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Biden to split $7 billion frozen Afghan assets between compensation for 9/11 victims and ‘humanitarian aid’ for Afghanistan

OpIndia Staff
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Biden to split $7 billion frozen Afghan assets between compensation for 9/11 victims and ‘humanitarian aid’ for Afghanistan

According to sources, United States President Biden is slated to release an executive order on Friday directing the transfer of $7 billion of Afghan assets blocked in the US economic system to support humanitarian aid in Afghanistan and compensation for 9/11 victims.

The decision would oblige US financial system to divide the assets into two parts with one to set aside $3.5 billion in assets for Afghan relief and basic necessities and the remaining $3.5 billion would be maintained in the US and used to support continued litigation by the 9/11 victims.

The White House’s National Security Council, according to the New York Times, led months of discussions on central bank funds including top officials from departments such as Justice, State, and Treasury.

When the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August, there was more than $7 billion in central bank funds with the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. The funds were made inaccessible for withdrawal since it was no longer clear who had legal permission to have access to that account.

After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, they nominated their own person to oversee the national bank and demanded that the money stored in New York be released immediately. However, they were not able to access the funds because they are still on international sanction lists.

Notably, the Taliban has repeatedly requested the release of Afghan assets blocked in the United States following their takeover of the nation, claiming that economic instability at home may lead to unrest internationally.

Several governments committed hundreds of millions of dollars in help but did not commit funding because they are apprehensive that the Taliban will agree to a more inclusive government.

Since the Taliban assumed control, the country’s long-struggling economy has been in a nosedive. Since August, the humanitarian situation in Afghanistan has deteriorated significantly.

‘What is poor?’: Nirmala Sitharaman slams Rahul Gandhi for his 2013 ‘poverty is just a state of mind’ remark

Siddhi Somani
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‘What is poor?’: Nirmala Sitharaman slams Rahul Gandhi for his 2013 ‘poverty is just a state of mind’ remark

On Friday, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman lashed out at former Congress President Rahul Gandhi for his allegations that the Budget this year failed to focus on the poor. She recalled Gandhi’s ‘poverty is just a state of mind’ remark from 2013 and asked him which kind of poverty was she supposed to address.

“What is poverty? Please be clear, is this the poverty that you wanted me to address, the poverty of mind?”, she said during the discussion on the Budget in the Rajya Sabha. She also sharply hit at Shiv Sena’s Priyanka Chaturvedi who interrupted Sitharaman and said that the Finance Minister was mocking the poor people. “I am not mocking the poor people. The person who had mocked the poor people, you are in alliance with his party”, she roared.

Further hitting out at the Rahul Gandhi without directly mentioning him, the Finance Minister stated that former Congress president had said that poverty does not mean scarcity of food, money or material things. If one possesses self-confidence, then one can overcome it. “He said poverty is a state of mind. I’ve not named the person but we know who it is”, she slammed. (video pause 1:02:14)

As the opposition began to protest the scene, the Finance Minister cleared that the ‘poverty is just a state of mind’ comment was said by someone else and that she was just quoting it. Rahul Gandhi in 2013 had quoted the controversial comment at a function of Dalit Resource Centre (DRC) organised by the Gobind Ballabh Pant Social Science Institute in Allahabad. Later the DRC had covered him up saying that his statement regarding poverty was misinterpreted.

Nirmala Sitharaman in the Upper House also said that India needs to have vision for next 25 years, the Amrit Kal. If there is no vision for India at 100, the country will suffer in the same way it has been suffering for last 70 years under the Congress regime. The only vision Congress had is to support, built and benefit one single family, she added. (video pause 9:44)

Further hitting out at the Congress’ MGNREGA scheme, Sitharaman affirmed that the scheme was infested with ghost accounts and turned out to be the source of corruption at that time. “MGNREGA was an act because of UPA. But they (UPA) misused it. The scheme was infested with ghost accounts. Its misuse it to their credit”, she said. (video pause 27:15)

The Congress Party members in the Parliament also passed comments on Central Government’s policies being ‘remote controlled from Nagpur’. Sitharaman in response to that, reminded the Congress of ‘one general secretary who tore the bill in public’. “The respected Dr Manmohan Singh was going to meet the US President after two hours. And the Congress General Secretary tore the bill in public here. Wasn’t that remote control?”, she questioned. (video pause 1:19:00)

The Finance Minister added that the national policies during the Congress regime were decided at 10 Janpath (Sonia Gandhi’s residence) and were announced at 7 Lok Kalyan Marg (Dr Manmohan Singh’s residence then). She reiterated that the Congress party till date is being remote controlled and that it lacks the party democracy.

The first part of the Budget Session that began on January 31, concluded today. The second part is slated to take place from March 14 to April 8.

SC directs UP govt to withdraw recovery notices against Anti-CAA rioters and issue orders under new legislation

OpIndia Staff
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SC directs UP govt to withdraw recovery notices against Anti-CAA rioters and issue orders under new legislation

On Friday (February 11), the Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to withdraw recovery notices that were issued to Anti-CAA rioters in the State.

A petition was filed before the Supreme Court by one Parwaiz Arif Titu wherein he sought the quashing of notices issued to alleged rioters for damaging public properties during the violent Anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh.

During the hearing, Assistant Advocate General Garima Prashad informed the apex court that all cases pertaining to the notices had been pending before tribunals, which are headed by a retired district judge, in Meerut, Lucknow and Prayagraj.

Advocate Anjum Parvez, representing the petitioner, had claimed that the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020 was not in force at the time of issuance of notices to the alleged rioters. He also alleged that the notices violated guidelines that were laid down by the Supreme Court on issues of destruction of public property.

The Assistant Advocate General informed the Court, “Now the new act has come into place and there is a savings clause which saves earlier decisions.” The Supreme Court noted that the Uttar Pradesh government had issued a total of 256 recovery orders.

“You can withdraw these orders with liberty to initiate new proceedings under the new act,” remarked Justice Surya Kant. Justice Chandrachud added, “We will quash these notices then and you are at liberty to take action as per new act.”

Before adjourning the hearing, the Supreme Court pointed out that the notices issued by the UP govt to alleged rioters for recovering losses were in contravention to SC guidelines. “So you have to show how the errors can be rectified by you,” Justice Kant concluded.

Last month, the Supreme Court sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government seeking explanation on a plea for quashing notices sent to the anti-CAA rioters by the district administration for recovery of damages caused to public property during the riots against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)  which had gripped the state last month.

Violent Anti-CAA protests in Uttar Pradesh

It is pertinent to note here that Uttar Pradesh was one of the worst-hit by the anti-CAA riots in which Muslim mobs ran amok damaging public property and injuring police personnel and innocent civilians. During the clashes, several minors were seen throwing stones at the policemen and vandalizing properties.

The Uttar Pradesh government had earlier promulgated the Uttar Pradesh Recovery of Damages to Public and Private Property Act, 2020 to recover damages from rioters. The law states that the State will set up claims tribunals to investigate the damages caused during protests, award compensation, and also cover the cost of action taken by police and administration for prevention of damage to public properties.

‘What was emergency to curtail fundamental rights of citizens’: Bombay HC questions Maharashtra govt for banning unvaccinated people from local trains

OpIndia Staff
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‘What was emergency to curtail fundamental rights of citizens’: Bombay HC questions Maharashtra govt for banning unvaccinated people from local trains

On Friday 11th February 2022, the Bombay high court instructed the Maharashtra government to submit all files and records pertaining to three Covid-19 standard operating procedures issued in July and August 2021. These orders of SOPs included the restriction on the use of local trains by unvaccinated people. The court also asked the state government what was the need to ban the local trains for unvaccinated people.

A bench of Chief Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice M S Karnik heard a bunch of public interest litigations challenging the prohibition on the use of local trains in the city by unvaccinated persons. The petitioners had put forth in their argument that the move was illegal, arbitrary, and in breach of the citizen’s fundamental right to move freely across the country as guaranteed by Article 19 (1) (d) of the Constitution. The three SOPs issued by the state government on July 15, August 10 and August 11 of 2021 were challenged in these PILs.

Advocate Niles Ojha, the counsel for one of the petitioners, had previously argued that the state govt had failed to apply its mind to the SOPs and discriminated between the vaccinated and unvaccinated persons, as vaccination was not made mandatory by either state or central govt.

In its argument, the state government told the high court bench that the restriction on local train travel had been invoked by the then state chief secretary Sitaram Kunte considering the Covid-19-related emergency at that time. In response to this argument, the bench asked the government to produce the corresponding files.

The court asked the government counsel Anil Anturkar, “What was the emergency that enabled the chief secretary to take a decision all by himself and the fundamental rights of the citizens were curtailed?”

Anturkar said, “At that time, people were dying (of Covid-19), and the chief secretary considered the situation to be that of an emergency.” He further informed the court that the August 10, 2021 SOP had been signed by the state government, which means that the decision was taken by the state executive committee while the other two orders had been signed by Kunte since he was the chairperson of the committee.

On this argument by the government counsel, the high court bench underlined the fact that as per the state’s own records, the secretaries of departments such as home, revenue, finance, and relief and rehabilitation were also among the members of the state executive committee. The court further went on to ask “They (secretaries of the departments mentioned above) probably have offices in the same premises. If it was such an emergency then couldn’t the chief secretary call at least one or two of them?”

The court added, “We need to look into the relevant records and files pertaining to the SOPs under challenge. Let the entire records/files be placed before us on February 21.” The court said that decision of whether to call the chief secretary or not, will be taken only after going through those files.

Rift widens in Punjab Congress, former Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar slams veteran Ambika Soni for ousting him from CM race

OpIndia Staff
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Rift widens in Punjab Congress, former Punjab chief Sunil Jakhar slams veteran Ambika Soni for ousting him from CM race

The Congress party appears to be fracturing further as the sorrow and disappointment of former Punjab Congress president and campaign committee leader Sunil Jakhar’s inability to become CM candidate spills out once more. Sunil Jakhar has slammed Congress veteran Ambika Soni for opposing him for the role of Chief Minister of Punjab.

In a news conference on Friday, Jakhar said that Rahul Gandhi was swayed by Soni’s warning that “Punjab would be lit on fire if Sunil is made CM.” “On September 20, I said that I had got votes of 42 MLAs. I told Ambika Soni ji ‘you have backstabbed Punjab, just like the Akalis’.” Jakhar said in the conference.

“If you were in Rahul ji or Sonia ji’s place and 3-4 senior leaders with 35 years experience in Rajya Sabha says ‘If you make Sunil CM, Punjab will be set on fire,’ then what decision will you take? But Rahul Ji said ‘I know Sunil well’. To prevent even an iota of doubt or anxiety in Punjab, the decision (to make Channi CM) was taken – for Punjab’s good and brotherhood” further said jakhar targeting Soni.

When Charanjit Singh Channi was first picked as the CM to succeed Capt Amarinder Singh, Jakhar was a contender. After Rahul Gandhi named incumbent Charanjit Channi as the Congress’ Punjab CM candidate on February 7, Jakhar announced to quit electoral politics.  Jakhar was also irritated by Navjot Sidhu’s appointment as PCC president, which came after Congress gave down to the wayward politician.

Recently, five of Punjab’s eight Congress Lok Sabha MPs allegedly snubbed Rahul Gandhi’s visit to the state on January 27 this year. According to reports citing sources, the five MPs did not find Rahul Gandhi’s leadership sensible and have vowed to leave the party unless Rahul Gandhi surrenders his unofficial presidency.

Punjab politics has been in disarray for a long time. Captain Amarinder Singh resigned as Chief Minister, accusing the Congress party of humiliating him and dubbing Navjot Singh Sidhu a national security danger. Following that, Captain Amarinder Singh launched his own political party in readiness for the forthcoming Punjab Assembly elections.

The Punjab Legislative Assembly elections for 2022 will be held in a single phase on February 20, 2022, with results declared on March 10.

Samajwadi Party supporters peddle fake news claiming a woman died after her ambulance was stopped due to PM Modi’s Saharanpur visit

OpIndia Staff
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Samajwadi Party supporters peddle fake news claiming a woman died after her ambulance was stopped due to PM Modi’s Saharanpur visit

As the assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh has started, a false claim was made on social media that a person died on Thursday after the ambulance in which she was travelling was stopped to allow Prime Minister Modi’s convoy in Saharanpur.

Several social media handles associated with the Samajwadi Party and Rashtriya Lok Dal posted social media platforms claiming that the Uttar Police officials kept the ambulance waiting, despite the fact that the woman in the ambulance was at a critical stage. They claimed that the person’s daughter kept on screaming and crying in front of the police, however, they did not let the ambulance go. The patient died in agony in the ambulance itself, their posts said.

Dr Arjun Singh Kashyap, a very influential supporter of the SP-RLD alliance, posted a misleading tweet to make the unverified claim. He posted a video showing a woman approaching some policemen in a police vehicle on the road. From the voices in the video, it is apparent that the cops had stopped the movement of the traffic due to PM Modi’s convoy. However, there is nothing in the video to show that a woman died in an ambulance while being blocked by cops.

The post went viral on the left-liberal social media circles, which have been tweeting the same information to vilify both the Uttar Pradesh police and Prime Minister Modi.

Uttar Pradesh police denied the claim

As the misleading tweet went viral, the Uttar Pradesh police issued a clarification saying that the claim alleging the death of a person in an ambulance during the Prime Minister’s visit to Saharanpur is baseless.

In a tweet, the Uttar Pradesh police said that the daughter informed the policemen on duty about her mother’s dead body in the ambulance and requested passage for it, which was promptly facilitated. UP police quoted a tweet by Saharanpur police, who had issued a detailed rebuttal. Saharanpur police said that during PM Modi’s Saharanpur visit, policemen were on law and order duty at the Dehradoon chowk.

At that moment, an ambulance arrived at the spot and a girl got off from it and approached the cops on duty. She told her that her mother, who was undergoing treatment at the hospital, passed away and her mortal remain is being taken to the home from the hospital. She requested that the ambulance carrying her mother’s body be allowed to let go. The policemen on duty readily accepted this request, and made way for the ambulance through the traffic jam at that location, said Saharanpur police.

Hence, the misleading tweet of a person dying on the streets due to a stoppage during the PM’s convoy is outrightly misleading.

Gujarat: FIR lodged against Hidyat, Jabir and others for threatening, assaulting youths who demanded justice for Kishan Bharwad

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: FIR lodged against Hidyat, Jabir and others for threatening, assaulting youths who demanded justice for Kishan Bharwad

Days after the brutal murder of Kishan Bharwad by Islamists on accusations of blasphemy, two Hindu youths were threatened and assaulted for social media posts about the deceased. Two First Information Reports (FIRs) were registered in connection to the cases, reported Desh Gujarat.

A 19-year-old Hindu youth by the name of Akshat Rakeshbhai Sathwara was attacked at his residence by a frenzied Muslim mob of 10-15 people. Sathwara, a resident of Mahesana district of Gujarat, had posted a status about the deceased Kishan Bharwad on Instagram about 2 weeks ago. Aggrieved by his social media post, Islamists named Hidyayat Bahelim, Jabir Bahelim and 10-15 others laid siege on the victim’s house.

Sathwara was brutally thrashed by the mob and his house was vandalised. Desh Gujarat reported that the Islamists broke his toilet door and damaged properties worth ₹4000. They also abused the victim with the choicest of expletives and threatened him with murder if he dared to post again about Kishan Bharwad on social media. Sathwara was rescued by his parents, uncle and aunt.

The victim had filed a complaint with the Khedalu police, following which a First Information Report was registered against Hidyayat, Jabir and others under Indian Penal Code (IPC) Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 427 (mischief causing damage of ₹50), 447 (criminal trespass), 504 (provocation) and 506 (2) (criminal intimidation).

Minor Hindu boy threatened for social media story on Lord Ram

In a separate case, a 17-year-old minor Hindu boy was threatened with physical harm by an Islamist named Bahelim Hamid for a social media post on Lord Ram. Desh Gujarat reported that Hamid called the victim on February 9 at around 5 pm in the evening. The accused threatened the minor boy to remove his Instagram story about Hinduism and Lord Ram or warned him of a ‘huge fight.’

He had asked the victim to meet him at night. Hamid had called him several times but the boy was too scared to pick up the call. On informing about the matter to his parents, a complaint was lodged at the Kheralu police station. Hamid, who is a resident of Hatadiya in Kheralu was then booked by the police under IPC Section 507 (criminal intimidation by an anonymous communication).

Kishan Bharwad murder case

Kishan Bharwad, a Dhandhuka youth, was shot and killed by two bike-borne assailants on January 25, 2022, after he published a social media post with a visual image of Prophet Muhammad. Muslims find the image of Prophet Muhammad insulting, and Islamists accept and promote the execution of individuals who commit such “blasphemy.”

At least six clerics have been arrested across India in the aftermath of Kishan Bharwad’s murder. So far, eight persons have been arrested in connection with the case. Multiple agencies are looking into the matter, and they believe it is part of a broader plot.

Gujarat: BSF nabs 6 Pakistani intruders hiding in Bhuj after detecting 11 Pakistani boats in the Harami Nalla area

OpIndia Staff
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Gujarat: BSF nabs 6 Pakistani intruders hiding in Bhuj after detecting 11 Pakistani boats in the Harami Nalla area

In a massive crackdown on Pakistan’s intrusion in Gujarat, the Bhuj unit of Border Security Forces (BSF) has apprehended 6 Pakistani nationals in the creek area of Harami Nalla of Bhuj. This is a day after the BSF detected intrusion of Pakistani fishing boats and seized at least eleven of them. BSF had launched a search operation for intruders after spotting the Pakistani boats in the area.

According to the statements issued by the BSF, the Pakistani boats were spotted by the BSF Bhuj unit during routine drone surveillance of the Harami Nalla area. The unit also launched a massive search operation in the 300 sq km area along the India-Pakistan border and deployed its specialized unit of ‘Creek Crocodile Commandos’.

The Creek Crocodile Commandos were deployed from an Indian Air Force helicopter to search the hiding fishermen in the creek area of Bhuj. The BSF informed that three groups of commandos were airdropped by Indian Air Force helicopters from three different directions to close in on where the intruders were hiding.

The commandos on Wednesday seized eight boats and three more boats were seized on Thursday. The BSF Gujarat in its tweet informed that the commandos closed in where the Pakistani nationals were hiding. “The extreme marshy area, mangroves and tidal waters made the task of the troops challenging”, it added.

According to the reports, it has been 30 hours, the operation is still underway. GS Malik, IPS, IG BSF Gujarat Frontier, who had reached Kutch early in the morning from Gandhinagar, is personally monitoring the massive search operation.

‘For 35 years, no girl was wearing hijab, they came with CFI lawyer, insisted on wearing hijab in class’: Udupi College principal

OpIndia Staff
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‘For 35 years, no girl was wearing hijab, they came with CFI lawyer, insisted on wearing hijab in class’: Udupi College principal

In response to the recent hijab controversy where a group of Muslim students have been adamant about violating the uniform dress code and wearing Islamic attire inside classrooms, Karnataka’s Udupi College principal Rudre Gowda has weighed in reportedly stating that no one has requested for hijab for 35 years. The principal also stated that religious attire, such as the hijab, was permitted on campus but not inside the classroom.

In an interview to India today, he said, “Not two, but for the last 35 years there was no hijab in college. We allow them to come to the college wearing it but not inside the classroom. During class hours, all students have to be in uniform with no hijab. Only after December 27, they said they wanted to wear the hijab in the classroom.”

All that was being done, according to Gowda, was to maintain classroom homogeneity. Gowda stated that on December 27, some Muslim girls had come with people they claimed as their parents. He had then spoken to the students and the guardians and the girls were convinced to follow the uniform dress code. On the following day, they came with some people and first said they are parents, then said they are ‘cousins’.

The principal further stated that on Day 3, the Muslim girls had come with a CFI lawyer and some members of the CFI student union.

Gowda asserted that the day CFI came with the students, they were very aggressive in their approach. “The CFI was already aggressive towards me in class on day 3. We told them there is a discipline in college. We don’t have to talk to CFI. We will talk to their families (of the protesting students). We requested them [CFI] to let the girls study and not force them.” he said.

According to Gowda, the majority of parents spoke with management and were convinced, but they were frightened to take a step back since things had progressed too far and children were not listening to them. “We told the parents they should convince the children. If they don’t listen to their parents, who will they listen to? Is there any meaning to this? We told the parents that if they are not listening to them, they are listening to outsiders.” he added.

The principal of the Udupi PU College also stated that looking at the behaviour and the statements given by the Muslim girls, it is clear to him that they are being influenced by ‘external elements’ like the CFI.

Notably, the Campus Front of India (CFI), the controversial student arm of the militant Islamist organization Popular Front of India, has been linked in stirring the hijab dispute in Udupi, Karnataka.

It is notable here that the college authorities have stated that there are over 100 Muslim students in the institution and most of them are attending classes peacefully. Only some particular girls have been adamant about wearing hijab in violation of the existing dress code.

Karnataka: Mob in Davangere stabs a person for posts on Hijab controversy, another mob pelts stone at police officials

OpIndia Staff
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Karnataka: Mob in Davangere stabs a person for posts on Hijab controversy, another mob pelts stone at police officials

A Muslim mob attacked a person and stabbed him for allegedly uploading a post against hijab on his WhatsApp status. The incident has occurred in Malebennur town of Davangere district on Wednesday.

According to the reports, Dileep Malagimane, who runs a store near Gigali circle in Malebennur town, was attacked by a mob of 300 persons from the Muslim community, who dragged him out of the store and brutally attacked him over a post he had uploaded on WhatsApp wherein supported the ban on hijab.

The enraged mob assaulted the police officials, who had rushed to the spot to rescue the victim. The police

A few policemen, who rushed to Dileep’s rescue, were also manhandled. The police have now registered cases against the mob and have arrested a few of them. The police have issued prohibitory orders in Harihar taluk, including Malebennur, till midnight on Friday.

Mob marches with weapons, thrash son and older-age mother for social media post on hijab

In a similar incident in Nallur village of Davangere district, another mob of Muslims have attacked a person and his 60-year-old mother for their alleged posts on social media on the hijab controversy. The 25-year-old Naveen and his 60-year-old mother Sarojamma were assaulted by the mob, who ransacked their house.

The CCTV image has captured the incident that shows how angry Muslims carrying weapons were marching towards the residence of Naveen.

The son-mother duo has been shifted to a hospital in Shimoga after they sustained severe injuries. Following the attacks by the Muslim mob, there was a tense situation in the village. Local MLA and the police officials rushed to the spot and urged the villagers to maintain peace in the area.

Muslim mob protests outside police station, vandalises police van

Tension gripped Harihar taluk after a mob damaged police jeep during the protest by Muslims demanding the arrest of a man who allegedly posted offensive remarks against the community.

According to the reports, the mob protested in front of the town police station demanding the arrest of the youth for allegedly putting out posts against religious memorials. Later, the police arrested the accused. The leaders of the Muslim community rushed to the spot and requested the mobs to return to their homes.

However, the mob did not stop protesting outside the police station. The mob also pelted stones at the police station, damaging the vehicles. The mob demanded that the police hand over the accused to their custody.

Deputy SP Basavaraj asked people not to take the law into their hands and said that police would take action against those who go against the law. The police have deployed more security to handle the situation.

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