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ISIS magazine calls for destroying Idols in India, cover shows ‘beheaded’ Shiva idol of Murdeshwara in Karnataka

OpIndia Staff
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ISIS magazine calls for destroying Idols in India, cover shows ‘beheaded’ Shiva idol of Murdeshwara in Karnataka

ISIS-backed magazine Voice of Hind has released a new issue with a cover of a computer-generated broken idol of Bhagwan Shiv. Under the idol, the cover says, “It’s time to break false Gods”. Apart from a distorted image of the idol, an ISIS flag was also placed hovering at the apex. The cover has been making rounds on social media platforms raising concerns among the netizens. The idol in the image resembles Bhagwan Shiva’s idol installed in the Shiva temple in Murudeshwara, Karnataka.

BJP MLA Dinakar Keshav Shetty from Kumata, Karnataka, took notice of the image. He shared the image on his Facebook account and urged the government to take appropriate action. In his post in Kannada, Shetty wrote, “It has come to my notice through social media that a magazine ‘Voice of Hind’ of the terrorist organization ISIS has announced to destroy the Shiva statue of Murdeshwara temple. The protection and development of Hindu temples are among the main principles of our party. Our defence department is strong and empowered to act against such threats. The information has already been forwarded to the Home Minister through phone, and additional security will be provided at the Murdeshwara temple soon.”

Voice of Hind and Indian government’s action against the magazine

In February 2020, Al-Qitaal Media Center, a pro-ISIS media outlet and Junudul Khilafah al-Hind launched ‘Voice of Hind’ magazine. According to a report from September 2021 in The Print, National Investigation Agency (NIA) said that the propaganda magazine was being made in a ‘call centre type setup’ in Pakistan and Bangladesh. Qualified graduates and translators work on putting this magazine together.

Initially, it was believed that the magazine originated from Afghanistan, but later with the help of technical experts, they established a link to South Kashmir. The magazine gets edited in Pakistan, and content creators were hired from Maldives and Bangladesh, the report added.

In July 2021, NIA arrested three men from Anantnag, identified as Umar Nisar, Tanveer Ahmad Bhat and Rameez Ahmad Lone, who were accused of collecting and disseminating propaganda content among youth. VOH was being circulated through a complex network consisting of fake online entities and hiding the real identities through VPN. Investigations established links between Indian mobile numbers and those online fake accounts. NIA said that it seized a large number of digital devices such as mobile phones, hard disks, SD cards etc., used in the running of the magazine.

In August 2021, NIA had arrested a key Islamic state operative identified as Jufri Jawhar Damudi alias Abu Hajir Al Badri from Bhatkal, Karnataka. Another operative identified as Ameen Zuhaib was also arrested. These arrests were made in connection to the agency’s probe into VOH magazine.

In October 2021, NIA conducted several raids in Kashmir in connection to the publication of the ISIS propaganda magazine. 

‘Followers of Chacha Jaan and Abba Jaan beware, UP govt knows how to handle miscreants’: CM Yogi warns Owaisi

OpIndia Staff
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‘Followers of Chacha Jaan and Abba Jaan beware, UP govt knows how to handle miscreants’: CM Yogi warns Owaisi

On November 23, Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath warned Asaduddin Owaisi, president, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), without taking his name and asked him not to provoke the people of Uttar Pradesh in the name of the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA).

CM Yogi said, “I want to warn that person who is provoking people in the name of Citizen Amendment Act. I want to warn the followers of Chacha Jaan and Abba Jaan to listen carefully. If you try to spoil the atmosphere by inciting the feelings of the people of Uttar Pradesh, the state government knows how to deal strictly with you.”

He further said that Owaisi is provoking the people of Uttar Pradesh at the behest of the Samajwadi Party. “Everyone knows Owaisi is trying to incite people on the behest of Samajwadi Party in the state. However, Uttar Pradesh has moved ahead in a way that it is known as the riot-free state.” CM Yogi was addressing a rally in Kanpur.

What did Owaisi say?

Since Prime Minister Narendra Modi repealed the three Agriculture Laws, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has been trying to incite his followers to organize protests to have the CAA repealed. During his campaign at Barabanki, Uttar Pradesh, he said, “If the government forms laws for NPR and NRC, we will come again on the roads and create Shaheen Bagh right here. I will come here myself. Repeal CAA as well.”

While talking to Zee News, Owaisi said, “We are demanding that CAA should be repealed. By forming a law keeping the religion of people in mind, the Modi government has violated Article 21 of the Constitution. The law must be repealed else Muslims would come again on the roads.”

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Elections

The Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled for early 2022. All political parties have started their campaigns in the state. As it has the largest population in the country, UP elections often tell the mood of the voters towards the political parties for the national elections as well. This year, AIMIM is also contesting the elections in UP and expecting Muslim voters would prefer them over traditional parties like Congress and SP.

India vs New Zealand: KL Rahul ruled out of Test series due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav added to the squad as a replacement

OpIndia Staff
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India vs New Zealand: KL Rahul ruled out of Test series due to injury, Suryakumar Yadav added to the squad as a replacement

In a major setback for team India, star batsman KL Rahul has been ruled out of the two-match test series against New Zealand starting in Kanpur on 25 November, the BCCI announced on Tuesday. According to the reports, the prolific run-scorer will not be taking part in the series, which is a part of the WTC 2021-23 due to an injury. Rahul has sustained a muscle strain on his left thigh and has been declared as unfit for the test series against the Kiwis.

“KL Rahul has sustained a muscle strain on his left thigh and has been ruled out of the upcoming two- match series against New Zealand. He will now undergo rehabilitation at NCA in preparation for the series against South Africa scheduled next month,” a statement released by BCCI secretary Jay Shah said.

This is a massive blow to the Indian side as it is already without Rohit Sharma, who is being rested for the series. Besides, another batting phenom Virat Kohli will join the squad and captain the team only in the second test match. The first test match at Kanpur will be captained by Ajinkya Rahane, and it will be the first test match India is going to play after former Indian batting legend Rahul Dravid became the coach of the Indian cricket team after its disastrous outing at the T20I world cup earlier this month.

Versatile batsman Suryakumar Yadav has been added as a replacement to the Test side ahead of the series opener. Yadav, who featured in the recently concluded T20I series between India and New Zealand was also added to the Test squad of the Indian team during their tour of England. 

According to reports, Shubman Gill was seen opening the batting along with Mayank Agarwal during the team’s net session as Cheteshwar Pujara, the vice captain for the series-opener, also batted. It is learned from the sources that in absence of India’s batting trio—Rohit, Rahul and Virat, one among Shreyas Iyer or Suryakumar Yadav will make his test debut and bat in the middle order in the first test match against the New Zealand in Kanpur.

India’s Test squad include Ajinkya Rahane (Captain for first Test), Virat Kohli (will join squad for second Test and lead), Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara (vice-captain), Shubman Gill, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav, Wriddhiman Saha (wicket-keeper), KS Bharat (wicket-keeper), Ravindra Jadeja, R. Ashwin, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Md. Siraj, Prasidh Krishna.

‘Was groomed by older men online before I left to join ISIS’: Shamima Begum claims she does not hate Britain

OpIndia Staff
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‘Was groomed by older men online before I left to join ISIS’: Shamima Begum claims she does not hate Britain

ISIS bride Shamima Begum had claimed that she was groomed by older men and ‘friends’ online before she left Britain to join ISIS. Begum, the Bethnal Green schoolgirl, was only 15-year-old when she fled to Syria and joined the terrorist group ISIS. In an interview with Sky News, she added that she does not hate her country of origin, i.e. Britain. She claimed to have hated her life and felt very ‘constricted’ while living in Britain.

Donning a pink sweatshirt, black baseball cap and a mask at the prison camp in Syria, Begum no longer wears the black Islamic State dress. She rejected the allegations that she carried out atrocities while being part of the IS. Begum claimed when she left London at the age of 15, she was shown dreams of a paradise but what she really found was “hell, hell on Earth”.

Begum claimed that the only crime she did in her life was to travel to Syria on her own. “I’m willing to fight them in a court of law, but I’m not being given a chance.” In the interview, she said she would want to fight her case in Britain, but she might go to prison.

Begum claimed she was groomed by older men

Begum claimed during the interview that she was groomed by friends and older men online, maybe for months. She said, “(I was) groomed for weeks and weeks and maybe even months and months. It wasn’t just a decision I made very quickly, it was a decision I thought about for a while”. She added that she did not hate Britain but her life. She said, “I didn’t hate Britain, I hated my life really. I felt very constricted, and I felt I couldn’t live the life that I wanted in the UK as a British woman.”

Begum said she was scared of living in the camp. She said, “For a long time, it wasn’t violent, but for some reason, it’s become scarier to live here. Maybe the women have got tired of waiting for something.” She told the Sky reporter that her ‘high profile’ might put a target on her back as the other inmates would want to hurt her to make a name for themselves.

‘I failed my family’

When asked about the family, she said she misses them. “I don’t think they failed me, in a way, I failed them. When the time is right, I want to reconcile.” Begum currently do not have any contact with her family. While talking about her future, she said, “It’s hard to think about a future when everyone tells you that you’re not going to go back.” Notable, in an interview, she gave in September, she had held her mother and her ‘lack of love’ responsible for her decision to join the terror group ISIS.

Shamima’s husband, Tago Riedijk, is of Dutch origin. He fought for Islamic State. In a recent interview, he hoped that ISIS would rise again and he would start a family again with Begum. They got married shortly after Begum arrived in Syria. The couple had three children who all died. She also had two miscarriages. While her husband is looking forward to a possible life with Begum, she claims she neither misses him nor sympathises with him.

‘I am not suicidal’

A Dutch prisoner told Sky that Begum would often hide in her tent for weeks. Begum, when asked, did not give any reasons for that but said she was not suicidal. She has a group of women who support her at the camp and often stay together. UK authorities had revoked her citizenship. While Shamima is of Bangladeshi origin, the Bangladesh govt has clarified that she is not their problem.

Begum claimed to have no plan B if the UK refused to reinstate her citizenship. When asked if any British authorities visited her in prison, she denied it. She blamed the past interviews and reporting of her case for the current state of limbo that got created around her.

She was declared a threat to national security by the British government, and the Supreme Court had upheld the decision. Her citizenship was revoked in 2019.

Shamima had offered UK her support to fight terrorism

Shamima has been giving interviews frequently. In September 2021, in an interview with Good Morning Britain, she alleged she did not join ISIS to be violent. Begum claimed that now she understands that there is no justification for killing people in the name of God. “I apologize. I am sorry”. Her remarks came after the anchors asked her about the remarks she had made about the Manchester bombing that left over 20 people dead, including an 8-year-old child. At that time, Begum had said that the attack on Manchester was justified because “ISIS is being attacked by other parties”. In that interview, too, she had claimed she was groomed.

Begum also offered to help the authorities to “fight terrorism in Britain”. She had appealed to Prime Minister Boris Johnson to re-enter the UK and stand trial. She also offered to help fight extremism and terrorism in the country. The two girls who went with her were Kadiza Sultana and Amira Abase. While Sultana died in a bomb attack, Amira is also believed to be dead, but there are speculations that she might be alive.

Chinese state media’s top employee tries to troll India for honouring Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman for Balakot Air Strikes

OpIndia Staff
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Chinese state media’s top employee tries to troll India for honouring Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman for Balakot Air Strikes

Chinese state affiliated mediaperson Shen Shiwei today took to Twitter to mock Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman for getting the Vir Chakra by President of India for his heroics during the February 2019 Balakot Air Strikes as Wing Commander.

Shen Shiwei mocking Abhinandan Varthaman

Sharing an image of the then Wing Commander Abhinandan Varthaman in captivity of Pakistani soldiers, who had seemingly assaulted him, Shiwei mocked him for the torture he had to undergo while in Pakistan army captivity. Abhinandan won the Vir Chakra for showing exemplary courage during the Balakot air strikes that were launched to destroy terrorist launchpad after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019. He shot down a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during an aerial combat on February 27, 2019, days after the Pulwama terror attack.

On 26th February 2019, India retaliated with an air strike at terror camps in Balakot. A day later, Pakistan sent its jets which Wing Commander Varthaman shot down. In the process, he flew his MiG 21 over to Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir. He was then captured by Pakistani forces. Later, a heavily edited video of him was released by Pakistan where he was shown having tea and ‘complimenting’ the tea served to him. After that, Pakistanis have regularly used the ‘tea’ jibe to mock India.

Pakistanis and anti-India people spreading propaganda against Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman

A day after IAF Group Captain Abhinandan Varthaman was awarded the Vir Chakra award, ‘journalist’ Michael Kugelman took to Twitter to cast aspersions about India’s success in shooting down a Pakistani F-16 jet. Kungelman alleged that Abhinandan shooting down Pakistani F-16 was not true. He is a writer with of the weekly ‘South Asia Brief’ on Foreign Policy portal. Foreign Policy was at the forefront of spreading misinformation that the US officials ‘counted’ the F-16s they had given to Pakistan and none of them were missing and hence Abhinandan did not shoot down any aircraft.

However, soon after the claim was debunked by Pentagon. The US Defence Department also distanced itself from the claims made by Foreign Policy. It said, “As a matter of policy, the Department does not publicly comment on details of government-to-government agreements on end-use monitoring of US-origin defence articles…It is important to note that since January 2018, the United States government has suspended security assistance to Pakistan.”

However, despite that, many Pakistanis and such people with seemingly vested interest have been continuing to spread the propaganda against India. Now, Chinese state media, too, joined the Pakistanis, to mock India. Not surprising, since tremendous funding being pushed into Pakistan by China, Pakistan is quite on its way to become a rental state of expansionist China. And makes tactical sense of Chinese state media to keep humouring Pakistanis.

Odisha: Groom absconds on wedding day, bride stages Dharna outside his house, threatens suicide

OpIndia Staff
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Odisha: Groom absconds on wedding day, bride stages Dharna outside his house, threatens suicide

In Odisha’s Berhampur city, a family drama has unfolded in strange ways. A bride who was ditched by the groom on her wedding day has sat in protest outside the groom’s house, threatening that if her husband doesn’t take her to his home, she will commit suicide.

As per reports, a man named Sumit Sahu was scheduled to marry a woman named Dimple Dash as per traditional Hindu customs on Monday, November 22, at Berhampur’s Brahmanagar area. However, for some reason, Sahu did not turn up at the venue. Enraged by the betrayal, the bride has been staging a dharna outside the groom’s house.

Couple already legally married, traditional wedding was to happen

It is notable here that Sumit and Dimple are reportedly already married legally and their marriage has been registered. However, they were supposed to get married as per Hindu customs on Monday when Sumit dramatically absconded. Reports say that there has been some dispute between the couple and the families and local marriage counsellors have been involved too.

Dimple has stated that the groom’s family has bribed the counsellors as they did not want Sumit to go ahead with the wedding. Threatening to commit suicide, she has been camping outside the groom’s house.

Dimple has stated that she and her husband have been married legally for over a year, and had been in a relationship for three years. She has added that she has all the documentary proof of her marriage and it is Sumit’s family that is preventing them from being together saying that he is a doctor and he should stay away from the wedding.

As per reports, Sumit and Dimple’s marriage was registered under the Special Marriage Act (1954), on September 7, 2020.

The police stated that the couple had a marital discord going on and there is a case registered under 498A regarding the issue. The groom’s family has also filed a case and both matters are currently sub judice. Police clarified that there is nothing much they can do in the case since the matter is already sub judice. “We have to act as per court order,” said Berhampur SP.

Kevin Spacey to pay ‘House of Cards’ studio over 30 million dollars after breach of contract due to sexual harassment allegations

Kabir Kashyap
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Kevin Spacey to pay ‘House of Cards’ studio over 30 million dollars after breach of contract due to sexual harassment allegations

US Actor of the hit Netflix show House of Cards, Kevin Spacey, has been ordered to pay $31m (£23.2m) to the owners of the studio following breach of contract after several allegations of sexual abuse were levelled against the actor. The order was made public on Monday after a court petition was filed for the same by MRC studio.

A document from the Los Angeles court submitted for the Judge’s approval said the actor had violated terms of his contract by involving in “certain conduct in connection with several crew members in each of the five seasons that he starred in and executive produced House of Cards”. The court’s ruling was made last year.

Kevin Spacey had faced a series of allegations after 2017. He was one of the first actors in Hollywood to be publicly accused of misconduct during the Harvey Weinstein Scandal and the #MeToo movement. The actor was removed from the Netflix show amidst allegations while Netflix and MRC had to rewrite the Show script, halt the production of the sixth season and then shorten the season to 8 episodes from the previous 13 episodes.

MRC said in its statement, “The safety of our employees, sets and work environments is of paramount importance to MRC and why we set out to push for accountability.” The studio had said that it had lost millions of dollars because of the actor’s misconduct and breach of the contract as the final show was already under development.

Plaintiff attorney Michael Kump noted, “MRC stood its ground, pursued this case doggedly, and obtained the right result in the end.” 

Notably, Kevin Spacey was accused of making sexual advances towards actor Anthony Rapp in 1986 when Mr Rapp was 14. Spacey said in his statement that he did not remember anything about the incident but apologized. Independent investigations revealed several cases of harassment of people working under him. Spacey had lost many of his acting roles and projects after the allegations including the popular Netflix show House of Cards where he played the role of Frank Underwood, a congressman who wanted to become President.

Delhi: How Hindus in Kalindi Kunj are harassed by their Muslim neighbours, threatened with dire consequences for performing Hindu rituals

राहुल पाण्डेय
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Delhi: How Hindus in Kalindi Kunj are harassed by their Muslim neighbours, threatened with dire consequences for performing Hindu rituals

On October 19, one Muslim youth named Danish and his friends had stormed into a Hindu family’s home in Madanpur Khadar in Kalindi Kunj in Delhi and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not stop performing pooja. According to the complaint filed by Shanti Pathak, her daughter Natasha was doing the aarti when Danish and his associates barged into their house and threatened to kill the entire family and break the idol kept in the house if they dared to blow the conch and ring the bell.

It was reported that despite the fact that Shanti Pathak filed a complaint with the Kalindi Kunj police, the latter did not file an FIR in the case.

Hindu victim family completely satisfied with Delhi police’s action

OpIndia got in touch with Roshan Pathak, Shanti Pathak’s husband, to learn more about the matter. He claimed that both Danish and he were summoned to the police station following the event.

He added that Danish had been warned by the police not to repeat the incident. With this, both parties signed a consent document, which was deposited in the office of then-ACP Bijender Singh. As a result, FIR was not registered. The Pathak family, however, was not given a copy of the consent document.

When asked how the Delhi Police handled his case, Roshan stated that he was completely satisfied with their actions. His family was content with the actions of ACP Bijender Singh and SHO Inspector Bhushan Kumar. He stated that his family is not under any fear or pressure at the moment.

He claims that the police respond quickly to their calls and offer all sorts of assistance and support. Roshan stated that since the police intervened, they are being able to worship freely and neither Danish nor anybody else in the colony has tried to bully them.

According to Roshan Pathak, Hindu organizations like Bajrang Dal had provided complete assistance and support to his family at the time of duress.

Natasha Pathak, Roshan Pathak’s daughter, told us that the police had also given her the numbers of their officers in case of any need. She too confirmed that Danish did not dare to create any ruckus after the October 19th incident.

They who threaten us against blowing conch themselves play loudspeakers in full volume: Delhi victim reveals

Natasha, however, bemoaned the growing presence of Muslims in her neighbourhood, recalling how, 4-5 days ago, a resident named Mohammad Shafi and his wife Gulab Jahan began playing the loudspeaker in full volume in their locality. She said that they were requested to turn down the volume but to no avail. The resident gave a written complaint to the Kalindi Kunj police in Delhi. Only when the SHO arrived in their locality, did the Muslim family stop playing the loudspeaker, said Natasha.

Speaking to OpIndia, Bhushan, the SHO of the Kalindi Kunj police station, stated that the victim family’s concerns have been settled and law and order have been restored in the locality. He said that since the issue was resolved amicably by both parties, the police did not find the need to register an FIR in the case.

Roshan Pathak, a native of Siliguri, West Bengal, has been living in Madanpur Khadar for over two decades. He has one daughter and two sons. Roshan drives an electric rickshaw for a living.

Muslims getting freehand due to political leaders like AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan

According to Roshan Pathak, there were once very few Muslims in his neighbourhood, but now they are the majority. Due to incidents like the one that transpired with his family, many Hindu families have migrated from the locality and settled elsewhere. He, however, said that his family would not flee.

Roshan said that people like Danish have been emboldened to terrorize and harass Hindus in the area with the assistance of their families and encouragement from political leaders like the Aam Aadmi Party MLA Amanatullah Khan.

It may be noted that after the incident Shanti Pathak had revealed that this wasn’t the first time Danish and his associates had threatened them. She said that his threats and menacing had grown more brazen and serious with time.

She has rued that earlier they were able to perform pooja in the house, but since the number of Muslims in the area started increasing, they started posing threats to her family. In her complaint filed in the Kalindi Kunj police station, Shanti had written: “These people have fought with us two-three times in the past too. They have also threatened to kill my elder son.”

She had revealed how Danish had not only threatened to kill the entire family but had also warned of breaking the idol kept in the house if they dared to blow the conch and ring the bell. She also said that on the day of the incident, Danish had gathered many Muslims from the locality in order to intimidate her family.

Danish, on the other hand, told the police that his sleep use to get interrupted due to the sound of the conch and bells coming from Roshan and Shanti Pathak’s home, prompting him to do what he did.

Uttar Pradesh to become only state in India with five international airports after PM Modi lays foundation stone of the Noida International Airport

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh to become only state in India with five international airports after PM Modi lays foundation stone of the Noida International Airport

After recently inaugurating the 340.82-km-long Purvanchal Expressway in Uttar Pradesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be laying the foundation stone of the Noida International Airport (NIA) in Jewar, Gautam Buddha Nagar, Uttar Pradesh on Thursday, 25 November 2021, making Uttar Pradesh the only state in India to have five international airports. 

A statement released by the Uttar Pradesh state administration said on Monday: “With the groundbreaking and foundation laying ceremony of the Noida International Airport scheduled on November 25, the state is now on its way to have five international airports – the highest for any state in India,” the BJP-led state government said in a statement. “The Prime Minister’s Gati Shakti National Master Plan has infused a sense of urgency into the plans for infrastructure development in the state,” the statement said. 

On October 20, Prime Minister Modi had inaugurated the Kushinagar Airport in Uttar Pradesh, the state’s third international airport. Besides, the state has two operational international airports in Lucknow and Varanasi. With the Ayodhya Airport scheduled to open in 2022 and the Noida Airport in 2024, Uttar Pradesh will become the only state in India with five international airports.

Uttar Pradesh currently has eight operational airports, while another 13 airports and seven airstrips are in the works.

Noida International Airport (NIA) will make Uttar Pradesh the only state to house 5 international airports

Projected as India’s largest airport after its completion, NIA (Noida International Airport) is located about 72 kilometres from the existing IGI airport in New Delhi, 40 km from Noida and about 40 km from the multi-modal logistics hub at Dadri. 

The airport will be built and operated by the Switzerland-based Zurich Airport International AG.

Source: India TV

According to reports, the work on the first phase of the Noida airport is expected to be completed by 2024 at a cost of around Rs 10,050 crore. The finished first phase of the airport, which spans over 1300 hectares of land, will be able to service roughly 1.2 million passengers per year.

The airport will increase in each phase to service 70 million passengers by the end of phase 4, depending on passenger growth and traffic. Besides that, the complex will include an airport hotel, a VVIP terminal, an open-access fuel farm, airport rescue and firefighting structure, and a large rain harvesting pond.

The Jewar airport is projected to come up as a big civil aviation hub with four helipads and five runways.

The NIA will have multi-modal connectivity as it is close to the existing Yamuna Expressway (Greater Noida to Agra), close to Eastern Peripheral Expressway and it will have a link with Delhi-Mumbai Expressway at Ballabhgarh, Khurja-Jewar NH 91, link to dedicated freight corridor, Metro Extension from Noida to NIA and link with the proposed High-Speed Rail (Delhi-Varanasi) at the airport terminal.

This airport will be India’s first net-zero emissions airport. It has set aside space to be created as a forest park with trees harvested from the project site. NIA will protect all native species and be environmentally conscious throughout the airport’s construction.

The airport will be the logistics gateway of northern India. Due to its scale and capacity, the airport will be a game-changer for Uttar Pradesh.

For the first time, an airport in India is being conceptualised with an integrated multi-modal cargo hub, with a focus on reducing total cost and time for logistics.

Central Vista project: Supreme Court rejects plea which sought to stall construction of new residences for PM, VP

OpIndia Staff
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Central Vista project: Supreme Court rejects plea which sought to stall construction of new residences for PM, VP

On Monday (November 22), the Supreme Court of India rejected a petition that sought to challenge the change in land use on a plot in the Central Vista area.

The petitioner named Rajeev Suri had alleged that the said plot of land was a recreational area, which is to be used for constructing the new residences of the Prime Minister and Vice-President as part of the Central Vista Project. He claimed that the change in land use, as directed by the Union of India, violated Article 21 (Protection of life and personal liberty). Suri added that the notification denied recreational opportunities to children and Delhi residents to access green and open spaces in the Central Vista area.

“Respondent No. 1 (Union of India) malafidely issued Notification S.O. 3848 (E) dated 28.10.2020 notifying the change in land use, which will deprive residents of Delhi and citizens of India a vast chunk of highly treasured open and green space in the Central Vista area available for social and recreational activity, stands against Article 21, Right to Life the right to enjoyment of a wholesome life,” the petition read.

Rajeev Suri also claimed, “The Central Vista is the most cherished open space in New Delhi and perhaps India, a symbol of their nationhood, and the publicness of this cherished open spaces land is being compromised which is a great betrayal of the Public Trust Doctrine.” He had originally filed the petition, seeking quashing of notification allowing change in land use, in March last year. It was rejected by the court on August 28, 2020.

Supreme Court rejects plea with 2:1 majority vote

However, the apex Court had asked the petitioner to approach it when a final decision on the matter would be taken. The fresh petition was heard by a 3-Judge Bench, comprising of Justices AM Khanwilkar, Dinesh Maheshwari and CT Ravikumar. The Court stated, “Petitioner has not argued that change in land use is in a malafide manner. It is the argument of the petitioner that since in the past it was a recreational area it should have been retained like that. This cannot be the scope of judicial review. It is for the authority concerned and is a matter of public policy.”

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