A Naga Sadhu was brutally assaulted by the police on Monday (March 22), after he reached Bilaspur in Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh.
As per reports, the Naga Sadhu has been identified as one Yogi Gangapuri from Juna Akhada. The victim arrived in Bilaspur from Trivandrum in an AC 2nd Tier train on Monday. He was scheduled to meet fellow Naga Sadhu Sambhu Maharaj at his ashram in Ansuya Dham near Chakarbhata railway station. On reaching Bilaspur, he began taking shower outside the railway station.
At that time, two police personnel reached the spot and detained him over suspicion. They then took Yogi Gangapuri to Torwa police station. To make things worse, the Naga Sadhu was unable to speak or understand the local dialect. The cops then brutally thrashed him and seized his belongings. This included ₹1.25 lac rupees cash, a mobile phone worth ₹12,000 and silver utensils. The cops then threw him outside the police station.
Video Courtesy: Youtube/
Yogi Gangapuri was badly injured and crept his way to the Gara Church. After finding him in an injured state, a railway official Pramod Nagai took notice of the matter. He initially thought that the victim was a mentally challenged person. On learning that the victim was a Naga Sadhu, Nagai went to his house to bring clothes for him. However, Yogi Gangapuri refused to wear clothes and said that he is bound by rules to not clothe himself.
Later, the railway official took him to his house and provided medicines to heal his wounds. He also took the Naga Sadhu to the ashram, where he was scheduled to go. When members of the BJP and the Bajrang Dal learnt about the matter, they took the victim to the police station. He was able to identify that place.
Sudarshan News reported that the victim had informed that the police hit him in his private parts with sticks. In a video clip shared by the news channel, it could be seen that his back had been bruised badly. Yogi Gangapuri met the IG (Bilaspur) Ratanlal Dangi along with other Hindu leaders. He has demanded justice from Dangi and urged that the police return the documents that were given to him by his Juna Akhada. While the police have so far not returned his belongings, they have handed back his mobile phone.
Islamists in Bangladesh attacked Hindu Temples to protest against the official visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Reuters reported. Violent protests have been underway in Bangladesh over the visit by the Indian Prime Minister and some protesters have died during attempts by the police to enforce law and order.
Hefazat-e-Islami members attacked a train in the district of Brahmanbaria on Saunday, injuring ten. “They attacked the train and damaged its engine room and almost all the coaches,” a police official told Reuters on the condition of anonymity.
“Brahmanbaria is burning. Various government offices were set on fire indiscriminately. Even the press club was attacked and many injured, including the press club president. We are in extreme fear and feeling really helpless,” said a journalist.
Buses were burnt in Rajshahi district and hundreds clashed with the Police in Narayanganj, near Dhaka. The protesters pelted the police with stones forcing the latter to retaliate with rubber bullet and tear gas.
AFP reported that five were killed on Friday and another six on Saturday. At Narayanganj, Hefazat-e-Islamist members chanted “action, action, direct action” in an ominous development. It is pertinent to mention that Jinnah’s call for ‘Direct Action’ led to the genocide of Bengali Hindus in 1946.
Dhaka Tribune reported that the Brahmanbaria Sadar land office and Ustad Alauddin Khan Music Academy were set on fire as well.
Earlier, it was reported that Facebook services were down in Bangladesh in light of the violent protests. Border Guards have been deployed to enforce law and order on the streets. The Hefazat-e-Islami is a hardline Islamist organisation, whose members have been accused of persecuting Hindus in the past.
While addressing a public meeting in Chennai, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted RSS yet again and threatened, “We will smash the BJP and the RSS into smithereens”, as per a Times of India report. This comes a day after a BJP MLA was attacked and stripped naked by alleged farmer protestors in Congress ruled Punjab.
Rahul Gandhi has earlier too threatened to destroy the RSS. He had earlier compared schools run by the RSS to Islamic centres madarsas run in Pakistan. Vidya Bharti schools run by the RSS are affiliated to either state or central boards. On the other hand, madarsas may or may not be part of mainstream schooling and educational setup. He has also often used the ‘knickerwala’ jibe to refer to the RSS members.
Adding to his threat, Rahul Gandhi said confidently, “The Democratic Progressive Alliance of the Congress, the DMK and the allied parties is with the people of Tamil Nadu. DMK president Stalin will become the CM. The DMK, Stalin and the Congress will never compromise with ideologies and forces that are against the interest of Tamils and Tamil Nadu.” Continuing with his monologue on ‘idea of India’, Gandhi said, “Tamil Nadu is a key part of the idea of India.”
Realizing there are elections happening in other parts of the country too, he said, “There are other states too as a part of the foundation, but Tamil Nadu is the key.” In another attack on BJP and its leaders, Rahul Gandhi was heard saying, “I saw a picture of an elected representative touching the feet of Amit Shah. The only relationship possible in BJP is where you have to touch the feet of the leader of BJP, bow down before Narendra Modi or Amit Shah.”
I saw a picture of an elected representative touching the feet of Amit Shah. The only relationship possible in BJP is where you have to touch the feet of the leader of BJP, bow down before Narendra Modi or Amit Shah: Rahul Gandhi, Congress addresses a public rally in Chennai pic.twitter.com/XfSqaeY8DZ
He added, “When I see the Prime Minister controlling Tamil Nadu CM, making him touch his feet silently, I’m not ready to accept it. Tamil Nadu CM doesn’t want to bow in front of Amit Shah but he is forced to because of the corruption he has done.”
When I see the Prime Minister controlling Tamil Nadu CM, making him touch his feet silently, I’m not ready to accept it. Tamil Nadu CM doesn’t want to bow in front of Amit Shah but he is forced to because of the corruption he has done: Rahul Gandhi, Congress
@RahulGandhi At last u agree that former Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh – TS Singh Deo, touched ur feet because u forced him to do so because of the corruption he had done! pic.twitter.com/XniD7Eov8Z
Ironically, Gandhi’s speech included, “Upright people will not bow down before others. We want Tamil Nadu to be ruled by Tamils and from here and not from Delhi.”
Rahul Gandhi is on his way to Salem where he will be addressing a joint meeting along with MK Stalin and others this evening.
Amidst the ongoing political chaos that has erupted in Maharashtra, there were reports that suggested BJP senior leadership has been in touch with Sharad Pawar’s National Congress Party. NCP is one of the coalition members of the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state. Reports speculate that the top leaders have been discussing the possible coalition in the state.
On Saturday Home Minister Amit Shah, NCP chief Sharad Pawar and NCP leader Praful Patel were in Ahmedabad on Saturday. The trio reportedly met at Gautam Adani’s residence in Ahmedabad. There were media reports claiming that they had met to discuss the possibility of a government formation in Maharashtra. Interestingly, both political parties had not uttered any word regarding the high-level meet between the leadership of the two parties.
However, a day later, Home Minister Amit Shah admitted that a meeting was held between the leadership of the two parties and added that not everything can be made public. On Sunday, during the press conference addressed by Amit Shah, a reporter from Times Now asked the BJP leader about the reports of his meeting with Sharad Pawar in Ahmedabad.
#Breaking | TIMES NOW’s Megha asks HM @AmitShah about the buzz over him meeting with NCP’s Sharad Pawar & Praful Patel yesterday.
‘Everything can’t be made public’ says HM Shah.
Listen in to HM Shah & a reaction from Maha HM Anil Deshmukh.
Responding to the buzz over his meeting with NCP’s Sharad Pawar and Praful Patel in Ahmedabad on Saturday, Home Minister Amit Shah said, “Everything cannot be made public”.
With his subtle answer, the Home Minister hinted that a meeting was held between the two sides as he did not deny the speculations that had emerged in the media.
Ever since the Maharashtra extortion scam began to make headlines causing massive embarrassment to the Congress-NCP-Shiv Sena alliance in Maharashtra, there have been rumours that one of the either NCP or Shiv Sena may break away from the coalition to join hands with BJP to form a government. It is pertinent to note that BJP is the single largest party in the Maharashtra assembly with 105 seats.
On Sunday, Home Minister Amit Shah said that BJP will form government in West Bengal by winning more than 200 seats in the ongoing assembly elections in the state.
Addressing the press conference, Union Home Minister Amit Shah thanked the voters of Assam and West Bengal, the two states which went to polls in the first phase of the polls scheduled on March 27. He said that the high voter turnout showed enthusiasm of people in two states.
Home Minister Amit Shah also expressed confidence that the saffron party will win 37 seats out of 47 in Assam that went to the polls on Saturday. As per Shah, BJP will win more than 26 seats out of 30 seats that went to the polls in the first phase in West Bengal as well. He said over 84 per cent turnout in West Bengal proves that people of the state want change.
“After discussions with booth level workers and party leaders, I can say out of 30 seats in West Bengal we will win more than 26 seats. We have got clear indications that BJP will win more than 37 seats out of 47 seats in Assam,” said Shah.
He further said that both the states were known for political violence but this time no one died during polling in the first phase.
Emphasising the peaceful elections being held in West Bengal under the watch of central forces, Amit Shah said that after many years, the polling process was held without any incident of violence in West Bengal.
“I want to thank the women of West Bengal for polling in favour of the BJP. BJP will form government in West Bengal with more than 200 seats,” said Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
The West Bengal State Legislative polls will be conducted in 8 phases. The first phase of elections commenced on March 27. Meanwhile, the elections in Assam will be held from March 27 to April 6 in three phases to elect 126 MLAs. The results will be announced on May 2.
‘Farmer leader’ Rakesh Tikait has claimed that the lynching of BJP MLA Arun Narang in Punjab was orchestrated by the BJP itself to ‘defame’ farmers. He claimed that his people had only shown black flags and were not involved in the lynching.
Our people were not involved (in thrashing a BJP MLA in Punjab's Muktsar). Our people showed black flags but were not involved in this incident. On the contrary, it was done by their people to defame farmers: Bhartiya Kisan Union (Arajnaitik) leader Rakesh Tikait https://t.co/UXIdVyCx9Dpic.twitter.com/scPGoyda5l
“Our people were not involved. Our people showed black flags but were not involved in this incident. On the contrary, it was done by their people to defame farmers,” Rakesh Tikait said speaking of the incident.
Anti-farm law protestors in Punjab had attacked BJP MLA from Abohar, Arun Narang, and tore off his clothes after thrashing him on Saturday. In visuals of the incident that have gone viral on social media, Narang can be seen in a nude state before the Police managed to carry him away.
The incident is reported to have occurred at Malout town in Punjab. Arun Narang had reportedly reached the spot to participate in a press conference against the state government. However, the protesters were already waiting for him near the BJP office.
The latest development in Sachin Vaze’s case that shook the entire state of Maharashtra, is of his close aide API Riyaz Kazi being caught on CCTV entering a number plate shop in Vikhroli. Owned by one Tushar Kadam, as reported by Republic, it is alleged that Riyaz Kazi asked the shop owner for DVR footage with the intention to destroy them. After a conversation with the owner, he can be seen taking away DVDs and a computer.
EXCLUSIVE: Sachin Vaze’s CIU cop Riyaz Kazi seen on CCTV entering Mumbai number plate shop https://t.co/ggcFgUmcFM
The owner of the shop was held for interrogation by the agency. The statement of the shop owner has been recorded. Citing NIA and ATS sources, Republic said that Kazi is currently being investigated over allegation of destruction of evidence.
Riyaz Kazi has been summoned multiple times by both NIA and ATS to establish his role in the Antilia bomb scare probe and the murder of businessman Mansukh Hiren. Multiple number plates said to be made at a shop in Vikhroli were recovered from the cars seized by NIA.
This is not the first location in connection with the case where Riyaz Kazi was caught on camera. Earlier, Riyaz Kazi was seen collecting the CCTV footage from Sachin Vaze’s housing complex in Thane.
As per sources, both the agencies have reportedly suspected Riyaz Kazi to have helped Sachin Vaze procure the fake number plates and destroy crucial evidence.
The series of destroying evidence
The prime accused in the Mansukh Hiren death case – Sachin Vaze – has reportedly admitted to the NIA that he destroyed five mobile phones, including his official one after Mumbai Police recovered the dead body of Mumbai-based businessmen from Kalwa creek on March 5. The officials suspect that Vaze was using at least 13 mobile phones.
Unaccounted bullets recovered from Sachin Vaze
The National Investigative Agency (NIA) had informed a special court that it had recovered 62 unaccounted bullets from the residence of former Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Vaze.
As per reports, the NIA found only 5 out of 30 bullets that were officially allotted for his service pistol.
He was arrested on March 23 in connection to the Antilia bomb scare case and remanded to NIA custody for 12 days.
Gangster Kuldeep Maan alias Fajja who had escaped from police custody following a shootout at GTB Hospital in Delhi on Thursday was killed in during an exchange of fire with police on Saturday. According to reports, the Special Cell of Delhi police had received information that Fajja was hiding near Tulsi Apartments in Rohini sector 14.
#NewsAlert | Gangster Kuldeep Fazza shot dead in an encounter with Delhi Police.
Fajja was injured in an exchange of fire with a team of police that reached his hideout to conduct a raid. He was rushed to Ambedkar Hospital where he was declared dead.
Delhi: Kuldeep Fazza, an accused who fled away from GTB Hospital on March 25, was injured during an exchange of fire with Special Cell team, in a flat (in pic 1) in Sector 14, Rohini. He was rushed to Ambedkar Hospital (in pic 2) where he was declared dead. pic.twitter.com/i5eSGHAUDS
“After monitoring his activity throughout the day, a team led by Inspectors Sunil Rajain and Ravinder Joshi decided to conduct a raid at his hideout. They cordoned off the area and asked him to surrender around 12:45 am, but he fired. In retaliation, police also fired and he was killed. His associate, who provided him shelter, has been arrested from the spot” se senior police official was quoted as saying.
Fajja had escaped from police custody from GTB Hospital
Fajja, a close aide of jailed gangster Jitendra Maan alias Gogi, was brought to the GTB Hospital for treatment on Thursday. After he reached the hospital, around 10 armed assailants attacked the police personnel. “They threw chilli powder at the police team. Over 20 rounds were fired by both sides. One of the assailants, Ankesh, was shot in the back and fell while another accused, Ravi, sustained two bullet injuries in the chest and died”, a police officer said.
As per reports, police came to know a few days ago that gangster Kala Rana approached one Priyavrat from Bangkok and asked him to coordinate with Fajja for a personal favour. Priyavrat was arrested on March 6 by the special cell of Delhi police in connection with the murder of a civil defence volunteer in Bawana. Kala Rana then asked one Ankesh to coordinate with Fajja when he arrives at the hospital. “Ankesh stayed at a hotel in Saraswati Vihar on Wednesday night. On Thursday morning, he picked up his aides, including two juveniles, from Mukarba Chowk”, said a police officer.
Fajja carried a reward of Rs 2 lakh on his arrest.
On March 26, Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned in his speech at Dhaka, Bangladesh, that he was arrested while doing Satyagraha organised by the Jan Sangh in August 1971 under the leadership of Late Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Several media outlets and liberals have since mocked PM Modi, alleging he is lying about his arrest and participation in any such event.
Boom Live, a fact-checker with a complicated relationship with facts, has published a long article trying to dig out the information on PM Modi’s presence in Satyagraha movement organised by Jan Sangh in 1971. In its report, Boom Live alleged that there was no mention of his arrest in the book published by PM Modi by the name ‘Sangharsh Ma Gujarat’.
Misleading tweet by Boom Live
Blurb of the old edition of the book mentions the arrest
According to Boom Live, they accessed the PDF format of the book available online. The fourth edition of the book is available in PDF format on PM Modi’s website narendramodi.in. Over the time, the back cover of the book and the content on the back cover was changed. What Boom Live checked was the fourth edition in which there was no mention of Bangladesh.
पीएम @narendramodi ने बांग्लादेश के निर्माण के लिए सत्याग्रह में भाग लेने और इसके लिए जेल जाने का आज ढाका में ज़िक्र क्या किया, उनके आलोचकों के पेट में दर्द हो गया। संदेह का माहौल खड़ा किया जाने लगा! इन आलोचकों को 1978 में प्रकाशित इस किताब के बैक कवर को देखकर मायूस होना पड़ेगा! pic.twitter.com/8QBcUQD5E4
However, in the earlier edition of the book that was published in 1978, there was a line “Agau Bangladesh satyagrreh samay Tihar jail jai avela che” that translates to “He went to Tihar Jail during the time of Bangladesh Satyagrah”.
It should be mentioned that while the book “Sangharsh Ma Gujarat” may not have details on PM Modi’s participation in the Bangladesh Satyagraha, the blurb carried it. The ‘About the Author’ section of the book, which mentioned PM Modi’s participation in Bangladesh Satyagraha, provides a brief profile of the author. It need not necessarily give inputs about the content of the book. However, it seems it is too much to expect from from ‘fact-checkers’
Mention of PM Modi’s arrest in a book by Andy Marino
In the book written by Andy Marino titled “Narendra Modi: A Political Biography” that was published in 2014, there was a mention of his arrest. In the chapter three of the book, it was written, “The RSS was holding sit-down demonstrations in sympathy with the Bangladesh solidarity movement and practising ‘satyagraha’, Mahatma Gandhi’s method of nonviolent protest. Narendra, at this time, was only informally tied to the RSS but says that he travelled up to Delhi to take part in one such protest. In a country on the brink of war, where India’s security was ‘threatened by external aggression’, to demonstrate against the government was tantamount to sedition.
Excerpt from Andy Marino’s book “Narendra Modi: A Political Biography”
The protesters were demanding the right for RSS workers to join the army, which was yet forbidden. ‘But instead of sending us to the war front, the government arrested us and sent us to Tihar jail,’ recalled Modi. Many Twitter users also shared the excerpt to show that the fact-checkers had their facts mixed up.
His imprisonment was brief, and Narendra was soon released, indicating that the episode was simply the authorities sweeping clean the streets. It was in early 1972, just after the war ended, that Vakil Saheb stepped in and took Narendraformally into the RSS fold.”
Fack-checking as a tool for propaganda
In the recent years, ‘liberal’ media have adopted fact-checking as a tool for propaganda wherein they dismiss certain claims or call them ‘fake news’ based on a completely different set of data. In Boom Live’s report itself it does not dismiss PM Modi’s participation in Bangladesh Satyagraha. However, by stating that his book, the ‘About the Author’ section that was widely shared, did not contain details about the Satyagraha, the ‘fact-checker’ cast aspersions on the authenticity of the claim itself.
This, of course, is not the first time PM Modi has been attacked for his speeches.
In February 2021, TMC’s Derek O’Brien tried to “Fact Check” PM Modi’s speech. However, his fact-check was full of lies itself which were rebutted point-by-point by BJP Bengal. In February 2019, when PM Modi said that he had hoisted the flag on Lal Chowk, Srinagar in 1992, the liberal force jumped in to mock him. However, in reality, PM Modi did hoist the flag at Lal Chowk, and there is photographic evidence of the same available. In August 2018, Fact Check India and other liberals tried to defame PM Modi by saying he had misled people in Independence Day speech. OpIndia did a point-by-point fact-check and found all his claims to be true.
In April 2017, media outlets subtly misreported PM Modi’s speech that led to a flood of a fact-check. When the speech was checked, it was found that PTI wrongly quoted the Prime Minister. NDTV had tweeted the same. Fact checker, instead of checking the facts, trusted the NDTV tweet of the PTI quoted as gospel truth, and on that basis, ran a story whose title said that Modi had got something wrong. But the fact is, PM Modi had never said it!
The President of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, Bibi Jagir Kaur has established a sub-office at Kurukshetra to assist the Sikhs of Haryana to obtain visas for Pakistan. As per a report in Amar Ujala, the centre which started functioning yesterday will help the Sikhs complete the visa process to visit their holy pilgrims in Pakistan.
A centre set up at the SGPC’s sub-office at Patshahi Chhevin Gurdwara, is the first such in Haryana which will allow the Sikhs to deposit their passports and the visa processing will be taken care of by SGPC officials. Prior to this the Sikhs of Haryana had to fulfill the visa formalities themselves.
As per another report by Tribune, a letter has been issued to the additional secretary, sub-office, Kurukshetra, by the secretary (yatra), SGPC, Amritsar, for the management of jathas and pilgrims to the holy shrine in Pakistan.
Talking about the tedious task, Mangpreet Singh, in-charge of Sikh Mission, Haryana, said “Currently, pilgrims from Haryana approach their deputy commissioners concerned, then after inquiry, the visas are issued, but now the pilgrims would be able to submit their applications and passports in the sub-office. We will approach the deputy commissioners and make further arrangements.”
SGPC President, Bibi Jagir Kaur said that four jathas are sent every year to the holy shrines of Pakistan, in which the visa process is facilitated by the SGPC headquarters in Amritsar. She further informed that a jatha will be sent in June 2021 on the occasion of the Shaheedi Divas of Guru Arjan Dev Ji and the Sikhs are requested to deposit their passport for the same at the earliest.
No functions will be canceled says SGPC President
The SGPC has planned many religious occasions which include Hola Mohalla and a special function on the occasion of 400th birth anniversary of Guru Tegh Bahadur ji. However, SGPC President has stated clearly that no religious function will be canceled.
She registered a protest against Roopnagar administration’s idea of asking devotees to come with Covid-19 negative report for the Holla Mohala festival. The administration was later forced to say that the negative report is to be produced only by International pilgrims.
The annual Sikh festival of Hola Mohalla will be celebrated from March 29 to March 31 at Kiratpur Sahib and Anandpur Sahib, which attracts lakhs of devotees and tourists from different parts of the world.
