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“You have mothers and sisters at home”, TMC candidate Koushani Banerjee intimidates locals into voting for her party

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“You have mothers and sisters at home”, TMC candidate Koushani Banerjee intimidates locals into voting for her party

In a video that has now gone viral on social media, actress turned Trinamool Congress candidate Koushani Banerjee was seen intimidating people into voting for her party in the ongoing Vidhan Sabha polls. She is contesting from the Krishnanagar (Uttar) constituency.

While addressing the crowd at an election rally, she pulled up a man and asked, “Are you from the BJP? Come here.” At the same time, the ‘over-enthusiastic’ Trinamool Congress supporters were heard raising slogans of ‘Joy Bangla.’ Koushani Banerjee then cautioned, “Ghore sobar kintu maa bon aaacha. Vote ta bhebe dibi (Everyone has mothers and sisters at their home. Remember this when you cast your vote).”

By invoking the reference of mothers and sisters, she tried to instil fear in the minds of the people that voting for the BJP will supposedly lead to atrocities against women in their families. While it has not been explicitly stated, her statement can conversely imply that not voting for the TMC can invite the wrath of the party on the women in the society.

(Video Courtesy: Youtube/News 18 Bangla)

While hitting back at the Trinamool Congress for the comment of Koushani Banerjee, the State Unit of the BJP tweeted, “This is how she threatened the women of Bengal, this is Pishi’s (Mamata Banerjee’s) culture. The women of Bengal are definitely not safe under Pishi’s rule.”

Mamata Banerjee fear-mongers amidst ongoing polls

This is not the first time that a Trinamool Congress candidate has resorted to fear-mongering and intimidatory tactics during the campaign trail. While addressing an election rally in Falakata in the Alipurduar district on Friday, Mamata Banerjee said, “The central security personnel, who have come from outside, will try to intimidate you. Yesterday, they did in Nandigram. About 48 prior to the commencement of elections, the central security forces go to villages and intimidate people to not vote for the TMC. They warn people against voting for the TMC.”

Mamata Banerjee claimed that the central security personnel have been working in cahoots with the BJP as a part of a sinister conspiracy to defeat the Trinamool Congress. “Don’t listen to them. If they try to intimidate you, then, you must unite and chase them away with sickles, sticks and brooms,” the West Bengal recommended the people of Falakata to resort to violent means.

RTI reveals Delhi’s AAP government, despite numerous boasts, developed no new hospitals, built no new flyover from 2015-2019

OpIndia Staff
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RTI reveals Delhi’s AAP government, despite numerous boasts, developed no new hospitals, built no new flyover from 2015-2019

The incumbent AAP government of Delhi has used its health care and infrastructure initiatives as its major electoral campaign planks. Its 2015 Assembly election manifesto promised to increase total bed strength in Delhi hospitals to 40,000 and had even said that the strength would be doubled in the first two years.

In the same year, AAP supremo and Delhi CM Kejriwal claimed that in the last four-and-a-half years, his government has built 23 flyovers. However, the reality seems far from what the AAP government in Delhi has advertised over the years.

RTI pleas filed by one Tejpal Singh revealed that contrary to the tall claims made by the incumbent AAP government, no hospital had been commissioned, nor had any flyovers been constructed in Delhi between the years 2015 to 2019. The RTI pleas were filed in 2019 to seek information about the health care and infrastructure initiatives taken up by the Delhi government in the last 5 years.

Akshay Lakra, the president of Delhi’s National Students’ Union of India (NSUI), the student wing of the Congress party tweeted the copy of the RTI replies dated 3rd July 2019.

The first reply from the Directorate of Health Services, Delhi confirmed that “as per information available in Hospital cell of DGHS, it is informed that No new hospital has been commissioned under Delhi government, during the period from April 2015 to 31st March 2019. 

Interestingly, Aam Aadmi Party’s 2015 Assembly election manifesto promised to increase total bed strength in Delhi hospitals to 40,000 and had even said that the strength would be doubled in the first two years. In the 2019-20 budget, the Delhi government had allocated Rs 7,485 crore (about 14% of the budget) to medical and public health.

However, we had also reported, how actually, the Arvind Kejriwal government had added only 394 new beds in government hospitals between 2014-2015 and 2017-2018.

Similar has been the fate of the ambitious Mohalla Clinics. AAP had promised 1,000 Mohalla Clinics, against which only 189 were opened as per a report in January 2019. AAP had then blamed the Narendra Modi led BJP government in the Centre for the delay.

Similarly, the second copy of RTI by the Public Works Department, Delhi, revealed that the department has not undertaken any flyover construction work in the national capital between April 1, 2015 to 31st March, 2019.

Interestingly, on July 16, 2019, when Arvind Kejriwal had inaugurated the 2.85 km signal-free new RTR Flyover, he boasted that under his leadership the AAP government in Delhi had built 23 flyovers in the last 4 and a half years as compared to the 70 flyovers built by the Sheila Dikshit government in 15 years.

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan calls for beheading of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati as ‘punishment’ for criticising Prophet Muhammad

OpIndia Staff
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AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan calls for beheading of Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati as ‘punishment’ for criticising Prophet Muhammad

AAP MLA Amanatullah Khan called for the beheading of Dasna Devi Temple head priest Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati for his alleged critical remarks on Prophet Muhammad.

“We can not tolerate such impertinence for our beloved Prophet Muhammad. This hateful insect should be awarded the most severe punishment by slitting his tongue and neck. But the law of the land does not permit us to do this, we have faith in the Indian constitution, and I want Delhi Police to take note of this,” Amanatullah Khan tweeted along with sharing the video of Narsinghanand Saraswati where he criticised the Islamic prophet.

Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati was speaking at an event held at the Press Club of India when he urged Hindus to be fearless in highlighting the characteristics of Prophet Muhammad.

“If Islam’s reality, for which Maulana says, ‘If you speak about Muhammad, we will behead you’, Hindus should get rid of this fear. We are Hindus. If we can about the characteristics of Lord Ram, and other Hindu deities, then Muhammad is nothing for us. Why could not we speak about Muhammad and speak truth?” Yati Narsinghanand Saraswati exclaimed.

The Dasna Devi Temple head priest further said, “If Muslims come to know the reality of Muhammad, then they will be ashamed of being a Muslim.”

Amanatullah Khan, in the past, has played the ‘Muslim card’ to defend Delhi Riots accused Tahir Hussain, claiming that the latter was being punished only because he was Muslim, ignoring the mountain of evidence piling up against Hussain. Khan himself was accused of inciting violence in Delhi on the 15th of December, 2019 during anti-CAA protests.

NIA recovers another Mercedes SUV linked to Sachin Vaze, total number of vehicles linked to the Antilia bomb scare case goes up to eight

OpIndia Staff
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NIA recovers another Mercedes SUV linked to Sachin Vaze, total number of vehicles linked to the Antilia bomb scare case goes up to eight

The twist and turns in the Antilia bomb scare case of Sachin Vaze seize to end. To date, the NIA has seized more than half-a-dozen different vehicles which were allegedly used by Sachin Vaze for different reasons. The central agency is investigating the death of Mansukh Hiren and the Antilia bomb scare, in which Vaze is the prime accused.

Now it is being reported that the agency has taken into its possession yet another high-end luxury car from Mumbai. The latest car is a white Mercedes bearing registration number MH 46 X 3420 that has been seized and taken to the central agency office, according to reports. The agency is now trying to establish whether this car has any links with the Sachin Vaze or the Mansukh Hiren death case.

According to the vehicle registration database, the car is a Mercedes ML 250 CDI, which is registered as Panvel RTO. Its owner is registered as Gaganpreet Singh Bedi.

NIA recovers 7 more cars in the past which have links to the case of Sachin Vaze

With this, the agency has recovered 8 cars since Sachin Vaze’s arrest on March 13. Before this, on March 30, the NIA had seized the tainted cop’s personal vehicle, a white Mitsubishi Outlander from Navi Mumbai. The car had been abandoned in Navi Mumbai for several days before residents of the locality reported it to the police. 

Prior to this, the agency seized 6 other different vehicles which were allegedly used by Sachin Vaze. Soon after NIA took charges of the Antilla bomb scare case came, it first seized control of the explosive-laden Green Scorpio which was parked outside Mukesh Ambani’s Antilia residence.

The NIA recovered 5 vehicles subsequently, which were used by Vaze. After Vaze’s arrest on March 13, the NIA seized a white Innova, which was being used by police personnel. Following this, a black Mercedez Benz was seized. From the black Mercedez, the NIA had recovered Rs 5.75 lakh cash and a cash counting machine. Moreover, the vehicle was also spotted on February 17 to pick up Mansukh Hiren.

The fourth car which was seized was another black Mercedez Benz, recovered from Sachin Vaze’s residential complex in Thane.

The next car in question, seized by the central agency was a Land Cruiser Prado, which allegedly ferried gelatin sticks and Mansukh Hiren. The Prado was spotted on Trident Hotel’s CCTV, where Sachin Vaze stayed and allegedly plotted the Antilia bomb scare. 

Last but not the least, a black Volvo was seized from a factory in Daman by the ATS, which was probing the Mansukh Hiren death case until the NIA took over. Two bags had also been recovered from the black Volvo. 

Moreover, a March 2 CCTV footage showed Sachin Vaze driving an Audi car. He was caught on camera passing through the toll gates at the Bandra Worli Sea Link in this high-end sedan, three days before Mansukh Hiran’s body was fished out of a creek. Former constable Vinayak Shinde can be seen in the car with Sachin Waze, sources said. The Audi sedan has been traced by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) which is probing the case.

Fake number plates also play a critical role in the case of the tainted cop

Besides cars, fake number plates have also played a critical role in the Antilia bomb scare case. Earlier, API Riyaz Kazi, the close aide of Mumbai tainted cop Sachin Vaze, was caught on CCTV entering a number plate shop in Vikhroli. Kazi allegedly went there with an intention to destroy evidence. Additionally, the explosive-laden Scorpio car, the Mercedes car and the white Innova, which was suspected to be used in addition to the Scorpio, all these vehicles recovered by the NIA so far have been found with fake number plates.

Furthermore, two more vehicle registration plates, with the same number, were recovered from the Mithi river, where NIA had sent professional divers on March 28, in a bid to recover crucial evidence from the river bed. It was reported that a government official based in Aurangabad had claimed that the number plates retrieved from the Mithi river belonged to him.

Vijay Madhukar Nade has claimed that his car was stolen from Aurangabad’s Uddhavrao Patil Chowk on November 16, 2020, and he had filed an FIR regarding the same.

The NIA is now reportedly probing why Vaze used so many cars and fake number plates.

Interestingly, none of the cars recovered so far, except the Mitsubishi Outlander seized from Navi Mumbai, belonged to the now suspended cop. Sources believe that this was Sachin Vaze’s modus operandi.

US Capitol attack: Black radical Islamist shot dead after killing a cop, injuring another, wanted to target the US govt

OpIndia Staff
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US Capitol attack: Black radical Islamist shot dead after killing a cop, injuring another, wanted to target the US govt

On Friday at around 1 pm, a 25-year-old Islamist named Noah Green rammed his car into the security barrier at the Senate side of the US Capitol complex in Washington DC. After ramming his car at the vehicle access point along Constitution Avenue, the man stepped out from his Navy Sedan car and attacked two police officers with a knife, killing one and critically injuring the other.

In a quick response, the United States Capitol Police (USCP) opened fire at the accused and shot him dead. The incident took place amidst recess at the Capitol, implying that only a few lawmakers were inside the building complex at the time of the attack. President Biden is also at Camp David at present. Meanwhile, the police locked down the area for some time to ensure the security and safety of the Capitol complex.

The police had warned lawmakers inside the Capitol to stay away from doors and windows. After the threat was mitigated, the cops stated, “The USCP has cleared the external security threat incident located at all of the U.S. Capitol Campus buildings, however the area around the crime scene will continue to be restricted and individuals should follow police direction.” Security officials have described the incident as a ‘lone wolf attack’.

The officer who died, identified as William “Billy” Evans, was brutally stabbed by Noah Green during the fatal attack. Another officer was mowed down by the car. USCP transported one officer to the hospital via a cruiser whereas the other officer was escorted via DC Fire Department and EMS along with the attacker. USCP informed in a statement that Officer Evans had succumbed to his injuries.

Acting U.S. Capitol Police Chief Yogananda Pittman said that the officer served as a member of the United States Capitol Police for 18 years. The other police officer, struck by the car, is said to be in a stable, non-threatening condition.

While speaking about the incident, Acting Chief of Washington DC’s Metropolitan Police Department Robert Contee said, “Whether the attack was at law enforcement, or whoever, we have a responsibility to get to the bottom of it and we’ll do that.” Authorities also claimed that the attack did not appear ‘terrorism-related. Interestingly, the police had no prior information about the possibility of an attack or inputs about the attacker.

The attacker

The 25-year-old Noah Green, with ties to Indiana and Virginia, was a follower of the black nationalist Nation of Islam movement. Andy Ngo, the Editor of The Post Millenial, had accessed the Facebook profile of the attacker. He informed that Facebook Inc. has now deleted Noah’s account after his name surfaced in connection to the incident.

“I only had seconds to look at Noah Green’s Facebook page before it was deleted. He was living in Norfolk, Va. From what I saw, many of his posts were of a religious (Islamic) nature. He appeared to be a deeply devout follower of the Nation of Islam & went by the name, “Noah X,” he said.

He also said that Green graduated from Christopher Newport University in 2020 and was a football player. A radical Islamist by conviction, the attacker had blamed the US government for being antagonistic to the Black community. “The US Government is the #1 enemy of Black people!” he wrote. According to BBC, the attacker had also left his job recently due to afflictions and in search of a spiritual journey. He also claimed in one of his Facebook posts that he was suffering from the ‘side-effects of drugs’ he had been taking ‘unknowingly.’

Noah Green was also a devout follower of Nation of Islam Head Louis Farrakhan. “Farrakhan has close ties to Democrat leaders. Will the media make sure they’re made to answer for those links? Of course not,” Andy Ngo wrote.

Facebook confirms that it deleted the profile of the Capitol attacker

In a statement, Facebook said, “After this horrific event, our thoughts are with the Capitol Police and their loved ones. We have designated the incident under our Dangerous Individuals and Organizations policy, which means we have removed the suspect’s accounts from Facebook and Instagram, and are removing any content that praises, supports, or represents the attack or the suspect. We are in contact with law enforcement as they conduct their investigation.”

Political reactions to the incident

In a tweet, Republican Senator McConnell expressed his gratitude to the first responders and the US Capitol Police. “Praying for the United States Capitol Police officers who were attacked at the Capitol. We are still learning what’s taken place. Grateful to all the USCP and first responders who are on the scene,” he tweeted.

US President Joe Biden has shared condolences with Officer Evan’s family. He said that he was ‘heartbroken’ after learning about the violent attack. Biden had also ordered US flag at the White House to be hoisted at half mast. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi described Officer Evans as ‘martyr of our (American) democracy.’ She also added that the incident has broken America’s heart.

In a statement, US Vice-President Kamala Harris said, “Today, in an explicable act of violence, a brave US Capitol Police Officer was killed in the line of duty, while another officer fights for his life. Officer William Evans made the ultimate sacrifice protecting the Capitol and those who work there on behalf of the American people. Officer Evans, his family, and all those who knew him are in our hearts and prayers. We mourn with them during this difficult time.”

Senior Congress leaders don’t want to campaign in West Bengal to avoid upsetting Mamata Banerjee: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Senior Congress leaders don’t want to campaign in West Bengal to avoid upsetting Mamata Banerjee: Reports

ven as two phases of eight phase election in West Bengal are already over, senior Congress leaders are visibly absent from the campaigning in the state. Now, according to a report by CNN News 18, the reason is that, no senior leader wants to campaign in the state.

Reportedly, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi have decided to concentrate on campaigning in Kerala at present, and may campaign in Bengal after the elections are over in the southern state. The Congress party, which is playing the role of a third front in West Bengal in alliance with left parties and ISF, does not see much prospect which has turned into a direct fight between ruling TMC and BJP. As a result, the central leaders of the party do not want to waste their time effort in a losing election.

The Congress party see TMC as an ally to combat BJP at the national level, therefore it is not too willing to upset that equation by offering a strong contest to the Mamata Banerjee led party in the state, which is already facing a tough contest from BJP. Therefore, even though state leaders like Adhir Ranjan Choudhury have been speaking against the CM and TMC, others in the party have refrained from making any comments against Mamata Banerjee and TMC.

The party is giving a contradictory signal on its position on TMC. While the state leadership has been openly criticising CM Mamata Banerjee, the central leadership has not criticised her openly. The party has cordial relation with the CM, and hence they are avoiding attacking her directly. Even though the party has upset Mamata Banerjee to some extent by allying with the left front in Bengal, they don’t want to upset her further by actively campaigning against her.

It is also being speculated that senior leaders of the Congress party do not want to be seen with the Islamic cleric Abbas Siddiqui led Indian Secular Front, the party’s ally in Bengal. Yesterday ISF chief Abbas Siddiqui had commented on the issue, saying that it is sad and unfortunate that the Congress party has been missing in the election campaign in the state so far. According to reports, Adhir Ranjan Choudhury has also refused to share the stage with Siddiqui, as he is not happy with the Islamic party.

It may be noted several allies of the Congress party in other states have decided to campaign against the party in support of TMC in West Bengal.  Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM), Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), allies of the Congress party in Jharkhand, Maharashtra and Bihar, have snubbed the party to campaign for TMC in the state.

Rahul Gandhi asks for American interference in India’s internal affairs, asks why the US establishment is silent

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Rahul Gandhi asks for American interference in India’s internal affairs, asks why the US establishment is silent

While the Indian government is rejecting any foreign interference in domestic matters in India, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has decided to take the opposite path. The Kerala MP stroked a massive outrage today by asking for American interference in India’s internal matters.

Rahul Gandhi made the comments during an online interaction with Ambassador Nicholas Burns of the Harvard Kennedy School. The Gandhi scion was invited by the Harvard Kennedy School’s Institute of Politics to talk about challenges and opportunities in India and reflections on politics and public service.

Nicholas Burns is a former American ambassador to Greece, and currently a Professor of the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

Rahul Gandhi asked for American interference in India towards the end of the program, after host Nicholas Burns had delivered his concluding remarks. After Burns concluded the session, Rahul Gandhi asks if he can make a quick ending comment. He then proceeds to say, “I don’t hear anything from the US establishment about what is happening in India. If you are saying partnership in democracy is, I mean, what’s your view on what is happening here?” Burns was visibly shocked after hearing this open offer from Rahul Gandhi for asking for America to comment on India’s internal matters.

Rahul Gandhi also added, “I fundamentally believe, that America is a profound idea. The idea of freedom, the way it is encapsulated in your constitution is a very powerful idea. But you got to defend that idea. And that’s the real question.” However, Nicholas Burns didn’t respond to this specifically, only saying that when they will hold the next session in two weeks with another guest from India, they will discuss these matters.

During the session, Rahul Gandhi also extensively criticised the Narendra Modi government in the program by the American university. He also brought the matter of poll officials using a vehicle belonging to a BJP leader to carry EVMs after the elections. He complained that this was a very serious matter which was not being covered by national BJP. He alleged that BJP has absolute dominance over media.

He also alleged that BJP has complete control over the system, including the judiciary, and therefore the opposition parties were not being able to contest against BJP.

Election Commission bans Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for saying Congress ally BPF chief will be jailed if he encourages extremism

OpIndia Staff
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Election Commission bans Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for saying Congress ally BPF chief will be jailed if he encourages extremism

The Election Commission has banned Assam BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning in the elections for the next 48 hours. The EC decision came after the Congress party had filed a petition with the poll panel seeking a ban on him for allegedly threatening Hagrama Mohilary, leader of Congress ally Bodoland People’s Front (BPF).

The Election Commission found that Himanta Biswa Sarma violated the model code of conduct by his comments on Mohilary, and banned him from holding any public meeting, procession, rally, road show etc for the next 48 hours. He will also be not able to give any interviews and make any comments on any electronic, print and social media, as per the EC order. The Commission also said that it strongly condemns the impugned statements made by Sarma.

On March 30, the Congress had moved the Election Commission of India seeking registration of FIR and putting a blanket ban on Himanta Biswa Sarma from campaigning for the Assam Assembly elections. The Congress had sought action against the senior Assam minister and NEDA convenor for allegedly threatening BPF chief Hagrama Mohilary of “sending him to jail” during campaigning for BJP for the Assam Assembly elections.

“He has openly threatened his opponent party, INC alliance partner Bodoland People’s Front (BPF) chairperson Hagrama Mohilary of sending him to jail by misusing the Central Agency – NIA which is under the direct administrative control of the BJP led Central Government”, the Congress petition had said.

After receiving the petition, yesterday the EC had asked Sarma to submit explanation within 2nd April. Himanta Biswa Sarma submitted his response today accordingly, but EC was not satisfied with it, and imposed the ban.

The petition was filed after Himanta Biswa Sarma had alleged during an interaction with media that Hagrama Mohilary has links with terrorists. He had said that if it is proven that Hagrama Mohilary is collaborating with terrorist M Batha for return of extremism in the Bodoland area, he will be sent to jail. “If he does extremism with Batha, he will go to jail, that is straight talk. If Hagrama encourages Batha, he will go to jail, already there are of proofs”, he had said. Sarma had also said that a recent case of recovery of arms from a vehicle in the region will be handed over to NIA after the elections.

Saying that he is “not afraid” of either Batha or Hagrama, Sarma had said that violence will not be encouraged in the Bodoland region again. “There will be no bombings and there will be no guns in the BTR. Let me clarify that,” he had said. Talking about the Batha trying to revive terrorism, he had said, “The NIA will enquire everything and things will become clearer in the due course of time. Only someone who is having a rough time will encourage such acts after losing an election.”

The ban by EC effectively means that Himanta Biswa Sarma will not be able to campaign for the ongoing elections again. The last phase of the election in Assam will took place on 6th April, which means the last date for campaigning for the elections in those constituencies will be 4th April. This means, when the ban on Sarma will end, the campaigning for the third and last phase will also end.

Sarma is the biggest campaigner for BJP in the elections in Assam, and every day he addresses more than half a dozen election rallies, apart from participating in several roadshows every day. He had a packed schedule for the next two days for the third phase of polling, which will have to be scrapped now.

This also means that Himanta Bisaw Sarma will not be able to campaign for himself at the Jalukbari constituency. He has not campaigned for a single day in his constituency so far. However, party workers and his wife are running the campaign on his behalf. In the 2016 elections too, he had campaigned in Jalukbari only on the last day of the campaigning, and he had won the seat comfortably.

‘There will be a government of men with beard, cap and lungi in Assam’, says son of Badruddin Ajmal

OpIndia Staff
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‘There will be a government of men with beard, cap and lungi in Assam’, says son of Badruddin Ajmal

Congress alliance partner in Assam AIUDF seems to be working hard to prove the claim of BJP true that if they come to power, they will form a government of Miyas, a term used to denote Bangladeshi immigrant Muslims. Such a hint was given by Abdur Rahim Ajmal, the son of AIDUF chief Maulana Badruddin Ajmal, when he claimed that they will form a government by men with beard, skullcap and lungi.

Addressing an election campaign rally in Bhabanipur in Assam for party candidate Phanidhar Talukdar, Abdur Rahim Ajmal said in Bengali, ‘this time it will be a government of poor people, it will be a government of men with beard, cap and lungi’.

In another rally, he claimed that after they form govt, people will have to respect burkha, beard and skullcap. Campaigning for AIUDF candidate Ashraful Hussain in Chenga constituency, the junior Ajmal said, ‘Dupatta of our mothers and sisters will have to be respected, the Burkha of our mothers and sisters will have to be respected, our beard and cap will have to be respected’.

Abdur Rahim Ajmal is an AIUDF MLA from Jamunamukh constituency. However, this time Badruddin Ajmal’s brother Sirajuddin Ajmal has been nominated from the seat by AIUDF.

The beard, skullcap, lungi, burkha etc are commonly associated with Bangladeshi immigrant Muslims in the state. People from the Assamese Muslim community, descendants of people who were ethnic Assamese but converted to Islam centuries ago, are generally not distinguished by such appearance and attire. By repeatedly referring to beard, skullcap, lungi, burkha etc, Abdur Rahim Ajmal made it clear that should the Congress led alliance comes to power after the elections, they will form a government comprising of Miya Muslims, and the government will work for the benefit of the immigrants from Bangladesh.

This is the second controversy the AIUDF leaders have created in this week. Two days ago, party chief Badruddin Ajmal hat triggered a massive controversy by angrily throwing a Gamosa at a party worker. The act was widely condemned in the state, as it was seen as an insult of a cultural symbol of the state. PM Modi had also commented that everyone who loves Assam is hurt and angry after seeing the visuals of Ajmal insulting the Gamosa.

Ex assistant editor at Mint calls ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’ a ‘right wing whistle call’, netizens give befitting reply

OpIndia Staff
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Ex assistant editor at Mint calls ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’ a ‘right wing whistle call’, netizens give befitting reply

Ex-Assistant Editor at Mint, Nidheesh MK, described ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’, the invocation of Swami Ayyappa, as the ‘favourite whistle call of right wing protesters’. Nidheesh made the comment after Prime Minister Modi said the same at a rally in Kerala, the land of the Sabarimala Temple, while campaigning for the assembly elections in the state.

Source: Twitter

Netizens slammed the ‘journalist’ for what they saw as an insult to the sacred invocation.

People on social media also called Nidheesh a bigot for describing the invocation as a whistle call.

Mostly, however, people just quote-tweeted the controversial tweet saying ‘Swamiye Sharanam Ayyappa’.

The invocation became the rallying crying for the Hindus in Kerala who came out on the streets in large numbers to defend the unique traditions of the Sabarimala Temple following a Supreme Court verdict that permitted the entry of women into its premises.

Swami Ayyappa is worshipped in Sabarimala in His manifestation as a Naishtik Brahmachari and the entry of women would have resulted in the violation of the Brahmachari character of the Deity.

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