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Ukraine-Russia conflict, the western plot, Indian neutrality and how for once, the US needs to learn from India

Saket Suryesh
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Ukraine-Russia conflict, the western plot, Indian neutrality and how for once, the US needs to learn from India

Russia has invaded Ukraine, after much of the West dismissing any possibility of such an action by the Russians. Eastern Europe is at War. The peaceniks are out at the behest of the US. There can be no dispute about the disagreeability of war. But beyond idealism, it is a fact that Nations do go to war. Including the skirmishes and civil wars of the 18th and 19th Century, against the natives and federations to build a Union, America has gone into around 102 wars in the continent and around the world. 

In the late 20th Century, the US had gone to war in Vietnam (1955 -1975), in Laos (1953-1975), In Cuba, in Lebanon, in Libya, Panama, Gulf and Iraq. In the 21st Century, the US went into Afghanistan to avenge the 9/11 Terror Attack by Saudi National Osama Bin Laden who was eventually located and killed in Pakistan. Both Saudi and Pakistan remained American allies all these years. Iraq war simultaneously happened between 2003 and 2011 and left Iraq with a power vacuum replaced by ISIS, much like Afghanistan was recently vacated, leaving the war-ravaged country to the mercy of the dreaded Taliban. 

President Barack Obama, who was awarded Nobel Peace Prize in 2009, barely Eight months in office, authorised Air Strikes in at least seven countries. In his Nobel acceptance speech, Obama said there are circumstances when war is justified, mirroring John Stuart Mill’s famous quote from his book ‘Principles of Political Economy’  where he wrote:

‘War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest thing: the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks that nothing is worth a war is much worse… A war to give victory to their own ideas of right and good, and which is their own war, carried on for an honest purpose by their free choice- is often the means of their regeneration. A man who has nothing which he is willing to fight for, nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety, is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertion of better men than himself.’

Though it may be a matter of dispute that for the United States of America which views itself as a benign hegemony, and oftentimes appear to believe in the idea of bombing sovereign nations to democracy, how many of the numerous wars they went into in foreign lands on grounds as flimsy as fictional Weapons of Mass Destruction, would qualify the test of reasonability on the benchmark of John Stuart Mill. Even the claim of supporting democracy would appear to be flimsy when the history of US support to the despots and dictators across the world is viewed impartially, littered with death and destruction from Bangladesh to Libya to Iraq. 

The founding Fathers of the United States were just men and had decent ideals. Most of the wars they fought were within the continent and were existential wars necessary for the survival of the newly-found nation. Looking around at the greed of Colonialist forces, they felt the need was to be protective about their ideas but at the same time they took pains to avoid attempting to be the guardian of the Globe. 

US president James Monroe went on to sign an agreement with the UK in 1823, which was supported and approved of by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Secretary of State under him, John Quincy Adams, a well-read and well-travelled man, who incidentally also led the team of American Negotiators signing Treaty of Ghent after the War of 1812 with the British, urged him to turn this agreement into a US policy document to guide the American leadership in the following centuries. The Monroe Doctrine signed on December 2nd 1823 envisaged that the US will not interfere in the matters of Europe, will not interfere in the matters of existing European Colonies and the West will not invade American Continent or establish newer colonies. 

The idea of respect for not only American Sovereignty rather that of other nations was inherent in this policy. The document not only thwarted the attempt of the UK to continue to meddle in the affairs of Latin American nations, it for the first time split the world into well-defined spheres of influence. However, in 1904 a corollary known as Roosevelt Corollary was added to the Doctrine which allowed the US to intervene in the matters of Latin American nations (still, in the close vicinity of the US, which had a possibility of impacting the general peace and tranquillity in the US), in the cases of what was termed as flagrant and Chronic wrongdoings (by the rulers of those nations in American Continent).

Those were still the times of principled politics. Things unravelled quickly post World War II as businesses rose to make huge profits out of the miseries of the wars. Still, the policy held good for the Americans when the Soviets planted their Missiles in Cuba. The policy was invoked to demand the removal of the Missiles from what was defined under the Doctrine as Cuba fell under a Sphere of American influence. Within one week or so, the Missiles were removed and the policy stood good in holding up global peace.

As the US grew stronger, protected by its Geographical position, away from any direct territorial threats, the doctrine was pushed backwards by the Americans themselves as they started using US soft-power to reach out to remote nations, trying to impose American values, and more importantly trying to plant pliable autocrats in those countries. Money flowed in to create public opinion and movements and campaigns from the Arab Spring to Otpor (The Resistance) in Belgrade to Khmara in Georgia and Pora (It is high time) in Ukraine.

The problem with federal structures built over the idea of parochial isolationism and separatism is that they break quickly. The founders of the Indian republic in 1950 realised this and in spite of huge support of the Russian model of the USSR, they stopped short of calling India an amalgamation of independent states. Contrary to what Rahu Gandhi recently proposed, Dr Ambedkar called for a heavy union that could hold the states together. Their pragmatism becomes more and more clear as we see the fragility of the Russian Federation which resulted in the breaking up of a historically huge nation the moment the iron hand was lifted from over its head. 

The West went back happy as Russia broke, ignoring the common history and cultural bonds across the new splinter nations they created. Ukraine which became an independent nation and also turned into an arms supplier to rogue nations like Pakistan, still had Russian-speaking people inside. Incidentally, Ukraine signed an 85 Million Dollars Tank deal for the supply of T-80 UD Tanks to Pakistan in 2021 while Pakistan was already placed under the FATF grey list for terrorist connections in 2018. The West, not satisfied by the breaking up of Russia, went further step by step.

They wanted the pull-out Ukraine and make it a part of the West. Ukraine was always looked up to by Russia as a kind of buffer state between Russia and the West, more so after the disintegration of the USSR, closer to them than the West. Much as the US was alarmed when the Soviets placed Missiles in Cuba in 1962, Russians were alarmed when in 2008 US, in a unilateral fashion proposed Membership Action Plan to bring Ukraine under NATO. Some say even the French and the Germans weren’t on board when Bush made that statement.

This 2008 MAP came about quickly after the 2004-2005 Orange Revolution behind which many say the US and George Soros’ Open Society Foundation were active. The elected Ukraine Government in 2013 refused to join the European Union. In Feb 2014 another movement was started called Euromaidan Clashes (Revolution for Dignity). This violent movement ended with the death of 130 people and around two dozen policemen. Arseniy Yatsenyuk was designated as the interim PM of Ukraine. A recording of a telephonic discussion which happened on January 28th, 2014 between American Diplomat Victoria Nuland and US Ambassador to Ukraine, Geoffrey Pyatt went viral on YouTube regarding their discussions on who to be made the Prime Minister of Ukraine.

Yatsenyuk was sworn into power on 27th February 2014 replacing Viktor Yanukovych. It is somewhat similar to China deputing the head of state in Nepal and then making the interim head sign agreement to join the Chinese confederation. The first thing, this US-appointed PM did was to sign the agreement to join the EU. Going by the legendary Russian Spy network and his own KGB background, one can be sure that the Russian Premier Vladimir Putin must have got more inputs than the viral YouTube video confirming US play in setting up a puppet Government aimed to bring Ukraine into the West and thereby bringing the West to the door of Russia. It is said that Russia offered a package of 15 Billion USD to prevent Ukraine from joining the West. 

Petra Poroshenko was then elected the President of Ukraine and brought in what was termed Lustration or Purge. Under this, more than a thousand Government Officials and holders of public offices were replaced. The appointees opposed Russian as a second language (remember the replacement of Bangla and Punjabi by Urdu in Pakistan). America’s overt and covert intent was to wipe off any historical and cultural connection Ukraine might be having with Russia. While Russia was riling with the pain of multiple partitions after the fall of the Soviet Union, the emboldened the US went all out to pull Ukraine into its sphere of influence. Russia, even after being severely weakened, still holds very strong military assets, in many aspects, equal and more than American resources say tanks and weapons. Russia and America have almost an equal number of Nuclear Weapons (Russian 6800 to American 6100) and the same number of deployed warheads. 

India, in terms of political ideology, is closer to the US than to the Russians. However, the history of India, post-independence, draws a parallel closer to the Russians, particularly the post-collapse of the USSR than the Americans. India has too been through the pain of partition with manufactured divisions promoted by the West, with an aim of eventual Balkanisation. Russia has stood with India across most of the crucial times that India had faced post-Independence, while American support has been largely limited to ambiguous rhetoric mostly similar to the Indian statement on the Ukraine invasion, but often worse.

During most of the wars between India and Pakistan, it was Pakistan that the US sided with. In 1971, as the US sat over massacre and genocide in East Pakistan, not wanting to upset the Pakistanis; when India stepped in, the US was quick to move Naval Fleet to contain India. China, except for brief schooling during Trump’s era, has been considered by the US as its ally in spite of the Global territorial ambitions of China which have milked the US economy dry in the last century. After Indian Nuclear Tests under the Vajpayee Government, the US had placed sanctions on India. It is truly surprising that the elite Nuclear power club which has often been most irresponsible in the Global Nuclear arena have tried to stop the nation which has always stood up for its moral uprightness from having a nuclear defence while facing hostilities from neighbouring nations. Forget wanting to rule over Bangladesh directly or through a proxy, India did not even liberate the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir using a comprehensive military victory and allowed the wound to fester.

When India removed Article 370 of special provision from Kashmir, legally part of India through a voluntary merger of the State in 1947, the US organised Senate hearings and encouraged media reports which attempted to depict India as an invader. When India tried to bring in Citizenship Amendment Act to give shelter to persecuted non-Muslims in erstwhile Indian areas which have turned into Islamist theocratic states post-partition, the US opposed it, not officially but through media propaganda. The same US which celebrated Biden for taking oath as the President over Bible did not hesitate to let loose its media over the fictional Hindu nationalist government of India. 

Ukraine has over the year following the US and West on Nuclear Tests, CAA, Kashmir and all the contentious issues that India has faced. It had also opposed India in UNSC in favour of Pakistan. It is really odd that the Policymakers and thinkers from the West, totally ignore their duplicity and are preaching India to support Ukraine when NATO in all its reality has already dumped them for all practical purposes after propping them against the Russians.

India is not a Communist nation but America has never valued it when India fought a lonely battle against the ever-encroaching Communist China at one hand and an Islamist Pakistan at the other. America which went to war in Afghanistan over 9/11, asked India to exercise restrained over 26/11. The way Joe Biden pursued the Vaccine policy blocking the vaccines and even blocking the raw material for the vaccines being manufactured in India, has not earned any points on morality for the US as a torch-bearer of global humanity. 

It is not a time for India to rethink its policies. It is time for Americans to rethink their policies. Ukraine is a reminder that they have strayed far away from the nation that their founders wanted to build under the influence of Leftist policies. The reaction from the Indian masses, apart from the Indian government, should give US policymakers something to think about. Having faced loss of territories under the influence of Global Islam and Global Communism, India feels the significance of cultural and historical ties which binds a nation together. India has long fought and felt the pain of efforts of foreign forces to bring in the Balkanisation and irrespective of political sympathies, India has watched the fall of the USSR in horror and the rise of Islamist fundamentalism under the support of the West in the name of woke liberalism. We are moving towards a world of equals and colonisers of the past must understand this.

Kipling’s white man’s burden will only aggravate things for the Americans. As the world’s oldest democracy, for once, the US should learn from India, instead of trying to teach her. The West needs to pull back their media house and quasi-foreign policy bodies like Freedom House and USCIRF to humiliate, demolish and crush the native faiths in foreign lands. Ukraine has lessons for everyone and the world would be a better place if we are willing to learn. The US must return to its roots and they may be able to save their already fragile reputations. It is not the independence of Ukraine that is at stake. That was taken away by the US and the West long ago. It is their own moral stature that is at stake. From Thomas Jefferson’s idealist -‘Peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations…entangling alliances with none’ to Kissinger’s mercenary- ‘America has no permanent friends or enemies, only interests’ – the US has come far away. 

Rajasthan: BJYM worker Vicky Arya brutally murdered with iron rods and pipes in Kota, two accused Nikhil and Raj detained

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan: BJYM worker Vicky Arya brutally murdered with iron rods and pipes in Kota, two accused Nikhil and Raj detained

On Friday, a local BJP worker named Vicky Arya was beaten to death by a group of people in Sabarmati Colony of Kaithunipol area of ​​Kota, Rajasthan. Arya, who was also an active member of the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM), was hit with iron rods and metal pipes and was declared dead before he even reached the hospital.

According to the reports, Vicky Arya was on his bike when a group of people with rods and weapons in their hands stopped him from going ahead. He sensed the situation, left the bike and began running towards his house barefoot. The men chased him and attacked him by hitting his head with an iron rod from behind causing excessive bloodshed on the street. After he fell down, the men kept on hitting him with metal water pipes and rods and fled after they thought he had died.

The incident happened in the lane close to the victim’s house. Vicky’s family rushed to the spot immediately after they were informed about the brutal murder. They shifted him to the MBS hospital in the city where the doctors declared him already dead.

The Police took cognizance of the case and registered an FIR against Banwari, Arjun, Nikhil, Raj and their associates. The Police has also detained Nikhil and Raj for primarily beating Vicky and is searching for all those who have absconded.

The situation in the Kaithunipol area has become quite tense after the murder of a 25-year-old BJYM member. A heavy police force and RAC personnel including two DSPs, four SHOs have been deployed in the area for the purpose of security.

Reports mention that some of the miscreants who hit Arya are his relatives and neighbours. They wanted to hit Vicky after they had a severe fight over a petty issue in December last year. Though Vicky was not directly involved in the dispute, his relatives and neighbours had planned to teach him a lesson.

ACP Praveen Jain informed that Nikhil and Raj who have been detained in the case have confessed the crime and said that they had no intentions to hit him with an iron rod. They wanted to stab him with a knife instead.

The Police has so far registered a case against four and detained two of them. Apart from this, 4-5 other people are being questioned in the case on the basis of suspicion. The Police has assured to take strict action against all those involved. The investigation is underway.

Is Ukraine using Indian students as ‘leverage’ against India? What the Ambassador said at UNSC, asking India to reconsider its decision on UNSC voting

OpIndia Staff
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Is Ukraine using Indian students as ‘leverage’ against India? What the Ambassador said at UNSC, asking India to reconsider its decision on UNSC voting

After India abstained from United Nations Security Council resolution that criticised Russia’s action against Ukraine, the Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations attempted to use stranded Indian students in Ukraine as a hostage to push the Modi government to reconsider its position on the ongoing Russia-Ukraine crisis.

Along with China and UAE, India had abstained from voting on the draft resolution that “deplored” Russia’s “aggression against Ukraine”. The draft Security Council resolution, sponsored by the US, said it demanded that Russia “immediately cease its use of force against Ukraine” and “immediately, completely, and unconditionally withdraw all of its military forces from the territory of Ukraine within its internationally recognised borders.

Sources have informed to the media that by abstaining, India had retained the option of reaching out to relevant sides to bridge the gap and find the middle ground with an aim to foster dialogue and diplomacy.

India, as a responsible global power, had stated that it is deeply disturbed by the recent turn of developments in Ukraine. The Indian government also urged that all efforts be made to cease violence and hostilities immediately.

“No solution can ever be arrived at the cost of human lives,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador TS Tirumurti had reiterated.

The Indian government has so far taken a neutral stand on the Ukraine-Russia crisis and has called both parties to adhere to UN Charter and international law while asking them to respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of states.

However, the prudent approach by the Indian government seems to have angered the Ukrainian government, which is now trying to use stranded Indian students studying in Ukraine as a ‘leverage’ against India.

On Friday, Ukrainian Ambassador indirectly threatened India for abstaining from voting against Russia at UNSC. Speaking at the UNSC emergence session, the Ukrainian Ambassador to United Nations Sergiy Kyslytsya issued a subtle threat by saying countries that abstained from voting should have thought before making a decision.

Without naming India, the UAE or China, the three abstaining countries, the Ukrainian Ambassador at UNSC said, “It is exactly the safety of your nationals in Ukraine that you should be the first to vote to stop the war to save your nationals in Ukraine, and not to think that you should vote or not vote.”

Essentially, the Ukrainian Ambassador to the UN was using Indian students as hostages to issue a warning to the Indian government that if they do not stand in support of Ukraine in the ongoing clashes, then it would be tough for them to evacuate the stranded students in the war-torn country.

J Sai Deepak explains what exactly transpired in St. Stephen’s episode after Gender Studies Cell posted abusive statement against him

OpIndia Staff
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J Sai Deepak explains what exactly transpired in St. Stephen’s episode after Gender Studies Cell posted abusive statement against him

Hours after sharing screenshots of the despicable post written by the students of the Gender Studies cell of St. Stephen’s College against him while opposing the invitation extended to him by another department of the same college, the Supreme Court lawyer, J Sai Deepak, has gone on to detail the entire fiasco.

Adding a few more Tweets in the thread he posted on February 25, 2020, the Supreme Court Advocate wrote, “Quite a few ppl have reached out asking me as to what exactly transpired in this St. Stephen’s episode. I will keep it factual with a few comments on the episode. Before I proceed, I would request everyone to be measured in their language given that students are involved.”

Detailing what exactly transpired, J Sai Deepak said that on February 9th, students from St. Stephen’s Leadership cell contacted him and invited him to speak at the Leadership Conclave, which was scheduled to be held between February 24th and 27th. He confirmed his availability on the evening of February 25th, he added.

On February 22nd, he was informed by the Leadership cell that the Principal of St. Stephen’s had granted permission for his session. After receipt of permission, students of the Leadership cell proceeded to put up posters of the event on the campus.

J Sai Deepak added that he had realised that granting approval wouldn’t be the end of the problem, based on his previous experience with another Delhi-based minority college that succumbed under pressure from a group of students, and he notified the Leadership cell students as much.

Notably, J Sai Deepak in his aforementioned Tweet was referring to Delhi’s Jamia Millia Islamia University, which had in 2020 also cancelled his lecture to be conducted on ‘Minority rights’. 

The Supreme Court lawyer continued to say, “As expected, I received a call from students of the Leadership cell a few hours before the event that some students had objected to my being invited. I was informed that I would get a mail citing “logistical reasons” for the cancellation of the event, which I am yet to get.”

J Sai Deepak added that he had no intention to bring up the fiasco because “(a) the episode involved students and (b) I had better things to do”. However, when the disparaging Instagram post of St. Stephen’s Gender Studies Cell were brought to his attention later that evening, just before his IIM Bangalore session where he was invited as a panellist, he decided to help the students by disseminating their post through his social media accounts.

In his subsequent Tweets, the Supreme Court lawyer goes on to reprimand some of the institution’s students for using “uncivil language.” He also highlighted his dissatisfaction with the institution’s reluctance to take a stand against its student wrongdoing.

“I have nothing to say on the conduct of the Gender Studies Cell of St. Stephen’s because their posts speak for them. Whether this warrants an introspection on their part is for them to decide. That said, I *don’t* approve of uncivil language being used against them by anyone,” wrote the SC Lawyer in his 10th Tweet.

Lauding students of the leadership cell of the college for taking the initiative to invite him despite the “atmospherics and peer pressure”, J Sai Deepak slammed the authorities of the St. Stephen’s College for buckling under pressure from a group of students and not standing by its decision to greenlight his session.

“Independent of d students of course,it is indeed unfortunate that St. Stephen’s as an institution cud’nt stand by its decision to greenlight my session.I guess this underscores a larger problem that plagues such institutions across d country-selective support for free speech,” further added the SC lawyer.

J Sai Deepak further went on to raise his concerns at the lack of originality in the certain positions taken by a specific section of students and the disturbing trend that has been emerging amongst them to accept opinions as substitutes for logic, reason, knowledge, discourse, and debate, all of which necessitate the courage to engage with opposing viewpoints.

In his next Tweet, the SC lawyer gave a befitting reply to his detractors “making predictable jibes about his arguments in the Marital Rape petition”.

“As an arguing counsel I am discharging my mandate & 2. my written submissions will make it abundantly clear as to d position taken bcoz a binary treatment using labels doesn’t do justice to d issue,” Tweeted Sai Deepak.

Notably, in its Instagram post, the students of Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College’s Gender Studies Cell had slammed the SC lawyer for taking the side of Men’s Welfare Trust and Hriday NGO, organizations that fight for the rights of men.

J Sai Deepak further opined, “Not to generalise, but I have found science & management institutions/departments much more open to debate & engagement than d humanities departments who, I ironically, see themselves as champions of free speech and expression. That misplaced sense of hubris needs to be challenged”.

He ended his Tweet thread by saying, “Finally, d St. Stephen’s episode is a clear sign of a tectonic churn taking place on campuses across d country. Regardless of my views, I welcome this churn & *will* support it to d hilt. I thank d Gender Studies Cell of St. Stephen’s for enabling this. Jai Shri Ram.Vande Mataram.”

St. Stephen’s College’s Gender studies Cell releases abusive statement, opposes invite to J Sai Deepak by leadership cell

Earlier in the day, OpIndia reported that Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College’s Gender Studies Cell had ‘vehemently opposed’ the invitation extended to J Sai Deepak by the college’s leadership cell to speak about his new book, India that is Bharat – Coloniality, Civilization, and Constitution.

In a Tweet thread, the Supreme Court advocate J Sai Deepak shared screenshots of the despicable post written by the students of the Gender Studies cell of St. Stephen’s College against him, while opposing the invitation extended to him by another department of the same college.

In the statement, the students of the Gender Studies cell of St. Stephen’s College used reprehensible terms like ‘bigoted’, ‘sexist’, ‘casteist’ and ‘misogynistic’ for the senior SC lawyer while opposing the invite. The students of the Gender Studies cell department went on to call J Sai Deepak ‘Islamophobic’ for his public opinion on the recent Burqa row that snowballed into a major controversy.

Moreover, owing to J Sai Deepak’s public positions on the Sabarimala verdict, Citizenship Amendment Act and Article 370, some students of St Stephens College “condemned the invitation, called for a cancellation of his lecture and a boycott in case the event is still continued with”.

West Bengal: Demands to arrest TMC MLA in Anish Khan murder case gain momentum, victim’s father claims cops came to ‘steal’ the body

OpIndia Staff
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West Bengal: Demands to arrest TMC MLA in Anish Khan murder case gain momentum, victim’s father claims cops came to ‘steal’ the body

On Thursday (February 24), the family of the murdered student leader Anish Khan in West Bengal demanded the arrest of Amta Trinamool Congress MLA Sukanta Kumar Paul in connection to the case.

As per reports, the deceased’s father Salem Khan led a protest outside the Amta police station in Howrah and demanded the arrest of 4 people. It included the deputy of local gram panchayat, officer-in-charge of Amta police station, and MLA Sukanta Kumar Paul.

While accusing the Trinamool Congress leader, Salem Khan said, “Anish had earned their wrath as he exposed their corruption and unholy nexus in the area. If they are not arrested, nothing will be served. Please do not deflect the issue by storming into the police station and attacking the junior level personnel.”

He further threatened to protest outside the office of the Superintendent of Police (Howrah Rural) if his demands are not met. Meanwhile, TMC MLA Sukanta Kumar Paul has dismissed allegations of his ‘involvement’ in the murder of Anish Khan.

In his defence, he claimed, “I don’t know what he has said. I don’t want to comment on it as an investigation is on. I want the truth to come out and the culprits to be booked. But I don’t know why after five days, my name is being dragged into it.”

Police came to steal my son’s body in the morning: Salem Khan

It must be mentioned that the Calcutta High Court had directed the SIT officials to exhume Anish Khan’s body for a second post-mortem. “A second postmortem examination will be conducted in the presence of the district judge of Howrah or his representative. The SIT must complete the probe expeditiously and file a report after 15 days,” the Court ordered.

When SIT officials turned up to collect the deceased’s body on Saturday (February 26) morning instead of Monday (February 28) as asked by the grieving family, Salem Khan alleged that the police wanted to steal his son’s body.

“I did not disobey the court’s verdict. The body will be exhumed as per the court order. I told the SIT members that I am physically ill and can be hospitalised. I had asked them for some extra time,” he told Anandabazar Patrika.

He claimed to have given in writing to the Special Investigation Team that he will himself hand over his son’s body on Monday. “Why did the police show up early on Saturday morning to pick up the body despite the clear instructions?… What else should I call it other than ‘stealing’? How can I trust the SIT now?” he asked.

The deceased’s brother Shabir Khan claimed, “My father (Salem Khan) is ill. When the members of the SIT came on Friday, they were given a written order to conduct the second autopsy on Monday. But they came over on Saturday morning to take the body. They must have come with a sinister purpose. This is why the villagers (in Amta) obstructed them.”

Family of deceased demand CBI investigation, court rejects

So far, the police have arrested two people, namely, civic volunteer Pritam Bhattacharya and home guard Kashinath Bera, in connection to the murder of Anish Khan. On Friday (February 25), Salem Khan attended a test identification (TI) parade, which was organised as per the directives of the Calcutta High Court.

However, Khan could not spot the accused who came to his house on the fateful night of February 18 and killed his son. “I could not spot the person from the two presented before me…I am not happy with the SIT investigation. I want a court-monitored CBI probe,” he emphasised.

The father of the deceased had earlier expressed his displeasure with a Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the Mamata Banerjee government and had instead demanded an independent inquiry into the case.

The Calcutta High Court had, however, ruled out the possibility of a CBI probe and had asked Salem Khan and his family to instead co-operate with the SIT and allow the body to be exhumed for a second post-mortem.

The murder of Anish Khan

According to the family of the deceased student leader, Khan was killed on the night of February 18, 2022, by 4 uniformed police officers and civic volunteers. He was allegedly pushed from the 3rd floor of his own house in Amta in the Howrah district of West Bengal.

“It was around 12:30 am that four persons came to our house and identified themselves as policemen from the Amta police station. One of them stood with me on the ground floor. He was carrying a firearm. The other three took my son upstairs. Moments later, I heard a huge thud and found that my son was lying in a pool of blood. As I raised the alarm, all the four persons fled,” said Salem Khan, Anish Khan’s father.

The deceased was a member of the Islamist outfit ‘Indian Secular Front (ISF)’ and had protested against Mamata Banerjee’s government for 130 days.. His death had sparked protests in Kolkata and other parts of West Bengal.

Jharkhand: Dalit girl raped and thrown into a well, accused Mussafar Ansari arrested while two others absconding

OpIndia Staff
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Jharkhand: Dalit girl raped and thrown into a well, accused Mussafar Ansari arrested while two others absconding

On Wednesday, a 21-year-old Dalit girl in the Bagaridih area of Domchanch, Jharkhand was raped and was thrown into the nearby well in an attempt to wipe off the evidence. The accused, identified as Mussafar Ansari, was accompanied by two of his friends who also tried to physically attack the girl after Ansari assaulted her.

The Police has registered the case against all three accused and arrested Ansari for sexually abusing a girl. While the investigation is underway, the Police said to OpIndia that they are searching for the other two persons who also made several attempts to rape the girl.

According to the reports, the three accused abducted the girl who had left her house for visiting the washroom at around 10 PM on Wednesday. One of them, Mussafar Ansari pushed her behind the well and raped her while the other two made attempts to exploit her after Ansari. While Ansari was raping the girl, they had kept her mouth forcefully shut so that she can’t scream for help.

The girl was then thrown into the well and was taken out by the nearby local people who gathered around after she screamed for help from inside the well. The family of the girl had till then began searching for her as she had not returned for a long time.

The girl informed her mother and her aunt about the incident and later lodged a complaint at the Domchanch Police Station the next day. “The girl said that she doesn’t know the other two people who accompanied Ansari. We have arrested Ansari after the girl identified him from her village”, the Police personnel said who refused to name himself.

The Police also informed to OpIndia that the girl had been sent for medical examination after the incident. “We also collected her dress that she was wearing on that day. We have sent it for investigation. The girl has however returned from the hospital and is now safe at home. We are awaiting the reports”, he added.

Reports mention that the girl is a grade 9 student at the school but her age according to the Aadhaar card is 21. Dinesh Ravidas, District President of Dalit Shoshan Mukti Manch has meanwhile condemned the incident and demanded justice for the girl.

The Police has so far arrested Mussafar Ansari and is searching for the other two of his friends involved in the crime. The investigations are underway.

Ujjain: Molestation accused Mohammad Zaid rapes the daughter of a priest in revenge after being released from jail

OpIndia Staff
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Ujjain: Molestation accused Mohammad Zaid rapes the daughter of a priest in revenge after being released from jail

A striking incident of rape and assault of a girl has been reported from the Ujjain district in Madhya Pradesh. According to media reports, a youth named Mohammad Zaid has been arrested on a complaint of the victim for abducting her and then raping her. The victim is the daughter of a priest in the Gebi Hanuman Mandir in Ujjain. However, according to the police, while the accused had attempted to rape the girl, he was not successful.

The incident allegedly occurred on February 21, as the woman was on her way to a coaching class. As she was leaving her residence, the accused, Mohammad Zaid, approached her in the street and began pressuring her to marry him. When she resisted, he attempted to rape her and threatened her not to tell anybody about it, according to the police.

Talking to OpIndia, the investigating officer from the Jiwajiganj Police Station told that the FIR has been registered and the accused had been arrested. The officer said that the girl was being followed by the accused for a long time. There was a case registered against him in 2019 also.

“There was a case registered against Mohammad Zaid in 2019 for similar reasons when he followed the girl and intimidated her. He was arrested and then released after some time. After that, he was not here. But recently, the girl says that he started disturbing her again and pressurized her for marriage,” the officer said.

She added, “On 21 February, while she was on her way to coaching, the accused tried to rape her and when she shouted, people gathered and caught him. After that, they brought him to the Police Station where we arrested him and registered a case.”

Explaining further, the officer stated that cases have been registered under sections 586, 576, and 506 of the IPC and the investigation is under process. The accused was presented in a judicial court and has been sent to jail by the court.

Different version of the case reported by Media

Many media reports have presented a different version of the case in the public domain. As several reports claim, Zaid was arrested recently on the complaint of the same girl and was released after some time. After his release, he abducted the girl in revenge and then raped her after taking her to a hotel. Also, he filmed the whole incident and started blackmailing her to make that video viral.

According to the girl, after that, the accused arrived at her residence on Monday and began pressuring her into forceful marriage. Hearing the disturbance, the girl’s family members arrived and beat up the accused before handing him over to the police. As soon as the information about the incident was received, Hindu leaders went to the police station, where the police lodged a complaint based on the victim girl’s account. As per some Hindu leaders of the area, the case has an angle of Love Jihad.

Mohammad Zaid reportedly belonged to Mumbai and was in Ujjain working as a marketing associate.

Mohammad Zaid kept following the girl

OpIndia has learned that the accused, Mohammad Zaid, has been stalking the girl for quite some time. He has been approaching the girl since 2019. Following that, a case was filed against him, and he was arrested. After his release, he was not seen in the city.  But he’s been following the girl again for a few months now.

He has also followed her to her college in Ujjain. The girl is a student of Future Vision College in Ujjain. The girl did not tell anyone because she was terrified of him. On Monday, however, he confronted her and forced her to marry him. After which people gathered and he was caught.

OpIndia further tried to speak to the SHO of the Jiwajiganj Police Station and get a copy of the FIR but all the efforts proved futile.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashes out at voters of Amethi, blames them for the humiliating incompetence of her brother: Here’s what she said

OpIndia Staff
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Priyanka Gandhi Vadra lashes out at voters of Amethi, blames them for the humiliating incompetence of her brother: Here’s what she said

As the Congress party stares at another humiliating result in the ongoing assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra blamed the voters for its fate in the state. Addressing an election rally in Amethi on Friday, she came down heavily on the voters of the area for the defeat of Rahul Gandhi in the last Lok Sabha elections.

She claimed that her brother lost from the family bastion because voters in Amethi vote with their eyes closed. “You are responsible for your situation. You are misled and then vote with your eyes closed,” she told the audience at the rally.

Implying that the voters in the Amethi Lok Sabha constituency are regretting their decision to vote for Smriti Irani instead of Rahul Gandhi, she warned the voters not to do the same. “Your vote is a very big responsibility. Choose wisely as you may regret for the next five years. It’s time for your development,” Priyanka Vadra said.

She also called the various welfare schemes of the central govt to distribute food and money to the farmers during the pandemic useless. She said that her party does not want that people become dependent on such schemes.

Calling for the defeat of current legislators, she said that leaders should not be regarded as gods, and if they don’t work, they should be voted out.

In her speech, Priyanka Vadra made the same allegations against the BJP government that Rahul Gandhi has been making for the last 8 years. She said that the govt is only working for big industrialists, and not working for the poor and the farmers.

Does the “Ghost of Kyiv” really exist? Purported videos of Ukrainian ace pilot, who dowed 6 Russian jets goes viral, fact-checks emerge too

OpIndia Staff
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Does the “Ghost of Kyiv” really exist? Purported videos of Ukrainian ace pilot, who dowed 6 Russian jets goes viral, fact-checks emerge too

As Russian troops take control of the Ukrainian cities two days after launching “special military operations”, social media is rife with rumours of a mysterious MiG-29 jet appearing over Kyiv to defend Ukrainian skies from Russian aerial attacks.

Netizens have shared clips of a Ukrainian fighter pilot, now being celebrated as “Ghost of Kyiv”, who has allegedly shot down six Russian aircraft. The videos of the “Ghost of Kyiv” have spread like wildfire on social media. Many on Twitter are calling the Ukrainian pilot the “first European ace since World War II”. 

In aerial warfare technology, an ‘ace’ is a pilot who has shot down five or more aircraft during combat.

A social media user Visegrad 24, shared a video of a MiG-29 chasing down purported Russian aircraft. He said that reports were saying that a Ukrainian pilot had shot down six Russian aircraft on Friday, making him the first fighter ace of the 21st century.

The social media user claimed that the pilot is now known as the “Ghost of Kyiv”.

According to one viral post, the “Ghost of Kyiv” has so far downed two Su-35s, one Su-27, one MiG-29 and two Su-25s of the Russian Airforce.

It is not just the common Ukrainians who are posting unverified videos and images to hail “Ghost of Kyiv”. Former Ukraine President Petro Poroshenko also posted a photo to claim that the pilot was the “Ghost of Kyiv”.

In the tweet, Poroshenko says, “None other than the Ghost of Kyiv. He causes terror in enemies and pride in Ukrainians. He has six victories over Russian pilots! With such powerful defenders, Ukraine will definitely win!”

However, the pilot is yet to be identified. It is speculated that Poroshenko’s tweet is just an attempt to boost public morale rather than confirming the existence of a mystery pilot.

Fact-checkers says there is no evidence to prove existence of “Ghost of Kyiv”

Meanwhile, fact-checkers have analysed some of the viral videos to establish that some of the footage claiming to identify the “Ghost of Kyiv” is not real.

One such video was shared by a Ukrainian social media user saying that Ukrainian pilot “Ghost of Kyiv” shot down a Russian Su-35 fighter jet. He had shared a video of a dogfight between two fighter jets.

According to the fact-checking website Snopes, the video is a scene from Digital Combat Simulator, a free-to-play combat-simulation video game.

The video was first posted by YouTube user Comrade_Corb, who clearly states that the footage is not real.

On his Youtube channel, Comrade_Corb has put out the facts that read, “This footage is from DCS, but is nevertheless made out of respect for “The Ghost of Kiev”. If he is real, may God be with him; if he is fake, I pray for more like ‘him.'”

So far, there is no evidence to prove the existence of the “Ghost of Kyiv”. However, the photos and videos have kept the hopes of Ukrainians alive amidst ongoing Russia’s military operations inside Ukraine.

Amidst all these rumours, Russian troops are currently closing in on Kyiv, the seat of Ukrainian power, after taking control of the Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

Justice SS Shinde recuses from Bhima Koregaon cases, LRO had appealed to CJI quoting Shinde’s praise for terror accused Stan Swamy

OpIndia Staff
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Justice SS Shinde recuses from Bhima Koregaon cases, LRO had appealed to CJI quoting Shinde’s praise for terror accused Stan Swamy

On February 25, Friday, the Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) announced on Twitter that Justice SS Shinde had recused himself from hearing proceedings related to the Bhima Koregaon-Elgaar Parishad case. The lawyers’ collective applauded those who joined them in urging the Chief Justice of India to ask the Justice to recuse himself from hearing the Bhima Koregaon cases.

“You all have won d battle! After inflicting damage to national security i.e. granting bail to terrorist Vara Vara Rao; Justice SS Shinde recused himself from #BhimaKoregao case. You had signed a letter to SC to remove Mr Shinde from the case! He had praised Terrorist Catholic Stan!” Tweeted LRO. It also shared the screenshot of a report by Bar and Bench confirming that Justice SS Shinde of Bombay High Court has recused himself from hearing petitions arising from the Bhima Koregaon riots which took place in 2018 after the Elgar Parishad event.

LRO appeals to CJI

It may be recalled that Legal Rights Observatory (LRO) had written to CJI in July 2021, urging the latter to ask Justice SS Shinde of the Bombay High Court to recuse himself from hearing the Bhima Koregaon cases after Shinde, on July 19, heaped praises for terror accused Naxal sympathiser Stan Swamy.

Legal Rights Observatory (LRO), in a letter to the Chief Justice of India, highlighted that a matter concerning national security must be adjudicated on merit. Quoting Justice Shinde’s praise for Stan Swamy, the letter stated that being openly appreciative of the work of the accused casts aspersions on the possibility to deliver an impartial and fair judgment by the Justice. 

The Lawyer collective had also started an online petition on Change.org to CJI on August 1st, 2021, appealing to him to ask Justice SS Shinde to recuse himself from Bhima Koregaon cases.

Justice SS Shinde eulogized Bhima Koregaon accused Stan Swamy 

Stan Lourduswamy, commonly known as Stan Swamy, an undertrial prisoner in the Bhima Koregaon violence case was praised highly by Justice SS Shinde after his demise. Justice Shinde had said that the graceful funeral service of Swamy had touched him. 

This garnered a strong reaction from the public after which the Bombay High Court was compelled to take back its statement. While withdrawing its statement, the judge justified the earlier comment saying that they are also human beings.

NIA, the investigating authority in the Bhima Koregaon cases had also objected strongly to Justice Shinde’s remarks on an accused.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Dipankar Datta of the Bombay High Court has said that a third bench will be formed to hear the cases as soon as possible after Justice SS Shinde’s alternate bench and Justice PB Varale’s bench recused themselves from hearing petitions arising out of the Bhima Koregaon – Elgar Parishad Case. Justice Shinde, on the other hand, will hear Vernon Gonsalves, Arun Ferreira, and Varavara Rao’s interim plea for bail and factual revisions in his judgement refusing them default bail.

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