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Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference demand reversal of abrogation of Article 370 after PM Modi announced repeal of farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference demand reversal of abrogation of Article 370 after PM Modi announced repeal of farm laws

As was expected, the withdrawal of the three farm laws has thrown open a pandora’s box, with PDP president Mehbooba Mufti and National Conference (NC) Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi demanding the Prime Minister of revoking all decisions taken on August 5, 2019, concerning Jammu and Kashmir, just like he announced the revocation of three farm laws on Friday.

Mufti called the decision to repeal farm laws an apology and “a welcome step”. She even posted a tweet, demanding that the central government rolls back the decisions made on August 5, 2019, with respect to Jammu and Kashmir, just like the farm laws were taken back.

She tweeted, “Even though it stems from electoral compulsions and fear of drubbing in elections. Ironical that while BJP needs to please people in rest of India for votes, punishing and humiliating Kashmiris satisfies their major vote bank.”

“Desecrating the Indian constitution to dismember and disempower J&K was done only to please their voters. I hope they course correct here too and reverse the illegal changes made in J&K since August 2019,” she tweeted in a subsequent tweet.

Likewise, Mr Masoodi of the National Conference, too, urged PM Modi to introspect the case of the 2019 decisions, through which Jammu and Kashmir were stripped of their separate status. Dissing the momentous decision of the abrogation of Article 370, Masoodi rued that the state was “unilaterally, unconstitutionally and unethically denuded of its special status, dismembered and downgraded to Union Territory”. He termed the Prime Minister’s move on farm laws “a clear shift from politics of arrogance to one of introspection and reappraisal”.

‘Repeal of three laws reflects a realisation on the part of PM Modi and the Centre’: Masoodi

Masoodi further added that the decision to revoke farm laws depicts a realisation on PM Modi and the Centre’s part that instead of ramrodding important legislations on the strength of the majority, they should be placed in the public domain for wider discussions and deliberations at the pre-legislation stage.

“The fresh decision teaches us that there is nothing like ‘hands of a clock cannot be moved back’. The August 5, 2019 decisions, like farm laws, have resulted in death and destruction, uncertainty, and large-scale discontent. The decisions, as admitted by the Prime Minister, have widened the gulf between the people of Jammu, Kashmir, Ladakh and the rest of the country. It also has caused a huge drain on precious and scarce resources of the country that rightfully belong to the millions of underprivileged and disempowered countrymen,” he said.

The National Conference leader also exhorted the Centre to facilitate an internal dialogue amongst the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. “The political parties and the civil society groups at the national level should support just cause and political aspirations of the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh like they extended unwavering support to the farmers’ struggle,” he added.

PM Modi announces withdrawal of three farm laws

PM Modi, addressing the nation said on November 19, that by the end of this month, the Modi government would complete the process of repealing the three farm laws. He then appealed to the protesting farmers and middlemen to return to their homes on this Gurupurab and stop their protest. He further said that the government will form a committee to formulate laws for the benefit of the farmers. 

He further said that the government had introduced the laws after due deliberation but perhaps it was the shortcoming of the government that they could not convince all farmers that the laws were indeed in their benefit. Further, he said that the past governments had deliberated on these laws as well but it was the Modi government that had implemented them. 

He said that all his decisions were in the interest of the nation and he will continue to work for the benefit of the nation.

‘Don’t come next time to offer namaz on our ground’: Khansda villagers caution Muslims, public namaz row brews in another sector of Gurugram

OpIndia Staff
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‘Don’t come next time to offer namaz on our ground’: Khansda villagers caution Muslims, public namaz row brews in another sector of Gurugram

The popular movement against namaz at public places at Gurugram in Haryana is leaping from one destination to another as in Sector 37 local residents protested after a large number of Muslims turned at a public ground to offer Friday namaz on November 19.

The ground is situated at Khansda village where commercial vehicles are parked besides local youths play cricket here. Residents of Khansda alleged that last Friday Muslims had misbehaved with boys of the village who were playing cricket on the ground. Hence, they will not allow any illegal occupation of the ground of their village.

As Muslims came to offer namaz, youths playing cricket refused to vacate the ground of their village. They objected public places are occupied to offer namaz despite people facing problems. The deadlock continued for around one hour when local police of Sector 10 and Sector 37 reached and took them to the police station at Sector 10 to resolve the matter through negotiation.

However, the namaz was offered here later on, but, youths are understood to have told the police that from the next Friday they would not allow their ground to be used for purpose of namaz. They also told police and Muslims that no namaz would be allowed without valid permission.

A local news channel Gurugram News interviewed some youths of the village who opposed the namaz at the playground of their village.

“On every holiday we come to this ground to play cricket. From the morning we were playing cricket. They (Muslims) started arriving at the ground at 12 in the afternoon and in less than an hour around 1000 Muslims assembled here. They put their mats on the ground and started offering namaz. They have mosques, rooms and other places where they can offer namaz. But for us, this is the only ground. We request them to offer namaz at mosques and rooms,” said Sachin Yadav a local resident.

He said that police instead of asking Muslims to go to some other places for the namaz persuaded villagers to vacate the ground.

Local residents had made up their mind to oppose offering of namaz in public place

Mohit Raghav another local resident said that last Friday when they were playing Muslims came and they started laying wires and other things. “This is our village and they have come here and they don’t have the courtesy to ask us to vacate the ground. They just started,” said Raghav. Residents alleged that last Friday Muslims had thrashed and threatened boys playing cricket here. Sundar Chauhan from Khansda village said that it made them angry that boys of the village were misbehaved and they were stopped. “Police stopped us from playing today. But we will not allow namaz from the next week if they don’t valid permission,” said Chauhan.

One Haji Shahzad of Muslim Ekta Manch claimed that Khandsa ground was on the list of 20 places agreed upon by the local administration for Muslims to offer namaz. He alleged that the police instead of taking action was trying to suppress the matter.   

Shahzad said that over 1000 Muslims offer prayers on this ground and when they reached the ground youths refused to vacate and threatened to disrupt their namaz.

Gurugram residents push back against encroachment of public places for namaz

Opposition to illegal occupation of public places by Muslim to offer their religious prayers is steadily gaining momentum. For weeks now, conscientious locals have pushed back against Muslims who have resorted to indulging in communal praying in public places instead of designated places of worship. Last week, as the residents in Gurugram continued their protest against Muslims offering Namaz at open spaces, some of them today took the matter into their own hands to prevent the same.

After the police declined to intervene and stop namaz at public places despite opposition from the locals, some activists spread cow dung cakes on the ground at Gurugram’s Sector 12A, which prevented the Muslims from offering their Friday prayers there.

ABVP activists recite Hanuman Chalisa while NSUI members protest against VP: All you need to know about the Namaz row in Rajasthan college

OpIndia Staff
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ABVP activists recite Hanuman Chalisa while NSUI members protest against VP: All you need to know about the Namaz row in Rajasthan college

Congress MLA Amin Kagzi has written a letter to Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot demanding action against the vice-principal of the University of Rajasthan, Jaipur. The Congress MLA alleged that the vice-principal of the university stopped a Muslim student from offering namaz in an open space inside the institute premises on Friday, November 12.

The Kishanpole MLA of the Congress said in his letter that college vice-principal RN Sharma was behind the incident to stop the student from offering namaz in a corner of a parking lot and demanded appropriate action against him.

Meanwhile, BJP leader and former education minister Vasudev Devnani has taken strong objection to the letter written by the Congress MLA, alleging that he is “trying to spread religious enmity”.

“University syndicate member and MLA Amin Kagzi is making efforts to spread religious enmity over the namaz offering incident in the college,” Devnani said, adding that such actions pollute educational institutions with “fundamentalist thinking”. 

“He should be suspended from the syndicate with immediate effect,” Devnani tweeted.

ABVP Students also objected to the letter written by the Congress MLA. Speaking to TOI, ABVP state secretary Hushyaar Meena said Amin Kagzi is attempting to cause chaos on campus by inciting conflict between two religious communities. Kagzi is a government employee and has no right to engage in such politics on campus, exclaimed Hushyaar Meena.

The row erupted at the government-led University of Rajasthan in Jaipur on Friday, November 12, after the college vice-principal allegedly took objections to a student offering Namaz in an open space on the campus premises. According to the initial information received, a student named Ibrahim was offering namaz when the vice-principal approached him and stopped him, telling him that offering namaz in such an open area was against the regulations.

The university, according to reports, has a separate prayer room. The student, however, opted to offer Namaz in an open area on the college campus, which the vice-principal objected to.

This incident led to the members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) coming face to face. More people were brought in, including some outsiders, resulting in a tussle between several members of the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and the National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) on the varsity campus.

While the NSUI, which is the student wing of the Indian National Congress expressed support for the Muslim students, the ABVP, the student’s body of the RSS was against the move.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) activists chanted the Hanuman Chalisa as a mark of protest after paying obeisance to tribal freedom fighter Birsa Munda on his birth anniversary on the campus on Monday. ABVP state secretary Hoshiyar Meena claimed that it was not only a college student but others who were also offering namaz on the campus, which cannot be “tolerated”. He said that they would not let the corridors of education get “tarnished”.

The members of the NSUI, on the other hand, created a ruckus, demanding the vice-principal be suspended. “The teacher who took objection is affiliated to the RSS. The student was offering namaz in an open ground. Harassing someone in the name of religion is wrong,” NSUI district president Rajesh Chaudhary said.

Amidst all this, the Gandhi Nagar police said that it has asked the vice-chancellor of the university to issue directions to its affiliated colleges to ensure such things do not occur on educational premises. “We have asked the Vice-Chancellor to issue directions to affiliated colleges that such activities do not occur on educational premises,” Gandhi Nagar SHO Nemi Chand said.

Gurugram: As President of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha does a u-turn, Sikhs oppose offering Namaz in Gurudwara, say ‘there can only be Gurbani’

OpIndia Staff
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Gurugram: As President of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha does a u-turn, Sikhs oppose offering Namaz in Gurudwara, say ‘there can only be Gurbani’

On Friday (November 19), members of the Sikh community objected to the offering of namaz by Muslims at the Gurdwara Singh Sabha in Gurugram in Haryana. The development comes after reports claimed that the internal committee of the gurdwara had opened its doors to the Muslim community.

As per reports, several Sikhs were opposed to the idea of the Gurdwara management to allow Muslims to offer Jumma Nama within the premises of the sacred shrine. While speaking about the incident, a local named Jowahar Singh stated, “They cannot offer namaz in the gurdwara. Shri Guru Granth Sahibji doesn’t permit it. The prabandhak (management) committee allowed them to offer namaz but we are not in favour of it.” He added that the decision will be reviewed after the end of festivals on November 21 this year.

Another local resident named Gurucharan Singh further clarified, “People from all religions are welcome but there can only be Gurbani in a gurdwara and nothing else. The property of a gurdwara cannot be used for any purpose which goes against the ‘Maryada (customs) of Shri Guru Granth Sahibji.” According to the spokesperson of the management committee Daya Singh, an alternate site was provided to the Muslims to offer Namaz but they had refused in light of ‘Gurupurab celebrations.’

In its defence, gurdwara committee spokesperson Daya Singh clarified that only Sikh rituals are allowed within the sanctum sanctorum of the gurdwara. He further added that none should object to the offering of prayers by Muslims in empty areas such as the basement and parking spaces.

Hindu groups read the Gurudwara, distribute book on Guru Tegh Bahadur

A Hindu rights group, Sanyukta Hindu Sangharsh Samiti (SHSS) also reached the gurdwara where Muslims were supposed to offer Namaz. They distributed books titled “Guru Tegh Bahadur-Hind ki Chadar” and stayed at the premises between 12 pm to 2 pm. It must be mentioned that the Gurugram administration had earlier denied permission to offer namaz at 8 of the 37 public grounds to offer Jumma Namaz after local residents had objected to it.

As per the legal adviser of SHSS, Kulbhushan Bhardwaj, a total of 2,500 books on Guru Tegh Bahadur was distributed.”We did not go there to protest against the gurdwara management committee’s decision to offer their premises for namaz. We are not against anyone offering prayers indoors, be it from any community. We are against the practice of namaz being offered in public places. If someone is offering open space in their garage, house or place of worship to Muslims for namaz, that’s their own choice. We do not have any objection to it.”

Muslims refuse to offer namaz at Gurdwara

The Muslims, in the area, had claimed that they refused to offer prayers at the Gurdwara, keeping in mind the ‘Guru Purab’ celebrations. Led by Mufti Mohammad Salim (JUH President) and Altaf Ahmad (co-founder of Gurugram Muslim council), a Muslim delegation had met the Gurdwara committee members to thank them for promoting societal harmony. They also claimed to have offer prayers through the heart of the Sikh community.

Gurdwara Committee President in a spectacular U-Turn

Earlier, Opindia had got in touch with Sherdil Singh Sidhu, the President of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha. It may be noted that Sherdil Singh Sidhu is the same person who had offered the Gurugram Muslims space to offer Friday Namaz prayers in the Gurudwara. On Thursday (November 18), news agency ANI quoted Sherdil Singh Sidhu as saying: “It’s ‘Guru Ghar’, open for all communities with no discrimination. There shouldn’t be any politics here. Basement is now open for Muslim brothers who want to offer ‘Jumme ki namaz’.” However, he later went back on his decision.

Nashim becomes Ankit to trap Hindu girl, force her to read Kalma, girl attempts suicide after family threatens her to change statement: Details

OpIndia Staff
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Nashim becomes Ankit to trap Hindu girl, force her to read Kalma, girl attempts suicide after family threatens her to change statement: Details

A 20-year-old Hindu girl attempted to commit suicide at the Jabalpur district court premise in Madhya Pradesh, alleging that she is being tortured and threatened by accused Nashim Ahmed and his family to change her statement. In another case of grooming jihad, the accused Nashim, a married Muslim man, trapped the Hindu girl by posing as a Hindu boy, Ankit Thakur, and raped her. According to her, the accused also forced her to read the Kalma.

The incident took place on November 19 when the hearing of her case was scheduled. She was supposed to record her statement before the court under section 164 of CrPC against the accused. But she consumed sleeping peals and she fell unconscious. Her friend and others rushed her to Victoria Hospital where her condition is said to be stable.

Later on, a lady officer from Omati police station Bhavana Tiwari recorded her statement. According to reports, a day before the hearing (November 18) family members of Nashim came to her house and threatened her to change her statement and withdraw the case so that Nashim gets bail from the court. The victim told the police she was fed up with such undue pressures.

The victim, a native of Adhartal Housing Board Colony under Adhartal police station met the accused during the birthday party of her friend. Accused concealed his Muslim identity and introduced himself as Ankit Thakur. He even concealed his marital status. Promising to marry her, the accused trapped her in a physical relationship. He also made video films of the intimate moments of the victim.

Through her friends, she discovered the real identity of the accused and his marital status and realized that she fell into the trap. The victim said that accused had also forced her to recite the Kalma. She then contacted members of some Hindu outfits for their support. About 25 days back she finally lodged an FIR against Nashim under section 376 (rape) and other relevant sections of IPC.

OpIndia Exclusive: Here is what Punjab BJP leaders said about PM Modi’s decision to repeal three farm laws

OpIndia Staff
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OpIndia Exclusive: Here is what Punjab BJP leaders said about PM Modi’s decision to repeal three farm laws

Earlier this morning, the country was sent into a tizzy after PM Modi, during his address to the nation, said that by the end of this month, the central government would complete the process of repealing the three farm laws. He then appealed to the protesting farmers and middlemen to return to their homes on this Gurupurab and stop their protest. He further said that the government will form a committee to formulate laws for the benefit of the farmers. 

He further said that the government had introduced the laws after due deliberation but perhaps it was the shortcoming of the government that they could not convince all farmers that the laws were indeed in their benefit. Further, he said that the past governments had deliberated on these laws as well but it was the Modi government that had implemented them. 

He said that all his decisions were in the interest of the nation and he will continue to work for the benefit of the nation.

The announcement sparked a panoply of emotions, with many hailing the government’s decision of heeding to the farmers’ protests while others criticised it for caving in to the bullying tactics adopted by a section of farmers, who were vehemently opposed to the farm laws that were aimed at modernising agriculture sector.

BJP Punjab Unit backs PM Modi’s announcement, says attempt to drive a wedge between Sikhs and Hindus foiled

Ashwini Sharma, state president of BJP Punjab, said he is happy with the decision taken by the Modi government. Lavishing praises on PM Modi, Sharma, who spoke to OpIndia, said such a decision of repealing farm laws could have been taken only by an empathetic leader like PM Modi. Sharma said PM Modi’s announcement to withdraw the farm laws will help in fostering social harmony and foil the plans of those who wanted to drive a wedge between different communities and foment trouble in Punjab. 

BJP Punjab has welcomed the rollback of the farm laws, stating that though the bills were aimed at uplifting the lives of the farmers, they could not succeed in convincing a section of protesters about the advantages that farm laws will bring for the farmers. BJP Punjab spokesperson Anil Sarin hailed PM Modi’s announcement and said it was taken in the larger interest of the country.

“We welcome the decision taken by PM Modi and the central government. There is not a shred of doubt that the agriculture bills were beneficials to the farmers, but unfortunately, we could not succeed in convincing a small section of protesters about their benefits. We are grateful that PM Modi announced withdrawal of the laws in the larger interest of the country,” Sarin told OpIndia.

BJP leaders in Punjab welcome PM Modi’s declaration on agriculture bills, suggest it might bridge dissensions between Hindus and Sikhs

Some leaders provided context to the decision taken by the Prime Minister to do away with the farm laws. BJP MLA from Abohar, Arun Narang, who had himself endured the wrath of lumpen elements present in the farmers’ protest earlier this year, spoke to OpIndia about the announcement made by PM Modi on Friday morning. He said the invalidation of three laws would help bridge the fissures that erupted following the protests organised by some sections of farmers after the laws were passed last year. 

On March 27, anti-farm law protestors in Punjab attacked BJP MLA from Abohar, Arun Narang. They thrashed him and tore off his clothes. The visuals of the incident that took place in Malout town, district Muktsar, Punjab, had gone viral on social media platforms. Police and BJP workers present at the scene somehow managed to save him. Despite his past experience, Narang held no resentment against the farmers and welcomed the decision taken by the government to rescind the farm laws. 

The decision would benefit Punjab and the nation and he welcomes the decision. He said that as the PM said, a committee would be formed to formulate further laws and we should trust the PM. On being asked if he believes that this move is one that would strengthen violent elements, he said that the BJP government is not arrogant to not listen to the voice of the people.

In a democracy, the people are supreme and they had to be flexible to the demands of the people, Narang insisted. He said it would also prove to be a slap on the face of such Congress leaders who are inciting trouble as it proves that the Modi government is a government for the people and one that listens to the voice of the common man. 

Like Narang, BJP leader Harjeet Singh Garewal was also at the receiving end of farmers’ ire earlier this year when his farm was uprooted by a mob of angry protesters demonstrating against the farm laws. But Garewal, too, had no ill-feelings towards the protesters, and hailed PM Modi’s decision of taking back the agriculture reform bills. 

Speaking to OpIndia, Garewal said, “I welcome the decision taken by the government. Though the farm laws were in favour of the government, and which were also praised by Mr Swaminathan who said the laws contained 80 per cent of his committee’s recommendations, the government took them back. This is the beauty of democracy. You have gotta to be considerate of others and take into account their disapproval, however misguided that may be. But people should also respect democracy.”

Praveen Bansal, state vice-president of BJP Punjab, it is a momentous decision taken by PM Modi, given that there was a chunk of farmers who was opposed to the farm laws. The rollback of the laws demonstrates that the country’s Prime Minister is empathetic and considerate of those who were not comfortable with the passage of the agriculture reform laws. 

“We welcome the decision. It shows that the Prime Minister is considerate of the obje ction to the farm laws. It also displays that the government wants to work for farmers’ benefits. The Centre will have discussions with the farmers for alleviating their problems,” Bansal told OpIndia when asked about his views on the rollback of the farm laws. 

“Captain Amarinder Singh has won and state BJP has lost today”: BJP State Secretary Sukhpal Singh Sran slams withdrawal of farm laws

However, there were naysayers too, who were not happy with PM Modi’s decision of repealing the three laws and they made no bones about in their interview with OpIndia. Sukhpal Singh Sran, State Secretary, BJP expressed his intense displeasure at the laws being repealed. He said that if they had to repeal these laws they should not have passed them in the first place. “The farm laws were passed in a hurry and have been repealed in a hurry as well”, he said. 

In a strong democracy led by a strong Prime Minister, this is not the way things should be done. They should not capitulate to a party that has not given anything to the country in the last 70 years. If they wanted to repeal, they should have done it much earlier. This is an injustice to BJP workers who have handled the ire of these elements”, he said. 

On being asked if the Modi government would bring back the farm laws later, he said that he was not very hopeful. “I don’t think any step for the benefit of the farmers will be taken anymore. If PM Modi could not do it, who will? Nobody else has the intent that he does. The people will not find a more honest PM than him. If he could not do it, nobody will be able to do it”.

He told OpIndia that he wants his statement to be published in full because he is not bothered about the party but the country. “Captain Amarinder has won and state BJP has lost today”, he said. “I am more bothered about BJP workers than the party. Today, in Punjab the situation is such that even daughters of BJP leaders are being ostracised. Nobody wants to marry our daughters. They should have spoken to the workers first. They should have spoken to the workers before making the laws or repealing the laws. If the party worker is with them, they had nothing to worry about. But today, the party leaders are not with the party workers at all”, he added. 

Varun Gandhi likely to meet Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, sparks rumours of joining TMC

OpIndia Staff
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Varun Gandhi likely to meet Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, sparks rumours of joining TMC

Member of Parliament from Pilbhit constituency, Varun Gandhi, might meet TMC Chief Mamata Banerjee on her visit to Delhi next week, according to reports. Speculations of BJP MP Varun Gandhi meeting the West Bengal Chief Minister have given rise to the possibility of a switch to Trinamool Congress for the leader, who has been dropped from the BJP National Working Committee along with his mother Maneka Gandhi.

As per reports, Varun Gandhi has been looking for a political platform after he was dropped from the BJP National Working Committee after making controversial comments after the Lakhimpur Violence. It is expected that a meeting of the Pilibhit MP with the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee might spring some surprises. However, there has no official confirmation of the meeting yet.

A senior Trinamool Congress leader has spoken to IANS on the condition of anonymity, “Varun Gandhi cannot go to the Congress. So he would be looking at a party that can give him a national platform. With Trinamool Congress trying to increase its presence nationally, it would also be interested to include a person who has national acceptability. And in that case, it will be a win-win situation for all.” Another TMC leader noted, “Leaders who are angry with the BJP, but have no way to go to the Congress, are contacting Trinamool. At the moment, it is clear that Mamata and Trinamool can play the biggest role in stopping (Narendra) Modi.”

Notably, MP Danish Ali from BSP might also join TMC. Apart from Danish Ali, grandson of late veteran Congress leader Kamalapati Tripathi, Rajeshpati Tripathi, and son Laliteshpati Tripathi too joined TMC on October 25. Apart from them, actress Nafisa Ali and tennis star Leander Paes also joined TMC in Goa.

Interestingly, earlier this year, the SPN9 news network had published a series of videos saying that Varun Gandhi was leaving BJP to join the Congress party ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections. Varun Gandhi had then decided to take action against SPN9 News for publishing fake news targeting him with ridiculous and trashy videos.

After announcing Gurudwara space for Namaz, Committee President in a spectacular U-Turn claims Committee will decide once Muslims ask for space

OpIndia Staff
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After announcing Gurudwara space for Namaz, Committee President in a spectacular U-Turn claims Committee will decide once Muslims ask for space

A day after the Gurudwara Singh Sabha Committee of Gurugram announced that it was opening its doors to the Muslim community, offering them space to offer Friday Namaz prayers in the Gurudwara, the committee had today gone back on its decision. It stated that due to the Gurupurab celebrations, the Gurudwara will be overcrowded, making it impossible to accommodate Muslims for Friday Namaz.

OpIndia had been trying to get in touch with the Gurdwara Singh Sabha Committee members to obtain a statement on the matter. Finally, we managed to get in touch with Sherdil Singh Sidhu, the President of Gurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha.

Below is the exclusive conversation we had with the president of the committee who had offered the space for Namaz to the Gurugram Muslims. ‘Q’ denotes the questions we asked him and ‘A’ is for the answers that were provided.

The conversation OpIndia had with Gurugram Gurudwara Singh Sabha Committee president Sherdil Singh Sidhu

Q: Space in the Gurudwara could not be made available today for Muslims to offer Namaz. Is there any plan to give them space in future?

A: When they ask for the place for Namaz, then the Gurudwara committee will sit and decide.

Q: Does that mean the committee has not taken any such decision yet but you had offered the space from your side?

A: My words were intended to be a statement of brotherhood. I had said that we can offer them space in case they ask for it. I had said that if they ask us for the space on Friday, then the committee will take a call and the decision will come only by next to next Friday. The rest of the Muslims brothers do not even want to offer Namaz in the Gurudwara. They came to tell us that they had performed Namaz in the hearts of Sikhs today.

Q: Meaning, they did not ask for the space from you?

A: No, they came to me yesterday and asked if they could read it here if they had any difficulties offering Namaz on Friday (today), to which I replied that if that happened, they may read it here.

Q: What is the name of your Gurudwara of which you are a member?

A: Gurdwara Guru Singh Sabha, Sadar Bazar, Gurugram.

Q: Has Namaz ever been offered in this Gurudwara before this?

A: No, never before.

Q: Some people like Sirsa Ji (Manjinder Singh Sirsa, the outgoing president of the Delhi Sikh Gurudwara Management Committee and an Akali Dal leader) of your own community are opposing your statement. What would you say about that?

A: I just told them offhandedly. The ultimate decision would be taken by the committee and the Sangat only.

Q: If they again raise a similar demand, would you reconsider giving them space for Namaz?

A: Yes definitely, we will consider. You see, the media has a habit of twisting statements.

Q: What was the reason for not allowing Namaz to take place in the Gurudwara today, Gurupurab celebrations or something else?

A: Sir, they do not want to offer Nazmaz prayers in the Gurudwara premises. Had they wanted, they would have come today.

Q: Was the Gurudwara committee, along with you, willing to allow them to offer Namaz on the Gurudwara grounds if they arrived today?

A: Oh no. I’m speaking generally. The Gurudwara committee was not ready.

Q: Have they (Muslims) sought space in your Gurudwara to offer Namaz until now?

A: So far, no such demand has been made. My committee has a large number of members. The decision that they reach unanimously will be the final decision of the committee.

Q: Anything else you would like to say?

A: Yes, the Gurudwara is the home of the Guru. Hindus can also come here to pay their respects, so can Muslims. If 8-10 Muslims come to the Gurudwara to pay obeisance and listen to our Shabad Gurbani Kirtan, but people say they are offering Namaz here, then that is not correct.

Sherdil Singh Sidhu and a tale of U-Turns

It may be noted that Sherdil Singh Sidhu is the same person who had offered the Gurugram Muslims space to offer Friday Namaz prayers in the Gurudwara.

Yesterday (November 18, Thursday), news agency ANI quoted Sherdil Singh Sidhu as saying: “It’s ‘Guru Ghar’, open for all communities with no discrimination. There shouldn’t be any politics here. Basement is now open for Muslim brothers who want to offer ‘Jumme ki namaz’.”

According to ANI, Sindhu had further said: “If there’s an open space, Muslims should be allowed to offer namaz… and we shouldn’t fight over such petty issues. People who were offering namaz in open sought administration’s permission and those who had problem should have approached admin before attacking them.”

Some Sikhs had also raised questions asking when there are so many mosques in Gurugram, why do Muslims need to pray inside a Sikh Gurudwara. However, a day after, the Gurudwara committee went back on its decision citing Gurupurab as the reason for being unable to offer space to the Muslim community.

It may be noted that the residents in several sectors in Gurugram have been protesting peacefully against members of the community blocking public spaces for Namaz, asking why can’t they do it in mosques. The residents have, however, faced police action and severe condemnation by the ‘secular-liberal’ media, all because they raised their voices against public spaces being misused for the religious prayers of a particular community.

Meanwhile, the offers by the Gurudwara and Akshay Yadav, the Hindu businessman who had earlier offered his shop in Sector 12 to Muslims to offer their Friday namaz, have been highlighted and hailed in media and social media as a heartwarming example of tolerance and brotherhood, the kind of ‘secular’ opium that the Indian media and intelligentsia often sells to market their rainbow dreams. However, after much publicity, the Gurudwara does not appear to have made their space available for Namaz.

Jobless Rakesh Tikait to feature alongside Rihanna in ‘farmer’ edition of hit song ‘Love the way you lie’, expected to request Mia Khalifa for a movie next

K Bhattacharjee
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Jobless Rakesh Tikait to feature alongside Rihanna in ‘farmer’ edition of hit song ‘Love the way you lie’, expected to request Mia Khalifa for a movie next

Our friendly neighbourhood farmer Rakesh Tikait is suffering an existential crisis after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced that the farm laws will be repealed by the government. While it was welcome news for the protesters, it was not so much for Tikait himself.

The protest leader has reserved all the dates in his calendar till May 2024 for protests but the sudden vacuum created by the announcement has left him jobless.

According to people on the ground, Rakesh Tikait could be spotted sitting quietly in the corner, with droplets of tears in his eyes, visibly depressed while others burst crackers to celebrate the occasion. According to Reliable Sources, the protest leader was upset because he has lost the very object that lent meaning to his existence.

After Narendra Modi made the announcement, Tikait had declared that the protests would continue but he was not confident whether he will be able to convince others to stay now that the farm laws are set to be repealed. His close confidantes believed his comments on Friday were the “dying embers of the brightest star in the firmament of Indian history.”

Heartbroken at witnessing Tikait’s visible decline, some of his trusted lieutenants contacted popstar Rihanna who had given great support to the protests through her social media accounts. It is now believed that Rihanna has consented to record a ‘farmer redux’ edition of her hit song ‘Love the way you lie’ with Rakesh Tikait featuring alongside her instead of Eminem.

We are told that Rakesh Tikait was jubilated by the news and has suddenly fallen in love with life all over again. While he expressed a desire to record the song ‘Ishq tera tar paaye‘ with Rihanna, believing it would appeal to the Punjabi constituents of the protests, he settled for ‘Love the way you lie’ after hearing Rihanna’s attempt at speaking Hindi.

The other songs that Tikait proposed were ‘Moo kaala muqabla hoga’ and ‘Tum jaise ch*tiyo ka sahara hai dosto’. The first was intended to mock the Indian Government while the latter was meant as an ode to his fellow protesters.

However, his request that the lyrics of the song be altered to fit the ‘farmer’ theme has been accepted by the popstar’s agents. In the farmer redux edition, Rihanna will portray the role of a left-leaning Delhi woman struggling to breathe due to the pollution caused by stubble burning.

With great difficulty, we have managed to access some of the proposed lyrics for the song and details of the visuals to go along with it. Rihanna will open the song with the words, “Just gonna stand there and watch it (stubble) burn. Well, that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts.” The visuals are expected to show Rihanna struggling to breathe due to the smoke caused by the stubble burning.

Rakesh Tikait, Rihanna
A visual representation of how the proposed scene will look like

There’s another reason, we are told, why Tikait’s comrades chose that particular song for the video with Rihanna. They believe the rap by Eminem is extremely difficult and could very well take Tikait a lifetime to master. When we asked them if they were not playing with their friend’s emotions and stabbing him in the back, they told us that they were convinced it was for the greater good.

Tikait, however, is convinced that he will master the rap portions of the song in no time. “Surely, it cannot be more difficult than making the government bow down to our demands,” he was heard telling his trusted friend Yogendra Yadav.

Yadav, we are told, tried to make Tikait walk away from the proposal, telling him that he was being set up for failure. But our trusted sources tell us that Yogendra Yadav said such things because he wanted to replace Tikait in the song.

Yogendra Yadav has always fancied himself as a poet and it was due to a cruel twist of fate that he ended up being a henchman for Lutyens Delhi. Tikait, meanwhile, is extremely excited about the recent turn of events and taken to address himself and Rihanna as ‘Rikait’ within a very short span of time.

In fact, Rakesh Tikait is so convinced that he will master the lyrics quickly that he has made up his mind to request a movie with Mia Khalifa next, having been told that Mia Khalifa is one of the most popular actresses in the world. His comrades, on the other hand, are not quite sure how to break it to him that Mia Khalifa does not exactly feature in ‘conventional’ movies. Their situation is further complicated by the fact that Tikait has even decided a name for the name. It is supposed to be called ‘Mikait’.

When we reached out to the Government for a comment on the matter, they said they that condemn it in the harshest terms (kadi ninda). Some other leaders said that they would not permit Rihanna to shoot the video of the song in Punjab. But they gave us the impression that a few free passes for the popstar’s next concern could resolve the matter.

But overall, a general sense of contentment appeared to pervade the inner circles of the government. They were happy that they would no longer have to keep a watch for tractors behind their back now that the matter had been resolved. When it was pointed out that their supporters on social media were not happy and extremely displeased, one leader sent us a meme of Nana Patekar that said, “Seh Lenge Thoda”.

Note: The article is a work of satire and meant to be taken in jest.

Watch: Chandrababu Naidu breaks down into tears, vows not to enter state assembly until elected Andhra CM

OpIndia Staff
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Watch: Chandrababu Naidu breaks down into tears, vows not to enter state assembly until elected Andhra CM

Leader of Opposition in Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu, broke down into tears after MLAs of the ruling party YSRCP allegedly insulted his wife.

He said, “Except encouraging me in every step of my life, she never interfered in politics, whether I was in or out of power. Yet they tried to humiliate her.” “What is more unfortunate is that the Speaker remained a mute spectator when the ruling party members were hurling abuses, even dragging my wife’s name. He did not even give me an opportunity to speak and make a statement on my decision to stay away from the assembly for the rest of the term. I had to fight for my right,” he added.

According to reports, MLAs of the ruling party YSRCP had allegedly insulted Chandrababu Naidu’s wife in the assembly. It is alleged that Minister Kodali Nani with other MLAs of YSRCP were hurling insults and abuses aimed at Chandrababu Naidu and even dragged his wife Bhuvaneswari into the debate. Naidu said, “I have lived my entire life for the honor of my family. Never seen this kind of environment in the house.”

Chandrababu Naidu further added, “For the last two and a half years, I have been bearing the insults but remained calm. Today, they have targeted even my wife. I was always lived with honour and for honour. I can take it no more.”

Furthermore, Chandrababu Naidu has declared that he would return to the Assembly only after getting elected as the Chief Minister.

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