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Salman Khurshid confirms Sonia Gandhi was ‘shaken’ by the death of Batla encounter terrorists, had earlier said she had cried bitterly

Dibakar Dutta
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Salman Khurshid confirms Sonia Gandhi was ‘shaken’ by the death of Batla encounter terrorists, had earlier said she had cried bitterly

On Friday (November 12), veteran Congress leader Salman Khurshid courted controversy after reiterating that party supremo Sonia Gandhi was shaken by the visuals of dead terrorists in the Batla House encounter.

While speaking to Rahul Shivshankar of Times Now, Khurshid emphasised that Gandhi was taken aback by the manner in which the Indian Mujahideen terrorists were neutralised. He justified, “I can tell you what I said and what had happened. The gruesome pictures that were produced and shown, shook her. She said, ‘Do not show them to me.’ She was not shaken by the ideology of the man who was killed but the manner in which a human being was killed.”

Khurshid further added, “For the worst people of the country, we do not allow executions on the streets. That’s the law in the country.” At that point, Rahul Shivshankar pointed out that the men were not ordinary but terrorists, who had killed a police officer and were neutralised in the encounter. “She did not shed tears for the police officer,” the Times Now journalist stated.

The Congress leader then tried to give a clean chit to the Batla House terrorists by claiming that the matter was controversial. Rahul Shivshankar then pointed out to Salman Khurshid that a court had held the accused in the Batla House encounter guilty. On hearing that, the Congress leader said, “Of course, if the judgment has come, let it rest there. Let’s not question that.”

The Batla House encounter dates back to September 19, 2008, during which two Indian Mujahideen terrorists namely Atif Amin and Mohammad Sajid were neutralised. The terrorists had been hiding in a locality in Delhi’s Jamia Nagar, after killing about 30 people in Delhi serial blasts. When the Delhi police received intelligence reports about their hideout, they ambushed the locality leading to the encounter of the two terrorists. Three others, including Ariz Khan, managed to escape the law enforcement before being nabbed in 2018.

In March this year, terrorist Ariz Khan, convicted of murdering Delhi Police Inspector Mohan Chand Sharma during the Batla House encounter, was awarded the death penalty by a Delhi Court. While political opportunism is not new to Indian politics, the Batla House encounter was a glaring example of politicians putting vote bank politics over the country’s interests. The Congress party not only insinuated that the probe was not independent, and stirred sympathy for the terrorists but also mocked the martyrdom of MC Sharma and cast aspersions about the authenticity of the encounter.

Salman Khurshid and his earlier statements with respect to Batla House encounter

Salman Khurshid, in one of his rallies during the 2012 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, had said that Sonia Gandhi, the then Congress President, cried bitterly after seeing the images of the slain terrorists.

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

However, in 2019, Salman Khurshid retracted his statement and claimed that he was quoted out of context. He said, “I never said that. In fact, I was misquoted. There was a difference between what I had said and what the media projected. I had said that the then Congress President didn’t wish to see visuals of an encounter (as the images are painful in nature).” Except, it does not appear so.

Madhya Pradesh: State urges Central Govt to rename Habibganj railway station in Bhopal after tribal queen Rani Kamlapati

OpIndia Staff
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Madhya Pradesh: State urges Central Govt to rename Habibganj railway station in Bhopal after tribal queen Rani Kamlapati

The state administration of Madhya Pradesh, led by Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has requested the central government that the renovated Habibganj railway station in Bhopal be renamed after the 18th-century tribal queen Rani Kamlapati. The Madhya Pradesh government made the appeal in a letter addressed to the Union Home Minister. The request came ahead of the launch of India’s first world-class railway station.

The station, which was revamped at a cost of 100 crores, will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 15, the day the government opens the ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas,’ a week-long celebration of the Scheduled Tribes’ pride in India.

Habibganj railway station will honour the legacy and bravery of Rani Kamlapati: MP Govt

The letter explains the state government’s rationale behind the proposal to rename the Habibganj railway station. It said that the renaming of the railway station will honour Rani Kamlapati’s legacy and bravery.

Rani Kamlapati was the widowed Gond ruler of Ginnorgarh’s lord, Nizam Shah. She was a protector of the state when her husband died. With a population of over 1.2 crores, the Gond community is India’s largest tribal group. The Gonds are members of the Gondi–Manda subgroup of the Dravidian language family’s South Central branch.

Therefore, renaming the station will also be in accordance with the Indian government’s decision to celebrate the legacy of Scheduled Tribes in India, read the letter from the state’s transportation department.

This renaming is also in keeping with the Indian government’s decision to celebrate November 15 as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’ in remembrance of Birsa Munda, added the letter.

The central government has decided to commemorate revered tribal leader and independence fighter Birsa Munda on November 15 as ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas.’ November 15 marks the birth anniversary date of Birsa Munda who is considered a God by tribal communities across India.

Meanwhile, Pragya Singh Thakur, a BJP MP from Bhopal, has demanded that Habibganj railway station be renamed after former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.

Bhopal station redeveloped at a cost of Rs 100 crore

Habibganj Railway Station has been redeveloped under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model at a cost of Rs 100 crore. The station will showcase Madhya Pradesh’s tourism and culture at its main entrance, waiting rooms, VIP lounge and air concourse. It will feature glimpses of heritage sites such as Sanchi Stupa, Bhojpur Temples, Bhim Baithika, Birla Mandir, Tawa Dam, Tribal Museum among others.

Last month the Indian Railways had shared pictures of the swanky interiors of the station building.

According to the Ministry of Railways, the rebuilt station would include extensive seating on platforms, concourses, lounges, dormitories, and retiring rooms, as well as adequate parking and Divyang-friendly amenities such as lifts, escalators, and travelators.

‘Lord Shiva had swallowed the entire universe’: Janeu-Dhari Rahul Gandhi misquotes Hindu scriptures after saying he has read the Upanishads

OpIndia Staff
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‘Lord Shiva had swallowed the entire universe’: Janeu-Dhari Rahul Gandhi misquotes Hindu scriptures after saying he has read the Upanishads

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi addressed the party workers through video conferencing today on the occasion of launch of Congress party’s digital campaign Jan Jagran Abhiyan. In his address, he advised the party workers to attack BJP saying the party follows Hindutva ideology, which is different from Hinduism. However, as always, the Kerala MP made a goof-up in his address, as he distorted a well-known story from Puranas regarding Lord Shiva.

Giving an analogy from Hindu mythology, Rahul Gandhi said that Lord Shiva had swallowed the entire universe. While concluding his address, Rahul Gandhi said, ‘Like Shiv Ji had swallowed the entire universe, the ideology of Congress will swallow the ideology of BJP. You will not even know, you will not know and it will disappear (the BJP ideology). And that hatred that is being spread today will disappear. And the future that can’t be seen today will become visible’.

However, Rahul Gandhi massively misquoted Hindu scriptures when he claimed that Shiva had swallowed the universe. Because Lord Shiva had swallowed poison with the potential to destroy the entire universe, he didn’t swallow the entire universe. Shiva drinking poison is one of the most well-known stories from Hindu texts, and it is ironic that janeu-dhari Rahul Gandhi misquoted such a well-known story.

The incident is from the story of Samudra Manthan, the churning of the ocean of milk to obtain amrita (nectar), which has been narrated in Bhagavata Purana and Vishnu Purana. According to the story, when the Devas and Asuras had come together to jointly churn the ocean for the nectar of immortality, lots of other things had appeared before the nectar. One of them was a lethal poison named Halahala, which was so powerful that it could destroy the entire creation. To protect the three worlds, Lord Shiva had consumed the poison. It had turned his neck, which is the reason that he is also known as Neelakantha, where Neela means blue and Kantha means throat in Sanskrit.

This story is also part of Vishnu’s ten avatars, as he had taken the form of a turtle to keep the mount Mandara in place on the ocean bed, which was used to churn the ocean.

Gandhi said this while asking his party workers to ‘crystalise the ideology of Congress’. He said that BJP has discovered their ideology, and has crystalised their ideology, and Congress also has to the same. He said that after Congress crystalises its ideology, it will envelop their ideology, like Shiv had swallowed the entire universe. He further said that he has been studying the ideology of Congress for last 10-12 years, and it is like beautiful jewel with unending power inside, and it is important that Congress workers discover it.

Rahul Gandhi misquoting the Samudra Manthan story is even more ironic, because just minutes ago, he had claimed that he has read Hindu texts. While claiming that Hindutva allows to harm innocents but Hinduism does not, he had said that he had read the Upanishads and other texts, and nowhere it is mentioned that people from other religions can be harmed.

‘I have read the Upanishads, where it is written that you should kill an innocent? Have not seen it’, Rahul Gandhi said in his address. He was saying this while claiming that BJP and RSS follow Hindutva, not Hinduism. It is interesting to note that Rahul Gandhi claims the Upanishads, as there are 108 known Upanishads. Moreover, the story of Shiva consuming poison is narrated in Puranas, not Upanishads.

His full speech can be watched below.

“Calculated attack”: Delhi court frames charges against four rioters for killing Hindu youth Deepak during Delhi riots

OpIndia Staff
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“Calculated attack”: Delhi court frames charges against four rioters for killing Hindu youth Deepak during Delhi riots

A Delhi court has framed charges of murder, rioting and criminal conspiracy against four persons for killing a Hindu man during the Delhi riots in February last year, calling it a calculated attack. The four accused Anwar Hussain, Kasim, Shahrukh, and Khalid Ansari are accused of killing a man named Deepak near Ambedkar College on February 25, 2020.

Deepak was attacked by a mob on the service road of Gokul Road flyover in the afternoon on February 25, 2020, and he was found in an unconscious and injured state. He was taken to GTB Hospital, but doctors had declared him dead. The post mortem report said that the cause of death was “hemorrhagic shock due to ante­mortem injury to the brain and abdominal organ and blood vessel”. 

Addl. Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat at the Karkardooma Courts framed the charges after going through the details of the case and hearing witnesses. However, the four have pleaded not guilty, which means now they will face a trial in the case.

The court said that it has been established that Deepak was murdered by armed unlawful assembly on 25.02.2020 at around 1.30 PM. “By the manner of their mobilization and intent as construed from their conduct, the said unlawful assembly can be said to have conducted itself for riots and other offences like murder of deceased Deepak, in prosecution of their common object. The conspiracy is also writ large by the calculated attack on the victim by the unlawful assembly,” the verdict framing the charges said.

The judge also mentioned there are witnesses in the case who have given similar statements implicating accused persons in the offence of riots and murder of Deepak. One witness Kirti Raj Tiwari said that that when they were working at EDMC Parking behind Ambedkar College, they saw that a crowd of 100­200 people near Kardam Puri Ganda Naala in front of Dispensary was rioting. The Muslim crowd picked one boy while chanting Allah Hu Akbar and mercilessly beaten the boy with danda and pathar. When the crowd from the other community started to arrive at the place, the Muslim crowd left the boy and started destroying public property. Tiwari gave names of some of the people in the mob that he knew.

The judge said that the most important witness in the case is Sunil Kumar, who is an eye­witness to the entire incident. He has given the complete picture as to how the deceased Deepak was killed by the armed Muslim mob, consisting of accused persons. Sunil Kumar said that on 25 February 2020, Muslim unlawful assembly coming from Kardampuri Pulia and shouting Allah Ho Akbar, was trying to cross the Pulia Gokulpur. The mob caught hold of Deepak and he was mercilessly beaten by them.

Sunil Kumar said that that he was hiding behind a wall behind the Naala, and saw the entire murder through a gap in the wall. He also identified all four accused by name. Sunil added that he can identify the accused persons, and he could not save Deepak due to fear and the number of attackers.

“Thus, for the purpose of charge, the prosecution has been able to satisfy the Court that an unlawful assembly including accused persons in prosecution of their common object had committed riots and hit the deceased Deepak with deadly weapon causing his death. Since the unlawful assembly fully armed and in that pursuit, they had chased, apprehended and killed the deceased and from their conduct, it can be said that it was a case of criminal conspiracy,” the court said.

The court added that Anwar Hussain, Kasim, Shahrukh @ Rinku and Khalid Ansari were part of the unlawful assembly which committed violence in prosecution of the common object of rioting and murdered the deceased Deepak, and committed criminal conspiracy. Therefore, charges under Section 147 IPC, 148 IPC, 302 IPC, read with Section 149 IPC and under Section 302 IPC read with Section 120­B IPC are made out.

Punjab: Congress CM Channi announces ‘compensation’ of Rs 2 lakhs to 83 rioters arrested for Republic Day violence

OpIndia Staff
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Punjab: Congress CM Channi announces ‘compensation’ of Rs 2 lakhs to 83 rioters arrested for Republic Day violence

Punjab CM Chiranjit Singh Channi on Friday has announced a compensation of 2 lakhs to the perpetrators of the Republic Day who were arrested by the Delhi Police. Punjab government’s decision of rewarding the rioters arrested after the Republic Day violence was meant to demonstrate support to the ongoing protests against the three farm laws.

The tweet posted by the Chief Minister said, “Reiterating My Govt’s stand to support the ongoing #FarmersProtest against three black farm laws, We have decided to give Rs 2 lakh compensation to 83 people arrested by Delhi Police for carrying out a tractor rally in the national capital on 26th January, 2021.”

Earlier this year, unprecedented scenes were observed in Delhi on Republic Day. Thousands of protesters had stormed the national capital and breached the premises of the Red Fort where a Sikh Flag was unfurled. Over 100 people were arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the violence that took place at ITO and Red Fort during the ‘Tractor Parade’. The ‘Tractor Parade’ was part of the farmers protest organized at the national capital which turned violent after the protesters violated the norms set by the Delhi police and went on to breach the premises of Red Fort and raised a Sikh flag on the dome.

Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP and RSS of spreading hatred using Hindutva, says Hindutva is not Hinduism

OpIndia Staff
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Rahul Gandhi accuses BJP and RSS of spreading hatred using Hindutva, says Hindutva is not Hinduism

Rahul Gandhi claimed on Friday that there is a difference between Hinduism and Hindutva, and accused BJP and RSS of spreading hate. In his video address on the launch of the Congress party’s digital campaign Jan Jagran Abhiyan, the Congress leader further denigrated Hindutva as violent and blamed the BJP and the RSS for using Hindutva to spread hatred among people.

Rahul Gandhi said in the video, “Is Hinduism about beating a Sikh or a Muslim? Hindutva of course is. But is Hinduism about killing Akhlaq? In which book is this written? I have not seen it. I have read the Upanishads, I have not seen it. Where is it written that you should kill an innocent man? I am unable to find this, in Hindu scriptures, in Islamic scriptures, in Sikh scriptures. I can see it in Hindutva,”

The former Congress president said that while the scriptures of Hinduism clearly did not suggest the killing of an innocent, the ideology of Hindutva supports such violence.

Rahul Gandhi further said that the ideology of the Congress party was overshadowed by the ‘hateful ideology’ of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). He said, “Today, whether we like it or not the hateful ideology of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has overshadowed the loving, affectionate and nationalistic ideology of Congress Party, we have to accept this. Our ideology is alive, vibrant but it has been overshadowed,”

Rahul Gandhi then further explained the need of Congress workers to understand what their ideology is. He said, “This is the foundational mission of Congress karyakartas. This is going to be central. And in my view, (K C) Venugopal ji and others might have a different opinion, but in my view it should be compulsory. It should be mandatory. Every single person should go through it. It should be a rigorous course and it should develop people who have real understanding of what it means to be a Congressperson,”

Notably, Rahul Gandhi’s statements differentiating between Hinduism and Hindutva comes in the backdrop of  Congress leader Salman Khurshid’s comparison of Hindutva to Islamic terror organisations like ISIS (Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) and Boko Haram. Salman Khurshid compared ISIS, one of the most dreaded Islamic terror group has been responsible for terror attacks across the world in recent years to Hindutva through a comment made in the chapter called ‘The Saffron Sky’ in his book ‘Sunrise over Ayodhya’.

Protest against Namaz on public ground in Gurugram escalates, Hindu activists spread cow dung on the ground for puja, plan to build volleyball court

OpIndia Staff
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Protest against Namaz on public ground in Gurugram escalates, Hindu activists spread cow dung on the ground for puja, plan to build volleyball court

As the residents in Gurugram continue to protest against Muslims offering Namaz at public places in their areas on Fridays, some of them today took the matter into their own hands to prevent the same. As the police have refused to 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.

The members of Hindu groups also gathered at the spot, and said that they are planning to set up a volleyball ground there. “We are sitting here quietly… but will not allow prayers. We will plan for a game here,” one activist Pramila Chahar said, according to an NDTV report. Another activist named Veer Yadav said, “We will set up a net… will build a volleyball court here, children will play. Will not allow namaz, no matter what.”

Photographs from the place show rows of cow dung cakes spread across the ground. Reportedly, the Hindu activists had held a puja last week which included covering the ground used by Muslims to offer Namaz with cow dung cakes, which have not been removed after that.

As a result, even though Muslims had assembled at the spot as per routine, they could not offer Friday prayers today. “We have told everyone that until we have an agreement with our Hindu brothers, we will not be offering prayers here… DC saheb has also given us a week,” the Muslim organisations said.

The spot at Sector 12A is among the sites in Gurugram “designated” for Namaz by Muslims, which was granted to Muslims after an alleged agreement with Hindus in 2018. But for the last few months, residents in several of those areas have been opposing this. Protests by Hindu groups have become a regular affair in those Namaz sites every Friday, and police forces are being deployed to prevent any clash and to ensure that Muslims can offer their prayers.

The NDTV report adds that the Gurugram authorities have told the Muslims that the permission granted for Namaz will be cancelled if there are objections from locals. Notably, Last week permissions to offer Namaz at eight of those “designated” places were cancelled due to this reason.

“Consent from the administration is necessary for namaz in any public and open place. If local people have objections at other places also, permission will not be given…” the authorities reportedly said. The administration also said a committee to be constituted by Deputy Commissioner Yash Garg will hold discussions on identifying alternative sites for Friday Namaz. Gurugram Police spokesperson Subhash Boken had stated that Namaz could only be offered at mosques and select places.

Afghanistan: Massive explosion at mosque during Friday Namaz rocks Nangarhar, multiple casualties feared

OpIndia Staff
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Afghanistan: Massive explosion at mosque during Friday Namaz rocks Nangarhar, multiple casualties feared

A high-intensity bomb blast has occurred at a mosque in Traili town in Nangarhar province in eastern Afghanistan on Friday afternoon. The explosion occurred in front of a mosque in the Spin Ghar district at around 1.30 pm, during the Friday Namaz. Though the exact numbers are not yet known, it is being anticipated that the explosion has left at least three people dead and more than 35 were wounded, including the imam of the mosque.

Spin Ghar district of the eastern province of Afghanistan has been a hotbed of ISIS activity since the Taliban seized power in the country in August. Footage of the blast was shared on social media in the aftermath.

A video circulating on social media purportedly showed smoke rising above the neighbourhood.

TOLO News journalist shared visuals where the injured were seen being taken to the hospital.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) has quoted a Taliban official as saying: “I can confirm a blast during Friday prayers inside a mosque in Spin Ghar district. There are casualties and fatalities.”

The international newspaper further quoted a local activist named Walli Mohammed as confirming that the bomb was hidden in a loudspeaker near the imam’s rostrum. When the speaker was switched on to sound the Azaan, the device detonated, he added.

While no one has claimed responsibility for the incident, it is the latest in a series of such blasts that have targeted Mosques in the war-torn country. In the recent past, the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP), an affiliate of ISIL militant group, has claimed responsibility for a number of terror attacks in Afghanistan.

On October 9, hours after a suicide bomber targeted a Shia mosque in Kunduz, where 300 Muslims were offering their Friday prayers (Jumma Namaz), the Sunni terror outfit Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) had claimed responsibility for the dastardly attack.

ISKP and the targetting of Shia Muslims in Afghanistan

The recent rise of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan has accentuated the fear of the Hazara community who had earlier been targeted by ISKP. Islamic State of Khorasan Province follows the extremist Sunni ideology and has been involved in several terror activities, including the bombing at the Kabul airport on August 26 that claimed the lives of 13 US soldiers. ISKP is an offshoot of the Islamic State terror group (ISIS) that operates in Afghanistan, Pakistan and India.

Movie on Islamist Kunjali Marakkar IV sparks row ahead of its release: Read why

OpIndia Staff
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Movie on Islamist Kunjali Marakkar IV sparks row ahead of its release: Read why

A contentious Malayalam film titled, ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham‘ is set to hit the theatres on December 2 this year. The movie is based on the ‘heroics’ of Mohammed Ali, the fourth Muslim naval chief (Kunjali Marakkar) of the Zamorin (hereditary ruler) of Calicut. It is the most expensive Malayalam film to date, produced with a budget of ₹100 crores.

With just 3 weeks away from its scheduled release, the film has courted controversy over its ‘glorification’ of Kunjali Marakkar IV. A Twitter user named Kamath (@durga_dasa) pointed out, “Funny to see Hindus obsess with movie Kunjali Marakkar: The Lion of Arabian sea glorifying Kunjali Marakkar IV who betrayed Zamorin, tried to establish an Islamic regime in Malabar with help from Bijapur Sultan & other Islamists.”

Kunjali Marakkar IV, betrayal to Hindu Samoothiris and downfall

As per a research article in Swatantra, the Zamorin (also called Samoothiri) were the hereditary rulers of the Kingdom of Calicut in the Southern Malabar region of Kerala. During the 16th century, the Hindu monarch had permitted Muslims to settle down, preach and propagate Islam with absolute freedom within the Kingdom. The Samoothiris had appointed four Muslim naval commanders (also called Kunjali Marakkar) between 1507 and 1600 to defend the Kingdom against attacks by a strong Portuguese navy.

The Malayalam film named, ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham’ is based on the ‘heroics’ of Mohammed Ali, who was the Kunjali Marakkar IV between the period 1595 – 1600. Although the Kunjali Marakkars are celebrated in the Southern Malabar region for their valour and often dubbed as ‘freedom fighters’, it is not commonly known that they had betrayed the Samoothiris. After defeating the Portuguese, the Kunali Marakkar IV became arrogant and declared himself as the ‘independent ruler’ of the Malabar Muslims.

Historian KV Krishna Ayyar stated, “The implicit confidence and the wholehearted loyalty of the former days had been gradually impaired by jealousy, fear and uncertainty. Further, the behaviour of the Moplah hero also tended to precipitate a crisis. Success turned his head. He was indiscreet enough to style himself king of the Moors and Lord of the Indian Seas, and to waylay ships bound for Calicut and levy blackmail. He had even the audacity to cut off the tail of one of the elephants belonging to the Zamorin. And when asked to explain his conduct, he added insult to injury by ill-treating the Nayar whom the king had sent.”

“None could number the cruel barbarities practised by him and his against all sorts and conditions of men, without distinction: among others, against his own neighbour, the Nair king Auriole, already mentioned, whom he robbed and pillaged and drove from his kingdom: he cut off the nose and breasts of that prince’s queen, and had himself acknowledged as king. At length, puffed up with prosperity, he would no longer recognise the Samory, and rebelled against him, refusing to deliver up some vessels of his subjects that he had taken; and when commanded so to do, he set all such commands at nought,” read the brief account of French navigator François Pyrard de Laval.

Swatantra highlighted how the same naval commander had not only challenged the authority of Samoothiris but also attacked the subjects of the Kingdom of Calicut. Mohammed Ali also regarded himself as the Lord of the Indian sea and the King of the Moplahs. As such, the Samoothiris forged a treaty with the Portuguese and defeated Kunjali Marakkar IV and brought an end to the saga of Muslim naval commanders. 500 years later, the betrayal of Mohammed Ali is being celebrated in the form of the upcoming film ‘Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham.’

Twitter user Kamanth (@durga_dasa) had shared an article by Deepa Thomas where it was suggested that Kunjali Marakkar IV was not patriotic or anti-imperialist, as propagated in the media. Instead, Deepa Thomas had stated that there was enough evidence to suggest that Mohammed Ali betrayed the Hindu Samoothiris in the interest of religion.

Kamath also highlighted how Malayali director Priyadarshan and actor Mohanlal had made the film,’ Marakkar: Arabikkadalinte Simham’ with little regard to their Hindu Nair ancestry, which had suffered genocide at the hands of the Malabar Islamists.

Family of Kunjali Marakkar IV had raised objection against the movie

In March last year, one descendant of the Islamist Kunjali Marakkar IV had moved the Kerala High Court to stop the release of the Malayalam film. The petitioner, Mufeeda Arafath Marakkar, had accused the filmmakers of portraying a distorted version of history and presenting the Muslim naval commander in a ‘perverted light.’ He had alleged the 16th century Islamist had been presented as a romantic hero and a ‘dancer who sang songs with women.’

“The movie shows the perverted attire of Kunjali Marakkar. He was a pious Muslim and his attire was according to the religious tenets of his time. However, the leaflet shows him sporting an image of Lord Ganapaty in the centre of his turban. As pointed out by Portuguese historians, Kunjali Marakkar and his 40 lieutenants were promised pardon by the Portuguese if they embraced Christianity but they opted death to conversion. In movie, fiction is allowed to a lesser extent, but it cannot distort the original history,” the petition read.

The petitioner had claimed that Mohammed Ali was a bachelor and had no love affairs. He had accused the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of awarding U/A certification to the film without any application of mind.

Former Samajwadi Party minister Gayatri Prajapati sentenced to life imprisonment in gang rape case: All you need to know

OpIndia Staff
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Former Samajwadi Party minister Gayatri Prajapati sentenced to life imprisonment in gang rape case: All you need to know

A special court on Friday sentenced former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati, a key figure in Akhilesh Yadav’s cabinet, to life imprisonment in a gang rape case. Prajapati, along with two of his accomplices, were on Wednesday convicted on charges of gang rape and under sections of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act.

The court had on Wednesday said it would decide the quantum of punishment on Friday, November 12. It had also imposed a fine of Rs 2 lakh on the convicted SP leader.

One of the linchpins of the Samajwadi Party, Prajapati held key portfolios of the transport and mining ministries during the Akhilesh Yadav government in Uttar Pradesh. The leader was arrested in March 2017 on charges of gang-rape of a woman and sexual harassment of her daughter. Special judge PK Rai on Wednesday pronounced Prajapati and two other accused, Ashok Tiwari and Ashish Shukla, guilty and asserted that the prosecution was successful in proving its case beyond reasonable doubt.

The court, however, acquitted Vikas Verma, Roopeshwar, Amrendra Singh alias Pintu and Chandrapal, for lack of adequate evidence. The prosecution had produced as many as 17 witnesses in the case. 

The court had also ordered the Commissioner of Police, Lucknow, to investigate as to what led the rape victim and witnesses, Ram Singh Rajpoot and Anshu Gaur to change their statements.

Gayatri Prajapati arrested in rape and molestation case

A Chitrakoot-based woman had accused the SP leader and his accomplices of raping her and molesting her daughter. The FIR was filed with Gautampalli police station on February 8, 2017, after the intervention of the Supreme Court hearing the petition of the woman.

Gayatri Prajapati was arrested and sent to jail on March 15, 2017. He was charged with rape, criminal conspiracy, and criminal intimidation. The former minister, along with others, is accused of raping a woman and attempting to molest her minor daughter. He is currently undergoing treatment for various ailments at the KGMU in Lucknow.

It might be recalled that in January 2017, a woman from Chitrakoot had alleged that Prajapati, then a Minister in SP chief Akhilesh Yadav’s cabinet, along with his men, raped her and attempted to rape her minor daughter. Prajapati reportedly took photos and continued to rape her for two years by threatening to leak the photos. He also falsely promised to give her an important position in Samajwadi Party and a mining contract. The victim later filed a complaint. However, the UP Police refused to file an FIR. The woman then approached the Supreme Court, which directed the police to lodge a report. In February 2017 he absconded but was later arrested in Lucknow.

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