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26 January 2022 Republic Day: A year since ‘tractor rally’ protesters went on a rampage in Delhi and sieged the iconic Red Fort

Jinit Jain
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26 January 2022 Republic Day: A year since ‘tractor rally’ protesters went on a rampage in Delhi and sieged the iconic Red Fort

26th January hold a special significance in the psyche of every Indian. For, this is the day when the nation celebrates its Republic Day. It was thid day back in 1950 when the country’s constitution came into force, realising the long-held goal of PurnaSwaraj or complete independence from the British rule.

India won its freedom from the British on 15 August 1947, but for the first three years of its existence as a fledgling independent nation, it remained governed largely by the colonial Government of India Act of 1935, a British relic that was used by the English to maintain their rule over the country. It took over two years for the framers of the Constitution to flesh out a body of laws that India wanted to be governed by and identified with.

The constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly of India on 26 November 1949 and became effective on 26 January 1950. This year, India is celebrating its 73rd Republic Day on 26 January 2022, marking the adoption of the constitution of India and the transition of the country to a republic. It is a day to commemorate India’s freedom, independence and its adoption of democratic norms. When so many countries across the world were falling to the lure of despotism, India made a bold move to give a punt to democracy, to self-governance and universal suffrage.

For the last 73 years, it is celebrated as a pious occasion honouring the Constitution of the country that vests powers in the hands of Indian citizens to chose their own destiny. However, there’s an aberration to this custom, which was sullied on 26 January 2021, the 72nd Republic Day, when thousands of rabble rousers under the guise of ‘farmers’ stormed into the national capital and went on a rampage, bringing shame, ignominy and disrepute not just to the nation but to its Constitution as well.

Violence sweeps Delhi as farmer protesters resort to vandalism, arson, rioting under the pretext of carrying out ‘Tractor Rally’

On this day, it is, therefore, important to reflect on the turn of events that took place in the national capital on last year’s Republic Day. The unfortunate incidents highlights not just the Left and their supporters’ hollow commitment to democracy and civilised means of protests, but it also underscores their penchant for mob supremacy, especially when the leader at the helm of the affairs is not to their liking.

The scenes observed on Republic Day 2021 were unprecedented. Farmers, who were protesting against the three farm laws passed in September the year before, chose Republic Day for mobilising a tractor rally in the national capital, presumably as a show of strength to the Centre. They had sought to sanctify the then ongoining protests and draw national, and even international attention towards the demonstrations continuing against the agriculture laws. The symbolism of organising a tractor rally on the auspicious occasion of India’s Republic Day, in defiance of the democratically elected government, and to oppose the laws legislated by it could not have been overstated.

And as expected, what was meant and assured to be a peaceful tractor rally, quickly degenerated into an insurrection, characterised by widespread chaos, violence and disorder. The fact that the rampage took place just weeks after the storming of Capitol Hill by insurrectionists in the United States cannot be overlooked. A precedent was there for others to follow and it was imitated with a ferocity equalling the attack on the Capitol Hill, if not more.

Thousands of protesters streamed into Delhi under the pretext of carrying out peaceful tractor rally on the day of 72nd Republic Day. However, their intentions seemed anything but peaceful. They veered away from the pre-decided route, breaking barricades on their way and torching vehicles in their wake. As police forces tried to control the mob from going astray, the demonstrators resorted to vandalism, arson and rioting on the streets of Delhi. A group of protesters vandalised DTC buses during their march through ITC area.

Similar scenes were observed in other parts of Delhi. At Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar, protesters laid seige on a police water cannon vehicle. On the Ghazipur border protest site, protesters resorted to stone pelting on police personnel, in a bid to break the barricade and storm into the national capital. Some of the demonstrators even pulled out swords to fight the law enforcement officials.

The siege of iconic monument Red Fort

However, nothing came close to the vandalism, chaos and anarchy witnessed during the siege of the Red Fort that day. Scores of rampaging demonstrators breached the police barricades around the capital and stormed the grounds of Delhi’s historic Red Fort, a symbol of India’s robust democracy. The demonstrators scaled the ramparts of the historic monument and waved a Sikh flag alongside the Indian flag. There were also reports of some protesters defiling the hallowed monument by urinating on its walls.

Meanwhile, 83 policemen were injured during the violence that ensued. In some videos, the protestors were seen trying to run their tractors over police personnel. In another video, the mob was seen beating and pushing police personnel off a high rise wall in the Red Fort. And even more horrifying was the fact that hundreds of children/artists who had participated in the Republic Day celebrations were stranded at the Red Fort when the monument was held at siege. They were crying and terrified before they were rescued by the Delhi Police.

Following the incident, some farmers bodies that took part in Tractor Rally tried to distance themselves from violence and Red Fort seige, calling it a handiwork of a few motivated individuals and not of their organisation. However, their explanation appeared insincere and aimed at avoiding punitive action against them.

It was also revealed that proscribed Khalistani terror organisation Sikhs For Justice (SFJ) was behind the Red Fort siege and rioting in Delhi. They had even announced a reward of  $250,000 for waving Khalistani flags at the Red Fort. The confession was made in a seven-minute video released by the outlawed organisation in which they had backed the Red Fort siege and called for the siege of the Indian Parliament on February 1 when the Budget Session commences.

Congress, left-liberals rejoice and defend the violence that swept Delhi on 71st Republic Day

However, for some political parties and luminaries of the left intelligentsia, it was an occasion to rejoice and celebrate. While protesting mobs were running riot in Delhi, the Congress party decided to celebrate the ‘power of the Republic’. The official handle of the Congress party shared a photograph of the tractor parade on social media with a caption that said, “Never underestimate the power of a Republic”. It is pertinent to mention that the tweet was made long after violence had been unleashed in Delhi.

Similarly, a raft of left-liberals could not hide their glee as Delhi was burning in the fire of farmers’ protests. As protesters held the Red Fort at the siege and unfurled a religious flag at the site, the usual suspects went on an overdrive to justify the anarchy that was unravelling on the 71st Republic Day of the world’s largest democracy during the tractor rally.

Be it Akash Banerjee or Rohini Singh, Newslaundry journalist Manisha Pande or an undistinguished liberal such as Nikhil Taneja, everyone tried to make light of the Red Fort insurrection, making a beeline to justify the rampage witnessed in the national capital. Some of them even compared the Sikh flag being hoisted at the Red Fort with the Ram Mandir Tableau by the Uttar Pradesh government at the Republic Day parade.

The entire saga of the Red Fort siege laid bare the innate tendencies of the liberal intelligentsia and political parties for whom condemnation to mob violence and vandalism is not absolute but convenient and flexible, based on the identities of the ‘victims’ and the ‘oppressors’. Since the protesters here were protesting against their nemesis—the Modi government—the liberals and opposition parties felt no qualms with the national capital being in ruins and the historic Red Fort being sieged and defiled.

The events that transpired on the 72nd Republic Day were reminiscent of some of the darkest moments of the Indian Republic. A mob demanding the rollback of three farm laws took the national capital hostage and went on a rampage around the city. They were emboldened by support from opposition parties, foreign-based radical elements and the left-liberal ideologues.

The day, nevertheless, was a poignant reminder of what India stands to lose should these anarchists have their way at the Centre. To ensure that India continues to remain a Republic like her forefathers envisioned, it is the duty of every patriotic Indian to remember what led to the imbroglio witnessed on 26 January 2021 and those responsible for bringing it to bear.

700 boys trapped in Syrian prison seized by ISIS used as human shields by the terrorists, NGO calls for their safe evacuation amid intense fight

OpIndia Staff
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700 boys trapped in Syrian prison seized by ISIS used as human shields by the terrorists, NGO calls for their safe evacuation amid intense fight

On Wednesday, a UK based non-profit organisation, Save the Children, claimed that the Islamic State fighters, who bombarded Gweiran prison in Syria last week attempting to free the thousands of ISIS detainees, are planning to use 700 boys it detained as human shields.

The organisation released a statement in which it said that it had received audio recordings from the boys detained, including one boy pleading for help. “All those involved in the fighting at Guweiran prison have responsibility to protect these children from harm,” said Sonia Khush, Director Save the Children.

The statement comes a week after at least 300 people have been put to death in the ongoing prison battle between the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and Islamic State (ISIS) fighters in northeastern Syria. In a well-planned attack, the ISIS fighters attacked the Gweiran prison in Al-Hasakah to free the ISIS detainees held there. Reportedly, ISIS detainees in the prison moved into a dormitory housing the teenage boys in an attempt to prevent an assault by Kurdish forces. According to Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), several boys were killed and injured during the conflict.

The Ghweiran prison is one of the largest detention centres in northeast Syria, housing an estimated 5,000 male detainees, including suspected ISIS fighters from Iraq and Syria. Although the prison is run by western coalition-backed Kurdish forces, reports suggest that the prisoners are now in control of the main building of the jail, and have kept some prison staff as hostages.

Within the next 24 hours of the attack, the ISIS militants also killed 11 Iraqi soldiers in an army base across the border. According to the reports, the severity of the crossfire also reported multiple deaths of Syrian boys caught in the attack. Reports mention that many of them have been apprehended by ISIS after their parents were made to join the Islamic State Fighter group years ago.

The children are in prison because they were recruited and trained by ISIS to become suicide bombers and for other military operations. They are part of the so-called “Cubs of the Caliphate”, a child army raised by the Islamic State. “These young people were trained by Isis [IS] for suicide attacks and other military operations. Now Isis has taken control of that part of the prison and we cannot fight or bomb them,” said SDF media head Farhad Shami.

The children include more than 150 foreigners of age 12 or more who are from non-Arab countries. The Syrian Forces had held the ISIS fighters responsible for the safety of children. However, the Save the Children organisation has urged the authorities to take all possible steps to ensure the safe repatriation of the detained children. Reports mention that the UNICEF has also called for the safe evacuation of trapped children and said that they are at immediate risk.

Khush meanwhile has slammed the countries to which children belong to, saying that the risk of death or injury of these children is directly linked to the governments’ refusal to take them home. “All foreign children must be repatriated, with their families, without any further delay. The international community cannot have the blood of any of these children on their hands,” she added.

According to the reports, ISIS is likely to launch more attacks throughout Africa in 2022. At present, ISIS controls less than 1 per cent of the African territory. However, without a more effective counter-terrorism strategy, ISIS is bound to gain a stronger foothold on the continent.

Here is why Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and singer Sandhya Mukherjee rejected the Padma honours

OpIndia Staff
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Here is why Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and singer Sandhya Mukherjee rejected the Padma honours

The former West Bengal chief minister and CPM leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharya refused to accept the Padma awards as announced by the Narendra Modi government on the eve of Republic Day.

“I know nothing about this award. No one has told me anything about it. If they have decided to offer Padma Bhushan to me, I refuse to accept it,” 77-year-old ailing Bhattacharya said in the press statement.

However, it is an established procedure that before the announcement of the name for such civilian honours, the government seeks the consent of the prospective awardees. If anyone conveys any objection or shows unwillingness, he or she is not named.

“In accordance with the normal practice, willingness of the person proposed to be conferred Padma Awards is informally ascertained (to the extent possible) before the announcement of the Award,” the Government had told Rajya Sabha in 2015 answering to a question. The same procedure must have been followed in this case.  

But, the rejection of the honour by Bhattacharya evoked a mixed response and the leftists claimed that the rejection by former CM shows the high moral ground of the left against the right-wing.

However, the fact seems to be otherwise. The home ministry had made a call to Buddhadeb’s residence where his wife Meera Bhattacharya picked the phone. Meera Bhattacharya was told by the ministry that the government intended to name Buddhadeb Bhattacharya for the Padma Bhushan. There was a full day between the call and the announcement but no one from Bhattacharya’s family got back to the home ministry about his unwillingness to accept the award.

Now the family claims that the phone was disconnected before they could convey the concerned official of the ministry that Bhattacharya would not accept the honour. The family also claimed that since the call was made on the landline, hence, they had no way to call back.

Bhattacharya turned down the honour after the announcement. Soon after the announcement, the CPM top leadership in New Delhi contacted Bhattacharya’s family and persuaded to refuse it since the party as per the tradition doesn’t accept such honours. Party’s West Bengal state secretary Suryakanta Mishra did discuss the award with Bhattacharya’s family.

In the 1990s, CPM leader and the first Chief Minister of Kerala E M S Namboodiripad had turned down the then P V Narasimha Rao’s offer to award him Padma Vibhushan.

As far as conferring such civilian awards, the Narendra Modi government has made a marked departure and set a new tradition of honouring people cutting across the ideology and party line. In 2017, the government had conferred Padma Vibhushan on NCP chief Sharad Pawar. In 2019, it awarded Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian honour to former President and lifelong Congressman, Pranab Mukherjee. Even this time, the Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad was awarded the Padma Bhushan.

Another individual to reject the Padma award this year is singer Sandhya Mukherjee. 90 year old singer refused to accept the Padma Shri because she felt it was demeaning for a singer of her stature. She had a career spanning 8 decades and Padma Shri is more fitting for a junior artist, not someone like Mukherjee, who has been earlier awarded Banga Bibhushan award.

FIR filed against Amazon for printing national symbols on products sold on the platform

OpIndia Staff
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FIR filed against Amazon for printing national symbols on products sold on the platform

An FIR has been registered against e-commerce giant Amazon for printing national symbols on various products like shoes, mugs, and T-shirts. Makrand Deuskar, Bhopal Police Commissioner, said notices were being sent to the company over the matter.

The police action was initiated after Dr Narottam Mishra, Cabinet Minister for Home, Jail, Parliamentary Affairs & Law Department in Madhya Pradesh directed the Director-General of Police to file an FIR against the company and its officials. He said, “It has come to my notice that our national flag is used on products being sold by the online e-commerce platform Amazon. It is intolerable that even it (the national flag) has been used on shoes.”

CAIT complain against Amazon

On Tuesday, the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT) wrote to Home Minister Amit Shah to take strict action against the e-commerce website Amazon for allegedly insulting the Indian National Flag. In a letter, they requested HM Shah to “direct the concerned government authorities to take immediate action on this brutal violation of Flag Code of India”.

Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary-General, CAIT wrote in a tweet, “Habitual offender #amazon has once violated the law. #Amazon_Insults_National_Flag. CAIT has urged HM Shri HM Amit Shah to take cognisance & immediate action due to violation of Sec 2.1 (iv) & (v) of Flag code of India.”

Speaking to OpIndia, Khandelwal said, “It is a serious matter. Under the Flag Code of India, no one has the right to print a National Flag on any product that could be disposed of after use. We have urged Home Minister Shah to take cognisance of the matter and take strict action against the company as per law.” He further added this was not the first time Amazon has done something like that. He said, “Around three years ago, Amazon indulged in similar practices. At that time, then-Foreign Minister Late Sushma Swaraj Ji issued a warning to the company after which they removed the products.”

Chhattisgarh Police has also registered an FIR against the e-commerce giant based on the complaint filed by the Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce under the banner of CAIT. Amar Parvani, Chairman of Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce said in his complaint that Amazon has been selling products with National Flag printed on them. Raipur Police may question the officials at Amazon in this context. The FIR has been registered against the company and unknown people. In a tweet, Amar Parvani wrote, “A delegation of Chhattisgarh Chamber of Commerce has filed an FIR against Amazon and its officials at Civil Line Police Station for printing and selling products with National Flag printed on Them. This is an insult to the National Flag of the country.”

Amazon reacts to complaints

Hindustan Times quoted an Amazon spokesperson saying, “Amazon.in is an online marketplace where third-party sellers offer products for sale directly to customers, and as such is responsible for ensuring their products comply will all applicable laws and regulations. Amazon remains committed to taking necessary action against sellers who list any non-compliant products, including the take-down of non-compliant listings and potential removal of their account.”

Netizens outraged overuse of National Symbols on products

On Monday, the hashtag Amazon_Insults_National_Flag trended on social media platform Twitter after netizens discovered products available on Amazon with national symbols printed on them. Gaurav Goel, State Spokesperson, BJP, said, “This is ridiculous. Nobody has a right to disrespect our National Flag.”

Author Dr Edmond Fernandes said, “Amazon India has no business to use the Triranga for selling products. There must be a proper enquiry on this matter at the earliest.”

Twitter user Prajakta said, “It’s not just a flag it is the pride of our country… Amazon… stop insulting Our National Flag..!”

Flag Code of India prohibits printing of National Flag on products

According to the Flag code of India, “The Flag shall not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever, including private funerals.” Further, “The Flag shall not be used as a drapery in any form whatsoever, including private funerals; (v) the Flag shall not be used as a portion of costume or uniform of any description nor shall it be embroidered or printed upon cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins or any dress material.”

Sec 2.1 (iv) & (v) of Flag code of India. source: MHA

Amazon was accused of selling poison and marijuana.

In recent times FIRs have been registered against Amazon for selling marijuana and poison on its platforms. In November 2021, an FIR was registered against the e-commerce giant after a drug racket was unearthed in which the accused used Amazon for delivering drugs in district Bhind, Madhya Pradesh. A few days later, another FIR was registered against Amazon after a youth died of suicide after consuming poison that he had bought from the e-commerce site.

Amid UP Elections, book on Yogi Adityanath reaches America

OpIndia Staff
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Amid UP Elections, book on Yogi Adityanath reaches America

Noted Author, Shantanu Gupta, who has written two bestseller titles on Yogi Adityanath, starts a multi city book tour of United States of America from 21st January from New York and New Jersey this week. During the visit he will attend multiple events organized by Indian diaspora and talk about his two books on UP CM Yogi Adityanath – The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh and The Monk Who Became Chief Minister.

Speaking to OpIndia, Gupta shared the details about his USA book tour. He told us that a spiritual organization Om Kriya Yog and World NRI Association along with many other Indian organizations are organizing the book discussion events in more than a dozen states/cities of Unites States of America – New York, New Jersey, Boston, Washington DC, North Carolina, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego & San Francisco. Shantanu added that he will be attending multiple events for his book in community centers, think tanks, temples, universities, media studios, city libraries and will meet many intellectuals from Indian diaspora in USA during these two weeks.

Shantanu said that in the light of upcoming Uttar Pradesh elections many Non Resident Indians were curious and wanted to know the Uttar Pradesh’s growth story under a monk Chief Minister – Yogi Adityanath and this book tour caters to that. Author further added that we have seen that how Yogi Adityanath has brought Uttar Pradesh from a Bimaru (sick) Pradesh to a state which is 1st in the implementation of 45 central government schemes, which is 2nd in GSDP, 2nd in Ease of Doing Business and many such positive indices.

Shantanu told us that in the month of December, after the release of his book – ‘The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh’, he did two big online launches of his book for the Indian diaspora in Europe and Australia respectively. In the book discussion organized by Overseas friends of BJP for the diaspora in 13 cities of Europe – Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP’s Foreign cell head Vijay Chauthaiwale shared their thoughts along with Author Shantanu. Sudhanshu Trivedi applauded his college junior Shantanu’s work and added that Uttar Pradesh has seen a sea positive change in Yogi Adityanath’s tenure.

After landing at the John F Kennedy airport at New York, Shantanu announced his two weeks long book tour, through this tweet:

Shantanu also tweeted the melodious theme song for the USA tour for his book, sung by famous Haryanvi rapper, MD Desi Rockstar.

Ex-director at Infosys, Mohandas Pai, who has written the foreword for this book on Yogi Adityanath has congratulated Shantanu for his latest book tour of USA. Pai added that “When Yogi Adityanath took over as CM, Lutyens Delhi—the name by which the power structure and supporters of the ancient regime are known—exploded in anger and derision. They questioned his capability to be CM, abused him roundly, and predicted the total failure of his regime. They forget that he was a 5-time MP, a person of great accomplishment as an MP going by his track record in Parliament, had toured most districts of UP and knew the living conditions of the people of UP more than any of his critics.”

“Uttar Pradesh was disparaged as ‘bimaru’ and known for governance based on identity politics rather than all-around development, Sabka Vikas. Shantanu Gupta’s book is an important contribution to how an effective leader, rooted in India’s ancient ethos while looking for apt solutions for contemporary times, can bring real change,” says Sankrant Sanu, founder and CEO of Garuda Prakashan, the publisher of this book.

Mata Rajyalaxmi of Om Kriya Yog said that PM Modi is training new set of next generations leaders under him and Yogi Adityanath is one of them.

Shantanu added that he is amazed to see the curiosity among diaspora to know more about UP’s transformation story under CM Yogi Adityanath. When asked how the NRI community is seeing the duo of PM Modi and CM Yogi, Shantanu replied that he always hears terms like ‘Ram-Laxman ki Jodi’, ‘Ram-Hanuman ki jodi’ and Double Engine ki Sarkar, from the members of the Indian diaspora for the Modi-Yogo duo. He added that UP + Yogi = UPYOGI, the termed coined by PM Narendra Modi for the effective governance by Yogi Adityanath, has become quite popular among the Indian diaspora in USA.

Shantanu thanked World NRI Association, OM Kriya Yog, Vishwa Hindi Parishad America, Hindu Pact, TV Asia, Students at Harvard Kennedy School, Center for Indic Studies at University of Massachusetts, Hindus for America, India Awareness Foundation, US India Friendship Council (USFIC), Foundation for India and Indian Diaspora Studies (FIDS) and all the other organizations who will be hosting multiple events for the book tour in USA in the coming weeks.

Listen in: Original recording of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ from 1942 in the presence of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

OpIndia Staff
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Listen in: Original recording of ‘Jana Gana Mana’ from 1942 in the presence of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose

On September 11, 1942, our National Anthem’ Jana Gana Mana’ was performed for the first time as National Anthem. It was played at the Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg.

Calling it the birth of National Anthem, Author Anuj Dhar, who shared the original recording of the Anthem from 1942, wrote, “Original recording of “Jana Gana Mana” performed by the Radio Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg, Germany, 1942. This was the birth of our National Anthem, thanks to #Netaji.” Anuj Dhar is the author of the book “Subhas Bose’s Life after Death” and have done extensive research on the life of Netaji.

Surya Kumar Bose, the grand nephew of Netaji, who lives in Germany, had also played the original tape in front of several journalists in 2008. He had said, “Not many people know how the national anthem was born.” It is said Netaji initiated the formation of the Indo-German Association that was formed on September 11, 1942, at the Hotel Atlantic in Hamburg. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Mayor of Hamburg, and representatives of the German government, among others, were present at the occasion.

The Radio Symphony Orchestra of Hamburg played the National Anthem’ Jana Gana Mana’ as the anthem of Free-India Centre along with the National Anthem of Germany. Free-India Centre was given proper recognition by countries like Germany and Italy. Free-India Centre was the predecessor of Azad Hind Fauj, set up by Netaji in 1943 in Singapore.

The performance was recorded on tape by NG Ganpulay, a member of the Free-India Centre. The tape was handed over to the All India Radio after Ganpulay’s death. It was broadcast by the All India Radio in a programme called “National Anthem born in Exile” in 1980.

Notably, when India gained independence, it did not have a National Anthem. In January 1950, a record of Jana Gana Mana produced by the Azad Hind Government was carried by a member of the delegation from India that was attending the UN General Assembly in New York City. He handed over the record to the UN Orchestra that played the anthem.

When the delegation returned to India, they informed then-Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehru that ‘Jana Gana Mana’ was highly appreciated at the UN. Later, on January 24, 1950, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted the first stanza of the song Bharoto Bhagyo Bidhata written by Rabindra Nath Tagore as the National Anthem. It is noteworthy, though it was not the National Anthem till January 1950, it was unanimously sung by the members of the Indian Constituent Assembly on the intervening night of August 14 and August 15, 1947, after the first session of the Assembly ended.

Braving snow and cold: Watch ‘Himveers’ from ITBP celebrating 73rd Republic Day with the Tricolor held high

OpIndia Staff
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Braving snow and cold: Watch ‘Himveers’ from ITBP celebrating 73rd Republic Day with the Tricolor held high

Holding the Indian Tricolor with high esteem and pride, the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel braved inhospitable conditions in Ladakh and Uttarakhand to celebrate the 73rd Republic Day. The ITBP soldiers, unfurled the national flag at 15000 feet above the sea level as the temperature recorded minus -40 degrees Celsius in Ladakh.

The ITBP shared the videos of the ‘Himveers’ marching slowly through the fresh snow in Ladakh. “Happy Republic Day from Himveers of ITBP, from Ladakh”, it tweeted.

The force also posted videos of soldiers braving the freezing temperatures not only at Ladakh but also at different heights at peaks of the Himalayas where they are posted to secure the India-China border. One such video appeared from the state of Uttarakhand where the ITBP Himveers were seen skiing on a snow-clad mountain in a formation with the Tricolor, at 11,000 feet in minus 20 degrees Celsius.

On the other hand, the officers of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Chatha of Jammu and Kashmir celebrated the 73rd Republic Day by organizing a cultural event. The soldiers flaunted their love for India via music and dance. “We reiterate our steadfast commitment to serving the nation with courage, valour, and devotion”, CRPF tweeted wishing happiness on Republic Day.

The Border Security Force also celebrated the historic day by exchanging sweets and greetings with Border Guard Bangladesh at ICP Pertrapole and other Border Out Posts. “A joint retreat ceremony was also organized at ICP Petrapole”, the BSF said.

It is worth noting that the daredevil bikers of the ITBP will showcase 10 different types of formation at the Rajpath on the Republic Day Parade.

According to the reports, Lotus Formation, Border Man’s Salute, Fly Riding, Pawan Chakki, Horizontal Bar Exercise, Six-Man Balance, Arrow Position, Jaguar Position, Sentinels of the Himalayas and the theme-based Pyramid on ‘Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav’ on the 75th Anniversary of India’s independence will be showcased as formations on the moving bikes by the force’s ‘Himveers’.

A total of 146 personnel and 33 Bullet Motorcycles of ITBP will participate in the Mission Daredevils. Also, the Republic Day Parades will witness the tanks, Dhanush howitzers, electronic warfare system and six marching contingents of the Indian Army including the Rajput Regiment and Assam Regiment and 17 military bands.

Complaint filed in the case of sexual harassment of Hindu women, whose pics were pornographically morphed for ‘stud Muslim men’

OpIndia Staff
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Complaint filed in the case of sexual harassment of Hindu women, whose pics were pornographically morphed for ‘stud Muslim men’

On January 25, West Bengal resident Ankita, whose photograph was misused on Reddit, had filed a complaint with the cybercrime division in the matter. In her complaint, she said an unknown person sent her a link on Twitter, and when she opened the link, she found her photograph was morphed and used on a Reddit group by user Radha Sheikh (Radha_seikh).

Ankita further added that though the post had been deleted after she shared it on social media to bring it to the attention of people and authorities, she would want to take action against the person who morphed her photograph. She said, “Today, they did this with me tomorrow with some other woman.” She further urged the Police to take action against Reddit and the person who morphed photographs of women.

In the thread, Ankita mentioned she was not the only one, and there were many women whose photographs had been morphed and misused on the internet. While she thanked everyone who poured support for her on social media, Ankita tagged Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Ministry of Communications, Electronics and Information Technology, and said, “Sir, I hope you will read this and amplify. Hundreds of groups are present on many social media platforms, yesterday this happened with me, tomorrow it can happen with another woman, kindly take action against all these groups on social media.”

‘We all are together in this’

Ankita further asked those who were criticising BJP for not supporting its worker. She said, “To the people who are constantly writing that BJP is not taking care of me. I want to tell you that many people are with me, not everything everyone can show, please keep your propaganda away from my name.”

She further added she was overwhelmed with the support she got on social media platforms. She said, “Keep supporting me to fight all the odds. We all are together in this. It’s really sad that Hindu women are being targeted like this every day. I was pained to know that I was not the only one many other girls’ pictures are still present. I will fight for those women and for all the women in this world.”

New IT rules give power to users to get objectionable content removed

Union Minister of State for Electronics and Technology Rajeev Chandrashekhar, while replying to a post by netizen Anshul Saxena urged Ankita to immediately write to Reddit to get the objectionable content removed.

Quoting Rule 3(2)b of the IT Rules, he said, “She has powers to seek removal quoting rule 3(2)b of the new IT Rules. I request Ankita to immediately write to Reddit. The new IT rules make platforms accountable to users.”

Rule 3(2)b of the IT Rules

In 2021, the Government of India issued new Rules under which the intermediary has to act on the complaint filed in relation to any objectionable content. Rule 3(2)B reads, “The intermediary shall, within twenty-four hours from the receipt of a complaint made by an individual or any person on his behalf under this sub-rule, in relation to any content which is prima facie in the nature of any material which exposes the private area of such individual, shows such individual in full or partial nudity or shows or depicts such individual in any sexual act or conduct, or is in the nature of impersonation in an electronic form, including artificially morphed images of such individual, take all reasonable and practicable measures to remove or disable access to such content which is hosted, stored, published or transmitted by it.”

Rape fantasies, sexual objectification and harassment of Hindu women on social media platforms

In a new form of communal hatred, social media is being used to sexually objectify and harass Hindu women, but it is not being reported properly. There are tons of images of women who are portrayed as Hindu with bindi, mangal sutra, sindoor and saree and posted with comments like how they are ‘waiting’ for a ‘Muslim d*ck’ as only he could ‘satisfy’ her. The sexually explicit images are often morphed to show the woman in a derogatory way, and sometimes even threatening way. The sexually explicit images are posted with hashtags such as ‘HSlut4MStud’ (Hindu sl*t for Muslim stud).

Due to the hate and propaganda against ‘Sanghis’, a term used for those who disagree with self-proclaimed liberals and Congress fans, it does not come as a surprise that people fantasising of rape of Hindu women, specifically by Muslim men, are either ignored or shielded by the so-called liberals who dismiss the very idea of Hindus being victims because ‘how can a religious majority in India be a victim’.

‘What’s the harm in learning Hindi as the third language?’ Madras High Court asks Tamil Nadu Government

OpIndia Staff
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‘What’s the harm in learning Hindi as the third language?’ Madras High Court asks Tamil Nadu Government

In a petition for the adoption of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 in the state of Tamil Nadu, the Madras High Court has stated that teaching Hindi as a third language alongside Tamil and English in educational institutions would not do any harm.

Acting Chief Justice (ACJ) Munishwar Nath Bhandari heading the first bench of the court on Tuesday inquired from the state government as to why Hindi can’t be taught as the third language in Tamil Nadu and what harm it would do.

The bench was hearing Arjunan Elayaraja’s public interest lawsuit, in which he sought directives for the implementation of the NEP, 2020, in educational institutions across Tamil Nadu. Elayaraja had argued that in view of the NEP 2020, the state cannot opt-out of supporting Hindi and Sanskrit in the state.

It may be recalled that in 2019, the DMK and other parties in Tamil Nadu had strongly opposed the three-language formula in the draft National Education Policy alleging that it was tantamount to thrusting Hindi language on the non-Hindi speaking states. In 2020, the then Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami had rejected the three-language policy proposed by the Union government in the National Education Policy (NEP) and said the state will not deviate from its two-language policy, being followed for decades.

The bench stated that the state had the authority to make such decisions. The court did note, however, that people from Tamil Nadu will be at a disadvantage if they travel outside the state without understanding Hindi.

‘Not knowing Hindi might be a barrier in getting jobs’, says Madras HC batting for Hindi being taught as third language in Tamil Nadu

Citing examples of people being rejected jobs because they didn’t know Hindi, Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari said that this shouldn’t be a barrier for Tamil Nadu residents.

“For taking a job in the state of Tamil Nadu, there is no difficulty but outside the state there would be difficulty,” he noted.

Responding to the observation made by the Judge, Advocate General (AG) R Shunmugasundaram said, “The Tamil Nadu government follows two language policy and not three language policy as it would be overburdening the students.” Moreover, no one is stopped from learning Hindi in Tamil Nadu. “There are institutions like the Hindi Prachar Sabha where one can learn Hindi,” he added.

The two-judge bench of Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice P D Audikesavalu reacted by saying: “Learning is different from teaching.”

“If you give the option of three languages to the students, only then will they be in a position to opt for one or two or three. If everybody is opting for Tamil, (it is) fine. There is no difficulty. But they should be having the option to go for English or Hindi or any other language they require,” Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari stated.

When the AG said the state is following two language policy and not a three-language policy, ACJ questioned, “What is the harm if you follow the three-language policy (with Hindi).”

The bench granted Arjunan Elayaraja of Cuddalore’s petition four weeks to file the counter-affidavit, notwithstanding the AG’s request for eight weeks.

Home Minister Amit Shah slams those indulging in language politics

It may be recalled how in 2019, HM Amit Shah, on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, had appealed to the citizens to increase the use of Hindi. Speaking at a function to commemorate Hindi Diwas, Shah hailed the diversity of languages and dialects in the country that he stressed was the “strength of our nation”.

His statement was, however, distorted and used to stir controversy. Immediately media was abuzz with reports that Amit Shah was seeking a common language for the country and had proposed Hindi’s name. This got the ball rolling and raised the hackles of political leaders in some non-Hindi speaking States, especially in South India.

This supposed proposal was criticised by South India’s actor turned politicians like Kamal Hassan and Rajinikanth who claimed that a common language cannot be implemented in India.

He had then cleared the controversy fomented by the opposition over his remarks on the Hindi language. Slamming those indulging in language politics Shah said he has never asked for imposition of Hindi anywhere in the country but advocated its use as the second language after one’s mother tongue.

Kerala lynching case: Court questions repeated absence of the special public prosecutor representing the dead tribal man

OpIndia Staff
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Kerala lynching case: Court questions repeated absence of the special public prosecutor representing the dead tribal man

The Mannarkkad SC / ST Special Court on Tuesday has questioned the repeated absence of the special public prosecutor representing the dead tribal man Madhu. A 27-year-old tribal man from Palakkad was lynched by a mob in 2018 over suspicion of theft of food.

The Special Public Prosecutor for the dead tribal man Madhu was absent today when the case was being heard before the special court. Earlier on November 15 last year, the court had postponed the hearing to January 25 since the prosecutor was not present on that day as well.

The court has again adjourned the case further until February 26, 2022. Earlier V. T. Raghunath was appointed as the prosecutor for the deceased in August 2019. However, he has never appeared in court to this day. Before the trial was supposed to start on January 25, the news of Raghunath resigning from his post stating medical reasons came.

The absence of prosecutors has delayed the trial for the case due to varied reasons. For an incident that took place in February 2018, even finding a fitting prosecutor for the victim has not come easy. Madhu’s family has now alleged that the trial is being delayed intentionally. Madhu’s mother, Malli awaits justice for her son, while she says, “It has been four years since my son was lynched. We don’t know why the trial has not started. We just want justice.” Malli while speaking to the media about having no idea from whom to demand justice for her son, further said, “They (the police) cite different reasons, which I do not understand. We have no money and influence. All the accused men have been walking freely all these years.”

The Special Investigation Team formed after the incident has drafted a 3,500-page charge sheet in May 2018 while naming a total of 16 persons accused. While the accused have been charged with murder and offences under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989, all of them are currently out on bail. Critics are also questioning the CPI(M) govt.’s delay in appointing a permanent public prosecutor to represent Madhu before the court. The Government is also accused of wielding political influence in the case as, Shamsuddin, one of the accused was elected as the CPI(M) branch secretary in September 2021. However, the decision was revoked after much opposition.

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