbhum’s Rampurhat. 

The autopsy report of the burnt bodies showed that the victims were beaten before they were locked in their own homes and set ablaze. The gruesome killings are believed to have been orchestrated to avenge the alleged murder of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued a notice to the West Bengal government and the state’s police chief and requested a report within four weeks detailing the steps taken to ensure people’s safety. A TMC block President by the name of Anarul Hossain has been arrested so far.

In the aftermath of the Birbhum violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a strong message of condemnation and appealed to the State government to bring the perpetrators to justice. On Friday (March 25), the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

‘No, relationship with China is not normal’: EAM Jaishankar says after 3-hour long meeting with Chinese FM Wang Yi, China’s statement on Kashmir discussed

OpIndia Staff
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‘No, relationship with China is not normal’: EAM Jaishankar says after 3-hour long meeting with Chinese FM Wang Yi, China’s statement on Kashmir discussed

Dr S Jaishankar, the Minister of External Affairs, and Wang Yi, the Chinese Foreign Minister, met in Delhi today for delegation-level talks. Since the Galwan border confrontation in 2020, this is the greatest degree of interaction between the two nations.

Wang Yi initially met with National Security Adviser Ajit Doval earlier in the day. They addressed the prospect of completely disengaging Indian and Chinese soldiers along their respective borders. Doval and Wang discussed the necessity for early and total disengagement in contested regions, as well as the removal of obstacles to let the bilateral relationship be normal.

Dr. Jaishankar met Wang at Hyderabad House in Delhi.

Soon after the meeting, Dr Jaishankar said, “We met for about 3 hours and addressed a broad substantive agenda in an open and candid manner. We discussed our bilateral relations that have been disturbed as a result of Chinese actions in April 2020.”

In a press briefing after the talks, Dr Jaishankar disclosed some of the points of the discussion. He also expressed concerns over the statement made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the issue of Jammu and Kashmir at a recent session of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). He said, “I explained to him why we found that statement objectionable. It was a subject discussed at some length. I conveyed that we hope China will follow independent foreign policy and not get affected by anything.”

Responding to a question by a journalist on Quad, he said that there was no mention of Quad. he said, “The Indo-pacific was not discussed just like the quad.”

Dr Jaishankar also remarked that India’s current relationship with China is unhealthy. When asked whether everything between India and China is alright, he replied, “No, our relationship is not normal, given the presence of a large number of troops in contravention of the 1993-96 agreements.”

“So long there are very large deployments, border situation is not normal. We still have ongoing friction areas, have made progress in resolving some friction areas including Pangong Tso. Our discussion today was how to take this forward,” he added.

Stressing on the present situation, Dr. Jaishankar said, “Current situation is a ‘Work in Progress,’ obviously, at a slower pace than desirable…This needs to be taken forwards since completion of the disengagement is necessary for disengagement.”

According to sources, the duo also emphasised the need for continuing constructive exchanges at the diplomatic and military levels in order to restore peace and tranquillity. They both agreed that both nations must take precautions to guarantee that their activities do not undermine the spirit of equality and mutual security.

The meeting also covered topics such as Indian students enrolling at Chinese universities. “I also took up strongly the predicament of Indian students studying in China who haven’t been allowed to return citing Covid restrictions. We hope China will take a non-discriminatory approach since it involves the future of many young people,” Dr. Jaishankar stated.

After a protracted stalemate, the visit can be seen as a step to rekindle the physical connection. Wang Yi is scheduled to fly to Nepal later today after visiting Pakistan and Afghanistan before landing in Delhi.

Who is Anarul Hossain?: All you need to know about the TMC leader arrested in connection with the Birbhum violence case

Dibakar Dutta
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Who is Anarul Hossain?: All you need to know about the TMC leader arrested in connection with the Birbhum violence case

Two days after 8 people were charred to death by miscreants in an arson attack in the Rampurhat area in Bogtui village in Birbhum district of West Bengal, the police on Thursday (March 24) arrested a Trinamool Congress leader named Anarul Hossain in connection with the case.

As per reports, Hossain was apprehended from Tarapith after the cops tracked his mobile phone tower location. The development came after TMC supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee directed his immediate arrest over ‘administrative negligence.’

On Thursday, she visited the Bogtui village and met with the family members of the deceased TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh, whose alleged murder is believed to have sparked violence in Birbhum. She also met the relatives of the 8 deceased and assured them of appropriate action.

While quoting Mamata Banerjee, Zee24Ghanta had reported, “Anarul has to be arrested immediately. Either he must surrender or face arrest.”

Screengrab of the news report by Zee24 ghanta

Anarul Hossain – An impoverished mason turned influential politician

Anarul Hossain is the President of Rampurhat Block No.1 and was arrested in connection to the violence that transpired in Bogtui village of Birbhum. India Today reported that Hossain was associated with the Congress party, before defecting to the TMC.

As per a report published by TV9 Bangla, Hossain joined the Trinamool Congress in 1998 and went on to serve as the party’s block president for more than a decade. Known as a ‘skilled organiser’ within the party ranks, he controls the municipal corporation and the sand mining business in the Rampurhat area.

Screengrab of the news report by TV9 Bangla

ABP Ananda reported that Hossain grew up in poverty and worked as a mason (Raj mistri). He used to live with his family in a mud house (matir badi). However, his ‘fortunes’ changed after 2011.

Once an impoverished mason, Hossain today lives in a bungalow in Sandhipur village that is located in Hoogly district of West Bengal. He is also also the owner of several houses and cars.

Citing local sources, ABP Ananda reported that he became an influential contractor within just 6 years. His influence in the area increased by several folds after he was made the Block President by Trinamool Congress.

Influence of Hossain in Bogtui village and relationship with top TMC leaders

The TMC functionary has the final say in matters pertaining to the Bogtui village. Citing local sources, ABP Ananda reported that the TMC Block President is in-charge of 9 panchayats, where no Opposition candidate was allowed to field nomination in 2018.

The influence of the TMC block President can be gauged from the fact that when police went to his house on the directives of Mamata Banerjee, his supporters began creating hurdles for the cops.

Anarul Hossain is said to be close to TMC (Rampurhat) MLA and the current Deputy Speaker of West Bengal Legislative Assembly, Ashish Banerjee. When he was confronted by media persons about his links with Hossain, Banerjee declined to answer.

It has come to light that Hossain was a confidant of MC leader Anubrata Mandal but their relationship had soured in the past 1-1.5 years. Anarul Hossain’s nephew has accused Mandal of fabricating his uncle in the case.

Accusations of complicity in Birbhum violence

According to a report by Anandabazar Patrika, the relatives of the deceased had accused Anarul Hossain of not responding to their calls for assistance during the arson attack. The TMC functionary also did not apprise the police about the matter. The police is now investigating the reasons behind the administrative negligence on his part.

In his defence, Hossain had said, “Lies are being peddled to tarnish my name. When I learnt about the death of Vadu Sheikh, I went to the hospital. I even delivered a message of peace. Those who killed Bhadu Sheikh are the ones who carried out the arson attack. They are now trying to fabricate my name in the case.”

Screengrab of the news report by Anandbazar Patrika

Birbhum violence: The case so far

On March 22 late-night, a group of enraged miscreants set ablaze around 12 homes which resulted in the gruesome death of eight people including women and innocent children in Birbhum’s Rampurhat. 

A Special Investigation Team (SIT), comprising of ADG CID Gyanwant Singh, ADG Western Zone Sanjay Singh and DIG CID (Operations) Meeraj Khalid, was constituted to probe the incident. Journalist Pooja Mehta had informed that Officer-in-Charge (OC) and the Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) were suspended in the aftermath of the incident.

The autopsy report of the burnt bodies showed that the victims were beaten before they were locked in their own homes and set ablaze. The gruesome killings are believed to have been orchestrated to avenge the alleged murder of TMC leader Bhadu Sheikh.

The deceased was a panchayat member who has allegedly attacked with crude bombs while he was sitting at a shop on National Highway-60 on Monday (March 21). The Indian Express had reported that the miscreants burnt the houses of the family members of Fatik Sheikh and Chhota Lalon Sheikh, who allegedly killed the TMC leader.

Meanwhile, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) had issued a notice to the West Bengal government and the state’s police chief and requested a report within four weeks detailing the steps taken to ensure people’s safety.

In the aftermath of the Birbhum violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi issued a strong message of condemnation and appealed to the State government to bring the perpetrators to justice.

On Friday (March 25), the Calcutta High Court transferred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The Court observed, “We are of the opinion that the facts and the circumstances of the case demand that, in the interest of justice and to instil confidence in the society and to have a fair investigation to dig out the truth, it is necessary to hand over the investigation to the CBI.”

Uttar Pradesh: Municipal clerk Akram caught using fake signatures, forged documents to change Dalit girl Puja’s name into ‘Sana Khan’, arrested

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Municipal clerk Akram caught using fake signatures, forged documents to change Dalit girl Puja’s name into ‘Sana Khan’, arrested

Shamli police in Uttar Pradesh have arrested one Akram Babu, a clerk working in the Kandhla Municipality in Shamli District. The clerk has been accused of preparing fake documents of a Dalit girl named Pooja Rani, in which he named her ‘Sana Khan’. The clerk was also accused of forging the signature and seal of the municipal executive officer, Nikita Sharma, for preparing the fake document.

The matter came to the fore after BJP leader Deepak Saini approached the Shamli police with a complaint against the municipal officer on March 19, 2022. Calling it an incident of ‘Love Jihad’, the BJP leader also accused Kandhla Municipal President Wajid Hasan of colluding with the clerk to carry out the forgery.

According to the police complaint, one Rihan Khan, a resident of Deepak Saini’s constituency, had gone to the municipal corporation with an Aadhaar card form, requesting the officer to sign and stamp the document in order to change his wife’s name. When the councillor requested the duo’s Aadhar card, the youth’s name on his Aadhar card was Rihan, and the girl’s name was Pooja.

Suspicious, they conducted an investigation, and it was discovered that Rihan had brought the girl from the Sarsawa district of Saharanpur.

The complaint went on to say, “It appears to be a matter of conversion and love jihad. Municipal Clerk Akram Babu signed and sealed the document on behalf of Municipality President Wajid Hasan and Municipal Executive Officer Nikita Sharma. Akram appears to be hand in glove with Rikhan and Pooja Rani. This could have harmed the town’s atmosphere,” read the complaint.

“There have been many incidents of love jihad here,” Deepak Saini told OpIndia. When the Samajwadi Party was in power in Uttar Pradesh, a girl was forced to record her statement before a Judicial Magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC. In this recent case, a girl named Pooja was denied access to her family members. I became suspicious when I saw the name Sana Khan in one place and Pooja Rani in another. When I refused to sign the paper, Rihan asked the municipal president to sign it and left.

In this regard, OpIndia also contacted Shamli’s police station Kandhala SHO. Refuting the love jihad angle, the SHO said, “about one and a half years ago, the girl lived in Saharanpur. She married a boy named Rihan there. The family had also filed a police report then. However, the girl’s statement under Section 164 in the court was in favour of Rihan. Since then, they’ve been living together. This incident was brought to light again when Rihan went to get his wife’s Aadhar card. In this case, Akram, the clerk of Kandhla municipality, forged the signature of the executive officer and sealed the document without his consent. As a result, Akram was sentenced to prison after filing a case under sections 420, 468, and 471 of the IPC, he said.

SC dismisses a petition seeking measures to monitor activities of Christian missionaries

OpIndia Staff
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SC dismisses a petition seeking measures to monitor activities of Christian missionaries

On Friday, the Supreme Court refused to entertain a petition filed by Hindu activist group – Hindu Dharma Parishad seeking to establish a board to make surveillance and monitor the activities of Christian Missionaries in the country.

According to the reports, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Indira Banerjee and AS Bopanna dismissed the petition filed by Hindu Dharma Parishad, citing Madras High Court’s order.

In its petition in the top court against the high court order, the petitioner argued that for the last few years, some anti-social elements and anti-nationals are forcibly converting people from Hinduism to other religions, especially Christianity.

However, the court did not entertain the plea and rejected the petition.

The petition was filed in response to the order passed by the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court on public interest litigation seeking a direction to the Centre and others, including the state of Tamil Nadu, to establish a board for surveillance and monitoring the activities of the Christian missionaries.

The Madras High Court had earlier noted that the plea cannot be entertained as the jurisdiction lies within the state and there was an act in place that provides for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means.

On March 31, 2021, the Madras High Court had also dismissed the PIL saying, “The prayer as sought for cannot be granted, as it is not for the Court to issue appropriate orders in this regard since it lies within the jurisdiction of the state. However, the learned Special Government Pleader produced a copy of Act 56 of 2002, which provides for prohibition of conversion from one religion to another by the use of force or allurement or by fraudulent means and for matters incidental thereto.

Based on the observation of the Madras High Court, the Supreme Court said that the writ petition filed by Hindu Dharma Parishad stands disposed of accordingly.

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