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As Kevin Pieterson hails PM Modi for success in Rhino conservation efforts in Assam, read how he also plays an important role in saving rhinos

OpIndia Staff
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As Kevin Pieterson hails PM Modi for success in Rhino conservation efforts in Assam, read how he also plays an important role in saving rhinos

It has been a while since the former cricketer Kevin Pieterson has started batting for Rhino Conservation across the globe. As an active wildlife enthusiast himself, he thinks of India as a leader in animal conservation. He recently took to Twitter to congratulate PM Narendra Modi and wildlife conservationists in India for charting a massive decline in Rhino poaching last year. While quoting a report from Organiser, he wrote, “Bravo! Narendra Modi and bravo to all the men and women who sacrifice their lives in protecting the animals in India too. I’ve met lots of them and I respect you immensely!”

The one-horned Rhinoceros which is considered as the ‘Pride of Assam’ had witnessed a terrible decline in population after being killed by poachers, especially in the Kaziranga National Park. In a major achievement, the anti-poaching task force set up by the state government managed to bring down Rhino poaching cases in the state to only one last year. Earlier, Pieterson had lauded the Assam government’s decision to burn rhino horn piles with a view to ending poaching in Assam.

The successive BJP governments in Assam has been successful in clamping down on poaching of Rhinos in the state for its horn. While only one rhino was killed by poachers in 2021, the number was 2 in the previous year. In 2019, three rhinos were poached.

The credit of this success can be attributed to the Anti-Poaching Task Force (APTF), which was formed last year to end the menace of poaching in Assam. Chief of the task force GP Singh shared data of rhino poaching in the state for 22 years, which show that poaching had reached its peak in 2013 and 2014 during the two decades, and started to come down after that.

Kevin Pieterson : An ambassador for Rhinos

While Kevin retains his popularity in India as a cricketing maven, he has worn many a cap in wildlife conservation as well. He runs a foundation, SORAI an acronym for ‘Saving Our Rhinos Africa and India’ which empowers attempts of conservation of Rhino species across the continents. With a view to maintaining a balanced ecosystem for future generations, Kevin thinks the preservation of endangered species is the first step towards a sustainable future. Through this initiative and his touring national parks across the world, Kevin Pieterson has emerged as an ambassador for the cause of Rhinos.

In 2018, he started a Rhino-themed luxury resort in South Africa to create awareness for the endangered species in the continent. Realising that Rhinos face a great threat over poaching activities and horn smuggling across the world, he started SORAI in 2021. The initiative also has a sustainable merchandise label that raises funds for the cause as well as promotes eco-friendly fashion. Kevin has also partnered with National Geographic to shoot a docu-series ‘Save This Rhino: India’ which is premised around the Kaziranga National Park. Speaking about the series to The Hindu, Kevin said, “I want people to see, hear and understand how magnificent India is, how colourful the surroundings are and how engaging the story is,”

Kevin Pieterson while dedicating most of his time to the cause of Rhino Conservation, is really walking the talk on the individual front. The government of Assam has also been phenomenal in translating its policies and vision for the preservation of Wildlife over the years. It is about time we realise the challenges before the endangered wildlife cycles and take a step towards a sustainable future.

Kidnapped toddlers, then murdered them: The story of serial killer sisters Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit

Anurag
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Kidnapped toddlers, then murdered them: The story of serial killer sisters Renuka Shinde and Seema Gavit

On January 18, the Bombay High Court commuted the death sentence of serial killer sisters Seema Gavit and Renuka Shinde to a life sentence. The court cited inordinate delay and indifference by the state government in dealing with their mercy petition as the reason for reducing the sentence.

Renuka and Seema have been convicted of kidnapping 13 children and killing five of them between 1990 and 1996. They were sentenced to death in 2001 by the sessions court. The Bombay High Court in 2004 and the Supreme Court in 2006 [Judgement PDF] upheld the decision. Their mercy petition was rejected by the Governor in 2008 and by the President in 2014.

From kidnapping to murder – the horrifying story that shocked the nation

In 2006, after the Supreme Court upheld the death sentence of the two sisters, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said in a statement, “We limited the period of killing to six years. However, this had been going on for longer than that. The women could not remember how many children they had killed.”

The facts revolving around the case are horrifying and spine-chilling. The two sisters, along with their mother, Anjana Bai, kidnapped at least 13 children and used them in petty crimes and begging. At least five of the kidnapped children were killed as they allegedly refused to co-operate or did not stop crying. The cruel and merciless faces of the two serial killer sisters still haunt those who were involved in the case.

The killer sisters had kidnapped children, mostly toddlers, from Nashik, Satara, Pune, Kolhapur and Sangli.

According to a report in the New Indian Express, Nikam had said they had information that the sisters killed at least 44 children, but they could only pinpoint 12 murders. He said, “Our case was based on circumstantial evidence. It had shocked the conscience of the country.”

How Police come to know about the killings

In October 1996, senior police officer Mandaleshwar Madhavrao Kale was assigned to a case where a nine-year-old girl Kranti Gavit was kidnapped in Nasik. Kale, who had experience of 36 years in the force, did not expect to uncover a series of murders during the investigation. The Mint quoted Kale narrating how Anjana’s ex-husband’s wife filed a case against her, his step-daughter Renuka Shinde and daughter Seema Gavit.

Kale said, “Pratibha Mohan Gavit, wife of a Mohan Gavit, had filed a kidnapping case against her husband’s first wife, Anjana Bai, his step-daughter Renuka Shinde and daughter, Seema Gavit. Pratibha’s older daughter Kranti had been missing, and she was convinced that these three women were responsible.”

Anjana, who was allegedly the mastermind of the racket, was married once before marrying Mohan Gavit. She was a petty thief and had a criminal history. Owning to the repeated questioning by the Police, Gavit left Anjana and the two girls. He then married Pratibha. Mohan and Pratibha had a daughter named Kranti, who was allegedly kidnapped by Anjana.

When Police started an investigation into the disappearance of Kranti Gavit, Anjana, Renuka and Seema went underground. After a few days, they resurfaced and attempted to kidnap Mohan’s younger daughter. However, Nasik police arrested the trio before they could kidnap the girl. During interrogation, Kale said Anjana did not say a word. He said, “She would just sit there and look. Never once did that woman crack.” Among the three, the weakest was the step-daughter Seema who finally admitted to kidnapping and killing Kranti Gavit. However, she claimed to have committed the crime at the behest of her mother.

A special investigating team visited their house in Nasik, where they uncovered evidence of many more kidnappings. They found discarded clothes of the children. Another piece of evidence that they recovered were photographs of the birthday party of Renuka’s children in which non-local children were present. The Police came to know about the petty crimes the women were involved in, but they did not know who the children were.

The incident that triggered the kidnapping of children

During the investigation, the Police found that in 1990, Renuka’s son from the first marriage, Sudhir, was with her at the Chaturshringi temple, Pune, where she was attempting to pickpockets of the devotees. While she was trying to pick someone’s pocket, the person caught her. Using her presence of mind, she used Sudhir to prove her innocence. She gave the argument how a woman with a little child could commit a crime. The crowd believed her and let her go. The incident gave an idea to the trio to always keep a child with them to escape if caught.

Ujjwal Nikam, in a statement, informed that according to the details the Police mentioned in the case files, during one of the theft attempts in Kolhapur, Seema was caught by the crowd. At that time, Anjana Bai deliberately injured a one-year-old child named Santosh, whom the trio had kidnapped, to create a distraction. Nikam said, “Anjana Bai threw the child down with force in order to create a distraction.” The merciless women did not blink an eye before injuring the children who accompanied them during the acts of crime.

The case files further revealed that the majority of kidnappings took place at busy places such as fairgrounds and temple compounds in cities including Pune, Kolhapur and Nasik. While cases were filed in some cases, many kidnappings went unreported as the children belonged to poor families, and Police allegedly did pay heed to the suffering of the families. Nikam said, “It is estimated that the kidnappings might have been more than 40 in number, but we had no evidence to back that claim.” He added, “Maybe, the parents tried to file a complaint and were turned away. Maybe, they were unable to do so. The kidnapping reports did not start coming in till very late.”

The chilling details of crimes

Santosh, the kidnapped child who was used as a distraction, was one of the children the trio killed. He was the son of a beggar woman. After the said incident, Santosh would not stop crying as the trio did not try to provide any medical assistance to him. Frustrated with the non-stop crying, Anjana repeatedly bashed his head against an iron rod till he died. According to an investigating officer, the two sisters witnessed their mother’s crime while munching vada pav.

In the Supreme Court judgement, it was mentioned, “They left the dead body [of Santosh] near the heap of some old rickshaws and came back to Dharamshala. On the next day, the dead body of Santosh was found, and the matter was reported to the Laxmipur police station.”

One of the kidnapped children, seven-month-old baby Swapnil, was dropped by Seema as he was constantly crying, and she “could not deal with it”. Another 2-year-old boy was hanged upside down, and his head was slammed repeatedly against the wall.

Another child was drowned by Renuka and Seema in the bathroom. One of the sisters held his legs to stop him from moving, and the other drowned him.

The prosecution informed the court that the trio killed most of the children only because they “did not stop crying”. They were charged with the murder of five children, three boys and two girls. According to the case files, the post-mortem of the dead bodies revealed the children were thrown downstairs and beaten repeatedly.

Renuka’s second husband’s testimony

One of the important witnesses that provided details of the crime was Kiran Shinde, the second husband of Renuka. He turned approver and provided details of the crimes committed. He also provided details of where the bodies were disposed of. One of the most horrifying details he provided to the Police was the incident when a dead child was stuffed in a gunny bag and kept between the sisters while they enjoyed watching a movie. Before leaving the theatre, they left the dead body in the women’s lavatory.

A person named Saroday, who was associated with the case in the Supreme Court, described the murder in a statement. He said, “They chopped the body of one child and stuffed it into a gunny bag for disposal. The gang carried the bag with them and watched a movie at Alka Talkies in Kolhapur and ate bhel puri while the bag lay between their feet.”

Apex court called the killings ‘acts of depraved mind’

Kiran Shinde was acquitted for his co-operation. Anjana Bai died in 1997 while the case continued in court. During the trial, the two sisters were lodged in the same prison as Fahmida Sayed, one of the 2003 Mumbai blast accused. The sisters had attacked her in the prison as she was provided with hot water when she was ill. The Supreme Court had pointed out the incident during the trial. The apex court said, “The killings demonstrated a ‘depraved mind’ that killed without any compulsion. Prison, it is said, causes even the most hardened nut to crack, pondering over what landed them there. The two sisters are, however, more concerned about why Fahmida gets hot water when ill than the memory of those whose lives they cut short even before they began.”

The serial killer sisters will not be hanged despite the President denying mercy petition because of Maharashtra’s inordinate delay and indifference in dealing with their mercy petition.

BJP brings in sarees with Modi and Yogi images from Surat ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections

OpIndia Staff
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BJP brings in sarees with Modi and Yogi images from Surat ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections

To woo the voters in Uttar Pradesh, the BJP has ordered a huge lot of sarees with images of PM Modi and UP CM Yogi Adityanath from Surat.

Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are leading the topics of discussion in India. With every passing day, new political developments are seen and campaign gimmicks of various parties are seen. One of the most attractive things in the assembly election run-up are sarees from Surat which are being sent to UP.

Other campaign material to reach UP from Surat includes catalogs, dupattas, flags, etc. The photos of PM Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh’s CM Yogi Adityanath are printed on the sarees and other campaigning material. The packing boxes also carry pictures along with slogans.

Sarees have pictures of Modi and Yogi on the pallus.

A Surat-based textile trader has made Modi and Yogi’s 3D printed sarees. Along with Modi and Yogi, he has also prepared sarees with the picture of the Ram temple in Ayodhya, different ghats of Varanasi as well as Kashi Vishwanath Corridor.

The slogan printed on the sarees says ” ‘we will bring back to those who brought Rama, we will again hoist the saffron flag in Uttar Pradesh.”

Textile youth brigade president Lalit Sharma has said that a large number of sarees and dress materials are delivered from Surat to UP. The slogan printed on those is ‘Jo Ram ko laye hain, hum unko layenge, UP me fir se hum bhagwa lahrayenge’, which means ‘we will bring back to those who brought Lord Rama, we will again hoist the saffron flag in Uttar Pradesh’.

Lotus flower being the election symbol of the BJP, it is also printed on the Sarees, along with the pictures of PM Modi and CM Yogi. Lalit Sharma said that “1 lakh sarees printed with Modi Yogi’s picture will be sent to UP, for which all the credit goes to BJP and Narendra Modi. 3D print and digital print sarees are being made in Surat to campaign in support of BJP in Uttar Pradesh.”

BJP’s election symbol lotus flower is also printed on the sarees.

He further added that “Earlier, during the Assembly polls we had got orders for sarees with prints of the Uri incident and homecoming of Captain Abhinandan. Surat is the hub of digital printing and we have printed sarees and sent them to poll-bound states.”

The prices of the sarees are in the range of Rs 150 to Rs 350. These sarees will be distributed in UP as well as other poll-bound states. Manohar Sihag, a saree trader has said that “Traders are happy with the government’s decision to roll back the new GST rate on clothes.”

“I deserved a promotion”: TMC’s Babul Supriyo’s entitled take on why he left BJP after fussing more for his car than karyakartas

OpIndia Staff
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“I deserved a promotion”: TMC’s Babul Supriyo’s entitled take on why he left BJP after fussing more for his car than karyakartas

Former Union Minister and now a TMC member Babul Supriyo on Wednesday had an extended meltdown on Twitter after a social media user took a swipe at him by lauding the central government for developing infrastructure and facilitating people in their lives. Responding to the comment, Supriyo posted a series of tweets wherein he justified his departure from the BJP by claiming that he deserved promotion but did not get it.

“I deserved promotion after diligently & successfully working as an MoS & spotlessly too for 7 years but If I do t get acknowledged for my hard work, I lose respect for my Bosses & if there no respect, there no point in handing on cuz I won’t be able to give my best when dejected,” Supriyo lamented in a Twitter thread he posted after a user praised the central government on the TMC leader’s tweet informing about the installation of elevators at Ballyghat by the Railway Ministry.

Babul also lavished praises on TMC chief Mamata Banerjee and National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee for ‘calling him back into politics with so much affection and love, acknowledging his work & inspiring him to work for the people of Bengal.’ Without their intervention, Babul says, he would have retired from the politics for good.

The TMC leader’s meltdown was triggered by a tweet posted by a user who extolled the central government for infrastructure development at a railway station in West Bengal. “So u would still agree that BJP in the centre is actually transforming the infrastructure and aiding people in facilitating their lives,” the user responded to a tweet posted by Babul Supriyo.

Babul Supriyo downplays work done by Centre, exagerrates his contribution

Before long, the former union minister who switched from BJP to TMC last year posted an elaborate thread downplaying the Centre’s developmental efforts and tooting his own horns in getting the projects done in West Bengal. He billed himself as a leader who played an instrumental role in the completion of projects in West Bengal. Listing down instances where he had personally intervened, Babul recalled how he had personally asked the Prime Minister in 2015 to entrust him with the responsibility of the stalled East-West Metro.

He further bemoaned that although he was trolled left, right and centre for having ‘Jhhalmoori’ with West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, he could not have gotten the encroachment problem solved without her intervention.

The TMC leader then highlighted how he personally oversaw the tunnel work taking place under Ganga and how he transcended politics to get the job done for West Bengal.

“As MIN Heavy Industries, I discovered there wasn’t any Centre of Excellence in WB. I got it done with an 80% grant from my ministry with able help from the Director of @IITKgp Shri Partha Chakraborty. I am not talking abt Asansol cuz my work made me win by 3 times the margin in 2019,” Babul said in one of his tweets.

Defending his switch to TMC, Babul subsequently said that he does not work with leaders who do not ‘respect or love their foot soldiers.’ “I am the King of my own life & decisions Boss, I don’t do Ghulami & that’s why I cud resign as MP of Asansol but plz check my FB, I am still performing my duties & will continue to do so,” he added arguing that he deserved a promotion which he was denied by the central government.

Babul Supriyo was more concerned for his car than safety of BJP workers during post-poll violence in Bengal

It is notable to mention that while Babul Supriyo bills himself as a conscientious politician deeply engaged in work related to his constituency and for helping his people, he had turned a blind eye to the safety of BJP workers when West Bengal was in throes of gruesome post-poll violence following the victory of TMC in assembly polls. At a time when BJP workers and Hindus were systematically attacked in West Bengal, presumably by the TMC goons, Supriyo had refused to intervene to help the victims stating that he couldn’t move because even his car will be attacked.

A few months later, he announced quitting politics, only to return weeks later by joining the Trinamool Congress. In September 2021, he officially joined TMC after fighting the recent assembly elections on a BJP ticket.

Stating that he was very happy to join the TMC, Supriyo said, “I meant it from my heart when I said I’ll leave politics. However, I felt there was a huge opportunity that was entrusted to me (on joining TMC). All my friends said my decision to leave politics was wrong and emotional. I’m very proud that I am changing my decision. I am coming back for a great opportunity to serve Bengal. I am very excited. I will meet Didi (CM Mamata Banerjee) on Monday. I am overwhelmed by the warm welcome.”

Batla House terrorists should be given martyr status, says Congress party’s newest favourite Maulana, Sonia too had cried for terrorists

OpIndia Staff
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Batla House terrorists should be given martyr status, says Congress party’s newest favourite Maulana, Sonia too had cried for terrorists

On Wednesday, Ittihad-e-Millat Council party chief Maulana Tauqeer Raza Khan said that the terrorists killed in the Batla House encounter should be called ‘martyrs’. He said that the Congress party had promised a probe into the case after coming to power in 2009. “Had there been a probe, the entire world would have known that those killed as terrorists should be given the martyr status”, he said.

Khan, who yesterday extended his support to the Congress party ahead of the UP Assembly Elections 2022, revealed that he had long-standing problems with the Congress party and that he had supported it in 2009 only for the Batla house case probe. “During 2009 elections, Congress had said to me that they would probe Batla House encounter if their govt is formed. They didn’t do it. Muslims will never forget this”, he said.

He also claimed that the Police then had killed its own officers and the innocent Muslims were unnecessarily put to death. He blamed Congress for hurting the sentiments of 20 crore Muslims by not taking action against the Police then.

This is just a day after the Ittihad-e-Millat Council party chief said that he feels only Congress can ensure the development of the Muslims. In a press conference with UP Congress chief Ajay Lallu yesterday, Khan assured full support to the grand old party in the UP elections 2022 and said that only Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were ‘secular’ leaders.

It is pertinent to note that Khan had provoked Muslims against Hindus in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district on Jaunary 8. While addressing a crowd of 20 lakh Muslims, the radical Islamist had brazenly threatened Hindus in India that the day Muslims rage flares, they would have nowhere to escape.

“I see the anger within my Muslim youths and I am afraid that the day this anger bursts out, the day I lose control over them… I want to warn my Hindu brothers that I’m scared that the day my Muslim youths are forced to take the law into their hands, you will not find a place to hide anywhere in India”, he had said while displaying his extreme hate for the Hindus.

Congress had allied with Maulana Tauqeer Raza in 2009 despite his habits of issuing threats to anyone he thought was insulting Islam. The party had in 2009 announced that the All India Ittihad-e-Millat Council has agreed to support Congress in the Lok Sabha elections, and in return, the council would have a seat-sharing arrangement with the Congress in 2012 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh.

It is notable that Congress party chief Sonia Gandhi was upset about the death of terrorists in the Batla House. Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid in one of his rallies during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections had said that Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress President, had cried bitterly after seeing the images of the slain terrorists.

“When we showed Sonia Gandhi the images of the ‘incident’, she started crying bitterly and with folded hands, she said please do not show me these pictures. Immediately go and speak to the Wazir-e-Azam (Dr Manmohan Singh) and discuss the mater. I talked to the PM and it was decided that the matter will be further investigated”, Khurshid had said.

Meet Savitri Devi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s mother and how she coped with her son becoming a monk

Suyash
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Meet Savitri Devi, UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s mother and how she coped with her son becoming a monk

When Yogi Adityanath as a young adult decided to leave for Gorakhpur, his mother initially thought he had landed a job in some government office. But when the news of his vow of sainthood broke, she broke into tears. It was unimaginable for her to see one of her boys, who had shown a brilliant spark for life in childhood, going away from her suddenly. Today when Yogi has emerged as a Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, her eyes contain the same tears when she reminisces in his memories, brimming with pride.

Sarita Devi is a woman of few words. She lives quietly in Panchur, a village in Pauri Garhwal of Uttarakhand. At 85, she wakes up at 4 AM daily to complete her chores and then goes on to watch agricultural activities on the family-owned farm. Savitri Devi who spent all her life as a homemaker is a mother to seven children including 3 daughters and 4 sons. The octogenarian lives as a dowager after her husband Anand Singh Bisht passed away in 2021. Bisht – Yogi Adityanath’s father worked tirelessly as a forest officer for four decades. Together as a couple, they had many responsibilities to do, many dreams to fulfil.

Nonetheless, looking at Savitri Devi, one would instantly gaze that she has seen it all. The mother to Yogi Adityanath who was born Ajay Mohan Singh Bisht in 1972 has three daughters – Pushpa, Kaushalya and Shashi and four sons Manendra, Ajay (Yogi), Shailendra and Mahendra. While talking to author Shantanu Gupta, Savitri Devi opened up about the details of her family. The members of the Bisht family keep a low profile and never boast about their roots with Yogi Adityanath unless recognised. She lives with two sons – Manendra who works at Gorakhnath College near the Panchur village set up under Yogi’s guidance and Mahendra, her youngest son is a journalist with Amar Ujala newspaper. “What to say about Ajay, you all know,” says Savitri Devi as a proud Mother.

Yogi Adityanath with his family after becoming the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. Image Courtesy: Times Now

However, it was not easy for Savitri Devi as a mother to accept young Ajay’s resolve for renunciation as a ‘Nath Yogi’. Yogi Adityanath, the second child among his brothers left his family at the age of 21 before becoming the disciple of Mahant Avaidyanath of Gorakhpur Math. Initially, during his M.Sc in Mathematics, Yogi was inclined to visit the math at Gorakhpur. So convinced was young Ajay to join the math as Mahant Avaidyanath’s disciple, that he left for Gorakhpur without disclosing much to the family in November 1993. It was only after a couple of months that the news of Ajay’s sanyas was disclosed to them through a newspaper. Until then the Bishts thought that Ajay had left Panchur for Gorakhpur in search of a job. Here’s when Savitri Devi who was flabbergasted to learn the news urged her husband Anand Singh to rush to Gorakhpur with the next train available.

It was now for Savitri Devi and Anand Singh Bisht to see their son, Ajay in the attire of sanyasi. Young Ajay was anointed as Yogi Avaidyanath by now and was already touted to be Mahant Avaidyanath’s deserving successor. Both of them being dazzled to see their son renouncing material desires could not pacify at the moment. Yogi Adityanath somehow managed to calm them down after he dialled the Mahant, who was out of town at that moment. It was Mahant Avaidyanath’s words that convinced the parents of their child’s resolve for Seva. He said to them over the phone, “Out of your four sons, one has decided to come with me for nation-building and for strengthening Hinduism; please allow him to serve the country” Savitri Devi always knew Adityanath’s dream to serve the country and hence after initial resistance, she was finally convinced.

Two months later, Yogi Adityanath travelled to his home as a Sanyasi to take Bheeksha (alms) from his mother. For now, he was not their child or a sibling but a yogi who has left all his worldly desires and connections. Realising this, they started calling him ‘Maharaj Ji’ as a respect for his vow and his new role. Savitri Devi and Anand Singh Bisht continued to wish him good health and visited his math a couple of times. Today, Savitri Devi sits back and looks at the world celebrating the successes of her son who travelled as a Yogi, ascended as a Mahant and now serves as the Chief Minister of India’s largest populous state. While she is equally proud of him, she doesn’t say much when cameras reach her village home to trace the roots of Yogi Adityanath. Her memory dwindles with traces of her son who always wanted to serve the nation and his successes as a public leader, a monk who became the Chief minister.

Bodybuilder Sevayat from viral photo wants more compensation, slams Odisha govt’s Shri Jagannath Temple corridor project in Puri

OpIndia Staff
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Bodybuilder Sevayat from viral photo wants more compensation, slams Odisha govt’s Shri Jagannath Temple corridor project in Puri

Anil Gochhikar, the popular bodybuilder from Odisha whose photo during Rathayatra had gone viral some years back has been sitting in a ‘Dharna’ against the Odisha government since January first week. Gocchikar claims that his family had dwellings and land close to the Puri Jagannath temple that were demolished by the Odisha government “illegally’.

Gocchikar’s photos sitting on a protest are going viral on social media.

Gochhikar’s photo viral on social media

What is Gochhikar’s complaint?

Anil Gochhikar, who is a successful and popular bodybuilder and has won many international accolades in bodybuilding, belongs to a family of Sevayats of the Sri Jagannath Temple in Puri. Gochhikar says that their family had buildings very close to the Shri Jagannath Temple which were demolished by the government despite an ongoing legal process. He says that the family has been offered a compensation amount and an offer for an alternate site in exchange for the plot. But Gochhikar believes the compensation money is not enough and the alternate plot offered by the Odisha government is “too far away” from the Jagannath Temple.

In a Facebook post, Gochhikar claimed that 4 of his buildings have been demolished by the Puri administration without prior order by the High Court. He said that he has trimmed his hair and beard in protest and will continue his dharna on a roadside till he gest ‘justice’.

Gochhikar says that since their family had filed a court case against the government demanding adequate compensation and a “better” plot that is close to the Temple, the Odisha government should not have demolished his buildings that were near the temple and should have waited till the court case by their family had reached to a conclusion.

Speaking to Odia media portal Odisha Bhaskar on January 5, he had admitted that several families who had been staying in buildings close to the temple (most plots not legally owned but just occupied over generations), had vacated the buildings willingly and have accepted the compensation given by the government. He further says that some families were unhappy with the amount of money and the alternate plot they were getting but have not voiced protest for the fear of the government. He further asserts that his family does not like the compensation money offered and the alternate site provided to them. So they will protest till the Odisha government heeds their demands and gives them an amount they consider appropriate and provides them a plot ‘close’ to the temple.

Gochhikar also claims that his brother is being threatened by police and his family is being harassed. He also criticised the corridor project, saying that the Odisha government is turning the Temple into a ‘park’ for amusement.

Odisha government’s Jagannath Temple Parikrama project

The Odisha government under CM Naveen Pattnaik has been focused on removing illegal encroachments from around the Jagannath Temple and relocating the adjacent mathas and other religious structures to other places, so as to widen the Temple corridor for the grand Ratha Yatra and facilitate the millions of devotees the Temple sees every year.

On 24 November this year, the Gajapati Maharaj of Puri had performed the Shilanyas of the Heritage Corridor project around the Jagannath Temple. Named in Odia as ‘Parikrama Prakalpa’ the grand heritage corridor project envisions preservation of the 12th-century temple and its grand wall, called Meghanada Pacheri’ and develop the surrounding areas for beautification, safety and comfort of pilgrims and facilities of the millions of devotees who visit the famous temple every year.

CM Naveen Pattnaik has stated that he will transform the Temple town of Puri into a world-class heritage city. Previously, the areas surrounding the Jagannath Temple were cramped with shops, stalls, houses and dharmashalas, most of them encroached over the years. The cramped area posed a safety concern not only for the devotees during the crowded events of Ratha Yatra and Bahuda Yatra, but it was also endangering the 12th-century Meghanada wall, that surrounds the ancient temple.

Odisha govt wanted all structres within 75 metres of the Meghanada wall removed

In August 2019, the Odisha government had announced that all structures around a 75-metre radius of the Jagannath Temple’s Meghanada wall will be removed to ensure the safety and integrity of the 12th-century shrine. The structures identified under the clearing plan were shoe stands, government facilities like electricity supply buildings, information centres, police outposts and shops and stalls that had come up over the years.

The decision was taken to implement the first phase of the recommendations made by the justice BP Das Commission.

The Odisha government had stated that the illegal encroachments and structures built around the Meghanada wall also pose a major security threat for the temple and visiting pilgrims. “We want this area cleared of all buildings, many of which are illegal, to facilitate strict vigil and prevent a terror attack. Since there are many structures adjacent to the main temple, it would have been very easy for terrorists to launch an attack on the temple,” the then collector of Puri had stated to the media.

Supreme Court appointed amicus curie supported the Odisha govt’s demolition drive

Multiple PILs were filed in the Supreme Court after the Naveen government’s demolition drive created outrage among many stakeholders. Several religious heads of the Mathas had also written to the SC. The Supreme Court had then appointed Ranjit Kumar as amicus curie and had sent him to inspect the demolition work. Ranjit Kumar had arrived with SG Tushar Mehta in Puri and had held meetings with heads of the Mathas, government officials and temple administration officials.

Report in TNIE

After meetings and inspections, the amicus curie had submitted his report to the SC, stating that there is no forcible evacuation going on and the Odisha government should continue the demolition work, and asserted that the heritage corridor project is necessary and justified. After the report, the SC had allowed the govt of Odisha to continue the demolition drive.

The Odisha government is also undertaking similar development work around the famous Lingaraj Temple in Bhubaneswar under the Ekamra Kshetra project.

A lot of controversies have surrounded the Shri Jagannath Temple Parikrama Project since the Naveen Pattnaik government started the redevelopment work. While there are concerns regarding compensations to families affected by the project, it is also a truth that the areas around the temple had been under massive encroachments, mismanagement, putting the temple and devotees at risk.

Ukraine and US say Russia can invade Ukraine anytime as Russian forces have completed build-up on the border

OpIndia Staff
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Ukraine and US say Russia can invade Ukraine anytime as Russian forces have completed build-up on the border

On Tuesday, Russia deployed more than 1,27,000 servicemen at the border with Ukraine raising the fears of invasion and expanded aggression towards Ukraine. According to the reports, the intelligence assessment by Ukraine yesterday revealed that Russia is using its ally Belarus and that the full strength of the Russian Federation’s Armed Forces land group at Ukraine direction is over 1,06,000, while the rest are navy and air forces.

The assessment has defined the situation in the region as ‘difficult’ and said that Russia was trying to split and weaken the European Union and NATO. “Russia’s actions are also aimed at limiting the capabilities of the United States to ensure security on the European continent”, the document read.

Russia also has started reducing the number of people in ints embassy in Ukraine, giving a possible hint of invasion. Reportedly, families of Russian diplomats left Ukraine on buses in past few days, and the diplomats are told to be prepared to leave when instructed.

The US also in its assessment report on Tuesday said that Russia can launch an attack on Ukraine at any point in time now. This is after three crucial diplomatic meetings between Russia and the US to resolute to reduce the intensity of the potentially violent situation. The US had last week said that it was unclear whether Moscow intended to use the talks as a pretext to claim that diplomacy cannot work. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki has said that Russia’s build up of tens of thousands of troops near its border with Ukraine had created an “extremely dangerous situation”.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken is likely to meet his Russian counterpart on Friday in Geneva. He tweeted about it as he travelled to Kyiv and Berlin yesterday to meet partners and allies, before meeting with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Geneva. “This is a diplomatic effort to de-escalate tensions surrounding the unprovoked Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders”, he said. He will also hold discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv. After that, he will meet with his British, French and German counterparts in Berlin.

The Ukrainian military report further has revealed that the Russian troops have made their permanent camps in the Central and Eastern part of the country and that it supports around 35,000 rebels in eastern Ukraine.

Meanwhile, denying the claims made by Ukraine, Russia has agreed to have set up additional radio and satellite traffic units near the Ukrainian border and tripled the reconnaissance flights. Reports also mention Ukraine’s fear of being attacked with medium-range missile weapons named Iskander as 36 of them have made their base already by the border.

Pertinently, Ukraine’s assessment is said to have come as it attempts to get the whole world united against Putin seeking to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). In 2014, NATO unanimously decided to suspend all practical co-operation with the Russian Federation, in response to the Ukraine crisis, but the NATO-Russia Council still remains intact.

Kerala: ‘Meppadiyan’ movie attacked for showcasing Seva Bharati ambulance, Lord Hanuman statue and portrayal of actor as Hindu

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala: ‘Meppadiyan’ movie attacked for showcasing Seva Bharati ambulance, Lord Hanuman statue and portrayal of actor as Hindu

A Malayalam movie Meppadiyan released on January 14 is severely being criticized by the audiences for allegedly glorifying the ‘right-wing politics’ through the movie. A section of society has objected to Director Vishnu Mohan’s artistic deed of using the Seva Bharati ambulance and a statue of Lord Hanuman in the film.

The audiences have also criticized the movie for portraying the actor, Unni Mukundan, as a staunch and religious Hindu character. A Hindu Nationalist Party named Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK) happened to tweet the story as the hate campaign began boosting over the state of Kerala as well.

“Proud Hindu actor Unni Mukundan’s latest movie is being severely criticized by the Abrahamic/Commie lot for being communal”, the organisation tweeted. Stating several reasons for criticism, it added that the movie supports no mocking of Hindus and is a simple story that every proud Hindu can relate to.

A section of citizens claimed that Unni Mukundan is trying to instigate people through a couple of scenes- one, where a Seva Bharati ambulance is being used and second, where the actor poses with the statue of Lord Hanuman.

It is worth noting that the criticism directed at Seva Bharati stems from its association with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. RSS is the parent organisation of Seva Bharati, a non-governmental organisation that is involved in working for the upliftment of economically weaker sections of Indian society, including tribal and indigenous communities. In Kerala, it also runs ambulance services to prop up existing health care infrastructure and provide medical assistance for people living in remote places.

I don’t feel anything was wrong in the portrayal of Seva Bharati Ambulance, Lord Hanuman: Unni Mukundan

Responding straight to the criticism, actor Unni Mukundan in an interview noted that he didn’t feel anything wrong in the portrayal of the Seva Bharati Ambulance. It is painful to see a section of society spreading the hate campaign and demeaning the artistic freedom, he added.

Praising the Seva Bharati as an NGO that has been working in India for the last few decades and offering free ambulance service, the actor stated that the film is about a common man trapped in financial problems. Usage of Seva Bharati ambulance cannot be considered as a political statement, he cleared.

Talking about the ‘Lord Hanuman’ troll, he said, “Hanuman Swami has been my inspiration since my childhood. I am a person who gives much preference to physical fitness, and for me, Hanuman Swami is my role model. I really do not know why people are taking everything in a negative sense. I have clear reasoning for what I have done in the movie”.

Seva Bharati has been at the vanguard of providing relief during disaster time in Kerala : Director Vishnu Mohan

Meanwhile, Director Vishnu Mohan reportedly said that using Seva Bharati cannot be left out when the film is made about the disaster. “What is wrong with using their ambulance?”, he asked. All the ambulances were busy as the film shoot was during COVID times. Seva Bharati was ready to provide an ambulance for free when those who were willing to provide an ambulance for the shoot asked for a large sum, he added.

He also noted that Seva Bharati has rushed to help every time the state of Kerala needed assistance during disasters. “Seva Bharati is the one I have seen arriving first, even before the police and fire force during disasters. Who in Kerala does not know this? How can you make a movie without them?”, he pondered.

Seva Bharati NGO works for the betterment of the economically weaker sections of Indian society, including tribal and indigenous communities. It also works among urban societies by introducing welfare and social service programs, such as free medical assistance, free education, and vocational training.

The movie revolves around Jayakrishnan (Unni Mukundan), a common man living with his family in a small town near Kottayam. While he constantly faces financial problems, his life turns upside down when Philip (Saiju Kurup), the villain traps him in a land deal.

The movie has been directed by Vishnu Mohan and is produced by Unni Mukundan Films Pvt Ltd, has Neil D’Cunha as its DOP and Shameer Muhammad as the editor.

Aparna Yadav joins BJP, her husband Prateek was accepted as legitimate son of Mulayam Singh Yadav when CBI inquiry on his income reached Supreme Court

Anurag
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Aparna Yadav joins BJP, her husband Prateek was accepted as legitimate son of Mulayam Singh Yadav when CBI inquiry on his income reached Supreme Court

On January 19, Aparna Yadav, wife of Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh Yadav’s ‘step son’ Prateek, joined Bharatiya Janata Party. While joining the party, she said that she admires PM Modi’s work and that nation always comes first for her.

Prateek, son of Mulayam’s second wife Sadhna, was accepted as the legitimate son of Mulayam Singh Yadav when CBI inquiry on his income reached Supreme Court.

Understanding the Yadav family dynamics

Aparna is the wife of Prateek Gupta, son of Sadhna Gupta, the second wife of Samajwadi Party’s founder and senior leader Mulayam Singh Yadav. Though many members of the Yadav family are active in politics, Sadhna Yadav is hardly seen in the political arenas. Notably, Sadhna is 20 years younger than Mulayam Singh. In an interview, Sadhna had said she wanted to join politics, but her husband Mulayam did not let her.

Yadav’s first wife, Malati Devi, suffered complications while giving birth to Akhilesh Yadav. When she passed away in 2003, Malati was reportedly in a vegetative state. Soon after her demise Mulayam Singh Yadav married Sadhna in May 2003. It is believed that Mulayam first met Sadhna in 1982 when he became the President of Lok Dal.

In 2016, CBI had released papers regarding Mulayam Singh Yadav’s property. As per a Dainik Bhaskar report, the papers also included details about Sadhna Gupta and her relationship with Mulayam Singh Yadav. According to the report, Sadhna married her first husband, Chandra Prakash Gupta in 1987 and had a child with him, Prateek Gupta. Only after a year following the birth of Prateek, Sadhna left her husband. In 1990, they got divorced.

It is noteworthy that when Mulayam was first sworn as Chief Minister in 1989, there were ‘rumours’ he had two wives, but the alleged rumours were thrown under the carpet. His ‘secret love affair’ with Sadhna remained hidden for long. In 1994, in one of the forms, Prateek Gupta wrote Mulayam Singh Yadav’s address as permanent address. The status report also mentioned that in 2000, Mulayam Singh Yadav was named as guardian. However, it was only in 2003 when Yadav married Sadhna Gupta and gave her the official title of his wife.

Reports claim while Malati Yadav was on bed rest, it was Sadhna who took care of her. Some reports suggest Malati knew about the alleged affair between her husband and Sadhna. However, due to family pressure, no one talked about it.

Akhilesh’s feud with Amar Singh

It is believed that it was then-SP leader late Amar Singh who pushed Mulayam Singh Yadav to officially announce Sadhna as his wife. While the two were married since 2003 and Akhilesh knew about his father’s relationship with Sadhna and Prateek since 90s. Mulayam Singh’s close confidant Amar Singh also knew about the relationship. After death of his first wife, Sadhna asked Mulayam Singh to officially accept her as his wife. However, the Samajwadi Party patriarch was not ready.

Here, Sadhna reached out to Amar Singh and requested him to convince Mulayam Singh to accept their relationship sometime in 2006. A year later, Mulayam Singh admitted that Sadhna was his wife. This move apparently created wider rift between Amar Singh and Akhilesh Yadav.

In 2007, there was a case against Mulayam in Supreme Court in connection to Disproportionate Assets that was being probed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). In an affidavit filed by Mulayam in the apex court, he had stated Sadhna and Prateek were his family members. Akhilesh, who was against Sadhna getting acceptance in the family, had a long feud with Amar Singh over his role in the said process.

Akhilesh Camp vs Sadhna Camp

According to a report in Times of India, Mulayam’s official residence was mentioned as the address of Prateek Gupta in his school records that dated back to 1994. Mulayam’s family got divided into two camps, Akhilesh Camp and Sadhna Camp, after she gained access to the senior Yadav’s official residence. Akhilesh has accused Sadhna of amassing family property and interfering in important appointments during SP government in the state.

Sadhna allegedly tried to stop Akhilesh from becoming CM

In 2012, Sadhna had reportedly got a promise from Mulayam that her son Prateek would be given a political position at par with Akhilesh by 2014. However, things did not turn in favour of Prateek. When Sadhna lost her patience in 2014, the inside feud became public. Akhilesh sacked GP Prajapati, then-Mining Minister and confidant of Sadhna. As a result, Mulayam got furious, and he replaced Akhilesh and gave the position to his uncle Shivpal Yadav, another close aide of Sadhna, in the party. Akhilesh then stripped Shivpal from irrigation, public works and revenue departments.

The two camps again came head-to-head in 2016 when Sadhna camp allegedly tried to stop Akhilesh from becoming Chief Minister of the state. MLC Udayveer Singh had written a letter in which he had alleged Sadhna was trying to stop Akhilesh from becoming CM. The letter read, “Although Akhilesh Yadav’s step-mother herself remained behind the picture, Shivpal Yadav came forward as her political face. He started contacting senior party leaders to prevent this.”

The unsaid differences between Akhilesh and Sadhna

When Mulayam married Sadhna in 2003, Akhilesh was furious with his father. It is believed that Akhilesh and Sadhna never had a good relationship; however, neither of them accepted it in public. Notably, Sadhna and her son Prateek are hardly seen with Akhilesh and his wife Dimple in public events. Reports suggest it was allegedly because of Akhilesh that Sadhna lives in Lucknow, far from Mainpuri, where the Yadav family lives.

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